Floor Statements

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, every Minnesotan deserves access to high- quality healthcare no matter where they live. However, too many of my neighbors face difficulty traveling long distances to the nearest hospital or even finding a nearby pharmacy. On top of that, prescription drug prices are skyrocketing and putting lifesaving medications out of reach for too many families.

These critical issues--access to healthcare and the price of prescription drugs--are the top issues I hear about in my district. Therefore, my amendment would take a step toward addressing these issues by giving the Health Resources and Services Administration's, or HRSA, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy an additional $1 million to prioritize its coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish its rural health liaison.

This amendment builds on report language in the underlying bill that encourages HRSA to coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure communities have access to the full suite of Federal resources and that those resources are used effectively for health outcomes.

Madam Chair, for a bit of additional background, Representative Cheri Bustos and Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, their bipartisan Rural Health Liaison Act of 2018 was ultimately included in the 2018 farm bill and established this rural health liaison position.

The liaison position at USDA will be responsible for working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to better coordinate rural health resources across Federal agencies. This new program is critical to rural areas, which have historically lacked access to adequate healthcare, and this disparity is getting worse.

It is vital that we move forward to close these gaps and address the rural shortage of hospitals, medical professionals, mental health services, and other healthcare resources to ensure that every family can access the healthcare that they need.

Madam Chairwoman, as a Member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have made it a priority to partner with rural communities to improve access to healthcare, broadband, housing, and quality of life for those who live there. This amendment is part of that commitment.

Our fight for more affordable, accessible healthcare must include rural America if we are going to truly address this critical issue. When our rural communities are healthy, all of our communities are healthy.

Madam Chairwoman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

Madam Chairwoman, I urge my colleagues as well to support this commonsense amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

May I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Madam Chairwoman, I would like to point out that I, too, am concerned about $22 trillion in deficits. But I can tell you, the rural people in my district, they are very concerned about the $1 trillion tax bill that was a giveaway to the top 5 percent and large corporations in this country.

I grew up in a mobile home park, and that was the last time we tried trickle-down economics in this country, and nothing trickled down to my family. So I will tell the gentleman this: If he wants to find $21 million since we have been here tonight, let's take a look at the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and have real middle-class tax reform.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chairwoman, as a mother of four sons, the wife of an educator, and the daughter of a teacher, I know that we should never underestimate the power of a high-quality education, and we need the Federal Government to be a strong partner in this effort.

That starts by fully funding special education. Unfortunately, for far too long, the Federal Government has not lived up to its commitment to fully fund special ed. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, the Federal Government is required to fund special education up to 40 percent per pupil. Special education programs in Minnesota currently receive as little as 8 percent.

My amendment, which I am incredibly proud to introduce today with my Minnesota colleague, Representative Pete Stauber, stresses the importance of IDEA grants to States to address funding gaps in special education programs.

These grants are given to each State to ensure that adequate resources are being devoted to special education programs.

As the mother of a son with learning challenges, I am proud to fight for our children and our communities. I want to thank the Appropriations Committee for working on this issue, and I applaud their work in increasing funding for IDEA.

This bill provides over $14 billion for special education, an increase of $1 billion over the 2019 enacted level. This is a great start toward that 40 percent. Special education should be a critical piece of any conversation surrounding education because for too long, we haven't given it the attention or the resources it deserves.

I am listening to my district. My district wants the Federal Government to send its tax dollars back to Eagan, and Apple Valley, and South Saint Paul, and West Saint Paul, and all of the places where we can do what we need to do for our kids.

This isn't just about special education children. It has a ripple effect. When we fail to fund special ed programs, that money is taken from other

budgets in our schools to make up the difference, and all students end up at a disadvantage.

Every student deserves access to a quality education no matter how they learn. Our public schools give kids the skills they need to become future leaders in our communities and earn a good life for their families. Special education can make all of the difference in a student's life and in a family's life, and we must take action to ensure we are properly supporting these students.

Madam Chairwoman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

Madam Chairwoman, I urge my colleague to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, education is at the core of our communities, but for too long, students have been told that traditional, 4-year degrees are their only option for finding good-paying jobs.

In reality, we have a major skills gap in Minnesota. We are unable to find skilled workers for the jobs that exist.

