Volume 142, No. 2 covering the 2nd Session of the 104th Congress (1995 - 1996) was published by the Congressional Record.
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.
“SUPPORT A CLEAN CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO OPEN THE GOVERNMENT” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H128-H129 on Jan. 4, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORT A CLEAN CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO OPEN THE GOVERNMENT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I may be comforted that I have heard more voices coming to this well and really asking in a very sincere and honest manner can we not all get along; and, in fact, answer the American people in an affirmative answer by saying we can and we will open this Government, and we will allow our citizens to go back to work not so much because they are Federal employees, but because they are public servants who are doing the business of the public, providing essential and necessary responsibilities that this Government is entrusted to do.
With that, I am comforted by the more than 40 of my colleagues that have joined me in supporting a clean continuing resolution that would open this Government for at least 2 weeks, to January 19, fund the existing operations at at least 90 percent, so that we would not have the crisis that we are facing.
In Houston we have only four Environmental Protection Agency employees. They cannot do their job. So communities like Pleasantville and Kennedy Heights, that would need the services of the Environmental Protection Agency dealing with Superfund cleanup responsibilities, they cannot get toxic waste areas cleaned up. The Superfund monies have been depleted as of last Tuesday.
This clean continuing resolution would allow us to continue to debate these very emotional issues dealing with the budget; whether we should have a $245 billion tax cut; whether or not we should shut down 57 schools in Texas by prohibiting them from having direct student loans for their students. And when I say shut down, shut down the opportunity of those students to go to college.
I might add, too, that the list is growing of supporters who want this resolution to come to the floor, and it is different from the one of the other body, because the other body's resolution was until January 11. And I applaud Senator Dole, but now we have come to the end of this week and we still have not gotten a budget compromise. So Frank Pallone, Robert Menendez, Chet Edwards, Bob Wise, Chuck Schumer, Henry B. Gonzalez, Mike McNulty, Ike Skelton, Gene Taylor, Jerry Nadler, Karen Thurman, Bobby Scott, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Bill Hefner, Lynn Rivers, Mike Ward, and William Jefferson are now adding their names to this effort of bipartisanship.
As we speak today, we are losing $50 million a day, ladies and gentlemen, my colleagues, by this shutdown. All total we have lost $550 million. We are in the middle of a peacekeeping responsibility in Bosnia. Our young men and women need us. We need our resources. We need to use our tax dollars effectively.
What have we seen in the headlines besides the budget? We see corporations laying off 40,000 people. We need to be in the business of providing and creating jobs. Our small businesses in the 18th Congressional District, who would receive small business loans, which, in fact, in my view, are the backbone of America, cannot, in fact, get those loans to keep their employees hired.
And, likewise, those small businesses who are involved in Government contracts, they are unable to meet their obligations because they are not getting paid. Businesses that rely on contracts for services with the Small Business Administration are at a risk during this shutdown. In fact, several businesses who are awaiting payment from the Small Business Administration are closing their doors. That may not be 40,000 employees, ladies and gentlemen, it may amount to hundreds of thousands. And the reason is because this country is filled with independent entrepreneurs who I am so very proud of who are trying to work.
So I would ask the leadership, the Republican leadership, join me with this continuing resolution. It is offered in a bipartisan effort. We have over 40 Members who have joined already to cosponsor a resolution that would open the Government, stop the bleeding, stop the loss of money, but let us continue to debate whether we cut Medicare and Medicaid, whether we cut the education loans, whether we cut in the environment, but open the Government so we are not losing $50 million a day.
This funds the Government at 90 percent. It allows people to be back at work doing the nursing home inspections that they are entitled and must be responsible to do, opening the national parks, opening the monuments, taking down the image internationally that the Government is shut down. Our embassies have had to send out letters to ensure our foreign governments that we are, in fact, not a government in crisis or revolution. This should not be.
And let me remind my colleagues that under the Constitution we are to work with the three branches of government, and we must work with the President and this House and the Senate. Let us work together, pass House Joint Resolution 155, and allow us to open this Government up. It is most important. House Joint Resolution 155. Let us pass it and open the Government.
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