Sean Maloney

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise today to honor the service and pay tribute to Gregg David Wenzel, a National Clandestine Service officer of the Central Intelligence Agency. Gregg graduated from Monroe-Woodbury High School in my district and from SUNY Binghamton. He then went on to graduate from the University of Miami School of Law in the mid-nineties. Choosing a life of public service, he worked as a public defender in Miami before taking a job with the Florida Bar Association. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Gregg joined the CIA. He was a member of the first post-9/11 class. Serving in his very first assignment abroad in 2002, at the age of only 33, he lost his life in service to our country in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on July 9, 2003. The CIA honored Gregg and his service by placing a star on their memorial wall at the CIA headquarters, but it was not until later in 2009 that the full story of his service could be shared publicly. Gregg Wenzel represents an entire generation who bravely served their country by answering the call to service following the attacks of September 11. He sought a career at the Agency for two reasons: to serve his country and to ``live for a greater purpose than himself.'' That is a legacy and expression of service that we can all learn from. Recognized as a leader by CIA Director Leon Panetta and known for his sense of humor and desire to make a difference, Gregg served on the front lines of our intelligence operation abroad and ultimately sacrificed his life in defense of the freedoms we all too frequently take for granted. Our country owes a debt of gratitude to Gregg and his family, including his mother, Gladys; his father, Mitchell; and his sisters, Maura, Rachel, and Heather. With passage of H.R. 2112, a post office in Monroe, New York, will be named in his honor. For generations to come, his hometown will be reminded of his service and sacrifice, and my neighbors will continue to be inspired by this man's deep devotion to his country. Although no one can ever fully repay his family for their tragic loss, I hope this bill will come as some small comfort and tribute to his memory. Mr. Speaker, with honor and respect for the life of Gregg David Wenzel, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2112.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I welcome Rabbi Eytan Hammerman of Temple Beth Shalom to the House of Representatives and thank him for serving as today's guest chaplain. Rabbi Hammerman leads the congregation at Temple Beth Shalom and is passionate about serving his neighbors in Mahopac, New York. A distinguished scholar, Rabbi Hammerman holds a B.A. and a master's degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and a degree in political science from Columbia University. Before he joined Temple Beth Shalom in 2010, he served small and large congregations in Baltimore, Maryland; White Plains, New York; and northern New Jersey, in addition to serving as director of the Jewish Youth Philanthropy Institute here in Washington, D.C. Rabbi Hammerman has served the Mahopac community since he was ordained in 2010, and his leadership has united people all throughout the community--no matter what their beliefs or what their background. Not only a religious leader, he has long been a political advocate for justice and equality, and especially for a reduction in the horrible plague of gun violence we see in our country. He is joined here today by his wife, Rebecca, and his three beautiful daughters, Ary, Rena, and Ilana, as well as his mother- and father-in- law, Marjorie and Dr. Steven Hoffman. Not only a religious leader, he is also my friend, and I am proud to call him my friend. I hope you will join me in welcoming Rabbi Hammerman.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said: All my life, I have dreamed of going back to my home on the Hudson River. It was the center of the world. He was referring to his habit of, late at night, of remembering being a child, before he was stricken with polo, before he was President, before he was burdened with the awesome responsibilities of his office during a time of war. Being a child in the Hudson River meant sledding down a hill behind Hyde Park and feeling totally free. And he remembered that, as a President, to forget the burdens of his office and to remember the miracle and dream of his youth. Those of us who are blessed to represent the Hudson Valley understand that the Hudson Valley writes its beauty on our personalities and on our very souls. It inscribes us with its timeless beauty. And as it flows on endlessly by, we are reminded of the fleeting nature of our service and of our very lives. A group of artists, including Thomas Cole, Asher Brown Durand, Jasper Francis Cropsey, and Frederic Edwin Church, somehow by hiking, sketching, and experiencing the Hudson River Valley found a way to translate what it means to those of us who live, work, and raise our families there into these permanent, lasting images. And our own modern-day genius, Greg Wyatt, has found a way to capture them. So we pause here tonight to honor that. Drawing inspiration from our natural environment, these artists began painting scenes and now sculpting images. From across New York and our country, Asher Brown Durand, one of the original founders of the school, has one of the most beautiful pieces anyone will ever create of Beacon, New York. It is called ``Beacon Hills on the Hudson River.'' It was painted across the river in Newburgh in 1852. Today, my office in Newburgh looks out at that same image, at that same beauty. Frederic Church was one of the first to capture Niagara Falls back in 1857. Within 2 weeks of its debut, his piece had lured 100,000 visitors to pay 25 cents apiece to view it. Not only did the Hudson River School influence the modern-day environmental conservation movement, but these paintings actually inspired the establishment of our National Park System in the early part of the 20th century, which was, of course, formed by President Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy Roosevelt couldn't have spoken more true words when he said: There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm. But, again, our painters from the Hudson Valley found that hidden spirit and that charm that Franklin and Teddy Roosevelt both remembered. Dating back 100 years, my neighbors in the Hudson Valley take great pride in our natural resources and protecting and conserving this unique home for us and for our children and for generations to come. I want to take just a minute to recognize my predecessor and our former colleague, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, and his family who have joined us here tonight. When you follow Maurice Hinchey in the Congress, you have some very big shoes to fill. And I have heard a lot about Congressman Hinchey and his service, and I always enjoy the stories because it sets for me an example of what I want to do in this body. After Congressman Hinchey sacrificed for his country as a Navy sailor, as my own father did, he became a respected State lawmaker, and he proudly served here for two decades. My neighbors in the Hudson Valley know that he worked tirelessly for them, for economic justice and equal opportunity, because he believed that this government should work for everyone, including someone like him who grew up in a working class family and spent some time working in a factory, because our country, as Congressman Hinchey understood, is better off when leadership like his supports ordinary Americans, people like him who served in our military, our veterans, our working and middle class families who struggle to put food on the table and pay the bills but who can also appreciate the beauty of the environment and the timeless wonder of places like the Hudson Valley. Congressman Hinchey played a critical role in the modern environmental movement even before it was widely recognized as important. Back in 1996 when I was working for President Clinton, Congressman Hinchey was authoring legislation that the President signed into law that established the Hudson Valley National Heritage Area. Because of Mr. Hinchey's leadership, the Hudson Valley National Heritage Area currently links over 100 individual sites, from Saratoga to Westchester, while showcasing the Hudson Valley's unique role in American history and development. I want to commend Barnabas McHenry who is with us here today who has dedicated so much of his life to that same mission. Because of their leadership, my children and my grandchildren will see and be able to treasure the Hudson Valley's unique and incredible scenic, historic, agricultural, and natural wonders. Congressman Hinchey always made sure that we remember the rich contributions of the Hudson River School of painters. Congressman Hinchey knows, like many of us do, that there is no place in the country that compares to the Hudson Valley, and those of us lucky enough to live there are not surprised that it was the birthplace of America's first and greatest school of art. In closing, let me just say that not long ago, a friend of mine came over to my home, which is across from West Point and Cold Spring, and actually looks down the Hudson River towards Garrison and south towards the Bear Mountain Bridge. I walked him up to the property, and the sun was going down. A short while later after he left, he sent a note and he said: Sean, I once saw a sunset like that in a Frederic Church painting, and I thought he made it up. But when I saw it with my own eyes at your house, I understood for the first time what inspired these great geniuses to try to capture the wonder and beauty that is the Hudson River Valley for all time. We honor their success in doing so tonight, and we honor those who continue that legacy who join us here tonight. Thank you on behalf of a grateful Hudson Valley and a grateful Nation. I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. In its current form, I am.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill. If adopted, it won't kill the bill. If adopted, the bill will proceed to final passage immediately, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I agree with many of those on the other side on much of the underlying bill. Let's open our public lands to recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting. Let's make it easier to maintain public shooting ranges. No argument from me. But we can and should make this bill better, and my amendment will do just that. Preserving our public lands and common spaces also means investing in the critical infrastructure that allows us to bring our families there safely. That is why the bipartisan SAFE Bridges Act should be in this bill to ensure that our Nation's highways and bridges are safe. But the biggest omission in this bill is the failure to protect our citizens from toxic spills that would threaten our water supplies. A few weeks ago, we all woke up to learn that 300,000 people in West Virginia couldn't drink their water. A mother trying to put her child in the bathtub couldn't turn on the faucet. A father mixing baby formula for an infant couldn't trust what came out of the tap. For more than a week, families couldn't do things that each of us do every day. Hundreds were hospitalized. Because businesses had to lock their doors, even people making the meager Federal minimum wage of $7.25 couldn't go to work. Businesses were shut down, and they couldn't provide for their families. Schools shut down. Anxious and worried residents by the thousands lined up every day for National Guard troops to supply them with safe water. This happened right here in America, and not in some foreign country. It happened for a reason. It happened because one greedy operator thought it made sense not to inspect and maintain a storage tank with thousands of gallons of a toxic chemical right next to the water supply. You can't tell me that the free market took care of that problem. Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of West Virginians who can't drink their water. Mr. Speaker, my amendment ensures companies making chemicals with the potential to contaminate water supplies are simply required to report the hazards of these chemicals. It is pretty simple. In my neck of the woods, the New York City watershed delivers approximately 1.4 billion gallons of water to my district, supplying it to millions of people every day. If this spill on the Elk River had happened on the Hudson River, we would be talking about a different problem in the order of magnitude that would affect millions and millions of people. Have we lost so much faith in ourselves acting together that we can't protect the American people from this kind of toxic spill? If this House isn't doing this and if we aren't protecting a mom or dad trying to give baby formula to their child, what are we doing here? Again, I join many of you in supporting the underlying emphasis of this bill. Let's get government out of the way for our hunters, anglers, and sportsmen. A dad should be able to share that first marksmanship experience with his son or daughter, like my dad did with me and my brothers. To preserve these freedoms, government needs to get out of the way at times, but surely it must also protect us at times from those who would destroy these treasures for profit. It was Teddy Roosevelt, after all, who said: Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance. If we really want to protect the national beauty of our country, it starts with protecting something as fundamental as our water. Mr. Speaker, if we don't do this, we are doing nothing, and if those on the other side will not use that gavel in this House to protect the American people, then some of us on this side would like to borrow it for a while--because we will. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have learned a lot in my first year in Congress, but I could serve here a lifetime and never understand how some Members could be so callous and so shortsighted that they are ready to cut off a lifeline for millions of Americans, including 137,000 New Yorkers. These New Yorkers are hardworking people, like Stephen from Sugar Loaf, who wrote to me because he needs unemployment insurance to stay in his house; like Brenda in Fishkill, where she and her husband are both enrolled in retraining courses right now trying to get work and need this insurance just to make ends meet; like Johnine in Warwick, who lost her job to outsourcing, but still has to take care of her daughter; like Carol in Dutchess County, who may not be able to take care of her disabled husband without this assistance; like Ingrid from Highland Falls, who fought for her country in war and now has to worry about putting food on the table for her children. We must renew unemployment insurance for people like these now because every week that goes by, there are 5,000 more people like Stephen and Brenda and Johnine and Carol and Ingrid. These aren't statistics. They are hardworking Americans, and they need this Congress to act, and act now.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my colleague's amendment requiring the EPA to stay focused on the National Priorities List. There are nine Superfund sites where I am from in the Hudson Valley of New York. Toxic sites once declared uninhabitable are now engines of economic development, and I want to credit the good folks at the EPA, including my friend Judith Enck, who leads Region 2, but one Hudson Valley community with poison in its water has waited over 10 years for a solution. The EPA began cleanup at the site in Hopewell Junction in 2003 and officially added Hopewell to the Superfund National Priorities List in 2005. Hopewell Junction isn't some abandoned wasteland, and it isn't an empty brownfield. It is a community full of children and families who need our help and who need our help now. Hopewell could be a neighborhood anywhere, a neighborhood in which families shouldn't have to choose between clean water and their children's health, between selling their houses or staying in a place where they grew up and loved but is now contaminated. My neighbors, like Debra Hall, have put blood, sweat and tears into this effort for 10 years to try to clean up Hopewell--10 years telling anyone who would listen that Hopewell must be a priority because they can't wait. It is outrageous, and they deserve better from their government. I support this amendment to keep our priorities straight, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and dear friend; a pioneering businessman, and dedicated philanthropist; a devoted father and loving husband, Peter Benjamin Lewis. Peter Lewis was born during the Great Depression in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 11, 1933. The son of Joseph Lewis and the former Helen Rosenfeld, Peter was the oldest of four children. He graduated in 1955 from Princeton University where he met his future wife, Toby Devan. They married soon after he graduated and raised three extraordinary children: Jonathan, Ivy and Adam. By age 12, Peter Lewis was working at his father's small insurance business. It would become his life's passion. Through decades of hard work--risking, learning, growing--Peter turned his father's 100- employee firm into one of the nation's largest auto insurance companies, the Progressive Corporation. Under Peter's visionary leadership, Progressive became one of the greatest companies in American history, today employing more than 28,000 people. As a legendary philanthropist to numerous organizations, and as a generous benefactor of great architecture and the arts, Mr. Lewis leaves behind a notable mark in so many different communities across the country. He has generously donated more than $220 million to Princeton University, where he served as a trustee. He also held honorary degrees from Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Art. Mr. Lewis is survived by his wife, Janet Rosel Lewis, of Cleveland, Ohio; his brother and sister-in-law, Daniel and Jan Lewis and son Jonathan D. Lewis, of Coconut Grove, Florida; his daughter, Ivy Lewis, of Princeton, New Jersey; his son and daughter-in-law, Adam and Melony Lewis, of Aspen, Colorado; his friend and former wife, Toby Devan Lewis, of Cleveland, Ohio; and five grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, please join me and Mr. Lewis' family in remembering and celebrating the remarkable life, lasting achievements, and indelible spirit of Peter B. Lewis.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, tonight on Forest Lane in Cold Spring, my friend Jim Lovell won't be coming home. His children, Brooke and Jack and Finn and Hudson, the youngest who goes to school with my little girls in Cold Spring and who has played in my house, will be missing the father they love and a beloved member of the community because he was one of the four victims on the Metro-North train that derailed on Sunday. We all are saddened and heartbroken by this tragic event. I stand here with my colleagues from New York to honor the four victims and the dozens of injured. New York lost a devoted father in Jim Lovell; but, of course, we also lost a loving sister in Donna Smith from Newburgh, a caring nurse from Queens named Kisook Ahn, and James Ferrari, a hardworking husband from Montrose. I know my colleagues, Nita Lowey who represents Montrose and Jim Crowley who represents Queens and Eliot Engel who represents the district where the accident occurred, and I who represent two of the victims join with all of you in standing to offer a moment of silence in honor of those killed and of those injured. I ask that we do so now.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Since joining the Congress, I have been working across the aisle on a piece of critical legislation, the Dam Safety Act, which gives communities all across America the support they need to ensure that dams have the highest safety standards possible. Many of these provisions were included in the bipartisan Water Resources Reform and Development Act, known as WRRDA, which overwhelmingly passed the House just a few weeks ago by a 417-3 vote margin. I certainly want to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Rahall, and subcommittee Ranking Member Bishop for their leadership on WRRDA and for working closely with me on this important issue. With major storms like Irene, Hurricane Sandy and Tropical Storm Lee becoming more and more frequent, I believe Congress needs to place a higher priority on strengthening our infrastructure, particularly on our oldest and often most vulnerable infrastructure--our dams. Should our dam infrastructure fail in the midst of these storms, the effects could be far more catastrophic and immediate than most other components of our States' infrastructure, endangering people's lives, their property and their livelihoods. Our country has over 87,000 dams, and approximately 10,000 of these dams are what are known as ``high-hazard dams.'' There are dams in virtually every congressional district and community across the country. The failure of any of these high-hazard dams would cause widespread damage and loss of life and, of course, major economic disruption; and approximately 40 percent of these high-hazard dams do not have an emergency action plan. I would like to say that again: more than 40 percent of our most important dams--the high-hazard dams--the failure of which could cause the loss of life or major property damage, do not have an emergency action plan. We live in a world now in which we have these extreme weather events, and you don't want to find out the dam is going to fail when you have a superstorm. The Hudson Valley--the communities I represent--is home to over 800 dams, and nearly 100 of those dams are known as high-hazard dams, the failure of which could pose a serious risk to the economy and well- being of these communities and families. Unfortunately, during Hurricane Irene, many folks were impacted because of a dam failure. Many of my neighbors in Tuxedo's East Village were devastated when the Echo Lake Dam released an estimated 100 million gallons of water. Some people in Tuxedo reported seeing an 8-foot wall of water rushing towards the town, causing catastrophic damage to the infrastructure and costing millions of dollars in property damage. For folks like John and Lisa Petriello, who live in the East Village, the failure of this dam flooded their home, cracked their foundation, and ripped the deck off their home. For Gary Phelps, it meant more than $125,000 in property damage. Then for businesses such as SOS Fuels, it meant their headquarters were condemned. In mere minutes, the flood carried away cars and appliances. Folks lost their furniture, their valuables, and their homes. From 2005 to 2009, 132 dams failed. So it is critical that every single community across the country be prepared and be protected, and they can be with this program. This important motion will make the final version of the Dam Safety program even better by authorizing the Dam Safety program at $9.2 million per year over the next 5 years. This is $9.2 million which could, itself, be less than the cost of a single dam failure; yet we know that in just a 5-year period 132 dams failed. The National Dam Safety Program provides vital support to assist States like mine, New York, in developing emergency action plans, in implementing existing dam safety programs, in assisting with the purchase of equipment, and in conducting dam inspections. For the first time, the Senate provision would provide public awareness and outreach funding, an essential step to ensuring that all citizens understand the need to prepare for, to mitigate for, to respond to, and to recover from dam incidents and failures. It is far past time to start paying attention to a program that can make a real difference in people's lives, especially a program that has been passed on a bipartisan basis since 1974. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), my friend, the distinguished ranking member of the committee.