Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month and to commend the extraordinary work of the Miami-Dade County Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board.

Each year, our Nation honors the history, culture, and countless contributions of Hispanic Americans. Today, Hispanics and Latinos represent the largest minority in the United States, accounting for more than 19 percent of our population and nearly 70 percent of the residents of Miami-Dade County.

The Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board has long served as a strong advocate for our Hispanic community. It leads countywide efforts to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to promote cultural unity across our diverse community.

This year, Miami-Dade County's 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff Celebration will bring together elected officials, more than 30 Consuls General and international diplomats, as well as community leaders from across South Florida. This celebration reflects the multicultural richness that defines both our county and Nation.

I am proud to recognize the Miami-Dade County Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board for its leadership, dedication, and tireless service. Their work not only highlights the invaluable contributions of Hispanic Americans but also reminds us that cultural unity strengthens the very fabric of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act. This bipartisan legislation ensures that the Miccosukee Tribe has the legal authority to manage, protect, and preserve their land and continue their traditional way of life.

Specifically, the bill amends the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to include the Osceola Camp, an inhabited Tribal village located within the heart of Florida's Everglades. The Osceola Camp is not only home to Tribal members, but it is also a site of historical and cultural importance.

Including this land in the reserved area will empower the Tribe to protect their community, manage water flow into the Everglades National Park, and raise structures within the camp to prevent catastrophic flooding. The Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the continental United States and one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet.

For generations, the Miccosukee Tribe has served as a responsible steward of the fragile environment. Their leadership in conservation, water management, and environmental protection has helped preserve the natural beauty, the biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of south Florida.

This bill is about fairness and conservation. It ensures the Miccosukee Tribe has the autonomy to protect their home, their land, and their way of life.

I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto) for cosponsoring this measure. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 504.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a decade of excellence at the Academy for International Disaster Preparedness at Florida International University.

Over the past decade, AIDP has trained and graduated more than 500 students in disaster preparedness, emergency management, and humanitarian response.

These programs have successfully prepared students to work in local, tribal, state, and federal government as well as in Fortune 500 companies and the private sector.

AIDP's curriculum aligns with FEMA's Next Generation Core Competencies, focusing on four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Through hands on training, students, along with experts in the field, use the frameworks of the Incident Command System and the National incident Management System to experience complex, real-world disaster environments.

FIU and AIDP are setting the standard for the next generation of emergency management professionals, and I am proud to recognize their service and leadership today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a monumental milestone, the 40th anniversary of Radio Marti.

For four decades, Radio Marti has been a beacon of truth for the Cuban people, piercing through the propaganda and tyranny of the Castro regime.

In a country where freedom of speech is silenced and independent media is outlawed, Radio Marti has delivered uncensored news, real stories, and a powerful message: liberty is not only possible, it is on the horizon.

As a proud Cuban American and a staunch defender of democracy, I know firsthand the value of what Radio Marti represents. It's more than just a station; it's a lifeline for a community that longs for freedom.

I thank the dedicated journalists and staff who have carried this mission forward since 1985. Their work is vital, their courage is undeniable, and their impact is immeasurable.

Here's to 40 years of truth, resilience, and the unbreakable spirit of the Cuban people. May this next chapter bring us even closer to a Cuba libre.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Melissa Tapanes on being named President of the Builders Association of South Florida.

Ms. Tapanes is an accomplished attorney who specializes in complex legislative and quasi-judicial matters. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service, holding leadership roles with the Miami Downtown Development Authority and numerous civic and legal organizations.

Her dedication to education and public policy began early, with an appointment by Governor Jeb Bush and her successful advocacy for the establishment of a public law school at Florida International University.

Throughout her career, Ms. Tapanes has earned prestigious honors, including the South Florida Business Journal's ``40 Under 40'' and Ford's ``Mujeres Legendarias.'' She has been consistently recognized by The Legal 500, ranked in Chambers USA, and acknowledged by Super Lawyers and Florida Trend.

