Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues tonight have been sounding the alarm on the crisis our country faces at the hands of the most radical, progressive fringes of our politics. Institutionally, we are facing a grave danger right here in Congress, with a sitting Member of Congress choosing to continue her anti-Semitic and anti-American rhetoric from the halls of our government.

When a Member of Congress, who describes themselves as a starter of fires, fuels anti-Semitic violence against Jewish communities by perpetuating false stereotypes and anti-Semitic tropes; denigrates strategic allies of the United States and accuses Members of Congress of unconstitutionally pledging allegiance to a foreign sovereign because of their support of the U.S.-Israel partnership; whitewashes the September 11 terrorist attacks that resulted in the death of over 3,000 innocent Americans; draws equivalence between the United States and criminal organizations such as Hamas and the Taliban, both of which have been deemed by the Department of State as terrorist organizations, it is the absolute responsibility of Speaker Pelosi and Democratic leadership to hold their Members accountable.

Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi has lacked the backbone to act and has chosen to cower in terror as Members of Congress in her party shred America apart from this podium.

They may call themselves a fire starter, but I have built my career as a firefighter. I cannot and will not allow this behavior to go unnoticed and be allowed to be swept under the rug.

These comments and policy stances undermine the interests of the United States abroad and weaken the effectiveness of our foreign policy, sending a dangerous signal to our allies and our adversaries alike that the United States tolerates anti-Semitism, that we no longer believe in the long-term mission of supporting free peoples and free markets, and that we no longer remain committed to combating acts of terror against the United States and our allies.

While we are encouraged that several of my colleagues across the aisle have posed their strong rebuke of these anti-American comments and policy stances, the only rebuke on this issue that will have any meaningful impact is one by the Speaker and the majority of the House of Representatives.

To turn a blind eye on this would be a ``cowardly refusal,'' as Speaker Pelosi characterizes it, to hold Members on your side of the aisle accountable and dereliction of your role as the leader of your party and as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, an institution we all so proudly and honorably serve.

Anti-Americans have no right to threaten our country without retribution. America deserves better.

Mr. Speaker, one thing has been made absolutely clear in last's month abysmal jobs report: More government spending, bigger mandates and regulations, incentivizing people to stay on unemployment, and punishing States that encourage small mom and pops to reopen is not the way to Build Back Better. It is time for us to pursue policies that put Americans back to work.

All the so-called experts and economic forecasters wanted to believe so hard that the massive $1.9 trillion spending package that the Speaker and President Biden rammed through Congress was going to be the answer. But the truth always prevails. That is why, for the first time in Congress, Democrats actually joined Republicans on a major piece of legislation in voting against that sham of a bill. But it passed anyway.

When Republicans stood up on this floor to explain line item by line item what was wrong with that bill and why this was the wrong approach, we got attacked by our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for everything imaginable. But once again, we were proven right. The Speaker and President Biden were proven wrong.

Now, they are wanting to do this all over again with infrastructure. The current infrastructure proposal being put forward not only adds trillions of dollars in spending on top of the $1.9 trillion Congress has already approved to be spent in the previous spending spree, but now the solution is paying for it by raising taxes. Once again, the American people are being lied to about who is actually going to be affected by those tax hikes.

The spinmasters are trying to paint a picture that equates the big evil word ``corporation'' as big-box players and tech behemoths such as Amazon, Netflix, and Facebook. But here is the truth, the term ``corporation'' is really only a tax designation for a business entity. Corporations include your local mom-and-pop restaurant. It includes the local corner street pharmacy. It includes the farms that supply the local farmers markets. It is the local fishermen, the family-run dance studio, the store that sells football uniforms to the local high school team, the music instructor helping prepare kids for the next concert, and the guy who scraped together his earnings and started a plumbing business.

While the progressive left wants to take swipes at major billionaire companies through extreme taxation, they are bringing all of us along with them. We are all going to be paying more.

At a time when our economy has continued to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, we should be encouraging small businesses to reopen, rehire workers, and spur our local economies, not punishing them with more taxes and more regulations.

America's small businesses and our middle-class workers deserve much better than this. I know we can and will do better if my colleagues across the aisle choose to work with us in earnest. Let's stop this political grandstanding for the majority and get to work.

Republicans are waiting, and we are willing.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question and, if defeated, I urge my colleagues to adopt H.R. 261 by my friend and colleague, Representative Brian Mast.

