Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, I missed Roll Call votes 582 through 584 on the Rule providing for Consideration of the Senate Amendment to H. Con. Res. 71-- Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Govermnent for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 20l9 throught 2027. Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted: Nay on Roll Call vote 582 on the motion on ordering the previous question on the rule; Nay on Roll Call vote 583 on agreeing to H. Res. 580; and Yea on Roll Call vote 584 on the journal vote

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, September 28, 2017, I missed Roll Call vote 543 on H.R. 2792, the Control Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017. Had I been present for this vote, I would have voted Nay on Roll Call vote 543.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, September 14, 2017, I was unfortunately not present for Roll Call votes 516 through 529 in order to attend the memorial service for a dear friend who passed away. If I had been present for these votes, I would have voted:

Yay on Roll Call vote 516 on the motion to recommit with instructions;

Nay on Roll Call vote 517 on passage of the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act (H.R. 3697);

Nay on Roll Call vote 518 on agreeing to the amendment no. 192;

Nay on Roll Call vote 519 on agreeing to the amendment no. 195;

Yay on Roll Call vote 520 on agreeing to the amendment no. 196;

Yay on Roll Call vote 521 on agreeing to the amendment no. 199;

Yay on Roll Call vote 522 on agreeing to the amendment no. 200;

Yay on Roll Call vote 523 on agreeing to the amendment no. 201;

Nay on Roll Call vote 524 on agreeing to the amendment no. 204;

Nay on Roll Call vote 525 on agreeing to the amendment no. 207;

Yay on Roll Call vote 526 on agreeing to the amendment no. 223;

Yay on Roll Call vote 527 on the motion to recommit with instructions;

Nay on Roll Call vote 528 on passage of H.R. 3354; and

Yay on Roll Call vote 529 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act (H.R. 3284) as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record remarks made by the Reverend Stephen W. Camp at the Be the Light Interfaith Candle Lighting Vigil at Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, CT on August 23, 2017.

The Reverend Stephen W. Camp, M.Div., Senior Pastor, Faith

Congregational Church of Hartford, CT

``The prophetic voice Maya Angelou once said, `I've learned

that people will forget what you have said; people will

forget what you did, but people will never forget how you

made them feel.'

America was sent a message recently, a message that America

rarely feels as deeply. As America watched the unfolding

story centered in the little sleepy college town in Virginia.

it was forced to feel, the kind of feeling that one never

forgets. It was reminiscent of Selma and ``Bloody Sunday.''

It brought to mind Birmingham with the dog and fire hoses; it

reminded America of the open hostility and defiance of a

George Wallace. As America watched in recent days, some were

stirred by the memory of ancestors and family members being

marched into ovens, reminded of some of the worst inhumanity

that our world has produced. The genie, we thought, was back

in the tightly dosed bottle, the monster was locked away in

its cage, but here it was again raring it ugly head, saying,

``I'm not dead yet! America felt pain once again.

For some I'm sure, it simply felt like a scab had been

ripped off an old wound. Still others may have thought these

days were behind us, a past just-as-soon forgotten. But lest

we forget, lest we ignore for even a moment--this pain rooted

in forced Indian reservations and the buying and selling of

human beings, lest we forget, it will surely surface and seek

to cause havoc and pain until it is faced and fixed. The

events of late teach all of us, as if any had doubt; that

America is not healed yet. The work is not done. It seems

just yesterday that Jewish cemeteries were vandalized, or

just the other day that terrorist bombed a mosque or burned

churches in the south. Were they just isolated incidents? No,

but somehow they connected us and called us to feel, to be

awake, to be alert--to mobilize for good. And here we are

again.

