Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for the reasons I spoke of earlier, I urge a defeat of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, through scientific research, institutions of higher education advance our understanding, advance our knowledge of various aspects of our world, expands our knowledge. Without such research, there would be limited scientific discovery and breakthroughs helping to shape our daily lives. As more States and localities move to legalize cannabis, including my home State of Connecticut earlier this month, many institutions of higher education are expanding the knowledge base on this controlled substance, offering scientific information to better inform decisionmaking and medical use. What are its properties for medical use? I don't know. I am not a scientist. I am not a medical professional. That is what science is about, to expand our minds, to give us information about what directions we ought to take. In advancing our understanding of cannabis, many institutions fear that they will lose access to Federal funding because of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, which, in part, prohibits the possession of a controlled substance, including cannabis. The underlying bill includes a provision to prohibit the Department of Education from penalizing institutions of higher education that conduct scientific research on marijuana. Evidence-based research regarding cannabis ought to be encouraged in academic settings, not discouraged. We should ensure that we broaden our understanding of marijuana, not limit it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Kahele).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).

Ms. DeLAURO. Pursuant to House Resolution 555, I offer amendments en bloc.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Schrier).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would just say I support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 45 seconds. The en bloc amendment includes a number of proposals offered by my Democratic colleagues. It reflects our shared values of investing in the American people to create good paying jobs, grow opportunities, and provide a lifeline to the vulnerable. I urge my colleagues to support the important proposals that are contained in this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Strickland).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar).

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of the House, and I thank him for his kind remarks in his earlier presentation.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support of the INVEST in America Act, which will create good paying jobs to rebuild and re- imagine America's surface transportation infrastructure by revitalizing our existing roads and bridges and making investments in passenger rail, public transit, cycling and walking infrastructure, and zero- emission options--while creating safer, more connected communities. After decades of disinvestment and four years of failed `Infrastructure Weeks,' I believe that now is the time to make desperately needed investments to rebuild our nation. According to the 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure assessment by the American Society of Civil Engineers, our nation's infrastructure receives the grade: C-. A continued underinvestment in our infrastructure at current rates will cost $10 trillion in GDP, more than $3 million jobs, and $2.4 trillion in exports over the next 20 years. We cannot wait. It is time to invest, reimagine, and revitalize a new American economy by building the architecture of our nation's future. We need transformative plans like the INVEST in America Act and the American Jobs Plan, a once-in-a-century capital investment in America that will create millions of good-paying-jobs and rebuild our country's infrastructure, including high-speed rail. We need to recognize the importance of investing in high-speed rail. And I will continue working for more rail investment and ensure that federal dollars fund high-speed rail projects across this country-- including projects in Connecticut, which total almost $10B in CT's new initiative, TIME FOR CT and along the Northeast Corridor which currently has $117B of needed investment through their project titled CONNECT2035 and New Haven's Downtown Crossing, which I was proud to help secure $20 million for New Haven to reconnect its downtown with both the outlying neighborhoods and the train station--helping the local business community flourish. We can make opportunity real for millions with good-paying jobs. And, we can strengthen our economy. So, let us move boldly. And let us start rebuilding America.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I am very proud to rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Beacon Falls community as they gather to celebrate the Town's 150th Anniversary--a remarkable milestone for this very small community of just over six thousand residents. Though small in number the community is mighty in spirit-- working together every day to meet the changing needs of its residents while preserving the unique, quintessentially New England, rural character of the Town. Just under ten square miles and bisected by the Naugatuck River, Beacon Fall was incorporated in 1871 on lands from its neighboring towns of Bethany, Naugatuck, Oxford, and Seymour. It quickly became a center of agriculture, warehouse storage, and manufacturing. Beacon Falls was the birthplace of the friction matches, first made in 1834 by Thomas Sanford, who later sold his ``recipe'' for $10.00. The Diamond Match Company ultimately acquired