Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Protecting America's First Responders Act. This is an important bill that includes a provision that I have worked on for the last three Congresses to extend the PSOB program to fire police officers.

A dozen States have officers designated by law as fire police, who provide critical support at the scenes of fires, explosions, and serious accidents. They secure the perimeter so that other first responders can do their work safely.

However, because there is no uniform national designation for fire police, the current PSOB program doesn't cover these officers, even if they are killed or seriously injured on the job, which sadly has occurred.

It is only right that they receive the same protection as other public safety officers. This bill eliminates this exclusion and ensures that fire police and their families get the same benefits others do who provide first responder work.

I want to acknowledge the Gales Ferry Fire Department and Ledyard, Connecticut, Fire Chief Anthony Saccone, who has tirelessly advocated for fire police over the last few years. Thanks to their advocacy and engagement and Mr. Pascrell's great support, we will finally send this fix to the President's desk for signature.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to spend a few minutes to talk about an October 15 visit to Connecticut by President Biden where he actually put the eyes of the country for a couple of hours on a critical issue that his Build Back Better agenda is focused on fixing, which is, namely, the crisis in child daycare all across the country.

On Friday, my colleagues and I, as well as President Biden, visited the Capitol Child Development Center, where the executive director, Barbara Jo Warner, laid out very clearly the dilemma that she and her colleagues who are in this very struggling sector are faced with today.

Before COVID, her center had 70 slots for children completely full, with a waiting list. Today, they have 20 children in the same daycare center.

Is it because there is no demand? No, that is not the case. There still is a waiting list of families who are trying to get their kids into daycare.

Her problem is that the staffing that she had prior to COVID has severely diminished, and her ability to attract people back into her program is limited by the fact that she is only able to offer $13 an hour as a starting wage for people in a very important job for our country as well as families of the children that they take care of.

So we are in a situation where they are in a place where McDonald's pays more, at $15 an hour, than a daycare center, at $13 an hour.

It is a problem which is, I think, one of the reasons why the jobs recovery has stalled, particularly for families and women heads-of- household who, again, don't have centers with slots available because of the staffing problem that Ms. Warner described to the President and to the world on Friday.

The Build Back Better legislation, he discussed it, finally, in a different kind of context, in terms of the horse race down here and who is up, who is down, which faction is negotiating what. He focused on the content of the Build Back Better legislation, which is addressed to provide a huge infusion of support for our daycare sector.

What that provision will do is cap the amount of out-of-pocket for families who are using child daycare at 7 percent of income. Today, low- and middle-income families spend between 14 and 35 percent of their income on daycare. If we get this through, we are immediately going to provide savings for families with their kids in daycare.

In Connecticut, looking at a family making $87,000 a year, that basically would result in weekly savings of $175 a week, which is definitely a huge boost in terms of working families and middle-class families, which this bill would provide.

Again, I want to emphasize, this is not a Connecticut problem. This is happening all across the country, and the median or the average salary for daycare centers across the country is actually $12 an hour, a little lower than what the President heard about on Friday.

If we are serious about a real job recovery and giving families the opportunity to really go back to work, why don't we listen to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest business organization in the country, which recognized during COVID that support for child daycare is essential, in terms of trying to get working-age families back into the workforce.

Again, the openings are there. I could walk through employers in the State of Connecticut. Electric Boat in my district has about 500 job openings right now. They want to get those Gen Z'ers and millennials trained up and ready to go. But if they don't have a place for their children to be cared for safely and adequately, then we are just basically in a cul-de-sac where this economy is going to be held back.

The Build Back Better agenda is not soft infrastructure. It is right at the heart of whether or not we are going to, as a country, fully recover and grow in the wake of this pandemic.

It is something that hopefully every Member, when the time comes for this package, when that daycare provision is included in there, will think about long and hard because this is not a Connecticut-only issue. This affects every State, red and blue; every district, red and blue; every employer, in red and blue areas of the country. If anyone can't support that, then they are not serious about really helping this country recover from the pandemic.

Again, I thank the President for coming out and really focusing like a laser on this issue. I thank Executive Director Barbara Jo Warner for her clear message to the country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and commend Captain Todd D. Moore for his time as the Commanding Officer of Naval Submarine Base New London. After two and a half years of diligent service as the 52nd Commanding Officer of SUBASE New London located in Groton, Connecticut, Captain Moore turned over his command to Captain Kenneth M. Curtin, Jr. on September 24, 2021 at a Change of Command ceremony on the base with family, friends, and colleagues in attendance. Although his time as the Commanding Officer at Naval Submarine Base New London has concluded, Captain Moore's legacy with the U.S. submarine Force will live on as an impressive example of leadership during an unprecedented global pandemic.

Native to Willoughby Hill, Ohio, Captain Moore was quick to expand his horizons and achieve an education that spanned multiple states. He graduated from New York's Hamilton College summa cum laude with degrees in Physics and Classical Studies. From there, he enriched his military career path with a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College. It is worth noting Captain Moore carried on the values of education throughout his career and the betterment of his naval service with his participation and completion of an advanced, joint warfare training at the Joint Forces Staff College's Joint and Combined War-fighting School in 2007.

Armed with a qualified educational background, Captain Moore was of course already on his way to a decorated and accomplished naval career prior to his time as Commanding Officer of SUBASE New London. He completed three deployments in the Indo-Pacific as a division officer aboard the USS Pasadena, as the Combat Systems Officer aboard the USS Asheville, and as the Executive Officer about the USS Georgia. He went on to serve as Commanding Officer of both the USS New Mexico and more recently the USS Montpelier immediately prior to his service as Commanding Officer of SUBASE New London. In his time in Command of the USS New Mexico, Captain Moore conducted the very first Virginia-class submarine surfacing at the North Pole and successfully completed a Northern Atlantic deployment.

Captain Moore served our nation in a wide range of capacities both on land and at sea. On the international front, Captain Moore played a role as the United Nations' Military Observer for the UN's peacekeeping mission in the Western Sahara, known as MINURSO. Notably, Captain Moore further directed his service toward our national security apparatus as branch chief in the Capability and Resource Integration directorate at U.S. Strategic Command. Here in eastern Connecticut, Moore also spent time as the lead tactics instructor at the Naval Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut. Captain Moore continued his example of service as a Deputy on the staffs of Submarine Squadron Twelve and Four and as a Prospective Commanding Officer and Intermediate Leadership Course instructor for the Naval Leadership & Ethics Center.