Charlottesville conjured up old feelings. Many who marched

in Charlottesville that day, as we watched, most of us glued

to the television, as they boldly marched, unhooded this

time, khaki wearing white men, with their contorted angry

faces, and carrying tiki torches, trying it seemed to

desperately symbolize their power, their might, but only

succeeding to pull back the scab and memory of historic

oppression, failing to offer even a flickering of light, and

of peace. We watched with sadness while they shouted hateful

words and embodied a most detestable part of the American

mosaic, frankly, only making many of us remember and feel the

acute sickness that is still a part of America. For those who

marched with counter intent, with ``never again'' etched upon

their hearts, with ``non-violent direct action'' embedded in

their spirit, many of them young people who have gotten the

lessons that many of us who are older have tried to teach. So

many counteracted and confronted, they stood tall and whether

we liked it or not, they stood their ground and they gave us

hope that one day the pain would give way to promise.

We can take heart, because through them we knew that ``we

shall indeed, overcome.'' But dearly, we have not yet reached

that Promised Land. We have not yet fully embraced the place

that Dr. King and Rabbi Hershel who marched arm in arm tried

to show and to teach us. We haven't yet felt how Malcom who

epitomized both the hope and the worry of the movement for

justice, worry that integrity in the movement would be

comprised given the times they were in, yet united with a

yearning to taste real freedom for all. All of them

understood that justice had a cost attached to it. However,

we still haven't learned yet, how to include all the voices,

sit with all the pain, open and feel all of the diverse ways

we are together, but there is hope shining through, maybe

given the Boston event, that we will get there. The beloved

community will one day be! Think of the blueprint that was

left to us, the light that was given and passed to us, as

they each in their own ways, gave their lives to pass on to

us, a real hope for a better tomorrow.

What I guess Charlottesville has challenged me to do, is to

keep singing songs of justice, keep speaking words of peace.

The challenge is to sing a new song in this often strange

land, this place where America is still striving to form a

more perfect union, this place where free speech should

always be celebrated, must always be protected, but never

allowed by any to be abused. We are called to sing together

the words of peace, the words of hope, sing so as to feel

that hope and that peace until it is never forgotten, until

it is so deeply felt that no one is left behind without voice

or value.

So we come together again, gathered by the many ways God

gathers us, we come together to sing even when we may not

feel like singing, sing even though the words may not always

be dear to us or the language understood by everyone is not

plain. We come together to share words of peace, even when it

seems the world is bent upon acts of violent expression. We

come together knowing that love trumps hate, that without

love and hope we perish, so we hope, we believe and work for

a better day.

Maya Angelou was right, people will never forget--when it

is felt. It is our work, to help each other feel the presence

of peace. It's our work to care for one another, to bind up

those who are broken, to repair the world and make the world

a just place for all. This is our work to feel, not the hate

that some would have us feel, but to offer a binding,

sustaining and enduring feeling that builds community and

opens hearts to know and feel that another world is possible.

It is there, don't you feel it, can't you see it? It is

there, just over the horizon. Let's go there together! Thank

you.''

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague for being stellar in this, in leading the fight in the State of Connecticut and in joining the Connecticut General Assembly in that effort. I thank Congressman Courtney for his diligence in this effort.

Mr. Chair, in less than a minute, I want to thank the chairman and I also want to thank the ranking member for their support in what is a critical issue to the citizens of the State of Connecticut. I want to thank Representative Courtney for spearheading this effort in the State of Connecticut, along with a young State senator named Timothy D. Larson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Walter Harrison, who retired as the president of the University of Hartford on June 30, 2017 after serving in that position for 19 years. In his time as president, the University of Hartford has truly flourished. Under his leadership, UHart has grown by leaps and bounds through increased enrollment, continued academic success, new academic programs and centers, and major renovations to campus facilities. He leaves the university as a place with a national reputation as a renowned academic institution.

Walt is first and foremost an educator and a scholar of American literature and culture. A native of Pittsburgh, he first came to Connecticut to study at Trinity College in Hartford where he received his bachelor's degree. He then went on to earn a master's degree from the University of Michigan and his doctorate from the University of California--Davis. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served as an officer.

During his time as chair of the NCAA's Committee on Academic Performance, he became one of the nation's most influential voices on higher education and collegiate athletics. He has always been a champion on behalf of student-athletes and ensuring that collegiate athletics are always a part of an enriching academic experience. This culminated with Walt's receipt of the NCAA's Gerald R. Ford Award.

