Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share and honor the story of Hadar Goldin, an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was killed by Hamas terrorists and whose remains have yet to be returned to his family.

I met Hadar's parent in south Florida earlier this year, and they told me about their son, his love of freedom that inspired his service to Israel and their just cause.

On August 1, 2014, 23-year-old Hadar was killed by Hamas terrorists. His body was then dragged away from his home and into an underground tunnel. Hamas terrorists then stripped him and left his clothing and took his body with them. For nearly 3 years, Hamas has held Hadar's remains from his parents, who merely want to give their son a proper burial.

Mr. Speaker, Israel is one of our strongest allies, our greatest ally, and our support sends a clear message to all terrorists, including Hamas, that the United States will continue to firmly stand with Israel and its people.

No parent should ever face the heartbreak of outliving a child, but those who do should expect a proper burial. Hadar's parents have been denied that basic decency by the Hamas terrorists that murdered their son. So today I am urging those holding Hadar to let him come home so that his parents can say good-bye.

Solidarity with Venezuela

Mr. Speaker, Venezuela, once a beacon of economic prosperity in South America, has descended into chaos and turmoil. An oil-rich nation, it now struggles as Maduro's policies have led Venezuela to having the hemisphere's highest inflation rate, resulting in critical shortages of food and medicine, as well as the collapse of the Venezuelan currency and rampant crime.

The Maduro regime's incompetence in managing Venezuela's finances and systemic corruption has led to a crackdown on human rights and violence against democratic demonstrators. The country is lurching towards single-party, totalitarian rule.

Rather than working with the opposition to serve the interests of the Venezuelan people, Maduro is using his influence to grasp onto power, first, by having his henchmen on the Supreme Court attempt to strip the National Assembly of its powers, and now, by calling for an unelected constituent assembly to rewrite Venezuela's Constitution. This is just another attempt to usurp and replace Venezuela's Democratic National Assembly with a puppet parliament loyal only to him.

This idea was recently rejected by 98 percent of the 7.2 million Venezuelans that participated in a nonbinding referendum last week. Fortunately, the United States has been quick to show solidarity with these freedom-loving people. I am grateful for the President's show of support and his direct warning to Maduro of the strong and swift economic sanctions the United States will take if he proceeds with the constituent assembly.

The United States will no longer stand by and watch Maduro and his thugs ignore human rights and the rule of law. There is a bipartisan consensus

that Maduro's undemocratic and tyrannical rule is unacceptable.

All options are on the table, and I look forward to continuing to work with this administration and my colleagues here in Congress to stand in solidarity with the democratic opposition and the people of Venezuela.

Mr. Chair, Naval Air Station Key West provides key training and support for the nation's military operations and readiness. The base trains fighter pilots from all branches and is home to the Joint Interagency Task Force South, which combats illicit narcotics.

However, most of the land in the Florida Keys lies at elevations 3 feet or less above sea level, making the Naval station extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. But this threat is not unique to that station; many of our bases across the, country and around the globe are susceptible to the effects of climate change.

Recognition of this threat, and prudent planning for these contingencies, are vital to our military bases and maintaining the national security interests of the United States abroad.

I congratulate the gentleman from Rhode Island, and the Committee, for recognizing this and including language in the underlying bill asking the Pentagon to report on the vulnerabilities posed by climate change so we can responsibly identify and implement adaptive measures. This includes an honest discussion of the realities of our changing environment.

As co-chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus, I urge all my colleagues to reject the Perry Amendment.

Mr. Speaker, June is Immigrant Heritage Month, and as the son of parents who fled Castro's Cuba, like so many other residents of south Florida, I am especially proud of my district's rich immigrant history and culture. From small-business owners to law enforcement, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their descendants across south Florida are contributing to our economy, culture, and local communities as living examples of American success.

I know from firsthand experience the great and generous spirit of the American people and the unimaginable opportunities our Nation provides to all who are willing to work for them.

