Floor Statements

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 33: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), add the following new section:

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 36: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), add the following new section:

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 37: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), add the following new section:

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 38: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), add the following new section:

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 18: Page 44, line 24, strike ``$3,000,000''

and insert ``$6,000,000''.

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 19: Page 54, line 8, after the word ``rape''

add ``or incest''.

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Offered By: Mr. Grayson

Amendment No. 21: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), add the following new section:

Madam Chair, I rise to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for agreeing to include three of my amendments into this en bloc package. Those amendments are numbered ``43'', ``81'', and ``140'', respectively.

Grayson Amendment No. 43 will reinsert a worthwhile provision from the introduced version of H.R. 4435, requested by the Department of Defense, that was omitted from the bill text marked up in committee.

This amendment provides the authority and discretion necessary to return personal property that is retained as evidence in connection with an investigation into a sexual assault involving a member of the Armed Forces.

After the conclusion of all legal, adverse action, and administrative proceedings related to an incident, should a victim desire to have certain personal belongings returned to him or her, our Armed Forces will now have the ability to fulfill that request.

As we all know, one of the primary goals of the American judicial system is to produce outcomes that will ``make the victim whole.'' Sometimes, Madam Chair, one important thing that we can offer a victim is to return items that he or she may cherish, which may have

been confiscated as evidence during the course of an investigation.

Let me be clear--this amendment is not intended to provide any new privileges to any perpetrator of a sexual assault. I am offering this amendment today to provide victims an opportunity to reclaim those items that are important to them.

It was good policy when this bill was introduced, and it is good policy now.

Grayson Amendment No. 81 will prohibit the Department of Defense from contracting with entities convicted of using ``Made in America'' labels fraudulently.

The current law governing this issue can be found at 10 U.S.C. 2410f. It states very clearly that if a person is convicted of intentionally affixing a label bearing a ``Made in America'' inscription, then the Secretary of Defense has the discretion not to debar that person from contracting with the Department of Defense.

Madam Chair, if we are going to put laws on the books to address an issue, they should mean something. We, the Members of this body, should make our intent clear. If someone purposely misrepresents an item as being ``Made in America'', and he is convicted of that crime--he does not get the benefit of securing contracts with our Armed Forces.

My amendment accomplishes that goal. It requires debarment of the entities outlined above, while at the same time allowing the Secretary of Defense a narrow national security exception, which should be used only in the most extreme circumstances.

This amendment makes good sense. It protects American businesses, and appropriately punishes those who have the audacity to claim that a product has been ``Made in America'' when it has not.

I'd be remiss at this time, if I did not thank my good friend, Representative Carol Shea-Porter from the great state of New Hampshire. She has been discussing the idea of this amendment with me at least since February, and she was integral in its drafting and securing the support of her colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee. For that I am grateful--thank you again, Representative Shea-Porter for all of your hard work in support of this amendment.

Finally, Madam Chair, Grayson Amendment No. 140 will extend the current United States Space Protection Strategy by an additional five- year period--until 2030.

In the 2008 NDAA, Congress required that a greater priority be put on the protection of national security space systems. It directed the Secretary of Defense, in conjunction with the Director of National Intelligence, to develop a strategy for the development of capabilities that are necessary to ensure freedom of action in space for the United States.

The strategy, which is outlined in the notes to 10 U.S.C. 2271, is required to cover fiscal years 2008 through 2013; 2014 through 2019; and 2020 through 2025. My amendment, recognizing that the first five- year covered period has lapsed, simply requires an additional five-year period--2026 through 2030.

I am proud that this amendment will still be in force when my nine- year-old sons have grown into adults. This amendment will protect not just the United States' position in space, but also their physical well-being.

Madam Chair, again, I thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for agreeing to include all three of these amendments in this en bloc package. I believe these amendments make America not only a safer place, but a better place.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to rise tonight to acknowledge Heather Parton of Santa Monica, California, on the occasion of being awarded a Hillman Prize for ``Opinion & Analysis Journalism''. Many in this Chamber, and untold others across the internet, better know her by her pseudonym: ``Digby''.

