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.
“REMEMBERNG ROBERT ``BOBBY'' SILVERSTEIN” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the in the Senate section section on page S307 on Feb. 9.
The Department provides billions in unemployment insurance, which peaked around 2011 though spending had declined before the pandemic. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, claimed the Department funds "ineffective and duplicative services" and overregulates the workplace.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERNG ROBERT ``BOBBY'' SILVERSTEIN
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I wish to commemorate the life of Robert
``Bobby'' Silverstein, a leader in the disability rights movement, who passed away on November 17, 2022.
Bobby was a true public servant having worked in the Labor Department, the Health, Education and Welfare Department, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, including as staff director and chief counsel for the Subcommittee on Disability Policy of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources--now the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. He was known as the ``behind-the-scenes architect'' of the Americans with Disabilities Act and served as a consensus-builder making bipartisan disability legislation a reality.
Bobby changed the lives of millions of people with disabilities by his work in prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. I join former chairs of the HELP Committee in honoring his contributions to the disability and civil rights movement.
Bobby was steadfast in his many roles fighting for disability rights after his time working in Congress. He will be remembered for the significant impacts his work made to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Finally, all who worked with Bobby tell of how kind and humble he was. He was beloved by all who knew him.
May the memory of Bobby Silverstein be for a blessing.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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OHIO UNIVERSITY SCRIPPS CENTENNIAL
Scripps students go on to do great things. Scripps alums are leading their industries, whether it is broadcast, print or digital media. They are producing award-winning content, reporting at the national, State, and local level and delivering the stories that matter most to Ohioans and Americans. Scripps journalists tell the stories that impact our daily lives and dig for those that might not be told otherwise. They are tenacious and dedicated in their pursuit of knowledge. They ask tough questions, challenge conventional wisdom, and connect us all with our communities and our world. That wouldn't be possible without their time at Ohio University.
Most importantly, Scripps is rooted in the values essential for a democratic society, the values of truth, accuracy, and independence. I can't think of better values to instill in the next generation of journalists.
In recent years, we have seen attacks on the free press, making it even more important that the journalists of today and tomorrow are prepared to fight for truth and transparency. A free, independent press is vital to our democracy. It is enshrined in our Constitution. And Scripps journalists uphold it daily. To the faculty and staff at Scripps, the students, and the alumni: Thank you for all you do to make Scripps the institution what it is today, an institution respected around the world for its ability to create the leaders of tomorrow. Thank you for your commitment to journalism and dedication to the college. And thank you to Dr. Hugh Sherman and Dean Scott Titsworth for your leadership.
I am proud that Scripps calls Ohio home, and I look forward to its next hundred years. Congratulations on the centennial.
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