Since 2019, Commanding Officer Moore has played an effective and crucial role as the man-in-charge of SUBASE New London. In his time as Commanding Officer for SUBASE New London, Captain Moore pursued campaigns to meaningfully connect with the naval community. This pursuit paid huge dividends when his stewardship of the base turned itself on its head with the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic employing his down to earth ``nuts and bolts'' leadership style, Captain Moore led his community through the worst of the pandemic, setting a nationwide example for morale and public health with the base achieving the highest vaccination rates among all Navy

installations, at home and abroad. In doing so, Captain Moore maintained the essential day-to-day mission of the base, keeping sailors trained and ever improving upon their mission of combat readiness. The 15 attack submarines stationed in Groton still kept a high tempo of deployments and did not miss one single day of schedule due to the pandemic.

Captain Moore never ceased his work to better the community on SUBASE New London via his connection to the families and childcare on the naval base. During his command, he oversaw the opening of the only United Service Organizations center in Connecticut which will continue to help provide much-needed resources and relief for the servicemembers and families of SUBASE New London. For all his efforts in his two and a half years of command, it is no surprise that the men and women at Naval Submarine Base New London will remember Captain Moore as he is--a devoted, enduring, and passionate leader.

Madam Speaker, I have had the honor to represent the Town of Groton and the servicemembers on SUBASE New London for many years in Congress, and as such, I have seen firsthand Captain Moore's dedicated work. As he turns over his command of SUBASE New London, Captain Moore will continue to work on the base with the Undersea Warfighting Development Center to help decide future investment priorities for the submarine force. To that end, I ask that my colleagues in the House join me in congratulating and thanking Captain Todd D. Moore on a long history of service to our country, and further wishing himself, his wife Carrie and two children the best in this new chapter for their family.

Madam Speaker, this morning, I wanted to share with the Chamber the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services regarding infection rates and vaccination rates in the country.

I am proud to say, the State of Connecticut, which the Speaker knows well, we ranked as the lowest infection rate in the country, 1.4 percent, 14 cases per 100,000.

Simultaneous with that report were the numbers regarding vaccination rates. For the population 18 and over, we are at an 80 percent vaccination rate, which, again, is the highest in the country.

It is blindingly obvious there is a causal connection between communities that come together to boost vaccination rates and the benefit and the result of reducing infection rates. The benefit, in terms of our hospital system in the State of Connecticut, again, we have 9 per 100,000 COVID patients, which ranks number three in the country, right behind Vermont and the State of Massachusetts, which are 7 per 100,000 and 8 per 100,000.

What does that mean? It means there is no pressure on your ICU units. There is allowance for normal elective surgeries and the processes of hospitals to continue, which is the endgame of what we all should be focused on like a laser, which is to get beyond this pandemic.

It didn't happen by itself.

Anecdotally, in my district, I was over at the Coast Guard Academy the other day: a 99 percent vaccination rate with the student body at the Coast Guard Academy. These are the future leaders of our coastal sea service, and they get it. They understand the benefits, that they can attend class and have a normal campus life.

Across the river, the submarine base in Groton, again, just shy of a 90 percent vaccination rate. That is 10,000 sailors and officers. These are people with families. These are folks who have pregnant spouses. But they get it. I mean, there is no way you can socially distance in a submarine. They are now the number one naval installation in America in terms of vaccination rates.

Again, it did not happen by itself. Governor Lamont, back in the spring of 2020, basically tuned out all the noise. He brought together experts from the Yale School of Public Health. He brought together experts from the Hartford HealthCare hospital system, which is the largest hospital system. They brought together the community health centers. They brought together community groups. They stayed focused in terms of getting testing, masking, and vaccinations out there to the public at large.

I would note, Madam Speaker, that when we passed the American Rescue Plan back in March, like every State, we were given an allocation to our public health system for communication and education. Again, it has been put to good use, obviously, as these numbers show this morning.

On Tuesday, the Biden administration announced the release of funding for community health centers, which have been the backbone in terms of reaching hard-to-get populations, to get the help that they need during this pandemic. In eastern Connecticut, the two community health systems--United Children and Family Services, and Generations--are getting close to $1 million for new equipment and new infrastructure to carry out their mission to make sure that we are going to beat this virus once and for all.

All the issues that we talk about here--and they are all so important--right now, we still cannot be distracted from the need to get on the other side of this pandemic. These numbers from my State today show that when you work together, when you just combat all the misinformation and bad stuff

that is out there about vaccines and masking--we had a hearing in Hartford where we had people up there saying that the authorization from the FDA was only for the German vaccine, not the American Pfizer vaccine, which is ridiculous. That stuff is out there, but we have overcome that.

Again, the numbers speak for themselves in terms of that success.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure that we keep this priority number one, two, and three because that is how we recover our economy, and that is how we recover a normal life in this country. So, let's work together.

Madam Speaker, it is with great regret that I rise today to mourn and observe the passing of an inspiring individual and dedicated public servant, Richard ``Dick'' C. Bowman, of Vernon, Connecticut. A passionate educator, devoted firefighter, and a loving family man, Dick passed away on September 10, 2021, in his home surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 74.

Born in Oxford, Massachusetts to Harriet and Reverend Paul Bowman, Dick moved with his family to Vernon at an early age and remained dedicated to his local community throughout his life. After graduating from Rockville High School, Dick attended Boston University where he received a bachelor's degree in speech pathology and education. From there, he propelled his passion for education forward and went on to receive a master's in special education from Central Connecticut State College as well as a 6th-year degree in educational administration from the University of Connecticut. Armed with an impressive degree of knowledge, Dick went on to pursue an enriching career in education to give back to the school system that had granted him invaluable wisdom and a pathway to success. For the next 15 years, Dick was a speech pathologist and special education supervisor for the Vernon Board of Education where he excelled and made compassion and encouragement the top priorities for his students and educators. Soon after, he became an assistant principal and interim principal at Rockville High, and even after his eventual retirement in 2004, Dick remained dedicated to the Vernon community through his committee positions with several scholarship and trust organizations.

