Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to join the congregation of the Macedonia Baptist Church of Ansonia, Connecticut in extending my heartfelt congratulations on the celebration of their 130th Anniversary. Throughout its history, the Church and its congregation have demonstrated a unique commitment to serve the community and ensure that the most vulnerable of our citizens could find comfort and resources in their time of need. In 1889, with the help of local businessman Franklin Farrel, a group of local African-American residents banded together to organize and incorporate a mission which would soon become the Macedonia Baptist Church. In addition to helping the group organize and incorporate the mission, the Farrel family donated a beautiful stained glass window, which remains even today, as well as the bell for the belfry. Over the course of the last one hundred thirty years, the Macedonia Baptist Church has strengthened the bonds of faith and friendship and has become an iconic fixture in the community. From its first Pastor, the Reverend Edward Johnson, who traveled from Yonkers and was so beloved that parishioners of all ages would meet him at the train station to escort him to church, to the Reverend Julian Taylor who served the ministry for more than four decades; and from the Reverend V. Loma St. Clair who expanded the reach of the Macedonia Baptist Church across the community, to today's leadership of Pastor Alfred Lee Smith, Jr., the spiritual guidance that has led the congregation over time has not only provided parishioners with nourishment of the soul but encouraged them to make a difference in the community as well. The Macedonia Baptist Church has not only been a center for religious worship, but a vehicle through which their members could give back to the community. Our churches play a vital role in our communities--providing people with a place to turn to for comfort when they are most in need. The Macedonia Baptist Church gives its members a place to find their spiritual center and to solidify and support their values. For one hundred thirty years, the Macedonia Baptist Church has been a fixture in our community. Through their ministry and outreach efforts, they have left an indelible mark on our community and continue to make a difference in the lives of others. I am proud to stand today and extend my very best wishes to them as they mark this milestone in their history. Happy 130th Anniversary.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this motion to recommit.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the administration submitted a supplemental request last week for an additional $2.9 billion in emergency appropriations for the unaccompanied children program. We are carefully reviewing that request. We expect the administration to provide further details about the proposed use of those funds. We have had bicameral, bipartisan meetings to get more details on the request, and we expect that in the next several days, but we need additional details from the administration before we can sign off on this request. How many children are expected to be referred by Customs and Border Protection over the next few months? What kind of shelter beds are we paying for with the $2.9 billion? Let's be clear. There are child welfare differences, and major cost differences, among traditional beds that are $250 a night, soft-sided dormitories, and brick and mortar influx shelters, which run from $750 to $1,250 per bed per day. Does the estimate include appropriate onsite mental health professionals and clinicians for facilities so that the children have access to the services they are legally required to have? We know they have been wanting in those services. These staffing ratios are critical, as are legal services and child advocates for the most vulnerable children in ORR's care. We need to know if these costs have been included in OMB's estimate. I assure my colleagues, we are taking this request seriously, but you should not be fooled. This bill is not the right vehicle. It is the wrong bill for the unaccompanied children program. This motion to recommit does not provide funding for unaccompanied children. It adds $2.9 million to the account for Head Start. Madam Speaker, my friends should have been with us on the appropriations bill on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies just 2 days ago. They had a chance to vote for $4.5 billion for childcare, for child welfare. They said no. They said no to this. So don't be fooled by this, keeping in mind this is the 1-year anniversary of their child abuse policy to separate our kids at the border. You want to know about unaccompanied kids? You could have cared for them last year and every day since. Vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit.

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Axne).