Digby, a political blogger, is the founder of the blog Hullabaloo, and has been called one of the ``leading and most admired commentators'' of the progressive blogosphere--by Glenn Greenwald no less, the recent recipient of a Pulitzer Prize himself.

The Sidney Hillman Foundation's announcement this evening sums up my, and many others', sentiments:

Tonight, the Sidney Hillman Foundation will honor Heather

``Digby'' Parton with the 2014 Hillman Prize for Opinion &

Analysis Journalism. Digby's blog Hullabaloo has been a

fixture in the progressive blogosphere for over a decade.

Digby has eloquently opposed injustice and incompetence on

issues ranging from the invasion of Iraq to the widening

chasm between rich and poor in America. Whatever the topic,

Digby approaches her work with a level head and a big heart.

I will give the last word to Kathleen Geier of the

Washington Monthly, ``Since she's the best daily political

writer in America, an honor of this sort is the least we can

do for her. Congrats to Digby and to the Hillman people for

making such an awesome choice. Now and forever: What. Digby.

Said!''

``What. Digby. Said!'',

Mr. Chair, I rise today to thank Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop for including legislative language I requested in this year's Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015. It appears in section 232, as follows:

Sec. 232. None of the funds made available by this Act may

be used to award a contract to any contractor if the past

performance of the contractor resulted in the completion of a

construction project at a facility of the Department of

Veterans Affairs more than 24 months after the original

agreed-upon completion date for the project.

This language also exists as a stand-alone bill I have introduced, H.R. 4394: the `Serve Our Heroes Now Act'. What it means is this--if someone is responsible for a delay of two years, or more, of completion of a VA facility, they cannot awarded future contracts for military or VA construction.

In my own district, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (``VA'') is building a new VA Medical Center (``VAMC'') that will serve an area of more than 90,000 veteran patients in East Central Florida. This VAMC will be one of seven members of the VISN 8 Healthcare System, covering parts of Florida, Georgia, and all of Puerto Rico.

The original construction contract for the Orlando VAMC called for a final completion date of October 2, 2012. Eighteen months later, my constituents, who bravely fought for their country, are still waiting. This is a disgrace, and it must be remedied.

Section 232 is clear. If the current contractor for the Orlando VAMC is determined to be at fault for construction delays, it will be ineligible for future contracts awarded from funds appropriated by this bill. That hurts--but it doesn't compare to the pain my constituents suffer while waiting for the VA Medical Center that has been promised to them.

In closing, Mr. Chair, I want every Member here, and anyone else watching, to know that I will request this language in every Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that comes to this floor, as long as I serve in this body. Those responsible will be held accountable. I pray other veterans do not have to wait as long as my constituents have, and I pray that the new Orlando VAMC is fully operational by October of this year.

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

Mr. Chairman, this amendment is identical to language that was inserted by voice vote into this bill last year, as well as every other appropriations bill that was considered by an open rule.

This amendment would expand the list of wrongdoing parties with whom the Federal Government is prohibited from contracting. That list should contractors who have been convicted of fraud, who have violated Federal or State antitrust laws, who have been convicted of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, violation of Federal tax laws and other items outlined in section 52.209-5 of title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

These are all offenses which any contractor doing business with the Federal Government must disclose to the contracting officer in every offer. Oddly enough however, without this amendment, the contracting officer is then free to ignore these transgressions and award contracts to the offending offeror.

I commend the authors of this bill for their inclusion of sections 413 and 414, which are relevant to this issue. I submit, however, that we can improve this bill by prohibiting agencies from contracting with those entities who have engaged in the criminal and fraudulent activities that I have described.

It is my hope that this amendment will be noncontroversial, as it was last year, and again be passed unanimously by voice vote by the House.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Libby and Robin Maynard. Libby Maynard was a leader among women through her personal life, her career, and her fight with breast cancer. A Florida native, born in Lakeland in 1943, Libby grew up active in her church and school music programs. Libby attended college in Georgia, where she majored in music and was selected for the Who's Who Among American College Students. While in college, Libby began her journey as a missionary. Her service led her to New York City where she worked directly with teenage gang members and was a minister of music at local churches. During her time in New York, she met and married Reverend Herb Maynard with whom she had two daughters.