Dick's devotion to his community and to service did not stop with his work in education. He was a devout member of the Vernon Union Congregational Church where he served as a choir member, mentor, leader, and committeeman. Dick's care for his community also led him to 50 years of service as a volunteer fighter for both the Vernon and Rockville Fire Departments. During his time, Dick was a member on several Department committees and successfully rose to the ranking of 2nd lieutenant for the Department. As the only active member on both the Vernon and Rockville Fire Departments, he became a conduit between the two departments and played a key role in unifying Vernon and Rockville under one authority. For his efforts in the merge, the Vernon Fire Department appointed him as a Charter Member. In January of 2020, Dick's unwavering dedication to his community rightfully earned him a Life Membership from the Town of Vernon's Fire Department. Even after his retirement from active firefighting, Dick

continued to serve his town through numerous committees for the Vernon Fire Department and happily watched his grandson, Adam, become a fifth- generation Bowman firefighter.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to have the opportunity to represent constituents as devoted and caring toward their community as Richard Bowman. I have had the honor to represent the Town of Vernon for many years in Congress, and have seen firsthand Dick Bowman's diligent work. I also live in the town, and am grateful for his efforts to keep the town, my neighborhood, and my family safe. Dick leaves behind his wife, Carol, alongside two sons, his grandchildren, and his nieces and nephews. He loved attending his grandchildren's school and athletic events and will be remembered by his family as a loving husband, uncle, father, and grandfather. His memory will live on through them and reverberate throughout the community he proudly served. To that end, I ask that my colleagues and this Chamber join me in setting Richard's legacy further into stone, and expressing our deepest respect for Richard's work and life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the Members of the House to join me in mourning the passing of Ralph Monaco, a highly talented and respected lawyer in the State of Connecticut, a devoted husband and father, and all-around outstanding citizen who cared for his community and always went above and beyond to help others. We tragically lost Ralph on July 10, 2021 at the young age of 54. Ralph truly represented the best of eastern Connecticut and was a role model to so many in the field of law. His legacy and his leadership in private practice and in the public sphere will always be remembered and cherished.

Ralph was born in the Bronx in 1967 and spent most of his adolescence in the Big Apple. After exceling in his primary and secondary education, he decided to continue his education and attended Fordham University. While there--he made the decision that he would pursue a career in the field of law and chose to attend Quinnipiac Law School in North Haven, Connecticut, where his love for law truly flourished. After a successful academic career and graduation from law school in 1993--Ralph pursued his legal career and ventured to become a trial lawyer right here in eastern Connecticut. Through his determination and hard work, Ralph ascended in the field and became a partner at a firm right here in New London, CT at Conway, Londregan, Sheehan & Monaco

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of Attorney William ``Bill'' H. St. Onge after fifty years in the legal profession. Bill recently announced his retirement from a busy smalltown practice that ethically and capably represented thousands of individuals and families, sometimes at moments of crisis. Despite that demanding schedule he still found time to elevate the profession as an active member of the Connecticut Bar Association, and completed a distinguished stint serving his conununity as the First Selectmen of Putnam. Throughout his years, Bill has been a shining example of professionalism, compassion, and service to those around him. His retirement is one that is well-deserved.

Bill's family has a long history of public service most notably his father Congressman William St. Onge, who served the Second district of eastern Connecticut from 1963 to 1970 with great success. That example certainly rubbed off on Bill Junior who has been a life-long contributor to the local community in northeastern Connecticut and someone who avidly followed world and national politics. I have always particularly enjoyed when Bill would share stories about his father as well as his shrewd understanding of public affairs.

Bill was a graduate of Georgetown University and continued his education by attending the University of Connecticut Law School. Upon obtaining his JD in 1974, Bill went on to practice law through to his retirement. As I mentioned earlier, that while fresh in the field of practice, Bill wasted no time in running for and serving as First Selectman of Putnam, which he did so very successfully for nearly a decade.

Even after leading his town as First Selectman, Bill remained a constant in the community and utilized his expertise to give back to his neighbors. Providing a form of accessible representation for fellow towns like Killingly and Thompson, Bill ran a highly successful small- town practice for probate, municipal, and real estate law. As the local lawyer, he sought to continuously improve upon the services available to those in the area, taking the initiative to serve on the Connecticut Bar Association's Task Force on the Future of Probate Court. He was also a staple at town meetings and local proceedings, providing legal advice and often cooling local issues of passion to the respectful, personable tone that they deserved. His thoughtful nature as a practicing lawyer always kept the town discussion purposeful and productive. As someone who practiced law for 27 years in nearby Tolland County, I did have the opportunity to work with Bill on real estate closings and an occasional civil matter. He was a true gentleman--very pragmatic, down to earth and cordial in all his dealings--kind of a modem-day Atticus Finch.

Madam Speaker, Attorney St. Onge's passion for his home was a predominant presence throughout his life and career. His wife and children, Jane, Will and Caroline as well as his grandchildren and his many friends in Connecticut can attest to his caring, thoughtful approach to all he came into contact with. Although his long career is coming to an end, his family legacy of passion and work for his home will unquestionably go on to reverberate throughout the Town of Putnam and beyond for years to come. I can only hope that the example of his service is carried on and that hope he enjoys a fruitful retirement with his wife, children and grandchildren. To that end, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in honoring and congratulating Attorney St. Onge for his dedication to the public and nearly 50-year exceptional career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the Members of the House to join me in mourning the passing of one of our Nation's foremost experts on aviation safety and infrastructure, George ``Pratt'' Howard of Deep River, Connecticut. Known as Peter to family and friends--he passed away at his home in Deep River on January 30, 2021. Peter has moved on from this world but his spirit of love for his neighbors and community will never dissipate, and will continue to inspire us to put the public good above personal ambition or gain, and always treat one another with compassion and care.

Born in New York City's Greenwich Village--Peter spent most of his childhood in the city and absorbed the cultural and community diversity in the big apple that would positively influence his creative and artistic mind later in life. An avid student and passionate learner-- Peter left the city after high school to earn a

degree in economics from the University of Virginia before returning to the city to acquire a master's in business administration from New York University. Following university, Peter decided to pursue a career in a field that he had a true passion for--aviation. With that, Peter joined the Air Force where he gained firsthand knowledge of aviation as he worked with some of the most advanced military grade technology to exist in that time from 1952 to 1955. After receiving significant experience in the ins and outs of aviation in the Air Force, Peter began a life-long journey in the civilian aviation space serving in leadership positions in several organizations including Director of Marketing for Eastern Airlines, and Chief of Economics/Asst. Director for Policy and External affairs for the port authorities of both New York and New Jersey.

In 1989, Peter landed a job that would allow him to have a direct impact on aviation policy in our nation--he became the new executive director of the Airport Operators Council International. In this role, he worked tirelessly in his advocacy of policy and procedural changes to improve the safety and effectiveness of American airports. His expertise was highly valued by all his colleagues and was often sought- after by policy makers. Proof of this can be seen in countless news media interviews and multiple testimonies he gave in Congressional hearings. In his work with Congress, he played a critical role in the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990. Since passage, this legislation has raised over $60 billion for airports in supporting passenger safety. Peter's work with aviation policy was truly light years ahead of his time as he understood that with increased air traffic and globalization--safety would need to become a number one priority for American airline companies and our domestic security apparatus. Peter was steadfast in his commitment to our nation's aviation industry and his efforts have inspired others to continue the mission of ensuring that our air travel procedure always meet the most comprehensive safety standards.

