Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment from Mr. Tonko and Mr. McKinley to reauthorize and standardize the management of the National Heritage Areas, and salute them for their commitment across multiple sessions of Congress to institute critical, lasting protections for our nation's National Heritage Areas.

This amendment would address the haphazard and confusing patchwork of authorizations for National Heritage Areas across the country, with two right here in my neck of the woods, by instituting a universal timeline to ensure these natural treasures are not subject to arbitrary lapses in authorization. These heritage areas create jobs, establish destinations that people want to visit and vacation to, and are a smart investment in both the economy and the natural environment.

Support from the federal government is what provides these areas with the foundation needed to preserve and protect these natural spaces, but the work just starts there--from that federal support, these National Heritage Areas leverage countless dollars and volunteer hours to promote the environment and identity of their surrounding regions.

Two of those treasures are especially close to my heart and would be reauthorized for 15 years under this amendment--the Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor and the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area. Both areas are incredible assets to eastern Connecticut and the Northeast with the Last Green Valley encompassing 35 towns stretching from eastern Connecticut to Massachusetts. First designated as a National Heritage Corridor by Congress in 1994, the area spans 1,100 miles in Connecticut alone, remains 77 percent forest and farm, and is the last stretch of dark night sky in the sprawl between Boston and Washington, D.C.

My colleagues from Connecticut and Massachusetts know that investments in our open spaces provide an enormous value for taxpayers, and I salute our neighbor and friend for his amendment which would ensure that these wonders are protected for future generations to enjoy.

Madam Speaker, it is with great regret that I rise today to mourn and observe the passing of an eternal educator, Dr. Gene Barberet of Mansfield, Connecticut. Having lived a full and active life, Gene passed away on his 101st birthday on January 11, 2021 due to complications related to the coronavirus.

Gene's life was intrinsically American, and he dedicated his life to professorial teaching and sharpening of the mind. To this end, Gene contributed a palpable value toward the strength and productivity of eastern Connecticut's community, the region I have the honor of representing. Dr. Barberet, a first-generation scholar born to parents who immigrated from Alsace, France, was always eager to observe and take from his environment as the youngest of eight siblings. His story will be remembered by many as one of vigor, decency, and a passion for cultural enrichment.

As a lifelong learner, Gene was always destined to become the wisest of educators. His potential in the education industry was reflected from the start, such as when he graduated co-valedictorian from Watertown High School in his hometown of Oakville, Connecticut. His deep French roots struck a clear cord with him from early on as well, motivating then Mr. Barberet to achieve a bachelors degree in French studies in 1941. Taking a break from his studies, Gene heeded the call to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Upon his return from the war, however, Gene resumed a determined effort to expand upon his roots--transitioning his education to Princeton University and going on to achieve a masters and subsequent doctoral degree in French literature by 1951.

Not one to let knowledge go to waste, Gene brought his specialization back to our home state of Connecticut before obtaining his doctoral degree in 1949, marking the genesis of a career in sharing his experience as a faculty of the University of Connecticut (UConn). Dr. Barberet went on to educate French Literature within UConn's Department of Modern and Classical Languages, building a true and personal connection to the University over the course of 40 years. He achieved this not by simply mastering lectures, but also by broadening his perspective alongside the very students he taught. As a professor, he personally oversaw the University's year long study abroad program to France, journeying with students across the Atlantic to better understand the international community and our place in it. Dr. Barberet's impact cannot be understated--throughout his long tenure he was recognized by a variety of honors and accolades, eventually even becoming knighted as a chevalier by the French government for his contributions to the nation's culture. As a fondly remembered mentor and a scholar, multiple scholarship funds were established under the University in his name to support excellence in French.

Dr. Barberet retired from UConn in 1990 as a revered professor emeritus. Though UConn will always be his home, it should be noted that he engaged in a gregarious retirement, frequently travelling back to his heritage in France as we II as other stints in Europe. He never gave up on the affinity for education either, acting as a volunteer teacher at the Donald Bergin Correction Institution, a board member of the Center for Learning in Retirement, and even initiating a weekly French conversational circle at the Mansfield Senior Center well into his latest years. Dr. Barberet touched the lives of many who hail from eastern Connecticut.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents as monumental and influential as Gene. His legacy is a lasting and tangible one, having expanded horizons for not only himself, but the lives of thousands of students, colleagues, and friends. While we all mourn his loss, we can at least find solace that his story, memory and purpose lives on in the lives of countless others. Therefore, I find it fitting that we as a institutional body set his name and character further into stone. I ask that the entire House join me in recognizing the life of Dr. Gene Barberet and never forgetting that the best educators--and by extension leaders--never end their quest of learning.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of dedicated and heroic public servant, Patrick Dragon, of Brooklyn, Connecticut. Mr. Dragon passed, at only age 50, on January 2, 2021, after a courageous battle with coronavirus.

