Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor one of the best and brightest of Florida's Fourth Congressional District, Luke Cooper.

Luke is an exceptional young man who was recently announced as a silver medalist for the Congressional Award, one of the highest awards Congress can bestow upon America's youth.

The Congressional Award Foundation was created to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in young people. There are exceptionally few who meet these lofty goals, and Luke is one of them.

He has given back to his local community by volunteering at Safe Animal Shelter in Clay County, fostering cats and kittens until they can find forever homes. Through his 150 hours of service, Luke has helped with the shelter's efforts to care for homeless animals while leaving a positive impact on his community.

As a volunteer at Clay County Teen Court, Luke has gained hands-on experience with our judicial system and learned the necessary skills to be a catalyst for a better tomorrow.

Beyond service to others, Luke has put in hundreds of hours of personal development, including training for a 50-mile cycling excursion and sharpening his problem-solving skills on the golf course.

A prime example of what students from Florida's Fourth Congressional District are capable of, I am proud to congratulate Luke Cooper on his impressive achievements.

Honoring Jacksonville Exchange Club

Mr. Speaker, what do Hasbro, Warner Brothers, Russell Stover, and the Jacksonville Exchange Club have in common? Well, they all were started in 1923 and have thrived for 100 years. They each represent the gold standard of service and success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Jacksonville Exchange Club, an all- volunteer national service organization that has been providing valuable services and programs to members of our community for 100 years.

Since 1923, the club has continued to expand and evolve, dedicating their free time toward the pursuit of community projects that promote volunteerism, good citizenship, and love of country.

With a strong belief that America's youth are the leaders of tomorrow, club members actively seek out ways to inspire and engage Jacksonville's youth with programs such as Student of the Year, Accepting the Challenge of Excellence Award, and Americanism Speech Contest.

The Jacksonville Exchange Club continues to not only make a difference through their ongoing community service efforts but by providing members with a space where they may gather, exchange ideas and knowledge, and pursue the core principles envisioned by the club's original members.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this significant milestone of the Jacksonville Exchange Club, its members, and the entire city of Jacksonville.

On its 100th anniversary, I wish the Jacksonville Exchange Club continued growth and prosperity in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, did you know that September is national Brain Aneurysm Awareness month?

The Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation certainly does. The Foundation is a nonprofit, headquartered in Florida and named after Trinity, who at age 9 was diagnosed with multiple brain aneurysms. In 2015, Trinity was scheduled for open brain surgery but passed away 2 days prior because her aneurysm ruptured.

About 1 in 50 Americans have an unruptured brain aneurysm. Brain aneurysms are more common and harmful than people know.

Mr. Speaker, while her passing was a tragic loss for our community, The Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation honors her legacy through raising awareness, supporting research, and identifying training for brain aneurysms at Wolfson's Children's Hospital and Baptist Neurological Institute in Jacksonville, Florida.

I thank the Trinity Love Hoblit team for all they do.

Mr. Speaker, the title of a Gold Star Family is an honor that no family wants. You see, Mr. Speaker, this title is reserved for families of military members who have died in the line of duty, and it honors the service member's ultimate sacrifice while acknowledging their family's loss, grief, and continued healing.

Today, I rise to salute the 14 Gold Star Families that were honored in Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday, August 24, 2023.

The phrase ``Gold Star Family,'' dates back to World War I, when military families displayed service flags featuring a blue star for every immediate family member serving in the Armed Forces. The star's color would be changed to gold if the family lost a loved one in the war.

Today, and every day, we hold dear those who have answered the dreaded knock at the door, accepted Old Glory folded with crisp edges, and tearfully spoken their final farewell. Members of a Gold Star Family bear the absence of their fallen hero proudly. They deserve our respect and support for their determination to preserve the memories of those brave American warriors who sacrificed their lives in service to this great Nation.

Gold Star Families find the courage and conviction to press on, transforming their heartbreak into hope, service, and outreach to veteran groups and other military families coping with the same unimaginable loss. It is their ability to endure, overcome, and in turn enrich the lives of others that exemplifies the true American Spirit.

When service members serve, they don't do it alone. Their spouses, children, parents, siblings, and loved ones are a vital part of our country's military community and history.

On this solemn day, we recognize and honor the Gold Star Families of heroes who never made it back home.