the formula, The Beacon Falls Rubber Shoe Company was a sprawling complex along Main Street that employed many residents and was even responsible for the construction of an entire neighborhood, providing housing for its workers. The Homer D. Bronson Company also set up shop in town in the early 1900s and was a manufacturer of hinges used in industry and homes throughout the world. These two firms promoted economic wellbeing for Beacon Falls' residents for years, both ultimately closing their doors in the late 1980s. While their departure left the town in a precarious position, it was not long before the community rallied, fighting to bring new economic engines to the town. Over the course of the last several decades, a variety of retail, manufacturing, warehousing, construction, and service businesses revitalized the town, and the community has continued to flourish. Today, from the American Legion Post 25 to the Beacon Hose Volunteer Fire Company and from the Friends of Beacon Falls Library to its community center, the residents of this small town are more like family than neighbors. The come together in times of celebration and need--proud of their history and the unique fabric that has been woven into this special community. It has been an honor for me to serve as Beacon Falls' U.S. Representative over the last twenty-years and I am proud to have this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to every member of this special community as they celebrate their 150th Anniversary.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, each year the community of Orange, Connecticut gathers for a solemn ceremony to mark Memorial Day. As part of this ceremony, local elementary school students are invited to submit essays that share their thoughts on Memorial Day and its meaning to them. Submissions from each of the community's three elementary schools are selected to be included in the ceremony. I had the opportunity to join the Orange ceremony this year and was inspired by the words of this year's winners and am pleased to have this opportunity to share them. Chloe Chang, a student at Peck Place School submitted the following essay: We dress in red, white, and blue, attend parades, and honor the men and women who have fallen in the Civil War. This holiday has been around for 182 years, and we still donate money, coupons, and flowers to the perished soldiers. Their sacrifices have allowed them to serve their country, putting the welfare of others before their own. How can we repay them? We can give a moment of silence, visit their burial ground, and learn about their history. The holiday started in 1868, where North America was fighting to end slavery, and South America was fighting to preserve slavery. The war to end slavery lasted for over 4 years, and Robert E. Lee finally capitulated the last Confederate Soldiers to General Ulysses S. Grant. ``Decoration Day'' was declared by General John A. Logan in 1868. In ``Decoration Day'', flowers are laid on war graves in honor of the deceased. Memorial Day holiday was declared a national holiday in 1971 to honor those who have died in all American wars. The Union Army has contributed immensely to our lives, and the least we can do is say a little thank you. The invaluable changes they made upon our history is indescribable, and we are forever indebted to them. These brave men and women have done much for their fatherland by sacrificing their own lives, and we continue to honor them on May 31, Memorial Day. For more than two hundred years American soldiers have answered the call to defend our land and our values of freedom and democracy. With annual ceremonies like the one in Orange, that engage our youngest citizens, we ensure that we will never forget that our armed forces have a long and proud history, and that every one of our veterans has demonstrated outstanding courage, dedication, and service. It is my honor to rise today to thank Chloe Chang for her very special contribution to Memorial Day and her community.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, each year the community of Orange, Connecticut gathers for a solemn ceremony to mark Memorial Day. As part of this ceremony, local elementary school students are invited to submit essays that share their thoughts on Memorial Day and its meaning to them. Submissions from each of the community's three elementary schools are selected to be included in the ceremony. I had the opportunity to join the Orange ceremony this year and was inspired by the words of this year's winners and am pleased to have this opportunity to share them. Avery French, a student at Turkey Hill School submitted the following essay: Memorial Day is a special holiday for all Americans. We celebrate and honor all the soldiers who have bravely given up their lives so we could be a free country. We honor those who fought for our country's future generations. All the soldiers we honor today cared about more than just themselves, they thought about us and sacrificed their lives for the future of our country. Memorial Day shouldn't be confused with the similar holiday, Veterans Day. Veterans Day honors all who have served in the armed forces while Memorial Day honors those who have died in the forces. Memorial Day was originally given the name Decoration Day because of the tradition of people decorating the graves of the country's fallen heroes. Memorial Day was officially titled a federal holiday in 1971. The tradition of honoring the fallen soldiers started the years following the Civil War. The Civil War claimed many lives of the country's soldiers. People held tributes in the late 60's, around the