Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 3947, to designate the post office in Melrose, Florida, in memory of my constituent, Pamela Jane Rock.

I thank my co-lead introducer of the bill, Representative Cammack, as well as the entire Florida delegation for their support in cosponsoring this bill.

Pamela Jane Rock was born on August 6, 1961, to John and Jane Rock of Plantation, Florida. She was the 14th and youngest child of an amazing family.

Growing up, she attended St. Gregory Catholic School in Plantation and St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

After high school, she attended the University of Florida and graduated in 1984 with a bachelor of science in nutrition and dietetics.

During her time at UF, she was a proud member of the University of Florida Fighting Gator Marching Band for 4 years.

She was one of a kind in all that she did. After college, she worked for the State of Florida WIC program in Alachua County.

Her passion for service continued when she spent 3 years with the Peace Corps in Guatemala, educating women on proper nutrition for families.

Upon her return to the U.S., she ventured out West to Yellowstone and spent time on an Indian reservation, also educating women on infants' nutritional needs.

Pam then returned to Gainesville, Florida, in January 2022 where she joined the U.S. Postal Service and pursued a career as a letter carrier.

With a desire to give back, she is remembered for placing an apple along with the mail for the residents along her route.

This is the smile you saw. If she was delivering mail on your route, you saw this. We will turn this and let everybody see it, as well. This is the smile of Pam, and she literally lit up her route with that smile.

She was a devoted Gator fan, and like many of her siblings, going to a Gator football game was a big deal, and she did it whenever she could.

She gardened and loved having relationships with new people, especially in her church group. She loved animals. It comes as no surprise she was a volunteer at St. Francis Pet Care in Gainesville.

Tragically, Madam Speaker, Pam was attacked by dogs during her mail route in Interlachen, Florida, and succumbed to her injuries on August 22, 2022. It is still a sad day.

Pamela's friends and family described her as sweet, supportive, always there to cheer you up, and someone with a true servant's heart.

She is survived by 11 of her siblings and countless nieces and nephews whom she adored. Several are in the gallery today for this big occasion as we take a step, hopefully, Madam Speaker, to honor her service.

I thank them for being here today, and I can think of no better way to honor Pam's service to the United States Postal Service than by designating the Melrose, Florida, post office as the Pamela Jane Rock Post Office.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is a great week to honor life, but what about the secret to life? Most people spend their whole lives chasing the secret to life, but Chris Bryan figured it out early: Family, community, and caring about others.

I rise today to honor the meaningful life of Christina ``Chris'' Bryan. If you called her Christina, then you were a salesman from out of town. A true friend and long-time mentor of mine, Chris Bryan was a shining example of everything wonderful about northeast Florida. Throughout her life, she wholeheartedly invested in her family and friends and embodied the virtues of service, grit, determination, and generosity.

Born and raised in Fernandina Beach, Chris was a pillar of our community for the better part of a century. Chris dedicated her life to service. She was a key member of so many community organizations, including the Gator Booster Board of Directors, the YMCA, the Baptist Medical Center Nassau Board, the Fernandina Beach High School Foundation, the Nassau County Council on Aging. Chris was also involved heavily at the Memorial United Methodist Church.

Just speaking from experience, Mr. Speaker--you may know this--I do

charity auctions and have done a ton. One of my secrets to raising a lot of money was having Chris and the Bryan family in the audience because I knew if she and they were there, it was going to be a big night for the charity because of her unmatched generosity.

Although she made countless contributions to these organizations, many as a founder, her true legacy is the beautiful family she leaves behind. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Bill Bryan; their daughters, Amy and Ginny; Ginny's husband, Heyward; and their grandchildren, Heyward and Liz. I am told they had a wonderful Christmas Eve this year. She and Bill cooked and spent the evening listening to her family talking about what was going on in their lives and letting her family know how much they were loved and cared for.

We knew she was sick, but she was so positive in her treatment that few knew just how sick she was. She passed away peacefully at the age of 78, and I am devastated about her passing. Chris put her family and her community and friends first. She forged strong bonds with those around her, and that is the reason why it is so hard to say good-bye. I count myself blessed and lucky to have called her a friend. I take heart in knowing that she is in a much better place, suffering no more.

Revelation 21:4 says:

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death

shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning nor

crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed

away.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the radiant life of Chris Bryan.

