Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, anti-Semitism has no place on the Foreign Affairs Committee. I will say it again: Anti-Semitism has no place on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

That is why Representative Omar has no place specifically on the Foreign Affairs Committee, where Israel's security is one of the issues of critical importance.

Without a doubt, the democratic Jewish State of Israel is America's strongest ally in the Middle East and has a fundamental right to exist.

Representative Omar has repeated anti-Semitic canards and perpetuated hateful tropes against the Jewish community. Her comments have compromised the ability of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to conduct its official business.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in the affirmative to remove Representative Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as our Florida Keys are under a state of emergency.

The President's unwillingness to secure our border, coupled with his pathetic policy of appeasement and concessions to the brutal Castro regime in Cuba, have created a migratory crisis unlike any other that the Florida Keys has seen in decades.

Since August 2022 alone, Federal, State, and local law enforcement have encountered nearly 10,000 people in waters off the coast of Florida, and the Biden administration is directly responsible.

Dry Tortugas National Park has already been forced to close because of this crisis, affecting the tourism-dependent economy of our Florida Keys constituents, boaters, and tour operators, and the Biden administration is directly responsible.

Secretary Mayorkas has repeatedly demonstrated abdication of his responsibilities as leader of the Department of Homeland Security and failed to enforce our public safety immigration laws. That is why I am calling on him to resign immediately.

Governor Ron DeSantis quickly activated the National Guard, and I commend him on behalf of my constituents for his leadership and bold action.

I am calling on the Biden administration to take action now. We must reimburse Monroe County and the State of Florida for local resources that have been expended to process and care for the latest wave of migrants. We need to increase Customs and Border Protection onsite in Monroe County and provide additional resources to the Florida Keys.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Miami-Dade County Commissioner Javier D. Souto for his exemplary public service to the Miami community. Since his election to the County Board of Commissioners in April 1993, Senator Souto has served District 10-- which includes portions of Kendall, Westchester, and Fontainebleau-- with distinction for over 29 years. Before that, he was elected twice to the Florida Senate.

Senator Souto's work on behalf of his constituents has been wide- ranging and comprehensive. His passion for our parks and places that bring people together is truly inspiring. He has built a legacy of helping others in need and fighting against the brutal dictatorship of the Castro regime in Cuba. Commissioner Souto is a veteran of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and his contributions to the Cuban exile community are immeasurable.

I had the pleasure of serving as County Commissioner and then Mayor of Miami-Dade County, where I worked with Senator Souto extensively and witnessed firsthand his hard work and determination. His love for Miami is evident through his life of dedication to its people. It is my deep pleasure to honor Senator Souto as he retires from the Board of Commisioners, and I wish him all the very best.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Commissioner Rebeca Sosa for an extraordinary career in public service. Commissioner Sosa has been serving the residents of Miami-Dade County across many different areas for over 20 years and has done so honorably. I had the privilege of working closely with Commissioner Sosa for many years during my tenure in Miami-Dade County and know how dedicated she is to protecting our community and our environment.

Commissioner Sosa won her first election as the District 6 commissioner. She has been re-elected 4 times to the county commission and has represented residents all over the county. In 2012, while I was mayor of the county, she was elected chairwoman of the county commission. She served a two-year term as chairwoman and during those two years, we worked closely together to get things done for the residents of Miami-Dade County. Over the years, Commissioner Sosa has been a driving force in the expansion and modernization of Miami International Airport and PortMiami.

Commissioner Sosa has made her residents proud by the tenacity with which she has fought for them and ensuring Miami-Dade County continues to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family. It was an honor to serve with her, and I know she will excel in the next chapter of her life. Lourdes and I wish her the best and look forward to seeing what she does next.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career of my good friend, Chairman Jose ``Pepe'' Diaz for his outstanding work as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners. During my tenure as Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I had the pleasure of working closely with Chairman Diaz on many important issues over the years. We were able to come together to serve the residents of Miami-Dade County and formed a strong friendship that has continued even after my time at the County.

Chairman Diaz is the quintessential public servant. He started his career in public service at a young age as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and has continued down a path of lifelong service to the community he so deeply admires. Chairman Diaz has served on numerous boards and been appointed to countless committees, which is a testament to his leadership and dedication to improving the lives of the residents of South Florida. Chairman Diaz has spearheaded countless projects and initiatives for Miami-Dade County over the span of his 20 years serving on the County Commission and most recently led a bid committee to support Miami as a future host city for the World Cup. He has always been deeply committed to serving the county's veterans and active-duty service members.