I have one son in high school, two in traditional 4-year colleges, and my last son, Josh, just graduated from a career training program. He is my son with multiple job offers.

Career and technical education needs to be a critical investment in order to connect workers with the right training to help keep our economy strong.

My amendment stresses the importance of Perkins funding in adult education to ensure that we are devoting adequate resources to job training programs. Expanding access to grants for career and technical education, including apprenticeships, is critical.

Minnesota's economy depends on bright, talented young people, and we need to make sure that they have the skills they need to succeed. That starts with taking a new approach to postsecondary education and training and expanding career and technical education opportunities.

Everyone should be able to get the skills and training that they need to find a good-paying job. To make this a reality, we need to take a fresh look at our job market, our education system, and the way we prepare students for the workforce. That starts by investing in these programs and helping our young people see 2-year degrees as part of their career path.

We have to change the way we think about postsecondary education in this country. We have to look at the economy in education, and a critical piece is investing in career skills and technical education.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of family farmers throughout the Midwest and in my home State of Minnesota. We are facing a year of unseasonably wet conditions, leaving many producers weighing their options for the future of their farms.

I am proud to join my colleague, Representative Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, in introducing the FEEDD Act, a bipartisan bill to give farmers flexibility to graze and harvest cover crops on prevent plant acres.

Congress has a responsibility to do right by our Nation's farmers who feed, clothe, and fuel our communities by providing them the flexibility they need to do their jobs successfully. This bill will help alleviate concerns of a forage shortage and improve soil health through the use of cover crops.

This is a bipartisan, commonsense solution, and we need a whole lot more of that in this House. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together and support this bill and stand up for our farmers throughout the country.

Mr. Chairman, I join my colleagues today in strong support of the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act.

Healthcare is the number one issue I hear about from the families that I represent, and we must do the right thing for the American people and finally focus on lowering the cost of healthcare.

As a child, in my own family, we struggled at times to afford health insurance. I know directly that, if healthcare isn't affordable, it isn't accessible. That is why I have cosponsored bills in this package to lower prescription drug costs and stabilize the Affordable Care Act.

It is unacceptable that 29 percent of Americans ration lifesaving medicine because they cannot keep up with the cost. We need to stop brand-name drug companies from keeping affordable generic alternatives from the market and support efforts to develop lower cost options for families. These efforts have bipartisan support, and I am proud to support them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding work of the Farmington High School Rogue Robotics Team, a local robotics team that built a functioning power wheelchair for 2-year-old Cillian Jackson.

Cillian was born with a genetic disorder that makes it very difficult for him to get around. Buying a wheelchair would have been cost- prohibitive for his family, so his parents turned to the students of Farmington High School for their expertise and ingenuity.

The students of Farmington rose to the occasion and reimagined a Power Wheels into a power wheelchair by outfitting it with a new seat and a joystick that allow Cillian to move around on his own.

I congratulate the Farmington robotics team for their ingenuity and hard work in making this possible. They are an example of what is possible when communities come together and share their talents and ideas to help our neighbors.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 16) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 16.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 16. H. Con. Res. 16 authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds this May for the annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition.

The use of the Capitol Grounds is a worthy recognition of the honorable sacrifice of our Nation's brave first responders and their families.

This year, the National Peace Officers Memorial will honor 228 women and men, including 158 officers who were killed in the line of duty last year and 59 officers who responded to the attacks of September 11 and recently succumbed to illnesses resulting from their service on that tragic day. There are an additional 11 officers, as defined by the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act, being memorialized who passed away between 2014 and 2018.

Unfortunately, this year's honorees also include two officers from Minnesota: Corrections Officers Joseph Gomm and Joseph Parise.

Officers Gomm and Parise's deaths are a clear reminder of the sacrifices that law enforcement officers make every day, putting their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

My sincere condolences to the families of these fallen officers who have had to endure the tragedy of their loved ones' deaths.

I have a deep appreciation for all of these fallen officers being honored and the ultimate sacrifice that they have made on behalf of their local communities.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this tribute to law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 19) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 19.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 19 authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 2019 Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.

This year's derby marks the 78th running of this event in the District.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Steny Hoyer, who has been such a champion for this event for his constituents.

The Soap Box Derby allows children to develop leadership skills and highlight their creativity, dedication, and commitment to their communities.

