disagreements about border security. you can sense the exasperation in my tone. we just want to reopen the government we are happen to debate border security. we are happy to but let's reopen the government and our republicanan friends here have that overwhelming guilt of the american people so we urge our colleagues to think about this. we know president trump isn't interested in ending the shutdown leader mcconnell knows he has the power the only reason we are in the prolonged stalemate is that my friend the republican leader refuses to take up any legislationn to reopen the government. we should do that now. i yield the floor.

>> to have 800,000 federal employees across the country and the state of virginia you and senator warner to be very concerned what is happening in new mexico when i went to speak and on the ranking democrat. to call on this action that is causing traffic - - tragic consequences. we are on dayon number 27. every day my constituents are asking me what are we doing to end this senseless shutdown?

i am here on the senate floor demanding we open the government. demanding we do our job pass those bipartisan appropriations bills i have the privilege to serve with the interior appropriations subcommittee i know how critical that interior bill is particularly to my home state of new mexico and states across the west in the country. the interior bill funds basic services like health care and public safety for 2 million american indians and natives through the indian health service in the bureau of indian affairs. this bill keeps our air and water clean w through the work of the epa. this p bill protects and

preserves national parks and treasured public lands and helps to support small businesses that depend on them. the agencies and the spill fund science and wildlife protection energy development and arts and cultural programs of every state with tens of thousands of americans there is no reason why they should be shuttered. they are simply too important. the shutdown is devastating for indian country every day the president continues to treat tribal programs like hostages for political gain by his action he endangers families across indian country. multiple health clinics serving urban indians have closed their doors turning hundreds of patients away food

distribution and social service programs are on the chopping block and law enforcement services are stretched to the breaking point. all with a devastating effect. indian country is paying the price for every day though reckless shutdown continues. the government is completely failing to uphold theio trust and treaty obligations to native americans. all while a wildly expensive and ineffective wall this nation doesn't want. and the president who doesn't permit the interest of this country first we need to pass the interior appropriation

erbill with public lands with that shutdown on the parks including a thousand -year-old joshua tree cut down in california and foss full on - - fossils looted we cannot let this damage happened to our most treasured places. across the board the shutdown is hurting businesses contractors and federal workers even the president's own counsel on economic h advisers has released figures doubling the expected impact to the economy. think about that. the president's own aids admit

that shutdown is worse than they anticipated. this is totally unacceptable. but it's s not too late to change the situation. we can and the shutdown today. all it takes is enough of my republican colleagues and friends to find the courage to pass these appropriation bills and send the message to the white house we need to reopen the government. so i want to say mister president that the tribal health clinics are open and law enforcement officers are on patrol. work side-by-side to open the park system and other public land to ensure there are enoughs staff members on the ground to protect our nation's most cherished natural and

cultural resources. let's pass the bipartisan appropriation bills. i don't know how this chamber can stand by and watch the devastating effects of the shutdown on our nation. in mexico alone we estimate there are at least 10800 federal workers working without pay or are furloughed. that may be affected. into get the american public doesn't support with the impact the shutdown is having

as a deal with a disabled son two has two brain surgeries to pay for basic necessities. it is just one example of those lives so every single american relies on the federal government for public safety the fda shutdown contaminated food and to have air travel safe the department of homeland security there is an

estimated 2000 new mexicans relying on border security and international trade and immigration work and they are unpaid. truly for their sake and for the sake of all americans who are affected by this tragic situation, we need to end the shutdown now. the consequences of an action or two great.n once again let me say thank you to senator kane for his passion and vigilance with all of us here on the floor now i yield to senator kane seneca senator from virginia. >> i will briefly contain my comments also the senator from new mexico he spoke about the motion i just made i will be on the floor tomorrow and ansaturday and next week tuesday

and wednesday and thursday to share that have been shared with me every day by virginians affected as a senator from new mexico discussed and others but just to clarify, to have a vote on the house bills pending before us. one is a short-term appropriations for homeland security the other is for the following departments and agencies for service in the department of treasury and irs trying to find the executive office of the president. the district of columbia stamps andhe food department of transportation and had an department of justice including the fbi that

was the motion that i made objecting to buy the majority leader there are three levels of certain real logic to the position we are in. first, we are having a legitimate debate between the congress and the president with border security reform there are respectable differences of opinion but if we have a debate about that then why would we punish the workers that are charged with administering food stamps or the national forest or national parks? sre the citizens that need those services? the first level of illogic punishing workers in the set is one - - thehe citizens those that are not even affected with border and immigration.

>> if we have a debate about safety and security on the border why would we demand customs and border b control worke without pay? those that are a part of the agencies dealing with the dispute by all accounts are "frontline" people dealing with custom border patrol i.c.e. agents, dea, coast guard fbi, us marshals, why do we make their lives harder when they are the security professionals who are charged dealing with the issue we try to figure out? and then finally thank you to all my colleagues because one week ago unanimous consent past the backpay order the president signed so now we are guaranteed the federal treasury will write a check

for the paychecks for all of these workers. it will probably be more to close and restart but now we can take that to these workers. so if we are going to pay them anyway, why wouldn't we want them to be serving americans? the federal treasury will write the check is of that better there in their offices processing applications and serving their fellow americans rather than locked out? we stop them from striking from operations but we are locking them out of their offices well we agreed to give them full payment for the work they would have been doing had we not locked them out. i yield the floor.