Marino speaks out against President's sequestration as Tobyhanna begins furloughs

Jun 4, 2013

Full text of Rep. Marino’s floor speech:

Last week thousands of my constituents felt even more pain as a result of the President’s sequestration when Tobyhanna Army Depot began to furlough over 5,000 of its civilian employees.

One constituent called my office and asked, “How are we supposed to afford our mortgage if my husband is not allowed to work?”

“There must be a more logical way to cut the budget.”

Well Mr. Speaker, that is what I would like to know.

Why can the President jet around the country to play golf on the taxpayer’s dime when hardworking families cannot make ends meet?

The House acted twice last year to replace the sequestration with more common-sense solutions, but the Senate refused to consider these bills.

They even rejected a measure that would have given the administration more flexibility in implementing these cuts.

Because of the President’s insistence and the Senate’s inaction, these families will now face even more financial uncertainty, struggling to pay their bills instead of earning a steady paycheck.

Mr. Speaker, the people of the 10th Congressional District have had enough of the President’s rhetoric and they have certainly had enough of his sequestration.

It is time the President started working for the American people.