Allocated between the parties 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, mr. Thompson, for five minutes. Mr. Thompson thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday i had the privilege of touring pennsylvanias only stateowned twoyear Technical College, Thaddeus Stevens college of technology, named after an individual, former member of congress that served in the era of Abraham Lincoln in this chamber. I was pleased to be in lancaster with my colleague, representative smucker. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Provides a bridge out of poverty for some of the poorest citizens of pennsylvania through a highscale, Technical Education. Graduates are filling the skills gap in america as there is a 99 placement of graduates of its highdemand programs. Founded in 1905, Thaddeus Stevens college of technology educates pennsylvanias economically and socially disadvantaged students as well as other qualified students for skilled employment in a diverse and everchanging work force. It offers 22 innovative technicalbased majors that educates students for numerous job students, from architecture to automotive studies and from sonry, there are many things students can pursue. It allows students exposure to the experience, problem solving ability and skills that will be used throughout their careers. Many students enter the work force after their studies while others may choose pursue higher level degrees at Fouryear Colleges and universities. That had russ Stevens College is also aware Thaddeus Stevens college is also aware that it places financial strain on them and their family. Grant programs are offered to assist students who are financially disadvantaged to serve a rich diversity of students. Last month i was proud this house unanimously approved my bill, the strengthening career and Technical Education for the 21st century act. The legislation aims to restore wrungs in the ladder of opportunity because all americans deserve a goodpaying familysustaining jobs. C. T. E. Has established itself as a path that many highachieving students choose in pursuit of industry certification and hands on skills they can use right out of high school. In skillsbased Education Programs or in colleges like Thaddeus Stevens college of technology. By modernizing the federal investment in c. T. E. Programs, we will be able to connect more educators and close the skills gap thats in this country. There are good jobs out there, but people need to be qualified to get them. I have proudly championed that bill because it puts emphasis on advancing policies that promotes goodpaying jobs and it works to see that everyone from all walks of life can have the opportunity to succeed. Mr. Speaker, i witnessed this firsthand at Thaddeus Stevens college. This school is an outstanding example of the transformative power of education. The college is a National Leader in Technical Work force development and it breaks the breaks poverty. For the fourth consecutive time, the Aspen Institute has named Thaddeus Stevens as a top twoyear Technical College in pennsylvania, and i congratulate the school and all of its students. It is truly a shining example of strong career and Technical Education programs at work. As graduates enter the work force with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed and pursue the american dream. They are learning to earn. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore thank you. The chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. Gutierrez, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, i think the president has a lot to learn about families. In my opinion, families should remain intact wherever possible but its clear the president has other notions. In the president s world, families should be cut off from health care coverage, so hes working with republicans to take coverage away from 20 million to 30 million americans so they can say they made good on a Campaign Promise regardless of the consequences in real peoples lives. In the president s world, children, especially his children, oh, they dont have to be honest when they provide for security clearances or disclose all the meetings they had with the russians. In the president s world, children and grandchildren can be convenient political props like when a 6yearold granddaughter is sent into the olve office to interrupt an interview with the New York Times especially when an interview is not going well for him. But children and grandchildren dont have a bona fide Family Connection when it comes to being refugee. In the latest incarnation in his muslim and refugee ban, they excluded grandparents from those close family members, only in the republicans mind. Well, let me tell you something. If the president can be interrupted by his grandchild to shake up an interview that isnt going so well, i can ask my grandson to help me make a oint here in congress. Heres luis andreas. Hes my grandson. You sigh, in the gutierrez family, grandchildren are pretty close family members and have a bona fide Family Connection. In fact, luis lives downstairs from me with his mom and dad on the ground floor unit in chicago. And living with grandma and grandpa upstairs has distinct advantages. Theres always someone to feed you, watch you, help you study or just joke around. Throughout much of the world and throughout the American History until fairly recently, the idea that families do not include grandparents is laughable. Multiple generations live together or very nearby and grandparents, even great andparents are an integral part of child rearing. So when you are in syria or yemen or Central Africa or expended erica, Multigenerational Families not only live together and support each other, occasionally they have to flee to Safety