I look forward to working with Ms. Tapanes in her new role as President of the Builders Association of South Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Harold Arve, Jr., a lifelong resident of South-Dade and a pillar to the community of Homestead.

Throughout his 47-year career with the Florida Farm Bureau, Mr. Arve has dedicated his career to community service.

From earning the rank of Eagle Scout to coaching on the football field and raising a family with his high school sweetheart Linda, Mr. Arve embodies dedication, integrity, and hometown pride.

Further, his decades of experience in charity auctioneering, show his unwavering community spirit.

Mr. Arve's contributions to local causes and organizations have left a lasting mark on the South-Dade community. It is with great gratitude that I recognize Mr. Arve for his lifetime of service, leadership, and love for our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my dear friend and the Mayor of the City of Hialeah, Esteban Bovo, for his decades of commitment to public service.

Mayor Bovo began his career in 1998 as a member of the Hialeah City Council. In 2008, he was elected to serve his community in the Florida House of Representatives.

Following his service in Tallahassee, Mayor Bovo was elected to the Miami Dade County Commission, where he served from 2011 to 2020. During his tenure, his colleagues elected him to serve as the Commission Chair from 2017 to 2018.

In 2021, Mayor Bovo was elected as Mayor of the City of Hialeah. Since taking office, he has been an advocate for transparency, public safety, and accountability. Under his leadership, Mayor Bovo Hialeah has served his constituents with pride and with a commitment to excellence.

I extend my gratitude to Mayor Esteban Bovo for his unwavering dedication to public service and I look forward to his continued contributions to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my high school alma mater, the Christopher Columbus Explorers, for winning the national basketball championship.

After securing their fourth consecutive State championship in Florida's Class 7A, the Explorers made school history by capturing their first national title and county history as the only Miami-Dade County high school to ever win a national basketball title.

These young men have demonstrated relentless dedication and perseverance throughout the season. I am proud to see that their hard work and commitment was rewarded. I extend my congratulations to Coach Andrew Moran, his staff, and the entire team on this remarkable accomplishment.

Through unity, tradition, and excellence they have cemented their place in Columbus and Miami-Dade County history. ``Forward''; ``Adelante.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic Biltmore hotel.

For a century, the Biltmore hotel and its renowned golf course have stood as a beacon of elegance, history, and world-class hospitality in the heart of Coral Gables.

Since opening its doors in 1926, this historic national landmark has welcomed presidents, dignitaries, and guests from around the world.

In 1942, the Biltmore was transformed into a military hospital, serving our brave service members as an Army Air Force hospital, and later as a Veterans Administration hospital until 1968.

After reopening in 1987 and following a 10-year restoration beginning in 1992, the grand hotel and golf course have entered a new era, reclaiming its former glory and embodying Miami's rich sporting heritage; its halls and tower have served as the backdrop for a century of unforgettable moments.

The Biltmore is more than just a hotel--it's a living landmark, a symbol of Miami, and a treasured piece of our community's history that will continue to inspire generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1166, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act.

As Communist China seeks to gain influence in critical industries around the world, the United States must be at the forefront of combating and decoupling from the CCP. This includes battery technology.

As we become more and more dependent on battery technology, we need to ensure that these batteries are sourced from nonadversarial countries. As it stands, Communist China produces approximately 80 percent of the world's batteries and roughly 70 percent of the world's lithium ion batteries. This dependence puts U.S. supply chains at risk and threatens our national security.

Our government should not be spending tax dollars to procure batteries from companies that profit from slave labor or provide another avenue for the CCP to expand their surveillance apparatus here in the United States. As an agency tasked with protecting the homeland, the Department of Homeland Security should not be procuring batteries from a geopolitical adversary.

H.R. 1166, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, is a critical first step in addressing this issue. Modeled after previous provisions included in the FY 2024 NDAA, my legislation builds off of these efforts and prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from procuring batteries from companies that have deep ties to the CCP and engage in human rights abuses.

