And in no event shall debate continue beyond 11 50 a. M. Each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip shall be limited to five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, r. Thompson, for five minutes. Mr. Thompson thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to speak about the strengthening career and Technical Education act for the 21st century, which well consider on the floor this champion. I proudly champion on the floor this afternoon. Im proudly championing this bill. America is ready for wain. First, id like to thank the house education Work Force Committee chairwoman Virginia Foxx and Ranking Member bobby scott for their support in bringing this bill to the floor. Want to thank the democratic lead, representative raja krystal griner, and my colleague and c. T. Caucus cochair jim langevin. Mcmorris hank cathy rodgers, leader mccarthy and steve scalise, who remains in awful our prayers for a full recovery. This legislation aims to restore wrungs from the ladders of opportunity because all americans deserve a good paying familysustaining job. One of the Biggest Challenges in career and Technical Education is the stigma and bias against it. Weve seen wrongheaded claims that students involved in the trades lack ambition. These misplaced assumptions are slowly subsiding, but not soon enough. Weve also seen students push down the college for all pathway that just doesnt work for some students. C. T. E. , or skillsbased education, has established itself a path that many highachieving students pursue in industry certifications and hands on skills they can use right out of high schools and the skillsbased education or in colledge. By modernizing the federal investment in c. T. E. Programs well be able to close the skills gap that exists in this country. There are good jobs out there but people need to be qualified and trained to be able to get them. Mr. Speaker, weve all met oung people who havent been inspired in classroom setting. We have all known people who lost jobs and underemployed and are looking for goodpaying familysustaining jobs. We all know people who are aspiring for a promotion but keep falling short year after year. And we all know people who are living in poverty. Maybe their families have been living in poverty for generations for so long they cant remember what put them there in the first place. This bill is for every one of these people. We have heard the voices of those struggling to find the opportunities that they need to get ahead, the voices of those struggling to make ends meet. We have seen their frustration. Many are stuck in a job market that transformed quickly due to advancements in technology and theyve been left behind. This bill will change that. It puts emphasis on advancing policies that promote goodpaying jobs. I look forward to the house passing it this afternoon. I urge my colleagues to support the strengthening career in Technical Education act so everyone from all walks of life can have the opportunity to succeed. Its the american way. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. Gutierrez, for five minutes. Mr. Gutierrez thank you, mr. Speaker. So the ruling party in puerto rico staged an election and theyre very proud of the results. They say 97 of the Puerto Ricans support statehood and the United States should grant statehood right away because of it. They got 97 , the kind of numbers putin jealous and Saddam Hussein green with envy if he wasnt dead already. The reason they got 97 of the vote is pretty much the same reason, only one Political Party participated. Others thought it was so rigged and so predetermined for the outcome the sponsors wanted they didnt even think it was worth taking and participating. And the vast majority of Puerto Ricans agree, only 23 of the people voted. 77 boycotted the election because they didnt think it was worth their time. And they were absolutely right. But i guess in the era of alternative facts and made up statistics about how many people attend your inauguration you can try to make a oneparty vote of 23 of the people look like a mandate for statehood. But im here to warn my fellow democrats not to believe the hype for one second. Those who are pendling the fantasy of statehood sometimes call themselves democrats but we should be ware of an elephant in donkey clothing. Lets look at the party here in washington. Our res. Department commissioner is a republican who caucused with the republicans here in the house. Shes a proud supporter of donald trump and goes around with steve king and other members who we say arent too friendly to latino and latino causes, much less the Democratic Party line. The governors washington, d. C. , office is headed by a republican who was appointed to the position by the governor after serving as executive director of the rightwing Political Organization called Latino Partnership for conservative principles, infamous for its constant bashing of, yes, president obama. Thats whos pushing for statehood in d. C. Which makes me wonder why any democrat would be embratesing them, especially the chairman of the d. N. C. , unless, of course, as the media reports, its a payback for d. N. C. Chairmanship. And as the leader of the statehood party, the quoteunquote democrat, his conservative record speaks for himself even though hes been in office for less than a year. He sided for the bondholders and