A lifelong resident of Brooklyn, Connecticut, Patrick was drawn to serve his community through public safety. Entering public service at early age, he began as an Emergency Medical Technician and then joined the 107th Training Troop of the Connecticut State Police. Upon graduation in January 1998, Patrick returned to his local community serving as a Patrol Trooper at Troop D in nearby Danielson, then as the Resident State Trooper in Sterling, and a Major Crime Unit Detective. Always wanting to do more, he also became a certified Fire Investigator/Fire Marshal with the State Police's Fire & Explosion Unit. It was through this assignment that Patrick acted as first responder to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

That horrific day transformed the lives of many Americans, including Mr. Dragon's. In the years following the tragedy, he found healing through service to a new community--his peers in law enforcement through the Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program (VALEAP). This unique peer-led program brought together law enforcement professionals who have experienced unbelievable traumas while on duty. Patrick sincerely committed himself to this program, serving as a peer leader and mentor, working with over 250 emotionally and physically traumatized law enforcement professionals from around the country. VALEAP administrators commended Mr. Dragon for his service and have noted that his passing will leave an ``immeasurable void'' within the program.

Although he had overcome immeasurable challenges--Patrick's motivation for service to his community never wavered. Upon retirement from the State Police in 2018 he transitioned into a new role as an emergency dispatcher with the Foster Police Department in the neighboring State of Rhode Island. Amazingly, during that entire 34 years of police work he was also a dedicated member of the East Brooklyn Fire Department, serving most recently as deputy chief.

Mr. Dragon's loss leaves a deep void from Eastern Connecticut all the way to Virginia and beyond. His dedication to both local community and fellow officer has made the State of Connecticut more safe and his workforce more whole.

Madam Speaker, knowing of Patrick Dragon's selfless service and how he has responded to unimaginable tragedy, it is objective to state his work represents the best of law enforcement. I hope the chamber will join me in expressing the deepest condolences on behalf of the House of Representatives to the Dragon family--his parents Robert and Ann Marie; older sister Michele Hearn and younger brother Jason Dragon. I hope this testament to Patrick's life serves as an acknowledgement of the immeasurable debt of gratitude owed to him by the American people.

Madam Speaker, it is with great distinction that I rise today to observe and celebrate the 80th birthday of Reverend Florence Dorothy Jeffries Gilliard Clarke. Florence is the epitome of an altruistic American. A teacher, devout pastor, and community advocate who has dedicated her life to enriching the lives of those within our eastern Connecticut community.

Florence's life began down south in Charleston, SC on February 21, 1941. Guided by a strong spirit and support from loved ones, Florence overcame the tragic loss of her parents at a young age. An astute student, Florence won a scholarship to attend SC State College to pursue a degree in Business Administration. It was during her time at SC State that Florence began to lend her voice to decry mass injustices across our nation marching alongside our colleague U.S. House Representative Jim Clyburn to desegregate American public schools. Sixty years ago, Florence and Jim and 185 others were arrested at a peaceful protest in front of the state house in Columbia, South Carolina. Despite its peaceful nature, they were convicted of breach of peace and locked up for three days. They appealed this injustice all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and the court ruled in their favor in a landmark first amendment case, Edwards V. South Carolina.

Florence remained in South Carolina after college and began her career as a teacher. Drawing from her life experiences, Florence was a beacon of wisdom for her students and taught not only with energy and positivity, but with care and kindness. Eventually, Florence and her husband, who served in the U.S. NAVY, moved to Connecticut where he was stationed at the Subase New London. After the untimely passing of her husband, Florence chose to remain in Connecticut. Shifting her career focus, Florence took a position with General Dynamics-Electric Boat-- contributing to building our nation's dominant fleet of submarines. Florence, now a true Nutmegger, stayed at Electric Boat for more than 25 years before retiring to return to her passion of teaching. She joined the East Lyme, Waterford, Montville and New London school systems as a substitute teacher and became such a renowned figure in the eastern Connecticut school system that in 2002 she was selected as the commencement speaker for Waterford High School's graduating class.

