“Mr. Speaker, the minority party doesn't have respect for [federal employees] to open up the government; open up the Department of Homeland Security; pay the people who are protecting our border; pay the people who are processing paperwork for those border security guards; pay the people who are answering the phones; pay the people who we ask to protect our borders; and then laments somehow we’re not coming up with a number.”   “Open up this government, Mr. Speaker. And yes, I use the word hostage. And yes, I use the word ransom. And yes, I believe there are two people [responsible] and a lot of complicit people with this government being shut down and with the pain and suffering that we're imposing on our employees.”   “...If either one of us adopts [a shutdown] as an acceptable alternative in the negotiation process, this country is in real trouble, real trouble. So we ought to open up the government and then, yes, we can sit down, and yes, we'll resolve this. But my friends’ great angst – he did not mention why it took them eleven and two-thirds months while they were in charge last year, they didn't offer a bill until they were about to walk out the door and be the minority. Eleven months and 20 days, no homeland security bill was brought to this Floor. I don't know why.”