Mark Pocan: “There is a lot of rhetoric out there about why there is a government shutdown and who is to blame. Well, let's look at…”

“There is a lot of rhetoric out there about why there is a government shutdown and who is to blame. Well, let's look at the facts. The GOP is, indeed, in charge at all levels of Federal Government yet has not been able to do much of anything since then. They can't fund the government, and now they are asking for their fourth continuing resolution of only a few weeks yet again. The only major, concrete thing they have really done is give tax breaks to their wealthy donors, and now they are in full spin mode trying to say the government is shut down because we want to let certain people into our country. Please. Look, we are fighting for parity on non-defense funding for things like schools, Head Start, and programs like Meals on Wheels and homeless veterans' assistance. We want to get funding for community health centers and CHIP. And, yes, repairing the DACA agreement that has allowed a lot of good, talented young people to stay in this country is important to many of us as well. Let's remember, the only thing the Republicans have to show for their last year is a giant, wet, sloppy tax break for their donors and a way too extended honeymoon with the President. It is time to step up and put our country before our party, and we need to do that now. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R.…”