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[Pages H2649-H2650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING NATIONAL AGRICULTURE WEEK
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
[[Page H2650]]
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, during
National Agriculture Week, to celebrate American farmers and farm
families.
This nationwide effort recognizes and celebrates the abundance
provided by American agriculture. It also reminds citizens that
agriculture is a part of all of us and plays a critical economic and
food security role.
Thursday is National Ag Day, which began in 1973 as a way to increase
public awareness of agriculture's role in society. National Ag Day
encourages every American to understand how food and fiber products are
produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe,
abundant, and affordable products; value the essential role of
agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and acknowledge and
consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, and fiber
industries.
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are fortunate to have more
than 58,000 farmers. These men and women are the lifeline of the
Commonwealth, as agriculture is our number one industry.
Our farmers produce a safe and abundant food supply, including our
dairy farmers, who produce the milk that is stocked in the cases of our
supermarkets and in lunchrooms across America.
My bill, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, would further expand
milk choices in our schools. It would allow for whole milk, both
flavored and unflavored, to be offered in school cafeterias.
Mr. Speaker, milk was once a staple in the diets of our students, but
consumption in schools has dramatically decreased since the Healthy,
Hunger-Free Act of 2010--which demonized milk fat, which is where
nutrition and flavor is--was implemented.
Milk is the number one source of nine essential nutrients in the
diets of many young Americans. We can provide the foundation for a
solid, healthy lunch in our schools that also tastes great and students
will want to drink.
When students don't consume milk, they are not getting nutrients such
as calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.
I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids
Act, and National Agriculture Week is the perfect time to sign on to
this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, we know that farmers feed; nutrition matters; and
agriculture plays a critical role in modern society. I would like to
thank all Americans who work tirelessly in the ag sector. On behalf of
a grateful Nation, we thank you.
Cybersecurity Skills Integration
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 1592, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act.
As co-chair of the House Career and Technical Education Caucus, I am
proud that we continue to provide the resources necessary to have a
dominant and prosperous workforce. For instance, this past July, we
authorized the Carl D. Perkins Act to advance career and technical
education.
We must continue developing a 21st century workforce to meet the
technical demands our country is facing now and into the future. That
is why, together with my friend, Congressman Jim Langevin, we have
introduced a bill to help protect our sensitive data and critical
infrastructure from bad actors.
Our legislation directs the Department of Education to create a
comprehensive grant program that integrates cybersecurity education
into new and established postsecondary CTE programs.
With more than 16 critical infrastructure sectors in our country, we
must prepare our next generation of learners to have the most
sophisticated and comprehensive educational programs to protect our
Nation's most dire assets, systems, and networks.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I thank Mr. Langevin
for his work and leadership on this issue.
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