Not only are these youngsters competing for a trophy and the glory of being the fastest car down the course, but the winners of each division qualify to compete in the National Soap Box Derby at the Derby Downs track in Akron, Ohio.

As with all events using the Capitol Grounds, this event is open to the public and free of charge. Its organizers will coordinate with the Capitol Police and the Architect of the Capitol.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support passage of this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1331) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize certain programs relating to nonpoint source management, 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 H.R. 1331.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1331.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1331 is a bipartisan bill to reauthorize appropriations for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's nonpoint source management grants program.

I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast), for introducing this bill with me. I also thank the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) for her support in moving this legislation through committee.

The Clean Water Act was enacted in 1972 to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. In 1987, the Clean Water Act was amended to add section 319 to create a nonregulatory program through which EPA administers annual grants to help States develop and implement their own programs for managing nonpoint sources of water pollution.

Under EPA's 319 program, States retain the primary role for addressing nonpoint source water pollution caused by snowmelt and rainfall runoff, which they do largely through monetary means and financial incentives. However, according to the Government Accountability Office, the extent of available incentives has declined in recent years, as grants to States under the section 319 program have declined by more than 30 percent from a high of about $240 million annually in fiscal year 2004.

The section 319 program was initially authorized at $70 million annually in fiscal year 1988, and its authorization level steadily increased to $130 million in fiscal year 1991, the last year of authorization for this program.

This bill, H.R. 1331, would reauthorize $200 million annually for the 319 program's grant fund, which gives local and State governments the flexibility to make conservation practices improvements aimed at decreasing water pollutants through partnerships within their local communities.

In Minnesota, we take the quality of our 10,000 lakes very seriously, and we all want to preserve the quality of these important waterways for generations to come. We also know that local communities are the experts on the most effective and innovative ways to keep these waterways clean.

That is why this bill is so important. It gives local and State governments authority to create best voluntary conservation programs that work for their communities.

Here are just a few of the examples of section 319 grants in action from Minnesota's Second Congressional District.

The Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District saved native plants and the shoreline protecting McMahon Lake. The grant also significantly helped reduce pollution throughout the county by planting filter strips, building control grade structures, lining waterways with grass, and planting native grass.

Dakota County created and implemented projects to validate, demonstrate, and refine best management practices for nitrogen fertilizer for corn production that will lower nitrate levels in Dakota County's groundwater and surface water.

The Goodhue County Soil and Water Conservation District is currently working to reduce pollutants in the Mississippi River-Lake Pepin watershed by 20 percent.

In Wabasha County, the Whitewater Watershed Project worked with communities to increase awareness of water contamination and provided low-interest loans to improve residential infrastructure and help farmers come into compliance with pollution standards.

The South Washington Watershed District integrated a storm water reuse plan that captures roadway storm water in two existing ponds. This integrates into two golf course irrigation systems and provides new water amenities with the public golf courses. This is estimated to reduce potable water usage by more than 40 million gallons annually.

Finally, in Rice County, the Cannon River Watershed Partnership is working to engage local, regional, and State programs and organizations to develop a way for their local community to engage in pollution reduction in a meaningful and long-term way.

Again, I thank the gentleman from Florida for introducing this bipartisan bill with me. This legislation passed out of committee with bipartisan support. It is a good bill, and I am pleased to support it. I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support for H.R. 1331 from Trout Unlimited.

Trout Unlimited,

Arlington, VA, April 8, 2019.

Re Trout Unlimited supports HR 1331, The Local Water

Protection Act.

Hon. Angie Craig,

House of Representatives.

Hon. Brian Mast,

House of Representatives.

Dear Representatives Craig and Mast: On behalf of Trout

Unlimited (TU), I am writing to strongly support the above

referenced bill, to urge its swift passage through the House,

and to thank you for introducing it. Section 319 of the Clean

Water Act has provided our field staff with valuable funds

which they have leveraged many times over to accomplish a

number of valuable nonpoint source pollution projects across

the nation. But as you know there is much more work to be

done, and passage of this bill will be a big step in a

positive direction for the health of the Nation's watersheds.

Trout Unlimited has over 300,000 conservation-minded

members and supporters, organized into 380 chapters in 35

state councils. Our mission is to conserve, protect and

restore the Nation's trout and salmon fisheries and their

watersheds. We have 250 staff spread across America who work

with our members and a wide variety of partners--including

farmers, ranchers, miners and state and local agencies--to

accomplish our mission. Section 319 has become an

increasingly important tool for our work.

