[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5139-H5140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE IMPORTANCE OF C-SPAN

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, recently, I was invited by a young friend,

[[Page H5140]]

Tyler Nissen, at the Palermo Middle School in Palermo, California, to 
come address their class, the class belonging to Mr. Seth Davis.
  I spoke to the students about the importance of individual civic 
engagement in our Republic and all things in Congress.
  That is when it hit me: How does the public stay in touch with what 
we are doing here if they can't be in the gallery or visit Washington, 
D.C.? It really occurs that C-SPAN is an important aspect for people to 
be in touch, that network whose entire purpose is to allow those 
watching at home to be able to do so, to be involved in what goes on in 
the inner workings of this town and this process in Congress.
  In the grand scheme of our whole country, it is actually fairly new, 
having begun in 1979. Today, nearly anyone can tune in or go online, on 
an internet connection, and be a part of the debate, thanks to the 
camera coverage we have in this room as well as in our committees.
  As a nonprofit, unedited, and uninterrupted channel for all things 
Congress, even the Presidential inauguration or State of the Union 
Address, C-SPAN is an integral part of our Republic. I hope more people 
will partake of that great tool like the students are at Palermo Middle 
School--and Tyler Nissen and his classmates--to be in touch with what 
goes on in their government.

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