Libby moved home to Lakeland in 1979 to care for her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time. After her mom's passing, she spent some time in North Carolina, before returning to Florida again to care for her aging father. Having been touched by cancer personally, she began volunteering and then working for the American Cancer Society.

Libby was passionate and dedicated. She loved helping people throughout her life. In January 2005, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She began her journey with cancer with the same boundless energy, determination, and amazing strength that she applied to every challenge in her life. Due to the demands of her cancer treatments, Libby lost her job and, as a result, her health insurance. Despite her own difficulties, she continued to be a positive light and to help those around her.

Twelve months after her diagnosis, Libby ``won her trip to heaven'' after the cancer suddenly returned. Libby left this world with dignity and grace. She left behind a legacy of hope that her daughter Robin carries on in her name.

Robin Maynard, following her mom's beautiful example, is a leader among women in Central Florida. After losing her mother to breast cancer in 2006, Robin saw firsthand the difficulties faced by uninsured women in Florida. In 2007, she founded Libby's Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation (LLBCF). The Foundation provides lifesaving breast health services to the uninsured and underinsured

women of Central Florida and its health care advocates fight to get patients the treatment they need when diagnosed.

In 2009, Robin left her successful career as an Orange County Crime Scene Investigator to work full time at LLBCF, where she fights daily for her patients to receive the treatment they need and deserve. Since it opened its doors, LLBCF has provided over 4,000 breast health services and diagnosed more than 65 cases of breast cancer. Today, 114 children still have their mothers because of Robin's tireless efforts after losing her own mother. Through their leadership and legacy, Libby and Robin continue to save lives.

I am happy to honor Libby and Robin Maynard, during Women's History Month, for their service and contributions to the Central Florida community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Nancy Robbinson. A native of Orlando, Mrs. Robbinson has served on the Orange County School Board representing District 6 since 2008. As a School Board Member, she serves on the Communications and Legislative Committees. She also represents the Central Florida School Boards Coalition on the Congress of Regional Leaders through myregion.org. Mrs. Robbinson became a Florida School Board Association (FSBA) Certified Board Member in June 2010, and serves on the FSBA Board of Directors and Legislative Committee.

Mrs. Robbinson grew up in the district she represents and attended Orange County Public Schools. She graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations/Speech Communications. She is also a member of the. inaugural class of the Orlando Business Force's Central Florida Political Leadership Institute.

Passionate about serving her community, Mrs. Robbinson is on the Board of Directors for the Urban Think! Foundation, which supports literacy programs for inner-city Orlando students. She has also served on the Destiny Foundation's Greater Orlando Food Outreach Advisory Board, the Mayor's Education Action Council, Orange County Public School Foundation's ``Count Me In'' Steering Committee, and the Edgewater High School Task Force for Renovation. Mrs. Robbinson has been involved in the schools that her children have attended for the past 19 years as both a PTA officer and mentor.

Mrs. Robbinson's family lives in the College Park area of Orlando. She and her husband, Bill, have three children, one who recently graduated from the University of Georgia, one who attends Auburn University, and an Edgewater High School student.

I am happy to honor Nancy Robbinson, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Kathleen ``Kat'' Butler Gordon

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Kathleen ``Kat'' Gordon. Mrs. Gordon is a former South Carolina and Orange County, Florida educator. She was elected to the Orange County School Board in November 2000 and became School Board Vice Chair in 2013.

Mrs. Gordon has been a resident of Orange County since 1968. She was a librarian and counselor in Orange County for 25 years. She has also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and at Valencia College. In addition to her career in education, Mrs. Gordon worked full-time in the business world for six years as a licensed mortgage broker, life insurance agent, and a registered securities representative.

In 2005, she earned Board Member Certification from the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) and also served on FSBA's Board of Directors. Mrs. Gordon is a former Board Member of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Black Caucus and is the former Chairman of the Nominating Committee.

Mrs. Gordon has been honored by numerous organizations. In 2006, she received the Junior Achievement's Educator of the Year Award. In addition, she received the Humanitarian Award at the 2006 Annual Scholarships and Volunteers Awards Dinner sponsored by Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty and the Board of County Commissioners.

In 2007, Mrs. Gordon was named Teacher of the Year for the New Beginnings Education Center in Osceola County. She also received the Distinguished Dove Award for being selected Osceola County's Vocational Teacher of the Year, the Denn John MS Minority Educator of the Year award, and Osceola County's Ida S. Baker Minority Educator of the Year award. In October 2007, the College of Education at UCF named Mrs. Gordon as one of its ``Alumni of the Decades'' as part of its 40th anniversary celebration.

In 2008, Mrs. Gordon received an award from the Osceola Classroom Teachers Association for her dedication and service to cultural diversity within Osceola District Schools.

Mrs. Gordon has served on the Governor of Florida State Dropout Task Force. In 2009, President Obama appointed her to be a member of the Selective Service System Local Board in the state of Florida serving Region II. Also in 2009, Mrs. Gordon received the General Daniel ``Chappie'' James, Jr. Four Star Major Award for community service.

In addition, Mrs. Gordon has been awarded by her church, Saint Mark A.M.E., and by the

Carter Tabernacle CME Church for her civic and social involvement.

Mrs. Gordon received her bachelor's degree in library science from South Carolina State University, and her master's degree in guidance and counseling and certification in administration and supervision from UCF. Mrs. Gordon is currently pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a Specialization in Organizational Leadership.

Mrs. Gordon is the widow of the late Reverend James D. Gordon, Jr., and the mother of three Jones High School graduates.

I am happy to honor Kat Gordon, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Tiffany Moore Russell

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell. A native of Orlando, Florida and a product of Orange County's public school system, Commissioner Moore Russell is an alumna of Dr. Phillips High School. She received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida and a J.D. from Florida State University College of Law.

In November of 2006, she made history by becoming the youngest County Commissioner ever elected to serve on the Orange County Commission. In her role as the Commissioner for District 6, she oversees a budget of over $5 billion and more than 8000 employees. Commissioner Moore Russell is committed to remaining accountable and accessible to each and every constituent, increasing recreational and career opportunities for youth, creating stable and viable neighborhoods, and strengthening Orange County's economy by increasing the availability of jobs and minority business opportunities.

Commissioner Moore Russell has been a community advocate for many years, both as an elected official and a private citizen. Prior to her role as Commissioner, she served on the Orange County Community Action Board, where she was elected Chairman and Vice Chairman. She also accepted volunteer appointments to both the Orange County Board of Zoning and Adjustments and the Orange County Citizens Review Board. She has also served on numerous boards including Orange County's Commission on Aging, Value and Adjustment Board, Youth and Family Services Board, the Downtown Orlando CRA/DDB Board, African American Chamber of Commerce, 2008 Electoral Canvassing Board, International Drive Master Transit and Improvement District, METROPLAN, and the Florida Association of Counties.

Her love for the Central Florida community is evident through her desire to initiate local community programs. Family Hope Day is a program designed to promote community partnerships, neighborhood unity, and a safer, more caring community for the residents of the Washington Park neighborhood. The Annual Summer Safety Event was established to prepare students for a safe, positive, and productive summer vacation. The Pine Hills Clean Sweep is organized to remove debris and trash from the streets in an effort to make the Pine Hills neighborhood a better place to live. The Commissioner's W/MBE Townhall Meetings are citizen driven forums that allow local business owners to discuss topics related to doing business in Orange County. In addition, Commissioner Moore Russell initiated the E-Zone Workshop, ``School Days Are Here Again'' Back to School Rally, ``Holiday Senior Brunch,'' and ``Holiday Extravaganza'' programs.

Commissioner Moore Russell is a member of the local chapter of the NAACP, the Florida Bar, the Orange County Bar Association, the Virgil Hawkins Chapter of the National Bar Association, the Paul C. Perkins Bar Association, the Central Florida Women's Lawyer Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Life Center Church of Eatonville, Florida. In addition to serving on the commission she is an Associate Counsel with the Law Offices of John DiMasi. Commissioner Russell is married to Anthony K. Russell, Jr. and they are the proud parents of Anthony K. Russell, III.