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Celeste Drake of the AFL-CIO for her advocacy on behalf of hardworking Americans. Throughout her career, Ms. Drake has been a champion for the American worker. Before joining the AFL-CIO in 2011 as its Trade and Globalization Policy Specialist, she worked as a Legislative Director and Legislative Counsel for Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of California and Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas. Celeste was also a clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and served as a member of the Advisory Committee of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Celeste has brought immense value to every role she has held throughout her career during her time in Washington, D.C. A former high school teacher, Ms. Drake has dedicated her professional career to improving the quality of life for middle-class Americans. Now, she is returning to her home state of California to work with the Directors Guild of America. I have had the pleasure of working closely with her in the fight for fair trade. We worked side by side to defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership and thereby preventing the acceleration of the outsourcing of good paying American manufacturing jobs and the undermining of American workers' wages. Now, with the re-negotiated North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, Celeste has been essential again to ensuring that we secure strong and enforceable labor standards in the agreement. Her expertise on trade policy and international law has been a true asset for labor groups, advocacy organizations, and countless members of Congress and ultimately impacted the wage and job security of hard- working Americans. There are few advocates who are stronger allies of the American worker or who have done as much to fight for a trade system that empowers them instead of enriching corporations. It is my honor and privilege today to recognize Celeste Drake for her hard work and dedication, and to wish her the best of luck in her new endeavor. She will be greatly missed.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to rise today to submit to the Record a powerful statement by thirteen-year-old Ms. Anna Saccente of Orange, Connecticut. I have had the honor knowing Anna for her entire thirteen years and could not be more proud of the young woman she has become. Despite recent shootings at schools across the country, Congress has failed to pass meaningful reform to school safety and firearm regulations and has instead spent time debating arming teachers. As part of a school assignment, Anna chose to focus on this important issue--a policy that, as a student, would impact her directly. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House not to forget that at the core of this discussion is the fact that the lives of children like Anna are impacted every day by gun violence. It is with great pride that I include in the Record her poignant words. Guns in Classrooms? (By Ms. Anna Saccente) Many people in today's world think that putting guns in classrooms would make them a safer and more productive environment. The truth is that it will actually make the classrooms more dangerous and make students more focused on the guns just feet away from them. Many government officials have brought up the idea of arming the staff in the nation's schools. The teachers who agree to get trained and carry a gun would receive a yearly bonus. The money they would be receiving is not worth the dangers it would pose to the students and staff in the schools. Teachers and other school officials should not be armed with guns. Although some people think arming teachers would be safer, teachers and other school officials should not be armed, because getting the proper training and firearms would be expensive, schools may lose many talented teachers and possibly students due to their beliefs about the guns, and it would also be more dangerous. One reason why teachers and other staff should not be armed is that it would cost the schools and government a very large amount of money. Where would the funding for such a project come from? An article written by a group of medical professionals states that, ``Funding for any program is imperative--quality firearms are expensive and we question how this would be paid for when schools already struggle with funding for basic educational resources'' (Rogers 1). This quote is significant because the schools and government cannot expect the teachers to pay for all the guns and training themselves. The government would need some way to find the money, and so far they have not. There are about 3.6 million teachers in the United States as of 2018. A company in Maryland charges you about one hundred dollars per person for general training. In total it would cost about 360 million dollars. If you were to get them the more vigorous training the price would shoot up to about one thousand dollars per person. The total cost for that would be about 3.6 billion dollars. Then they would have to pay for the guns. If they were to get the teachers the Glock G17, a very popular gun, it would cost about 1.8 billion dollars (Bump 2). To get them all the guns and the advanced training it would cost over 5 billion dollars. Why would the government spend so much money on something that is not necessary and would not help. Clearly putting guns in the classrooms is a very pricey project. Along with being very dangerous many people do not believe in using guns, including some parents and teachers. If a school decides to make all of the teachers carry guns teachers could quit, and parents could pull their kids out of school. ``Teachers have to teach, and that's what they should be doing,'' said Joel Myrick, a former assistant principal at a high school in Mississippi. ``It doesn't matter what a pistolero you are, or think you are. You don't need to be in a school in charge of protecting children.'' Like Myrick, many other people feel that if they give teachers the guns it will take their minds off of teaching and defeat the whole purpose of school. If this happens the talented teachers will quit and go somewhere that does not allow such deadly weapons. Then, as a result, the schools will start to loose teachers and who will be left to teach? After the University of Texas decided to allow firearms on campus multiple professors resigned (Rogers 1). This will only keep happening. Because many people do not like guns, if they permit them in the classrooms, then teachers may quit and parents could pull their kids out of school. Many people argue that it would be a better, safer option to put guns in teachers hands, but in reality it is more dangerous. Putting guns in the classrooms brings up enormous risk to the life and mental well-being of the students and teachers in them. After the recent school shootings many kids have gotten anxious or nervous that this would happen to their school. Putting the guns in their classrooms will make them more nervous. Improper storage of the guns could lead to student access or someone else stealing it (Rogers 1). If the teacher goes to leave the room for a minute and the gun is left unattended, a student could gain access to the gun. This could lead to someone getting seriously injured. Imagine if this was a first grade classroom. Six and seven year olds do not really know what a gun is, let alone how to use one. They could pick it up, thinking it was a toy, and that would not end well. In an article written by Michael Hansen, a Brown University Chair and Director, states that, ``Professional police officers hit their intended targets less than 20% of the time in training situations. Armed teachers will have an even lower accuracy rate, and where will all of those stray bullets go?'' (Hansen 1). If a professional police officer is having trouble hitting a target than the teachers are certainly not going to be able to hit the target in a very stressful situation. If they shoot a bullet at their intended target and miss, and there was someone behind the target, what would happen to that bullet? Because of the dangers associated with putting guns in classrooms, they clearly should not be in there in the first place. Imagine a world where you would not have to worry about sending your child to a school that is not safe. The students could attend their schools without the fear of guns on the top of their minds. Instead of protecting them, the teachers would only have to worry about teaching the students. For the safety of the students and staff, it would not be a good option to arm the staff in your children's schools. Many people believe it would be safer, but in reality proper training and quality firearms would cost a lot of money, money that would be better spent elsewhere. Many people who oppose them may leave the schools, and it would cause more harm to the people in the schools. So go and do something about it. Go and help make the schools a safer place for everyone in them by contacting your elected officials and opposing any effort to arm teachers. works cited Bump, Philip. ``The Economics of Arming America's Schools.'' The Washington Post, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/02/22/the- economics-of-arming-americas-schools/ ?noredirect=on&utm_term=. ee50434394d1. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019. Hansen, Michael. ``There are ways to make schools safer and teachers stronger--but they don't involve guns.'' Brown Center Chalkboard, Brookings, 27 Feb. 2018, www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/ 208/02/27/there-are-ways-to-make- schools-safer-and-teachers-stronger-but-they-dont-involve- guns/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019. Proulx, Natalie. ``Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns?'' The New York Times, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/learning/should-teachers-be-armed- with-guns.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019. Rogers, Melanie. ``Is Arming Teachers Our Nation's Best Response to Gun Violence? The Perspective of Public Health Students.'' PMC, US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Search database, July 2018, www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5993415/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act. It is a historic day on the House of Representatives floor, and we are going to pass paycheck fairness, equal pay for equal work, in this United States of America. Madam Chair, I thank the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee for getting this bill through the committee and onto the floor today. We have waited 8 years to be able to vote on this issue. The United States Congress has a rich history of making a difference in the lives of the American people: Social Security, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the GI Bill, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act, to name but a few. Today, we can make a difference for working women and their families. Today, we can address the biggest economic challenge of our time, that Americans are in jobs that do not pay them enough to live on. We can address their economic struggle. And, yes, this is a bill that the majority is passing today to address that economic need for families. I cannot tell you how difficult it has been to break through on something so simple: Men and women in the same job deserve the same pay. But now, the issue and the environment have collided. Equal pay is at the center of our public discourse, and paycheck fairness is ready for passage today. A bipartisan bill supported by every member of the Democratic Caucus, the Paycheck Fairness Act toughens remedies in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to give America's working women the opportunity to fight wage discrimination and to receive the paycheck that they have earned. Under existing law, damages are too insubstantial to provide women with full restitution or provide bad-acting companies a meaningful deterrent. Paycheck fairness puts gender-based discrimination sanctions on equal footing with other forms of wage discrimination by allowing women to sue for compensatory and punitive damages. It better protects employees from being fired for sharing their salary with coworkers. It establishes a grant program to provide salary negotiation training for girls and for women. It ensures that employers are not reliant on wage history when they hire an employee. Over 60 years ago, after Republican President Dwight Eisenhower called for equal pay legislation during his 1956 State of the Union Address on the floor of this House, and more than 55 years after President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, pay discrimination is very much still a reality in our country. In 2017, there were almost 26,000 charges of unlawful, sex-based pay discrimination filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and 996 Equal Pay Act charges.

