Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendments to House Amendment to S. Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building; Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to House Amendment to S. Keep Kids Fed Act of Relating to Consideration of Senate Amendment to H.R. Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. WEBER of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to be here. This is a somber time. Yes, the Senate has sent us something over again that we never got to really look into before we have to vote in the House.

Madam Speaker, I actually have a bill, H.R. 7909, that I think you all would be interested if I had gotten to speak to it in the Committee on Rules this morning.

It does three things: It says to our law enforcement retired professionals if they want to get a part-time job as an armed resource officer with the school district, they don't have to pay Social Security, withholding taxes, FICA--none of that--that is so they don't get thrown into a higher income tax bracket.

The second thing it does, is it allows schools to hire an absolute professional, a retired law enforcement professional at a reduced rate, because they don't have to match Social Security, withholding, and FICA.

But third and most importantly what it does, is it gives the students and the teachers and the staff of that facility, first-class armed protection in that school system and in that school district so that when and if this happens, they have got a professional there.

May 18, 2018. It was a Friday; 10 people were killed in Santa Fe High School, in my district.

John Barns, a police officer, an unarmed police officer was there within 3 minutes.

He came around to confront the gunman, and the gunman pretty much eviscerated his right arm with a shotgun. Other police officers showed up quickly.

Madam Speaker, we can do this with help to the school districts. We can get armed professional police officers there to help protect our schools, the kids, teachers, and the staff. It doesn't have to be about violating the Second Amendment. It doesn't have to be about taking away gun rights. This is one simple thing.

Madam Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to look at that bill, see if they are interested in it because it is one way we can help.

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