Hope and Despair in Central Florida (Congressional Record, House, December 16, 2020, page H7168)
Summary
Page H7168 of the Congressional Record, House, December 16, 2020, containing one-minute speeches. Mr. García of Illinois urges that any relief package include survival checks for families, immigrants and mixed-status families. Mr. Soto, under the heading Hope and Despair in Central Florida, speaks of vaccines arriving, unemployment around 10 percent and the need for coronavirus emergency relief. Mr. McCarthy speaks in support of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020. Other speeches recognize Mike Vuckovich and mark the eighth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.
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“Hope and Despair in Central Florida (Congressional Record, House, December 16, 2020, page H7168).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/hope-and-despair-in-central-florida-congressional-record-house-decembe-7f828fc52d/
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H7168 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 16, 2020
SURVIVAL CHECKS FOR MIXED- military when returning to private life The solution is within our grasp. We
STATUS FAMILIES by providing access to nontraditional just need to come together this week
(Mr. GARCÍA of Illinois asked and and technology-oriented courses to get the job done.
was given permission to address the through the VET TEC pilot program. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my col-
House for 1 minute.) This bill would expand VET TEC to in- leagues: Don’t be an Ebenezer Scrooge.
Mr. GARCÍA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, clude part-time courses and permit ad- Embrace the Christmas spirit. Join me
we are close to finalizing a relief pack- ditional course providers into the VET and vote ‘‘yes.’’
age, but I ask my colleagues: Relief for TEC pilot program. f
whom? I am also pleased that H.R. 7105, like
the initial House-passed version of this RECOGNIZING MIKE VUCKOVICH
A relief package without survival
bill, would increase the VET TEC fund- (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania
checks is not a relief package at all,
ing authorization by $30 million per asked and was given permission to ad-
nor is a relief package that leaves out
year through 2023 to help the VA meet dress the House for 1 minute and to re-
millions of immigrants and their fami-
demand for this popular program with vise and extend his remarks.)
lies. Any deal that we strike must in-
our veterans. Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania.
clude survival checks to families and In addition, no veteran in my district
immigrants, and mixed-status families Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give a spe-
or anywhere in the country should be cial shout-out to Mike Vuckovich, su-
must be included. homeless due to unnecessary VA staff-
Earlier this year, countless families perintendent of the Indiana Area
ing vacancies. The Reducing Veteran School District.
that I represent were denied stimulus Homelessness Act would require that
checks, including U.S. citizens whose Mike was recently recognized as one
the VA contract out any consistently of America’s Superintendents to Watch
spouses are immigrants. We even ex- vacant HUD-VA Supportive Housing
cluded children who may have an im- for 2020. He was one of only 24 recipi-
case management positions to commu- ents to receive this recognition and the
migrant parent. nity experts so that unused housing
How in the world did we exclude U.S. only Pennsylvanian.
vouchers can be matched with home- Mike has been on the job just 2 years
citizen children? less veterans who need them the most.
In this season of sacred holidays, I but recently was recognized by the Na-
Finally, I want to take a moment to
implore all of us to be compassionate tional School Public Relations Asso-
thank Dr. ROE for his unwavering com-
and not punish kids for their parents’ ciation as a 2020 Superintendent to
mitment to our Nation’s veterans
status. Families are struggling to put Watch. The organization selects super-
throughout his time in this Congress,
food on their tables and keep roofs over intendents from across the country
specifically as chairman and ranking
their heads. who ‘‘demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced
member of the House Veterans’ Affairs
Circumstances are dire. We need to Committee over the course of the past leadership with strong communication
put money directly into working fami- 4 years and for his own personal service at its core.’’
lies’ pockets. I urge my colleagues that to the United States Army, serving in This is exactly what Mike has done
any relief package must include sur- Korea. with his time at Indiana Area School
vival checks for everyone, including His strong leadership on behalf of our District.
immigrant children. fellow veterans has been unwavering Mike has been a champion for digital
since he came to Congress, and his te- technology and online communication
f throughout the district, investments
nacity, knowledge, and friendship will
HONORING THOSE WHO HONOR be missed in this Chamber after he re- that have clearly come in handy in the
OUR VETERANS tires from Congress. age of coronavirus. The district’s new
On behalf of a very grateful Nation, website and social media accounts have
(Mr. MCCARTHY asked and was
we thank Dr. ROE for his servant’s been a useful tool to keep parents,
given permission to address the House
heart, for putting the veterans first, teachers, and students on the same
for 1 minute.)
and for improving the quality of the page during what has undoubtedly been
Mr. MCCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise
care for them. a hectic and stressful school year.
today in support of the Johnny Isakson
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues on I thank Mike for his drive, dedica-
and DAVID P. ROE, M.D. Veterans
both sides of the aisle to join me in tion, and initiative, and I am pleased
Health Care and Benefits Improvement
supporting this bipartisan bill and to have a leader like Mike in Indiana
Act of 2020, a bipartisan legislative
thanking Congressman ROE for his County.
package that includes two bills that I
have proudly introduced this Congress, service. f
f
the VET TEC Expansion Act and the b 1415
Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act of HOPE AND DESPAIR IN CENTRAL
2020. FLORIDA EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF SANDY
Since coming to Congress in 2007, one HOOK ELEMENTARY SHOOTING
(Mr. SOTO asked and was given per-
of my most important priorities in this mission to address the House for 1 (Mrs. HAYES asked and was given
Chamber has been to protect and im- minute and to revise and extend his re- permission to address the House for 1
prove the benefits that our Nation’s marks.) minute and to revise and extend her re-
veterans have earned and deserve. I in- Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, there is a marks.)
troduced the VET TEC Expansion Act mix of hope and despair in central Mrs. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise
and the Reducing Veteran Homeless- Florida. today in remembrance of the 26 beau-
ness Act earlier this Congress in re- This week, the first vaccines arrived tiful lives that were lost on December
sponse to comments and feedback I re- to help protect our healthcare profes- 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary
ceived from veterans and veterans or- sionals. But unemployment remains School.
ganizations throughout my district and around 10 percent; food banks lay bare; Mr. Speaker, 8 years ago, 20 innocent
across the country. many are behind on rent; and children and six selfless educators were
Both pieces of legislation seek to coronavirus cases continue to rise. murdered in what should have been the
build upon existing veterans benefits The message is clear in both Florida safest places in their community: their
programs, including the VET TEC pilot and across our Nation: Americans need school.
program and the HUD–VA Supportive help. Today, I ask that we pause, reflect,
rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with HOUSE
Housing Program, by expanding and It is time for this Congress to come remember, and recommit ourselves to
streamlining them for veterans and together and pass meaningful working to ensure that this never hap-
veterans service providers who utilize coronavirus emergency relief to defeat pens again.
them. the virus; to help small businesses and For many residents of Newtown, Con-
The VET TEC Expansion Act will the unemployed; and to ensure food, necticut, 8 years feels like yesterday.
continue to ensure that our heroes can housing, and direct stimulus checks for Time has stood still for so many fami-
enhance skills they developed in the our constituents. lies as they attempt to rebuild their
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