[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S494-S496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS

  Ms. ALSOBROOKS. Mr. President, while this may not be my maiden floor 
speech, I think it of vital importance that Marylanders hear from their 
elected leaders in this moment of chaos.
  One of my greatest inspirations growing up was my grandmother, Sarah 
Daisy Alsobrooks. She was my father's mother. She raised my father and 
his siblings in a one-bedroom apartment in Northeast Washington, DC. My 
grandmother wanted for her family what all Americans want for their 
families--an affordable home to live in, a job that allowed her to 
support her family, and a safe community to raise her kids in.
  My grandmother dreamed of civil service. She dreamed of working in 
the Federal Government, and she was determined to do so. Many in this 
Chamber will recall that you had to pass the civil service exam in 
order to be hired. And to pass, you had to take a typing test. At the 
time, my grandmother was a housekeeper. She worked day and night to 
provide for my father and his siblings. Every dollar she made went to 
her family. So she couldn't afford a typewriter to practice typing on. 
But that didn't stop her from pursuing her dream.
  She took a white piece of paper and hand drew a keyboard on it. She 
taped that white piece of paper up on the refrigerator, and every 
night, after my dad and his siblings went to bed, she stood in front of 
that refrigerator and practiced on that white piece of paper. She 
taught herself to type every keystroke.
  It was with fierce determination--the same determination that I have 
seen in so many mothers and fathers who just wanted their kids to have 
more opportunities than they did--that she learned to type. She took 
the test, and she passed. She got the job she dreamed of, working in 
the Federal Government.
  And she was so proud of herself. She worked for the Pentagon. I can 
still remember she would come home and tell me: I saw General This 
Person and General That Person in the hallway that day. She knew that 
the work she did mattered. For her, working in the Federal Government 
wasn't just a job. Working on behalf of the people of the United States 
was her American dream.
  It is that kind of pride that makes our Federal workforce so 
special--the thousands of men and women who show up every single day to 
work on behalf of the people of this great Nation. They are public 
servants in the truest sense of the word.
  At the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, they are 
researching cures for cancer, trying to make sure that when a family 
gets that devastating news of a loved one who has been diagnosed with 
cancer, they have options. At the Food and Drug Administration in 
Silver Spring, MD, they are working tirelessly to make sure our food is 
safe to eat. At the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, MD, 
they are working to make sure that our seniors have access to their 
hard-earned benefits.
  These civil servants are patriots just like my grandmother. They love 
their country. They work for Democratic Presidents and for Republican 
Presidents. Their focus isn't on the politics of the day. It is on the 
mission of the Federal Government to serve the people of the United 
States of America.
  So you can imagine my deep frustration with this current 
administration that has decided to target these hard-working Americans 
in what I can only describe as a witch hunt. When I think of the people 
being pushed out, I think about people like my grandmother--hard-
working folks who wanted to make a difference in this country.
  The calls that I am getting are equally heartbreaking as they are 
infuriating. I spoke with a woman just this morning who worked at the 
Department of Health and Human Services for over 35 years. She has been 
put on leave as a part of one of the President's Executive orders.

  I spoke to another woman who spent over 37 years at the Department of 
Agriculture, and believe it or not, she was placed in a position under 
this current President's first administration, but now she has been let 
go.
  These are people who have worked under President George H. W. Bush, a 
Republican; President Bill Clinton, a Democrat; President George W. 
Bush, a Republican; President Barack Obama, a Democrat; President 
Donald Trump, a Republican; and President Joe Biden, a Democrat--
because, for these women

[[Page S495]]

