SIREN Reauthorization Act

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, today I am reintroducing the Caring for All Families Act. It will expand protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act and ensure that a broader range of caregiving relationships are covered.

In 2020, the Department of Labor found that one in six people taking leave to act as caregiver was not protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act's definition of ``family.'' It really begs the question: How many of these people decided to drop out of the workforce altogether? How many of them were fired because they missed a shift because their child woke up with a fever or because an elderly relative was rushed to the ER? No one should ever have to choose between caring for a loved one or losing their job.

The Caring for All Families Act will help protect these workers by adding domestic partners, in-laws, grandparents, and other significant relationships to the FMLA's definition of ``family.''

Importantly, this legislation will just be a starting point. While it would expand job protections to millions of workers, it would not resolve one crucial flaw in our safety net. America is the only industrialized Nation in the world that does not have guaranteed paid family leave. I am going to repeat that. America is the only industrialized Nation in the world that does not guarantee paid family leave. That is shameful.

For the millions of working Americans who have or will be caregivers at some point in their lives, what are they supposed to do? Take on debt? Work even more hours? No. We cannot settle

for a system that abandons working families when they need it the most. The American people deserve a safety net that prevents them from drowning, a safety net that provides the peace of mind they need to reenter the workforce, and offers them the assurance that their government has their back.

So let's start. Let's pass the Caring for All Families Act and then get to work to ensure access to paid leave for all American workers.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record:

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the bipartisan American Music Fairness Act, which I have reintroduced with Senator Blackburn today.

Artists pour their heart and soul into the music we enjoy. Unfortunately, our current copyright laws do not adequately reflect the value of what they have produced.

Currently, the United States is the only democratic country in the world in which artists are not compensated for the use of their music on AM/FM radio.

By requiring broadcast radio corporations to pay performance royalties to creators for AM/FM radio plays, the American Music Fairness Act would close an antiquated loophole in our copyright law which has prevented artists from receiving compensation for the use of their music for far too long.

This royalty stream would be particularly meaningful for the thousands of working-class artists who are a critical part of our country's vibrant music industry.

Additionally, when American-made music is played overseas, other countries collect royalties for American artists and producers but never pay those royalties to our artists because we do not reciprocate. This inequity costs the American economy and artists more than $200 million each year. This is a serious injustice considering that America is the origin of so much of the music listened to around the world.

So it is time, once and for all, to create a regime that is platform neutral and which respects the hard work and dignity of our artists.

But I also want to be clear about something. I am a huge fan of and true believer in the importance of local radio to the music industry and to communities all across the United States that rely on radio to receive timely and relevant news, entertainment, and emergency response information. The American Music Fairness Act recognizes and acknowledges the important role that locally owned radio stations play by including protections for small, college, and noncommercial stations.

I want to thank Senator Blackburn for introducing this bill with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in supporting the thousands of artists across this country who create the music that contributes to the soundtrack of our lives.

Madam President, today I rise to introduce the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act.

The premise of this bill is simple: Individuals who pose a serious threat to themselves or others should not have guns.

Too often we see the deadly consequences when those at risk of committing violence are given easy access to guns. Nearly 40,000 people die each year from gun violence. Last year, 3,597 children died by gunfire--making guns the No. 1 cause of death for children in the United States.

Before many incidents of gun violence, shooters display warning signs of impending violence. However, family and friends--those in the best position to recognize troubling signs--are too often powerless to stop the violence.

That is why Congress must pass the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act.

Extreme risk protection orders, which are often referred to as red flag laws, allow law enforcement and family members to petition courts to temporarily remove guns from individuals who are determined to be dangerous. These laws help save lives.

Nineteen States, including California, already have these laws on the books. Red flag laws work, but they need more funding.

The Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, which I am reintroducing today, would allow States to use Federal funds to develop red flag laws.

Passing the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act would help States respond to situations where a dangerous person should not have access to a gun. It will also help us better understand the causes of gun violence and how to better protect our communities.

When Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, it expanded the Justice Department's existing Byrne-JAG Program to allow States to apply for Federal grant assistance if they want to create these laws.

While this was an important first step, I believe we must pass the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act to build on the important work done last Congress and make sure that specific dedicated funding exists for the development and implementation of red-flag laws.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of S. 265, the Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Reauthorization Act, or the SIREN Reauthorization Act.

First created in 2018, the SIREN Act created a grant program for public and nonprofit emergency medical services, agencies, and fire departments in rural areas to support the recruitment, retention, education, and equipping of EMS personnel.

Administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA, this grant program has become a key partner to rural communities to ensure their EMS systems have funding for the most basic of operations. These grants go beyond brick-and-mortar assistance by helping rural EMS agencies better train and recruit staff, acquire new equipment, and develop new ways to educate EMS personnel.

These grants have provided critical funding to assist acquiring medication, medical supplies, increasing basic and advanced life support, and even replacing older response vehicles with newer or safer models.

In communities where the nearest hospital or trauma center is several towns away, the small-town or frontier EMS workers are often the lifeline for patients in critical and vulnerable States. It is imperative that they have the Federal support they need to carry out this very important mission without interruption.

I thank Representatives Dingell and Joyce for their leadership in the House and their companion legislation, H.R. 4646, which passed the House in May. I also thank Chair Rodgers and subcommittee Chair Guthrie for their collaboration to ensure this program continues to receive the bipartisan support that it so well deserves.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that we support this bill to help rural EMS services. It is so important in rural areas, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 265) to reauthorize the rural emergency medical service training and equipment assistance program, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 265, the SIREN Reauthorization Act.

EMS agencies play a critical role within our healthcare system, especially in rural areas where they may be the only provider for miles. More than half of rural EMS agencies are staffed solely by volunteers and oftentimes must raise their own funds just to continue operating.

The SIREN Reauthorization Act would continue vital resources for the Rural Emergency Medical Services Training program, which helps support local EMS agencies with recruitment and training efforts as well as purchasing equipment, including overdose reversal medication.

First responders are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic and must be able to properly acquire and administer overdose reversal medications to help save lives and prevent overdose deaths.

Reauthorizing this program is crucial to help bolster the rural health workforce.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.