Walt has not only been an extraordinary leader of the university, but has been a pillar of the Greater Hartford community. That can be seen in the two magnet schools opened by the university under his tenure and through his service on the boards of the Hartford Stage, St. Francis Hospital, MetroHartford Alliance, Suffield Academy, Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, and the Connecticut Science Center. Walt has contributed immensely to the fabric of our civic culture.

I am proud to call Walt a friend. Anyone who knows Walt knows that he is a passionate baseball fan, particularly of his Pittsburgh Pirates. His doctoral dissertation was on baseball's influence on the nation's culture and he is the most knowledgeable baseball fan that one will ever meet. I wish him the best in retirement and I hope he takes his newfound free time to enjoy his family and to finally visit every big league ballpark.

I would like to submit for the Record the undergraduate and graduate commencement addresses delivered on Walter's last graduation ceremonies as president by my colleagues, Congresswoman Mia Love of Utah and Congressman Richard Neal of Massachusetts, two proud UHart alumni.

the honorable mia love

It is wonderful to be with you all today. It is great to be

back to a place filled with so many memories. My mind has

been racing back to places and spaces on this campus; to so

many lessons learned, and to so many people who made a

difference in my life. My time here as a student stretched

me, strengthened me, and positioned me to recognize

opportunities so I can rise to my full potential.

One of those amazing faculty members who challenged me to

rise was Peter Flint. He was our teacher and sadly, he passed

away far too soon--but he is forever a part of my life and

the lives of those who were blessed by his vision and

direction. Peter had a motto for those of us in musical

theater. He had us memorize it--but more importantly he

challenged us to live it.

The motto said, ``I am an artist. These are my emotions and

I own them. And I like them. My talent comes from something

other than myself, but I alone am responsible for it. I will

dare to be bad, so that I may be good. I am an artist. I am

that I am.''

Peter continually challenged us to rise. He gave us the

courage to know it was ok to be bad in the beginning and that

working through the bad was the only way to rise to the good

and ultimately to the best we had within us. Above all, Peter

expected us to take responsibility and ownership for our

talents and gifts.

Winston Churchill said it this way, ``To each there comes .

. . a special moment when we are figuratively tapped on the

shoulder and offered the chance to do something very special,

unique to our talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds us

unwilling, unprepared or unqualified for that which could

have been their finest hour.'' The great question you will

face in the days and years ahead is this, ``Am I prepared to

rise in such moments?'' I hope you consider today, graduation

day, the first step to accepting taps on the shoulder that

will lead you to a lifetime of fine hours as you rise to the

full measure of your potential.

Two things for you to keep in mind as you get ready to

rise.

First your ability to rise will be bolstered or shackled by

your ability to engage in elevated dialogue. It may seem

crazy for a member of Congress to be talking about elevated

dialogue--but I believe it is the key to all of our finest

hours. As a nation, as individuals, and as communities we

must get comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. We

cannot rise if we are constantly spewing divisive and

demonizing rhetoric. It is so tempting to melt-down someone's

twitter feed or blow up their Facebook page with anger-filled

words of frustration. Someone wisely said, ``Speak in anger

and you will give the best speech you ever live to regret.''

Even if it's sharing a virtual speech on social media--the

result is the same. Remember this, moments captured are

forever and friends keep friends off YouTube. The solution to

any problem begins when someone says, ``Let's talk about

it.'' We have a long way to go as country--but it starts with

each of us individually being willing to have an elevated

conversation about the challenges of our day. It is

impossible to rise without being comfortable and confident in

higher dialogue.

Second, remember that your goal is to rise with, not over,

others. There is an old Scottish saying, ``Thee lift me and

I'll lift thee and together we'll ascend.'' Sadly our society

tells us more and more that we should just look out for

number one and not worry about anyone else.