and countless other Marylanders, it is not about which party is in 
power or which President won the election; it is about the work. It is 
about doing their part to make sure that our government functions.
  I represent the highest number of Federal workers per capita in the 
country. No State has more Federal workers per capita than the great 
State of Maryland. These are our friends, our neighbors, our mothers, 
our fathers, and, yes, our grandmothers. The fact that this 
administration has decided to disparage and demean these civil servants 
is infuriating. The bullying, the scare tactics, and the smoke and 
mirrors are unacceptable. These hard-working Marylanders deserve 
better.
  I want every Federal worker in Maryland who sees this to know that, 
when they see me in these halls, they must also see you.
  And what we know now is that this administration isn't stopping at 
our civil servants, which brings to us the last 48 hours. Let's recap.
  The administration issued a cruel and callous directive. No longer 
was the target just Federal workers. Suddenly, it was the entirety of 
the American people, because what this directive did was freeze Federal 
funds--a move intended to sow chaos and confusion, to instill fear. You 
don't have to take my word for it. Talk to the countless Marylanders 
who called my office--veterans who were scared that their benefits 
wouldn't go through, seniors who didn't know if they would still have 
Medicare, families who rely on SNAP benefits who didn't know if they 
would be able to feed their kids. These were the calls my office was 
getting yesterday--all because the President decided to freeze Federal 
funds.
  I don't know how to make this more plain. This has impacted so many 
people--people who voted for this President, people who did not vote 
for this President, and people who didn't vote at all.
  We are talking about law enforcement officers who rely on Federal 
funds to protect victims of domestic violence--women and children. I 
was a full-time domestic violence prosecutor--the first in my county. 
So, when I hear that the President of the United States is making it 
harder for these victims, you can imagine my deep frustration. Know 
this: We are not going to accept this.
  So I would like to take a few moments to paint a picture of exactly 
the kinds of Americans this administration is targeting: seniors and 
people with disabilities. Maryland is home to 1 million seniors and 
nearly 670,000 people living with disabilities. At the Department of 
Health and Human Services, the Administration for Community Living 
covers all the programs and services that help older adults and people 
with disabilities. Their work is essential, and it connects seniors 
with employment opportunities and provides support for caregivers like 
my father. It supports States in providing nutrition services for 
seniors, just to name a few.
  Services for seniors--on the chopping block.
  The Nutrition Services Incentive Program, in the Division of 
Administration for Community Living, is responsible for delivering 
nutritious meals to older adults. They work to make sure that older 
adults who can't leave their homes have an opportunity to access food.
  Helping hungry seniors--on the chopping block.
  The Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration Grants to States expand the 
availability of diagnostic and support services for those with 
Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. Anyone who has watched a 
loved one suffer with Alzheimer's knows exactly how painful this is. So 
we should be doing everything in our power to find a cure for this 
disease and support those suffering from it--a disease that is the 
seventh leading cause of death among older residents in Maryland.
  Supporting those with Alzheimer's--on the chopping block.
  The National Family Caregiver Support Program provides grants to 
caregivers. I am a member of the sandwich generation. I am raising my 
19-year-old daughter, who is just amazing--her name is Alex--while 
caring for two wonderful, aging parents. The work of caregivers across 
our country is so selfless, valuable, and necessary to ensure those who 
raised us get the care and support they deserve and have earned. I know 
I wouldn't be here today without my incredible parents. More than 
700,000 caregivers receive services through this program.
  Supporting our caregivers--on the chopping block.
  The Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services supports 
emergency shelters and related assistance for victims of domestic 
violence and their children. I have sat with these women and their 
children in the courtroom, prosecuting the cases against their abusers, 
and I know how hard it is for them to get out of an abusive 
relationship and seek help at an emergency shelter.
  These shelters literally save lives, providing emergency shelter to 
victims of domestic violence. You guessed it. It is on the chopping 
block.
  Now, I could go on and on, but I think what has been made clear is 
that these political stunts are going to have a devastating and long-
lasting impact on Marylanders--and, yes, it bears repeating--on 
Marylanders who voted for this President, Marylanders who didn't vote 
for this President, and Marylanders who did not vote at all.
  My job in the Senate is to advocate for my people, and my people are 
Marylanders. They are the Federal workers who have spent their lives 
working on behalf of the American people, no matter who the President 
is. They are the parents who rely on SNAP benefits to make sure their 
children don't go hungry. They are the teachers who prepare our kids to 
be leaders. They are the watermen who harvest blue crab from the 
Chesapeake Bay. They are the caregivers who make life easier for our 
loved ones. They are the scientists who are researching a cure for 
cancer. They are the veterans who serve our country honorably. They are 
the police officers who keep our communities safe. They are the 
Democrats. They are the Republicans. They are the Independents. And 
each and every one of them deserves better than this administration.
  I am willing to work with anyone--Democrat, Republican, Independent, 
whoever--to deliver for Marylanders. My door is always open. What I 
have come to learn from my time in public service is that the people of 
this great country all want the same things: a roof over their heads, a 
good-paying job so they can provide for their families, great schools, 
good healthcare, safe communities, a lower cost of goods. These are the 
things each and every one of us should be fighting for. This is what 
the administration should be focused on. So, when they return to that 
mission, I will be here. But if this President continues to threaten 
Marylanders, I will be here, too, fighting back.

  As I end, you know, many of my constituents know that I am a woman of 
faith and that, in the midst of chaos, I turn to the Word. So I would 
like to close by sharing Scriptures of encouragement, words that speak 
to us in tumultuous times and remind us to love one another.
  II Timothy 1:7 says:

       For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, 
     and of love, and of a sound mind.

  Romans 12:12 says:

       Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in 
     prayer.

  Joshua 1:9 says:

       Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be 
     discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever 
     you go.

  James 1:2-4 says:

       Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of 
     various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith 
     produces steadfastness.

  Psalm 34:17 says:

       The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them 
     out of all their troubles.

  I Corinthians 14:33 says:

       For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in 
     all churches of the saints.

  John 16:33 says:

       These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might 
     have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of 
     good cheer; I have overcome the world.

  Romans 8:28:

       And we know that all things work together for good to them 
     that love God, to them who are the called according to His 
     purpose.

  II Corinthians 4:17:

       For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
     worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
     glory.


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  Proverbs 25:28:

       He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city 
     that is broken down, and without walls.

  Proverbs 11:14:

       Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude 
     of counsellors there is safety.

  II Thessalonians 3:16:

       Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all 
     means. The Lord be with you all.

  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire.

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