Huffman Slams House Oversight Committee Hearing on National Park Closures

On October 16, 2013, Congressman Jared Huffman slammed the House Oversight and Reform Committee for holding a hearing devised solely to berate the National Parks Service director. This hearing was nothing more than a spectacle staged for right-wing media and solved nothing, all while Senate leaders were announcing a deal to reopen the government and avoid a default. "I came to Congress to solve problems. I came to Congress to try to work across the aisle and raise the political discourse in this country, and try to set a better tone," Congressman Huffman said. "The fact that it's taking place during a government shutdown manufactured for political purposes by my Republican colleagues just makes it even worse. This is worse than fiddling while Rome burns -- this is fanning the flames while Rome burns, this is looting and dancing while Rome burns."