Outside of the field of aviation, Peter was also an accomplished art historian who always used his wealth of knowledge to educate and enlighten anyone who was interested in the field. This included municipal governments and non-profit organizations in New York and Connecticut who used Peter's insights to expand their community arts and historical preservation programs. As a New York Resident, Peter was always active in his community and even became President of the Brooklyn Heigh association from 1967 to 1969. As President--Peter was one of the driving forces in the passage of New York's landmark law which resulted in Brooklyn Heights becoming the first designated Historic district in New York City.

Later in life--Peter moved to Deep River and officially became a resident of Connecticut. As a Deep River resident, Peter tirelessly contributed to this historic Connecticut river town whose rich history and high quality of life he passionately championed. He offered his public policy expertise as an adviser to the Board of Selectman, and the town greatly benefitted from his creative solutions to complex problems, without incurring the high cost of consultants. I also recall Peter's tremendous efforts in establishing the town's first Design Advisory Board for which he became its first chairman. In this role, he organized and executed art galleries for the town that displayed local artwork, including artwork from students at the local high school. He would also work together with the rest of the board to review and critique ideas for development in the town put together by the Planning & Zoning Commission. What Peter did for art and historical preservation in every community he lived in is truly remarkable.

Madam Speaker, it was an honor to represent a constituent as caring and compassionate for his community and Nation as Peter, who's dedication to our community and the town of Deep River went far beyond his service in local government. As a longtime friend and supporter of my work as a congressman, I always enjoyed talking to Peter and picking his brain on experiences he had with the U.S. Congress in the past and his well-informed opinions on current events, both at home and abroad. Even in his free time, he went the extra mile to enhance the community, from personally landscaping at the Veteran's Garden to helping design the local town pharmacy. Although his memory will live on through countless others, including his wife of 50 years, Sukey Howard, his three daughters, Connie, Kitty, and Ginger, his four grandchildren, and one great grandson, our eastern Connecticut community owes him an immeasurable level of gratitude. To that end, I ask that my colleagues and this Chamber join me in expressing our deepest condolences to the Howard Family and setting Peter Howard's name further into stone.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the life of the late John K. Anderson, of Vernon, Connecticut, who passed away suddenly on June 16, 2021, at the age of 74. Known by family and close friends as Johnny, his military service, civic engagement, and devotion to his family and the greater Vernon community warrants the utmost praise and recognition.

Born to Merrill and Isabelle Anderson of Manchester, Connecticut, John began his early years fanning what would become a life dedicated to public service. After graduating from Manchester High School in 1965, John went on to serve in the United States Air Force as an Aircraft Maintenance Specialist and crew leader. He served overseas in Germany, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Greece before receiving an Honorable Discharge and returning home to Connecticut. With his return home and affinity for hard work, John hit the ground running and opened his own business. His business smarts and entrepreneurial spirit eventually led him into the automotive trade where he joined the team at Bolle's Motor Sales in Ellington, Connecticut. A natural people person--John excelled at the dealership and fostered strong relationships with his coworkers and clients. It was this ability to communicate naturally with folks from all walks of life that led John to dedicate the latter half of his life toward building a positive impact on the lives of others within his local community.

From his leadership at the Water Pollution Control Authority to being one of Vernon's Registrar of Voters--John embarked on a path of serving in municipal government that set his legacy as a leader of the public in stone. During part of his tenure, I was the Vernon town attorney and had the opportunity to see up close his calm practical approach to solving problems. With his wealth of knowledge of the town and its voting operations, and dedication to public service, registrars from around the state would go to John with their questions. At a time when the integrity of our nation's elections has become subject to doubt and controversy, John's service in recent years was particularly valuable. No one questioned his performance or work--not for one moment.

John epitomized what it meant to be a kind and caring citizen in a small town and always sought opportunities to engage with his community. John was also known for his regular penmanship of editorials in the local news and his nuanced perspective on civic issues that impacted the community.

While we remember John as a leader in public service--we also remember him as a man who truly loved his family, friends, and neighbors--a love that drove him to enhance his community even further. John, like all of us, was someone who filled his life with passions and hobbies--two of which were baseball and golf. An avid Red Sox fan and great golfer, John used sports as another avenue to connect to his community and was a youth baseball coach and a volunteer at the annual Thanksgiving Day Manchester Road Race.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents as honorable and impactful as John Anderson. While we all mourn his loss, we can at least find solace that his memory lives on through his surviving family: his children Carly, Lauren, Justin and grandchildren; sister Carol; brother Rick; and four grandchildren. His life will also continue to live on through countless others as the stoic example he has set has now been woven into the very fabric of the Vernon community. To that end, I find it fitting that we, the People's House, set his name and character into the Congressional Record and ask that the entire House join me in recognizing the life of John K. Anderson, never forgetting his impact on the greater Vernon community through his civic and military service.

Madam Speaker, last January, in one of his first executive orders, President Biden extended the student loan pause on monthly payments through the end of September.

This order allowed all direct student loans issued by the Federal Government through the U.S. Department of Education, again, to have a grace period during the recession that we are still experiencing. Even with a good job growth last month, 800,000 jobs added to the economy, a 5.6 percent unemployment rate, and having people starting to again recover, the need for that pause was blindingly obvious.

A couple weeks ago, myself and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley wrote to President Biden and the Secretary of Education calling on the President to extend that pause again. We are about 60 days away from all these student loans snapping back with very high interest rates, and again, at a time when the economy is still recovering.

Madam Speaker, this is exactly what the Small Business Administration did for disaster loans issued during COVID when they extended the grace period allowed of 1 year, when those loans were issued during COVID, to have that grace period extended into 2022. That was a smart, wise move recognizing that this is the wrong time to add debt burden on individuals and businesses as the U.S. economy starts to recover.

Again, we understand that at some point we are going to have to have a return to student loan debt payments, but, again, there are additional reasons why this pause makes sense.

Two of the largest debt servicers, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, which services a large number of student loan debts, announced a couple of weeks ago they are withdrawing from the program, which means that borrowers are going to be shifted to new servicers, as well as the New Hampshire Higher Education Loan Corporation.

So again, the dislocation and the change that is happening with student loan servicers are additional reasons why the President and Secretary Cardona should agree to our request.

Moving forward, it is time for Congress to act to fix some of the problems within the student loan space.

