Ehrlich on Washington column, December 31, 1995

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of December 31, 1995 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. BALANCING THE BUDGET: LET’S GET IT DONE Recently the U. S. government shut down for the second time in as many months. While this latest partial shutdown is far less extensive than the one in November, it could not have come at a worse time. As a result of this latest budgetary impasse, thousands of my constituents and their families spent the holiday season needlessly worrying about the future. The dedicated men and women who make up the federal workforce should not continue to be treated as political pawns in a high stakes game. That is why I am supporting common sense legislation to prevent federal workers from experiencing this kind of turmoil in the future. Under a proposal offered by my colleague Congressman Dan Burton, furloughed federal workers who voluntarily report for work during future government shutdowns will be paid. Current law prohibits them from working on a voluntary basis. Many constituents have conveyed to me their frustration and confusion as to the reasons behind this latest shutdown. Let me share with you some of the events leading up to this most recent budgetary impasse. On November 20 President Bill Clinton signed a law committing himself to a seven-year balanced budget based on nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office numbers. Before President Clinton’s signature was even dry, Leon Panetta— the President’s Chief of Staff— began to distance