Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership. I rise as a…”

“I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership. I rise as a cosponsor of the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Scott, and chairwoman of the subcommittee, Ms. Adams. I thank the complete committee for bringing this important legislation to the floor. As I have listened to testimony over the last couple of days, I began to frame a concept that we must do the right thing. As I have interacted with my constituents, as I understand the work of healthcare workers and social service workers, they take care of the broken of our society, some who may be ill, some who may have necessities of life that have not been fulfilled. {time} 1000 These individuals are under enormous pressure, yet our workers in the workplace caring for these people have the largest heart. They train to be sympathetic and empathetic. I am reminded of a situation in my local hospital where an individual broke loose because that person was suffering from a mental challenge, illness, health need, mixed in with a population that was there for other reasons. That person was in the mix of healthcare workers trying to care for others, but trying to be kind, sympathetic, and caring, but that person was in a state of crisis that was threatening to the patients and threatening to the workers. This is a crucial act. We are at a crisis moment.…”