Congressman Dusty Johnson and I, on a bipartisan basis, back in January, introduced the Recognizing Military Service in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Act. A companion bill in the Senate was introduced by Senator Rubio and Senator Hassan.

Again, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program was created back in 2007 basically to allow teachers, nurses, people serving in the military, cops--who will, again, make 10 years of payments on their student loans while holding down public service jobs--to be eligible for discharge of their student loan debt.

The last administration butchered this program. People who, again, for 10 years abided by the rules were refused and denied student loan discharge, including people serving in the military.

Our bill will untangle that bottleneck, will recognize that people who are on Active Duty overseas, away from their families, who again, were allowed a grace period in terms of monthly payments, those months will be credited towards public service loan forgiveness. It has been endorsed by every veteran service organization from VFW to the Iraq and Afghan War Veterans, and again, is a smart bipartisan bill which will help a population of people who perform the highest form of public service; namely, wearing the uniform of this country.

We should also, as Congress, change the law to allow people to refinance down the interest rate on their student loan debt. When these loans snap back, we are looking at 6 percent, 7 percent, 8 percent interest on legacy student loan debt.

The rest of the economy with a zero percent benchmark at the Federal Reserve is refinancing debt on homes, on consumer loans, on auto debt, but student loan borrowers are trapped unless Congress acts.

H.R. 3024 allows the Department of Education to refinance down the interest rates on student loan debt so that people, again, in a very low-interest rate environment--and the chairman of the Federal Reserve announced the other day he is going to keep the benchmark at zero through 2021. Student loan borrowers should get the benefit of those low interest rates just like every other middle class family that refinances their home or their consumer debt.

So, extend the pause. Let's fix the problems in the meantime. Congress can act.

The millennials, the young people of this country deserve our help, both to act with the tools that we have, and also, calling on the administration to provide an additional grace period just like we did for small businesses.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today in honor of the life of the late Commander Merle James Smith Jr., the first Black graduate of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Academy in New London, CT, and the first Black officer to command a warship in close quarters combat. Commander Smith passed away June 16, 2021, at the age of 76. It was an honor to know Commander Merle Smith and bare witness to all the incredible milestones he achieved in his life. He was a true patriot who always placed others before himself.

Born in Greenville, South Carolina to retired Army Colonel Merle James Smith Sr. and Jacqueline T. Smith, Merle grew up in many cities across the United States as well as Germany and Japan. He graduated from Aberdeen High School in Maryland before choosing to attend the Coast Guard Academy in 1962 to play football under the coaching of Otto Graham, the former professional Cleveland Browns quarterback player.

Graduating with a degree in marine engineering in 1966, Officer Smith's first assignment was to serve aboard the Minnetonka as a communication officer. He went on to command the Coast Guard Cutter, Cape Walsh, for two years before joining forces in Vietnam where he commanded the USCG Cutters Point Mast and Point Ellie, and made history serving as the first Black commanding officer in close quarters combat. He commanded these ships through more than eighty fire support missions during the successful Operation Market Time, which halted the movement of supplies into South Vietnam. For his heroic service, Commander Smith earned a Bronze star, a Navy Meritorious Unit Citation, Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and Vietnam Campaign Medal, among several other accolades.

After returning from the war, Commander Smith was stationed at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he attended George Washington University's School of Law where he met his wife of 47 years, Lynda. Upon graduating with a Juris Doctor, Commander Smith moved back to Connecticut to resume his activities at the Academy, this time as a professor in Jaw. As expected, Commander Smith excelled in his role as a professor and gained notoriety for his ability to keep his students engaged. Commander Smith went on to teach for 13 years and after enriching the minds of thousands of cadets--Commander Smith retired from this role and his active duty service in 1979. Commander Smith's service to our nation however continued at the Coast Guard Reserves for nine years as Commander of the Coast Guard Reserve. Commander Smith simultaneously was recruited by our nation's largest submarine manufacturer, General Dynamic Electric Boat, to join their legal team. Commander Smith worked at Electric Boat for 16 years and made his way up to Chief Council before officially retiring in 1995. From beginning to end, awe inspiring is the only way to really describe what was Commander Smith's career and life. To memorialize all he did for our nation--the Coast Guard Academy announced it will rename its Military Officers Club in honor of him and here in D.C.--our very own National Museum of African American History and Culture proclaimed that they will set up a special exhibit in honor of Commander Smith and his life.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents who are as humble, dutiful, and distinguished as Commander Smith. While we mourn his passing, we can take pride in his legacy which will continue to echo through the United States Coast Guard community as an example to our future military leaders. Please keep Commander Smith's family--his loving wife Lynda, children Merle J. Smith III, Chelsea, and Danielle-- in your thoughts as they now carry his memory forward. I ask that the entire House join me in recognizing his life and service to our nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and celebrate another chapter of the remarkable career of local business leader, community role model, and true friend to my office, Nancy Cowser. A long-established pillar within the social services and economic development sectors in the eastern Connecticut community, Nancy will now take her wisdom and experiences to the world of academia as the chief advancement and alumni relations officer for Mitchell College. I cannot think of a better hire for one of our top local colleges than Nancy, as she truly represents the best and brightest in business leadership and community partnership in Connecticut.

Having received an undergraduate degree in finance from Boston College and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Nancy began her career in the banking industry as a mortgage auditor and exceled with her natural leadership and organizational skills. However, Nancy eventually found herself drawn to social services, which led her to United Community and Family Services (UCFS) in Norwich. As the senior vice president of strategy, Nancy worked tirelessly to ensure that constituents across eastern Connecticut had access to services such as healthcare and mental and substance abuse treatment to ensure each individual could experience a better quality of life.

It was during her tenure with UCFS that my office had the first opportunity to work with Nancy. I believe one of the major highlights from both of our careers is when UCFS finally received designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center in 2015, after attempting to do so for eight long years. This critical designation enabled UCFS to receive significant federal funding and in turn allowed UCFS to enhance their primary care services and offer specialty care services, and Nancy was an essential part of this impactful achievement.

Nancy is someone who knows that true community development happens when partnerships are developed and organizations work together to meet a common goal. In her work, Nancy became known as a master networker and someone who brought everyone to the table regardless of background or politics. Nancy's reputation and skillset brought her enormous respect and admiration from community coalitions and armed her with tools needed to take the helm of the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer) in 2016.

