David Obey: “I simply note that earlier in the year we were told, ``Let's just pass a 45-day continuing resolution. That will give us…”

“I simply note that earlier in the year we were told, ``Let's just pass a 45-day continuing resolution. That will give us enough time to work out the long-term budget problems.'' That expired. Then they brought to the floor another continuing resolution. Then last week they brought to the floor another one, saying, ``Let's pass one to keeping the Government going for a week. That will be enough time to work out our problems.'' Now they are here saying the same thing they said the previous week, ``Just give us another week. We will work out the problems.'' Meanwhile, I still see no indication that the gentlemen on that side of the aisle are willing to back away from the environmental riders that are holding us up on the Interior bill. I see no indication that they are willing to restore the funding the President has asked so that we do not have to lay off 40,000 teachers. The problem is that every week that they continue with this ``government on the installment plan'' they push local school districts further and further to the point where they have to lay off teachers. We do not want that done. We want them to get down to the business now, deal with the regular long-term CR rather than continuing this ``let's pretend'' extension of the Government under which you are continuously week by week squeezing the guts out of education and squeezing the guts out of our ability to enforce the law when it comes to environmental cleanup.”