voters of Capital Funds and opposing any debt restructuring for puerto rico saying puerto rico should pay its debt in full to wall street speculators in spite of cuts for police, fire, pensions, roads and schools. He hosted he hosted the g. O. P. President ial candidate ben carson and the governor opposes lgbt rights and samesex marriage and town hall, the uberconservative democrat, praises him for his conservative approach to helping bondholders over schoolchildren. And the governor has withheld his criticism of president trump. Which few democrats are able to resist and for latino democrats s darn near impossible and unless hes playing the democratic role to get ahead. When confronting the obvious, trump denigrated mexicans, promised to build a wall to keep latinos out and the governor responded saying of the president , my view i dont know hes antilatino. Obviously i heard some derogatory remarks but i dont know him personally and it doesnt deter me. Instead of spending money to help children whose schools are closing, to fix roads that are falling apart or to pay doctors enough to prevent them from leaving puerto rico and going to florida, it seems the entire puerto rican government is now dedicated to pursuing the unlikely chance of statehood. It is certainly useful as a distraction from what the governor and his d. C. Operatives are doing. Mr. Speaker, i said this before. I hope to be buried one day on that Beautiful Island of puerto rico, but when im buried i hope it happens in a free, sovereign nation thats thrown off the yoke of colonialism and dependence just as this country, the United States of america, the country in which i was born in and i look forward to celebrating the fourth of july. In the meantime, i think it is important to warn my fellow democrats that they should be they should get no more in bed with the statehooders than any other group of rightwing conservatives with an agenda. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from north carolina, mr. Jones, for five minutes. Mr. Jones mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I again am on the floor to talk about a waste of life, a waste of money in afghanistan. We have been there 16 years and nothing has changed. Many of my colleagues agree with me that it is time to debate our countrys longest war in response i, along with John Garamendi from california, introduced h. R. 1666 in hopes of forcing that discussion. Im not asking for members or leadership to agree with the bill itself or to vote even even vote for it, but i am asking that we be able to bring to the floor of the house the bill for the purpose of a debate. We have not debated our role in afghanistan since 2001. Members can either vote for or against the bill. Just give the house a debate after 16 years. Fghanistan is a failed policy. I would like to read a few sentences of an email that i received this week from a great american, my friend and unofficial advisor. The 31st commandant of the United States marine corps chuck grulack, regarding his thoughts on afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, i quote. 16 years we have been involved in afghanistan. 16 years fighting in a country that has really never seen peace. 16 years with fluctuating strengths strained from 100,000 to 5,000. With no definition to who we are fighting, al qaeda, taliban or isis. You pick them. With no strategy, no strong reason for entering the fray. No real measure of effectiveness. No use of the five elements of national power. No support from the people themselves. A weak government. No exit strategy. And fighting a war that is unwinnable in any real sense of the word. Mr. Speaker, it is disappointing when the president , the commander in number of ases the troops in afghanistan to the secretary of defense, secretary mattis. There is more reason today than ever before to have a debate on the future of afghanistan. That is the reason why speaker ryan should instruct committees in the house to come forward with a new authorization of military force. Where is the congress . Dont we have a constitutional responsibility to debate war if we are going to send a parents young man or woman die for our country . I think we do have a responsibility. In closing, i am going to share other quote from general grulack, the former commandant of the marine corps. I quote, i go back to what i said years ago, afghanistan cannot be viewed through the same lens of a true nation state or a true country. It is fragmented, tribal, controlled by warlords, economically a basket case, no real government outside of kabul, and that is questionable, a poorly organized and led army who will shoot at americans as well as the enemy, and no sense of what the country wants to be. No one has ever concurred afghanistan, and many have conquered afghanistan and many have tried. We will join the list of nations that have tried and failed. Afghanistan is the originalin of whackamole. Whether its al qaeda, isis or taliban, you cant beat them in a geographic area. They will just pop up somewhere else. Mr. Speaker, that is why many of us in this congress in both parties feel we have an obligation to our young men and women in uniform. I have beside me a flagdraped coffin being taken off a plane at dover. My question is this, how many more flagdraped coffins are we going to see when we increase the number of troops in afghanistan . Without one word from congress, not one word. Mr. Speaker, we do owe it to the American People who pay their taxes. We owe it to the parents of young men and women who will go die for america. We do it to have a debate on the floor of the house, spend 16 its been 16 years since we had a debate. God help america and please god bless america. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. Kennedy, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, like in anyones office, the photos and trinkets on display of mine tell a little bit who i am. A wedding photo, picture of me and my family on our swearing in day, a copy of the first bill i had signed into law. The moments that im proud of, the pieces of me that i want to share with the world. This body, the peoples house, is no different. We have always been proud of our democracy and even prouder to display it for all the world to see. Thats why we keep these cameras on whenever were in session. Its why every single word that is uttered on this floor is documented and preserved long after the day we draw our last breath. Its why we walk beside americans of all backgrounds and beliefs through the rotunda with the same awe of our nations history, embodied in bronze statues and gold paintings. Its why every single night this building glows through the darkness. Because the light of democracy not only lays bare our divisions and dissent but it lights a path to our proudest moments. In times of car and peace, fights over civil rights and equality, our debates in these halls have always been driven by a fierce conviction of our beliefs and a shared vision of a kinder, stronger country. Disagreements, yes. But enlightened by ideals, by vision, by a shared commitment to our american experiment. When you stand behind those principles and your policies, you welcome that spotlight. You engage in that debate. You are eager to answer questions. You are ready to be held accountable. And so, mr. Speaker, we should concerned by what has transpired in this capitol over behind closed doors. You dont shield it from the very people who are going to be hurt most by t you dont turn off the cameras and then call it mean. Its a sabotage of Health Care System and leave a wake of devastation and destruction to score political points. Drafting trumpcare under cover of darkness is an admission this bill cannot, cannot withstand the sunlight of our neighbors. The america that i know would never turn its back on a friend or a stranger in need. Trumpcare does. The america that i know doesnt tell the sick, the elderly, or the frail that you are on your own. Trumpcare does. The america that i know doesnt tell the young woman struggling threw an open road recovery opioid recovery, your next relapse, that was one too many. Trumpcare does. The america that i know understands our greatness comes from our goodness. That we lean into challenges, you dont yield to them. That the frustration we see in our straits and communities is a cry for our government to be as good and as decent as the people we aim to serve. They, we, deserve nothing less. Trumpcare is not that cure. Yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The chair recognizes the gentleman from georgia, mr. Carter, for five minutes. Mr. Carter mr. Speaker, i rise today to remember the remarkable life of mr. Gus carl of georgia sunday, may y on 7, 2017. From a young age mr. Carl was deeply interested in trains and railways. To 39 he skipped school visit his local train station job ate landed his first the young age of 12 working as an assistant porter responsible for loading and unloading train passengers. After graduating from job at the young age of 12 working as an Wabash College in indiana, he started a career in railroad industry, designing construction, working as an administrator for 40 years. His career was extremely important to the Economic Development of the city of wakecross, georgia, by waive his involvement in the design of rice yard, one of the busiest c. S. X. Rail crossroads in the nation. It serves as a daily transfer point for nearly 3,000 railcars and remains one of the citys biggest employers, staffed by nearly 1,300 people. Mr. Carl retired from c. S. X. Railroad in 2016. Last year former c. S. X. President , who mr. Carl hired and trained in 1970, proclaimed very november 16, a. A. Gus carl day in commemoration of his hard work with the company. Hes a legend and i want to thank him and his family for everything he did to wake waycross what it is today. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to remember the life of ms. Man miller who passed away on saturday, june 10, at the age of 89 and lad to rest last week in dublin, georgia. She worked hard during her long life. Selflessly serving others through a profession she loved. At the age of 17, mrs. Miller joined the United StatesArmy Nurse Corps and attended university of georgia nursing where she was a member of the last graduating class to receive their r. N. Degrees. Following the war, mrs. Miller put her training to work with the Naval Hospital in dublin where she eventually rose to the position of head nurse before retiring in 1983. As a young nurse, mrs. Miller met the late George Anderson miller to whom she was married for 55 years. They were active members of their community who helped from the pine forests United Methodist church. She was also a member of the pilot club of dublin, order of the blarney stone, and the American Nurses association. Today i have the pleasure of working with her granddaughter. I can say from my own experience that brooks commitment to Public Service and dedication to our constituents is a wonderful testament to the legacy of her grandmother. I hope all members would join me, my wife, and my staff in sending our thoughts and prayers to the Miller Family as they remember the life and legacy of ms. Nan thompson miller. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to honor ms. Kathleen russell from georgia who received the president s award on behalf of the Georgia Press association on friday, june 2, 2017. Miss russells strong dedication to her role as long time editor makes her worthy of such an honor. Each year an individual who has exhibited outstanding leadership abilities and serves as a mediator is named as a recipient of this award. For generations, member of mrs. Russ sells family have worked in the press and it is only fit fifthing that ms. Russell would find herself working as a journalist. Constituents remember her beloved father as a journalist who stood up to wrongdoers in macintosh county, exposing corruption and theft by a multitude of former county officials. As a child kathleen assisted her parents in the production of the weekly newspaper. During that time, her parents nurtured her love for the press. After graduating from the university of georgia in 1974, mrs. Russell began a career as an educator. She left education in pursuit of a career as a journalist and assumed the role of associate editor. In 2009 she was honored for her hard work when she was named publisher and editor of the newspaper. Mrs. Russell has remained an active member of macintosh county, serving on several boards over the years, including the department of family and children services, darron Downtown Development short authority, and the Coastal College of georgia foundation. Mrs. Russell, i applaud your efforts to keep the citizens of georgias first Congressional District in tune with Current Events throughout our state and contry. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from georgia yields back. The chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. Davis, for five minutes. Mr. Davis thank you, mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to address the house and revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Davis mr. Speaker, on monday of this week, i was saddened to know the passing of cook county commissioner and president pro tem, Robert Steele. Whom i have known since hins childhood days. As a matter of fact, i lived in the same neighborhood with the Steele Family from the year that commissioner Robert Steele was born. I count myself as a Steele Family friend and have worked bobbie, sinceher, 1960s. His father, robert, was a mentor to my son, stacey. I had the pleasure of watching commissioner steele grow from a child into becoming an adult. An outstanding local and national leader. Commissioner steele was so much more than a man with a title. He was part of the glue which held his community together. He was a big brother to neighborhood boys whom he often took with him to events and activities. He was a mentor and an inspiration to those who came into contact with him. He was a great advocate for Organ Donation and transportation. You see, he was a recipient from his sister who gave him a kidney. He was an omega man, a great frat brother, and he was a leader of the west side and countywide black elected officials. He meant the world to his family and brought great pride and joy to his parents, robert and former cook county board president , bobbie steele. Robert steele was an absolute leader who provided leadership and guidance on a regular basis wherever he went. He was active in his church, his community, in his neighborhood. He was intelligent, astute, and not afraid. Of all the people that i have known who come from the west ide of chicago, as elected officials, none have brought more to the table it than bob except perhaps his mother, bobbie. Our community will long remember the work of cook county commissioner, bobby steele. Perhaps the songwriter was correct when he said that, the young die young. Bob was indeed young. But he was a leader among leaders and a man among men. I salute you, commissioner Robert Steele, and long may your life, your work, and your legacy continue. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. The eaker pro tempore gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from west virginia, mr. Jenkins, for five minutes. Mr. Jenkins thank you, mr. Speaker. The gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from west one year ago on june 23, 2016, we experienced one of the darkest days in west virginias history. Floodwaters raced through smalltowns without warning. Washing away homes, washing away businesses, and, yes, washing away lives. 