Nancy hit the ground running as seCTer's executive director. Due to her years of collaboration with community partners, Nancy knew the lay of the land and quickly got to work solidifying relationships and creating pipelines to bring economic stakeholders together. Bolstered by a series of successes within the seCTer loan program, PTAC, and the CEDS' 2017 recognition by the National Association of Development Organizations as a national best practice model, Nancy aided one of the district's largest employers, General Dynamic Electric Boat, in developing an extensive pipeline of subcontractors to fuel the top submarine production force in our nation. In 2019, with Nancy leading the way, seCTer organized our region's largest business networking event, ``Leading the Way'', to connect General Dynamic procurement personnel with potential suppliers from across Connecticut and throughout New England. The tremendous success of this event exemplified Nancy's ability to bring a multitude of diverse companies under one roof to create new business opportunities and relationships that continue to flourish to this day.

However, we must not forget, our region's defense industry is only one of many sectors that Nancy took under her tutelage to grow. From breweries to manufacturers, and even local gyms--Nancy was always a phone call away to help guide any business in driving its potential for growth. It was this niche ability to work with so many diverse companies and understand each of their needs that makes Nancy such a pivotal business leader in our district. With Nancy's departure from seCTer, we see the before and after of her time at the organization, and know that her impact that will continue to propel seCTer forward for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I am truly proud to call Nancy a colleague and most importantly a friend. I have witnessed first-hand her professional growth and her ability to spur significant economic growth within the 2nd district. Now taking her talents to Mitchell College, our paths will continue to cross as we tackle the issues facing the academic sector. One cannot really quantify the influence Nancy has had on our region, from her work at UCFS to seCTer, but I know that she has moved mountains for our communities, and her trajectory of success will only continue upward.

I ask everyone in the Chamber to please rise and applaud Nancy for her outstanding career and thank her for all that she has done to help Connecticut businesses and residents. Nancy is a true pillar of Connecticut. We wish her continued happiness and success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for the INVEST Act which finally, at long last, includes robust funding for roads, bridges, rail, and new incentives to address climate change equity and most importantly job creation. However, I want to clearly state my deep concerns for an amendment adopted by the House, which creates a so-called North Atlantic Rail Interstate Compact to control the development of high-speed rail.

I share the intent of the authors of the amendment to support high- speed rail throughout the Northeast. Connecticut and the Northeast region are home to some of the most densely-populated areas of the country, which are served well by mass transit, and high-speed rail would have significant positive impacts for our region and our nation as a whole. That is why I am proud to support the underlying bill, which triples funding to Amtrak and provides a 500 percent increase in the funding dedicated to improving high speed and passenger rail. The resources provided in the INVEST Act signal an unprecedented opportunity for the New England region, at the state and federal levels, to work together with common purpose to build on the work already being done to expand rail service in the northeast.

I remain concerned, however, about an amendment added to En Bloc No. 1 to establish a North Atlantic Rail compact. While I appreciate the goals of this proposal, I believe that it is duplicative of existing interstate regional rail efforts and short-circuits established cooperative long term rail planning in the region. The North Atlantic Rail compact has as a goal a multi-phase rail development vision for the northeast that includes initial ``early action'' projects, many of which are already under development, and longer term goals of a cross- Long Island Sound tunnel and a new right of away across the rural communities of eastern Connecticut. Notably, many of these longer term goals reflect previously considered plans for rail expansion in the northeast and contradicts already-completed environmental assessments for existing high-speed rail plans and could cause significant negative environmental impacts in our region.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has already done extensive study on many of the concepts listed in the North Atlantic Rail plan which have been ruled out as part of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) FUTURE comprehensive plan for the route from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts. The existing NEC FUTURE plan has taken years of work with stakeholders with thousands of public comments and has met crucial environmental milestones to move forward. As noted by Amtrak in a June 28, 2021 letter to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee opposing the underlying compact proposal in the amendment, ``Amtrak, state DOTs, the NEC Commission and FRA already have the institutional capabilities, the collaborative framework and the requisite rights to advance high-speed and other intercity passenger rail service in New England.''

This compact as proposed in the amendment is also duplicative of existing regional rail cooperation between the Northeast Corridor states. The Northeast Corridor Commission and the NEC Future plan has been developed in partnership with state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and local communities. In contrast, the NAR has been included as part of this bill without the support of major stakeholders such as the Connecticut Department of Transportation and without clear plans for oversight, transparency and public engagement that are inherent in existing regional planning efforts and state and federal agencies.

This is a critical flaw, as many of the goals at the core of this compact would occur in and disproportionately impact Connecticut in the near and long term. As an alternative, the underlying bill authorizes expansion of interstate rail compacts that would be competitively approved and funded to develop plans to expand high speed rail through interstate cooperation and coordination. That is the approach that should be taken on this effort, rather than a duplicative organization without the full buy in of critical stakeholders.

I appreciate that there have been significant changes that Chairman DeFazio of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and his professional staff made to the original NAR proposal, including making the North Atlantic Rail into an interstate compact instead of a federally-chartered special purpose entity, and most critically, requiring ratification from each state in order to go into effect in that state. The original proposal would have created an unaccountable federally-chartered entity with control of funds and eminent domain, which the Committee wisely eliminated from the plan. Unfortunately, these improvements still fail to justify the need for an additional interstate compact on top of existing state and regional entities and requires extensive evaluation and review as this bill moves forward.

As the House and Senate come together to finalize the surface transportation reauthorization bill, I will continue to raise these concerns with lead Congressional negotiators. Additionally, I hope that my colleagues consider weighing these impacts against the existing mechanisms which are already in place to create high-speed rail in the Northeast, including NEC FUTURE, and the underling authority the bill provides to expand cooperative interstate rail compacts. Just last week on June 24, all 18 voting members on the Northeast Corridor Commission unanimously approved the CONNECT NEC 2035 plan, a 15-year action plan to rebuild the Northeast Corridor, and which could provide $70 billion in state-of-good repair funds over the next 15 years. The existing framework of the NEC FUTURE already has the organization, funding, environmental safeguards, stakeholder support, and local buy-in to make high-speed rail a reality for our region more quickly and more effectively than the NAR proposal could do.

In closing, despite these concerns, which I believe can and will be addressed in the process and based on the overall historic opportunity that the INVEST Act provides, I will vote in the affirmative to keep this process moving forward.

June 28, 2021.

Hon. Peter DeFazio,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. Sam Graves,

Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves: I am

writing to express Amtrak's concerns about reports that the

House may include in the INVEST in America Act an amendment

that would create a ``North Atlantic Rail Compact'' (NARC)

with

an ostensible charge to construct an ill-defined ``North

Atlantic Rail Network.'' Amtrak is strongly opposed to the

adoption of this amendment and the likely negative

consequences of such a decision for the Northeast Corridor

and the national rail network. Adopting the amendment would

establish--without any hearings, committee consideration,

studies or opportunity for those impacted by the proposal to

be heard--support for an infeasible proposal, previously

rejected because of the harm it would do to the environment,

by an advocacy group called North Atlantic Rail (NAR) to

build a new, up to 225 mph dedicated high-speed rail line

between New York City and Boston.