Despite the longstanding tradition of welcoming immigrants to our shores, our Nation continues to have vigorous debate about immigration policy. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the current debate has left thousands of immigrant children, who were brought to this country by their parents, in constant fear of deportation to countries of origin many of them don't even remember.

They have attended school with our own children, graduated high school, sometimes even serving in the military, and today are seeking to contribute to American society and help grow our economy.

Mr. Speaker, the President, the former President, and Members of Congress in both Chambers and from both parties agree that these young people, commonly referred to as DREAMers, should be treated with compassion.

I too agree, which is why I introduced legislation that would give these young people the certainty that they deserve. The Recognizing America's Children Act creates three pathways to legal status for them: academic, military service, or employment. All qualified applicants would be thoroughly vetted, and any individual who has been involved in serious criminal conduct will be disqualified.

Mr. Speaker, immigration reform means strengthening security at our border and modernizing our visa program to keep Americans safe, but it also means offering immigrants who love our country just as much as we do the opportunity to fully participate in the American experience. It is my hope that this Immigrant Heritage Month will lead us to act in this regard.

Mental Health Awareness Semipostal Stamp Act

Mr. Speaker, neurological and psychiatric disorders have exacted a tremendous toll on our society. Despite the great scientific strides being made daily in neuroscience research, the underlying causes of conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism, epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression, and traumatic brain injury remain unsolved. For true breakthroughs to occur, researchers require additional data to better treat these conditions.

To address this, the previous administration announced the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative in 2013. Known as the BRAIN Initiative, this collaborative public-private research will advance our understanding of how the brain functions as researchers work to map the brain and study how individual cells interact in both time and space.

The data generated from this research will help scientists fill in the gaps in our current understanding and provide unprecedented opportunities for exploring how the brain enables us to record, process, utilize, store, and retrieve vast quantities of information. This information will also provide researchers with a better understanding of mental illness and posttraumatic stress disorder in hopes of better treating these diseases and reducing the number of suicides each year.

I was pleased that the 21st Century Cures Act, which I supported here in the House and was signed into law, authorized $1.51 billion for this important research.

Mr. Speaker, to help accelerate this project and raise public attention to this initiative, today I introduced the Mental Health Awareness Semipostal Stamp Act with Representative Grace Napolitano to raise awareness for this important cause. This would come at no cost to taxpayers.

Revenues generated from the sale of a specialized postage stamp would be directed to the National Institute of Mental Health to further this ambitious program that has the potential to revolutionize neurological and psychiatric care all around the world.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2842, the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act.

Here in the House, we have prioritized helping Americans escape poverty, and we are working to create policies that are focused on getting individuals into jobs so they can achieve self-sufficiency.

A job is something that dignifies the human condition. It is an opportunity for every individual to make a contribution to their family, their local community, and to our country.

This bill is an innovative solution that will give more people access to that opportunity. Through proposals like H.R. 2842, we can help struggling Americans find work and get on the path to success.

This bipartisan legislation connects Americans looking for work with employers looking to fill job openings, including through apprenticeships and other forms of on-the-job training. It uses $100 million from the TANF Contingency Fund for grants so States can conduct demonstration projects intended to assist TANF recipients in entering the workforce and maintaining employment.

Importantly, this legislation requires that States meet certain criteria to ensure they achieve their intended goal. This includes a description of how local governments will coordinate these efforts with others that assist low-income individuals.

States must also report on the outcomes of the demonstration projects and provide evaluations to determine whether such employer-led partnerships were effective.

This bill empowers States, giving them the ability to take into account their own unique challenges and design programs that meet both their employers' and job seekers' needs, rather than a top-down Washington approach.

This legislation has support from our business leaders. I include this letter of support in the Record.

Business Roundtable,

Washington, DC, June 20, 2017.