We will remember them when we say our prayers, support them in our deeds, and today, we join them in honoring their hero's ultimate sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my warmest congratulations to each and every member of the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville on this momentous occasion of their 40th anniversary. This milestone is a testament to the unwavering commitment, unity, and tireless dedication of the association in fostering camaraderie and enriching the cultural fabric of our community.

Founded 4 decades ago, the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville has demonstrated an exemplary devotion to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Bicol region.

Their collective efforts in organizing cultural festivals, educational workshops, and charitable endeavors have left an indelible mark on the Jacksonville community. The cultural exchange and mutual understanding facilitated by their association have created bridges of friendship and cooperation that transcend borders and enrich the lives of all who call this great city home.

As a representative of Florida's 4th Congressional District, I am inspired by the dedication and passion exhibited by the members of the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville. Their tireless work in preserving their heritage while actively contributing to the progress and prosperity of our community serves as a shining example for us all.

I encourage all citizens to join me in celebrating 40 years of invaluable contributions of the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville to the cultural tapestry of our city.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Lavinia Perkins Mathis on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

Born on September 24, 1923, in Jacksonville, Florida, Ms. Mathis is the proud daughter of Camilla Bolton Perkins, a Jacksonville elementary school teacher, and Daniel W. Perkins, a prominent lawyer in Jacksonville. Ms. Mathis and her 2 sisters grew up in the Lavilla neighborhood of Jacksonville where she attended a wooden 2-story schoolhouse. She graduated from Old Stanton High School in 1942.

Ms. Mathis attended Florida A&M College (now Florida A&M University) and graduated in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics. For 30 years, she taught science in Duval County Public Schools including at James Weldon Johnson Jr. High, Stilwell Jr. High, and Northwestern Jr. High until 1977.

On June 15, 1948, she married Clarence F. Mathis, and they had 2 children Cecelia Mathis and Marcia Mathis. Ms. Mathis is also a proud grandmother of 3 and great-grandmother. A devoted Catholic, Ms. Mathis loves her family and the Lord.

She became a Catholic while at Florida A&M College and when Ms. Mathis returned home to Jacksonville, Florida she joined St. Pius V Catholic Church. While a member of St. Pius, she served on several committees including the Altar Rosary Society, the Welcome and Outreach, and All Saints Auxiliary.

Ms. Mathis is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and in 2019 she became a Diamond member of Alpha Kappa Alpha having served faithfully as a member of the sorority for over 75 years.

I am honored to recognize a dedicated servant to our community and the Lord, and I wish Ms. Mathis a wonderful 100th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, did you know that more than 40 million Americans have served in the Armed Forces since our Nation's founding?

From Yorktown to Gettysburg, from San Juan Hill to Saipan, from the Leyte Gulf to Tora Bora, America's sons and daughters have heroically answered the call to protect our precious

freedoms and defend the cause of liberty, both at home and abroad.

Each one had a duty to serve, but our duty, Mr. Speaker, is to remember.

On September 15, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we remember the more than 500,000 prisoners of war who endured the horrors of enemy captivity and faithfully served through severe suffering and incomprehensible trauma.

We remember the tens of thousands of brave patriots who are still missing in action and have yet to return home safely to the warm embrace of their families and loved ones.

This week, from sea to shining sea, thousands of ceremonies will take place in an expression of solidarity. Balloons will be released, and moments of silence will be held.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans will gather to honor the lives and deeds of our greatest American heroes in church yards, national cemeteries, and town squares, and a black and white flag will fly proudly.

All of this is good and fitting, but our patriots deserve a special place of honor because of their selfless dedication, unmatched valor, and unsurpassed devotion to our Nation's values.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I have introduced legislation which will designate the POW/MIA Memorial and Museum at Cecil Field in my Congressional District in Florida as a national landmark to honor, connect, inspire, and educate the American people about prisoners of war and those missing in action.

This memorial will give Americans a unique opportunity to honor the immense sacrifice made by our POWs and serve as a powerful reminder of the servicemembers whose fates are still unknown.

Mr. Speaker, we will never be able to repay our debt to those who have given their last measure of devotion for the spirit of America, but we can continue to do our duty: To remember.

On POW/MIA Recognition Day and every day, we, the people of the United States, with a grateful heart salute those who endured great dangers in the hands of the enemy and those lost in service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, think about the following motto: ``The power of people and possibilities.'' It embodies a belief that everyone has something to contribute to our society and that meaningful employment helps people achieve the American Dream.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the people that are committed to this goal, Challenge Enterprises of North Florida, and the AbilityOne program.

Challenge Enterprises is an organization established in 1972 in Clay County, Florida, that presently employs--get this--more than 305 constituents in my district.

They employ over 100 people with disabilities as a result of the AbilityOne program, the largest employment program for persons with disabilities.

I have been there, Mr. Speaker. I've seen firsthand how AbilityOne enhances the quality of lives. Work changes lives. That is what everybody should have; a reason to get out of bed, a reason to go to work.

The program teaches hardworking individuals to load our Navy ships with provisions, to staff the IRS mailroom, to stock shelves, to pull grocery orders for our military personnel, to clean Federal buildings, and to maintain over 70 acres of grounds.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I thank the staff, employees, and volunteers of Challenge Enterprises and the AbilityOne program for helping my constituents in northeast Florida become productive, self-reliant citizens of their community and seeing the worth and value of every individual.

Mr. Speaker, my home State of Florida is still reeling from shock, horror, and sorrow.

Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, on a seemingly peaceful Saturday afternoon, the community of Jacksonville endured an evil attack. I am honored today to stand with the entire Florida delegation who stands as one against this evil.

On August 26 in Jacksonville, Florida, three innocent people lost their lives to an act of hatred at a Dollar General store: Angela Michelle Carr, 52 years old; Jerrald De'Shaun Gallion, 29 years old; Anolt Joseph ``A.J.'' Laguerre, Jr., 19 years old.

Angela was a beloved mother and Uber driver, Jerrald was the proud father of a 4-year-old little girl, and A.J. was a recent high school graduate. He had just started working at the Dollar General to earn some extra money.

They each had individual passions and dreams for the future. Each one had a spark that will continue to burn bright in the hearts and minds of those who knew and loved them.

Today, I, and the delegation, join all Floridians in grieving for the victims and praying for their loved ones.

There are no words, Mr. Speaker, to describe our heartbreak but also the anger we feel over this racially motivated act of evil. Hate has no place, nor does it belong in America.

Today, my Florida colleagues and I stand in solidarity with the Jacksonville community. May their memories be a blessing. May God bless and comfort the families.

I now ask, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues in the House join us all for a moment of silence to remember these three individuals.

Mr. Speaker, the new rankings are out, and Florida is number one. It is not football, although I would understand one making that assumption. Florida is number one for small business.

According to a recent Venture Smarter's study that considered numerous factors like business climate, tax structure, and burdensome business regulations, Florida has just been ranked the number one State in America.

Today, I rise to congratulate my home State, the free State of Florida, on this outstanding accomplishment.

In the Sunshine State, we support small businesses to do what they do best: invest, hire, and grow. When we shop small, we all win big. Spending your money at that local small business can make a big difference.

Today, 2.8 million businessowners and entrepreneurs call Florida home, but, Mr. Speaker, there is room for one more.

Mr. Speaker, if you are considering coming to Florida to open a business, then I urge you to make a plan. Frankly, you should have a plan of what to do with all that extra money you will have in your pocket because Florida has no income tax.

As a member of the House Small Business Committee, I am working to ensure every small business has the opportunity to thrive and fuel our economy in communities all across America.

Honoring Nathalie Wu

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Small Business Committee, I rise today to honor Florida's Main Street Award for Business Owner of the Year, Nathalie Wu.

Ms. Wu is a resident of Nassau County, and I am proud to represent her in Florida's Fourth Congressional District.

Nathalie opened the wonderful Wicked Bao Restaurant 5 years ago. For the first time, amazing Asian street food was available to patrons of downtown Fernandina Beach's historic district.

Delectable and scrumptious are words we use to describe our food, but what about innovative?

Who knew that tater tots made with rice instead of potatoes--rice tots--could be so delicious?

That would be Ms. Wu. With her establishment, she has inspired what was once an overlooked area off the beaten path into a popular destination.

In addition to serving up delicious treats, Ms. Wu is a steadfast advocate for local small businesses. She is a Fernandina Beach Main Street No Cost Ways to Promote Your Business panelist and a prominent supporter of the Fernandina Beach window painting event, inspiring local high school artists to showcase their work. She is also an awesome mother to her two sons, Phillip and Martin Toxldorf.