Ms. DeLAURO. Women continue to earn 20 percent less than men, on average, according to Census data. Women earn less regardless of the choices they make in their career or education. Across industries, whether you are a financial manager, a registered nurse, a schoolteacher, or an executive, a pay gap exists between men and women. Ten years ago, we passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. It reopened the courtroom door but did not address the underlying issue at hand today. We have an opportunity to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. It is a matter of right and wrong. Discrimination is unacceptable, and we are all diminished when we fall short. President Kennedy said, when he signed the Equal Pay Act, that this would ``add to our laws another structure basic to democracy'' and ``affirm our determination that when women enter the labor force, they will find equality in their pay envelope.'' We can do this today on the floor of this House. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for the Paycheck Fairness Act and make sure that we guarantee equal pay for equal work.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the late Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. Today, Democrats are in the Majority. Twenty-eight women are leading committees or subcommittees. And, the issues that Louise championed are moving. We are proud to pick up the torch that she left. I commit to you, Louise, to fight for antibiotic resistant research, for equal pay for equal work--she was the chair of rules when we passed Lily Ledbetter--for ethics in government with regards to Supreme Court justices, and for trade agreements that work for working people. Louise and I fought against NAFTA and the TPP. Each of those priorities were Louise's. Now, they are at the forefront of our agenda. This is Louise Slaughter's majority. We miss her voice in the Congress, but we are moving forward with a positive agenda for the people. And it is because of her. We miss Louise. We love her. And, we thank her.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the extraordinary life of Dr. Edward Zigler. Dr. Zigler, often called the ``Father of Head Start'' was a legendary figure, and a force for good. He was also a dear friend whose counsel I relied on over the years to inform my work in Congress. He was a giant in the field of psychology and social policy, conducting some of the most important research in developmental science and creating the ``whole child'' approach to education. Dr. Zigler helped to create the Head Start program, which has served over 35 million children and families across the country. He was a teacher, researcher, scholar, and mentor who helped to shape some of the most important family and child legislation considered in Congress. Dr. Zigler believed that science should serve the public interest. His contributions are without parallel, from serving as the first director of the U.S. Office of Child Development--which would later become the U.S. Administration for Children and Families--to advising on child and family policy to officials in nine consecutive White House administrations. At every step, he strived and succeeded in making the lives of countless children better because he understood that their wellbeing was directly linked to their family and community. Dr. Zigler will live on in those he prepared to carry on his work, and in the children whose lives he helped to shape. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in celebrating the life of Dr. Edward Zigler. Through boundless wisdom, he charted a vision for how to best help children and families that shaped child nutrition, health, injury prevention, and so much more. His impact spanned decades, and will last well into the future. He will be dearly missed.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Middletown Lions Club as they celebrate their 90th Anniversary. Striving to always meet the Lions' motto, ``We Serve,'' the Middletown Lions have served our community and the families they serve with pride and distinction. The second oldest chartered Lions Club in Connecticut, the impact that the Middletown Lions have had in the community is immeasurable. In 1961, the Club volunteered for and helped to establish Big Brothers Big Sisters; they created Lions Park in 1963, a space that families continue to enjoy today; they have managed the vendor services for the Middletown Regatta; and helped to coordinate the first ``After Ball'' which provided a safe environment for graduating high school seniors to eat, dance, and socialize on prom night. The Club continues to strengthen our community through their support of the food bank and service projects for the hungry and homeless at the St. Vincent DePaul soup kitchen and the New Horizon's Women Shelter. At the heart of any Lion's Club is their mission to supporting individuals with vision impairments. To that end, the Middletown Lions have conducted medical and eye screenings for countless adults, seniors and children. Additionally, their work with and support of KidSight USA has helped to save the vision of some of our most vulnerable children six months to six years of age. For the Middletown Lions, their service projects extend beyond supporting those facing visual impairments. Their work on behalf of the Clara Barton Diabetes Camp Rising Sun, a camp for children with cancer, the Connecticut Radio Information System for the blind or print challenged, as well as their fundraising efforts to provide hearing aids and service dogs have made all the difference in the lives of thousands of families and children. Over the course of the last ninety years, the Middletown Lions have not only met their mission but have set the standard for what it means to live up to the motto ``We Serve.'' Today, as they celebrate their 90th Anniversary, I am honored to stand today to pay tribute to the Middletown Lions Club for the myriad of ways that they have improved the quality of life for children, adults, and seniors as well for all of their efforts to enrich the Middletown community. Congratulations on this remarkable milestone and best wishes for many more years of success.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I had an unavoidable family commitment and so I missed Roll Call vote number 44 regarding the ``NATO Support Act (H.R. 676).'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' I missed Roll Call vote number 45 regarding the ``Hack Your State Department Act (H.R. 328).'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' I missed Roll Call vote number 46 regarding the ``Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes (H.J. Res. 28).'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' I missed Roll Call vote number 47 regarding the ``Rule Provided for Consideration of H.R. 648 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 and H.J. Res. 31 Making further Continuing Appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for Fiscal Year 2019 (H. Res. 61).'