time the Civil War ended, to honor the dead soldiers, leaving flowers and other decorations at their graves. While it is unclear how the tradition started, it was declared by the Federal Government in 1966 that Waterloo, New York was Memorial Day's official birthplace. Quote from History.com, ``On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.'' This was very important because it was the first time that people had the ability to remember those who died in the armed forces with others. We celebrate this holiday known as Memorial Day to remember those who have passed that fought hard. On Memorial Day we will remember those who we will for now and forever remember as America's Heroes. So yes, we celebrate Memorial Day in honor of American soldiers. For more than two hundred years American soldiers have answered the call to defend our land and our values of freedom and democracy. With annual ceremonies like the one in Orange, that engage our youngest citizens, we ensure that we will never forget that our armed forces have a long and proud history, and that every one of our veterans has demonstrated outstanding courage, dedication, and service. It is my honor to rise today to thank A very French for her very special contribution to Memorial Day and her community.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, each year the community of Orange, Connecticut gathers for a solemn ceremony and parade to mark Memorial Day. As part of this ceremony, local elementary school students are invited to submit artwork that reflects the special meaning of Memorial Day. One of these submissions is chosen as the cover art for the community's Memorial Day program. I had the opportunity to join the Orange ceremony this year and was inspired by the artwork by Avery Alves of Turkey Hill School, the student whose artwork was selected for the program cover. I only wish that I could submit the actual artwork. Avery did a wonderful job and I will try to do it justice with this description. On a white backdrop blue blocked letters spell out ``Orange, CT''; scripted in black just below ``Memorial Day''; blocked red letters spell ``Parade''; at the center of the page is a beautifully rendered bald eagle clutching an American flag in its talons; just below scripted in black are the words ``Never Forget''; and the final line, once again blocked in blue lettering, is ``Ever Honor.'' For one so young, Avery's artwork is a stirring reminder of why we gather each year to pay homage to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our Nation. For more than two hundred years American soldiers have answered the call to defend our land and our values of freedom and democracy. With annual ceremonies like the one in Orange, that engage our youngest citizens, we ensure that we will never forget that our armed forces have a long and proud history, and that every one of our veterans has demonstrated outstanding courage, dedication, and service. It is my honor to rise today to thank Avery Alves for her very special contribution to Memorial Day and her community.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, each year the community of Orange, Connecticut gathers for a solemn ceremony to mark Memorial Day. As part of this ceremony, local elementary school students are invited to submit essays that share their thoughts on Memorial Day and its meaning to them. Submissions from each of the community's three elementary schools are selected to be included in the ceremony. I had the opportunity to join the Orange ceremony this year and was inspired by the words of this year's winners and am pleased to have this opportunity to share them. Armaan Shrivastav, a student at Race Brook School submitted the following essay: Why is Memorial Day Celebrated? Unreasoning leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to desire for power. Power leads to war. For war, we need soldiers. So many soldiers die serving their nation. Memorial Day is for remembering those brave soldiers who gave up their lives for their fellow citizens. Memorial Day is when we honor and remember the brave soldiers. We celebrate Memorial Day to show respect for them. We must thank these soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the country. Memorial Day is a day to bow to them. Many people celebrate this day by going to their family's graves together and hold a gathering or participate in a parade. New York is the birthplace of Memorial Day. After the Civil War, which claimed many lives, people started decorating graves with flowers. This came to be known as Decoration Day. Since then, people have started giving more importance to this day by visiting soldier's graves every year, so the government officially announced the last Monday of May as Memorial Day. Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May. This year Memorial Day is on 31st May. We should all honor these brave soldiers, offer flowers to them and remember their selfless service for the nation and what they did for us. For more than two hundred years American soldiers have answered the call to defend our land and our values of freedom and democracy. With annual ceremonies like the one in Orange, that engage our youngest citizens, we ensure that we will never forget that our armed forces have a long and proud history, and that every one of our veterans has demonstrated outstanding courage, dedication, and service. It is my honor to rise today to thank Armaan Shrivastav for his very special contribution to Memorial Day and his community.