However, Florence's service to the community went far beyond confines of our schools. The church was another vessel for which she inspired the action of others. In 1975, guided by a deep-rooted mission to serve, Florence became an active member of Walls Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in New London. Her involvement with the church continued to grow and took a pivotal tum in 1997 when she became an ordained pastor and organized Clarke Memorial A.M.E Zion--at that time the first new congregation admitted in the annual conference in twenty years. Her journey within the ministry came full circle in 2014 when the congregations of Walls Temple and Clarke Memorial merged to become Walls Clarke Temple A.M.E. Zion. With a humble spirit, Florence celebrated 40 years of service in Christian ministry in 2015 and retired from 20 years of pastoral ministry in June 2017.

Florence is unabated in her fight against racial oppression and strives to empower those within her community. I am honored to have marched on State Street with Florence in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, witnessed her advocacy for children through the establishment of National Children's Day, and stood in solidarity with her as we tried to reconcile the tragic acts of June 17, 2015, at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Florence's legacy will forever be ingrained in the fabric of Eastern Connecticut--influencing generation after generation.

Madam Speaker, Fellow Colleagues--I ask you to please join me in wishing Florence a happy 80th birthday and aid me in showing appreciation to this outstanding citizen. Florence, we wish you a joyous celebration on your special day and many more years of happiness.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the life of the late Richard Bieder of Stamford, Connecticut, who sadly passed on January 16, 2021. Richard was a giant in the Connecticut trial bar, who handled high profile cases for decades, always on the side of ``the little guy'', usually up against large institutional adversaries.

Richard's rise to prominence as a litigator was meteoric. Like all the greats in his profession he was quick on his feet, possessed a sharp wit and had a relentless commitment to preparation regarding the facts and the law in every case. Richard received a bachelors from University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Finance in 1962. Armed with that degree he entered New York University's School of Law, graduating in 1965 at the age of 25. He joined the US Navy and was stationed in the Philippines as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General Corps, which immediately got him started in the courtroom where he thrived.

In 1968, he returned from his service in the military to his native state of Connecticut, launching his 40- year journey as a top-notch trial lawyer. Within a year of his return, he joined a law firm headed by another icon in the legal profession Mr. Theodore Koskoff. Richard discovered a mentor in Ted from the outset, as he deeply aligned with his associate's passion for civil rights, fairness and the American system of trial by jury. After just three short years, Richard permanently sealed his commitment to the firm, joining as a senior partner and re-establishing it under the name of Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder. After experiencing the loss of Ted Koskoff in 1989, Richard continued his work as senior partner alongside Ted's son, Michael Koskoff, who was a kindred spirit advocating difficult, and sometimes controversial cases that many other lawyers would shy away from.

The firm's high-quality work attracted many associates and clients, allowing Richard the freedom in the latter half of his career to perform a great deal of pro bono representation, oftentimes as an advocate for the most vulnerable in our communities. Whether it was a class action suit in the aftermath of a state or national disaster, a battle against a powerful institution, or the co-founding of an organization to provide pro bona representation of children under custody of the Department of Children and Families--using the law to promote a just society was his passion.

Richard Bieder's direct impact upon the lives of others and the institution of lawyering cannot be understated. After 9/11, Richard responded by helping to organize a nationwide network of lawyers and create Trial Lawyers Care (TLC), which is believed to be the largest pro bona legal program in the history of the U.S. Under his stewardship as President, TLC assisted families eligible to file claims under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Meanwhile, between 2001 and 2009, Richard was appointed by a U.S. District Court Judge to oversee ongoing suites between the City of Hartford and its minority population on a range of issues.

Richard took his experience from the senior Kirkoff to heart, always generously mentoring fellow lawyers. As former President of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers and National Board of Trial Advocacy as well as a member of countless lawyers' organizations, he frequently lectured these groups on the responsibility that all lawyers have to give back to their community. Such service and leadership resulted in the bestowment of countless awards and accolades throughout his career.

Madam Speaker, it is difficult to encapsulate the enormity of Richard Bieder's life. I had the privilege of knowing him, both as an attorney when I practiced law in Connecticut for 27 years, and as a member of United States Congress, for whom Richard was always a great source of encouragement and passionate advice about the need to keep our civil justice system open and accessible to all Americans. Richard leaves a loving family behind him, particularly his son Erik, his daughter Julie his grandchildren and great grandchildren and his law partners, associates and staff who were a huge part of his life. His wife Bonnie who was his partner in his amazing life, predeceased him not long ago. Madam Speaker, I ask that this body please join me in expressing our deepest condolences to their family and friends in their passing. In many respects, their lives are an example of, ``Taking The Road Less Travelled'' that should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Mr. Speaker, in 1937, a freshman Member of Congress who held my seat, Representative William Fitzgerald, from Norwich, Connecticut, led the effort to pass the first National Apprenticeship Act. After being signed into law by President Roosevelt, this remained largely untouched for 83 years, yet the registered apprenticeship system it created has buoyed the Nation through decades of tumultuous change in our economy and its workforce.