Together but not if donald trump has his way, they dont, or at least not when it comes to coming here to america. Thankfully, the American Court system disagrees with our president on this. The Supreme Court, which would ultimately determine the fate of americas commitment to refugees and religious tolerance will determine the case later this year. But in the meantime, over the objections of the president , grandparents are officially part of the family and have a bona fide relationship that allows them under the law to bypass the president s attempt to keep them out. Thank you, courts, for recognizing and defending families and giving our president a lesson in the obvious. On sunday, i learned about a tragedy in san antonio where a truck packed with immigrants was discovered and at least 10 people were killed. The truck had no ventilation or air conditioning. There was no water for those inside who had paid a lot of money to risk their lives to live in america. 10 dead, another 20 near death, some of them children under the hot texas sun in an apparent smuggling operation. You see, if you cut off Legal Immigration channels and make people wait decades for a visa, if theyre eligible to apply at all, it strengthens the hands of smugglers. If you turn Asylum Seekers around, in violation of our own laws and international law, theyll be driven into the arms of smugglers. If by going through our legal system and requesting asylum, your entire family becomes vulnerable to deportation, being sent back to a place because there was uncertainty, then people will pay smugglers to go around our system because there are no ways to go through it. A border wall, like the one republicans will slip into the military spending bill this week in the house, will not help matters but only make them worse. Forcing people to enter the black market because there is no way to go through our visa system will undoubtedly increase the number of times we hear about tragedies like the one in texas and the number of parents, grandparents and children will lose everything because we have failed to create and maintain a functioning immigration system. When luis turns 18 and is able to vote just like a million young latinos like him every year are eligible, i know hell remember which party stood for and stood by families and which one did not. Grandparents, theyre part of the american family, even if the republicans dont seem to think so. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida, mr. Curbelo, for five minutes. Mr. Curbelo mr. Speaker, i rise today to share and honor the story of an Israeli Defense soldier who was killed by Hamas Terrorists and whose remains have yet to be returned to his family. I met his parents in south florida earlier this year and they told me about their son, his love of freedom that inspired his service to israel and their just cause. On august 1, 2014, the 23yearold was killed by Hamas Terrorists. His body was then dragged away from his home and into an underground tunnel. Hamas terrorists then stripped him and left his clothing and took his body with them. For nearly three years they held his remains from his parties who merely want to give his son a proper burial. Mr. Speaker, israel is one of our strongest ally, our greatest ally and our support sends a clear message to all terrorists, including hamas, that the United States will continue to firmly stand with israel and its people. No parent should ever face the heartbreak of outliving a child, but those who do should expect a proper burial. His parents have been denied that basic decency by the Hamas Terrorists that murdered their son. So today im urging those holding hidar to let him come home so that his parents can say goodbye. Mr. Speaker, venezuela, once a beacon of Economic Prosperity in south america, has descend understood chaos and turmoil. An oilrich nation that now struggles as maduros policies have led venezuela of having the hemispheres highest inflation rate, resulting in critical shortages of food and medicine as well as the collapse of the venezuelan currency and rampant crime. The maduro regimes incompetence in managing venezuelas finances and systemic corruption has led to a crackdown on human rights and violence against democratic demonstrators. The country is lurching towards single party totalitarian rule. Rather than working with the opposition to serve the interests of the venezuelan people, maduro is using his influence to grasp onto power. First, by having his hench man on the Supreme Court to strip the National Assembly of its powers and now calling for an unelected constituent assembly to rewrite venezuelas constitution. This is just another attempt to usurp and replace venezuelas National Democratic assembly with a Puppet Parliament loyal only to him. This idea was recently rejected by 98 of the 7. 2 million venezuelans that participated in a nonbinding referendum last week. Fortunately, the United States has been quick to show solidarity with these freedomloving people. Im grateful for the president s show of support on his direct warning to maduro of the strong and swift economic sanctions the United States will take if he proceeds with a constituent assembly. The United States will no longer stand by and watch maduro and his thugs ignore human rights and the rule of law. Theres a bipartisan consensus that maduros undemocratic and tyrannical rule is unacceptable. All options are on the table, and i look forward to continuing to work with this administration and my colleagues here in congress to stand in solidarity with the democratic opposition and the people of venezuela. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from oregon, mr. Blumenauer, for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Speaker. We begin an unusual week here on capitol hill, although unusual is sort of the new usual in washington, d. C. The Senate Begins deliberations on an eightyear republican mission to repeal the Affordable Care act, and they dont fully know what it is exactly theyre voting on. Theres uncertainty in the house over both budget and appropriations, but you know, theres an opportunity for congress to take a step back, to do something that will make a huge difference for everybody from coast to coast, something that can bring together a Wide Coalition of support and meet unmet needs. Im talking about addressing the unmet infrastructure needs for a country that is falling apart as we fall behind. You know, we havent raised the gas tax in 24 years, and in the course of that 24 years, weve watched the value of the federal gas tax actually erode 40 due to inflation and increased fuel efficiency while our needs continue to go up each and every year. Congress has put together a series of stopgap measures, gimmicks here and there, which have not adequately met those needs, and they have actually ncreased the budget deficit. I think back to Ronald Reagan making his thanksgiving day speech in november of 1982 when he called on congress to come back from the recess and more than double the gas tax, because he pointed out it would put people to work and improve Road Conditions that were actually damaging peoples cars more than what modest increase they would pay. Congress did it. And we were better off as a result. I think each of us would do well to look back at that speech that Ronald Reagan gave calling on congress to step up and do its part. The states are not sitting back. Since over the last five years more than half the individual states have gone ahead and raised their transportation funding. So far in 2017 alone, california, indiana, montana, oregon, tennessee, west virginia, and South Carolina raised the gas tax. In fact, South Carolina raised the gas tax over by overriding a republican governors veto. There are opportunities here for us us to be able to step forward and build on this fast coalition. It really isnt a profile in courage to support legislation that is endorsed by the u. S. Chamber, the aflcio, contractors, a variety of labor unions, road builders, engineers, trucking companies, triplea. The widest coalition of people supporting any measure issue before us major issue before us deals with increasing the fuel tax. Its interesting for those who are worried that maybe there is some political down turn, despite the fact that the states have been able to summon the courage. The american rolled and Transportation Builders Association did an Extensive Survey about who were those inprep tid legislators that voted to raise the gas tax since 012. Intrepid legislators that voted to raise the gas tax since 2012. They found that those who voted for the tax were reelected by over 90 for state. This shouldnt be about elections. It should be about whats right for the American People. Stepping up meeting our obligations so that the federal government is a full partner working with state and local governments, working with the private sector, to be able to eet the over 1. 1 trillion 1. 1 trillion of critical Transportation Needs between now and 2025 ought to be the first order of business. I would hope that my friends in Republican Leadership would allow us to have just one week of hearings on this issue. So that we can hear from the president of the u. S. Chamber of commerce, the president of the aflcio, the truckers, triplea, republican legislators aaa, republican legislators, people across the country who talk about the need to rebuild america. Make our communities more livable. Our families safer, healthier, and more economically secure. Sharyl jat yields back. The chair recognizes the jafment minnesota, mr. Paulson, for five minutes mr. Paulsen spreek, we continue to hear about the challenges for ol College Students who borrow more and tuition ratesgher and saddled with huge dead lotes they will have great difficulty paying back. The average debt for a Fouryear College student today is nearly 37,000. We need to explore new ways to ensure every student has the opportunity to go to school, develop their schools, and pursue their dreams without feeling deterred by the price tag. I think we need to look at a new approach. An approach that would help students pay for college. Its a concept known as an income share agreement. Its tuition rates and a concept that would allow students providing them the funding that they agree to pay back as small, affordable portions of their income over the years following graduation. Income shared agreements are interest free and students will only make those payments if they are employed and receive an income that meets a certain threshold. His method of financing puts less pressure on students to keep up with fixed high Interest Payments while they are faced with job uncertainty. Rather than incuring debt under the traditional student loan st the investment in these students future more equity based. Their payments are guaranteed to be affordable rather than fixed in a certain price. This is a much more manageable plan for students, spreek, who are eager to get a career under way after graduation and want to make sure they are putting their degrees into practice in a field that ey have studied and have a passion for rather than feel constrained by the impending weight of paying back loans rightway. Thats why im coauthoring the investing in Student Success act. Program at after a purdue university. At purdual average student eceived over 13,00 moy s 1yes aer gruaonnmal perceag o their income. Wo fr ive oranaton iesin invial sdes roh imemti sil iom aragemtprra. Inso creates more options for payment and increases