My dad came to this country with $10 in his pocket in an

attempt to rise above the poverty and strife of his native

Haiti. Through grit and determination he and my mom provided

me, and my siblings, the opportunity to rise in pursuit of

our own version of the American dream.

I will always remember the day my dad dropped me off here

on campus on orientation day. He was so excited and giddy as

if he were the one ready to start the adventure on campus,

away from home. At one point he became serious as he looked

me in the eye and said, ``Mia, your mom and I have worked

hard to get us to this point today. You will not be a burden

to society, You will give back. You will contribute. You will

make a difference for others.'' What he was telling me is

that it was part of my responsibility not only to rise

myself, but to bring others along with me. Just as he had

done with me.

I will confess that stepping onto this campus that day the

thought of being a mayor, a mother or a member of congress

were not remotely in my mind. But when I stepped off of this

campus, as each of you will today, I was ready to rise to new

roles, responsibilities and opportunities. Each of those

roles has given me an opportunity to learn, to engage in

elevated dialogue and help others rise to their potential.

You are the rising generation. You are the leaders, not

just for tomorrow, but for today.

Today I challenge you to raise your sight, not just your

status, as you enter the workforce and a world desperately in

need of your energy, talent and commitment.

Remember the second half of Churchill's statement about

those taps on the shoulder and those opportunities to rise.

There is one more quote I'd like to share, by a man named

John Greenleaf Whittier. He wrote, ``Of all sad words of

tongue or pen, the saddest are these: `It might have been.'

''

Guys, we cannot accept ``what might have been.'' It is a

haunting horrible phrase. Fifty years from now you will have

far more regrets about the opportunities you didn't take, the

mountains you did not climb and the adventures you did not

pursue than you will ever have for opportunities you took--

even when you tried and failed.

When we fail to continuously learn--we will be left to live

with what might have been.

When we fail to engage in elevated dialogue in our homes,

communities, and places of employment--we will be left to

live with what might have been.

When we fail to lift others as we ourselves rise--we will

be left to live with what might have been.

A few years ago my family and I were at an event in our

community. There was a large hot-air balloon there as part of

the fun. An opportunity arose for me to go up in the balloon.

As I approached they told me to bring one of my children

along for the ride. I called to my son Peyton, who was 7

years old, to come jump in the basket with me. He hesitated

and resisted. The balloon was ready to launch and we couldn't

wait for Peyton to decide so I called to my daughter Abi who

jumped in and off we went. After rising in the crisp, cool

air and enjoying the amazing view of my district in Utah we

started our return to the ground. As we began to descend the

winds picked up and let's just say the landing was a bit of

an adventure. Peyton had watched all the fun from the ground.

As we got out of the basket he came running over shouting

that he was ready for his turn. Unfortunately with the now

windy conditions, the balloon had to stay on the ground.

The opportunity to rise and soar in the sky came and was

gone.

I took Peyton aside and told him to remember this

experience. Because in life, especially here in America, if

you don't take an opportunity--it quickly passes and you

never know if it will--come back. Presented with

opportunity--we must rise to the occasion.

Graduates--your experiences on campus have given you a view

from higher up. Remember those experiences--remember what it

felt like to gain that new perspective, understand that new

knowledge, ace that test, master that new skill or maximize

your talent. So that when life knocks you down--and surely it

will--you will get back up because you know what it takes to

rise.

So my challenge to each of you is the same one I make to my

colleagues in Congress--create opportunities every day for

yourself, for those you love, and for good people everywhere

to rise.

To you graduates I say --You got this. This is your tap on

the shoulder. This is your time. These are your days--Rise.

University of Hartford Graduate Keynote Address, May 20, 2017

the Honorable Richard Neal

Good morning President Harrison, President-Designate

Woodward, parents, friends and guests. And of course the

graduate school class of 2017. I am so honored to speak at

University of Hartford's 60th Commencement Address. For me,

it is a homecoming.