Mr. Speaker, it is trivia time.

What year was it, ``Sanford and Son'' and ``All in the Family'' were the most popular shows on television; the top songs on the radio were ``The Way We Were'' and ``The Loco-Motion;'' the top movie in America that year was ``Blazing Saddles;'' and Gerald Ford was our brand-new President?

What year was it?

It was 1974, 50 years ago.

It was that same year a group of forward-looking and caring citizens in Nassau County, Florida, who met, including George Crady, Elsie Harper, Edgar Lindsay, and Buddy Jacobs fresh out of law school. They met to establish the Nassau County Council on Aging.

Today, I rise to honor Nassau County Council on Aging for turning 50 years old and for 50 years of service to Nassau's wise and seasoned residents. I think we can all agree they don't look a day over 29.

From its inception, the council has selflessly met the needs of our senior citizens, providing meal delivery, household chores, and transportation needs in its early days.

Then it launched its core mission of remaining steadfast to enhance the lives of older adults with compassionate care. Today, they are led by a young and dynamic CEO, Janice Ancrum. Under her leadership, the council has thrived. It has a brand-new headquarters, and it is poised for future greatness.

Soon, there will be a fancy black-tie gala in Nassau County to celebrate--hopefully, there will be cake--the selfless thousands of volunteers who have participated to serve the tens of thousands of residents who have taken advantage of the Nassau Council on Aging's services.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this signature milestone for the Nassau Council on Aging. I thank everybody who has been involved. The future of Nassau County citizens is, indeed, bright.

President Biden's Policies Causing Chaos at Border

Mr. Speaker, can you guess how many times President Biden visited the border in 2023 compared to how many days he went on vacation? One versus 138. Maybe if President Biden spent more time at the border, he would understand the chaos his policies have created.

This is my first term in Congress, and I just returned from my second visit to the border. I went with Speaker Johnson and a record number of other Members to see firsthand just what is going on. What I saw was shocking.

Illegal immigrants simply walk across what was formerly known as our border. They are walking across assisted by Border Patrol and then chauffeured to the processing center where they have been given free bus and airline tickets to cities all across America.

Mr. Speaker, our porous border is open. It is an open wound being taken advantage of by bad actors, criminals, traffickers, cartels, and even terrorists from around the world. The massive caravans will not stop until we secure our border. No, taxpayer funding shouldn't be going forward to continue our same old policies of processing more immigrants around our Nation.

This administration can deflect, deny, and detract, but President Biden cannot escape the fact there is an invasion going on at our southern border, the root cause of which is his senseless and reckless open border policies.

In typical fashion, President Biden has attempted to shift the blame for the influx of illegal immigration to one of his favorite political targets--House Republicans. Mr. Speaker, here is the truth: It was President Biden who ended the remain in Mexico policy. It was President Biden who ended title 42. It was President Biden who stopped the construction of the border wall. It was President Biden who instructed Border Patrol to cut the razor wire to allow more to come in.

Furthermore, as a result of his policies, just recently in New York City, students--can you believe this?--are being kicked out of a school in order to house illegal immigrants who have willingly broken our laws, and our taxpayer dollars are funding every bit of it.

Our southern border remains open for one reason and one reason alone: because President Biden refuses to shut it down.

One question, Mr. Speaker: Why? Why is President Biden keeping our border open? Why?

It is time for President Biden to stop turning his back on America and its citizens, the hardworking and taxpaying men and women who make this country great, and secure our border.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen the evil and hatred of anti-Semitism find its voice across American college and university campuses, and we have seen the full force of Jewish hatred grow as student organizations continue to celebrate the horrific October 7 terrorist attacks.

These institutions have become hate factories that are quick to allow the spread of anti-Semitism but slow to condemn it, if at all.

Harvard President, Claudine Gay, even said, calling for the genocide of Jewish students ``depends on the context'' when it comes to violating the university's code of conduct.

Let me be clear: Today, the faces of modern anti-Semitism in American education are Harvard, UPenn, MIT.

These institutions have gone from elite to elitist.

At Harvard, if you use the wrong pronouns, that is a violation of their code of conduct, but violently targeting Jewish students and calling for the genocide of the Jewish people, that is acceptable Harvard conduct.

The history of the Holocaust reminds us what will happen when hatred is met by silence. We cannot stand by while students feel threatened.