accessible for Higher Education. Today the cost of tuition at a public fouryear university is nearly quadruple what it was back in 1974. And due to rising tuition costs and the increased need for a College Degree in the work force, it is more important now, more than ever before, to address the Student Loan Debt crisis and provide students with the resources they need to graduate with minimal loans. Income share agreement also provides the flexibility students need when faced with an uncertain job market and provide an alternative to the traditional Student Loan Repayment struck tumpletespreek, as we look for ways to make structure. Spreek, as we look for ways to make Higher Education affordable, we should look for new Innovative Solutions to help students go to College Without that burden of high debt and income share agreements are another way of accomplishing this. Yield back. Recognizes chair the jafment the the speaker pro tem the chair recognizes the jafment massachusetts. Mr. Mcgovern spreek, this week after President Trump released his devastating budget which cuts snap, our nations first line of defense against hunger, House Republicans joined in that effort proposing drastic cuts in the safety net they marked u in their budget House Republicans have laid out their dangerous agenda. Dramatic increases in defense spending and tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and corporations paid for by cuts to programs that help working families and those struggling to make ends meet. Among the proposed cuts, house are seeking 160 billion are seeking 160 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as snap, over 10 years. 150 of these cuts come from structural changes to snap and hasher work requirements and time limits and an additional 10 billion would be fast tracked through the reconciliation process. Spreek, snap is not a a. T. M. Its not money to be used for tax breaks for the wealthy, additional weapons systems, or any corporate handouts. It is intended to help our most vulnerable neighbors purchase groceries and put food on the table when times are tough. Simply put, snap helps people eat. Person ager 1. 40 per per meal, snap helps alleviate poverty, reduce hunger, and improve nutrition. It is one of the most efficient and effective federal programs. But its only 1. 40 per person, per meal. My friends are proposing more cuts in this program . Spreek, i serve as the rm of the spreek, i serve as the rm of the house agriculture committee, subcommittee on nutrition. Since 2015 the committee has held 23 heres it on snap. In our hearings we heard from over 80 witnesses, republican and democrat, about ways to make snap better. But none of these witnesses, not one, ever suggested changes like the ones proposed by President Trump and House Republicans. These republican proposals are meanspirited and they are just as heartless as they are reckless. They do not reflect the realities of the program or seek to understand the challenges faced by those living in poverty. They dont help struggling americans find work and they certainly dont help address the as some of my republican colleagues have proposed doing f republicans were genuinely interested in helping struggling families rise out of poverty, they would join democrats in advocating for higher wages, more jobs, and better work supports like childcare and transportation. They as some of my would addres housing shortages and help improve access to health care. They would increase investments in job training and career and Technical Education. They would finally work with us to make college more affordable. But instead of working on these priorities, House Republicans are hellbent on pursuing an agenda that belittles the struggles of the working poor and tears apart our safety nefment their awful budget is no exception. Under the guise of state budget ity, their proposes a block grantlike approach to administering snap. Make no mistake, block granting snap would make hunger worse in this country, plain and simple. It budget would undermine the successful structure of snap, its ability to expand as the economy struggles, and contract in times of Economic Prosperity. The proposed structural changes would likely result in drastic funding cuts and reduce eligibility for the program. If state flexibility is the true goal, then my republican friends are in luck. Snap already has a number of options that states can adopt. Whats ironic is some of these state exceptions are exactly the provisions House Republicans are seeking to do away with. The republican budget also calls for additional work requirements to snap, relying on dangerous rhetoric that suggests that hardworking families who rely on modest food benefits dont want to work or somehow are lazy. That couldnt be farther from the truth. I would like to point out that the majority of people on snap who can work do work. Most people on snap are not expected to work or cannot work, they are kids, senior citizens, and people who are disabled. But thats who republicans will hurt if these dangerous proposals advance. If were talking about how we can transition people who can work into the work force, you dont do that by cutting the program by billions of dollars or by cutting people off from food aid. That does nothing to help people find jobs. It overwhelm makes people hungry. I urge my republican colleagues to join me in rejecting these damaging cuts and to support investments in our antihunger safety net that will help end hunger now. I yield back my time. The speaker pro tem the chair recognizes the gentleman from kentucky, mr. Barr, for five minutes. Mr. Barr mr. Speaker, i rise today to honor the life of an American Patriot and hero, mr. Troy boling of lexington, kentucky, who completed his lifes