H.R. 1166 helps our Nation take a step forward in advancing our efforts to decouple from the PRC and safeguard critical supply chains from exploitation.

I am proud that this bill passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security in a bipartisan manner last Congress and was passed on the House floor. I look forward to seeing it pass and becoming law in the 119th Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to commemorate the life of Frank Toppino, a leader and pillar of strength of the Florida Keys who passed away at the age of 101.

Born in Winter Park, Florida, Mr. Frank, as he was more commonly known, lived a life of service with deep dedication to his family, faith, and community. At just 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served during World War II. He built a life alongside his wife, Betty Rose, and they raised three children together.

Mr. Frank served as the president of the Key West Chamber of Commerce and served for 33 continuous years on the Key West Housing Authority board. Mr. Frank's acts of service are a true testament to his character.

Let us remember his legacy of lifelong dedication to family and to the community. Mr. Frank will be deeply missed, but his lessons will serve as an example to us all.

We thank Mr. Frank for his service to our Nation. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, Miami-Dade has a new sheriff in town.

I rise today to congratulate my dear friend, Rosie Cordero-Stutz, on being sworn in as the first elected sheriff in Miami-Dade in over 60 years and the first woman and Hispanic to hold the position.

Sheriff Cordero-Stutz has been with Miami-Dade Police Department for nearly 30 years, rising from patrol officer to assistant director. She has what it takes to run the largest law enforcement agency in the southeastern United States.

I also congratulate Juan Barquin on being sworn in as the clerk of the court and comptroller for Miami-Dade County. Clerk Barquin began his career in the Public Defender's Office, and he will now oversee the fourth largest judicial circuit in the Nation. As the watchdog for public records and taxpayer money, I have all the confidence that he will continue to do an excellent job.

I congratulate Sheriff Cordero-Stutz and Clerk Barquin. Godspeed to them both. On behalf of all of the residents of Miami-Dade, I thank them for their service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my dear friends and colleagues, Anthony Rodriguez and Kionne McGhee, the new chairman and vice chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners.

I look forward to continuing our work together to deliver results for the people of Miami-Dade County.

With my colleagues on the commission, I worked to deliver the largest tax cuts in Miami-Dade County history when I was the mayor, and being mayor of Miami-Dade County has been one of the highlights of my career in public service.

I understand firsthand just how effective both Chairman Rodriguez and Vice Chairman McGhee are, and I am confident in their ability to lead with conviction for the community that we represent.

Mr. Speaker, I thank both of them and wish them Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5009. This NDAA ensures that the United States military remains the strongest in the world.

Weak policies from this administration have invited America's enemies to our doorstep. Communist China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are actively undermining our Nation around the world and are working with the regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua to gain a foothold in our hemisphere.

This package allows us to meet the challenges ahead. I am pleased that the NDAA includes funding for new innovative technologies to better deter Putin and the CCP.

We will strengthen our efforts domestically to protect our border by building a new state-of-the-art joint agency task force south in Key West, which happens to be in my district.

I strongly urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of this NDAA so we can continue to deter our enemies, safeguard our Nation, and provide for our servicemen and -women.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, a time to recognize the value of hands-on training and the incredible opportunities of apprenticeships that are offered to American workers and businesses.

As a strong believer in the dignity of hard work and the power of education, I know that apprenticeships serve as a vital bridge between learning and earning. They empower individuals to gain valuable skills in industries that form the backbone of our American economy, all while earning a paycheck and building a lifelong career.

Whether in AI technology, cybersecurity, construction, or countless other fields, these programs open pathways of success for countless Americans. In south Florida and across the Nation, apprenticeships transform lives and strengthen our communities.

Apprenticeships are not just investments in the people of our community, they are investments in America's competitiveness on the global stage.

On this 10th anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week, let us continue to champion programs that open doors for young people and working families so that we can build a stronger, more skilled workforce for generations to come.