H7892 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 24, 2019 National Suicide Prevention Month. minute and to revise and extend his re- CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS This is not an easy subject to talk marks.) The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under about, especially since each person’s Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, on Sep- the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- circumstances differ. Yet, as the num- tember 5, 2019, the Madison County uary 3, 2019, the gentlewoman from the ber 10 cause of death in the U.S., it is Sheriff’s Department responded to a Virgin Islands (Ms. PLASKETT) is recog- vital that people understand the issues hostage situation near Canton, Mis- nized for 60 minutes as the designee of concerning suicide and mental health sissippi. the majority leader. so that anyone can help a person in cri- Upon arrival, the suspect fled and led GENERAL LEAVE sis. deputies on a high-speed chase Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I That is the focus of the advocacy throughout the northeastern part of ask unanimous consent that all Mem- message surrounding National Suicide the county before spike strips were de- Prevention Month this year, which is bers have 5 legislative days to revise ployed to stop the suspect’s vehicle. and extend their remarks and include ‘‘Be the one to.’’ Be the one to, because Once immobilized, the suspect began to we can all follow the five action steps any extraneous material on the subject fire on deputies, striking two officers. of this Special Order. to make an impact on someone’s life: Deputy Brad Sullivan was shot mul- Be the one to ask. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there tiple times as he arrived on the scene objection to the request of the gentle- Be the one to keep them safe. and was later transported to the Uni- Be the one to be there. woman from the Virgin Islands? Be the one to help them connect. versity of Mississippi Medical Center. There was no objection. Be the one to follow up. Deputy Sullivan remains in serious Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I The National Suicide Prevention condition as our community unites rise as a member of the Congressional Lifeline website also provides tips to with prayer, donations, and medical Black Caucus to speak to this body better identify potential warning signs skill to save the life of this brave offi- about the issues that are important to before applying these five steps, as well cer. Americans, everyday Americans. as other resources. On behalf of Mississippi’s Third Con- The Congressional Black Caucus is For those in crisis, know that you gressional District, I would like to ex- the conscience of the Congress, and we are not alone and help is available. The tend my sincerest gratitude and re- feel that it is our responsibility in our lifeline is run 24/7 and can be reached spect for Deputy Sullivan, the other Special Order Hours to address those at 1–800–273–8255. deputies who responded, and the entire issues and concerns that are of most f Madison County Sheriff’s Department. importance to the people of America. We ask all Mississippians to continue We represent 70 million Americans in SUICIDE TRENDS to pray for Brad’s recovery and for our caucus, 55 Members strong, and we (Ms. DEAN asked and was given per- God’s hand of protection on all our law are using this time to address this Con- mission to address the House for 1 enforcement officers. gress on the issues of agriculture and minute and to revise and extend her re- the Black community. marks.) f Agriculture and the Black commu- Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I, too, b 1930 nity, it is more than just SNAP for us. rise on the issue of suicide. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distin- Every day in America, 129 people die FIRE DANGER MITIGATION guished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. by suicide. Over a single year, that is DAVID SCOTT). more than 47,000 souls, each an irre- (Mr. LAMALFA asked and was given Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. placeable loss. permission to address the House for 1 Madam Speaker, I come before you as Even more troubling, suicide is on minute and to revise and extend his re- the chairman of the Agriculture Sub- the rise among teens, vets, and law en- marks.) committee on Commodity Exchanges, forcement. Between 2001 and 2017, the Mr. LAMALFA. Madam Speaker, I Energy, and Credit. suicide rate increased by 31 percent. rise tonight to commend Vicki Madam Speaker, I rise at this mo- That year, 2017, saw 1.4 million suicide Christiansen, the Forest Service Chief, ment to speak out against the United attempts in this country. for proposing a new rule to add to our States Department of Agriculture’s These trends have many causes, and fire danger mitigation that we need to food and nutrition service proposed we must get to the bottom of them, but do in California and across the West. rule to change the eligibility require- we can start saving lives today. Building upon my bill from a year Congress recently passed the STOIC ments for SNAP; and let me tell you and a half ago, the Electricity Reli- why, Madam Speaker. Act, and the President signed it into ability and Forest Protection Act, this law. This bipartisan bill will fund sui- It is because this proposed rule, num- allows the streamlining of the process ber one, it would eliminate broad-based cide prevention programs for law en- to clear trees and brush, et cetera, forcement, where deaths by suicide categorical eligibility for SNAP, and around power lines, that make it a fire effectively end all SNAP benefits for now outstrip line-of-duty deaths. hazard. Gun safety legislation will also make more than 3 million seniors, veterans, We have certainly suffered enough a difference. Firearms kill 40,000 people working families with children, and in- fire loss in California. I had the Camp each year, including 60 percent to sui- dividuals with disabilities. fire right in my own district, the Carr cide. Current eligibility simply allows low- Background checks and red flag laws fire last year as well and, this year, al- income families and children to receive save lives, but the Senate and the ready 54,000 acres burned in Plumas SNAP benefits if they have already President have refused to act. We must County. qualified for other anti-poverty pro- call out their absence of action. Our As it is right now, our utilities have grams. That’s it. country needs them to stand up. a hard time being able to get out and But, Madam Speaker, in fiscal year Our own colleague, Representative do the work because the permit process 2016 alone, over 10,000 Georgia house- SUSAN WILD, recently lost her partner can be difficult. So they resort to late- holds were helped to meet their basic to suicide and has bravely described its ly, right in the middle of my district, needs as a direct result of current eligi- devastating effects and now lifts her what is known as the public safety bility. strong voice so that others will not suf- power shutoff as a precaution, with the This proposed change is founded upon fer the same. wind conditions and heat perhaps being an unfortunately common, but incor- Madam Speaker, it is time for us to able to cause additional wildfire. rect assumption of ‘‘bad actors’’ wast- act. We shouldn’t put the utilities in that ing government funds. Nothing could f position of being cursed if they do or be further from the truth. It is not cursed if they don’t for a possible fire. about that. CONTINUING PRAYERS FOR We need to get the work done around In reality, these programs have prov- DEPUTY BRAD SULLIVAN the power lines. So I hope this rule put en to both encourage work and in- (Mr. GUEST asked and was given per- through by the U.S. Forest Service will crease savings in order to transition mission to address the House for 1 help us accomplish that. out of the program. VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:23 Sep 25, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K24SE7.037 H24SEPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with HOUSE September 24, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7893 Madam Speaker, millions of Ameri- erty, and the pursuit of happiness.’’ ner that will artificially drive down the cans are just one lost job, just one That means food. number of people counted as officially health crisis, or another emergency, Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, as poor. Because eligibility for a range of maybe the bread winner passed on. you can see, I am here alongside my basic supports is calculated based on These things happen unexpectedly and colleagues of the Congressional Black the poverty threshold, each year, as any other emergency issues that may Caucus in strong opposition to the ad- costs go up, many working people with arise, it keeps them from becoming ministration’s proposal to severely re- low pay would gradually be stripped of food insecure. strict broad-based categorical eligi- SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, parts of Medi- Madam Speaker, there are a lot of bility, or cat-el. care, Head Start, school lunch, legal things that we can do without, but food This rule would kick millions of peo- services, even tax credits under the Af- we cannot ever do without. So it is up ple struggling with hunger from the fordable Care Act. to us Members of Congress to look out Supplemental Nutrition Assistance In my own district, due to Hurricanes for the most vulnerable among us.