Working with our partners, we have used Section 319 funds

in a variety of ways to control nonpoint pollution. Of

special note is our recent use of funds to control abandoned

mine pollution in Pennsylvania and Colorado. Abandoned mine

pollution is especially insidious problems in coal country

and in the mining regions of the Rocky Mountain West, but we

have developed a number of techniques which are restoring

formerly dead streams to healthy streams.

TU and other conservation groups are pressing Congress to

provide more funding for natural infrastructure funding and

projects. Section 319, and your bill, are delivering on that

request.

Abandoned mine cleanup, sediment control, and nutrient

runoff control, are model examples of natural infrastructure

projects.

Thank you again for introducing this bill. We urge its

speedy passage.

Sincerely,

Steve Moyer,

Vice President,

Government Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 639) to amend section 327 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to clarify that National Urban Search and Rescue Response System task forces may include Federal employees.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 639.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 639 introduced by the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler).

H.R. 639 is a technical correction bill which will amend section 327 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to explicitly clarify that Federal employees are able to participate in the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System task forces coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA has developed the National USAR Response System over the last several decades to act as a force multiplier for disaster rescue missions. The system is comprised of 28 task force teams from across the country and includes highly skilled volunteers who are constantly training for a variety of hazard scenarios, both man-made and natural.

Task force teams have proven their effectiveness time and again across this Nation.

Following enactment of the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act at the end of the 114th Congress, certain Federal agencies that employ members of some of these task forces have, unfortunately, been misinterpreting language that granted liability protections for non-Federal task force members equal to Federal first responders only when their task force was called into Federal service, resulting in an impediment to those Federal employees serving on a task force.

This bill will simply clarify that nothing in section 327 of the Stafford Act shall be interpreted to mean that a task force cannot include Federal employees and that, in instances where a Federal employee is detailed to a National USAR Response System task force, the sponsoring agency shall enter into an agreement with the relevant employing Federal agency.

The critical emergency services provided by the National USAR Response System and these highly skilled operators are too important for us to delay this fix any longer. I strongly support this bill and urge my colleagues to join me.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this, and I reserve the balance of my time as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows), and I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, as mother of four, the wife of an educator, and the daughter of a teacher, I know that we should never underestimate the power of a high-quality education.

In the nearly 40 years since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed, the Federal Government has not fulfilled its funding promise to our special education students. Not once.

This failure leaves our schools with extreme budget cuts that impact every student and forces them to turn to our communities to bear the burden through local tax levies.

That is why I am so proud to work with Representative Jared Huffman and Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber on a bipartisan basis for IDEA full funding, to make sure that every student, including those with special needs, receives a high-quality education in their neighborhood.

Providing a high-quality education to all of our students is something that we can all agree on, and we must work together to get this done on behalf of our communities.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

Every student deserves to learn in an environment that is safe and free from harassment and violence. Yet, we all know that domestic violence and sexual assault remain prevalent threats to women, and especially young women, on college campuses across our country.

College-aged students are at greater risk than any other age groups for domestic and sexual violence. These instances of violence are vastly underreported. A study of college students by the U.S. Department of Justice found that around one in five women are targets of attempted or completed sexual assault.

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 increases funding for grants to combat violent crimes on campuses and allocates funding to train campus health centers to recognize and to respond to these crimes.

My amendment directs the Secretary of Education to study and submit a report to Congress on best practices regarding the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on college campuses. This includes an evaluation of programs, events, and educational materials related to preventing acts of violence and harassment.

Preventing violence against young people on college campuses starts with education. Sharing information for best practices and guidance for educators on college campuses opens the door for collaborative work among experts in intimate partner and sexual violence prevention.

My amendment does not change the enforcement and implementation responsibilities of the Department of Education. Congress needs a report on best practices for prevention of these acts of violence, not on the agency's recent efforts to change regulations and requirements under Title IX.

None of us can address sexual and domestic violence on our own. That is why this amendment provides a commonsense approach toward solving the problem by forcing the agency to continue to review best practices and prevention methods for combating acts of violence.

