Better is Possible

Floor Speech

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Mrs. McIVER. Mr. Speaker, once again, we find ourselves staring down a deadline to fund the government--deadline after deadline after deadline. Once again, we expect to see our colleagues across the aisle use this as an opportunity to put partisanship over people.

Like so many Americans watching from home, I must ask: Why does this keep happening? Why does this keep happening?

My colleagues across the aisle either don't understand, or they simply don't care about how a government shutdown impacts people, real people. They seem to think that it is a tool that they can use to force their cruel agenda onto our communities and a tool to take more from the folks who they have already hurt with their big, ugly bill.

During recess, I conducted a roundtable with school leaders from 18 cities in my district, and they talked about the challenges that students will face with cuts to SNAP benefits and the school lunch program. They spoke of how students will not be able to show up to school ready to learn and how it would impact their learning experience and their school environment.

I spoke to families who told me that they didn't know how they would be able to afford healthcare once their Medicaid is cut, once the effective date kicks in. We talked to many constituents about how they would be able to afford to put food on their tables once SNAP benefit cuts kick in.

The people deserve a government that works, a government that works for the people, one that is stable, functional, and focused on solving real problems, not constantly heading toward a shutdown, not a government engaged in constant cruelty, constant chaos, and constant confusion.

Once again, the American people deserve a government that works for them. That means investing in what matters, such as public safety. How about education, transportation, healthcare, and the services that families and communities rely on the most? Those are the programs we should be investing in, not cutting. We need more investments in these programs.

Mr. Speaker, we must and will oppose attempts to slash those services, and we won't support a partisan, poisonous bill that hurts the people we serve and the people who depend on us, the people who have elected us to work on their behalf and their behalf only. That is as simple as that. We will not support it, point-blank, period.

Better is possible. We know that better is possible. We know better, despite what the other side of the aisle does. That is why we are going to continue to fight like hell for the people we serve because we know that they deserve better.

We will not stop fighting, no matter what. We are fighting not just to pass something to keep the lights on for another few months but for a solution that actually serves the American people, something that makes people's lives better.

Did we forget why we are here and why the people elected us? They elected us to make their lives better, not to hurt them or make their lives worse. That is not our job. Let me remind you: The people elected us. They put their trust in us to make their lives better, not worse.

I invite all of my colleagues to join us. Join us to fight for people and to work for people. Let's get back to the real work in these Chambers. Let's make it make sense why we are here working on behalf of our constituents who have elected us. Let's get back to the people's business.

Kamlager-Dove).

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Mrs. McIVER. Mr. Speaker, I am telling you, it is time for us to work for the people.

I thank the fine gentlewoman from California for those remarks. It is time for us to work for people. That is what we are here for. That is what your constituents voted for you to do; not to make cuts. Think about it. I say this to my colleagues across the aisle, the next time you are out in your district working, ask one of your constituents: Is your life better? Has your life been better since January 20? Is it better? Ask. See what they tell you. I can bet you that it isn't.

McClellan), my co-anchor of this Special Order hour.

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Mrs. McIVER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for those remarks, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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