Looking around campus and at the students and faculty

brings back fond memories of when I studied here for my

Master's degree. For my first year, I worked in the Mayor of

Springfield's office during the day and went to school at

night. The second year, I went to school as a full time day

student. The education I received here allowed me to serve as

a lecturer at UMass Amherst and other institutions for the

last 28 years.

The faculty certainly deserves special recognition. You

blend your experience and teaching talents to help students

reach their potential. As I have always said, when you reach

your potential, your potential expands.

I applaud you for pushing students to rely on facts and

listen closely to both sides of an argument. You encourage

students to be curious and examine evidence while at the same

time, discourage them from insulating themselves from

opposing views. It is admirable and critical at a time when

many students and activists refuse to hear both sides of an

argument. The university is not the place for the incurious!

As a graduate student, your professors expected more from

your writing, presentations and papers. In turn, you had to

ensure your work and arguments were backed up with facts, not

opinions.

Since the beginning of this Congressional session, the

House Ways and Means Committee, of which I am the leading

Democrat, has been at the heart of almost every major public

policy debate about issues that directly impact our nation's

economy, including: health care, tax, trade, and Social

Security. My Committee colleagues on both sides of the aisle

rely on facts and ensure we take time to listen to both sides

of each argument. And like me, my colleagues think it is

important to talk in complete sentences and give thought to

something before we say anything. There is very little

substantive thought and analysis that can be done in 140

characters or less.

Thanks to the education I received at University of

Hartford and the support of its great faculty members, it

taught me to think critically and prepared me to be the new

Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee. As a child

who was raised by my aunt and grandmother on Social Security

Survivor Benefits, the fact that I am standing here today

having accomplished as much as I have is in due part to the

great education I received throughout my lifetime.

As you move forward in your careers or toward your next

degree, it is imperative you keep a critical eye on facts.

Because today more than ever, facts should count. And not be

seen as decorations to clever arguments.

Unfortunately, today facts are hazy or simply non-existent.

The 24 hour news cycle creates a constant race to get news

out before anyone else.

And often, facts are cast aside and ``infotainment'' takes

over--entertainment is more and more disguised as news. News

should not be entertaining, especially in today's political

environment. Opinions draw ratings and provide a ripe

environment for fake news to thrive.

Merriam Webster Dictionary is headquartered in Springfield,

Massachusetts. They have become the referee in this new-aged

news cycle-having to point out what words are being used

correctly and when they simply are not. Who would have ever

thought ``bigly'' would become part of our political

vernacular?

Fake news is not based on fact, instead reflects the ``only

if you agree with me'' mentality. This is a dangerous

precedent. As we saw at Middlebury and Berkley earlier this

year, the social media mob can disrupt a campus. It reflects

the common misperception that you are entitled to your own

set of opinions, but not your own set of facts. The

university must remain the citadel of free speech and

thought.

A former Clinton official recently said UC Berkley made a

``grave mistake'' when they originally cancelled an

appearance earlier this year by a conservative commentator.

These two people agree on almost nothing, but both fiercely

defend the first amendment. Why? Because cancelling events

like this sets the stage for a slippery slope towards

dismantling the first amendment. A similar situation happened

at Middlebury--student backlash in response to a conservative

speaker sparked violence and other inappropriate behavior.

Men and women in masks are inimical to representative

democracy.

This goes to exactly what I am talking about. Cancelling

events like this lacerate the first amendment. Many students

like free speech--but only if they agree with the issue. When

our founding fathers wrote the constitution, they didn't

include an asterisk next to the first amendment that said

``except if I don't agree with you.'' Students could have had

an opportunity to hear a view different than their own, and

used the experience to further develop and challenge their

own fact based analytical thinking.

Biased news does not benefit anyone. Instead, it creates a

toxic environment that breeds misinformation, anger, paranoia

and stifles compromise and dialogue.

My staff knows not to even ask me if I will go on cable TV

shows because the answer is always no. It is guaranteed to be

filled with inflammatory language that is more focused on

finding conflict than understanding the facts. It becomes

incoherent!