I am happy to honor Commissioner Tiffany Moore Russell, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Nancy Carola Platte Jacobson

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Nancy Carola Platte Jacobson. Nancy was born at the end of World War II. Her father, William Neal Platte, a metallurgical research engineer, worked in the aircraft industry. She is a first-generation German-American, as her mother, Ursula Carola Brunhilt Bruck, was born in Germany. Her German grandparents were present in her life for many years. From them, Nancy acquired a deep appreciation for our democracy and America's place in history.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Nancy received an excellent public education. She remains grateful to mentors like her world history teacher, Ronald Hoover, who recognized her capabilities and pushed her to achieve, and Frau Martha Rose, who taught Nancy her mother tongue, German, in high school.

Nancy went on to major in German, with minors in French and English, at the University of Pittsburgh, finishing Magna Cum Laude in 1966. It was her great good fortune and honor to be awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Germany for the year following her graduation. World War II had ended barely 20 years earlier, and the Berlin Wall had been up for only a few years. During her time in Germany, Nancy spent a life-changing week in East Berlin.

Nancy lived and worked in the Washington, D.C. area in 1968, a tumultuous time in American history. After moving to Florida in 1969, she became a certified paralegal and managed a law office. In mid-life, Nancy returned to school and obtained her law degree from the University of Florida in 1984.

Although Nancy acknowledges the fortunate circumstances of her birth, she has often said she was less fortunate to be born female at a time when women's choices were restricted by law and social convention. Nancy believes that we as a country lose when society stereotypes and restricts any segment of our population based on race, gender, ethnicity, orientation, or other labels.

Now retired, Nancy has devoted the past decade of her life to civic activism and citizen lobbying to achieve social and economic justice for all and to restore and strengthen our democracy. Galvanized by the contentious election of 2000, Nancy worked with many others on election integrity and protection issues in Florida. She later worked to pass the ``Fair Districts'' amendment to Florida's state constitution in order to reduce the disenfranchisement of Florida's citizens through gerrymandering.

Nancy is also an elected member of the Democratic National Committee, representing Florida since 2008. Nancy has always been grateful to her husband, James R. Lussier, for his support of her civic and political activism. Without his support, Nancy would not have been able to accomplish a fraction of what she has achieved and what she hopes to achieve going forward.

I am happy to honor Nancy Carola Platte Jacobson, during Women's History Month, for her civic activism and efforts toward social and economic justice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce the passing of one of my constituents--Charlene Dill Campbell. She was a remarkable person who, sadly, leaves behind three beautiful children. Her passing is a tragedy that could have been avoided, and is one I wish I did not have to announce today.

Another one of my constituents, Kathleen Voss Woolrich, Charlene's best friend, wrote down some thoughts about Charlene. I'd like to submit them.

Born in Pennsylvania to a warm family, Charlene moved to

Florida when she was 18 years old. She worked at fast food

joints and Disney, cleaned houses and babysat, but through

the years found herself as a single mother with 3 kids. She

had heart issues that needed to be managed. Her teeth needed

to be fixed and constantly had infections, but Charlene never

complained. She made $11,000 dollars last year--babysitting

other peoples' children and cleaning other peoples' houses.

She proudly paid her property taxes in February and took care

of her little trailer, which she owned and took all three

kids to school.

But, Charlene had no health insurance. Charlene was unable

to get Obamacare, because she made too little to get the

subsidies to purchase health insurance. She had no dental

insurance. Her teeth hurt her at night and had so many

cavities, but could not find a way to get the decay in her

teeth fixed. She was denied Medicaid and when she went to get

Obamacare she was told she could not get subsidies.

So she went to the emergency room 2012. She had heart

issues and was told to get on medicine and be monitored. But,

had no health insurance to do so. 2012 Obama won and we all

were so sure. . . NOW Charlene would have health insurance.