This legislation places strict sanctions on individuals who knowingly aid senior members or supporters of terrorist organizations. This legislation, moving forward, is important in light of the terrorist acts conducted by Hamas against the State of Israel.

These horrific scenes coming out of Jerusalem depict countless rockets being launched from Gaza with the intent to massacre innocent civilians. What we have seen from the Iron Dome's ability to intercept this high volume of rockets is really truly remarkable, but it also underscores Israel's security vulnerability.

We are reminded this past week of why the United States must continue to be an ally of Israel and why our commitment to Israel's sovereignty and independence is so crucial at a time of heightened regional hostility. Each rocket launched into Israel was paid for by a certain group or a certain individual, stemming from a vast network of financiers, many from Iran, used by these terrorist organizations.

By punishing those who bankroll Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations, we are taking an important step in providing Israel and the Jewish people a bold signal of support for their self-defense and their self-determination.

This legislation will help put an end to a critical financial component of these terrorists by punishing those who facilitate transactions and launder funds on behalf of those terrorist organizations.

To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I call on you to join our efforts to support our ally Israel. ``Never again'' is a phrase we used to cement our determination to protect the Jewish people around the world. At a time when terrorists are threatening the existence of Israel, Democrats should be willing to join us at the table for the reaffirmation of that commitment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly condemn the terrorist acts conducted by Hamas against the State of Israel.

These horrific scenes coming out of Jerusalem depict countless rockets being launched from Gaza with the intent to massacre innocent civilians. What we have seen of the Iron Dome's ability to intercept this high volume of rockets is truly remarkable. But unfortunately, some of these rockets are getting through, and that underscores Israel's security vulnerability. It reminds us why the United States must continue being an ally of Israel and why our commitment to Israel's sovereignty and independence is so crucial at a time of heightened regional hostility.

Quite frankly, I am surprised there haven't been more Members of this institution to extend their support for Israel. That is why, this week, I am introducing a resolution to not only condemn Hamas for these acts of terrorism but for Congress to signal its unwavering support to our strategic partner Israel and to the Jewish people.

I urge my colleagues to join me in this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, this week, we honor our incredible law enforcement officers who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe. At a moment when some Americans have lost confidence in our country's institutions, we must come together to forge a new path of unity and purpose by addressing every injustice while acknowledging the positive actions of our police officers.

This week, I cosponsored the JUSTICE Act to provide needed police reform to help ensure positive, fair policing. This legislation helps ensure law enforcement agencies and officers are kept safe.

I know firsthand the importance of body cameras, not only for accountability, but also for the safety of every law enforcement officer. As mayor of Miami-Dade County, I was one of the first in the country to implement a program putting body cameras on our police officers. This legislation will help replicate what we did in Miami- Dade County across the country by providing $500 million for State and local law enforcement agencies to equip officers with body cameras.

Police officers deserve to know we have their backs. Their commitment to their communities, their willingness to put their lives on the line to keep our children and grandchildren safe, must be commended and not attacked. It is time to step up and give our police officers the support they deserve.

Madam Speaker, over the past several weeks, I have joined Leader McCarthy and House Homeland Security Committee Republicans on two separate trips to our southern border. What I saw on the ground is heartbreaking: countless unaccompanied minors, often very young girls, left at the hands of international cartels, many of them violated; migrants packed into cramped processing facilities; and seizures of illicit narcotics being trafficked into the United States.

Unfortunately, the Biden-Harris White House has drastically shifted from the previous administration's policies on immigration and border security through executive order. At no point during the crafting of these executive orders were congressional Republicans consulted, nor have Republicans had a proper venue for input on plans from the White House. The result? Day by day, the crisis along our southern border is getting worse.

It has been a month since President Biden named our Vice President, Kamala Harris, as the border czar. What have we seen so far? Zero media appearances about the border, no press conferences, no trips to the border, radio silence for the Vice President.

She said she is going to the Northern Triangle to meet with Guatemalans and Hondurans. She doesn't need to. She can come to the southern border and talk directly to Guatemalans and Hondurans, and migrants from many other countries, while they are illegally crossing the border.

While she is at it, Vice President Harris should speak with Customs and Border Protection agents who are on the ground handling the situation instead of Federal bureaucrats sitting in their offices in Washington.

As an immigrant, I call on Vice President Harris to do her job and fix this crisis.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the House on the importance of bipartisan engagement on infrastructure.

Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of sitting in the Oval Office with President Biden as we, along with a small group of Senators and Representatives, discussed the best way possible to move forward on infrastructure.

Our commitment is clear: Republicans agree that we should put more resources and key investments into the things that we consider the traditional definition of infrastructure. This includes our roads and highways, bridges, ports, and waterways. In order to maintain our competitiveness in the world, strategic investments in things like public transportation and improved air and rail mobility are also key.

We also need to continue fostering American entrepreneurship and private investment in the area of automotive technology with numerous auto companies making great gains in automotive vehicles running on clean, safe, sustainable energy sources, as well as creating an economic environment where they can continue to build out their own electric charging station networks.

Republicans also understand the importance of the technology side of infrastructure, such as the need to expand rural broadband, fortify our cybersecurity to protect critical assets from foreign adversaries, and improving our telecommunication networks across the country. These are all key areas where Republicans and Democrats can come together and work on infrastructure solutions in a broad, bipartisan way.

As it was made clear to the President, unfortunately, the current proposal floating around goes well beyond that scope and includes funding for projects that are not infrastructure. As much as some of our Members on the other side of the aisle want to speak it into truth, the expansion of social welfare programs is not infrastructure.

If my colleagues want to engage in a rigorous debate over the merits of expanding Medicaid and providing elder care, or whatever else they want to put into this infrastructure proposal, they ought to bring separate bills onto the floor. I am sure my colleagues on this side of the aisle will be happy to engage in that debate.

What we cannot allow is for these provisions to be snuck into a big spending package under the guise of infrastructure.

I do have a small glimmer of hope that there is a bipartisan avenue for moving an infrastructure package. In order to get it done, it is going to take compromise between both sides. President Biden and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle must engage in earnest negotiations with Republicans. Let's put all of our cards on the table and bring forward targeted legislation that actually supports American infrastructure.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the proposal by some Members to pack the Supreme Court.

At first glance, you would think this came from Hugo Chavez or Nicolas Maduro, pictured here. It is sad to see that it actually comes from some people in this institution.

As a Cuban exile who fled the Communist Castro regime, I know the consequences of these dictatorial moves to centralize power in the hands of a few ideologues.

Packing the courts is a tactic used by brutal dictatorships, like Venezuela, to consolidate the Socialists' power, which resulted in tens of thousands of court rulings in its favor and basically destroyed the country.

Packing the courts sets the precedent for the judicial branch being expanded at every transition of power, with each President wanting to put their four or more additional Justices, which eventually could result in hundreds of Justices of the Supreme Court.

This proposal to fundamentally rebalance our judicial system towards one political ideology should not only be opposed, but must be condemned to the fullest extent.

I will fight to my last breath the attempts by anyone to fundamentally change government in such a militant manner.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back in the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1.

Americans love election season. They absolutely love the endless political ads, having their phones blown up by political calls and texts, and having their email inboxes littered with solicitations from want-to-be politicians. My phone keeps ringing off the hook from all of my constituents just pleading for Congress to use their dollars to fund more campaign ads.

This is the fantasy world that government bureaucrats and career politicians who want a Federal takeover of our elections live in. They want to take Americans' money and give it to campaigns at a 6-to-1 ratio, effectively forcing you to finance political campaigns you don't support.

H.R. 1, the so-called For the People Act, weaponizes the FEC into a partisan commission and throws out commonsense voter I.D. laws, just to name a few. As one of the only Members of Congress who has actually had to implement election protocols, I speak on authority when it comes to our elections. This bill is a travesty for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this egregious, so-called police reform bill. The process used to craft this bill is nonsense.

In a normal functioning Congress, the Speaker would bring together Republicans and Democrats to discuss ways to push needed police reforms. But in this dysfunctional Congress, we got a bill that strips our frontline police officers from qualified immunity, that will weaken and possibly destroy our communities' police forces.

Mr. Speaker, as mayor and sheriff of Miami-Dade County, and a former SWAT medic myself, I was actually responsible for ensuring my community was kept safe from lawlessness. I understand firsthand the importance of qualified immunity for police officers to carry out their jobs.

Officers perform vital tasks requiring split-second decisions under intense circumstances. Taking away qualified immunity will lead to police officers not taking the decisive actions and rendering it impossible for them to do their job. Without this security, officers will resign and deplete our police force, leaving our communities--the very ones who need a strong police force the most--less safe and costing the lives of countless Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote against this dangerous bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a transformational partnership announced in my districtbetween Florida International University and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.