It is more than a discussion, Mr. Speaker. It is a call to action.

That is why I am proud to support Representative Stefanik's resolution condemning anti-Semitism in institutions of higher learning and specifically condemning Presidents Magill, Gay, and Kornbluth for failing to denounce the calls for genocide on their campuses.

Mr. Speaker, 17 times it was asked; 17 times they failed the question.

Mr. Speaker, it bears repeating, anti-Semitism is not activism.

Mr. Speaker, when I'm traveling to and from my home in Florida, it always lifts my heart to see men and women in uniform at the airport. We have all seen those incredible videos . . . the moment when a deployed service member comes home to the loving embrace of a child or a spouse. Mr. Speaker, tell me you don't get choked up when you see one of those videos. Our Nation's armed forces are full of heroes who go where duty calls, and so, whether headed to deployment, or making their way home, you are know they are defending our great freedoms.

That's why today, I stand before you to recognize the new Jacksonville International Airport Military Lounge. This is a place where service men and women can feel at home, even when they are headed for a long road ahead.

This home away from home for active-duty military includes all the amenities of home, and a very special display of the flags of all branches of the military, and the POW/MIA flag, to remember those who may never come home again.

This Military Lounge is a reality due to the dedication of the North Jacksonville Rotary Club, the Veterans Council of Duval County, the NE Florida Green Beret Chapter 88 of the U.S. Army Special Forces Association. Several other veterans-civic-governmental organizations assisted in recruiting volunteers to staff the lounge.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to honor the Jacksonville International Airport on the grand opening of their new Military Lounge and thank them for their ongoing efforts to help our veterans, active- duty military, and their families.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chair Foxx for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, we have a problem. Today, America's education system is being purchased and manipulated by foreign nations. Since 2013, we know about $12 billion has flooded in from foreign sources to U.S. colleges, and outside experts say billions more in foreign funds could have been underreported.

Foreign nations are pumping money into our higher education systems, and these nations are not our friends. This means our enemies are funding our colleges and universities.

Make no mistake, every dollar that flows into our classrooms comes with strings attached. By accepting these foreign funds, our colleges and universities are importing toxic hatred straight from the dogma of our Nation's enemies into our classrooms.

The results speak for themselves, as we saw in Chair Foxx's committee hearing yesterday: rampant anti-Semitism, censorship, and disdain for our U.S. Constitution, our Founding Fathers, and our American way of life.

This is what happens when our institutions of higher learning accept the Trojan horse of foreign funding. This blatant attempt to inject foreign ideologies into our schools undermines the fundamental purpose of American education.

It goes without saying that we should be teaching American values in American schools.

As a proud cosponsor of Representative Steel's bill, H.R. 5933, the DETERRENT Act, I look forward today to supporting this timely legislation, which will provide much-needed transparency in foreign funding to schools and reporting requirements.

As we say in Florida, let the sunshine in. Mr. Chairman, let me be clear: America's institutions of higher learning are not for sale.

Mr. Speaker, do you know what always works when you are in trouble with your spouse?

Flowers.

Science has shown that not only do flowers make us happier, but they have a strong positive effect on our emotional well-being.

No stranger to the power of flowers are the dedicated members of the Garden Club of Orange Park.

Since 1948, this club has bloomed into a staple for the beautification of northeast Florida, and today I rise to commemorate them on their 75th birthday. Let's all agree, they don't look a day over 29.

Through countless projects, they have nurtured a spirit of environmental awareness and sustainable living. The fruits of their labor include actual fruit trees at homes built by Habitat for Humanity and gardens at local elementary schools.

The Garden Club has not only enriched our physical surroundings, but it has also transformed public spaces, creating havens of tranquility and beauty for all to enjoy.

On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida, I thank each member, past and present, for their commitment to environmental preservation and exceptional community service. I trust that their legacy will continue to bloom for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is a joy to wish the Garden Club of Orange Park a happy 75th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to sports, many athletes will tell you that they play better when they play at home. It is referred to as the home-field advantage. Having that home advantage is just as important to kids as it is to athletes.

Kids do better and are more likely to succeed and thrive with family at home. Every child deserves a safe and loving home where they are supported and encouraged. Sadly, not all do. That is where the Children's Home Society of Florida comes in.

Today, I rise to honor the Children's Home Society of Florida, a champion in childcare that for 120 years has served as a place of refuge, providing abandoned and homeless children with safe homes and loving care.

