María Elvira Salazar: “before commenting on this amendment, I wish to take a minute to thank the chairman and ranking member, Senators Cochran…”

“before commenting on this amendment, I wish to take a minute to thank the chairman and ranking member, Senators Cochran and Byrd, for all their hard work on this important bill. I am especially appreciative of the help and support they have offered this Senator on two amendments. They and their staffs have been helpful as we try to ensure that the brave Lebanese people who stood up to their Syrian occupiers know we are here to support them. Earlier today we made a down payment on a commitment to help ensure they have the free and fair elections and strong and vibrant democracy they have earned. I want especially to thank the staffs of Senators McConnell and Leahy for the help on the Lebanon amendment. I am also hopeful that we will be able to fix something that I have considered an injustice since I came to the Senate earlier this year. The assistance we provide to military families in the event of a loss of their family member is referred to as the ``death gratuity.'' That is a misnomer, and I am hopeful that we will be able to correct that by renaming this assistance as something more fitting, namely, ``Fallen Hero Compensation.'' Regarding the amendment I have just sent to the desk, it is quite simple. It clearly states our support for the earned income tax credit, especially because this program benefits working families and a large amount of our active duty military personnel.…”