Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kaitlyn Kirchner, a constituent of mine from Madelia, Minnesota. She created the winning recipe in the White House's second annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and won an invitation to today's Kids'…

Let's maximize our resources. Let's have a force-multiplier and use this medical evidence.

As a veteran and a citizen, thank you all for what you do.

I hope that is not the case.

It doesn't appear to be happening in southern Minnesota.

But it is still higher than our national unemployment rate.

I think we know, as Congressman Paulsen has pointed out, some of this is tied obviously to the overall economy.

We appreciate the work of Mr. Fowke and other companies, and the Chamber in making a huge effort in putting the word out there that they want to hire vets.

We have seen that progress, that great dramatic drop from 12.1 to 9.9 percent.

I think new energy is always good.

9.9 percent is still too high for our post-9/11 vet.

I am cosponsor of the Free Flow of Information Act--I was the first time it was introduced, and I am now--to protect the freedom of the press.

I represent a small city of about 110,000 people in southern Minnesota.

There has been a concerted effort of local, State, private partners to build intercity rail.

Mr. President, I rise to speak about legislation that I am introducing called the Community College to Career Fund Act. This legislation is aimed at closing what is called the skills gap--the gap between the skills that businesses need to…

That is torture, isn't it?

I abhor the beliefs and the actions of Mr. Padilla. He deserves to be punished.

I commend you for those actions.