First of all, I would like to express my grief for those who were murdered on the streets of villages, towns and cities by the people who should never get the right to hold a finger on a trigger. Guns in the hands of all people are a real threat to the well-being of the nation.

Ladies and gentlemen, thousands of government employees were furloughed, when the Congress failed to approve a budget by October 1, 2013. This action did not only affect thousands of employees, but also the duties they performed, and the purposes of performing those duties.