Experience informs our judgement. It is critical for

students to engage with people with whom you don't agree. It

shapes your experience and ultimately your judgement. That's

how I informed myself. I read articles and publications that

may not agree with my opinion. I talk to those across the

aisle. I meet and listen to constituents from all walks of

life. And I always leave knowing more than I did when I

walked in. It's all about broadening your scope. Democracy is

supposed to be noisy.

Backlash at Berkley and Middlebury both point to how the

first amendment is put at risk--those who think free speech

is fine and safe until they are offended and in turn refuse

to hear or even allow other opinions to have the opportunity

to share their side of the story. The first amendment is the

cornerstone of our constitutional system--the first amendment

guarantees a second opinion.

How did we get here? Well one reason is the passage of

time. I am a child of the 1960s. Younger people played a

critical role in the civil rights movement and were focused

on ending discrimination. As time has passed and the central

figures of the 1960's have aged, the younger generation and

organizations that have historically focused on civil rights

have readjusted their focus to economic justice. While not to

belittle economic justice, unfortunately, free speech and

nonpartisanship have fallen by the wayside.

How do we get back to a place where free speech is not only

protected and guaranteed, but can flourish? One simple,

important first step: listen. I was recently asked how I

engage with younger people. The answer was easy--the same way

I engage with anyone--I listen. Today, we talk too much and

don't listen enough. We care more about our phones and

posting information rather than listening. So much can be

gained from listening--it generates thoughtful discussion,

shows you care, expands your horizon, and often leads to new

ideas and compromise.

I am certainly not saying this is easy. It's uncomfortable,

but ultimately, it is an important step to protect free

speech. The closing of the American mind is not helpful to

growing democracy.

Columnist and Harvard Professor Cass R. Sunstein put it

well in a recent Boston Herald opinion piece. He talked about

the energy that goes into protests and encouraged students to

think through how their actions and protests will ultimately

help people rather than looking inward at college life.

As complex as things are today, facts are more important

than ever. I challenge you to expand your potential, engage

with people with opposing views, and take time to examine

evidence to protect facts and discourage fake news. All of

these actions ultimately protect the cornerstone of our

democracy the first amendment.

Thank you President Harrison, President-Designate Woodward

and the entire University of Hartford community.

Congratulations on behalf of the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, on Friday, July 28, 2017, I was not present for rollcall votes 437 and 438. If I had been present for these votes, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 437 and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 438.

Madam Speaker, while I put up a couple of charts here, the most noticeable one is I want to make everybody aware that tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. we will unveil ACTION, a call to national service. It will be carried live streaming on YouTube tomorrow morning, May 25, at 9 a.m.

The first poster that I have up here is of General McChrystal. Tomorrow morning, John Lewis, Doris Matsui, Joe Kennedy, our Senate lead Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island, and General McChrystal, among others, will be at our bill introduction and rollout.

General McChrystal has said that we need to create a culture of service, where we are all vested in our Nation's future and feel a shared sense of responsibility not only to our Nation, but to each other.

General McChrystal also said, as was outlined in The Atlantic Monthly, that you don't have to wear a military uniform to serve your country. But certainly wearing a military uniform in serving your country is an honor, and we commend those men and women who serve for what they do for our country. But many among them, including reservists and the National Guard, are not often eligible for the GI Bill, yet they have done tours of duty and served their Nation extraordinarily well.

This Monday, Memorial Day, would be the 100th birthday of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. It is hard to believe that so youthful, so vital, so gracious, so eloquent, and so charismatic a leader was taken from us at such a young age. Yet it was he who gave us this great vision when, in his inaugural address, he said to the citizens of this country: ``In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround this globe.

``Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, `rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation'--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.''

Kennedy was speaking of the Nation when he said: ``Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind?''

Then he said to all Americans: ``Will you join in that historic effort?''

``And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.''

What we propose in this legislation tomorrow we are rolling out is that what you can do for your country is serve it. Whether in the military, the Reserves, or the National Guard, or whether in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, or VISTA, you can serve your country; and what your country can do for you in return is to help you get through college and pay off your debt that you have incurred.

