GOP Weekly Address: Taking Steps to Reopen the Government
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Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — In this week’s Republican address, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon, R-Calif., says that for all the apparent disagreement in Washington, there are some things on which lawmakers and President Obama can agree.
Noting the passage and signing of legislation this week that will guarantee death benefits for the families of fallen soldiers, Rep. McKeon encourages the president and the Senate to forward on other items on which they all agree, including veterans, cancer research, National Guard, national parks, Head Starts, food safety, border security and nuclear weapon security.
Read the full transcript of the Republican address:
“Hello, I’m Buck McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
“For all the focus on disagreements in Washington, we’ve actually found some common ground this week.
“On Thursday, President Obama signed legislation that guarantees death benefits for the families of fallen troops will continue to be paid out during the government shutdown.
“We’ve also come together to ensure that members of our military and the civilians who support them will be paid no matter what.
“We shouldn’t stop there.
“The House has passed more than a dozen bills providing funding for things we can all agree on.
“Veterans, cancer research, National Guard, national parks, Head Start, food safety, flight safety, border security, nuclear weapon security, and more.
“President Obama and Senate Democrats should back these bills immediately.
“Then the president should work with us on plans to reopen the entire government and make sure we do not default on our debts.
“After all, sitting down and resolving our differences is exactly what Americans expect their leaders to do – especially at times like this.
“To that end, a group of House Republicans, including myself, went to the White House on Thursday to talk with the president and see where we can find common ground. Those conversations are continuing.
“Now, I’m sure all this back-and-forth has sounded like the typical Washington drama. But politics isn’t about politicians. It isn’t about Washington. It’s about you and your family.
“It’s about building an economy that generates good-paying jobs and real prosperity.
“It’s about making sure there’s fairness for everyone under the president’s health care law – so that hardworking people like you get the same relief big businesses have received.
“It’s about stemming the tide of debt and deficits that threatens to wash out an entire generation’s opportunities.
“And it’s about ensuring our troops in harm’s way, and their families, are taken care of, the same way they take care of us at home.
“Preserving the American Dream. That’s what this is about.
“And the longer we go on settling for maybe-next-time, for this notion that putting things off until after the next election is okay, the harder this will get.
“It’s a challenge, but we can do this. Let’s get back to work, together.
“Thank you for listening.”
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