The Fitzgerald Act is simple. It instructs the Secretary of Labor to bring together employers and workers, and using national standards, develop apprenticeship programs and work with State agencies to carry out certifications all across the country. With that elegant framework, the registered apprenticeship program has expanded to 1,200 recognized occupations, enrolling thousands of new apprentices each year. Upon completion of a registered apprenticeship, workers can expect to earn an average of $70,000 per year. All this was achieved with a tiny Federal investment.

Today, we take an historic step to build on its success with the first-ever reauthorization of the Fitzgerald Act to size up and grow its proven model. H.R. 447 creates a dedicated source of funding to State apprenticeship offices that will connect more employers to trainees and launches competitive grants to start apprentices in new sectors of the economy and, thus, recruit underserved populations.

This bill will enact those reforms yet remain true to the crown jewel of Fitzgerald's vision, safeguarding national standards so that workers and employers can trust that the program's skills and certifications are high-quality and, thus, transportable.

In Connecticut, I have seen how registered apprenticeships help first-time employers. Chris Jewell of Bozrah, Connecticut said this about his metal fabrication shop's new participation in the program: ``The training money we received allowed us to take a chance on employees that we felt were ready to make the next step in their career path.''

Those workers and others at Chris' shop are thriving today in high- paying jobs because of the Fitzgerald Act. This bill will multiply that success for millions at just the time our Nation's ailing economy needs it the most. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Madam Speaker, it is with great regret that I rise today to mourn and observe the passing of an eternal educator, Dr. Gene Barbaret of Mansfield, Connecticut. Having lived a full and active life, Gene passed away on his 101st birthday on January 11, 2021 due to complications related to the coronavirus.

Gene's life was intrinsically American, and he dedicated his lifeforce toward professorial teaching and sharpening the mind. To this end, Gene contributed a palpable value toward the strength and productivity of eastern Connecticut's conununity, the region I have the honor of representing. Dr. Barbaret, a first-generation scholar born to parents who inunigrated from Alsace, France, was always eager to observe and take from his environment as the youngest of eight siblings. His story will be remembered by many as one of vigor, decency, and a passion for cultural enrichment.

As a lifelong learner, Gene was always destined to become the wisest of educators. His potential in the education industry was reflected from the start, such as when he graduated covaledictorian from Watertown High School in his hometown of Oakville, Connecticut. His deep French roots struck a clear cord with him from early on as well, motivating Mr. Barbaret to achieve a bachelors degree in French studies in 1941. Taking a break from his studies, Gene heeded the call to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Upon his return from the war, however, Gene resumed a determined effort to expand upon his roots--transitioning his education to Princeton University and going on to achieve a masters and subsequent doctoral degree in French literature by 1951.

Not one to let knowledge go to waste, Gene brought his specialization back to our home state of Connecticut before obtaining his doctoral in 1949, marking the genesis of a career in sharing his experience as a faculty of the University of Connecticut (UConn). Dr. Barbaret went on to educate French Literature within UConn's Department of Modem and Classical Languages, building a true and personal connection to the University over the course of 40 years. He achieved this not by simply mastering lectures, but also by broadening his perspective alongside the very students he taught. As a professor, he personally oversaw the University's year long study abroad program to France, journeying with certain students across the Atlantic to better understand the international community and our place in it. Dr. Barbaret's impact cannot be understated--throughout his long tenure he came to be recognized with a variety of honors and accolades, eventually even becoming knighted as a chevalier by the French government for his contributions to the nation's culture. As a fondly remembered mentor and a good scholar, multiple scholarship funds were established under the University in his name to stimulate excellence in French.

Dr. Barbaret retired from UConn in 1990 as a revered professor emeritus. Though UConn

will always be his home as his eternal resting place, it should be noted that he engaged in a gregarious retirement, frequently travelling back to his heritage in France as well as other stints within Europe. He never gave up on the affinity for education either, acting as a volunteer teacher at the Donald Bergin Correction Institution, a board member of the Center for Leaming in Retirement, and even initiating a weekly French conversational circle at the Mansfield Senior Center well into his latest years. Dr. Barbaret touched the lives of many who hail from eastern Connecticut.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents as monumental and influential as Gene. His legacy is a lasting and tangible one, having expanded horizons for not only himself, but the lives of thousands of students, colleagues, and friends, While we all mourn his loss, we can at least find solace that his story, memory and purpose lives on in the lives of countless others. Therefore, I find it fitting that we as a institutional body set his name and character further into stone. I ask that the entire House join me in recognizing the life of Dr. Gene Barbaret and never forgetting that the best educators--and by extension leaders--never end their quest of learning.

Madam Speaker I rise today to honor the career of a consummate public servant--Chief Michael Surprenant of the Plainfield Police Department. A dedicated law enforcement officer, Chief Surprenant has served the town of Plainfield and the 2nd Congressional District for over two decades. His tenure as Chief began in 2012 replacing Robert Hoffman, another role model of public service. His character, dedication to the department, and unwavering professionalism made him an ideal candidate for the role.

Over the past nine years, Michael has ushered in a new era for the department. Not only fighting for the safety and wellbeing of so many in his town, but fighting for the betterment of the department, making sure our first responders, who put their lives on the line every day, are given the encouragement and equipment they are rightfully due. Michael has always put his officers before himself and as leader of the force has never had an officer sustain a serious injury or fatality--a record for which he should be truly proud. Working as an officer through some of the most perilous moments in our nation's history--9/ 11, Sandy Hook, and other domestic incidents--Michael has remained steadfast and composed in ensuring that the department was trained and prepared to tackle various threats at a moment's notice.

With Michael's years of experience as a patrol office, deputy chief, graduate of the FBI's National Academy, and recipient of the Medal of Excellence--Michael has been a beacon of wisdom within the department. Michael has strived to be a police chief that prioritized the wellbeing and safety of his residents above all else and has gone above and beyond to ensure that the department had the resources it needed. Michael has served as a role model for his fellow officers and has truly led by example, and I am certain that his civic dedication will continue into the next chapter of his life.

While Michael's retirement is bittersweet, we know that he has groomed only the best to take his place. Madam Speaker, fellow colleagues--I ask you to join me in honoring Michael's 25 years of service to the State of Connecticut and our nation, and in wishing him, his wife Kristyn, and their twin boys Jefferey and Luke--a safe and happy future.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2020, a measure which sets policy for the folks who wear the uniform of this country.

The U.S. Congress has actually passed a defense authorization act every year for the last 57 years. This year, if we all continue to work together, we can make it 58 years running.

Again, this is a measure which sets everything from military pay--a 3.1 percent pay raise for the military, the largest pay increase in the last 10 years--to setting the ground rules for military acquisition, whether it is recapitalizing our Navy or buying the new F-35 planes for the Air Force. It is a large, sprawling bill which covers, again, all aspects of U.S. defense policy for the upcoming year.

Included in this measure was an amendment that I offered for which, on Friday evening, the Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America issued a strong statement of support in the wake of passage of the bill.

What my amendment did is it offset a policy decision that was made in July of 2018 by the Trump administration which cut off the ability of long-serving members of the military to transfer their GI Bill educational benefits to a spouse or dependent. Again, the IAVA, which TIME Magazine has described as the most important organization representing a new generation of veterans--what my amendment did was it eliminated what IAVA described as a shortsighted policy change announced by the Department of Defense in July 2015, which would have limited transferability to servicemembers with less than 16 years of Active-Duty service and excluded servicemembers who had served for nearly the entirety of the war on terror.

In 2008, we changed the GI bill, recognizing, again, that we have an all-volunteer force and that the GI Bill, which goes back to Franklin Roosevelt signing it 75 years ago, had deteriorated over time. We restored the value of the educational benefit, and we created, for the first time, the ability of a servicemember to transfer, on a one-time basis only, the educational benefit to a spouse or child.

Again, what this did was it took the burden of those who were serving particularly long periods of time in our military at great economic sacrifices the ability to at least take one family member's educational benefits for higher education.

Again, my amendment, which was part of the bill that passed last Friday night, would restore the full intent of the Congress in 2008 and reverse the Trump administration's decision to cut off that transferability, which was issued last July.

Again, we still have work to do. We have a conference to build with the Senate, and we, obviously, have to get it to the President for signature. We have done it for 57 straight years, and we should make it 58 this year by passing the 2020 NDAA bill.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Mr. Speaker, there are also things happening over at the U.S. Department of Education regarding higher education which are of great concern.

On Thursday, the American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Washington, D.C., basically asking the court to rule that the Department's foot-dragging in terms of discharging student loan debt through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program has got to come to an end.

In 2007, we passed the College Class Reduction Act which set up a mechanism for those who serve in critical public service occupations, such as teaching, nurses, doctors, police, prosecutors, social workers, veterinarians, and people who work in nonprofit organizations. If they make their student loan payments consistently over a 10-year period, under the College Class Reduction Act, they could apply for a discharge of the balance of their student loan, recognizing that these are people who are going into occupations for which the payment of student loan debt can be too onerous.

So, 2007 was the year that this program was supposed to kick into effect. As the Government Accountability Office determined, since that period--and these are our figures from 2019--7,555 borrowers have submitted applications to have their loans discharged. Only 864 have been approved, and only 516 borrowers, less than 1 percent, have had their loans forgiven.

Again, the loan servicers working for the Department of Education, as determined by GAO, are giving bad information and are not crediting the monthly loan payments that teachers and nurses and others have been faithfully making, relying on this program. They built their employment history around the opportunity, knowing that that student loan debt could be discharged.

Again, what we are seeing are shocking figures from the Department of Education that have not followed through and implemented this law.

Not a great surprise to those of us on the Committee on Education and Labor because the Trump administration, for the last 3 years, has submitted budgets that would eliminate the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

We have to change this administration's policies toward higher education. We did it on Friday, and we have to do it with public service loan forgiveness to reward the good guys, the people who are out there doing critical work for our Nation.

Mr. Chair, again, I just want to join my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), and I look forward to working with him in the conference committee to make sure that that question is resolved.

Both of us understand the issue and, again, I look forward to a satisfactory result, which would make the real gist of the amendment move forward, which is to make sure we have cable ship capacity to protect our Nation.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

As chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, I believe this bill invests in critical priorities for our Nation in a new era of great power competition.

On seapower, we responsibly scrubbed the portions of the President's budget request under our jurisdiction and identified savings that allow us to smartly provide for the ships, aircraft, and capabilities our Nation needs.

This bill authorizes a $22 billion shipbuilding budget to construct 11 battle force ships, including three Virginia-class submarines, three Arleigh Burke destroyers, one frigate, one LPD amphibious ship, one T- AO oiler, and two salvage and rescue ships.

Also, this bill will statutorily reverse the administration's baffling decision to cancel refueling the carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which would have squandered $538 million of sunk costs already paid for by the American taxpayers.

Additionally, on sealift, we translated the urgent testimony from leaders at MARAD into real action by legislating a long-term reauthorization of the Maritime Security Program, creating a new tanker security program to secure our military's fuel supply, and establishing a new-build domestic sealift vessel program.

This bill also provides strong support for our projection forces, including the KC-46 tanker, the B-21 long-range bomber, and the B-52 re-engining program.

Outside of seapower, the full committee worked hard to improve quality of life for servicemembers and their families. I am pleased that my amendment at committee is included in this bill, which reverses last year's callous DOD order blocking longer term servicemembers' ability to transfer their GI Bill benefits to eligible dependents.

This mark would not have been possible without the work of my friend and ranking member, Rob Wittman; our subcommittee staff, Phil MacNaughton, Dave Sienicki, and Megan Handal; and all our subcommittee members, particularly our new members, and their contributions to this year's bill.

Overall, I am confident that the bill we will vote on later this week, which had significant bipartisan input, will meet the pressing needs of the sea services and protection forces and provide a historic boost of quality of life that our All-Volunteer Force deserves. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this legislation when it comes to a vote Friday.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment numbered 35 to Division A of H.R. 3055 to direct the National Institutes of Standards and Technologies to establish standards for pyrrhotite in concrete aggregate. Pyrrhotite is a mineral that unfortunately has been mixed into concrete aggregate and is widespread in concrete foundations and residential commercial municipal buildings in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and parts of Quebec, Canada, that after exposure to moisture, causes the material to premature crumbling and collapse because of rusting.

Estimates are as high as thousands of structures in the New England region are affected with crumbling foundations, causing catastrophic losses to homeowners and municipalities. By establishing standards for pyrrhotite content, NIST could mitigate the problem from occurring in other areas, or at least reduce the costs of mitigation.

Right now, any level of pyrrhotite is considered a cancer on a property and makes it unmarketable. This amendment would allocate $4 million from the NIST general operations funds towards pyrrhotite research, which my office and others have been discussing over the last year. The amendment would require NIST to research the best testing methods for pyrrhotite detection, as well as to develop a pyrrhotite risk rating scale. This amendment would utilize the world's leading researchers to mitigate the cost of this problem. In addition, my amendment requests that NIST work with leading academic institutions in this area to expedite this research process--including expediting the procurement process for obtaining concrete samples, should NIST need to utilize core samples containing pyrrhotite to conduct this research.

I urge adoption of this en-bloc package, and I want to thank Mr. Aderholt and Mr. Serrano for their kind support for this measure.

Mr. Chair, I rise as the designee of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin), and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this bipartisan amendment to protect Plum Island, which is being offered by Mr. Zeldin of New York, myself, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Tom Suozzi, who also represents a portion of Long Island.

Plum Island is a unique ecological treasure situated between eastern Long Island Sound and the Connecticut shoreline. It is the home of over 200 bird species and countless rare plant species, including the northernmost known extent of the blackjack oak species.

Our amendment today is simple. It prevents the General Services Administration from using Federal dollars for sale or marketing activities related to Plum Island.

In 2008, over a decade ago, Congress mandated the public sale of Plum Island, with proceeds intended to partially offset a new Bio and Agro- Defense Facility in the State of Kansas. This law dictated that GSA must sell the island to the highest bidder. Transferring it to another Federal entity or nonprofit was not an option, which is normally the way that property such as this is disposed of in other cases.

The statutory requirement enacted in 2008 was flawed and short- circuits the GSA's usual process of finding potential other Federal uses for the land or nonprofits to take custody of the land before an auction.

My colleague from across Long Island Sound, Congressman Lee Zeldin, and I have introduced several measures to slow down or block the sale of Plum Island, which has been strongly supported by environmental and conservancy groups on both sides of Long Island Sound.

In the past several Congresses, the House has voted unanimously to help our effort only to, unfortunately, have it stall in the Senate.

We have worked with Congresswoman DeLauro, also, to have language included in the Homeland Security appropriations bill that may come

up later this summer that would further prevent the sale of Plum Island.

We have been working in a bipartisan manner to save this ecological treasure, Plum Island, for over a decade.

Mr. Chair, this amendment would help protect this ecological treasure from overdevelopment and destruction, and I want to thank the ranking member and Mr. Quigley for their support in allowing this matter to make it through the Rules Committee.

Mr. Chair, I strongly urge all Members to support this amendment, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on June 11 of this month, the House Education and Labor Committee reported out legislation, H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Healthcare and Social Service Workers Act. Mr. Speaker, this is a culmination and a milestone of a 7-year process that began in 2013.

Like many Members of Congress, I have been hearing about stories of rising violence in emergency rooms, ambulances, and treatment facilities to nurses, doctors, and nurses aides that showed a disturbing trend.

One such case was Helene Andrews, a registered nurse from Danbury, Connecticut, who was assaulted multiple times during her career. Shortly before she retired, while she was dispensing medication to a patient, she was thrown to the floor and her pelvis was shattered.

In 2013, former Congressman George Miller of California and I requested a report from the Government Accountability Office to dig deeper to determine how pervasive this violence is and what strategies are at our disposal to reverse this trend. The report, which was completed in 2016, found that workers in healthcare facilities experienced substantially higher rates of nonfatal injuries due to violence in the workplace compared to workers overall.

Between 2006 and 2016, there was a 70 percent increase in violent incidents that occurred in healthcare and social service workplaces that resulted in employees being away from work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and social service workers are nearly five times more likely to suffer a serious injury from workplace violence than workers in other settings.

Up to 30 percent of hospital workers report being assaulted at work. For employees in psych hospitals, that number is drastically higher. Nearly 50 percent of emergency room physicians have been physically assaulted at work, and 80 percent report that this violence affects patient care.

Despite these alarming statistics, we know that violence against this workforce is, in fact, grossly underreported. Many medical professionals are discouraged from reporting incidents, fear further stigmatizing patients, or are just told: ``Move on. Shake it off. It is part of the job.''

Mr. Speaker, during the course of work on this legislation, we actually heard from the Cleveland Clinic in northeast Ohio, which is one of the largest healthcare networks in America. The CEO of Cleveland Clinic, Tom Mihaljevic, gave his 2019 state of the clinic address, where he described that there is a national epidemic of violence against healthcare workers, especially in emergency room departments. Last year alone, nearly 30,000 weapons were confiscated from patients and visitors in that healthcare network. At the time we did the markup, one of the members of our committee actually expressed disbelief that, in fact, that statistic was accurate.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter I supplied to Congresswoman Foxx at the end of last week citing Mr. Mihaljevic's report, which was a YouTube that is easily found, as well as an article from Modern Healthcare, which quoted this amazing and astonishing statistic.