The dedicated high-speed rail line's route (NAR Alignment)

would not follow the existing Northeast Corridor (NEC)

alignment that parallels Interstate 95. Instead, it would

travel beneath the East River in a new tunnel; cross dense

urban sections of Queens and Long Island to Ronkonkoma; turn

north to Port Jefferson; traverse the Long Island Sound in a

16-mile tunnel to Stratford, Connecticut; and after passing

through New Haven and Hartford, turn east across Eastern

Connecticut and Rhode Island to Providence, from which it

would follow the existing NEC rail corridor to Boston. Most

of the line would be built on elevated viaducts. Extensive

portions of the high-speed line would need to be constructed

along newly acquired and cleared rights-of-way on which there

are no rail lines or existing transportation corridors today.

Building a high-speed rail line along the NAR Alignment was

evaluated in the comprehensive, five-year NEC FUTURE planning

and environmental review process--and rejected in the Record

of Decision (ROD) issued by the Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA) in 2017 because of the harm it would

cause to the environment, its costs and failure to provide

needed investment to the existing NEC. Instead, FRA, eight

NEC states, the District of Columbia and Amtrak endorsed a

Preferred Alternative that would increase track capacity and

speeds along the existing NEC alignment, and build dedicated

high-speed tracks parallel to it where warranted, to minimize

environmental impacts and benefit all Amtrak and commuter

passengers on the NEC rather than just those traveling on

high-speed trains.

The prior rejection of the NAR Alignment is not the only

crucial fact undisclosed in the cursory description of the

NAR Proposal on NAR's website and in its handouts.

Federal safety regulations governing Tier III (above 186

mph) high-speed rail equipment would preclude the operation

of conventional speed (125 mph or less) intercity and

commuter trains over any portion of the NAR Alignment. This

means that passengers traveling from currently served NEC

cities such as Stamford or Bridgeport to Boston would have to

change trains to travel on high-speed trains over the NAR

Alignment, as would passengers from New London, Springfield,

and Northern New England. It also means that New York City-

to-Boston trains would not be able to operate above 160 mph--

which will soon be the maximum speed between New York City

and Boston--over the NAR Alignment until the entire line was

completed, which NAR acknowledges would be decades away.

While NAR's advocates claim that the NAR HSR Line would

cost $84.6 billion, and ``Early Action Projects''

(investments in other New England rail corridors) an

additional $23.4 billion, they have not provided any

engineering or cost study to substantiate those figures.

Building a new 240-mile high-speed rail line, much of it

through heavily populated areas where there is no existing

rail line or right-of-way, would require purchasing or

condemning innumerable homes and businesses, and routing the

line through parks and wetlands. Maps prepared for the NEC

Future study indicate that the least intrusive route along

the NAR Alignment would:

Bisect Forest Park in Queens on a viaduct, and travel in a

trench through Eisenhower County Park in Nassau;

Be built on trenches or viaducts through residential

neighborhoods and business districts alongside the Long

Island Rail Road's heavily traveled Main, Hempstead and

Ronkonkoma Lines (on which service would have to be curtailed

during construction); and

Follow new alignments, primarily on viaducts, between

Ronkonkoma and Port Jefferson, and through numerous

communities, parks and wetlands between Hartford and

Providence.

While the ``Early Action Projects'' listed on NAR's website

are all worthwhile projects, they are not new ideas and have

no connection to NAR's high-speed line proposal. In fact,

most of them would not connect with a high-speed line built

along the NAR Alignment. The massive levels of funding it

would consume would make it less likely that these projects

would be funded.

Likewise, a federal funding commitment to the NAR

Alignment--which would cost more than the Biden

Administration's proposed investment in all passenger rail

projects throughout the country--would leave little federal

funding available for projects in other regions.

The amendment would give NARC, the Compact it creates,

responsibility for planning and constructing the New York

City-to-Boston high-speed rail line. NARC would be tasked

with planning other New England passenger rail improvement

projects, a responsibility currently held by FRA, the states,

the NEC Commission and Amtrak. NARC would gain these

important and complex responsibilities once only two of the

seven New England states ratified the compact creating it,

even though it would have no resources or employees at that

time. It would be governed by an unwieldy 17-member Board on

which the federal government and each NEC state would have

the same number of votes (two) on issues relating to the

construction of a federally-funded high-speed rail line from

New York City to Boston as Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Oddly, the amendment would not give NARC the legal authority

possessed by Amtrak and states to condemn properties

necessary for the construction of the NAR Alignment, or the

remedies Amtrak has if freight railroads that own rail lines

on which Early Action Projects would be constructed decline

to allow those projects.

Amtrak recognizes that the advocates for the NAR proposal

are well-intentioned. We share their vision of faster service

between New York City and Boston, where Amtrak carries more

travelers than all airlines combined despite inadequate

infrastructure and investment that makes the trip on Acela 45

minutes longer than traveling the same distance from New York

City to Washington. The best way to accomplish that is to

advance the series of investments contemplated by NEC Future,

which will produce near-term benefits--shorter trip times and

more trains--for all NEC rail users as each project is

completed.

Fifty years after the creation of Amtrak, the stars are

finally aligning in ways that would provide New England with

the improved and expanded high-speed, intercity and commuter

service it needs and deserves. For the first time in Amtrak's

history, we have an Administration, a Congress and multiple

New England state partners who support making the types of

investments other countries have made to develop world class

passenger rail services. Because of climate change, an

unprecedented pandemic, a growing population, and increasing

congestion in other modes, the need for investments in

passenger rail service to provide mobility, reduce emissions

and spur an economic recovery has never been greater. Amtrak

and our state partners stand ready to seize that opportunity.

Two months ago, I testified before your committee to urge

support for investments to reduce trip times between New York

City and Boston to less than two hours and thirty minutes.

Amtrak and our New England state partners along the NEC are

about to begin one of the most important steps in that

process: a study to evaluate alternative alignments--

including their environmental and community impacts--for

increased capacity and higher speeds between New Haven and

Providence to identify a Preferred Alternative, as

contemplated by the NEC FUTURE ROD. The NEC Commission is

about to release its CONNECT NEC 2035 report, a 15-year

roadmap for implementing NEC FUTURE's vision for expanded and

faster passenger rail service. In April, we released our

``Amtrak Connects US'' vision that would provide or expand

Amtrak service, also over a 15-year time period, on the same

intercity corridors off the NEC Main Line that are included

in the NAR's list of ``Early Action Projects.''