Rise with us, America, and join us tomorrow as we go on the march and make sure that, in the legacy of President Kennedy, we continue to move this Nation forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about national service. I am delighted, as you can see from these posters, to be standing next to President Kennedy and General McChrystal.

Many of you may know that this Monday, Memorial Day, May 29, would be the 100th birthday of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. What better way to remember his legacy than by a call to national service, a call that has been echoed by General McChrystal as well. I love the headline that says: You don't have to wear a military uniform to serve your country.

President Kennedy came up with the idea of the Peace Corps at a time when we faced nuclear threats and rising concern of proliferation of nuclear arms; at a time when Russia, as it still is today, was a very strong enemy of the United States. President Kennedy felt that the United States needed to put their best face on for the rest of the world, so he established a Peace Corps and sent the brightest and best all across the globe so that they could represent the values of this great country of ours. What better way to do that than through serving your country, by making sure you are not asking what your country can do for you but what you, in fact, can do for your country.

We are proposing a concept called ACTION for National Service, action so that we can encourage people throughout the country to participate in voluntary service. Whether you serve in the military voluntarily, the Guard or the National Reserve, or whether it is the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA, or you are part of the Corporation for National and Community Service and one of the many agencies that work to provide a better world both here at home and abroad.

Our goal is very simple and direct. We want to make sure, as General McChrystal has outlined, that by 2026, which would be the 250th birthday of this Nation, that we have a million volunteers annually who are coming in to service. We will provide an incentive for people to do so, very clear and simple: If you serve your country, we will help you get through college. If you have been through college and you want to serve your country, if you serve your Nation, we will forgive your college debt.

We know that, in attracting a million people to public service, we can do great good across the globe. We want to make sure that we raise the Corporation for National and Community Service to a Cabinet-level position within the White House. We want to encourage people. More than 400,000 millennials were turned away from serving their country last year. Less than 1 percent of the Nation, including all of our military and the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA combined, account for less than 1 percent of the Nation. How can a nation long survive with a population of 330 million people and less than 1 percent of its countrymen serving this great Nation of ours?

This is a national crisis. At a time when we have to make sure that we are encouraging and nurturing our great democracy, we need our citizens to become more involved. That is why, on Thursday of this week, we are going to be rolling out a bill that will do just that and do so in a manner that will elevate the Corporation for National and Community Service to a Cabinet-level position, create the goal of establishing a million volunteers annually by 2026, incentivizing them to serve so that if you serve your country, we will forgive your debt; or if you serve your country, we will help you go to college or get the kind of training that you need to be a participant while also gaining the knowledge and expertise and the values that come from community service. Join us. We will be live on YouTube Thursday morning at 9 o'clock.

Mr. Speaker, today we are one week away from Memorial Day. On May 29, we will celebrate Memorial Day this year. But this also, remarkably, would be the 100th birthday of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

It is hard to believe when we think of President Kennedy, his youthful vigor, the popular appeal that he had not only in this country and around the world, and forever in our hearts and minds, that vision of grace and dignity and wit and humor and public service and dedication.

It was President Kennedy, of course, who said we will put a man on the Moon and do it within 10 years, and we did it in 9.

Amongst his great legacies, of course, is that President Kennedy founded and was the creator of the Peace Corps. President Kennedy felt in those troubling times when there was the threat of nuclear annihilation, that what we needed to do is send forward America's best, let the world see what America is truly about. So he engaged this great Nation in the effort of sending our brightest and best abroad.

Today, many Americans might be surprised to know that in a nation of more than 330 million people, less than 1 percent--let me repeat that again, less than 1 percent--of the Nation serves in all of our military, including our Reserves and National Guard and in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA, Teach For America, Senior Corps, City Year, and Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has indicated, last year more than 400,000 of your fellow Americans wanted to serve their country, and yet they were turned away because of a lack of financing. Imagine in this day and age, with our budgets coming out, when we know, in fact, from all sources that the volunteerism that is provided more than pays for itself at almost a 4-to-1 clip.