Congress of the United States,

2nd District, CT, June 21, 2019.

Rep. Virginia Foxx,

Ranking Member, Committee on Education

and Labor, Washington, DC.

Dear Ranking Member Foxx: During our June 11th mark up of

H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care

and Social Service Workers Act you questioned the veracity of

a statement I made regarding the high number of weapons

confiscated from patients and visitors at the Cleveland

Clinic in 2018. The number I cited, 30,000, is indeed

alarming. It is also accurate, and further evidence that

health care and social service workers require enforceable

protections to limit potential violence against them at their

place of work.

During the mark up, you asked publicly that I verify this

statistic, so I would like to share with you two resources

which confirm that 30,000 weapons were confiscated from the

Cleveland Clinic's Northeast Ohio facilities in 2018.

In Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Tom Mihaljevic's 2019 ``State

of The Clinic'' address from February 27, 2019, he states:

``there is a national epidemic of violence against health

care workers, especially in emergency departments . . . last

year alone, nearly 30,000 weapons were confiscated from

patients and visitors.'' You can view the address here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOr2UqlNzuY

Additionally, a March 11, 2019 Modern Healthcare article

entitled ``Healthcare workers face violence `epidemic' ''

cites Dr. Mihaljevic's address and reports that ``In 2018,

the clinic confiscated a staggering 30,000 weapons from

patients and visitors in its system in the Northeast Ohio

region.'' The article can be read here: https://tinyurl.com/ y5thhm4r

Given your understandable alarm upon hearing that the tens

of thousands of employees working at these facilities face

daily exposure to violence, I would welcome your support of

H.R. 1309. As you know, violence against this workforce is on

the rise. Both Democratic and Republican OSHA Secretaries

believe an enforceable standard is the best way to reverse

this trend, and this legislation will ensure that happens in

a timely manner.

Thank you,

Joe Courtney.

Mr. Speaker, it is obviously not limited just to the State of Ohio. We know these incidents are preventable.

Since 1996, OSHA has published voluntary guidelines that recommend commonsense preventative measures that employers can take to reduce the risk and severity of violent incidents, and that is what our bill does. It basically requires, through OSHA, that there be a violence prevention plan in healthcare settings.

It is not one size fits all. It recognizes that some facilities are different from others. But, in fact, there has to be a way to train staff to understand patient risk, to understand ways to deescalate violence, and a way to design workforces to reduce the incidence of violence.

In addition, it requires that there be a reporting mechanism to OSHA when these incidents occur. Today, in a hospital, if there is a slip and fall, it must be reported; if there is a chemical leak, it must be reported; but if a nurse is punched, kicked, or spit at, that is not required to be reported, and that is what our bill will do.

The legislation was reported out with a favorable report. We have 187 cosponsors of the legislation. It is bipartisan, and it will be brought up this summer for final action.

We have waited far too long to protect the caregivers, the people in the caring professions which every American relies on and depends on to be healed, consoled, and cared for. Yet it is clear from the GAO report that they are being subjected to incidents of violence which, again, are totally unacceptable and which hinder their ability to do their mission. It is time to pass H.R. 1309.

Again, I applaud the support from the emergency room physicians, the emergency room nurses, and the American Nurses Association, as well as a host of other groups that are affiliated with our healthcare delivery system.

Let's protect the caregivers. Let's pass H.R. 1309.

Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Serrano for yielding.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of amendment No. 35 to direct the National Institute of Standards and Technologies to establish standards for pyrrhotite in concrete aggregate.

Pyrrhotite is a mineral that, unfortunately, has been mixed into concrete aggregate and is widespread in concrete foundations in residential, commercial, and municipal buildings in Connecticut and Massachusetts and parts of Quebec, Canada, that, after exposure to moisture, causes the material to prematurely crumble and collapse because of rusting.

Again, estimates are as high as thousands of structures in the New England region, causing catastrophic losses to homeowners and municipalities.

By establishing standards for pyrrhotite content, NIST could mitigate the problem from occurring in other areas, or at least reducing the costs of mitigation. Right now, any level of pyrrhotite is considered a cancer on a property and makes it unmarketable.

This amendment would allocate $4 million from the NIST's general operations toward pyrrhotite research, which my office and others have been discussing over the last year, and would require NIST to research best testing methods for pyrrhotite detection as well as developing a pyrrhotite risk rating scale. This amendment would utilize the world's leading researchers to mitigate the cost of this problem.

I urge adoption of the en bloc, and again, I want to thank Mr. Aderholt and Mr. Serrano for their kind support of this measure.