It is my honor to recognize and honor Chairman Diaz for his service to the South Florida community. I had the distinct honor of working with Chairman Diaz for a large portion of my career, and I know the kind of focus and leadership he has brought to his entire career of public service. Although his time as a county commissioner is coming to an end, I know he will continue to thrive in his upcoming endeavors. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store and wish Chairman Diaz all the very best.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Commissioner Jean Monestime of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners for his exemplary accomplishments and commitment to the betterment of the residents of South Florida. Commissioner Monestime served as the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners during my first term as Mayor. He is a true public servant that has worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents in District 2 and our entire communIty.

Commissioner Monestime has been a fighter his entire career. In 2010, he became the first Haitian American to serve on the Board of County Commissioners. He has fought relentlessly to expand opportunities for others. Commissioner Monestime has a long history of advocating for equal justice and economic development throughout Miami-Dade County. He has served on numerous boards and nationally recognized organizations to make sure that the economy in South Florida works for all people and that there is equal opportunity for individuals of all backgrounds.

I have known Commissioner Monestime for a very long time, and I am proud of our work together. He has helped bring much-needed economic growth to some of the most impoverished areas of our county and has always focused his energy on the most vulnerable. I look forward to seeing how he continues his career and thank him for his years of service to the residents of Miami-Dade.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Commissioner Sally A. Heyman for an outstanding career in public service. For over 35 years, Commissioner Heyman has faithfully served Miami-Dade County residents in a variety of capacities. Since her election to the County Board of Commissioners in September 2002, her selflessness and dedication to District 4 residents has been unparalleled.

Commissioner Heyman developed a passion for public service at an early age, encouraged by her parents to work with local charities and civic institutions. After teaching in the public school system and getting her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Miami, Commissioner Heyman was elected to the Florida Legislature in 1994. As a state representative, she co-sponsored ordinances to address juvenile justice issues and support environmental protection efforts. Her conviction that every human being should be treated with dignity and respect led her to fight to eliminate the stigma of mental health illnesses. And as a breast cancer survivor herself, Commissioner Heyman advocates yearly for breast cancer awareness and education.

During her tenure on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, Commissioner Heyman worked relentlessly for her constituents, advocating especially for reliable public transportation systems and affordable housing. One notable accomplishment was the development of Aventura station, a Brightline commuter stop which will relieve traffic and provide residents with an easy means of transportation. The station is expected to open this December.

Miami-Dade County is a better place because of Commissioner Heyman. I was lucky enough to work with her at the county level and personally witness her tenacity and dedication. I wish Commissioner Heyman all the very best as she retires from the Board of Commissioners.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss and honor the incredible life of Mr. Felipe Valls.

Felipe Valls was a giant of the Cuban exile community in Miami and founded the iconic Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana.

Valls was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1933. He attended the prestigious Riverside Military Academy in Georgia and returned to his hometown after graduating in 1950. When he was 27 years old, Valls escaped the Communist revolution with his wife and two children.

In Miami, he found work in the restaurant business; first as a busboy, and then at a restaurant equipment company. He then opened International Equipment Company, which sold restaurant equipment such as refrigeration, air conditioners, and espresso machines that he imported from Europe.

It was at this time that Valls invented the ventanita, the now ubiquitous window stands where locals gather for their morning shot of Cuban coffee. In 1971, Valls opened Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho. Today, it is the most famous Cuban restaurant in Miami and possibly the world.

Versailles is a culinary, social, and cultural landmark in Miami. It has served delicious Cuban pastries, sandwiches, and cafecitos for more than 50 years. It is one of the first places that any visitor to Miami will go, and three U.S. Presidents have eaten there.

In Felipe Valls' own words, Versailles ``is where you come to take the pulse of our community . . . Versailles is the Cuban exile that refuses to kneel down.'' I believe that Versailles is the heart of the Cuban exile community in Miami.

Felipe is survived by his loving children and grandchildren, who continue his family's proud legacy. His long life reflected those of so many hardworking Cuban exiles who built a new community in Miami. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for its 28 years of successful impact on South Florida's business community. Small business is the backbone of our country. The Chamber has supported small businesses and helped connect them to individuals in South Florida for almost three decades. It is my honor to recognize the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and highlight the good work they have done.

Established in 1994, the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit 501 (c)(6) that promotes business leadership and economic growth and provides legislative advocacy for the Hispanic business community in South Florida. Since more than two-thirds of Miami-Dade County residents are of Hispanic origin, organizations like the Hispanic Chamber are crucial to the health of our local economy and civil society. Miami-Dade County has seen incredible growth over the past several years, in no small part because of the welcoming business climate. As the Miami area continues to expand, the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will keep playing a pivotal role in growing commerce and creating opportunity among the Hispanic community.