service on june 17, 2017, at the age of 90. His military service during world war ii and his commitment to supporting our veterans and the men and women in uniform throughout his life is an inspiration to us all. At the age of 19, mr. Boling began his service as a United States marine and was a proud member of the easy Company Second battalion, 27th marines fifth division. During the United States campaign to end the war against japan, mr. Bolings unit was the first to arrive on the beach heads of iwo jima, while attempting to secure mount suribachi, his under came under intense fire. Two projectiles struck mr. Boling in the chest and leg, leaving him critically wounded on the battlefield. At that moment, mr. Boling said he looked to the heavens and committed to serving mankind for the rest of his life if he survived. Miraculously a combat photographer and medical team then carried mr. Boling to the safety of a Landing Craft where he witnessed the planting of the American Flag atop mount sirry suribachi. An iconic photograph. The u. S. Marines eventually took control of the island, however this suribachi. An iconic photograph. The u. S. Marines eventually took control of the island, however this victory came at a heavy cost. As over 6,800 u. S. Service members gave their lives during the battle of the iwo jima. In keeping faith with his commitment to god made during that battle, mr. Boling devoted over 78,000 hours of volunteer service to others at the lexington v. A. Medical center. For over 66 years, mr. Boling rose to the ranks within the disabled americans veterans organization, holding nearly every position possible, including state commander. The bible teaches in proverbs 21 21, he pursues righteousness and love finds love, prosperity, and honor. Mr. Boling has brought great honor upon himself through his dedication, determination, and love for serving the people of our community. Without a doubt he has remained true to the commitment he made on the rocky terrain of iwo jima. He embodies commitment to serving others. Never abandoning the marine motto, always faith. Faithful. Id like to thank mr. Boeing for his many years of service it our country and our community. Hes truly an outstanding american and an inspiration to us all. Troy boeing, may you rest in peace. Thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from texas, ms. Jackson lee, for five minutes. I thank the e chair. This is a somber day today and it is a very important day in the history of the United States of america. I join with senator franken who indicated that today senators of the United States senate will make one of the most significant votes, if not the most significant vote of their career and it will be a vote that theyll long remember because rather than the serious and difficult decisions of war and peace that over the historical times of this body, many members have had to make that decision and being in the midst of the Texas Longhorns of patriotism throngs of patriotism, the vote today will be a vote they brought on themselves and its a vote that does not have to be taken nor a movement that has to be moved. And that is to cause the American People to face a crumbling health care system, to dismantle and diminish the rights and obligations and opportunities for americans, some 32 million, to have health insurance. For me it is both baffling and tragic that senators would make this is a Campaign Competition game and that it only represents a notch in their belt. This does not have anything to do with providing health care for americans. It doesnt have anything to do with what doctors say, what hospitals say, what rural hospitals need. What individuals with chronic illnesses need or those that have been diagnosed with devastating cancer. It has nothing to do with children who are in desperate need of health care. It has nothing to do with two young people that i met, one who was experiencing autism, who sought to live independently and could not do so without medicaid. Or one who had chronic illness of which between 2015 and 2016 he spent or had to spend 700,000 to live. And in the last six months he had to spend 73,000, none of which would have been possible without the Affordable Care act. So what is happening in the senate this afternoon . What vote of courage is being taken . What vote of improving the lives of americans when the senate bill, trumpcare, will cause 49 Million People to not have their insurance by 2026 . It will cause rural hospitals to simply crumble. Im from texas. We have a huge system of rural hospitals, helping my constituents, and those hospitals will face disaster. The texas medical center, like Major Hospital configurations across the country, where Major Research is being done, undermined by the vote that will be taken. It saddens me because i think the American People believe that we come to this place, we take this oath of office to do what is right for america. This is not political chips. This is not dominos. This is not a game. And to the commander in chief, for you to be in front of the boy scouts, my husband, my son were boy scouts and i sit on the boy scouts board, im offended by your words. Im offended because i know how hard my son worked. I know how my husband cherishes s his status as an eagle scout and i know what the jambry means because my jamboree means because my son went to one. Talk about crowd sizes. And then have the nerve to talk about the Health Care Bill, not as a moment of conscience, not as a serious issue that would in fact make higher costs. Under the senate bill, people will be paying more than they earn for health insurance, well documented. Of course, this is 22 million in the earlier period of the house bill. We now know it may be 32 million, and as i said 49 million by 