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' I missed Roll Call vote number 48 regarding the ``Motion to Recommit on H. R. 648 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, I would have voted ``no.'' I missed Roll Call vote number 49 regarding the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.R. 648).'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, and everyone who supports the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Participating in Girl Scouts helps prepare young women to lead. I Include in the Record this letter, written by Girl Scouts Connecticut CEO Ms. Mary Barneby and originally published in the New Haven Register: Girl Scouts Leader Expresses Thanks (By Ms. Mary Barneby, Girl Scouts of Connecticut CEO) The recently ended holiday season is a time for giving, reflection, and expressing gratitude for all we have been given. I know that I am thankful for everyone who has supported our Mission at Girl Scouts of Connecticut. Because of you, over 26,000 Girl Scouts in our state are thriving and building the skills they need to change the world. At Girl Scouts, we put every ounce of passion and energy into ensuring a bright and equitable future for girls. It's important now more than ever that we support and pave the way for girls and women. We've definitely seen some progress: this past election season, more women ran for public office and more women went to the polls top share their voice and vote. Girl Scouts prepares girls for life, and recent stats rom the election prove that fact. In the 116th Congress, 17 out of the 23 women in the U.S. Senate are Girl Scouts alum, and 57 percent of women representatives in the House of Representatives are Girl Scouts alums, including our own Jahana Hayes, the first African American woman from Connecticut elected to Congress! At Girl Scouts, you become part of a global sisterhood for girls to take action, lead the way, explore the unknown, and change the world. We offer each girl unique and unparalleled opportunities to pursue what she care about, whether its technology, sports, the arts, environmentalism, and more. No matter her passion, Girl Scouts helps her live it out. Again, thank you to everyone who helped support girls and women this year. I wish you and yours happy holidays, and look forward to having more join us in the New Year.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chair, I rise in support of Mr. Sablan's amendment. As chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, I believe we must ensure Americans can access vital health programs, especially in times of dire need. Yet, after terrible typhoons, Americans in the Northern Marianas could see Medicaid run out. Unlike States, territories have finite pools of Medicaid funding, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates the Northern Marianas needs $36 million to maintain care for Medicaid patients, up from $20 million, which we provided in the underlying bill. Mr. Sablan's amendment would provide that additional $16 million. We have an obligation to help Americans in Middletown, Connecticut, and, yes, the Northern Marianas access Medicaid as well, especially when they need it the most. Madam Chair, I strongly support the amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, the President is holding the country hostage, putting hundreds of thousands of families at great risk. The President has manufactured a crisis at the border that has no basis in fact and has used the wall to incite fear. Vital agriculture programs, which millions of families and farmers depend on, are at risk. At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm service loans are stalled, family farmers need the capital to buy seed and equipment for the approaching planting season. Rural development programs are at risk. Food stamps, food banks, and food programs are down to their last dollars. School lunch programs and other nutrition programs are at risk. Forty-seven million Americans could go hungry. Let's take a look at the Food and Drug Administration, because our food supply is at risk. When you go to the grocery store, you can't be sure that the product you are buying is safe because almost all food safety inspectors have been furloughed. The FDA remains understaffed for food surveillance and food recall operations. The Commissioner of the FDA, Scott Gottlieb, said routine food safety inspections are not taking place. The FDA has stopped posting warning letters. Routine inspections of food facilities are not taking place, and FDA's work finalizing guidance and implementing rules related to the Food Safety Modernization Act is in limbo. Foodborne illness kills 3,000 Americans every year, and because of the President's manufactured crisis, the safety of every American is in question. We have a duty to our constituents and their safety. We cannot stand by while this President holds the country hostage. Their physical and their financial well-being is at stake. Let's pass this bipartisan bill so that hungry families can eat, consumers can be safe, and farmers can do their job.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, if the other side of the aisle thought this was such an important bill, they should have brought it to the floor. That is what we do here. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment before us. It is staggering that the Republicans have the United States careening toward another government shutdown. The American people do not want a shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of workers will be sent home. Many others will continue to work without pay. Parks and museums will close down. In fact, according to the estimates by The Connecticut Mirror, this Trump shutdown--and he does own it--could impact as many as 1,500 Federal employees in Connecticut, right before the holidays. The American people don't want a wall. It does not reflect our values as a nation. Experts are telling us it is not an effective use of taxpayer dollars with regards to maintaining border security. It is money we should be spending on working families, on roads and schools in our communities, not a fence in the desert. It is not just a border wall, which was a nonstarter. Disaster relief provisions of the CR are inadequate. It fails to meet the communities devastated by disaster, risking the future of children who suffer from severe trauma. Communities are still picking up the pieces. It leaves out $600 million of antihunger and nutrition support for women, infants, and children in Puerto Rico. That is unacceptable. The President and the Republicans have two choices: perform the basic job of governing and keep the government open, or perform for Fox News. They have chosen the latter. It is an outrageous tantrum. This is not government for the people and by the people. It is government by tantrum and tweets. Please vote ``no.''

