Media

Im pleased the College of Southern Maryland has received this critical funding so that we can intervene to keep juvenile offenders from reoffending and help reconnect them with their community. This project will help ensure these young adults have the education and skills needed to be successful, as well as benefit our community and help local businesses grow and expand as they hire trained workers.

Each year, students from the Fifth District submit exceptional artwork for the Congressional Art Competition, and Id like to thank each of the participants for their outstanding submissions. I am pleased to announce that the selection panel has chosen In the Hands of Liberty by Victoria Wolf to represent the Fifth District this year, a painting that features text of a section of the U.S. Constitution. It is a wonderful painting, and Im proud of Victoria and all Fifth District participants for their talent and creativity.

I want to thank these business leaders for joining me today to discuss how we can strengthen our economy and support job creation. Marylands small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and Im committed to ensuring they have the resources they need to expand and put more Marylanders back to work. Already, the Make It In America plan is helping small businesses in Maryland and throughout the country, and I am focused on moving this agenda forward so that more Maryland businesses and families can make it in America.

With 34 consecutive months of growth, the manufacturing sector is leading our economic recovery. Im committed to building on that momentum and ensuring that local manufacturers like Aerolab can succeed. By supporting small businesses, increasing competitiveness, and prioritizing investments in key areas, the Make It In America plan will help manufacturers innovate, grow, and create good jobs here in Maryland and throughout the country.

With e-government services rapidly expanding, we have an important opportunity to make government more open, transparent, and accessible to the American people. This grant will ensure our students have the education and skills necessary to understand the nature of government information, manage its online presence, and help us better serve the publics needs.

When taking stock of the health of the Patuxent River and our stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay, theres no index more important than Bernies Sneaker Index, which has been our leading non-scientific measure of the rivers health for 25 years. I want to thank Bernie for his dedication and moral leadership on the issue of water conservation in Maryland. We have a special responsibility to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and I join Bernie in fighting on behalf of its clean-up and conservation.

I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Mr. Runyan and Mr. Kissell and others, which seeks to ensure that our nations fire stations areadequately staffed and that firefighters have the tools they need to protect our communities safely and effectively. Specifically, this amendment willrestore the successful FIRE and SAFER grant programs to last years funding level of $337.5 million each.

Today is a very proud day for our students, their families, and our community. I am honored to recognize these outstanding students and I thank them for choosing to serve our nation. Each of these individuals have an incredibly bright future ahead, and I have great faith that they will make our nation stronger. Congratulations to them and their families, and I wish them the best of luck as they begin their course of study and the careers that will follow.