Sean Maloney

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Henry Stern, a resident of Cold Spring, New York, for his 95th birthday on October 15, 2022. Henry was born in 1927 and spent his first eleven years growing up in Augsburg, Germany. Facing Nazi persecution of the Jewish people, Henry and his family escaped to England in 1939, just one week before war was officially declared. Henry and his family were aided financially by an uncle living in the United States, where they later immigrated. Henry is dedicated to spreading awareness about the horrors of the Holocaust and preserving the memories of his family. He participated in a project called Lifelines, directed by the Jewish Museum Augsburg Swabia, which chronicles the experiences of Holocaust survivors and their loved ones. Henry's experiences, and those of his family, formed the subject of the sixth volume of Lifelines. Henry later travelled to Augsburg to educate people about the Holocaust, including through a museum exhibit, a theater performance, and four days of workshops at local high schools. On May 4, 2014, Henry presented a talk at Marina Gallery in Cold Spring about his experiences during the Holocaust and his work with the Lifelines project to record them for posterity. Henry ended his talk with a poem his brother wrote in memory of their cousins, Margo and Trude, who perished on a transport to Poland during the Holocaust. The talk was organized by the Philipstown Reform Synagogue, of which Henry is a member, and was presented in honor of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, which occurred a few days earlier, from sundown April 27 to sundown April 28. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Henry Stern for his selfless contributions to our shared village of Cold Spring, to his hometown community in Augsburg, and to our world. I ask that you join me in thanking him for his important work and wishing him a happy 95th birthday.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans want to talk about anything but marriage equality today. It is almost like they don't have any good arguments to make on marriage equality. Mr. Speaker, my husband, Randy, and I have been together for 30 years. We have raised three remarkable kids from diapers to college diplomas. During all those years, during all that time together, we have only been legally married since 2014. We had a 22-year engagement before an 8-year marriage. When I was elected as a Member of Congress in 2012, my husband, Randy, couldn't have health insurance through this body. His spouse ID said companion on it, and we had to fight to get him one of these security pins we all wear. But through hard work and a historic coalition, through great allies and partnerships, love won. On the day the Supreme Court decided we had equality rights for marriage in this country, a bunch of us stood in front of the Court and sang the national anthem because it is a beautiful thing when your country catches up to you. Today, we are going to vote for the Respect for Marriage Act to decide and to make clear whether or not we will go back.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, whether or not every American, despite their race or their sexuality, has the freedom to marry the person they love; it is a simple choice, and I know where I stand. Every Member of Congress will get to stand and be counted today, and you can choose between equality or discrimination.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for all of his work. I rise, Mr. Speaker, to support my bill, the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act, which would extend the Highlands Conservation Program for an additional 7 years, through 2029. If you have hiked through any of the public lands in the Hudson Valley, chances are you have enjoyed the experience and benefited from the land conserved and protected by the Highlands Conservation Program. Even if you have looked upon the extraordinary works of art in the Hudson River School of painting, the most famous American school of painting, you will see these lands in the Hudson Highlands and wonder, as we who are lucky enough to live there do, at their beauty. For nearly two decades, the Highlands Conservation Act has been a critical resource for the protection of these lands throughout a 5,500- square-mile area of the Highlands region covering New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. It includes many of our great State parks in my district, including Harriman State Park, Bear Mountain State Park, Schunemunk Mountain State Park, Storm King State Park, Hudson Highlands State Park, and Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, to name a few. The bill funds vital projects to safeguard our water supplies, conserve our forests, protect wildlife, expand outdoor public recreation opportunities, and save agricultural resources. Over the past 18 years, the Highlands Conservation Act has delivered on its promise. It facilitated the permanent protection of nearly 13,000 acres of land, land that contributes to clean drinking water, protection of wildlife, expansion of recreation opportunities, and, of course, the sustainable economic growth that we all want. Since 2007, New York has received over $14 million through the Highlands Conservation Act, funding that supported 18 specific projects conserving 4,000 acres throughout my district in the Hudson Valley. For example, in 2015, the act helped incorporate over 230 acres of land into the Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park in Putnam County, right down the street from where I live. I spend a lot of time there. It is absolutely beautiful. In 2016, funds from the Highlands Conservation Act helped conserve nearly 700 acres of land linking the western Hudson Highlands to Schunemunk Mountain State Park in Orange County, and so much more. It is also responsible for the addition of 1,200 acres that make up the Fishkill Ridge portion of the Hudson Highlands State Park. More than 25 million Americans live within just an hour's drive of the Highlands region. By passing this bill today, we can ensure that the Highlands are protected and remain a beautiful natural resource for them and for our entire country for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, the Highlands Conservation Program has been an extremely effective program not just for my district but for the entire region and our country. The entire conservation community should congratulate itself today. I want to mention a few local people: Mark Zakutansky with the Appalachian Mountain Club; Ned Sullivan and Andy Bicking with Scenic Hudson; Katrina Shindledecker and Michelle Smith with the Hudson Highlands Land Trust; and Tim Abbott with the Housatonic Valley Association. I thank them all for their extraordinary work.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from New York for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on my bill, H.R. 767. It honors the life of the late Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman. It enshrines his storied career in public service at the Fulton Street Post Office in Middletown, New York. Ben Gilman was a true statesman and a tireless representative to the people of the Hudson Valley. Mr. Speaker, when I was first elected, I was told I should try to be like Ben, to try to fill the shoes of this giant and carry on his great tradition of public service and delivering results. Ben was nothing less than an American patriot. He was born in Poughkeepsie in 1922. He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II. He flew 35 combat missions over Japan and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, he graduated from the Wharton School and from New York Law School. He went on to be an assistant New York attorney general in the 1950s, a lawyer in private practice, and then found a calling in public service as a New York assemblyman from 1966 to 1972, and, of course, became my community's representative in Congress for the next 30 years after that. He was often called ``Gentle Ben'' because of his remarkable humility. And because he elevated constituent service to an art form, Ben was beloved throughout my district, never missing a pancake breakfast with farmers or firefighters. But as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, he was known on the world stage and deeply respected by allies and adversaries alike. He was called a moderate then, but that just meant he rose above the fray and political parties and did the right thing, always putting his people first. Above all, of course, he was a father and a husband, and he loved his family. We pray for his widow, Georgia, even as we honor his public career in this House. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a distinguished veteran, a congressional ambassador, larger-than-life figure, and fellow New Yorker, I urge my colleagues to support and pass H.R. 767 to immortalize Ben Gilman's legacy at the Fulton Street Post Office in his home of Middletown, New York.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment number 224, to En Bloc 5 of H.R. 4502. This appropriations bill is a historic and groundbreaking effort to address the urgent need for serious investments in working families, people serving in our Armed Forces, urban and rural development, our healthcare, transportation systems and beyond. My amendment seeks to build on the good work of this Committee by investing critical dollars to assist in the abatement and removal of environmental hazards from homes that are set to be renovated. Beneficiaries include organizations like the local Habitat for Humanities in my district, which has a `sweat equity' component that requires new homeowners to assist in the desperately needed renovations for these homes. In today's competitive housing market, low-income buyers are left with little options to reach the American dream of owning a home. That is why these funds and this amendment are so important. They would provide critical assistance to organizations working to increase homeownership among low-income families and ensure that volunteer-based homeownership programs are able to make a lasting impact on their communities. Most importantly, they would ensure that homes are safe to be renovated. My ask is simple: let's provide the necessary resources to outstanding organizations that already do great work in so many districts across the country. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this amendment.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment number 131 to En Bloc 5 of H.R. 4502. My amendment to the Financial Services and General Government division addresses the lack of transparency for applicants and recipients of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), and other critical SBA programs. These SBA loans saved thousands of jobs and stopped businesses from shuttering their doors throughout this crippling pandemic. But all too often, I hear from my constituents that they have been left in the dark as they try to access and apply for these programs. Currently, the loan application process does not allow constituents to view the status of their application. Especially in such a challenging year, the last thing small business owners need is confusion and uncertainty. My office was able to step in and help hundreds of constituents access their cash, but the lack of transparency and access to real-time updates on their status from the SBA slowed the process down. This amendment will help cut through red tape and get folks the money they need to keep their doors open and their employees on payroll. As we look ahead and work toward continuing our economic recovery, it's time to bring the SBA into the 21st Century. We created these SBA programs to support Americans in their greatest time of need. This amendment will continue to respond to the direct needs of small businesses in the Hudson Valley and in every district across the Nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this amendment.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I was thinking about my kids as I walked onto the floor today, and I have just one question to those who today, with their votes, would seek to perpetuate legal discrimination against millions of American families, including mine. Why are they afraid to just say what they really believe? Why hide behind the ridiculous, embarrassing, easily debunked arguments, falsehoods, fearmongering about locker rooms and women's sports and religious practices that will never be harmed? Why not just say what they really mean? I tell you what, Madam Speaker, I will say it for them. Their real argument, the only honest argument, is that they believe LGBT people are morally inferior and that firing us should be permitted. They argue the longstanding protections we already provide in the civil rights laws for religious practice for some reason aren't good enough. Here they demand more capacity to hate on gay people than they would ever claim as a religious right to discriminate on the basis of race. Would any opponent of this bill argue that their religion gives them the right to deny an African-American couple service at a restaurant? That is exactly the argument made on this floor 60 years ago when others, making so-called faith-based arguments, sought to defeat the civil rights laws in the first place. The true argument is that their beliefs demand existing discrimination against LGBT people be allowed. That is their true argument. That is pro-discrimination. Our argument is that discrimination is wrong and that it should not be permitted, and that the exercise of religion here can be protected just as we do in every other civil rights context--no more, no less. It is no wonder, but it is sad, that they deny the truth of their position here. These same Members spread the incendiary lie that the election was stolen and play footsie with dangerous conspiracy groups who attacked this building. They tell us mask-wearing infringes on their rights despite a public health emergency. They deny school shootings are real or that a plane hit the Pentagon. Let history record the vote today. One side votes for love.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act, which will be voted on tonight, after many years of work. I think it is important to note that it was the father of our country, George Washington, who created the Purple Heart in the closing days of the Revolutionary War. It happened right in my district, in the heart of New York's Hudson Valley, at the New Windsor Cantonment, where General Washington created and awarded something called the Badge of Military Merit. We know that honor today as the Purple Heart, which is how it appeared when it was originally created out of fabric. The Purple Heart was revived in 1932, on the bicentennial of General Washington's birth to honor veterans of World War I. Since then, this great honor has been earned. It has been earned, often at great personal cost, by nearly 2 million brave servicemen and servicewomen. In 2006, as my colleague noted, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, located in New Windsor, opened its doors and launched the first comprehensive list of Purple Heart recipients. The Hall of Honor collects and preserves the names and, more importantly, the deeds and stories of the men and women wounded or killed in service of our Nation. It honors heroes like Rich Drago, my friend, who lives in the Hudson Valley. Rich served in Vietnam. He continued to man his post under fire, even after he had been hit by a mortar blast. It is heroes like Rich who we honor tonight. He serves today on my Veterans Advisory Board. He is the vice chair of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission Board of Directors and is the commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 1782. I thank so many others, including members of my staff--my legislative staff: Ryan Lehman; Molly Carey; Shallum Atkinson; Laura Bart; and, of course, Beverly Hart, who has personally worked for so long to make this day a reality. Of course, it is the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor that deserves the credit and the Purple Heart Honor Mission and the recipients who do such important work and who create such a powerful example for all of us. In addition to helping veterans receive their Purple Heart, they now support veterans and their families, offer educational programs for schools, host a 4-day honor mission to the Hudson Valley to see the Hall of Honor. My bill will authorize, importantly, the U.S. Treasury to mint $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins. The proceeds from these coins--and this is wonderful--which will be produced at the West Point Mint, right down the road, outside the United States Military Academy, will support the critical mission, along with other programs to help veterans and their families at no cost to the taxpayers, both in New York and, of course, across our country. I thank my friend, Senator Schumer, for his partnership in passing the bill through the Senate with broad bipartisan support. I thank my colleagues here in House: The chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee; my friends across the aisle, like Mike Gallagher, himself a Marine Corps veteran, for their partnership on this legislation. The bill was really made possible, of course, by the extraordinary work of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the team at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and the Honor Mission, including Russ Vernon, Richie Lay, Richard Gerbeth, Jr., and William Nazario; and, of course, volunteers like Stephanie Keegan, who helped us win overwhelming bipartisan support from over 300 Members of Congress. You know, today is particularly moving for me because of how long it has taken to bring this bill to fruition. I can't help but think of two men who inspired our work on this bill. One is my dad, Jim Maloney, a Navy veteran who was banged up pretty bad on the USS Manchester on his 19th birthday, but who got himself well and was able to live his American Dream because his country had his back and there were people here who wanted to honor his service. He showed me firsthand the incredible sacrifice of those who have served. Another is a Republican friend of my mine, Senator Bill Larkin, a dear friend who passed away just last year. Bill served our country in World War II and Korea. When we did events together, he would have trouble standing because his feet still hurt from the frostbite he suffered in Korea. He served the Hudson Valley as a State senator for 40 years and worked closely with me to advance the mission of the Hall of Honor on this bill. I could not be more proud to work with his beloved wife, Pat, and others, to carry on this piece of his legacy, and I can't wait to see this coin become a reality. I know my friend, Bill Larkin, is smiling down from Heaven tonight. Mr. Speaker, I thank you all for your support and the bipartisanship it took to get us to this point.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to make clear my position on H. Res. 1154 which condemns the QAnon movement and the disturbing conspiracy theories which it promotes. Regrettably, my vote on this important resolution was inadvertently not recorded. But let me be clear, I strongly support this resolution and I condemn the dangerous conspiracies that this organization traffics in and continues to spread across the internet every day. The QAnon conspiracy movement is a danger to our national security and I am glad to see that this body condemned the organization in a strong, bipartisan fashion. I join with my colleagues in supporting this resolution.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 7617, Division F--of the Defense, Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2021. My amendment, included in the bipartisan en bloc, will increase funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services account by $10 million to support technological advancements in libraries. This amendment highlights the need for technology, like Wi-Fi and computers, in libraries, especially in communities that are economically distressed. With uncertainty around school openings in the fall, many students may not have the technology or internet available at home to succeed. Libraries are a great place to offer these types of free community services in a safe environment. My amendment would support the bolstering of these resources. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 7608, Division B--Agriculture, Rural Development Appropriations Act of 2021. My amendment, included in the bipartisan en bloc, will increase funding for the Crop Protection and Pest Management program by $1 million. In 2017, the Allium leafminer-- an invasive pest that threatens onion crops--was discovered in Orange County's black dirt region. Orange County produces half of New York State's onion crop, generates $25 million in annual sales, and employs hundreds of residents. So, my office got to work with Dr. Brian Nault of Cornell. By leveraging a grant from the Crop Protection and Pest Management program, Dr. Nault has been working to find effective and sustainable solutions for managing the Allium leafminer. But he needs more help. My amendment will add $1 million into the program helping to save Orange County's onion crop. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, the facts and the evidence establish beyond peradventure that the President abused the power of his office for personal gain and sought to cover up his misconduct by obstructing the Congress. What we do today goes to the heart of the oath we take to support and defend the Constitution. These actions are as necessary as they are heartbreaking. It is the President, not any Member of this House, who has brought us to this sad place. His actions echo in this Chamber and, like a tin can tied to his leg, will rattle behind him through the pages of history. For in the final analysis, none of us will escape the truth. It will come for us all in this world or the next. What is the truth? The President used taxpayer money and official acts to pressure a foreign government to help him win reelection by slandering a fellow American. How do we know this truth? We know because brave Americans, soldiers and public servants, came forward to reveal the President's misconduct. And the President? He continues to undertake an unprecedented coverup to stonewall the public and obstruct their Representatives in Congress. He withholds access to documents and records belonging to the public that would further establish his mendacity. He blocks his advisers and associates from testifying before the public to conceal the wrongs they witnessed. These actions are unworthy of the Presidency. Today is about right and wrong and whether we still know the difference. Today, we hold the President accountable. If we fail to do so, future Presidents would see corruption as without consequence. And there, our democracy goes to die. We inherit this Republic from our ancestors, and we borrow it from our children. With humility, we pray that the history of this day will guide us to a better future for our Nation.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, David Mixner, the legendary civil rights activist, best-selling author, and humanitarian known throughout the world for championing LGBT equality, healthcare, non-violence, and human rights for nearly 60 years. I had the privilege of working and learning from David, an experience I will never forget, when I worked as White House staff secretary to President Bill Clinton. In the mode of our own John Lewis, David inspired a generation of us with his pioneering work for equality and documented those struggles in his seminal autobiography, ``Stranger Among Friends.'' David's leadership and wisdom shaped--indeed, made possible--my career and the careers of so many of us. He taught us to never tire of the fight and to always wage it with love. From his early work with Harvey Milk defeating discriminatory laws against LGBT teachers, to demanding real action in funding to combat the AIDS epidemic when our government was failing our community, David changed our Nation for the better. I know I speak for an entire LGBT community and our many allies in thanking David for his decades of activism. At this very moment, he is giving what may be his final public performance in New York City before beginning his retirement. While I so wish I could be there tonight, my presence here, in this Chamber, in many ways is itself a tribute to David's lifetime of work. And while the public phase of David's career may be drawing to a close, I know David's words and deeds will live on for many generations to come. He represents the best of America. He is a true patriot and a stranger no more.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, if I understand, the Republican argument is that the document doesn't contain an explicit quid pro quo. Well, let me remind my friends, you don't need to state an explicit quid pro quo to break your oath. You don't need to state an explicit quid pro quo to break the law. You don't need to state an explicit quid pro quo when you have conducted the quid pro quo, when you have withheld the military aid. You don't need to state an explicit quid pro quo when you have launched a cover-up by violating the law by refusing to produce the whistleblower complaint as you are required to do. All of these actions are contained in the recent statements of the President and in the plain language of the White House document. And the idea, the idea that we can't wait a day to get the transcript ignores the fact that, for three weeks, they have ignored the law in producing the whistleblower complaint; and we would not have it ever if it weren't for the actions of the Democrats in this House. And the talking point that this issue should hinge on the explicitness of the quid pro quo is nothing more than a smokescreen to hide the fact that the President's conduct is a violation of the law, and a violation of his oath, and more than justifies the production of the whistleblower complaint and the launching of an impeachment inquiry.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act, and urge my colleagues to support its passage. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, located in my district in New Windsor, New York, has a mission to collect and preserve the stories of Purple Heart recipients from all service branches and across generations so we can ensure that all recipients are remembered. The hall also serves as a living memorial to our veterans' sacrifice. My bill would honor the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and all our Purple Heart recipients with a commemorative coin produced at the United States Mint at West Point, right down the road. Proceeds from the sale of the coin would be directed to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Incorporated, for projects and programs that raise awareness about the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and pay tribute to the memory and sacrifices of all our servicemen and -women who were wounded or killed in combat. Too often, the voices of our veterans are not heard, and, as our veterans get older, particularly our World War II veterans, their memories and experiences are in danger of being lost. These stories are the most powerful record we have to document the sacrifice of our soldiers and their families, stories like that of Corporal Richard Lay, a New Yorker who served in the Marines during Vietnam. Corporal Lay was born in Manhattan to a father who, himself, had served during World War II. In 1968, during his service in Vietnam, Corporal Lay's unit was ambushed by Vietcong soldiers in what he describes as ``a day of hell.'' During the mission, he was injured by shrapnel from a nearby enemy blast. The Marines wanted to send Corporal Lay back to the United States because of his injuries, but he insisted on remaining on the front lines with his fellow marines to finish his tour of duty. After his tour ended, Corporal Lay went home to serve as a New York City Police Officer for 13 years. I am reminded of the story of Richard Drago, a sergeant in 1970 stationed near the Cambodian border in Vietnam. Rich, whom I know, and his company were attacked while providing artillery support for forward operations. While operating a machine gun, Drago was badly wounded but remained unwavering at his post. Without his grit and perseverance, the enemy would have surely pushed forward through the United States' position. We can't forget about the dedication of our military nurses who have risked their lives time and again in support of freedom, nurses like Beatrice Mary MacDonald, assigned to a British Clearing Hospital as chief nurse during World War I, in 1917. Chief Nurse MacDonald and her unit served 4 miles behind enemy lines in Belgium, yet German aircraft still bombed the hospital where she served, wounding her with shell fragments. Due to those injuries, she lost sight in her right eye. Chief Nurse MacDonald remained in the Army throughout the war. She is a hero, and the first known woman to have earned the Purple Heart. In 2013, I had the honor of presenting a long-overdue Purple Heart to the family of a World War I veteran, Corporal William B. Tiebout. Corporal Tiebout served in the National Guard, enlisted in the Army, and was, in May of 1918, wounded in action while serving in Belgium. He sustained shrapnel wounds to his legs and was wounded again when his military hospital was strafed by German aircraft. He was discharged from the Army in 1919 but never received his Purple Heart. He served again during World War II and responded to another call to defend freedom, enlisting this time in the Navy and serving as an aircraft inspector in Bethpage, New York. Despite serving in two world wars and being wounded, Corporal Tiebout was never awarded the medals he had earned. Presenting the Purple Heart to his family was something I will never forget. It was 95 years overdue, but time could not diminish the debt we owed to Corporal Tiebout for his service to our Nation and his sacrifice in defense of our freedom. These are the stories that remind us of what it is that is the very best in the American spirit. Nothing exemplifies the love of country more than the heroism of our Purple Heart veterans, the veterans I just highlighted and so many more whose names will never be read out in this sacred Hall but whose heroism is precious, nonetheless. The Purple Heart Hall of Honor houses hundreds of thousands of stories of patriotism and resilience. We have been working for years to get this bill passed, and I am so proud and grateful for the support of our military service organizations that supported this legislation, especially the Military Order of the Purple Heart. For volunteers like Stephanie Keegan, who lost a son who served with honor and came home with invisible wounds, their efforts will guarantee that we will finally produce this coin to honor Purple Heart veterans, bolster the important work of the hall and the National Purple Heart Honor mission and support the mission of the West Point Mint. Congratulations to all, and let's pass this measure in honor of all of our wounded heroes and their families.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act, which is scheduled for a vote on the House floor tomorrow. George Washington himself created the Purple Heart in the closing days of the Revolutionary War. Since it was revived to honor veterans of World War I, it has been awarded to nearly 2 million brave service men and women, yet there is no comprehensive list of Purple Heart recipients. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor located in my district in New Windsor, New York, was created to collect and preserve the names and stories of the men and women wounded or killed in service of our Nation. The proceeds of this coin, which will be produced nearby at the West Point Mint, will support the hall in its critical mission, along with other programs that help veterans and their families. Today, I am thinking of two men who inspired our work on this bill. One was my dad, who was a Navy vet who was hurt on the USS Manchester and who taught me the reverence we must have for our service men and women. The other was Republican Senator Bill Larkin, a New York State Senator, a dear friend who passed away just days ago. He and I worked closely to advance the mission of the hall. I also thank the Military Order of the Purple Heart and volunteers like Stephanie Keegan, who helped round up 300 of our colleagues in support of this important legislation and who will make tomorrow's vote a reality.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my support for the Coast Guard Authorization Act and the inclusive and bipartisan agreement that the Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have reached. The robust funding for the Coast Guard in this 2-year authorization is indicative of this body's strong support for the men and women serving in the Coast Guard and the important mission they undertake. I recently visited our Coasties in District 7 to see their professionalism and skills on full display--they make the impossible look routine on a daily basis. From drug interdictions to search and rescue, the Coast Guard continues to prove its effectiveness while operating with limited resources. The passage of this bill sends the message that every dollar is a dollar well spent with respect to the U.S. Coast Guard. This important legislation includes provisions that will further strengthen the Coast Guard by expanding the use of unmanned systems and fully integrating new and existing technologies developed both inside and outside of the service. I am pleased that the bill contains a number of provisions aimed at increasing cultural competence in the Coast Guard and at the Coast Guard Academy. The service will only realize its full potential once it instills a culture that welcomes all people regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation. The bill also includes several provisions aimed to bolster the U.S. maritime industry. By clarifying certain requirements on domestic vessels, it sends a strong signal of support for the Jones Act and our coastwise maritime industry. By clarifying cargo preference requirements, we begin to address losses in the internationally trading U.S. fleet and rebuild the American mariner base. The bill also contains important protections for the Hudson River in my district and will ensure this natural treasure is preserved for future generations to come. I am proud to be one of the original sponsors of this important legislation and I look forward to ensuring that this important legislation is signed into law.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer support for this bill, which includes my legislation, the Gregg Wenzel Clandestine Heroes Parity Act. Mr. Chairman, my bill honors an unsung son of the Hudson Valley, CIA Officer Gregg Wenzel, who died in Ethiopia on July 9, 2003. He was only 33 years old. Gregg was inspired to join the Clandestine Service after September 11 and dedicated his life to making the United States stronger in our fight against terrorism. That is what CIA officers do; they put their lives on the line for our freedoms. But because of the nature of their work, they rarely get the recognition they deserve. This bill simply ensures that the families of fallen CIA officers receive the death benefits their loved ones earned laying down their lives in service of our Nation. Gregg was born in the Bronx and graduated from Monroe-Woodbury High School in Orange County, New York. He went on to earn degrees from the State University of New York at Binghamton and then the University of Miami School of Law. After joining the CIA, he was assigned his first overseas tour as an operations officer in the Horn of Africa. The assignment was challenging, but Gregg was known for his grit and good spirit. After his death, Gregg was awarded the CIA's Intelligence Commendation Medal and the Exceptional Service Medallion. You can find his star, number 81, on the CIA Memorial Wall in Langley. And we even honored his service in 2015 by renaming the Monroe, New York, post office the Gregg David Wenzel Memorial Post Office, which is the first such honor ever to be bestowed on a CIA officer. But even with these distinctions, Gregg's family was never able to access the death benefits he had earned in life. A loophole currently blocks benefits for all CIA officers who don't have dependents or who are not killed by a known act of terrorism. My bill simply changes that and rights this wrong. I am so thankful to Gregg's parents, Gladys and Mitch Wenzel, for never giving up on this fight. This bill is an opportunity for us, as a grateful nation, to honor Gregg and his family and to honor all of our fallen CIA officers and the families they have left behind. Mr. Chairman, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of serving as the chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, and yesterday, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary celebrated 80 years of service to the United States. Since June 23, 1939, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary has contributed to the safety and security of our citizens, ports, waterways, and coastal regions by providing crucial support to our hardworking Active-Duty Coast Guard workforce. As the uniformed auxiliary service of the Coast Guard, these women and men provide Public Safety Boating Education training, conduct safety patrols, and provide important mission support functions that are essential to the continued success of Coast Guard operations. Each year, Coast Guard Auxiliary provides nearly 4 million hours operating 1,800 vessels, 160 aircraft, and 1,400 radio facilities helping to maintain a keen awareness of our expansive maritime domain. In 2018 alone, the Coast Guard Auxiliary conducted 542,000 vessel safety checks and marine dealer visits, delivered over 120,000 hours of boating safety instruction, logged nearly 15 million hours of support, saved over 600 lives, assisted over 17,000 boaters in distress, and prevented the loss of more than $94 million in property. So today I ask my colleagues to recognize the great Americans who have served and those who continue to serve the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary for their selfless service to our great Nation.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

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

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Chair, I rise today on the anniversary of a day 3 years ago when we were mourning a terrible loss because of a gun massacre in Florida that affected my community in particular. I rise to offer an amendment to the Department of Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Act that will set aside $5 million of funding for gun violence research in our schools. This bill rightfully includes $25 million for gun violence research funding at the Centers for Disease Control. This funding is critical when 100 Americans die every day because of gun violence. Ninety-four schools across our country had shooting incidents last year. That is the largest number of school shootings in a single year since 1970. The other side has held gun violence research hostage for more than two decades by refusing to appropriate dedicated funds for gun violence research--just research. Now that we are finally able to look into this public health crisis, we need to address it head-on. As a Representative and as a dad who sends his kids to public school every day and whose worst nightmare is that someone will use a gun to hurt them or their friends, I am asking that we take action to stop school shootings now. The lives and safety of our kids are at risk, all of our kids, and we have almost no data on what is happening. This funding will treat gun violence in our schools just like we treat any other public health crisis and finally give the CDC the funding it desperately needs to help us find answers on how to address these ongoing acts of violence. As we know, quality data can lead to breakthrough solutions. Investing in research on car accidents and the risk of smoking has led to policies that have saved countless lives. We can finally free and empower researchers to study the unique impacts and causes of gun violence in schools, examine the data, and formulate solutions that will save lives, children's lives. I urge support of my amendment. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for her remarks.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a young hero we lost last week who died in a tragic accident at the United States Military Academy at West Point, located in my district in New York's Hudson Valley. The cadet's name was Christopher J. Morgan, but most folks called him C.J. He was a member of the class of 2020. He was just 22 years old. Chris was a talented cadet. He was majoring in law and legal studies and was a standout wrestler. Above all, he was dedicated to this country and to protecting our freedoms. The loss of a young cadet is heartbreaking, and this accident is devastating to our community. This tragedy is another painful reminder of the sacrifices our military servicemembers and their families make for us and on our behalf. My heart goes out to Chris' family, to his fellow cadets, some of whom were also injured in the accident, and I ask today that all join me in praying for these cadets and the soldiers injured last week in the accident. The Army family is impacted and the entire West Point community. I also want to thank New York's first responders, medics, emergency personnel, and State troopers for their quick action after the accident last week.

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York

Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Equality Act. I will not repeat the many eloquent things my colleagues have said about the importance of the proposed legislation, though I will thank the gentleman from New York and from Rhode Island for their leadership and others. Nor will I refute the many foolish and false things said on the other side. This is landmark and essential civil rights protection for those who now don't have it. It is no more, it is no less than others enjoy. It respects the First Amendment and the exercise of religion in exactly the same way as we do now for every other civil rights context. It puts the law on the side of those who continue to face invidious discrimination based not on their character, but on who they are. Many others have said this better than I will, but, Madam Speaker, I do want to speak to one group of my colleagues: those who know this is a good bill and, yet today, will vote no. To those colleagues, I ask you to consider the score. In this Chamber, we are all familiar with scores. A score is what some powerful group usually threatens us with when they fear we will vote for something because we believe it is the right thing to do. It often works that way. We believe a vote is right, but don't vote that way, they say, or we will score it against you. That is how Washington scores. But, history scores differently. Conscience has its own rules. Decency sees something beyond such agendas. History records the good. Conscience aligns with what is right. Decency endures the unfair attacks and protects what truly matters. This is a good and simple bill of extraordinary historical importance. It sits high above our daily considerations. Each of us in our careers will be lucky if we come to this floor on a single day when history is made, on a day when, by our vote, we can count ourselves among those who have cared for and who have nurtured the original promise embedded in our founding documents. Others have done much more than we will do today or any day: on the battlefield, or in Seneca Falls, or on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, or simply in their daily dignified decisions to love their neighbors as themselves. Madam Speaker, I know my colleagues are good and decent people. Let conscience guide us to the right, and, please, support this bill.