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Chief Stephen Scafariello and the members of the West Shore Fire Department, past and present, as they mark the 100th Anniversary of the West Shore Fire Department. This is a remarkable milestone for this community institution. Before the incorporation of what is now the City of West Haven, a group of twenty neighbors gathered together because they shared the desire to protect their families and neighborhoods from the dangers of fire. Incorporated in February of 1918, the West Shore Fire Department was built by and for the neighborhood and continues to be independent of the City today. In its earliest days, volunteers manned the Department and they relied on a borrowed hand-drawn hose wagon. Today, the West Shore Fire Department has thirty-two active paid firefighters as well as ten active volunteer firefighters. It is through their dedicated efforts that the Department continues to serve and protect the West Shore community. The men and women who serve as firefighters face risks that few of us can truly comprehend. Each day, they must be ready to perform under intense pressure--literally in life or death situations. They are an inspiration to us all and yet when asked why you will always hear the same reply: ``It's my job.'' For a century the men and women of the West Shore Fire Department have stood at the ready, providing peace of mind to their neighbors. I cannot thank them enough for their good work and outstanding dedication. Today, as they mark their centennial anniversary, I am proud to stand and extend my congratulations to all of those who have contributed to the success of the West Shore Fire District. In Italian there is a phrase, ``Cent' Anni'' which means ``to another hundred!'' Please accept my deepest thanks and appreciation for your service this past hundred years and my very best wishes for many more years of success to come.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to join the many family, friends, and colleagues who have gather to extend heartfelt congratulations to my dear friend, Lyn Caliendo, as she marks her retirement from Vinal Technical High School in Middletown, Connecticut. Lyn has spent her professional life as an educator and administrator having a profound impact on the thousands of students with whom she has worked. I have often spoke of our nation's need for talented, creative educators who stand ready to help our children learn and grown. For so many years, Lyn has been just that kind of teacher. She has helped to shape the lives of countless young people, ensuring that they have a strong academic foundation on which to build their future success. Her hard work and imaginative spirit have earned her the respect and admiration of students and colleagues alike. I have no doubt that her presence will be missed in the halls of Vinal Tech. Lyn's work as an educator extends beyond school walls as well. For many years, she has been deeply involved in helping to promote and expand the work of Discovery to Cure--an effort to provide women with new methods for the prevention, early detection and treatment of gynecologic cancers. The largest annual awareness and fundraising event hosted by Discovery to Cure is the Bev Levy Walk. Named after a dear friend who lost her battle with breast cancer, Lyn has helped to organize the event since its inception, spending untold hours ensuring the event's great success each year. Though she will no longer be teaching at Vinal, Lyn does not know how not to work. In her retirement, she will teach part-time at Gateway Community College and holds an additional part-time position with Connecticut Open--continuing to indulge in two of her greatest passions, education and tennis. I have no doubt she will continue her efforts with Discovery to Cure and perhaps expand her volunteer efforts with other causes close to her heart. Lyn is a force of nature and I know she will continue her good work on behalf of others for many years to come. It would be remiss if I did not extend a personal note of thanks to Lyn for her many years of friendship and support. She has been a kindred spirit since we first met--she is more than a friend, she is family. I am grateful every day that she is always in my corner. Today, as she marks the end of one career and looks ahead to new opportunities, I am honored to stand and express my deepest thanks to Lyn Caliendo for her many invaluable contributions to our community. I wish her many more years of health and happiness as she embarks on this new chapter.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to join the many family, friends, and colleagues who have gathered to extend my heartfelt congratulations to my dear friend, John H. Dirzius, as he marks his retirement from the American Postal Workers Union. In his nearly fifty years of union service, John has been a strong advocate for his members. His commitment and dedication have made a difference for thousands of working families and I have no doubt his leadership will be missed. John began his postal career in the Post Office of Seymour, Connecticut in 1970. As one might remember, the 1970's were a transformative time in our culture with a number of unique fashion and hair trends for both men and women. Just two years into his postal career, John was issued a notice of removal for having, in the opinion of the local Postmaster, ``long hair.'' Taking issue with the ``reasoning'' behind the notice for removal, John sought to file a union grievance and soon learned that working in such a small office did not offer the greatest of union representation. Eventually, John filed an EEOC complaint and won his job back--and it was this incident that marked the start of his 46-year career in the postal union. In his earliest years, John played a major role in the merging of Seymour's small Local with that of the larger Local in New Haven, creating what would be the first of many Area Locals in the newly merged American Postal Workers Union. In 1973, John was appointed as a union organizer and within a few years, the New Haven Area Local was well on its way to becoming one of the largest in the APWU. Never forgetting his early roots as a postal worker in Seymour, John steadily rose through the ranks, serving in various leadership positions within the Local and State APWU. He served for over two decades as the President of the Greater Connecticut Area Local, representing