Ms. Wu's dedication to her business and our community will have a lasting impact on Fernandina Beach. My colleagues and I on the Small Business Committee are inspired by her story.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of my colleagues in Congress join me in honoring Florida Secretary of State's Florida Main Street Award for Business Owner of the Year, Ms. Nathalie Wu.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Foxx for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, what do parents worry about? According to a National PTA survey, American parents worry most about their child being bullied, and they worry about their child struggling socially and emotionally.

What is not on the list? Their school being taken over by illegal immigrants. You would think American parents wouldn't have to worry about that, but yet here we are, because this is crazy town, and here in crazy town, the Biden administration is fixated on transforming America's public schools, our institutions for learning, into shelters for illegal immigrants.

It is happening now, and we are already seeing elementary and secondary school facilities in cities like New York being converted into housing for immigrants who have illegally crossed our border.

Let me be clear. This type of activity emphasizes the notion that an open border is the new normal. This is an attack on law and order and on American families who pay taxes into these schools so their children can get a good educational foundation.

Housing illegal immigrants in school facilities creates a host of issues, including safety hazards, security threats, health risks for our children, and let's not forget, America's students are facing severe learning loss because of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I believe our schools are for educating students, not for supporting unhinged policies.

I believe teachers should be our educators, not ICE agents.

I believe school gyms and rec spaces should be for physical education and not for motel rooms.

House Republicans are calling President Biden into the principal's office. We refuse to let this happen, and that is why we are tackling this issue head-on with H.R. 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act.

It says no to this dangerous initiative that threatens our children and distracts our schools from their core mission--to educate America's kids.

Mr. Speaker, how would you explain to General George S. Patton that an American President believes a drag show digital ambassador gives our military a strategic advantage?

It sounds absurd, but what is even more absurd is it is true.

The United States military is the greatest fighting force in the world. America's warfighters risk their lives so we can all be free. They are driven by patriotism and a sense of service and honor.

Yet, since the outset of this administration, we have seen our servicemen and -women, the source of our strength and national security, sacrificed on the altar of wokeness. Meanwhile, our adversaries are aggressively undermining American interests around the globe as danger knocks on our front door.

As we speak, Mr. Speaker, China is creating an outpost just over 90 miles from the Florida coast. It is all part of China's long game.

It is why they have been stealing our stuff, intellectual property from Americans, buying farmland near our military bases, invading our airspace with a spy balloon, and infiltrating our education system.

While this administration has been obsessed with culture wars, China has been focused on defeating America.

While West Point was teaching cadets about preferred pronouns, China has been focused on defeating America.

While this administration was funneling taxpayer dollars to host drag queen story hours on military bases, China has been focused on defeating America.

Our military exists to provide for the common defense of our Nation, not parroting woke insanity. These far-left policies, Mr. Speaker, have harmed recruitment, retention, and morale.

It has undermined our military readiness and wasted precious time and taxpayer dollars, but House Republicans have a plan to chart a new and different course.

The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act puts an end to taxpayer dollars funding critical race theory teaching, guts diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and eliminates taxpayer-funded drag shows, story hours, and digital ambassador programs. It prevents the authorization of a military Green New Deal.

Under the leadership of Speaker McCarthy, House Republicans are focused on honoring the legacy of our Nation's veterans, like the 72,000 who call the Fourth District of Florida home, and ensuring our military is lethal and ready because woke politics won't stop a single bullet or a communist invasion.

We, the people, deserve a military that doesn't cater to any other credo other than America first.

Mr. Speaker, you get $3,527. You get $3,527. You get $3,527.

Mr. Speaker, whether you like it or not, you have just acquired $3,527 in new student loan debt. That is right. Thanks to this crazy student loan bailout, every man, woman, and child in America will owe $3,527 to foot the bill for someone else's debt.

Mr. Speaker, aren't we already in a debt crisis?

Yes, we are.

We already have a whopping $32 trillion in debt. We are struggling right now to come to an agreement on how we are going to pay our bills. This administration's student loan bailout will just throw gasoline on the inflation fire, making it even harder for our families to put food on the table. It is the last thing our economy needs.

Mr. Speaker, is this fair?

Of course it is not fair.

This bailout sounds like a Houdini-type escape from the responsibility of student loan debt. Instead, 87 percent of Americans without student loan debt will end up paying for the 13 percent of Americans who do.

How do you tell someone who has worked their way through college or joined the military to get through school, like my son, that they will now be saddled with paying off a Harvard graduate's underwater fire safety degree?

