The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SMALL BUSINESS WEEK” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H3585-H3586 on April 26, 2018.
The Department oversees energy policies and is involved in how the US handles nuclear programs. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department's misguided energy regulations have caused large losses to consumers for decades.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington) for 5 minutes.
Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman, my colleague, Democratic colleague, for his comments and his personal testimony, and I respect his dad and the heritage of work that he left for his son.
I am on the Agriculture Committee, and I have got to say I am confused, I am perplexed, and, quite frankly, I am outraged in many ways with some of my colleagues' comments about work and the work requirements that we are putting in the Food Stamp program. This doesn't have anything to do about children, about disabled people, about the elderly. This is about requiring people who are able-bodied to work who aren't working.
We are long overdue for reforms in this country. We are long overdue to have policies in place that encourage work. We want people to have the blessing and dignity of work. We want people to fulfill their God-
given potential. We want them to contribute to society.
We have 6 million jobs, surplus jobs. We want folks to make the best out of the life that God has given them for their communities, for their families, for themselves.
This is unbelievable in the United States of America. We are asking that, if you receive assistance from hardworking, taxpaying Americans, you would just work 20 hours a week or volunteer or be trained to work. That is all we are asking.
I see hardworking people throughout the gallery, and I bet you they feel the same way. I have seen the polls. Over 80 percent of the people in this country say more people need to work and pay taxes and contribute to this great country.
I believe in the safety net. I believe in compassion. I believe that is the heart of God, and I think it should be reflected in our policies. But God also expects personal responsibility, and He expects us to have responsible policies that pull people up and out of a cycle of dependency and poverty. That is not compassion; that is not decency; and that is not common sense.
So I support this farm bill, and I appreciate the tone, I really do, of my colleague. He is a gentleman, I can tell. I don't even know him, but I can tell he is a gentleman and a statesman, but I cannot listen to folks who, in my opinion, are scaring folks in the public and my colleagues who are on the Agriculture Committee and here in the House from not voting to make responsible, reasonable, compassionate, and commonsense reforms to food stamps.
We need to do that in every government assistance program. We need to pull people out of the welfare trap, and we need to equip them and encourage them and support them to be the best that they can be.
I don't know how much time I have left, Mr. Speaker, but I want to also comment on some fellow west Texans who are here in town to compete for the 2018 National Science Bowl.
This week, Lubbock High School will join select schools across the country who earned the opportunity to compete at the national finals. I want to thank the Department of Energy and my fellow Texan, Secretary Rick Perry, for sponsoring this important competition.
The students from Lubbock competing in this tournament are part of a national effort to ensure America continues to lead the way in science and remains the laboratory of innovation in the entire world. That is the greatness of American innovation.
We want this generation to discover the cure to cancer, to solve the challenges of cybersecurity, and to push the boundaries of outer space.
These students' commitment to science is impressive, and I am confident that their generation will propel us to new heights of discovery that will improve the quality of life for all humanity.
Congratulations again to Lubbock High School and to all the schools competing in the tournament.
Go Westerners.
Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I thank Chairman Conaway and the leadership of the Ag Committee for providing the safety net so that we can feed and clothe the American people, so that we can make important investments in rural infrastructure for sustainable small towns, the heartbeat of this country, so that we can continue to be the leader in agriculture innovation and technology development, and so we can make the compassionate reforms to food stamps.
God bless America.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from references to occupants of the gallery.
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