Amtrak, state DOTs, the NEC Commission and FRA already have

the institutional capabilities, the collaborative framework

and the requisite rights to advance high-speed and other

intercity passenger rail service in New England. Right now

would be the worst possible time to throw a monkey wrench

into the progress they are making by creating a new

bureaucracy with poorly defined and overlapping aims and yet

no institutional capability. Continuing to move forward with

the NEC FUTURE investment program, which has already received

Tier I environmental clearance, and advancing the ``Amtrak

Connects US'' vision and state rail plans, offer the best,

fastest, most cost-effective and most environmentally

responsible path to achieving the improved and expanded high-

speed, intercity passenger and commuter rail service that

residents of New England expect and deserve.

Sincerely,

William J. Flynn,

Chief Executive Officer, Amtrak.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to observe and mourn the passing of Barry Williams, a local civic champion who dedicated his life to bringing people together and who tirelessly advocated for social justice, the middle class, and the everyday working man and woman. Sadly, on May 2nd of this year--Barry passed away at the age of 71 after a tough 17-year battle with Parkinson's disease. Barry's inspirational life, however, will never dissipate from our community's collective spirit as he treated everyone he encountered with love and humility, setting an immortalized example for us all to aspire to.

Born in in 1949 in York, Maine--Barry and his family relocated to Waterford, Connecticut where Barry grew up and acquired his love for the coastline. Barry would spend many hours of his life enjoying the beach, fishing, or sailing, and was invigorated when he caught a fish, which wasn't often. Barry was an avid reader and eventually made a career of his love for books by attaining a degree at the University of Connecticut in Library Science then even returning to work for his alma mater as an acquisitions librarian.

While working as a librarian, Barry was also an active member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT local union and even worked his way up to become President of his local. Being elected to lead his union truly changed Barry and ignited a passion in him that he used to champion workers' rights throughout his life. While president of the union, Barry was admired for his ability to fight for his members but still maintain a loving and friendly personality and always face challenges with a positive attitude. Barry's accomplishments and dedication to his union gained him statewide notoriety and led to him being recruited as a Government Affairs Representative by Connecticut statewide AFT President George Springer. Hitting the ground running-- Barry made his mark and inspired all those around him with his willingness to put others before himself. Not only did Barry talk the talk but he was always out on the front lines with his brothers and sisters rallying for their right to equal opportunities and fairness in the workplace. Achieving milestone after milestone--Barry set himself apart as one of the top labor leaders in Connecticut and this led to his election in 1985 to represent all workers in the state as the Secretary Treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

Now a true and tried advocate in the world of unions, Barry decided to go independent and start his own lobbying firm to represent unions and non-profits in 1987. With all the statewide connections he had developed in his decades of organizing and union work--Barry quickly gained traction as someone who could bring opposing sides to the table to talk, and he also became known for a little secret weapon in breaking the ice between opposing forces--his famous homemade bread. Barry was truly a master negotiator because he never lamented, and his genuine and happy nature rubbed off on all those around him which made coming to agreements easier for all parties. Barry continued a very successful lobbying career until later in life when he would receive a devastating diagnosis with Parkinson's disease which would lead to his retirement. Barry however as expected, did not let the disease damper his love for life and for bringing happiness to all those around him. Even when he was in the later stages of his life in the Hebrew Center for Health and Rehabilitation in West Hartford--his positive demeanor gained him the nickname, ``the Mayor,'' as he was so loved by his fellow residents and staff. Even up until his last Christmas, Barry grew out his beard to transform himself into Santa to pass out small gifts and candy to fellow residents.

Madam Speaker, the loss of Barry leaves a deep void in Connecticut as he was a unifier who brought people of both sides of the aisle together. I ask that my colleagues and this Chamber to join me in expressing our deepest respect for Barry's work and life and send our deepest condolences to the Williams Family. Barry is survived by his wife Susan, children Colby, Jake, Sam, Patel, his sisters Sedona and Kathi, and many other family members and friends who will carry the lasting memory of Barry in their hearts so that his joy, laughter, and compassion will continue to carry on.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the life of the late John David Ward, of Vernon, Connecticut, who passed away surrounded by family on March 17, 2021, at the age of 59. As someone who has shared a hometown with John, practiced law in the same courts, and witnessed his public service firsthand, I can attest to his intelligence, compassion and integrity in all his endeavors.

Born to William and Mary Durkin Ward in Holyoke, Massachusetts, John was raised and educated in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts where he graduated high school in 1980. As one who always placed value on education--John went on to earn a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst before obtaining his J.D. in 1991 from Western New England University's Law School. Equipped with a law degree, John quickly transitioned his Massachusetts-based education to start his career as an assistant clerk at the Rockville Superior Court. After some experience in the courthouse and brief stints with several law firms, John ultimately found a place at Liberty Mutual, where his specialties included labor relations and worker's compensation law. Having gained his full footing in a career that enabled his specialties to excel, John settled here in Vernon and we became neighbors. As I mentioned earlier, I handled cases in the same courts as John, and he was a talented, highly ethical professional who treated clients, fellow lawyers and court officials as consummate gentleman and advocate.

As a resident of Vernon, John developed the roots for his greatest passion: community service. This was exemplified early on when he was first elected to the Board of Education and then to Vernon's Town Council. In 2008, John even decided to leave the insurance business to pursue this passion of community service by working in local government as the Town Administrator for Vernon, serving in this role over the course of three mayoral administrations. During his tenure as Town Administrator, John directed renovations of the old mills and secured a new senior center for our neighboring residents. In 2011, John placed himself on the front lines of emergency service in Vernon when Connecticut was hit with the ``Snowtober'' nor'easter. Outside working for the town in a more official capacity, he often volunteered as a ``pit parent'' for the high school marching band. In fact, he coached and help raised Vernon's youngest generation through numerous youth sports including basketball, soccer and football.

It is worth noting that John's love for public service stayed with him into his latest years. In 2017, John made the switch to serve as the Town Manager in Granby, Connecticut where he brought the force of his passion for community service. John also went on to fuse together his enthusiasm for learning and public service, earning a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut in 2019.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents as honorable and impactful as John. John's commitment to our town became a part of his life blood, causing him to touch the hearts of many in our community. While we all mourn the early loss of John, we can at least find solace that his story and memory live on in others, including his wife of more than 25 years, Wendy, and children James, Joe, Elizabeth and David. I find it fitting that we, the People's House, honor John's name and character. I ask that the entire House join me in recognizing the life of John David Ward, never forgetting the importance of serving the community.