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, over the course of the last fifteen months, our communities and our constituents have faced the unique challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We have ensured the biggest health and economic crisis our country has seen in a century. What has inspired me most as we have navigated this pandemic has been the unyielding fortitude of our communities and the commitment and dedication of our frontline workers. That is why I was so honored to have been invited to join Hamden Heroes Day where the community gathered to express its thanks and appreciation to the frontline workers who live in and/or work for the Town. Connecticut was hit harder than most as COVID-19 spread across New England before it reached many other parts of the country. Over, 8,000 Connecticut residents died during this pandemic. Nearly 350,000 have been infected, many of whom are our frontline workers. This year, the Hamden Heroes Committee decided to pay tribute to the frontline workers in their community--our police, fire and emergency medical response personnel; our health department and public works employees; our teachers, nurses, and doctors; our gas station attendants, grocery workers, and convenience store workers; our certified nurse assistants and all those who provide care for those in the community who are older; our childcare providers who help struggling families to make ends meet; and our farmers and food distribution staff who literally are the ones putting food on our tables. Despite the risks, these frontline workers showed up and did their jobs while many of us worked comfortably from home. These past fifteen months have been extremely challenging, but their dedication to their jobs and the Hamden community never wavered. Every day, they got up and committed their time and talent to serve the people of Hamden. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. They have my gratitude and heartfelt appreciation for all they do, and we are deeply grateful for all their sacrifices. Their selfless and courageous service helped make it possible for us to get through these tough times. For that, and so much more, we thank them. At the conclusion of the event, the Hamden Heroes Committee made a request of the elected officials that attended the event. They asked for the day to be declared ``Hamden Heroes Day'' and their elected leaders help spread the word to other communities in the hopes that they too will join in thanking the essential workers. It is my hope that by honoring Hamden Heroes Day, I can do some small part in encouraging communities across the Nation to come together as well.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to join the many family, friends, and community members gathered to add my congratulations to the Volunteer Fire Department of Prospect, Connecticut as they mark the 75th Anniversary of this very special organization. Incorporated on September 11, 1945, the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department was founded and continues today as an all-volunteer effort. Over the course of its history, the department has grown and re-shaped itself to meet the changing needs of the community, but at its core has always been dedicated members of the community answering the call and living up to their motto--``neighbors helping neighbors.'' Indeed, many of those who volunteer today are 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generations of the Department's original members. And it is not just their volunteer efforts when it comes to combatting fires. From the dollars raised to buy their first fire truck to the construction of the Department's first building, to their most recent equipment purchases, the Department and its volunteer members depend more on the generosity of their neighbors and their community than they do on the annual town budget. As their written history accounts, ``from the first dances at the old Chapel School House, through suppers, fireworks sales, ``dollar a month club'', Clyde Beatty Circus, and Carnival, the department has earned its own way. While a small amount of the expenses has been born by the town, fire coverage to equal that furnished by the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department would have cost the town thousands of dollars.'' It is that spirit and deep sense of community that is what makes the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department such a unique and special organization. As the Prospect community gathers today to celebrate this wonderful achievement, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have dedicated not only their time, but their lives, to the safety of all Prospect residents. Firefighters face risks that many of us can never truly comprehend. Each day they must be able to perform under intense pressure--literally in life or death situations. Few things are more important than feeling safe in our homes and workplaces. Whether hosing down flames, rescuing a child from a burning house, or waiting for our call, firefighters are always there to protect us and provide us with the peace of mind we need to sleep at night. I am proud to recognize and commend the tremendous commitment they have made to our community. Our thanks and appreciation can never repay those who put their lives on the line to ensure our safety. Today's celebration marks the 75th Anniversary of the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department. The courage and dedication demonstrated each day by these men and women is reflective of the true spirit in which the department was established. I am indeed proud to rise today to extend my thanks for what they do each day, and congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment.