Bonnie Watson Coleman

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, my amendment simply strikes a section of H.R. 50 that subjects independent agencies to the reporting requirements of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, also known as UMRA. The Office of Management and Budget, which is charged with implementing the President's priorities across the executive branch, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of H.R. 50. This bill expands OMB's role by requiring them to guarantee that each agency complies with the act's requirements, which puts the independent agencies in jeopardy of political interference. The independence of regulatory agencies, like the Federal Communications Commission and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, who are responsible for protecting public health and safety, would be severely compromised. The aptly named independent agencies are entitled to operate with more autonomy than Cabinet agencies and without undue influence from Presidential administrations. This is particularly troubling considering this administration's track record on weakening States' rights by gutting Federal public protections and blocking States from adopting stronger State level standards and protections. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, can you tell me how much time I have remaining.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, supporters of this bill will falsely claim that the provision in H.R. 50 will close a loophole that will make independent agencies accountable to the public. But I want to make it clear that this provision will only give presidents greater control over independent agencies and will create needless uncertainty in the decision-making process of independent regulatory agencies. It is also unclear how reducing the independence of these agencies addresses unfunded mandates. Instead, it is clear that the real goal is simply to undermine their independence. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and remove this harmful provision. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to wish Matthew Korten a happy 60th birthday today. Matt was born in the Bronx on June 26, 1958. At a very young age he always passionate for sports, politics, and helping others. Matt attended SUNY Brockport in 1976 where he studied Psychology while also participating on the Men's Track Team. He then graduated with his Masters in Experimental Psychology at Villanova University in 1982. Since moving to East Brunswick in the late 1980s with his wife Marci, Matt has been an active and all-around member of the community by volunteering as a Transportation & Commuter Advocate, a Trustee of Temple B'nai Shalom, President of the Recreation & Parks Advisory Board, co-founder and President of the Fast Break Basketball Association, Inc. and on the community Development Block Grant Citizen's Advisory Committee. Matt's commitment to the East Brunswick has been consistently recognized by his neighbors, who have elected him as Committeeman for East Brunswick's 36th Voting District since the early 1990s; and in 2009, East Brunswick's governing board appointed him to serve the remainder of the year on the Township Council. Matt has given 30 years working toward improving the quality of life in the community and has proudly represented East Brunswick in all the work he has done--he truly represents the ideals of a great public servant and community leader. Along with his wife, Matt has three sons, Dan, Brad, and Grant. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in congratulating Matt Korten on his birthday and to thank him for his amazing service to his community and others.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, at the Trenton Art All Night Festival, a fight between two individuals resulted in a mass shooting; 17 people shot, at least one critically injured. Fortunately, the only casualty--fatality, I should say--was one of the shooters. Even so, nearly 20 people shot at a community festival dedicated to breathing new life into the city and bringing the community together around something that is positive deserves our attention. Unfortunately, we have a bad habit of assigning sympathy and coverage only to certain kinds of shootings. In fact, it is safe to say that there are some who believe that there are communities in which gun violence will always be an unavoidable norm. That is false. That is a horrible and destructive stereotype that ignores the underpinning of our conversation about guns. From access to excessively destructive accessories, guns are the problem. NRA advocates would argue that in Parkland the shooter got his gun legally. But should an 18-year-old be able to buy a gun, especially when that gun is never going to be used for sport? Those same advocates would argue that most shootings in urban areas occur with illegally obtained weapons and that no regulation would prevent them. But because we refuse to require registries, we don't know where these guns come from. Perhaps if we did, perhaps if we knew who the first buyer was and which States those illegal weapons came from, they wouldn't end up in the wrong hands. Mr. Speaker, our country's gun problem isn't a single-sided one. It is multifaceted and will require more than just one angle to solve. Fortunately, from members of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force alone, there are more than 70 proposals that seek to address this singular and deadly crisis. I am responsible for two of them: The STOP Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2017 to flag for law enforcement large bullet and ammunition purchases that suggest the kind of stockpiling that precedes an attack; and the Handgun Licensing and Registration bill, which would create the kind of registry that might help us keep more weapons out of the wrong hands. Earlier this week, I wrote a letter to you, Mr. Speaker, asking for consideration of any one of these 70 bills in honor of the victims of Sunday's shooting. I have yet to receive a response to my question, and with the paralyzing fear that seems to grip my Republican colleagues whenever we mention guns, I don't have high hopes that I will get one. But I do know that the longer we continue to ignore this problem, the more people will be hurt and the more lives will be lost. At work, at school, at the grocery store, at the playground, in the homes with violent partners, by accident during play dates, at the hands of those suffering from mental illness, with or without law enforcement being present, whether or not someone in the audience or classroom is armed, guns have always been the problem. We need to accept that so that we can get to work on it and move on it. I continue to pray for the health and recovery of those who were injured in Trenton, as well in other places, just as I will continue to work on this issue.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Diana Diaz Tapia for graduating cum laude from Rutgers University Newark with a Bachelor of Arts in Public and Nonprofit Administration. Diana, a resident of Franklin Township and a DREAMer, came to the United States in 2002 from Mexico. Throughout her academic career, Diana has worked hard to achieve her goals. Knowing the sacrifice her parents made to bring her to the U.S., she has been motivated to pursue her dreams. Diana was admitted into the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at New Brunswick High School her freshman year and her academics took off. She graduated in the top of her class and received numerous scholarships that allowed her to attend Middlesex Community College. Among those scholarships were the Karl Burnstein Memorial Scholarship and the Elinor Pavon Oziel Memorial Scholarship. While at Middlesex she once again excelled and received the RU-N to the Top, The Dream, US Scholarship as well as other scholarships to help make her dream of a college degree come true. In true Diana fashion, she has already begun classes towards her next goal; a master's degree in Public Administration. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Diana on her recent graduation and wish her the best of luck on her future endeavors.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for leading us in this Special Order hour on such an important topic. It is safe to say that we are past the point of enough is enough because, apparently, enough is not enough. Every time we face down another mass shooting, we have another moment of silence. The United States has more gun deaths than any other developed nation, and it has far higher levels of gun ownership than any other country in the world. The U.S. has nearly six times the gun homicide rate of Canada, more than seven times that of Sweden, and nearly 16 times that of Germany, according to United Nations data. Mass shootings constituted less than 2 percent of gun deaths in 2013. However, the U.S. makes up less than 5 percent of the world's population, but holds 31 percent of global mass shooters. We can go on and on and on and on and on with statistics. We know what researchers have found. Researchers have found that when there is commonsense gun safety legislation, the number of deaths associated with guns decreases. We know that there was a 2016 review of 130 studies in 10 countries, published by Epidemiologic Reviews, which found that new legal restrictions on owning and purchasing guns tended to be followed by a drop in gun violence, a strong indicator that restricting access to firearms can save lives. Since 2012, there have been 46 moments of silence on the floor of the House of Representatives addressing the tragic deaths in mass shootings. And what have we done? We get up for 46 moments of silence and we do nothing. I have but a few comments left, and I would like to direct those comments to the chair behind the microphone because the person that holds that chair holds all of the power in determining what our agenda will be in this House. The person who sits in that chair makes a determination whether or not we value those innocent lives we are losing every single solitary day because people who shouldn't have guns have access to guns, or whether or not we should just have one more moment of silence. And it is the person who sits in that chair that is the biggest problem between doing what makes sense, what people expect from us, what we need to be doing, and doing nothing. I am the grandmother of a 5-year-old child. She will be going to public school for the first time in her life. When her father went to school, they had fire drills. When she goes to school, she will be having active shooter drills. Do you have any idea what that means to a next generation; what that will do to their mind, their personal sense of security? They won't even want to go to school because they will be afraid that they will not be protected. The person sitting in that chair right now can give us an opportunity to respond to the majority of the people in this country and bring before this House commonsense gun safety legislation. There are hundreds of bills in the hopper, languishing to be brought up. We don't have the courage. No, not we. I have the courage. My colleagues, in my caucus, have the courage. The person who sits in that chair represents the majority of the Members in Congress, and they have demonstrated that they lack the courage, the will, or the desire. But do you know what? The next child who experiences death at the hands of someone who shouldn't have a gun could very easily be one of their children. We better get sensible about what we are doing. Screw the NRA. They are screwing us.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. I want to thank my colleague from Maryland for yielding to me so I might speak on an issue that is very important to all of us. I want to speak on behalf of the 43 million people who are SNAP recipients, many of whom are working each and every day. I want to talk about the fact that those are individuals whom we consider working poor. Mr. Raskin mentioned that SNAP was a reflection of something. SNAP is a reflection of the fact that we have so many jobs that don't pay adequate wages. SNAP is a reflection of the raw deal that our citizens are getting under an administration that would choose to give trillions of dollars worth of money to those people who are already rich, asking nothing in return for that horrible tax scam, and, at the same time, asking those at the lowest income spectrum in the entire United States of America to work so that they can be supplemented with meals that are $1.40 a meal. That is hypocrisy. That is disgusting. We should not even be having a discussion about whether or not we should be eliminating, reducing, or changing a SNAP benefit. We should make sure that there is adequacy for every child and every family to not go hungry in this country; and, at the same time, we should be looking at giving our citizens who have had a really raw deal over these last couple of years a better deal, a better deal with better wages that we would like to proffer so that individuals wouldn't have to work and get supplemental food assistance as well. Better jobs. Better skills. Better opportunities. I am going to close very shortly on this. I was at a hearing today on the issue of SNAP and what we were planning to do with SNAP and what were the recommendations for the SNAP program. And I heard from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle some very disgusting insinuations or accusations about people who were on SNAP who were perhaps sitting on their porch drinking a cup of coffee or whatever. And the assumption was that that person was sitting on his duff as opposed to out there working, and he was a recipient of SNAP. You know nothing about that person's situation. But that person probably was a member of the minority class. And we talk about getting a job. Well, I said to those people who came and testified today at our hearing: You have come here with some Pollyanna idea that this country is a country of equality. Well, it may have been working towards equality, but we are experiencing a period right now where we have the greatest sense of inequality we have had in decades, in hundreds of years. We are underemployed. We are unemployed. The people who are working every day for wages to bring home are the ones who are paying for every tax break that is given to the 1 percent in this country. You can give millions and millions of dollars in the State of New Jersey even to the wealthiest 1 percent and ask nothing in return. If you are an individual, you are asked nothing in return. If you are a corporation, you are not even asked to create a job, a training opportunity, or to increase wages. Do not talk to me about those people who are on SNAP and what they should be doing. Talk to me about what America should be doing for all of its people, because we are all members of the human race. Some of us just weren't born rich. Some of us just don't have the opportunity to go around with a silver spoon in our mouth. This Congress should be ashamed of itself for not taking care of the needs of those who simply need government to recognize that it represents everybody, not just the very wealthy. I thank Mr. Raskin for the opportunity.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Raskin for raising that issue. I think that that is one of the most prominent issues that people of this country need to understand. Government has a significant role. That role is to protect the opportunities, rights, and privileges of all people, to create the level playing field. What we have experienced in this administration, in this Republican-controlled Congress, is that we care not. We prioritize the value of human beings based upon how much money they are worth or how much money they can get. So we are taking resources that should not be taken out of our treasury; we are then giving them in heaps and piles to the very, very wealthy; and then we are talking about deficits that are being created and how we need to make up those deficits. And how do we look to do that? Well, we look to do things like reduce the benefits of Medicaid, mess with Social Security, take away SNAP from people who need supplemental nutritional assistance. We talk about this America not being one America anymore. This is an America of the haves and the have-nots. Never have we seen this tremendous diversity or disparity between the very, very, very wealthy and those who are struggling. And those who are struggling get this. My colleagues think of poor people as lazy people who are not doing what they can do. We are poor people in this country--hungry, homeless people--because of our policies, because of our budget, which is the greatest reflection of our priorities and our values. Our values are askew right now, and we need to make sure that we are looking after that responsibility for which we were elected.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I think that it isn't so much a theory of survival as it is the possibility of not surviving at all. I think that we are finding ourselves in a situation right now where those who have less have the rawest deal they have had in a very long time. And I am proud to associate myself with my Democratic colleagues in this caucus who want a better deal for those people. We want wages that you can live off of, that you don't have to rely upon assistance from anyone in order to be able to put food on your table, put a roof over your head or heat in your home. We want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to learn and to have a good job. So we want to see investment in jobs, in training, in apprenticeships, in opportunities to do better. We could do better with an infrastructure program that not only makes sense because we have a crumbling infrastructure on so many levels, but it also generates jobs. Generates jobs, which generates good incomes. Good incomes generate a desire to purchase. Desire to purchase helps to build our small businesses. We are looking in the wrong places, and we need to look at where we can grow our economy. Our economy doesn't grow when we just simply continue to enrich the rich to be richer and richer and richest and to put that money overseas somewhere or anyplace that they want to put it but not to invest it in this country, in this economy. We need a better chance for everyone. We need a better deal for all of our citizens.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hard work of the students and coaches from two schools in New Jersey's 12th District, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North and Princeton Charter School, as they advance to compete in the 2018 National Science Bowl. Sponsored by the Department of Energy, the National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students' knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. Since its inception in 1991, it has hosted more than 275,000 competitors. These talented young minds from my district will join those ranks, competing for a chance to win funding for their respective schools' science departments. I wish the coaches and the teams the best of luck as they show off their knowledge, their talent, and their preparation against the country's future science stars.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in December, Republicans rushed, and I do mean rushed, sped to pass with little thought, debate, or consideration for the long-term impact, a tax overhaul that has since been exposed over and over again for its structural and fiscal flaws. Contrary to the false bill of goods that they are still marketing to the American people, this scam would shower wealthy households and big corporations with the dollars shaved off of the incomes of working Americans nationwide. It further widens the already gaping divide between the ultra rich and the middle class. In New Jersey, my constituents will be among those hardest hit as it guts the Federal deduction for State and local taxes, the exact opposite of the cuts and breaks Republicans have given so much lip service to. Now, months after patting themselves on the back, Republicans are backtracking. It seems that, on second thought, lining the pockets of millionaires and corporations to the tune of $1.5 trillion isn't a sound fiscal decision, and to fix it, they decided to revive the so- called balanced budget amendment. To be very clear, this isn't about fiscal responsibility. This is just another scam, hoodwinking working Americans as they cut, slash, and burn away the programs and services that keep families going, that help keep food on the table during rough spells, and that maintain basic living standards and help people find jobs. To save the cuts they made for millionaires, they will use this amendment to slash healthcare access and the retirement security of our seniors through cuts to Social Security and Medicare. To save the cuts they made for millionaires, they will use this amendment to cut employment insurance, early childhood education, and nutrition programs. To save the cuts they made for millionaires, they will use this amendment to wreak havoc for working families. Instead of more cuts, we should be focused on investments that will produce jobs and economic growth, building new roads and bridges, ensuring workers make decent wages, and giving our young people the best chance at a good education and a bright future. I urge my colleagues to vote against this so-called balanced budget amendment and the harm it represents.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5079, the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act. H.R. 5079 would require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a fusion center engagement strategy. One of the tragic lessons of the September 11 attacks was what can happen when information is not shared at all levels of law enforcement. Since 2006, the committee has supported the Department's efforts to deploy intelligence analysts to many of the 79 fusion centers across the country. These fusion centers are charged with connecting the dots at the State or local level to prevent terrorist or extremist violence. H.R. 5079 continues in this vein by directing DHS to focus on strengthening its relationship with the fusion centers. At a time when violent attacks in Florida, New York, Las Vegas, and Charlottesville are tragically all too much a part of our new normal, we need this improved relationship between the Department and fusion centers more than ever. In addition to requiring an engagement strategy, the bill requires DHS to have metrics in place to hold the personnel it deploys to fusion centers accountable for their performance. Finally, this legislation seeks to encourage use of the Department's intelligence and document-sharing systems to promote greater engagement among the Department and fusion centers across the country. Specifically, H.R. 5079 would create policies for information sharing via Department networks that are developed and updated in consultation with the Department's experts on privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure. In closing, with the emergence of lone wolves and small terrorist cells, the decentralized terrorist threat in the United States poses serious threats to local communities across our country from big cities to small towns. Whether the target is a church in South Carolina, a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, a mosque in Illinois, a synagogue in New York, a concert venue in Las Vegas, or a school in Florida, State and local law enforcement need a clear line of communication with Federal agencies. As such, DHS must ensure that fusion centers throughout the country have access to the resources--including personnel, training, and access to information--necessary to keep the U.S. homeland safe and secure. H.R. 5079 directs DHS to do just that by requiring the Department to have a strategy to enhance engagement with fusion centers and provide fusion center personnel. Additionally, H.R. 5079 would ensure that DHS' information-sharing policies include strong privacy and civil liberty safeguards. I, therefore, encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 5079. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5131, the Surface Transportation Security Improvement Act of 2018. Mr. Speaker, the Nation's surface transportation systems are central to Americans' daily life. Subways, buses, trains, and pipelines move millions of people and goods every day. Given their criticality, it is no surprise that terrorists have targeted these systems for attack. In recent years, attacks overseas have proven lethal, even more so, on average, than attacks against aviation. In December 2017, the threat against these systems hit home when a would-be attacker detonated a bomb within New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal subway station. My bill, H.R. 5131, would require the Department of Homeland Security to take meaningful steps to address this emerging threat. First, it would require TSA to take a more comprehensive approach to transportation threats when it comes to assessing risk and setting strategies and priorities. Second, it would require TSA to take a hard look at integrating new technologies and security measures into mass transit and other surface transportation systems. Importantly, H.R. 5131 also would require DHS to assess cyber threats posed by foreign technologies and to disseminate best practices for securing transportation systems against vehicle-based attacks, such as the truck attack we witnessed in New York City last October. Finally, it would require TSA to develop a risk-based strategy for its surface inspectors and answer to Congress for its failure to issue long overdue regulations that are required by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. Consideration of H.R. 5131 today is timely, given the cuts to surface transportation security programs proposed by the President in both the fiscal year 2018 and 2019 budgets. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure to improve surface transportation security. In closing, as we have seen around the world, the threats to surface transportation systems are real and evolving. A major attack on any one system could be devastating and result in significant loss of life. My bill will push TSA to increase and enhance its efforts to secure these critical systems. Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this. I appreciate the support from my colleague and the support from Mr. Katko. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4467, the Strengthening Aviation Security Act of 2018. Mr. Speaker, it has been over 16 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Since that time, our transportation security systems have evolved in a number of ways, from the creation of the TSA to the hardening of cockpit doors. An important change to security has been the evolution of the Federal Air Marshal Service. Federal air marshals are armed law enforcement officers who are deployed on domestic and international passenger flights to protect passengers and crew against terrorist attacks. On 9/11, the FAA employed a small number of Federal air marshals to serve as in-flight security on a small percentage of flights. After 9/ 11, the Federal Air Marshal Service expanded rapidly; and, in 2005, it was transferred to the TSA, where it operates today. Today, air marshals contribute to aviation security by deploying on many domestic and international flights. They also help secure surface transportation systems and public airport areas as major participants in the TSA's Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response--or VIPR-- teams. To ensure the continued effectiveness of the air marshals, H.R. 4467 requires the TSA to ensure that officers are deployed in a risk-based manner that is focused on maximizing effectiveness. As amended, the bill also ensures risk-based seating of air marshals on passenger aircraft to enable officers to respond effectively to security threats. This is a sensible bill to improve aviation security, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the threats to aviation continue to require constant vigilance and effective security solutions. The Federal Air Marshal Service does not have unlimited budgetary resources to deploy marshals on every passenger flight. As such, resources must be allocated based on risk. H.R. 4467 will help ensure that the TSA does just that, and I encourage my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, there are so many important issues and such little time, but today I want to stand in solidarity with my colleagues, with parents, with students, and with Americans across the country who are calling for action to address the crisis of gun control. Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to connect with nearly 150 students and their parents in my district at a townhall meeting. I listened to their personal worries and worst fears. I heard their thoughts and the solutions they want decisionmakers here in Washington to consider. I felt the emotional strain of wondering if their own classrooms were safe. Above all else, I heard the question: Why? Why can't we limit access to military-style weapons specifically built to maximize damage? Why can't we improve the background check process? Why won't Congress act? Why? Why? The President recently set forth a series of empty proposals that continue our practice of shrinking away from these questions. Arming teachers, school personnel, and volunteers is dangerous, ill-conceived, and does nothing to solve the problems we have with gun violence. To keep our children safe, we need fewer guns, not more. And in backing away from his initial pledge to limit access, the President again prioritized the interests of the National Rifle Association over the pleas of countless students, teachers, and parents. In fact, he is the one who has demonstrated that he is afraid of the NRA. The wish for safe spaces to learn was clear in the comments I heard from my constituents on Saturday: young people who want to walk through the hallways of their schools feeling nurtured instead of afraid. Stashing pistols in their teachers' desks will not bring them that feeling. If the administration or the leaders controlling what we debate here on the floor of Congress were actually interested in protecting our schools, we would be debating legislation to strengthen background checks, we would be working on increasing the firearms purchasing act to the age of 21, we would be banning assault rifles, we would be limiting and tracking excessive ammunition purchases, and much, much more. There are bills in our hopper to do all of these things. They are ready, and they are waiting for debate, including my own bill. All we need is for the Speaker of this House to show the will, determination, and courage to put young lives ahead of the gun lobby. While much of my townhall meeting was centered on anxiety and fear, I left the event filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and hope, pride in a generation of future leaders who have endured an endless and unbearable stream of school shootings and are stepping up to the plate to hold their leaders accountable. Some of these students were born at a time when that is all they have seen in their lifetime are these mass killings at schools. I hope that we can finally agree on a path of action and their voices will be heard. I will continue to lift these voices here with my colleagues and fight with them for action and change because that is what a better deal is for all Americans.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous service of Councilman Lance Liverman as he prepares to retire from Princeton's Town Council this year. Born at Princeton Hospital in 1962, Lance Liverman has been a lifelong resident of the town he loves. He was educated in Princeton public schools before attending college at Fairleigh Dickinson University and then transferring to Trenton State College, now known as the College of New Jersey so that he could be closer to home to help his ailing stepfather. After graduating college, Lance went into his stepfather's business before working for himself--first as a special courier and then in real estate. A native son of Princeton, Lance has given 30 years of public service to his community. For the last 15 years, Lance Liverman has served as a member of the Princeton Town Council where he has been hands on in addressing the issues facing residents. With his deep understanding of how Princeton works and with his charitable nature, Councilman Liverman has been a great asset on his council assignments. On the Affordable Housing Board, the Councilman uses his real estate knowledge to benefit the community, while he provides counseling for youth and their families dealing with alcohol and drug addiction on the Princeton Alcohol & Drug Alliance. All of Councilman Liverman's colleagues have called him, ``a truly unique Princeton citizen and a great human being.'' Another member of the council has called him ``Princeton's Hero,'' as he not only serves on the council, but also through his church, working with youth, and through his constant presence around town. This is why the local paper has described him as the ``Son of the Community.'' Though Councilman Liverman will be stepping down from his seat at the end of this year, this does not end his service to his community. He has pledged that he will continue to serve the community and help make Princeton a model for social justice. He will also use his time away from the council to spend more of it with his wife LaTonya and his three daughters, Kelsey, Ashlyn, and Savannah. I urge my colleagues to join me in acknowledging the tremendous work of Councilman Lance Liverman and to wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, due to an excused absence on February 14, 2018, I was unable to vote on Roll Call Vote Nos. 72 through 78. Had I been present I would have voted in the following matter: On Roll Call Vote No. 72 on ordering the Previous Question for H. Res. 736 I intended to vote NAY. On Roll Call Vote No. 73 on Agreeing to the Resolution for H. Res. 736 I intended to vote NAY. On Roll Call Vote No. 74 on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to H.R. 3542, Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act, as amended, I intended to vote YEA. On Roll Call Vote No. 75 on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to H. Res. 129, Calling on the Department of Defense, other elements of the Federal Government, and foreign governments to intensify efforts to investigate, recover, and identify all missing and unaccounted-for personnel of the United States, I intended to vote YEA. On Roll Call Vote No. 76 on Motion to Recommit with Instructions H.R. 3978, TRID Improvement Act, I intended to vote YEA. On Roll Call Vote No. 77 on Passage of H.R. 3978, TRID Improvement Act, I intended to vote NAY. On Roll Call Vote No. 78 on Passage of H.R. 3299, Protecting Consumers Access to Credit Act of 2017, I intended to vote NAY.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call Vote No. 66 on H.R. 4771, the Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act of 2018, I mistakenly recorded my vote as YEA when I intended to vote NAY.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, the Speaker of the House is supposed to be the Speaker of this entire House. And the entire will of this House on the Democratic side and Republican side is to pass a DACA bill but we are running out of time. Instead of following the bipartisan consensus of the majority in this House, this Speaker is yielding to the will of the majority party's anti-immigration fringe unilaterally, and that fringe is led by this President. If we continue to bend to this fringe, this body, this shiny beacon on a hill, this hopefulness in this country will go dark. The Senate was able to pass the bipartisan agreement due to the hard promise of Leader McConnell and the good work of our Democratic leadership as well to allow--simply allow--the body to vote on a DACA bill. We, however, have no such commitment on this side. 22,000 dreamers in the State of New Jersey: they are doctors, they are lawyers, they are connected to their churches, they are parents, they are teachers, they are business owners. I spent time in a church where a Christian, tithe-paying immigrant was taken from his family and put in detention. He was not a threat to anyone. My constituents did not send me here to deport young people who are American and know no other country. I ask you, I beg you, I implore you: Do your job. Save these DREAMers, and until we do, I urge a ``no'' on this vote.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mr. A. Robert Tindall on his 91st birthday that was celebrated on January 5, 2018. A. Robert Tindall, or known by his friends as Bob, was born in Trenton on January 5, 1927. Bob is one of a few remaining American veterans who has served our country during World War II. Bob served as a Radioman in the United States Navy, where he was stationed on a minesweeper. During the war, Bob served his country by helping to detect underwater mines that could have done great harm to our fleets. Because of his invaluable service, Bob's work helped countless ships from being destroyed and in time saved thousands of lives. After leaving the Navy, Bob attended Rider College in New Jersey and then Drexel University in Philadelphia where he studied mechanical engineering. While attending college, Bob's father owned a real estate business and asked Bob to assist. His work with his dad in real estate eventually led him to start his own career in real estate and insurance. Today, Bob resides in Ewing. He has three children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in congratulating Bob on his birthday, and to thank him for his service to this country. Let us never forget the sacrifice he and others like him made to protect the United States of America.

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3731, the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017. The United States Secret Service is operating under tremendous demands with very limited resources. The agency is tasked with protecting a large presidential family that travels frequently around the world. This year, members of the Trump family have traveled to Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, among other destinations. The Secret Service provides protection on all of these trips, in addition to protecting the president himself, and each of these trips requires the Secret Service to incur significant costs, including travel, lodging, and costs associated with coordinating with local security entities, embassies, and other overseas partners. The Trump family does not reimburse the Federal government for costs associated with protecting family members on these trips, even when they are made in pursuit of the Trump Organization's business interests and to promote the Trump brand. The scope of the Secret Service's protective mission, along with other agency activities such as investigating and preventing counterfeiting, has created a hole in the agency's budget. At a June 8, 2017, hearing before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, Secret Service Director Randolph ``Tex'' Alles testified that the agency's budget is ``$200 million to $300 million a year short of what would be required'' to fulfill its protective and investigative missions more effectively. This bill will not solve the Secret Service's budget gap, but it will prevent Secret Service agents from having to bear the brunt of challenges they did not create. Many Secret Service agents have hit their overtime pay limits and are unable to receive further compensation despite having to work additional hours given the agency's expanded mission. Such a system is unfair to the agents, who work difficult jobs with long shifts and uncompromising schedules even when they are being fairly compensated. H.R. 3731 would allow the Secret Service to pay agents for hours they have worked, which is the least we can do. I urge the Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible.