[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 9, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





        RECOGNIZING NATIONAL COURT REPORTERS AND CAPTIONERS WEEK

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                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 2022

  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Court 
Reporters and Captioners Week. Court reporters and captioners are 
highly trained professionals who have the unique ability to convert 
spoken word into text that can be read, broadcasted and archived. This 
profession provides a vital service to our Nation. Their work results 
in real-time translation services for people who are deaf and hard of 
hearing in addition to providing near instant translations in other 
settings. Our Nation's captioners ensure all Americans have equal 
access to news and other critical information.
  I would be remiss if I failed to mention my wife, Tawni, and her work 
as a court reporter. Tawni has been a fearless champion and advocate 
for real-time writers. Most notably, she developed a program to 
transcribe the Veterans History Project recordings. Now the Library of 
Congress has a written record of these stories. I want to extend my 
sincerest thanks to the real-time writers who have given their time to 
do this.
  In the 117th Congress, I reintroduced the Training for Realtime 
Writers Act, which would reauthorize the Training for Realtime Writers 
Grant program and encourage careers in real-time writing and court 
reporting, provide scholarships for students, and modernize curriculum 
to adapt to our changing world.
  The Training for Realtime Writers Grant Program has been successful 
in training the current generation of captioners and court reporters 
and has aided in the rapid growth of these professions. By 
reauthorizing the Training for Realtime Writers grants, students will 
have the opportunity to enter a technical, well-paid, and highly 
skilled career that will allow them to become court reporters and 
captioners immediately upon graduation.
  From maintaining the integrity of our democracy to ensuring every 
citizen stays up to date on today's 24-hour news cycle, real-time 
writers are vital to Americans in all communities. Over the past 
decade, this program has encouraged a new generation of real-time 
writers to enter this important field. I want to acknowledge the court 
reporters and captioners in the House of Representatives, especially 
those who were on the House floor on January 6, 2021, when 
insurrectionists breached the Capitol. Their work is crucial to the 
sustained function of our government, and I thank them for their 
service and dedication to our country.

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