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.
“RECOGNIZING THE ST. CLOUD POLICE DEPARTMENT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5310-H5311 on July 10, 2019.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE ST. CLOUD POLICE DEPARTMENT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Emmer) for 5 minutes.
Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the St. Cloud Police Department for receiving the United States Department of Justice's L. Anthony Sutin Civic Imagination Award. This award recognizes collaborative partnerships between law enforcement and their communities.
The St. Cloud Police Department received the award for its Community Outpost Project. The ``Cop House,'' as is it is more commonly known, is a refurbished residential home in a neighborhood that previously experienced a high level of calls for local law enforcement.
The St. Cloud Police Department, together with numerous community partners, now provides not only a local gathering place, but safety and health programming for the neighborhood residents out of this home.
Congratulations to Chief Blair Anderson, Lieutenant Lori Ellering, the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation, and all of the officers of the St. Cloud Police Department for this well-deserved award.
Our community appreciates all of you and all that you do to protect and serve us.
Prioritizing Transportation Safety
Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, on Minnesota's U.S. Highway 12 between the cities of Independence and my hometown of Delano, in just the last 5 years, there have been 811 crashes in which 239 people have been injured and 24 people have lost their lives.
Several of those lost have been high school classmates of my own children. In fact, this past March, Marleena Dieterich, a senior honor student at Delano High School and the child of Thom and Deb, lost her life as she was trying to get home.
Recently, Deputy Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration Brandye Hendrickson visited Minnesota on behalf of Secretary Chao. Following a bus tour of the most dangerous stretches of U.S. Highway 12, we held a roundtable with community leaders and residents to discuss possible solutions and the need for action.
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The accidents and fatalities on this road are avoidable. We continue to urge Secretary Chao to visit and see firsthand the danger this highway presents.
Congress must do its part to provide long-term Federal transportation funding for needed infrastructure repairs and improvements. We must find innovative and long-term solutions to address these sorely needed improvements, like the need on U.S. Highway 12.
I thank Deputy Administrator Hendrickson and everyone who participated in our roundtable. Together, we will continue fighting for improvements on U.S. Highway 12 until we see the changes that will prioritize the safety of our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow Minnesotans.
Inspiring Future Female Leaders
Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my staff and to highlight a program our office launched during my first term in Congress for high school women in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District.
The program is called the Young Women's Leadership Program.
In addition to my staff, I want to personally thank the amazing women leaders who have participated in the program and who have agreed to be a resource and mentors for the young women who attend these programs as they get ready for life beyond high school.
Every summer, our Young Women's Leadership Program hosts three roundtable discussions featuring high-achieving professional women in our district.
To date, we have been honored by the first female brigadier general for both the Army and Air Force, the first Asian American female U.S. district attorney, a surgeon, a college professor, and numerous female entrepreneurs and business owners.
This program gives our participants insight into valuable leadership experiences and career advice during a pivotal time in their lives.
Our panelists have discussed how to negotiate your first salary, tips for networking successfully, managing a work-life balance, and countless other lessons.
We live in a time in our Nation's history where everyone is important and needed, especially strong women.
Again, I want to thank the incredible women leaders who have participated in our program to pay it forward for the next generation of women leaders, and I encourage my Republican and Democrat colleagues here in Congress to do the same in all of your districts.
A Better Way to Age
Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, we recently held a senior forum for residents of Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. This forum was an opportunity to connect our seniors and their caregivers with resources to assist with health, lifestyle, and future planning needs.
I want to thank the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging and the Central Minnesota Council on Aging for partnering with our office to make this event a success.
Recently, the House passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act. This nonpartisan law, more commonly known as the SECURE Act, will make it easier to establish retirement plans and removes age limits for IRA contributions.
The SECURE Act will allow our seniors more flexibility and improve their quality of life in retirement.
This is great, nonpartisan work by Congress. And, going forward, we must all be committed to doing what we can to ensure our seniors are able to plan for their financial futures, stay healthy, and maintain connections to their communities.
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