Congressional Record—House H2559
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May 19, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2559 CLOSING A LOOPHOLE THAT Captain Garigan’s exemplary con- As a Congress, we need to follow the BLOCKS PHARMACEUTICAL COM- tribution to the people of Gordon Coun- example of Mississippi and other PETITION ty should be honored and remembered. States and bring this program to a (Mr. VEASEY asked and was given That is why I have introduced House close, as more Americans find it pos- permission to address the House for 1 Resolution 301, commending Captain sible to return to normal life. minute.) Garigan for his devotion to his family, f Ms. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, community, church, and the Nation. My thoughts and prayers are with THE EXEMPLARY CAREER OF TOM today, I urge my colleagues to pass the TENBRINK Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Captain Garigan’s family and the peo- (Mr. HUIZENGA asked and was given Act, which will close a loophole that ple of Gordon County. permission to address the House for 1 blocks pharmaceutical competition f minute.) and prevents innovative treatments for LET’S GET BACK TO WORK Mr. HUIZENGA. Madam Speaker, I opioid abuse disorders from coming to (Mr. TIMMONS asked and was given rise today to recognize the exemplary the market. permission to address the House for 1 career of Tom TenBrink and his legacy The opioid crisis in this country, as minute.) of service, dedication, and success in you know, is very serious, and the Mr. TIMMONS. Madam Speaker, the Jenison community. On behalf of COVID–19 pandemic has only exacer- there are nearly 8 million job openings west Michigan, it is an honor to ex- bated the problem. Because the pan- in the United States right now, yet the press my appreciation and gratitude demic and all of its underlying issues— Federal Government is currently pay- for his many years of service to the fear of the virus, increased economic ing people to stay home instead of students, staff, and families of Jenison hardship, and the challenges of staying going to work. Public Schools. at home and maintaining a safe dis- Last year, the government took steps Mr. TenBrink’s distinguished career tance—opioid abuse disorders are sky- to protect and support the American with the Jenison Public Schools is rocketing, and the epidemic has taken people during a once-in-a-lifetime glob- coming to an end, as he is retiring a toll on communities in every corner al pandemic. It was the right thing to after 34 successful years, 18 of which of the country. do at the time. Now science tells us were spent as superintendent of the I am proud to co-lead this piece of that we can resume life as normal. district. legislation and that our Democratic Federal money was able to support As a faithful servant to west Michi- majority pushed ahead with bringing it workers during the peak of the pan- gan, Mr. TenBrink has spent his tenure to the floor again for a vote amid last demic, but now the best recovery plan establishing Jenison Public Schools as week’s partisan attempts to hold this is employment. The answer to our sup- a destination district. He has fostered a legislation hostage, because fighting ply chain issues, rising unemployment family culture, prioritizing the impor- the opioid epidemic cannot wait any rate, and inflation is not to continue to tance of adopting attitudes of servant longer. throw trillions of dollars at this prob- leadership, while also maintaining a In the past 20 years, we have seen a lem. The real solution is to get people commitment to educational excellence. drastic increase in opioid addiction, back to work. His steadfast leadership has led to with nearly every State in the Nation We need to follow the lead of States, the creation of the Jenison Inter- seeing a spike in overdose deaths. Pass- like my home State of South Carolina, national Academy, the development of ing our Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclu- and discontinue participation in the a K–12 Spanish immersion program, sivity Act will help curb the senseless Federal unemployment programs. and the building of the Jenison Center loss of life by expanding treatment op- Vaccines are available to anyone who for the Arts and a new Kids First early tions and driving down costs of new chooses to get one. Let’s get back to childhood center. Furthermore, the dis- medicines. work. trict has earned countless accolades f f under his leadership. Tom, thank you for your leadership, b 1215 RISING UNEMPLOYMENT dedication, and commitment not only HONORING CAPTAIN MICHAEL (Mr. GUEST asked and was given per- to the students, but to the Jenison D’ANGELO GARIGAN mission to address the House for 1 community and all of west Michigan. I (Mrs. GREENE of Georgia asked and minute.) hope you enjoy retirement knowing was given permission to address the Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, former that Jenison and Georgetown Township House for 1 minute.) President Ronald Reagan once said, would not be the place it is today with- Mrs. GREENE of Georgia. Madam ‘‘The best social program is a job.’’ out your leadership. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Job creation and growing our econ- f extraordinary life of Captain Michael omy are bipartisan issues that benefit D’Angelo Garigan, a dedicated law en- all Americans. GET AMERICA BACK ON TRACK forcement officer from my district, This past year, we saw the impact (Mr. MANN asked and was given per- who passed away earlier this year. that COVID had on our businesses, mission to address the House for 1 Officer Garigan was born in Gordon both large and small. But now, as we minute.) County to a well-known and highly re- are reopening the economy, many em- Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, I rise spected family. A Calhoun resident all ployers are unable to find workers to today to urge Americans who can get his life, Captain Garigan invested in keep up with the high demand for back to work, get back to work. his community and bettered the lives goods and services. It has been more than a year since of everyone around him. A major roadblock to businesses the pandemic shut down the country. Captain Garigan served the people of being able to hire staff comes from the Today, nationwide coronavirus cases Gordon County for over three decades Federal supplemental unemployment have dramatically decreased, and cases as a deputy, detective, and coordinator payments made on top of the unem- in Kansas alone are only 7 percent of for the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office. ployment already received by the what they were in January. We are get- In fact, Captain Garigan was decorated States. These payments have caused ting back to normal. Businesses are over a dozen times for exemplary po- many potential employees to continue ready to reopen and welcome back cus- lice work. collecting unemployment from the tomers. Outside the office, Captain Garigan government rather than reentering the Unfortunately, President Biden’s was an active member of his commu- workforce. bonus, the new monthly unemployment nity, serving his church as a deacon, Thankfully, many Republican Gov- checks being distributed on top of the broadcasting high school football ernors, including Mississippi’s Gov- checks unemployed persons already re- games on the radio, and umpiring base- ernor Tate Reeves, have ordered the ceive, is paying a premium for poten- ball and football games for local youth end of the Federal unemployment pay- tial workers to remain at home rather leagues. ments now that the economy is open. than finding work. I have heard from VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 May 20, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K19MY7.025 H19MYPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with HOUSE H2560 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 19, 2021 countless small business owners in the enced by the Asian American and Pa- minute and to revise and extend her re- Big First who cite the Biden bonus as cific Islander communities. marks.) the reason why they cannot find work- Unfortunately, we have seen a na- Ms. TENNEY. Madam Speaker, it is ers and completely reopen. tionwide rise in hateful and harmful my great honor to recognize my con- The data doesn’t lie. There are nearly acts toward Asian Americans and Pa- stituent services director, Jason 8 million open jobs in America right cific Islanders. Targeted violence Phelps, of New Hartford, New York, for now, a new record. The Biden bonus, at against anyone based on who they are 20 years of outstanding service to the a time when employers are searching cannot be tolerated. It is not who we people of upstate New York. for workers, is unwanted Federal Gov- are as a people and goes against every- Jason began his service as an intern ernment interference in the market- thing we represent as a nation. for former Congressman Sherry Boeh- place. Today, I had hoped to be able to sup- lert in Washington, D.C., and, after a I recently joined fellow Kansas Re- port H. Res. 275, condemning the hor- short time working for a nonprofit, be- publicans in urging the Kansas Gov- rific shootings of the eight Asian came a member of Boehlert’s Utica ernor to opt out of enhanced unemploy- women in Atlanta, to honor the lives of staff, where he dedicated himself to ment benefits. I cosponsored the Help the victims, and recognize the basic veterans’ case work. Jason has worked Wanted Act, which addresses the severe American fundamentals that reject ha- for five different Members of Congress labor shortages caused by the Federal tred and violence.