[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8793-8794]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    THE NEED FOR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Emmer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the importance of 
the U.S. International Affairs Budget for America's economic 
prosperity. Recently, more than 220 leaders from America's business 
community, from Fortune 500 companies to local chambers of commerce, 
wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about the strategic 
investments in development and diplomacy that advance America's 
interests overseas and support jobs at home.
  I am particularly proud that the CEOs of Land O'Lakes and Cargill--
two Minnesota-based companies--helped lead this critical effort. 
Minnesota businesses understand they need the support of America's 
diplomats and development professionals at the State Department and 
USAID in the international marketplace to succeed.
  For less than 1 percent of the Federal budget, our diplomats and 
development workers help create good governance and stability in 
developing countries around the world. These efforts enable their 
economies to grow, creating new markets for American goods in a highly 
competitive global marketplace.
  With 95 percent of the world's consumers living outside of our 
borders, some of our fastest growing economies are in developing 
countries. Currently, 41 million American jobs depend on international 
trade, including 800,000 in the great State of Minnesota. We simply 
can't afford to disengage from the world. We also know that individuals 
who experience economic growth and trade with one another prefer peace 
over conflict.
  If the United States is to remain an economic powerhouse that 
continues to

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create jobs for hardworking Americans here at home, we must invest in 
our critical development and diplomacy agencies. If we don't, our 
economic competitors and, God forbid, our enemies certainly will.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to protect funding for the International Affairs Budget.


                         A Well-Deserved Award

  Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of 
Forest Lake Area Schools' early childhood special education teacher, 
Heide Muhs. Heide is retiring at the end of this school year. Heide is 
concluding her professional career in education with a huge 
achievement. Recently she received the Early Childhood Professional of 
the Year Lifetime Excellence Award. This award recognizes an individual 
who has made a lasting difference in the lives of children with special 
needs and their families. This is an area where Heide has excelled 
during her career.
  Heide is no stranger to the needs of these families. For her, it is 
personal. In fact, she has two adopted sons with special needs. Through 
her personal experience and unwavering dedication to those in her care, 
Heide has managed to help and strengthen families throughout central 
Minnesota.
  I am proud to stand here today and to thank Heide for her commitment 
to our children's future. We wish you the best in your retirement, 
Heide. You deserve it.


                    Bush Fellowship for Minnesotans

  Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievements of two 
Minnesotans from my district. Scott Glew of Elk River and Emmanuel 
Oppong of St. Cloud have received Bush Fellowships.
  During his service in the Army National Guard, Scott was deeply 
affected by the human suffering he witnessed. That is why, in his 
current job as an educator, Scott is determined to teach his students 
about global conflicts. He has advocated for making social studies a 
main component of our students' curriculum. With his fellowship, Scott 
plans to earn a Ph.D. to expand and improve upon our education 
curriculum.
  Mr. Oppong is originally from Ghana and knows firsthand that mental 
health is not a priority for many cultures. That is why he works as a 
counselor for immigrants and refugees dealing with culture shock and 
trauma. With his fellowship, Emmanuel plans to learn how to raise 
awareness of mental health issues and implement education plans to 
improve the health and well-being of our communities.
  I am deeply impressed with these individuals and their commitment to 
the common good, and I wish them well as they pursue their goals.


                        An Incredible Gold Star

  Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and thank Ally 
Haas, a student at Sartell High School. Recently, Ally completed a 
project that has helped elementary students at St. Francis Xavier 
Elementary School by pairing them with high school and college students 
for weekly tutoring sessions. The project has been incredibly 
successful.
  Due to the success of her project, Ally received a Gold Award from 
the Girl Scouts. This is the highest award the Girl Scouts has to 
offer. It is no coincidence that Ally has become such a civic-minded 
young woman, as she is a fourth-generation Girl Scout. In fact, Ally's 
mother received the Gold Award in 1985.
  Congratulations, Ally. We are proud of you and we are looking forward 
to your bright future and continued success.

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