Colorado, san antonio, texas, augusta, georgia, memphis, tennessee, columbia, south carolina, pittsburgh, pennsylvania, Chicago Illinois with news stories being covered almost every single day. Mr. Speaker, these stories were crystallized for me and other members at a recent hearing that we had on patient wait times on the 9th of april. Mr. Barry cotes, a veteran from columbia, south carolina, informed the committee that he waited almost a year to receive a colonoscopy at v. A. When he finally received his appointment, it was revealed that he had stage 4 colon cancer. Mr. Cotes testified, and i quote, the gross negligence and crippling backlog epidemic of the varks a. Health system has not only handed me a death sentence but ruined my quality of life. Mr. Speaker, the need for accountability to help veterans like mr. Cotes is the reason why h. R. 4031 is so critically important. The v. A. Management accountability act of 2014 would give the secretary the authority to fire or to demote
Performance. Now live to the house floor. In the prayer will be offered today by our chaplain, father conroy. Chaplain conroy let us pray. Eternal god, we give you thanks for giving us another day. We pause now in your presence and acknowledge our dependence on you. We ask your blessing upon the men and women of this, the peoples house, keep them aware of that presence as they face the tasks of this day that no burden be too heavy, no duty oo difficult and no work too wearisome. Help them and indeed help us all to obey your law, to do your will and to walk in your way. Grant that they might be good and thought gracious in word, generous indeed and great in spirit. Make this a glorious day in which all are glad to be alive, eager to work and ready to serve you, our great nation and all our fellow brothers and sisters. May all that is done this day be for your greater honor and glory. Amen. The speaker the chair has examined the journal of the last days proceedings and announces to the h
We are keeping an eye on the senates end of the year legislative business. Reporter centers have a lot of work to do but not much time to do it. Two major funding bills are in limbo and those senators hope to come to agreement before the new senate is sworn in sunday. Lets talk about covid19 relief. Reporter Mitch Mcconnell on the floor just hours ago announced he will move forward with the covid19 relief package that includes 2,000 direct payments but theres a catch involving the president s wishlist. Mcconnell says to get the 2,000 checks democrats must repeal section 230 of the Communications Decency act which protect Big Tech Companies who censor speech online, donald trump says company like twitter and facebook unfairly censor republican perspectives that have been for years. The majority leader wants a bipartisan study examining the integrity and security of the 2020 president ial election. The senate will not split the issues donald trump linked together just because democrats a
I think that jason is going to tell you who she is. Thank you. [applause] its so good to have you all here. I learned a long time ago not to instruct an audience to do anything but i think at a this point onlyly appropriate if you gave a round of applause to this evening that was my joke for the night. Welcome. Its great to see you here and great to be with jason and diana at this place where so many of these events have occurred overr the years. Ive known you for a while now going back to when you firstgo came to the General Assembly and i was reporting for the kansas city star. Whats amazing particularly after reading your book is i didnt know most of this stuff, what you were going through. It just strikes me that we are all so good at disguising indifficult things, not just you but many of us. We all have difficult things. Im wondering you were in a such a highprofile position for many years. How did you manage it . I didnt. Thats the point of the book. [laughter] thank you, steve,
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen of the General Assembly, constitutional officers and my fellow south carolinians, this and every year, well continue the tradition that recognizes the certain truths that he everything we have in this state and this nation, we owe first and foremost to the men and women in uniform who bravely serve on our behalf. [ applause ] please join me as we pay tribute to those who gave the last full measure of devotion in the service of their state and country this past year. Chief david lee crenshaw. Pendleton. Sergeant channing b. Hicks, greer. Sergeant john d. Meador ii, columbia. First lieutenant ryan d. Rawl, lexington. Master corporal sandra sandy rogers, aiken. Private first class adam c. Ross, lyman. Sergeant first class, matthew b. Thomas, travelers rest. On behalf of all south carolinians to their families, know that we will never forget. [ applause ] we love and respect our men and women in uniform here in South Carolina. A few things make me as proud a