postal workers employed in more than two-hundred facilities throughout the state, before his appointment as the Northeast Regional Coordinator--a position in which he has served for the last eight years. John's commitment to the labor movement has extended far beyond the APWU. He has been an active member of the AFL-CIO, once serving as a State Federation Vice-President, he is a past Vice-President of the Greater New Haven CT Labor Council and has volunteered as a community mediator. In addition to all of this, John has also found the time to volunteer his time with numerous civic and youth organizations including the United Way of Greater New Haven. I have had the great honor of knowing and working with John for close to thirty years and I have been proud to stand with him in the fight to preserve his members' jobs as well as the health and retirement benefits they have earned. I would be remiss if I did not extend a personal note of thanks to him for his many years of friendship and support. He has been an extraordinary friend and his fierce commitment and dedication is an inspiration to all of us who have been fortunate enough to work with him. The retirement of John H. Dirzius from the American Postal Workers Union marks the end of an era. I am honored to have this opportunity to stand and extend my deepest thanks and sincere appreciation to John for his outstanding service and unwavering commitment to our working families. I wish him; his wife, Diane; their children, Melisa, Jeffrey, and Gregory; and the apples of their eyes, their grandchildren, Makayla, Jacob, Tatiana, and Benjamin, all the best for many more years of health and happiness. Congratulations my friend--Auguroni.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Sisters' Journey as they mark the 20th anniversary of this remarkable organization. A faith-based breast cancer support and advocacy group, Sisters' Journey began as a personal journey and continues today as a labor of love. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Linda White-Epps felt the fear and frustration so many do when facing breast cancer. She knew she needed to heal not only her body but her soul and searched for others who could relate to what she was experiencing. It was through this search that she educated herself on the disease as well as the health disparities that existed. African-American women are statistically more likely to die from breast cancer than other ethnic groups and they are diagnosed at younger ages and often with a more aggressive form of the disease. Linda also met more women than she ever imagined that were experiencing similar journeys and that there was an unspoken but agreed to code of silence that needed to be broken. It was from all this that Sisters' Journey was born. Linda began with a calendar created to break the silence among women of color with twelve women sharing their stories of hope and survival. Twenty years later, nearly two-hundred and fifty courageous women have given hope and inspiration to women and their families facing a breast cancer diagnosis. Sisters' Journey has grown and become an invaluable resource of support and advocacy. Monthly support groups meetings are held at a church parish hall; events include annual survivor cook-outs, a Christmas Party, and a Mother/Daughter ``know your family history'' brunch; and educational outreach programs include beauty shop chats, participation in community parades, as well as school programs for children from elementary through college. And, of course, there is the annual Pink Tea, an event which has grown to include hundreds of family, friends, and supporters, where the annual calendar is revealed. Linda White-Epps survived for twelve years before succumbing to a recurrence in 2003. Sisters' Journey and her legacy was carried on by her mother, Phyllis White, until her passing in 2010. Today, it is Linda's daughter, Dawn White-Bracey, who carries on this labor of love. The celebration of Sisters' Journey's 20th calendar is not only a wonderful milestone for this incredible organization, but a celebration of the on-going legacy of Linda White-Epps and her remarkable journey. I consider myself fortunate to have known and worked with Linda, Phyllis, and now Dawn, and I am honored to call them friends. It is with the greatest admiration and my heartfelt congratulations that I rise today to extend Dawn and the Sisters' Journey family my very best wishes as they celebrate this very special occasion.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the United States Senate is about to embark on a misguided journey. How can there be a vote to place Judge Kavanaugh in a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court under this cloud? To be sure, a person is innocent until proven guilty, but without a full and public hearing about the veracity of these very serious charges of sexual harassment, a decision today to elevate Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court casts doubt on the entire process. Allegations of sexual harassment are serious charges which deserve serious consideration. The Justices of the Supreme Court must demonstrate respect for the law and for individual rights. To impugn the integrity of Professor Christine Blasey Ford, to elevate that of Judge Kavanaugh, is not appropriate nor is it a credible tactic. The American people deserve more than a dismissal of Professor Ford's charges. They deserve to know the truth. Mr. Speaker, let us take time to uncover the truth. I gave this same exact speech on October 8, 1991. The only difference was the substitution of Clarence Thomas' name for Brett Kavanaugh's and Anita Hill's for Christine Blasey Ford's. Republicans attempted to censure me for that speech. History is repeating itself before our eyes, and women are once again being ignored instead of being believed. We must do better than that in the United States of America and in the United States Congress.