2026. And then, of course, it cuts the protections for preexisting conditions. Of course, it has a crushing age tax. If you are older, 55, you pay more. And then, of course, it undermines medicare. It interferes with the Medicare Trust bill. But yet the commander in chief is speaking in front of thousands of young men, patriots, boy scouts and talking about the Health Care Bill and calling out senator capito from west virginia. You better make her vote for it. What kind of leadership and heart is that . The speaker pro tempore the gentlewomans time has expired. Ms. Jackson lee what are we dealing with here in this nation . I dont have to say anything, mr. Speaker, about this individual. As i close, let me simply say that i am introducing a resolution to stop any president from firing the special counsel and any president from abusing the pardon by pardoning anybody who is under investigation for the russian involvement in our elections. We have to do this, sadly, because we are not focused on governing. Were focusing on insulting. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities towards the president , please. The chair recognizes the gentleman from idaho, mr. Abrador, for five minutes. Mr. Labrador thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today in honor of an amazing idaho family which has taken a horrible personal tragedy and turned it into a cost that will benefit many other families in the years to come. I am referring to the family of shawna hill, a 16yearold girl who lived in eagle, idaho, in my district and who tragically lost her life in 2012. At the time of her untimely death, shawna was a junior at eagle high school. She was a competitive figure skater and ice dancer and played the violin in her school orchestra. She even performed with the orchestra at new yorks carnegie hall. She was also working to qualify for a congressional silver medal for public service, personal development and physical fitness. She aspired to attend Stanford University and become a doctor. Sadly, she lost her life in a car accident on her way home from orchestra practice. I first met shawnas parents, captain edward hill and his wife, heidi, in 2013 when i helped present them with a congressional bronze medal for their daughter had earned. While presenting the award, i learned that captain hill, who served as 28 years as a navy pilot and flew to protect america during three combat tours, had retired shortly before shawnas death. Following the tragedy, captain hill was working with the navy to try to reassign his benefits to his second child, haley, who was also planning to attend college. With almost three decades of distinguished service, captain hill qualified for the full utilization of the education benefit, but the navy said haley wasnt eligible because education benefits under the g. I. Bill cannot be reassigned. The hills asked for my help and my staff got to work. Unfortunately, we found out that the navys hands were tied. Current law does not allow the transfer of education benefits after a Service Member has retired. No waivers are permitted, even if such tragic circumstances. I promised the hills that i would seek a legislative solution. In february of this year, i introduced h. R. 1112, the shawna hill post9 11 education benefits transferability act. This bill would permit the reassignment of veterans education benefits in cases where the designated beneficiary passes away. Losing a child is the worst thing i can imagine, and surely congress didnt intend to exclude the ability to transfer benefits to a surviving child or spouse. The bill i introduced will correct this oversight and its received support from many veterans groups. These include the concerned veterans for america, the military order of the purple heart, the student veterans of america, am vets, the air force sergeants association, the association of the United States navy and the National Military association. This month the v. A. Committee chairman roe v. A. Committee chairman roe and Ranking Member walz included my bill in the bipartisan g. I. Bill. The harry w. Colmery veteran Education Assistance act of 2017. This bill passed the house last night and i was proud to join my colleagues in voting for it. I am grateful to chairman roe and Ranking Member walz for including my bill in their legislation. Im also thankful to senator crapo who has sclud legislation in the senate. Included legislation in the senate. Its my hope that the senate will act, too, and from there our bill can be signed into law. This legislation will mean a great deal to the hills. It will be a great comfort to them and all those who have experienced such a terrible loss. As a grateful nation, its the least that we can do. And america must always be a grateful nation. The Harry Colmery education veterans assistance act of 2017 keeps our promises to our veterans and their families, especially when they need it the most. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i yield the floor. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 12a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until noon today. It requires disputes be handled in acquired arbitration instead of court. Later a bill strengthening sanctions against russia, iran, and north korea and prevents President Trump from removing sanctions against russia. Live coverage here on cspan. Again at noon eastern. And the president s soninlaw and senior advisor, jared kushner, is on capitol hill for a second day testifying before the House Intelligence Committee regarding his meetings with russian operatives. Live picture here. He told the senate Intelligence Committee yesterday there was no collusion between the trumpp campaigndr clution collusion with the trump campaign. Well bring you comments anyone