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. At this time, Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gallego), my friend.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, in my opening remarks, I also should have mentioned the chair of the subcommittee, Mr. Gibbs. I would like to thank him in addition to the chairman and my ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Bishop, for the excellent work they have done on this. With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan), my colleague. (Mr. NOLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I would like to forgive the gentleman from Minnesota for his vulgarity on the House floor. It is hard not to curse when mentioning the title of this motion. It is also hard not to curse when you realize that only 60 percent of the high hazard dams have an emergency action plan. That is one of the reasons why this bill is so important. I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), my friend.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. No, Mr. Chairman. I am prepared to close.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank, again, the chairman, Mr. Shuster. I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, as frustrating as Washington can be for many of us who are new to the Congress, we can actually get results and make a difference by conferencing the Water Resources Reform and Development Act. We have the opportunity for the Congress to set aside petty politics and partisanship to actually get something done for the American people. WRRDA is a critical and strategic investment in our Nation's aging infrastructure and creates jobs, strengthens our local economies, and keeps families all across the country safe. We can make it even better by ensuring that every State and community has the resources to conduct safety inspections and to create emergency action plans. Again, there are 14,000 high hazard dams in this country, 60 percent of which--only 60 percent of which--have an emergency action plan. This program makes sense. Don't take it from me. You can take it from the folks in Warwick, New York, where one of these high hazard dams exists. After experiencing nearly a foot of rain in 24 hours, many families were forced to evacuate for fear of a potential series of dam failures and catastrophic flooding. Warwick had a plan in place, though, and conducted a safe evacuation. Dams like those in Warwick rely on the National Dam Safety Program to enhance the safety of their dams by hiring staff to conduct inspections, to purchase equipment, and to develop emergency action plans for dam safety. These plans save lives and prevent catastrophe. Investing in the National Dam Safety Program provides our communities with the resources they need to protect our families and our economy by conducting safety inspections and creating plans. Simply put, a stitch in time saves nine. Nowhere is that more true than here. I hope we can join together in a bipartisan way to support communities all across America by passing this motion to make the final version of this bill even better. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, in order to end this Republican shutdown today to get the people's government working for them again, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59 and open the government without further delay.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, to help the hundreds of workers at West Point and the Stewart Air National Guard base, we bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and stop this reckless Republican government shutdown.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the 98 World War II veterans of the third Hudson Valley Honor Flight, who are traveling to our nation's capital and seeing the memorials that stand as a tribute to their selfless service for the first time. Because of these Honor Flights, 98,500 veterans since 2005 have had the chance to see our national monument to their service. As a son of a Navy veteran, it is a tremendous honor for me to welcome these American heroes to Washington, and I am proud to see them off in recognition of their service to our nation. We owe these brave veterans a debt of gratitude. They stood in defense of our freedoms and the freedoms of those around the world. Their sacrifice made our country and the world a safer place. Our nation can never fully repay our veterans for their service, but we can continue to honor all the brave veterans who fought for our country and the many who gave their lives in defense of our way of life. Mr. Speaker, today we should honor the sacrifices of these 98 courageous veterans from the Hudson Valley who bravely stood up in defense of our freedoms. Please join me in thanking these American veterans for their tremendous service to an eternally grateful nation.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor dozens of World War II veterans and volunteers traveling to our nation's capital, many seeing for the first time the memorials that stand as a tribute to their selfless service. As a son of a Navy veteran, it is a tremendous honor to welcome these American heroes to Washington, and I am proud to accompany them on a visit to the United States World War II Memorial, in recognition of their service to our nation. We owe these brave veterans a debt of gratitude. They stood in defense of our freedoms and the freedoms of those around the world, and their sacrifice has made our country and the world a safer place. Our nation can never fully repay our veterans for their service, but we can continue to honor all the brave veterans who fought for our country and the many who gave their lives in defense of our way of life. Mr. Speaker, today we should honor the sacrifices of these brave veterans from the Hudson Valley who bravely stood up in defense of our freedoms. Please join me in thanking these American veterans for their tremendous service to an eternally grateful nation.