The Continuing Resolution

Floor Speech

Madam Speaker, as we prepare to debate and vote on the continuing resolution to fund the government through December, I rise to urge that the House stay in session until we can also take up several issues that are not resolved in the legislation we will be voting on, things our constituents are struggling with every day: unemployment, adequate support for our seniors, college affordability, and climate change.

These issues deserve our attention, and the toll they take on Americans is very real, both in Oregon and in districts across the country.
For the millions of men and women who are still struggling to find a job, emergency unemployment insurance was their lifeline. After numerous pleas to call for a vote went unanswered, millions of Americans are now unable to fill up their gas tank or pay their rent. For some on the precipice of homelessness, this is the tipping point. These people can't move on without the support provided by unemployment insurance. So let's send a signal that we haven't abandoned them and take up a bill to extend these critical benefits.

And let's not forget how many people could get back to work if we would set aside our differences and pass a long-term transportation bill and a comprehensive overhaul of our Tax Code. Enough of these policies that incentivize businesses to go overseas; we need policies that keep them bringing jobs back home.

We should also think of our seniors. The Older Americans Act changed the way our seniors age in this country. It contains social and nutritional programs that help them live full, independent lives, but the act expired more than 3 years ago. Meanwhile, the number of Americans turning 60 continues to grow.

I introduced a bill to reauthorize and update the Older Americans Act so seniors can age with dignity and not in poverty. However, the House has yet to consider this important bill to renew critical safety net programs like Meals on Wheels, home health care, and protection from elder abuse. My bill is closely aligned with a bipartisan compromise introduced in the Senate, and it deserves consideration.

And let's not forget the millions of students who are returning to college campuses across the country this fall. The cost of college is leaving too many of them with massive debt and decades-long repayment plans. That is a drag on our economy. We need legislation that allows students to refinance their current loans--just like people can refinance a mortgage to get lower rates--and, ultimately, we must address the rising cost of college. Higher education needs to be accessible for everyone. We should not create barriers by maintaining a system in which higher education involves exorbitant student loan debt.

Finally, the threat of climate change continues to loom. This too is a concern across the country and around the world, but it is particularly alarming to my coastal and agricultural portions of my district. Greenhouse gas emissions are at record highs, leading to a warming planet, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels. Farmers, fishers, and others who rely on our natural resources are already feeling the stress.

We must have a serious discussion about how we can curb increasing carbon emissions. Let's make this an opportunity to develop new and innovative technologies that can reduce carbon emissions while growing and advancing our economy through the creation of clean energy jobs. Let's do it for our children and our grandchildren. Let's not wait.

Yes, this continuing resolution will continue to fund the government for a short time. It will prevent another disastrous government shutdown. But it is a short-term fix that leaves numerous immediate problems unaddressed. We must do better for our constituents. They will bear the ramifications of our inaction.

I urge my colleagues to set aside our differences. Let's work together to find the solutions our constituents deserve.

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