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, It gives me great pleasure to rise today to extend my sincere congratulations to the Yale University Bands--the first American University Band to present a concert tour abroad in 1959--as it celebrates its centennial anniversary. The activities that led to the birth of the Yale University Band were organized by Joseph R. Ellis in 1918 when he was a lieutenant in the United States Army assigned to the Yale Student Army Training Corps. Prior to being stationed in New Haven, he had been posted in Washington, D.C. where his work was to secure players and leaders for bands throughout the training camps of the country. Upon his arrival at Yale, he started planning the formation of a band. Finding no funds available, Lieutenant Ellis took up a collection from the military units which were then in training. He secured the services of a professional coach, Charles F. Smith, a New Haven musician who had considerable band experience, a few instruments were purchased, and musical talent was recruited from the S.A.T.C. (Student Army Training Corps). This first Yale band provided music for military formations until the Corps was demobilized in December 1918, after the Armistice. The instruments were turned over to the University with the hope that they would provide the nucleus for a student band in the future. Lieutenant Ellis remained at Yale and went on to become Registrar of Freshmen. On October 1, 1919, he and Charles Smith succeeded in persuading twenty students to form the Yale Band which played at some of the minor football games that fall. It was from those twenty students a century ago that the Yale Bands have expanded to include the Yale Jazz Ensemble, the Yale Precision Marching Band, and the Yale Concert Band--producing a combined thirty national and international concert tours. In its one hundred years, the Yale Bands has been served by just six directors: Charles Smith, Alvin Etler, Keith L. Wilson, Keith Brion, Richard Thurston, and today's director, Thomas C. Duffy who has held the position for thirty-seven years. The Yale Bands have amassed an impressive record of musical commissions, world premieres, and service to civic, academic and national events, all combined with a commitment to music as a social force. Yale Bands have produced benefit concerts to raise relief money in response to natural disasters, have performed in a Syrian refugee camp in Athens, Greece, and regularly directs the talents of its members in performances that support philanthropic, educational, and social programs. For its formative place in the development of the 20th-century American Wind Band, for its pioneering work with the commissioning of new band works from important composers, for its long-standing commitment to music as a social force and its impact on the local New Haven community and those around the world, I am proud to stand today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Yale University Bands as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. I wish them all the best for another century of fine performances, artistic leadership, and service through music.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 404.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report which includes the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education appropriations bill. The Labor-H funding bill for 2019 makes important investments in health, education, and in our families. It is a $1 billion increase over 2018, leaving us to deliberate $178.1 billion. Especially when I view that the Trump administration is pursuing the fundamental hollowing out of our Federal agencies, we secured critical investments in Democratic priorities that boost the middle class. First, let me talk about health. This bill includes an increase of $2 billion for NIH research. It also includes increases across the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, particularly to address health threats to pregnant women and babies. We also secured increases for our country's youngest children and their families, including an increase of $50 million for childcare and $200 million for Head Start, including $50 million more for Early Head Start. Turning to education, we won an increase for after-school programs and a raise in the maximum Pell grant, $100 for $6,195, to help students afford the rising cost of a college degree. The bill also eliminates two longstanding riders. They had prohibited school districts from using education funding for transportation to address segregated schools. So, from health, to childcare, to education, we achieved several great wins for the American people. Importantly, the bill before us maintains the bipartisan amendments that House Democrats introduced to condemn the administration's policy of separating families, to demand a reunification plan, and to ensure that HHS upholds the highest standards of care for children in our custody. I am proud of what we included. I am also proud of what we kept out. We held the line and kept out harmful ideological riders that would have sabotaged the Affordable Care Act, undermined women's health, and overturned the Flores settlement to allow the administration to keep kids in cages indefinitely. All that being said, the bill is not perfect. For example, I am disappointed we missed an opportunity to say, once and for all, that the authors of the Every Student Succeeds Act never intended for Federal dollars to arm teachers, which, as I understand, is current law. And I believe the Labor-HHS bill continues to be shortchanged. Based on the overall increase of $18 billion for non-defense discretionary spending, this bill should be receiving an increase of $5.5 billion. Nevertheless, on the whole, this bipartisan, bicameral compromise is a positive result that helped provide the American people a better chance at a better life, and I urge my colleagues to support it. I also take this opportunity to say a thank you to my working partner and good friend, Chairman Cole. I also want to say a thank you to the ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee, my colleague, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and to the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Rodney Frelinghuysen. I thank him for the great work on this effort, and we know you will not be joining us again next year, so thank you for helping us get this across the finish line. For the Democratic staff: Stephen Steigleder, Robin Juliano; to my staff: Leticia Mederos, Liz Albertine, Caitlin Peruccio, Will Serio, Kris Fetterman; to the majority staff: Susan Ross, Jennifer Cama, Justin Gibbons, Kathryn Salmon, Karyn Richman, and Lori Bias. Mr. Speaker, our names appear on the doors of the congressional offices, but it is the labor every single day of these outstanding staff people that help us put these bills together on behalf of the American people.