[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 68 (Thursday, April 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H2511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING 911 DISPATCHERS DURING NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY 
                         TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK

  (Mrs. TORRES of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National 
Public Safety Telecommunicators Week as the first 911 dispatcher in 
Congress.
  During America's darkest moments, 911 dispatchers are the first 
responders, from talking people out of committing suicide to handling 
active-shooter situations.
  Every single day, 911 dispatchers talk to people during the most 
difficult times in their lives. Despite their hard work, 911 
dispatchers are classified as clerical workers, making them first on 
the chopping block for budget cuts, leading to staffing shortages for 
an already stressful job.
  For this reason, I urge Congress to pass my 911 SAVES Act to honor 
911 dispatchers with a well-deserved reclassification.

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