But the Republican Party of Florida and Rick Scott turned

down Medicaid expansion. In December Charlene went to the

emergency room with abscesses in her legs. Her teeth hurt her

constantly. Charlene never complained. She took her two older

kids to school each day and reported for work at her various

jobs. Recently she began selling vacuum cleaners in addition

to the babysitting and house cleaning. She took antibiotics.

She got her healthcare at Florida hospital emergency rooms.

On March 21st, she was supposed to come see me--on my first

day off in a while. She was excited about seeing my daughter

who she had raised since she was 3. The kids were all going

to play together. She had only 2 short appointments in

Osceola County, to show the vacuum to customers. At about 4

pm, that afternoon, I got a message from her niece that she

had died at the customer's house. They rushed her to

Poinciana Medical Center and worked on her. They could not

bring my best friend back. She died. She was 32.

You see, the main argument Republicans use is that it's

some lazy person who needs Medicaid expansion. That, those of

us living without healthcare or dental care are lazy. But my

friend, a single beautiful mother, worked 3 jobs. She paid

taxes. She paid her house taxes. And now she's dead.

Please think of Charlene when you decide who you are going

to vote for in August and December. Please vote for people

who want people like Charlene and me to have healthcare--to

have a fighting chance.

I am burying my best friend soon, because of Rick Scott and

Will Weatherford. I am burying my best friend, because of the

policies of the Republican Party. I am burying my best

friend, because had Medicaid expansion passed her needs would

have been met. She is one of the 7 people who will die each

day, because the Florida House of Representatives,

Republicans, and Tea Party decided that we are not worth

living. We are not worth healthcare. We were not worth

Medicaid expansion.

Please vote for Charlene.

I'll never have her back. I'll never see my friend again.

I'll never have another day with her.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize

Chief Valdez B. Demings. Val, the youngest of seven children, was born to James and Elouise Butler in Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Duval County Public Schools and is a graduate of Wolfson High School. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from Florida State University and her Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from Webster University. Val is also a graduate of the 226th session of the FBI National Academy as well as the FBI National Executive Institute.

After working as a social worker in foster care, Val moved to Orlando in 1983 to attend the Orlando Police Academy. She was elected president of her class at the Academy and later received the Board of Trustees Award for overall excellence. Val's many assignments with the Orlando Police Department included assignments in the West Patrol Division, the Criminal Investigation Division, Crime Prevention, Explorer and Cadet Unit, Public Information Office, Internal Affairs, and as Commander of the Airport Division. She also served as the Commander of Special Operations where she managed special events, dignitary protection, traffic enforcement, traffic homicide, marine patrol, the K-9 and Vehicles for Hire units, and the Reserve and Auxiliary units. In addition to her regular job assignments, Val served 12 years on the Crisis Negotiation Team, was Commander of the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team, and was Executive Vice President of the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police.

In 2007, Val was selected to serve as Chief for the Orlando Police Department. She was the first woman to ever hold the position. Her tenure was marked by a dramatic forty percent reduction in violent crime, including robberies, shootings and murders.

After twenty-seven years at the Orlando Police Department, including three and a half years as the Department's top cop, Demings decided to retire from the force and continue her commitment to public service in another way. In 2012, Val Demings ran for the United States House of Representatives in Florida's tenth congressional district.

Today, Chief Demings stays involved in her community through numerous social service activities. She is an active member of Saint Mark A.M.E. Church, where she is a Steward, Trustee, and Chairperson of the Annual Church Women's Conference. She is also President of the Women's Missionary Society through which she has participated in mission trips to Peru and Haiti.

Val is very active in her community through numerous social service activities. She is Chairperson of the Committee on Global Housing and Homelessness, and serves on the boards of Heart of Florida United Way, Central Florida Police Athletic League, United Negro College Fund, and Guardian Care Nursing and Rehabilitative Center. In addition to several other affiliations, Val was named one of Orlando's ``50 Most Powerful People.''

Val is married to Jerry L. Demings, Sheriff of Orange County and former Orlando Police Chief. They have three sons, Austin, Antoine, and Antonio.

I am happy to honor Val Demings, during Women's History Month, for her service and contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Erin Sullivan

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Erin Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan is the daughter of an Irish immigrant mother who came to the United States as a teenager in the 1960s with only a third grade level of education. Her Irish-American father was a fervent believer in social justice and responsive government. A proud graduate of the University at Albany, State University of New York, Ms. Sullivan was the first in her family to graduate from college.

Today Ms. Sullivan is the editor of Orlando Weekly, an alternative newsweekly dedicated to strengthening the community by keeping readers informed about important local issues, events and politics. She began her career in journalism at a business newspaper in Albany, N.Y., but soon discovered a desire to report on issues that impacted people's lives, so changed her focus to political and issues-based reporting. Ms. Sullivan covered state government in New York for five years before moving to Baltimore, Md., where she became the managing editor for the award-winning investigative weekly, Baltimore City Paper.

In 2010, she moved to Orlando to take over as editor of Orlando Weekly, where she re-envisioned the paper as an invaluable community asset that keeps the Central Florida community apprised of important local and state news, politics, and social issues. She is also a regular commentator on National Public Radio affiliate WMFE 90.7 News FM, where she has created a weekly segment that focuses on topical local news stories that other media outlets often overlook.

Over the years, Ms. Sullivan has earned awards and recognition for public-service reporting, feature reporting, and news writing. She appears on local TV news shows to offer alternative viewpoints on issues that are often treated one-dimensionally. She has also led workshops and seminars for young journalists on developing their skills as reporters.

Ms. Sullivan is also dedicated to giving back to the community through public service. She has served on the board of the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies and Baltimore City's Animal Control Advisory Board, and is a founding member of a nonprofit organization that offers humane-education workshops for schoolchildren living in Baltimore's inner city. Currently an animal rescue volunteer for the Humane Society of the United States, Ms. Sullivan spends as much time as she can educating people about the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence and about how the humane treatment of animals intersects with creating a stronger, more compassionate, and evolved community.

I am happy to honor Erin Sullivan, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Michele Renee Levy

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Michele Renee Levy. Michele was born in The Bronx, New York on August 25, 1942. She grew up in the city and attended public schools. Her father was a political activist and union leader, so she and her brother learned at an early age to never cross a picket line and to respect the working people of this country. Michele's dad was a history buff who made dinner table discussions a learning experience. It was expected that she would study hard and get the grades necessary to attend the local university, the City College of New York (CCNY).

During college, Michele became involved in student politics. It was the 1960s, and there was so much to protest. She took part in student rallies at CCNY to ``ban the bomb'' and became active in the civil rights movement when she joined the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). When her brother was drafted and sent to Vietnam she took her two children (a toddler and an infant) to anti-war protests in the New York area.

In 1973, Michele and her family moved to Orlando and she began a career as a social worker. She worked for the state of Florida in what was then the Department of Family Services, determining eligibility for welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid. Several years later she began working for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities where she worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities. Michele retired in 2005 and began her own company, MRL Training Consultants through which she trained job coaches, supported living coaches, and direct care staff.

In 2007, Michele joined the League of Women Voters to become more involved with community and local politics. She joined the Local Government Committee where she met other women who were active community leaders. Michele became Chair of the League's Government Committee where she championed changes to the Orange County Charter which would make citizen access easier. She used the public comments part of local government meetings to speak out about the issues impacting the Central Florida community.

More recently, as the Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Orange County, she highlighted the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority's ethical reasons for not hiring former State Representative Steve Precourt. She received an appreciative letter from Mayor Teresa Jacobs for her attention to the issue.

Michele was also active in a local campaign against an amendment to the Orange County Charter that would have required a mail-in ballot, abolished the Tax Collector's office, and made it more difficult for a citizen-initiative to be put on the ballot. The amendment did not pass.

Michele believes that all citizens have an obligation to, at the very least, participate in their government by voting, and by participating to the best of your abilities. One of her favorite quotes is by the founder of the League of Women Voters, Carrie Chapman Catt, who said, ``[t]o the wrongs that need resistance, to the right that needs assistance, to the future in the distance, give yourselves.''

I am happy to honor Michele Renee Levy, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Linda Sutherland

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Linda Sutherland. Ms. Sutherland has served as the Executive Director of the Orange County Healthy Start Coalition since February 2001. She oversees a $3 million budget and related staff and programs which support the Coalition of over 160 members, as well as a variety of direct maternal and child health and social services offered to the community. These services include a Fatherhood program, ACA enrollment help, and Children's Health Insurance (KidCare). The Coalition served over 7,000 women and 5,000 infants last year.

The Coalition is responsible for identifying needs in the community, and designing and supporting related services for mothers and babies who are at-risk. Through its work, the Coalition ensures that every baby gets a ``healthy start'' in life. In order to develop and maintain the Coalition and build community collaborations with the purpose of improving target health indices, Ms. Sutherland works with a wide variety of area maternal and child health providers, community agencies, and service providers.

As Healthy Start Director, Ms. Sutherland has taken an interest in health disparities, serving as Founding Member of the Primary Care Access Network, Chair of the Central FL Partnership on Health Disparities, and initiating programs specifically to reduce racial disparities in birth outcomes. She also serves on the March of Dimes State Planning Council.

Prior to her work with the Coalition, she served as the President of the Orange County Council of PTAs and then on the Orange County School Board for twelve years, from 1990-2002. During her tenure she served as both Chairman and Vice Chairman of the local School Board and as President of the State School Board Association. She also represented Florida on the Council of Great City Schools and the National School Board Association.

Ms. Sutherland was invited to the White House by then First Lady Laura Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush for a discussion on early literacy and school readiness in 2001. Her areas of special interest and advocacy have always been early childhood issues, especially related to early intervention and prevention, and legislative matters affecting the welfare of children which have involved working closely with neighborhood groups, community leaders, and political representatives.

First and foremost a child advocate, Ms. Sutherland has spent considerable time learning about brain research, child health and best practices of parenting, and educating. She was a pioneer in advocating for the importance of investing in the early years for better long term outcomes. She is a sought-after speaker at events related to the well- being of children. She also serves on many boards responding to issues facing children and families in Central Florida and around the state, including the Florida Children's Campaign and the Children's Cabinet of Orange County.

Ms. Sutherland has been married to her best friend, Doug, for 40 years and they have one son, Andrew.

I am happy to honor Linda Sutherland, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.

Recognizing the Contributions of Deborah C. German, M.D.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in honor of Women's History Month, to recognize Dr. Deborah C. German, a physician, educator, and administrator. Dr. German has served as Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Central Florida (UCF) since July 2010 and as the Founding Dean of UCF's College of Medicine since December 2006.

After receiving her M.D. from Harvard Medical School, Dr. German worked at a number of prestigious institutions. She was Resident in Medicine at the University of Rochester, Fellow and faculty member at Duke, Associate Dean for Students and Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education at Vanderbilt, President and CEO of Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville, and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Petersdorf Scholar-in-Residence.

In her current position at UCF, Dr. German is working with a team of over 2,400 full-time, part-time, and volunteer faculty and staff members to develop a 21st century research-based medical school as part of Orlando's emerging Medical City. Recognizing the central role of the College of Medicine in Lake Nona, she takes an active leadership role in facilitating partnerships and expanding the reach of the Medical City. Dr. German led a community effort to fund scholarships for tuition and living expenses for the entire Charter Class. This was the first such effort in the history of American medicine, and to date has not been matched by any other college.

Dr. German's service to her community has been recognized by several local and national organizations. She is the recipient of honors and awards including the Athena Award from the City of Nashville in 2000, the AAMC Women in Medicine Leadership Development Award in 2002, the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board's Central Floridian of the Year in 2002, the National Library of Medicine's a Local Legend of Medicine in 2005, Orlando Sentinel's ``25 Most Powerful People in Central Florida'' in 2012, and the Orlando Blueprint Women of Distinction Award Honoree in 2014.

I am happy to honor Dr. Deborah C. German, during Women's History Month, for her contributions to the Central Florida community.