Since 1902, this society has exemplified what it means to truly look after a community. Starting with a team of just two and caring for 24 children, the Children's Home Society of Florida now boasts over 1,000 team members empowering more than 80,000 children and family members.

Their services include mental health care, trauma-informed care, early childhood services, job training, and so much more. These wonderful people's work spans every aspect of the development of tomorrow's leaders, ensuring that Florida will still be the best State in the U.S. for decades to come.

These accomplishments and more are why I am proud, by the power vested in me, to announce that November 17, 2023, is now recognized as Children's Home Society of Florida Day.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to ask you and my colleagues to join me in

celebrating this significant milestone. I wish the Children's Home Society of Florida to continue to score touchdowns and home runs for kids in the years ahead because every child is worth fighting for.

Recognizing Mayor Ron Sapp

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayor Ron Sapp for his decades of dedication and service to Fernandina Beach.

During Mayor Sapp's 24 years of civic service as mayor, vice mayor, and commissioner--spanning four decades--he has displayed an unwavering commitment to bettering our hometown of Fernandina Beach, Florida. I was proud to serve alongside him and the commission, as did my father.

Fernandina is proud of Ron Sapp not only because of his dedication to his community but also for his military service as an Air Force veteran. However, no true biography of Ron would be complete without a chapter on Mr. Sapp, the teacher.

Mr. Sapp didn't just teach students what to think. He taught them how to think, and that is something special. Generations of Pirates developed an interest in and love for public service, and for that inspiration, we are grateful.

Mayor Sapp sought to preserve the spirit of Fernandina Beach as a small island town. It is a better place because of his accomplishments. Ron has done all these things with his wife, Kasey, by his side, the support of his daughters, Sherri and Lori, and the love of his grandchildren.

On November 14, one of Mayor Sapp's greatest achievements is being named after him, the Ron Sapp Egans Creek Greenway. Mayor Sapp's introduction of the open space bond issue secured the funding for this greenway, which will leave this land untouched by development to be enjoyed by all for generations to come.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mayor Ron Sapp for his significant role in shaping Fernandina Beach into the beautiful town it is today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, the COVID pandemic is behind us, and with that, a lot of the problems associated with COVID have also managed to go away, but fraud remains. The bill to the American people associated with that COVID relief fraud is here. We have to deal with it.

Pandemic relief opened the door to wide-scale fraud. Due to the lack of guardrails within the SBA and the borrowing structure, over $200 billion of pandemic loan programs were potentially fraudulent.

Did you catch that, Mr. Speaker? $200 billion. That is not me. That is not Aaron Bean. That is the Inspector General of the United States overseeing the SBA.

He has identified more than 90,000 fraud cases, over one in five, which represents more than 100 years of investigative casework.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most disturbing stories to come out of the Inspector General's investigation is the Barbie doll face scam.

Do you know about this? This scam wasn't perpetrated by America's favorite Barbie such as Malibu Barbie, Presidential Barbie, Lawyer Barbie, or even Live Action Barbie.

No, no, no, Mr. Speaker. This was perpetrated--this was the job of swindler Barbie. Swindler Barbie's face was used as identification for fake identities who went on to collect millions in fraudulent loans when facial recognition software used at SBA verified the identities as real people.

Behind me, this poster shows real faces, real corrupt Barbie dolls that were used to collect fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans. Yes, it is absurd, Mr. Speaker, but what do you expect? This is crazy town.

That is why I rise today to speak in favor of my bill, H.R. 4666, the PPP/EIDL Fraud Report Act of 2023, but you know it, Mr. Speaker, as the we want our money back act.

The bill requires the Inspector General of the SBA to report to Congress every quarter with detailed updates on the ongoing fraud investigations of the PPP and EIDL loan programs.

Most importantly, we are not going to let it go. This will hopefully ensure that the pandemic loan fraud will not be swept under the rug. The American people want oversight over a runaway, unaccountable bureaucracy. We just don't like cheats. We don't like skippers. Somebody has to be held accountable.

As the Inspector General continues to uncover the abuse of taxpayer dollars, it is important for Congress to know the full extent of the fraud, and most importantly, the progress of getting our money back.

