To encourage them in their official tasks. Be with them and with all who labor here to serve this great nation and its people. Assure them that whatever their responsibilities, you provide the grace to enable them to be faithful to their duties and the wisdom to be conscious of their obligations and fulfill them with integrity. Remind us all of the dignity of work and teach us to use our talents and abilities in ways that are honorable and just and are of benefit to those we serve. May all that is done this day be for your greater honor and glory, amen. The speaker pro tempore the chair has examined the journal of the last days proceedings and announces to the house his approval thereof. Pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1, the journal stands approved. The pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentlewoman from North Carolina, ms. Foxx. Ms. Foxx please join in the pledge to our wonderful flag. 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 the chair will receive a message. The messenger mr. Speaker, a message from the president of the United States. The secretary mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore mr. Secretary. The secretary im directed by the president of the United States to deliver to the house of representatives a message in writing. The speaker pro tempore the chair will entertain requests for oneminute speeches. For what purpose does the the gentlewoman from North Carolina seek recognition. Ms. Foxx mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. Ms. Foxx thank you, mr. Speaker. This month marks 25 years since john hood and Mark Rotterman fonded the John Lock Foundation with the help of art pope and the John William Pope foundation. While its beginnings may have been small, the foundation quickly made an impact and today it is the leading voice in North Carolina for free markets limited government and personal responsibility. The Silver Jubilee represents a changing of the guard for the organization. After nearly 20 years at its helm founder john hood is taking a new role as president of the pope foundation. He leaves john Lot Foundation in the very capable hands of corey swanson, who has been a central figure in the growth and influence of the organization over the last 15 years. The future is bright at the foundation, and the people of North Carolina are the beneficiaries and are grateful. With that i yield back, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition . Mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. The speaker pro tempore without objection the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Kildee its week five for the new congress and it happens to be groundhog day, and my republican colleagues unfortunately, i think are still stuck in the shadow of their extreme agenda. Instead of taking up a jobs bill or a infrastructure bill, or a minimum wage bill to give working families bigger paychecks, they have again decided this week for the 56th time to take up repeal of the Affordable Care act. Never mind that repealing the a. C. A. In this house would take away insurance for millions of individuals or raise insurance premiums on working families or allow Insurance Companies to once again discriminate against those who have preexisting medical conditions. This extreme bill, we know, will never see the light of day or become law, however. Similar bills were dead on arrival the first time that the speaker brought it up, and its not going anywhere this time. But this vote pandering to the most extreme voices of the at the expense of a jobs bill or the first vote on a National Manufacturing plant, or the first vote on a vote to repair our crumbling roads and bridges takes away the time to deal with those important issues and continues this house on a road to another repeal of the a. C. A. Thank you, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. For what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise . Seek recognition. Mr. Thompson mr. Speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. Revise and extend. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Thompson mr. Speaker, human sex trafficking continues to be a major problem plaguing both america and countries around the globe. The department of Homeland Security cumulatively estimates there are approximately 1. 4 million victims of sexual servitude at any one time on an international scale. Furthermore, the f. B. I. Has estimated that over 300,000 American Children are at risk of Sexual Exploitation and trafficking annually. Last week, the house moved forward on several pieces of legislation aimed at preventing and combating this horrific fact. Im proud to have cosponsored and voted in favor of several bills last week which diverted more financial and labor intensive resources to countering these atrocities. Thee clue h. R. 514, and h. R. 469, the strengthening Child Welfare response to trafficking act, among others. Each of these bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and will be commonsense steps towards shutting down these operations. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support further action that is will further protect these vulnerable populations. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition . I ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. Revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to recognize mrs. Angela danisson, a third grade teacher at an Elementary School as Michigan Teacher of the year. On behalf of all residents of northern michigan, i wish to congratulate her on earning this honorable distinction. Loved by her students, fellow teachers, and school administrators, her dedication to teaching children is a credit to her hard work and attention to her students. She decide she wanted to help the next generation while shes still a High School Student herself. Mr. Benishek she turned this dream into a successful lifelong teaching career. On receiving the award she modestly stated the following, educators work so hard and there is a lot of time where you just dont feel worthy because there are a lot of other dedicated people working around you. It mr. Speaker, i submit to you that mrs. Dannisso no. Is certainly a worthy recipient and i applaud her for her hard work and dedication. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition . Seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. Revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Today i rise with Great Sadness to express the loss of a true public servant. Long time counsel mayor pro tem vicky chambers received serious injuries when her car was hit headdown on on january 18. Tragically she succumbed to her injuries several days later. Vicky was wellknown for her volunteer activity. She generously cave her time to the betterment association, the Downtown Development authority, hall and banks county restoration, and the historical society. Mr. Collins theyll miss perfect compassion optimism, and smiling face, but her legacy will live on in the northeast georgia town she loved. My wife lisa, whose hometown is lula, and i express our condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues during this very difficult time. It is in tragedies like this we remember Public Servants serve first those around them. And when they are gone, they are missed. Vicky, we will miss you. With that i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chamber lays before the house a message. The clerk to the congress of the United States. After a breakthrough year for america, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. And in 58 months we have created over 11 million jobs. Our Unemployment Rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis. More of our kids are graduating than ever before. More of our people are insured than ever before. We are free from the grip of foreign oil as we have been in almost 30 years. Thanks to the hard work resilience, and determination of the American People over the last six years, this shadow of crisis has passed. With a growing economy, shrinking deficit, bustling strirks and Booming Energy production, we have emerged from recession to write our own future. Its now up to us to choose what kind of country we want to be over the next 15 years and for decades to come. Will we accept an economy where prosperity belongs to a few and opportunity remains out of reach for far too many . Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort. Over the last six years, we have seen the middle class economics works. We reaffirm to one of our most fundamental values as americans, that this country does best when everyone debts their fair shot, does their fair share, and plays by the same set of rules. The ideas i offer in this budget are designed to bring middle class economics into the 21st century. These proposals are practical not partisan. Theyll help working families feel more secure with paychecks that go further, help American Workers upgrade their skills so that they can compete for higherpaying jobs and help create the conditions our businesses to keep generating good new jobs for workers to fill. The budget will do these things while fulfilling our most basic responsibility to keep americans safe. We will make these investments and end the harmful spending cuts known as sequestration by cutting inefficient spending and closing tax loopholes. We will also put our nation on a more sustainable fiscal path by achieving 1. 8 trillion in deficit reduction primarily for reforms and health programs, our tax code, and immigration. First, middle class economics means helping working families afford the corner stones of Economic Security. Childcare College Health care, at home and retirement. We will help working families tackle the high costs of childcare and make ends meet by tripling the maximum childcare credit for middle class families with young children, increasing it up to 3,000 per child, expending childcare assistance to all eligible lowincome families, with children under four by the end of 10 years, and making preschool available to all 4yearolds. The budget also provides middle class families more flexibility at work by encouraging states to develop paid family leave programs. Today we are the only advanced country on earth that doesnt guarantee paid sick leave or paid Maternity Leave to our workers. 43 million workers have no paid sick leave, which forces too many parents to make the gut wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. Its time to change that for many families in todays economy, having both parents in the work force isnt a luxury, its an economic necessity. Second, middle class economics means making sure more americans have the chance to earn the skills and education they need to keep earning higher wages down the road. The budget calls for new investments and innovation that will expand preschool and invest in high quality Early Education for americas youngest learners, provide more help to disadvantaged students, and the schools that serve them. Better prepare and support teachers, and transform our high schools so help all students graduate and prepare for college and career. And a 2 iss century economy that rewards knowledge, by the end of this decade 2 3 of job openings will require some higher education, and no american should be priced out of education they need. Over the course of my administration, we have increased pell grants, and the budgettowns to ensure that they will keep pace with inflation over time. The budget also includes a bold new plan to bring down the cost of Community College tuition for responsible students to zero. 40 of College Students attend Community College, some to learn a particular skill, others as a part of a fouryear degree. It is time for two years of college to become as gree and universal in american as high school is today. It even as we help give our students the chance to succeed, we also must Work Together to give our workers a chance to retool. Last year the congress came together and passed important improvements to the nations job Training System with bipartisan Work Force Innovation and opportunity act. To build on this progress the proposals in this budget support more inperson career counseling for unemployed workers and doubled the number of workers receiving training through the Work Force Development system. My plan would also expand the successful learn as you earn approaches that our european counterparts used successfully by investing in an extension of registered apprenticeships that allow workers to learn new skills while they are earning a paycheck. The budget the budget would ensure that it will lead to highpaying jobs that feature strong employer partnerships including workbased learning and credentials. As we welcome home a new generation of returning heroes, the budget makes sure that they have a chance to live out the American Dream they have defended helped defend and invest in the five pillars i have outlined to support our nations veterans, providing resources and funding they deserve, ensuring highquality and Timely Health care getting veterans their earned benefits quickly and efficiently ending veteran homelessness and helping veterans and their families get good jobs, education and access to affordable housing. Third, middleclass economics means creating the kind of environment that helps businesses start here, stay here and hire here. We want to build on the growth we have seen in the Manufacturing Sector where more than 750,000 new jobs have been created over the last 58 months. To create jobs, continue growth in the industry and strengthen americans leadership in advanced manufacturing technology, the budget funds a National Network of 45 manufacturing institutes, building on the nine already funded through 2015. As part of the manufacturing initiative, the budget also launches a scaleup fund, funded through a Publicprivate Partnership to help ensure that if a technology is invented in the United States, it can be made in the United States. The budget proposes an Investment Fund to help Startup Companies produce the goods they have developed. Taken together, these investments will help ensure that america keeps making things the rest of the world wants to buy and will also help create manufacturing jobs for the future. Our nation thrives when we are leading the world with Cutting Edge Technology and manufacturing, infrastructure clean energy and other growing fields. That is why the budget includes investments in cutting edge, advanced manufacturing research. To make sure we are leading the way in creating technology that supports our Manufacturing Sector, biomedical research. Like our brain initiative, which studies the brain to offer new insight into diseases like alzheimers. And Precision Medicine which can help Better Outcomes and better treat diseases or agriculture research, looking at Climate Resilience and stainability. These investments have the potential to create highwage jobs, improve lives and open the door to new industries, resulting in sustainable economic growth. As our economy continues to grow, our nations businesses and workers also need a stronger infrastructure that works in the new economy. Modern ports, stronger bridges, better roads, faster trains and better broadband. The budget proposes to build a 21st century infrastructure that creates jobs for thousands of construction workers and engineers, connect hardworking americans to their jobs and makes it easier for businesses to transport goods. The budget would do more to repair and modernize our existing bridges while expanding transit systems to link communities and support workers. These proposals will put more money in middleclass pockets, raise wages and bring more highpaying jobs to america. It will close tax loopholes to make sure everyone pays their fair share. The budget closes loopholes that punish businesses investing dom