The South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has been an invaluable resource to the Hispanic community for close to 30 years. I am thankful to have attended many Chamber events and luncheons in my district, where I have seen firsthand how it develops business relationships among our Hispanic community. I look forward to another 28 years of continued business growth and excellence.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the opening of Florida International University's new student and research showcase center in Washington, D.C. Over the last four decades, FIU has grown exponentially to become one of the top universities in the state of Florida. It is now one of the fastest-rising universities in the nation. Today's opening ceremony is yet another example of how the university continues to invest in its students well beyond South Florida.

This new facility--a first-of-its-kind academic and briefing center-- is part of an integrated advocacy approach called ``FIU in Washington, D.C.'' It aims at both further developing FIU's national reputation and expanding federal support for the university's preeminent programs. The 5,000 square foot space will give FIU students studying and interning in D.C. access to federal research programs and other resources. It will also allow FIU faculty to collaborate with federal partners and showcase the impact of their research on several areas of study that especially pertain to South Floridians--including environmental and coastal resilience, population health, Latin America and the Caribbean, defense-related engineering technologies, and STEM research.

In addition, the research center will allow students, faculty, and alumni to host national workshops and conferences tailored towards federal policy initiatives. Its proximity to the United States Capitol will give FIU student-interns a better grasp of current legislation, as well as the chance to meet with elected officials. This new center will push the university further to the forefront of national excellence. I am proud to represent Florida International University and look forward to seeing it continue to expand and excel in our Nation's capital. Go Panthers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Denis Rod for 30 years of committed community service. A 47-year resident of the City of Miami, Dr. Rod has dedicated his adult life to serving the people of Miami.

Dr. Rod has served the Miami community in countless ways, beginning with his leadership of Miami Dade College's Amigos Club, an organization that helped international students get acclimatized to the Miami area. For 6 years Dr. Rod worked for Habitat for Humanity in Homestead and Overtown. He has served on several boards, both public and private, including the City of Miami Planning Advisory Board (as co-chair), the Miami-Dade County International Trade Consortium, and the board of CareerSource South Florida. Dr. Rod has donated bicycles for charity and actively participates in both the Latin Chamber of Commerce Holiday Food Distribution program and the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Charity. He is a certified ``Citizen on Patrol'' and active in his area.

I am not alone in extending a tribute to Dr. Rod, who has received many recognitions during his career. The cities of Miami, Hialeah, Sweetwater, West Miami, South Miami, and Miami Beach, as well as Miami- Dade County, have presented Proclamations to Dr. Rod. Dr. Rod has also received the Southern Command Citizens Medal and a State of Florida Tribute from then-President of the Florida House of Representatives Marco Rubio. It is not an exaggeration to state that wholehearted service has characterized Dr. Rod's entire life. On behalf of all the Miamians his life has touched, I thank Dr. Rod for serving our community so well.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the groundbreaking of Concourse A at Key West International Airport (EYW). As the proud representative of Florida's 26th Congressional District, I fought hard to include crucial funding for Monroe County, including the nearly $40 million in federal grants for this airport expansion project at EYW. This new concourse will augment the airport's enplanement capacity, making it a vital project for the residents, tourists, and businesses in the Florida Keys.

Monroe County, whose Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved plans for the project in August, has big plans for Concourse A. Totaling nearly 49,000 square feet, it will contain expanded baggage areas and concession opportunities, seven new passenger boarding jet bridges, and more office spaces. New airline ramp spaces and ramp equipment storage areas will also be housed below the new concourse. Clear story windows and a curtain wall system will provide plenty of natural light for all airport users to enjoy. The airport's main terminal will also be expanded, with renovations to accommodate space for four new security lanes and added support spaces at the existing restaurant location, among other improvements. An extended pedestrian bridge, located after Concourse A's security checkpoint, will connect the new concourse with the main terminal.

Millions visit the Florida Keys every year, and Key West International Airport plays a crucial role in facilitating much of that tourism.

Just last year, the airport set an annual record when it processed over one million passengers. This new, state-of-the-art concourse will give the airport much-needed space to welcome and process travelers, which will help remove some car traffic on U.S. 1 while giving locals even more nonstop flight options to other parts of the country.

It is my honor to represent Monroe County in the U.S. House of Representatives. Key West is one of the top destinations in the country, and this development project will help even more people experience it for themselves. I applaud all the individuals who worked so hard to make Concourse A reality, and I very much look forward to its completion.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Key West native Mr. David Paul Horan for his community leadership and notable achievements in admiralty and maritime law.