To the fraudsters: You can run, but you can't hide. We will find you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. We will never tolerate stealing from hardworking taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, as the chairman said, it has been a delight working together, both within the committee and even on the other side of the aisle.

To the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Mfume, what a treat it is to work with him as we come together to get our money back because that is what the American people want. We want our money back.

Get ready, Mr. Speaker, and get ready, America, accountability is coming. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important piece of legislation because the American people have made it clear: We want our money back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayor Ron Sapp for his decades of dedication and service to Fernandina Beach. Mayor Sapp's 24 years of civic service as Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioner spanned four decades and displayed an unwavering commitment to bettering our hometown of Fernandina Beach. I was proud to serve alongside him on the Commission, as did my father.

Fernandina is proud of Ron Sapp not only because of his dedication to his community, but also for his military service as an Air Force veteran. But no true biography of Ron would be complete without a chapter on Mr. Sapp--the teacher. Mr. Sapp didn't just teach students what to think, he taught them how to think, and that is something special. Generations of Pirates developed an in interest in--and love for--public service--and for that inspiration, we are grateful.

Mayor Ron Sapp sought to preserve the spirit of Fernandina Beach as a small island town and is a better place because of his accomplishments. Ron, of course, has done all these things with his wife Kasey by his side, and with the support of his daughters Sherri and Lori, and the love of his grandchildren.

On November 14, one of Mayor Sapp's greatest achievements is being named after him: The Ron Sapp Egans Creek Greenway. Mayor Sapp's introduction of the Open Space Bond issue secured the funding for this greenway, which will leave this land untouched by development to be enjoyed by all.

I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Mayor Ron Sapp for his significant role in shaping Fernandina Beach into the beautiful town it is today.

Mr. Speaker, this Veterans' Day, I thank each and every one of our brave servicemembers who heroically answered the call to defend the United States of America from those who despise our free country.

These men and women, of whom some suffered the ultimate sacrifice, deserve our unending gratitude. One way we can attempt to pay back our impossible debt is to preserve these veterans' legacy, and the Camp Blanding Museum, since its inception in 1990, has been doing an incredible job undertaking this responsibility.

As the flagship training base for our Florida National Guard, Camp Blanding is a shining example of Northeast Floridian excellence. Offering a rich military history coupled with a tremendous Museum and Memorial, I could not be prouder to honor Camp Blanding on this Veterans' Day. Camp Blanding has my unending support and best wishes.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in full support of my amendment No. 39 to H.R. 4664.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Williams and my colleagues on the Committee on Small Business for their support. This May, the Small Business Administration implemented a rule which disregards Congress' authority and makes its Community Advantage Pilot Program permanent.

This program was created in 2011 and had been continuously reauthorized on a short-term basis by Congress. In fact, it is already authorized to continue operating through September 2024. Not so fast.

The SBA got tired of relying on Congress and taking our directions and decided to make the program permanent by creating an entire new class of lending entities. These new entities are called Community Advantage SBLCs. Now the SBA no longer has to come to Congress to make sure the program continues to operate.

We all know this is not how agencies are supposed to work. If the Community Advantage program was successful, then it is the duty of Congress to evaluate it to make sure it should be permanent. Unfortunately, the SBA does not want to operate in this fashion and removed the elected Members of this body from the equation.

This amendment reasserts congressional authority over the process by prohibiting any funds from implementing and administrating any licenses for the new Community Advantage SBLC's licenses.

Not only does this amendment ensure that Congress' authority is not ignored, but it sends a strong message to all Federal agencies that they cannot act outside of their jurisdiction without consulting Congress.

This is an important step to holding the Federal Government accountable to the American people, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, it is really irrelevant whether or not the program is doing good or not. They do not have the authority to make up their own rules and own programs without Congress.

It is as if they have left the band and the SBA is starting a solo career on their own. We are a team. We work together. The way it works is Congress is the one that enacts new programs to work with them.

Whether or not it is a good program is irrelevant. They do not have the authority.

Why have a Congress if all Federal agencies are just going to go out and do what they want?

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), who just happens to be the chairman of the Small Business Committee.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his interest. The issue is one thing. The issue is: Does this agency or any agency have the ability to go out on their own on a solo career and not have congressional oversight? I say no. I say no.

We can talk about the program in the cloakroom or in the fireplace room and talk about how great it is. Hopefully, we will see eye-to-eye that Federal agencies that don't have the authority to go in a particular direction shouldn't go in that particular direction.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as Armistice Day, a day in which to honor those who gave their all in World War I.

In 1954, Congress amended Armistice Day to be inclusive of all veterans who have fought for American freedom, effectively changing its name to Veterans Day. It is on this day that we salute our remarkable, brave patriots who keep America safe.

We the people enjoy the blessings of hard-earned peace, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because of our warriors who answered the call to defend our Nation.

Our men and women in uniform are a constant reminder of the true source of our Nation's greatness, and many veterans have freely given the last full measure of their devotion for our Nation. Because of their defense, our Nation remains strong, and our children can pursue their dreams.

To our veterans, your loved ones have endured seasons without a parent, a child, a sibling. On Veterans Day, we also recognize your families and thank them for their sacrifice.

It is my greatest honor to represent so many heroes who have served our Nation or who are serving our Nation from the Fourth Congressional District of Florida. Just as they have fought for our country, I will always fight for them.

Mr. Speaker, here is the truth about Veterans Day. It is not just one day. It

is every day because every day America and her people cherish the sacrifice and the service of our Nation's veterans.

October 7 Is Deadliest Day in Jewish History Since the Holocaust

Mr. Speaker, on October 7, hearts, minds, and lives were forever changed. We believed hatred and murder of Jews to be a thing of the past, but we were heartbreakingly wrong.

October 7 will go down as the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust.

Today, our strongest ally in the Middle East, our friend, Israel, is at war after enduring a multipronged terror attack by Hamas.

Let me be clear: Hamas is not a militant group. They are terrorists.

The atrocities that took place on October 7 by Hamas against innocent Israelis were not the result of provocation. It was a massacre.

It was not in response to occupation of the Gaza Strip. It was a massacre.

It was not a flare-up. It was a massacre.

If you take elderly women, mothers, the disabled, and children hostage, or if you target families and slaughter and torture civilians indiscriminately, you do not get to claim the moral high ground.

There can be no confusion about the war between Israel and Hamas. It is good versus evil. It is civilization versus barbarism. It is self- defense against aggression.

We must be a voice for the truth, and here is the truth: At least 1,400 Israelis were murdered. More than 4,400 were severely injured. More than 200 hostages were taken to be used as human shields. Twenty- seven Americans are dead, and 10 remain unaccounted for.

Make no mistake, Israel is shaken but is not defeated. The United States must be bold and courageous in standing up for the nation of Israel and the right for her to defend itself.

When fighting evil, there can be no neutrality. We must send a clear message to Hamas and Hezbollah and those that fund them that the United States stands with Israel today, tomorrow, and always.

Madam Speaker, as you know, the Holocaust ended in 1945, but tragically, the hatred behind it has not.

We are all horrified by the surge in violent anti-Semitism taking place across America. Today we are seeing the full force of Jewish contempt on our college and university campuses, and it has never been more hateful. Students are being harassed, threatened, and violently targeted just for being Jewish in 2023.

It is unthinkable that students are unable to walk between classes to their dorms or the dining hall, but it is the reality for Jewish students on campuses today.

The history of the Holocaust warns us what can happen when hatred is met by silence. We cannot stand by while Jewish students feel threatened. It is more than just a discussion. It is a call to action.

Madam Speaker, today I stand before you to condemn these dangerous acts of anti-Semitism. That is why I urge everybody to support Representative Owens' resolution to condemn support for terrorist organizations on campuses across the Nation. Anti-Semitism is not activism. It is hatred pure and simple, and it has no place in America today.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, today I rise to honor an organization in Florida's 4th District that exemplifies the spirit of compassion and service--Community Health Outreach.

For 35 years, they have been the cornerstone of hope for low-income, uninsured families in our northeast Florida community. Their tireless efforts have not only provided critical healthcare but also empowered countless families, including our brave U.S. Military Veterans, to overcome adversity.

Community Health Outreach is not just a healthcare provider; it's a beacon of sustainable change. They've woven a tapestry of support, offering resources, guidance, and a lifeline to those who need it most as they work to build a healthier society.

Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I ask that my colleagues in Congress join me in recognizing this milestone and celebrating the unsung heroes within Community Health Outreach and all those they have touched.

May their legacy inspire us to uplift the vulnerable, to strengthen our communities, and to forge a brighter, healthier future for all Americans.