23 souls were lost while thousands were left without shelter and food. Now as we approach the oneyear niversary of this tragic event, we pause to remember those we lost and honor their lives. How our community has changed over this past year. We pledge to continue rebuilding until our towns and our cities are better than they were before the how our Community Rivers ro. We have seen so many examples of strength, faith, and hope in this past year. Examples that carry us forward and inspire us all. More work remains to be done. We still have churches, schools, libraries, and other Community Centers that need to be rebuilt, replaced, and restocked. Any are still in temporary and rental housing. The scars still remain. But the message that we should Carry Forward is the one that carried us through this terrible event. The knowledge that west virginians will always have each others back. Were stronger when we stand united than when we stand alone. Through everything that lies ahead, we will stay strong. We will thank those who put their lives on the line to help rescue others. We will remember and honor those who we lost. And we will continue to offer our support to those that are rebuilding their lives. Thats what we do as neighbors. Thats what we do as friends. Thats what we do as west virginians. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. Aguilar, for five minutes. Mr. Aguilar thank you, mr. Speaker. Earlier this year we watched President Donald Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan ram their Health Care Bill through the house of representatives before it even had a cost analysis. It didnt take long for us to learn why. It will strip over 20 million americans of Affordable Health care. It will drive up premiums and outofpocket expenses for Older Americans by as much as 25 . It will allow Insurance Companies to discriminate against pregnant women, children, and seniors. This is so donald trump can give a tax break to his healthy friends this will literally be a death sentence to Many Americans. House republicans had years let me say that again had years to come up with ways to make health care more affordable, but instead, they would rather pull the plug out from millions of families who put their health care in the hands of the Insurance Companies. Since the Affordable Care act was signed into law, nearly 40,000 of my constituents have enrolled in cover california, and nearly 200,000 in San Bernardino county, our residents have been added to medical, following the a. C. A. Expansion. Trumpcare will end medicaid and leave millions of americans without coverage. Children, children will be stripped of their coverage because their parents will fall into an income bracket that doesnt satisfy our president. This legislation isnt just bad. Its detestable. According to donald trump, its even mean. Though apparently it doesnt matter how mean it is for middleclass families, as long as it gives wealthy tax breaks to his friends. And now Senate Republicans have taken a page out of the House Republican playbook and are writing their Health Care Bill in secret. This is not how we govern. This is not what the American People expect. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentlelady from alabama, mrs. Oby, for five minutes. Mrs. Roby thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise to offer my full support for h. R. 2353, the strengthening career and Technical Education for the 21st century act. Perkins has helped support career and technical programs at the state and local legislation. This legislation reauthorizes that funding and makes needed improvements to ensure perkins scholars are effective. Mr. Speaker, im a big believer in Career Tech Programs for three simple reasons. They help prepare students for rewarding careers. They ensure American Workers have the tools necessary for Skilled Trades that are foundational to our society and they boost our economy by providing a quality work force. When it comes to higher education, we all know there has been a silent stigma attached to not completing an Academic Degree at a fouryear university. For years we were afraid to say college isnt for everybody when the truth is Career Tech Programs can actually lead Many Americans to a better quality of life. Thankfully i believe those days are over. Efforts like build America Campaign has been tremendously successful in raising awareness in dispeling myths about the jobs that exist in Skilled Trades. This rising generation is showing signs of being more entrepreneurial with a willingness to work outside the box, and our programs have greatly improved over the years to offer training for careers our students are actually interested in. Mr. Speaker, my state of alabama is blessed with a Strong Network of Community Colleges offering a wide array of career training. Alabamas Community College system has more than 79,000 students enrolled in c. T. E. Programs and over 70 public high schools in alabama are now offering c. T. E. Courses. They are working hand in glove with industry to make sure that the training matches the jobs that will be waiting for students when they complete their courses. I visited one such program recently in a small town in central alabama. The High School Administrators have worked tirelessly to build a program that serves the growing needs of local students. The city and county are working together to improve facilities and make sure students have access to transportation. Up until now, students have had to take a bus 30 minutes away or an hour away to montgomery to access these career tech courses. Now, thanks to the hard work of the leaders and educators, students are beginning to access these programs right in their own hometown. I visited another thriving Career Tech Program a few months ago in geneva, a small town in alabamas wire grass region. Geneva high school has