Colleges and universities, sexual violence prevention experts, and the Federal Government should share resources and information, learn from their peers, and take steps toward eradicating sexual and domestic violence altogether.

When it comes to the safety of our students, we cannot afford to work in silos. Every student deserves to feel safe in their community and we must be proactive and collaborative in our work to end sexual and domestic violence on our college campuses.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and support the underlying bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have an urgent problem that we must immediately find common ground on to solve. If healthcare isn't affordable, it is not accessible. That is why I led the introduction of the State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to lower the cost of health insurance premiums in the individual market by 10 percent, on average, across the country. But that is only part of the solution.

Fifty-one percent of nonelderly people in my congressional district have a preexisting condition. That is why it is critical that we pass the bill that I have cosponsored, the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions and Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019.

I will fight this administration every day if they roll back healthcare in this country. It is not perfect, but we have to put aside the petty politics of the past and quit thinking that if we fix our Nation's healthcare, somehow we are handing the other side a victory.

People across this country need our help. They need us to fix the cost of prescription drugs. They need us to unleash generic competition.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Jazz and Friends National Day of Readings.

And I continue: ``Mom said that being Jazz would make me different from the other kids at school, but that being different is okay. What's important, she said, is that I'm happy with who I am.

``Being Jazz caused some other people to be confused too, like the teachers at school.

``At the beginning of the year they wanted me to use the boys' bathroom, and play on the boys' team in gym class, but that didn't feel normal to me at all.

``I was so happy when the teachers changed their minds. . . . ''

``Even today, there are kids who tease me, or call me by a boy name, or ignore me altogether. This makes me feel crummy.

``Then I remember that the kids who get to know me usually want to be my friend. They say I am one of the nicest girls at school.

``I don't mind being different. Different is special. I think what matters most is what a person is like on the inside.

``And inside, I am happy. I am having fun. I am proud.

``I am Jazz.''

Mr. Speaker, I was proud to be joined by Katie Brenny at the State of the Union Address this week, a fifth-generation cattle farmer from Mazeppa, Minnesota.

In order to maintain their farm, Katie and her husband, Ted, work day jobs to afford healthcare and retirement savings, and farm by flashlight in the early morning and late at night.

Like Katie's family, too many hardworking and middle-class Americans face similar barriers to economic security. We should be working in Congress to find common ground and solutions on the issues that affect America's working families:

Affordable healthcare no matter where you live;

Reliable options for you to get to work;

Broadband at home;

Farm policy that prioritizes family farmers; and

The promise of retirement security.

I will work with anyone who has a good idea on these issues when it benefits the lives of Americans. I hope that we take seriously the spirit of collaboration to get results for the middle class.

Madam Speaker, like many of my colleagues, I came to Washington to work across the aisle and create economic opportunities for Minnesota families.

Since I have gotten here, I have regularly met with Democrats and Republicans to discuss the issues so many Americans talk about around the kitchen table: better schools for their children, a fair shot at economic security for their family, and healthcare they can afford.

We have also discussed over the last several weeks the shutdown. This must never happen again. Yesterday, I joined many of my colleagues, freshman colleagues, to introduce a bill to prevent another shutdown, the Shutdown to End All Shutdowns Act.

This would prevent Federal workers from being used as pawns in future political negotiations. Our bill creates strong incentives to prevent another shutdown from occurring by withholding pay from Members of Congress and the executive branch, while forcing lawmakers to remain in Washington until a deal is reached.

Additionally, the bill ensures that the government will continue running, even if we can't get to an appropriations bill.

Americans deserve better. We can do better for them. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Shutdown to End All Shutdowns Act and take a stand to never put politics over the American people again.

Madam Speaker, today, air traffic controllers in a regional facility in Farmington continue to work without pay, while support staff is furloughed. Adding insult to injury, in the last few hours, they received regularly scheduled earnings statements that read zero dollars and zero cents.

Earlier this week, I met with them in Burnsville and again in Washington. I heard their stories.

Joe, a new father with a baby born 10 weeks early still in the NICU, had his leave canceled because of the shutdown.

Jeremy, a father of three, may have to take out credit card debt just to pay the bills.

And Kelly, a trainee with student loan debt, doesn't know how she is going to make ends meet.

Each of them, on behalf of communities and passengers they may never know, remains committed.

It is time to end the shutdown and stop playing politics with people's lives.