David Horan has spent almost 50 years serving on various community boards and commissions in the Florida Keys. Since 1973, he has served as a Director of the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce. Other leadership roles have included serving on the Key West Military Affairs Committee, the Florida Keys National Marine Advisory Sanctuary Counsel, and the Special Environmental Counsel for Monroe County. In 2001, Mr. Horan was inducted into the Key West Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame, Key West's highest community service award.

In addition to his work serving the community, David is an accomplished lawyer. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1972, David specializes in complex federal and state litigation. Much of his career has been dedicated to protecting local interests against excessive regulation. One pro-bono case of David's, Young v. DCA, was monumental: the Florida Supreme Court's opinion reversed almost twenty years of decisions on the ``burden of proof'' issue, significantly restricting the state of Florida's authority to overturn local governmental decisions. David has also represented many commercial fishermen in addition to salvors of historic shipwrecks, generally centuries-old Spanish galleons sunk along Florida's coast.

Another of David's notable legal victories came in his successful oral argument in the

1982 Supreme Court case Florida Dept. of State v. Treasure Salvors, Inc, which concerned the ownership of salvage from the 1622 Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha. The Supreme Court rejected the State's claim to the property and upheld the transfer of artifacts to Treasure Salvors.

What an honor it is to recognize David Horan for his phenomenal career in law and life of service to the Florida Keys and Floridians across the state. I wish David, his wife, five children, and many grandchildren all the best as he begins a ninth decade of a very full life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate today's groundbreaking of the new Monroe County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). This center, which combines several existing emergency organizations in one 28,321-square-foot space, will greatly assist county officials in the Florida Keys to prepare for future natural disasters in our resilient community.

Monroe County's EOC previously occupied the top floor of the Marathon Government Center. In 2017, Hurricane Irma forced EOC staff to evacuate the center just one day before it made landfall 30 miles west of Marathon, due to its lack of protections for Category 3 and above hurricanes.

The new EOC's features include a 20-foot first floor elevation, Category-5 hurricane-hardened walls, self-sustaining drinking water for up to 72 hours, and emergency power and communications systems. In addition, the location, at the west end of Marathon International Airport, is highly strategic. If Overseas Highway becomes unusable, the EOC will be able to quickly facilitate the dispersal of aid coming in through the airfield. This critical infrastructure will improve the county's emergency response capacity and ensures Monroe County will have the necessary tools to maintain resiliency and preparedness when natural disasters impact our coast. I am proud that the state and federal governments assisted the county in securing $30.2 million of the necessary funds to commence the project.

South Florida's residents face extreme weather every year, and improving hurricane resiliency is paramount. This long-overdue facility--Monroe County's first dedicated emergency operations center-- will act as the crucial hub for all future emergency responses. As a lifelong first responder who served as Fire Chief of the City of Miami Fire Department during Hurricane Andrew and Mayor of Miami-Dade County for nine years, I know firsthand how important a rapid and effective disaster response is. I applaud all the individuals and agencies who worked hard to make this center a reality, and I look forward to the speedy completion of the project.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dina Velocci, DNP, CRNA, APRN. Ms. Velocci, who is a constituent of Florida's 26th Congressional District, will soon complete her year as national president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). I am proud that Ms. Velocci was elected as the 2021-2022 president of this prestigious national organization.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice registered nurses who administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year. They work in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered, including hospital surgical suites, obstetrical delivery rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, and the offices of dentists, podiatrists, and specialty surgeons. They also provide acute and chronic pain management services to patients in need of such care. CRNAs provide anesthesia for all types of surgical cases and are the sole anesthesia providers in many rural hospitals.

As a member of the AANA for 20 years, Ms. Velocci has contributed greatly to the healthcare community in the Key West area and nationwide. Ms. Velocci has long been active in nurse anesthesiology as both a CRNA and as a clinical and didactic instructor for nurse anesthetists. She supplied anesthesia services for office-based practices and free-standing surgery centers. She is also an innovator and entrepreneur and assisted in building and marketing an interactive web-based learning resource for CRNAs. Throughout her career in nurse anesthesiology, Ms. Velocci served on committees, advisory panels, and boards of directors at the state and national levels. She is a former president of the Tennessee Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

I extend my sincere congratulations to Ms. Velocci on a job well done. Her service to her patients and to our community represents the best of our district. I am always proud to recognize constituents that go above and beyond for our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Velocci's notable career and outstanding achievements.