partnered with the Alabama National guard whose local armry now serves as a training site for high demand skills such as automative technology, welding, aviation maintenance and health science. Students from city and county schools can get ahead on their College Course work with the Community College. They are not alone in our commitment to their students. Wallace Community College offers training in 16 high demand career fields. Wallace takes their programs to the next level by combining traditional study with hands on experience. Their criminal justice program, for example, utilizes a virtual Law Enforcement training simulator, the only of its kind on an Alabama College campus. These programs serve as a model not only for the state of alabama but for the nation as a whole. Their successes demonstrate the potential Career Tech Programs hold. Mr. Speaker, this bill is so much more than just funding. It makes important improvements to our career tech policy, including simplifying the application process that community and state leaders have to navigate in order to receive federal funds, providing more flexibility to administrators so they can adjust to the needs of the students and the industry, improving accountability and transparency to ensure that the programs that we are funding actually deliver results. And lastly, ensuring a limited federal role in education, just as we did in the new k12 law. Mr. Speaker, with a modern workplace changing at a rapid pace, its imperative that educators and facilities keep up. With this bill, these programs can continue to successfully connect todays students with the careers of tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to take the next step in career and Technical Education today. The strengthening career and Technical Education for the 21st century act will help equip our students with skills, knowledge and experience they need to start their careers. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this legislation and support our future work force. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields. The chair recognizes the gentlelady from illinois, ms. Kelly, for five minutes. Ms. Kelly thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to remember a Public Servant taken from us too soon, an individual who through his life an example inspired others, especially children to be respectful and kind, a man who lived his life in service to others, philando. His name has been back in the headlines but i want to talk about a man failed by our creed of liberty and justice for all. Philando was a beloved nutrition supervisor at a Montessori Magnet School who was so invested in the names that he remembered the names and food allergies. One coworker said kids loved him. He was quiet, respectful and kind. I knew him as warm and funny. Another said he was as much a teacher as any teacher in that building. His life was an example of living honorably for your community, for your family and for more than the 500 students who loved him. Even in his final moments, he showed respect and dignity in what must have been a terrifying experience. Mr. Castilles loss is our loss. He lived life as we all should loving and respecting those around him. When he was told by an officer to get his i. D. , he complied and respectfully informed the officer he was lawfully carrying a concealed firearm, that he had a valid permit. When he went to get his i. D. As ordered he was shot, not once but seven times. Not because of noncompliance, not because he was violent, not because he was a menacing threat. What kill him was his blackness or more precisely fear of his blackness killed him. Tragically his story is not unique. This happens every day to black men and women in america. Philandos story only made headlines because it was shown on facebook and showed the 4yearold girl behind him. A 4yearold girl that even his murderer said was in my line of fire. Mr. Speaker, this murder was so downright out rageous it led the federalist, a publication that previously published and article on how black lives matter protests were destroying america to call the not guilty verdict an abomination. Indeed, this is an abomination and a complete mischaracter of justice. The federalists and i see eye to eye on this one thing. Groups on the right and left have publicly and vocally condemned his murder, except for one, the National Rifle association. The n. R. A. s silence is sickening, deafening and very hypocritical in this tragic american hour. For decades the n. R. A. Has used fear mongering claiming they are the sole organization fighting to protect the rights of every american to carry a firearm. Where were they for philando, where is their outrage, where is their demand for Better Police training when dealing with citizens authorized to carry a firearm . Shame. They have no outrage at this verdict. Shame for their double standard in supporting people with valid conceal carry permits. They offer nothing but a tepid facebook statement expressing concern. Concern . The n. R. A. Has concern for philando . Shame on the inform r. A. For them it clearly isnt rights for all. For those that dont fit the right profile, they should give serious thought to even being members of the n. R. A. Mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields. Pursuant to clause 12a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until noon today