The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REAL-LIFE STORIES OF MY CONSTITUENTS AFFECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H231-H232 on Jan. 8, 2019.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REAL-LIFE STORIES OF MY CONSTITUENTS AFFECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for 5 minutes.
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, a really sad milestone of, really, failure on day 18 of a partial government shutdown that is affecting 25 percent of the Federal Government.
I am rising today to share some of the real-life stories of some of my constituents in eastern Connecticut who are affected by this shutdown, which, again, today, we are now officially 1 day past the length of the 2013 shutdown of 17 days. On Sunday, if this is not fixed and ended, it will actually be the longest shutdown in American history, surpassing the 1994 shutdown.
Mr. Speaker, today, I got a letter from James of Waterford, Connecticut:
I am a State Department employee assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. I have been a DOS employee since 2003.
I live and work every day in a dangerous environment in support of U.S. foreign policy. In Herat, Afghanistan, in 2013, I was shot at and blown up in an attack by the Taliban on the U.S. Consulate. In Belgrade, Serbia, in 2008, I was trapped in the burning U.S. Embassy during protests against Kosovo independence while I protected and destroyed classified information.
I support our government's policies in difficult environments, and I expect my government to meet their commitment to me and my family.
Jeremy of Colchester, Connecticut, who works for the Coast Guard:
Please work to pass a bill to fund the government, including employees' salaries of the Coast Guard, which are, again, part of the Department of Homeland Security. My family cannot go indefinitely without pay, nor should they have to.
And he is absolutely right.
Kate of Chester, Connecticut:
I am a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee. I have been an employee of the USDA for 15 years at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.
That is off the coast of Long Island Sound, where they do amazing research in terms of animal health and public health.
If there is not a resolution and end to this shutdown soon, my financial situation will force me to choose which bills to pay.
Robert of Stafford Springs, Connecticut, who actually works for a regional craft brewery:
I depend on the ATF, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, to approve license applications, formulas and labels for beers--delicious beers, by the way--that we brew and sell. Every day that this passes without a shutdown ending is another potential day of lost sales.
Ethan of Niantic, Connecticut, who works at the Coast Guard Academy, where they are building the leaders of tomorrow for this country. He has been part of the faculty for the last 11 years.
Personally, without earning a paycheck, we will find paying for groceries, mortgage, utilities, childcare, and other essentials, nearly impossible. As the government shutdown lingers on, I become increasingly concerned how it will impact my family.
Brian Krampovitas, I met with him this morning in my office. He is one of the air traffic controllers at Bradley Field in Hartford, Connecticut. They have 40 employees who are working without pay, 10-
hour shifts, making sure that the planes take off and land safely. And again, the stress level, because they have no support staff, is growing more and more intense for people who are doing incredibly important work, guaranteeing the safety of this country.
Again, just as a way of a recap, last week the new Congress was sworn in. Within 2 hours, we passed H.R. 21, which fully funded the American Government, which would have ended this shutdown last week, again, not with a wild spending bill but one that had already passed in the U.S. Senate with Republican votes.
All Mitch McConnell has to do is bring up that bill, which they have already passed, send it to the President, and with the stroke of a pen, this would end today; and these people who, again, are doing the important work of the American people would not have to be going through the stress and aggravation while they are doing great work to protect our public safety, to represent our country overseas, and to make sure that we have leaders of the future through institutions like the Coast Guard Academy.
Again, we are going to hear a speech tonight. This thing apparently is going to continue to go on. It is unnecessary, it is pointless, and it is hurting the American economy and the American people.
Mr. President, sign H.R. 21.
We can have a debate about border security. There are some things that both sides will agree on in terms of making sure that we get more immigration judges to eliminate the asylum case backlog, to boost enforcement of port of entry where fentanyl and dangerous drugs are coming through; and we can have a serious debate about whether or not it is sensors and drones, boots on the ground to make sure that those areas that are more remote get more protection, but lengthening this shutdown and hurting people who have absolutely nothing to do with the southern border is pointless and hurting people and hurting the U.S. economy.
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