That is why, this Thursday, we are going to drop a bill on national service. It is called ACTION, because that is what this country needs. We find too many Americans who want to serve their nation but are unable to do so, especially those who want to serve in a capacity other than the United States military. So it is up to this Congress to make sure that we provide an alternative to do just that. So we will drop a bill this week and are looking for original cosponsors who will sign on to that bill that says simply this: If you are willing to serve your country in any of those capacities, if you are willing to serve your country, we will help you get a college education. If you have a college education and you have been out looking for a job, and you have been unsuccessful, but you still would like experience and to serve your country, we will pay for that as well. The bottom line: Serve your country, and we will take care of your college debt or help you get to college.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 19th 2017, I was not present for rollcall votes 267 and 268. If I had been present for these votes, I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall vote 267 and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 268.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished Member from Maryland and our distinguished chairman from Virginia for taking up this legislation.

Let me start by thanking so many cosponsors, starting with Peter King and Bill Pascrell, the co-chairs of our Congressional Fire Services Caucus, for their extraordinary work; the sheriff, as I like to refer to David Reichert, who I serve with on the Committee on Ways and Means; and Tim Walz, the chairman of the Congressional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Caucus and ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Amongst the Members who are cosponsors of the bill, many are former first responders as well: Dutch Ruppersberger, former police officer; John Rutherford, former sheriff of Duval County, Florida; Brian Fitzpatrick, former FBI special agent; Jim Renacci, former volunteer firefighter from Ohio.

Special thanks to the Committee on the Judiciary for recognizing, however simple a solution, how powerful the meaning for those who have lost a member of their community and their family who, as Lincoln would say, have given the full measure of their devotion. I thank Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers, Steve King, and Steve Cohen also for their work on this. I deeply appreciate it.

I especially thank and single out Jim McLoughlin, a veteran firefighter from Connecticut. He is the founder of the National Honor Guard Commanders Association, and it was he who first came to me with endorsing this concept.

I also thank the strong support of Harold Schaitberger of the International Association of Firefighters, the Fraternal Order of Police, Sergeants Benevolent Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the National Volunteer Fire Council, among others.

As has been said on the floor already today, a number of people have mentioned that this week we come together during National Police Week to recognize first responders. In fact, the White House was lit in blue last night. It is those who put their lives on the line every day to protect us and our communities, as the chairman noted, who often get forgotten in terms of their line of duty.

I am the son of a proud firefighter. I think in every firefighter's memory and every memory of the Nation will be permanently seared that vision of firefighters rushing up the steps of the World Trade Center as people were coming down.

Whether it is a national emergency or a medical emergency, these brave men and women are the first to answer the call, and they deserve our respect.

Scripture tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, but only a few are willing to step into harm's way for others. When everyone else flees from danger, our law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs heroically place their lives in jeopardy to help people that they have never met.

These jobs are inherently dangerous. The reminders are too common. And as any family of a first responder can tell you, they oftentimes do not return home to their families. Joe Crowley has spoken eloquently of that on this very floor.

This bill has been reviewed by the chairman, and I thank Mr. Raskin for his comments as well. But I think we can all agree that these courageous men and women deserve what is a simple tribute but a very powerful message when the American flag and all that it stands for is lowered to halfstaff when they have given the full measure of their devotion to their community, their State, and this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage and am thankful for the bipartisan support that we have received on this very important week for these incredibly remarkable and important people who serve their country.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 3rd 2017, I was not present for rollcall vote 246. If I had been present for this vote, I would have voted: ``Nay'' on rollcall vote 246.

(By unanimous consent, Mr. Hensarling was allowed to speak out of order.)

Moment of Silence Remembering Victims of Destructive Storm

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, April 28, 2017, I was not present for roll call votes 235, 236 and 237. Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted: Nay on roll call vote 235; Yea on roll call vote 236; and Yea on roll call vote 237.