this afternoon. today, they're working on 19 dealing with ls veterans' health, water infrastructure, and post offices renaming. live coverage of the house. peak house will be in order. the prayer this morning will be ffered by the guest chap rape, -- by the guest chaplain. >> i stand before you in prayer and memory as i'm reminded of solomon king of ancient israel who would preside over the most unusual judicial hearing, one in which two mothers would lay claim to the life of one child, a child they would each insist to be their own. this passage allows us to see solomon's wisdom as preserving the nation as we are sadly remind sod soon after his death that the kingdom is split asunder. i too am reminded of abraham lincoln when he spoke with prophetic pressure yens, a house divided cannot stand --s preyens, a house divided cannot stand. from this we would soon learn that our future lies not in enemyity but unify. -- unity. from the book of leviticus, from your torah, teaches us from words inscribed on the liberty bell in philadelphia, proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof. thus uniting one of our nation's highest ideals, e pluribus unum, out of the many, one. lord god, the founders of this nation understood our strength to be in the celebration of our differences while assiduously working to put our divisions behind us. and so it is, dear god, that we pray you remain with us. continue to guide all of us in realizing the dream of this great country. to be a nation indwissable, a nation seeking liberty, and above all a nation providing liberty and justice to all. amen. the speaker pro tempore: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house her approval thereof. pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1, the journal stands approved. the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentleman from illinois, mr. lahood. mr. lahood: i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from rhode island, mr. cicilline, is recognized for one minute. mr. cicilline: thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to welcome rabbi seth frisch who delivered today's opening prayer to the people's house. since his ordination in 1986 at seminary theological of america in new york, rabbi frisch has been a source of comfort and counsel to jews world.the in his current posting as rabbi, eacher of the new shul of america, he helped serve as a those what it means to be jewish in a supportive setting. opening prayer was a homecoming as he previously served as legislative assistant to the chairman of the senate committee on foreign relations. i pray that we will all heed his out of many weat are one nation. let us strive to put our divisions behind us and realize of a country indivisible with liberty and justice for all. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will entertain up to 15 one-minute uests for speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from illinois seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. you, madam speaker. i rise in recognition of violence survivors week, a time when we remember the tragic and life altering of gun violence epidemic that continues to affect thousands of families across the country. every year 36,000 are killed by gun violence. n my city alone an average of 765 people die from gun violence every year. families y: too many have been touched by this violence. too many young people go to afraid, too many americans live in fear. last night, the president's tate of the union only mentioned firearms once and instead of presenting a plan, it defended the n.r.a. we owe it to every survivor and to everyone who's been touched gun violence to do more than hold a moment of silence or post a hashtag on twitter. we owe the american people real action. thank you and i yield back. tempore: the o gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? i thompson: madam speaker, ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: thank you, madam speaker. rise and thank one of the most productive job-producing constituents in my tawny phil -- punxsutawney phil. predicted an early spring for the second year in a row. ut that's not the only good news. on groundhog day draws tens of thousands of tourists to county each year while -- revenue. activists claimed that should be y phil robotic one.y a phil is a job. i stand up for the hardworking rodents in the 15th district.nal groundhog day brings together people of all backgrounds. an economic nly stimuli but it's with great pride. thank you, madam speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the back.eman yields for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute revise my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, today, i rise ecause there is an epidemic in our country. 100 americans die every day from gun violence. likely to imes more die from guns than people who nations.omparable mr. cardenas: gun violence is personal to me. young boy, my sister took her life with my father's revolver. 2014, my community was isla tated by the v.i.p.sa -- vista shooting that four people and injured six. my bipartisan : extreme risk protection order ensure people demonstrate that they are at or of hurting themselves others temporarily don't have access to guns. the bill passed out of the committee. ask the house to bring this legislation to the floor. sent two has already bipartisan background check bills to the senate. yet, senate majority leader has not acted. there is no excuse. i will continue to rise until we end this epidemic. madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the time of the gentleman has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? > i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. thank you, madam speaker. i rise today to highlight the importance of protecting the econd amendment to the constitution. in my district, commissioners in davey, north carolina, recently passed resolutions that imply affirm the second amendment rights of the residents and declared that these counties will never infringement the of those rights through unconstitutional gun control. in -gun politicians neighboring virginia and other states are trying to undermine nd overturn the second amendment. mr. budd: these why these measures in my state are both timely.y and i commend these counties and i remain fully committed to defending the rights of law-abiding gun owners. adam speaker, it's a people problem, not a device problem. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is minute.zed for one mr. rose: thank you, madam speaker. t pains me to stand before you today and recognize -- >> thank you, madam speaker. to stand before you gun violence week. we saw another school devastated by gun violence. another community uncertain how to move forward. our country is faced with a it's our idemic and responsibility as lawmakers to take action to protect our communities. have why i'm proud to joined senator warren, congressman hank johnson and a introduceolleagues to the gun prevention in communities safety act. morrelle: my bill will prevent the theft of legal firearms. in a crime guns used are identified as stolen and we keep out of the hands of the wrong people is a safer -- closer to a safer reality. thank you. yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina ?eek recognition mr. wilson: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. wilson: i am a champion of and a school excellence steadfast supporter of magnet schools. president e that trump praised mag nent schools was included in last night's state of the union. week, i had the opportunity magnet school in irma, south carolina. is one school that shows importance for academic excellence. i had an opportunity to talk to teachers about their unique educational experiences. talk to nkful to katrina, the director of school district 5 in richland county. principal julia scott. principal brandon gant. school district 5 magnet sarah shirley cope. in conclusion, god bless our troops and we will never forget global war and the on terrorism. with the courageous leadership trump.ident donald the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i rise today n honor of mark and david carls, who brothers with an unbreakable bond. mr. rose: ever since they were up on staten island, mark and his older rother, david, have been absolutely inseparatable. was -- inseparable. when mark was diagnosed with cancer, david postponed his aseball career to take care of his brother. while mark was using a breathing speak, the e to brothers communicated using sign language. fter a life-threatening surgery, the first thing mark did was sign david's name. is a talented runner, who with david's support, refused to get in the way of his training. hether it was doing laps down hospital corridors or running around the dining room table. even others have encouraged their father, sandy, to run with them as well. for road races together. mark recently finished the 5-k n island athletic club in under 24 minutes. mark and david, your deep commitment to one another is an to staten island, all of new york city, and all of america. you're a fighter. your family, your friends, and all those who you fight for as well. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the entleman from illinois seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i rise today congratulate nd metamora high school head football coach pat ryan who his retirement after 30 years at the helm of the program. the redbirds to seven championship games and two state titles. retires with a record of illinois spot in the football hall of fame. coach ryan's greatness is known across central illinois. lahood: his players love him, his students love him or him, or at least competing against him. not only is coach ryan a legend n the field, but his success off the field in modeling young men is unrivalled and unmatched. ryan coached thousands of students and left a profound impact on the lives of countless players. many of his former players have become educators and coaches and attribute to their career paths to coach ryan theirositive influence on lives. congratulations to coach ryan field. and off the he has made central illinois a etter place and will be missed on friday nights. congratulations on your hall of fame career, coach. and go, redbirds. back.d the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from the virgin islands seek recognition? ms. plaskett: i ask unanimous to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. plaskett: i urge every one my colleagues to use black history month to celebrate the contributions of people who came hemisphere not of their own free will. in chains and bondage and then make this country great. it's important that we not only and their hem contributions with you their example of resilience. reid, who was an enslaved the statue ped with who sits atop this building and insulated the statue of freedom. walker who became the first woman to preside over a savings institutions, which depression reat consolidated to become the consolidated bank and trust, today.till exists ralph bunch, an american diplomat, fundamental to the reation and adoption of the universal declaration of human rights. be the r went on to first african-american to win the nobel peace prize for his negotiation efforts between and israel. william of st. croix, master vessel, rancher, gold miner and one of the founders of san francisco. hese americans are quietly embedded in our nation's history, but today, this month, their work, them, and their dedication. i yield back. the peaker pro tempore: gentlelady yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek ecognition? without objection the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> i rise today to recognize eider m simbings ch for his 34 years of service to the water agency. he's devoted his career to solving these critical issues. mr. lamalfa: the worked to make pcwa the local leader in water rights by overseeing a clear and transparent budget process, increasing customer accessibility to the agency and expanding its influence on walter issues. throughout his tenure, he's prioritized the needs and interests of the customers and community. his work will leave a lasting impact on water planning for decades to come. we are thankful for all he's done. thank you and i wish you best luck in your much deserved and probably busier retirement. please keep your knowledge and experience available to all of us. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? >> ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i rise today to honor gun violence survivors week. mr. payne: every year, roughly 36,000 americans are killed from gun violence. this is an average of 100 americans every single day. also, there are close to 100,000 americans injured every year from gun violence. yet we do very little to prevent these preventable injuries and deaths. i'm proud to come from a state with effective gun laws. in new jersey we have strong background checks, a ban on high capacity magazines, and an extreme risk protection order for possible victims. that is why new jersey has one of the lowest firearm death rates in america. if we had national laws such as the ones in new jersey, we could save lives and spare families the hurt and horrors of gun violence. with that, madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina seek recognition? >> ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, madam speaker. for far too long, we have failed to serve veterans struggling with the invisible wounds of war. veterans who nearly gave everything to us. for veterans who served in vietnam and korea, to those who recently returned home from afghanistan and iraq, congress has done too little to curb the often devastating effects of post-traumatic stress -- devastating effects post-traumatic stress can have on the lives of men and women who served in combat. mr. cunningham: that's why i'm pleased to support representative stiverts' bipartisan bill to help veterans in the low country and across the nation to manage the symptoms of post-traumatic stress by pairing them with trained service dogs. with the help of service dog many veterans are able to return to work, attend college and spend more meaningful time with their family and loved ones. the brave men and women who voluntarily raise their right hands and swore an oath to defend our nation deserve nothing less than the opportunity to succeed when they return home. this act is a critical step in the right direction. i urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan legislation. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition? >> ask unanimous consent to speak out of order for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. hoyer: i solemnly swear that in all things ap pertaining to the impeachment otrial of donald j. trump, president of the united states, now pending, i will do impartial justice. according to the constitution and laws. that is the oath senators swore on january 16. s the oath created by senators when they tried the first impeachment of a president in 1868. it is an oath rooted in the revolution fought by their grandparents to create a republic of laws. not kings. it is an oath whose power derives from its commonsense that a juror must always be impartial for a trial to be fair. and it is an oath made necessary by the fact that senators are not, as we are not, under normal circumstances impartial in our work. the words chosen for this oath recognize that when our constitution calls senators to try impeachment, it calls them away from their role as partisans. when that oath is taken, senators are supposed to step back from the affiliation of party or political kinship with or opposition to the president on trial. they are required as the oath plainly states, do impartial justice according to the constitution and laws. madam speaker, this afternoon, senators will be asked to vote on the two articles of impeachment the house presented on abuse of power and the obstruction of congress. after voting to refuse to hear evidence and call witnesses with pertinent information, nearly all republican senators have already announced that they will vote against the articles. in doing so, many of them acknowledge that the president -- that president trump did was wrong and inappropriate. they accept that it was wrong for him to withhold military aid to ukraine until the president of that country promised to interfere in the american elections. the evidence of president trump's abuse of power and attempt to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 elections is clear enough that republican senators cannot and have not denied the facts. yet they cannot bring themselves to confront this president and are choosing party over country. the senator from alaska, in explaining her decision to vote to block witnesses and evidence, tried to deflect responsibility. from the consequences of her action writing, and i quote, i have come to the conclusion that there will be no fair trial in the senate. i agree with that. she further said, it is sad for me today to admit that as an institution, the congress has failed. madam speaker, the congress has not failed. the house did its job, whether you agree or not, in regular order, by a vote of this house, we impeached the president of the united states. based upon our oath to protect and defend the constit