Statements For the Record
Mr. Speaker, last week The Hill published a column entitled “Don’t force an irresponsible vote on Iran sanctions.” The column started with the following two sentences: “The House of Representatives is under pressure to vote on a new Iran sanctions bill, H.R. 850, before members leave town for August recess. Scheduling such a vote would be irresponsible and highly counterproductive to U.S. strategy on Iran.”
Mr. Speaker, in the world’s poorest countries, nearly one billion people struggle with hunger every day. Chronic food insecurity limits a child’s ability to grow and to learn.
Across Africa and Asia, hard-working farmers need help producing enough food to feed their families throughout the year. Many of these farmers are women. In fact, it is estimated that 80 percent of these agricultural workers are women.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the inspiring career of Ms. Peggy Lynch, a leader in preservation of parks and green space, on the occasion of her retirement as Executive Director from Friends of the Parks and Trails of Saint Paul and Ramsey County.
Thank you Chairman Fleming, Ranking Member Sablan, and Members of the Subcommittee for having this important hearing today.
Invasive species are something that affects communities across our nation. These environmental invaders include Burmese Pythons, Purple Loosestrife, Kudzu, Hydrilla, Brown Tree Snakes, Emerald Ash Borer, Zebra Mussels, Gypsy Moth, and Asian Carp. We realize that different communities are facing different threats. And each species may require a different solution.
[as prepared]
Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage as amended.
This bill is about coal ash. Coal ash is a toxic substance. It contains lead, selenium, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. Coal ash is a deadly poison and it must be kept out of America’s drinking water.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the partisan House Republican plan to destroy and dismantle the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Simply, this bill, H.R. 5, abandons our national commitment to equity in education for all K-12 students.
July 8, 2013
Ms. McCOLLUM: Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the families of the Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota on the 30th anniversary of the Rondo Days festival. Rondo Days offers a remembrance of this historically African-American community that was dramatically altered by the construction of U.S. Interstate 94 in the mid-1960s. More importantly, Rondo Days is a celebration of the perseverance and tenacity of the modern Rondo community, which remains a vibrant, diverse and thriving neighborhood.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the many dedicated volunteers, exhibitors, sponsors and visitors of the Ramsey County Fair on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of this community festival. This annual fair attracts thousands of attendees through a wide variety of events and activities that entertain families today.
Mr. Speaker, on June 10, 2013, Congressman Ellison and I hosted a listening session at the Minnesota State Capitol. We heard from Minnesotans affected by the House Farm Bill’s proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Below is testimony delivered by Dale Simonson and Patricia Lull.
Testimony from Dale Simonson, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Mr. Speaker, I remain in strong opposition to the House Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 (H.R. 1947) otherwise known as the ‘Farm Bill’. On June 20, 2013, I along with the majority of my colleagues voted against the House Republican’s extreme bill. Now farmers in Minnesota and across this country are depending on Congress to reach a bipartisan agreement that will continue to grow our agricultural economy and enable us to best meet our future agriculture needs.