This whacky student loan bailout is unfair to taxpayers and unfair to future generations of students.

Mr. Speaker, the whole plan is nuts. There is only one correct answer, and that is to vote ``yes'' on this Congressional Review Act.

Mr. Speaker, let's bring sense and sensibility to America's education system while protecting the interests of taxpayers.

Madam Speaker, as the song goes: If there is something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? If something is weird and it don't look good, who you gonna call?

Madam Speaker, don't call Ghostbusters, call the police. During National Police Week, we recognize it takes strength and courage to wear a badge and answer the call. It takes commitment to respond to an emergency, to run toward gunfire rather than away from it. For law enforcement, that is just part of the job.

While crazy town continues to demonize law enforcement, we the people know they are not the enemy; they are heroes.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of our country, I say two words to these brave patriots, words they don't hear enough: Thank you.

I thank them for protecting our communities. I thank them for protecting our families. To everyone who wears a badge and enforces our laws, I and America will always back the blue.

Mr. Speaker, you know every birthday with a zero in it is special, but what about a birthday with double zeros? That makes it double special.

Such is the case for the 100th anniversary of the Theodore H. Hernandez American Legion Auxiliary Unit 54 in my hometown of Fernandina Beach, Florida. This auxiliary holds a special place in my heart, as my mother was a member for many, many years.

The auxiliary has supported and continues to support community organizations on the first coast such as the Nassau County Council on Aging, and Adopt-a-Soldier, and so many others.

On May 29, 2023, members will celebrate 100 years of serving our veterans, military, and their families in northeast Florida.

Hopefully, Mr. Speaker, they will celebrate with a very big cake.

I congratulate the Theodore H. Hernandez American Legion Auxiliary Unit Number 54 on 100 years of amazing service, and I can't wait to see what they do with the next 100.

Mr. Speaker, the secret is out. People have discovered the beauty of Amelia Island and Nassau County.

I rise today to recognize National Travel and Tourism Week in my neck of the woods, in Nassau County, Florida. I want to congratulate and celebrate everyone who is in the tourism industry.

Seventy percent of Nassau County's economy comes from visitors. Some say they come for the great beaches, parks, or golf, but the real secret sauce is the warm southern hospitality.

Tourism is the largest creator of jobs and tax dollars in Nassau County. This week is a chance to celebrate our tourism community and highlight the people who work in this important sector.

Through their customer service and positive interactions with visitors, they are helping promote Amelia Island and Nassau County not only as a top 10 island destination but as a beloved destination for travelers to make memories.

Today, it is fitting that on its 40th anniversary, we recognize May 7 through May 13, 2023, as National Travel and Tourism Week in Nassau County, Florida.

Recognizing the 170th Anniversary of the Duval County Medical Society

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 170th anniversary of the Duval County Medical Society, a remarkable organization that has greatly improved the medical community and health of northeast Florida.

In the 1800s, Jacksonville was suffering from a series of outbreaks of smallpox, dengue fever, and malaria. Struggling to come up with a solution and with no public health system in the State, a group of eight local physicians decided to come together and do something about it.

On May 25, 1853, they chartered the Duval County Medical Society, the first medical society in the State of Florida, to bring physicians together to solve the public health crisis.

Today, the Duval County Medical Society's more than 1,800 members guided by Dr. Steven Kailes, continues to lead and research data to promote quality health outcomes throughout Duval County, the State of Florida, and the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and privilege to celebrate the voice of organized medicine, the Duval County Medical Society, on their 170 years of exceptional service.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chair Foxx for yielding time.

Mr. Chairman, should the Jacksonville Jaguars play against a peewee football team? That would be ridiculous.

Should the minor league Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp play against a Little League team? That would be crazy. Should men compete against women in sports? Of course not. In each example, it is just not fair.

The truth is, males have a lasting and lifelong athletic advantage-- most notably, 36 percent more muscle mass, which allows for greater speed and force that cannot be erased with pharmaceuticals or hormone treatments.

Sadly, every time a male takes a lane in the pool, a spot on the field, or at the starting line, a female athlete loses the opportunity to compete.

Every time a male athlete is named a female All-American, a female athlete loses that honor. We are in a battle for the very survival of women's sports.

America, we hear you. Not everybody has gone off the deep end. Today, House Republicans will pass H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, to ban men from competing in women's sports.