Hon. Carlos Curbelo,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Danny K. Davis,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Curbelo and Representative Davis:

Business Roundtable appreciates your bipartisan efforts to

bring more people into the workforce who currently have few

skills and lack job experience. Your bill, H.R. 2842, the

Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act, is a

thoughtful approach for encouraging companies to hire

recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

We are pleased to support it.

Business Roundtable CEOs believe earn-and-learn programs

help people become familiar with the workplace, gain needed

skills, and earn a wage. In many inner cities, the

unemployment rate for young people is distressingly high, but

their prospects improve dramatically if they find a first-

time job.

By supporting partnerships among business, government, and

education to hire

TANF recipients, the Accelerating Individuals into the

Workforce Act will give the unemployed an opportunity to work

and succeed.

Sincerely,

Wes Bush,

Chair, Education and Workforce Committee, Business

Roundtable; Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President,

Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Mr. Chairman, I was happy to partner with Representative Danny Davis on this effort to move individuals from welfare into long-term employment, and I am proud of the work we have done together.

I would also like to thank Chairman Brady and Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith for their leadership and hard work, as well as Rosemary Lahasky, Anne DeCesaro, and the rest of the House Committee on Ways and Means staff who have worked on this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, if I may add one thing. Last week, in the wake of the tragic shooting against Members of Congress, we all vowed to come together, to find common ground. The Committee on Ways and Means answered that call, and I am very confident that this House will do the same later today.

The American people expect us to have our differences, our disagreements, but they also expect us to find common ground; and Republicans and Democrats have done this today in favor of those who need it most, welfare recipients, needy families in our country. I am very proud to sponsor this legislation, to support it, and I would ask all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, June 26, 2017, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Colonel Abraham S. Conn on his retirement. COL Abraham S. Conn was commissioned through the ROTC at Canisius College located in Buffalo, NY, in May 1987, where he first entered the United States Army.

COL Conn is a graduate of State University of New York at Buffalo State College and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. COL Conn also holds a Masters in Strategic Studies and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College, Class of 2010, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

COL Conn was originally branched as a Military Intelligence Officer. He has attended the Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course, the Quartermaster Officer Advance Course, the Air Defense Officer Transition Course, the Command and General Staff College, and the Pre- Command Courses.

COL Conn has either Commanded or held duty positions at the Platoon, Company, Battalion, Brigade, Division, Corps, and Joint-Staff levels. COL Conn has completed three, 1-year deployments to Afghanistan, of Operations Enduring Freedom.

Some of COL Conn's awards include the Bronze Star Medal 2nd Award, the Meritorious Service 2nd Award Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal 2nd Award, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal 5th Award, the National Defense Service Medal 2nd Award, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Overseas Service ribbon, the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon 3rd Award, the NATO Medal for Service in Afghanistan 2nd Award, the Florida Cross, the Florida State Distinguished Service Medal, the Florida State Commendation Medal, the Florida State Active Duty Ribbon, the New York Long and Faithful Service Medal, the New York State Counter-Drug Service Medal and the Mississippi Emergency Service Medal.

COL Conn is also the recipient of the Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Florida Governors Meritorious Unit 3rd Award.

COL Conn recently completed Command of the 930th Digital Liaison Team in Homestead, located in Florida's 26th Congressional District. COL Conn is currently assigned to JIATF-S as a Reserve Officer, in the Policy and Plans Directorate. COL Conn is also currently employed in his civilian capacity, as a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, in Key West, Florida--also located in the 26th District. COL Conn resides with his wife Mindy in Key West, Florida. They have two children, Emily and Joshua.

It is an honor for me to recognize a man who has served our country with such distinction.

Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on account of my flight being cancelled from MIA-DCA. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 300 and YEA on Roll Call No. 301.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lewis for his work on this important legislation. I also thank the ranking member, Mr. Scott, whom I had the pleasure of working with on this same cause last year. This year, of course, I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill.

As a former member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, this was and remains one of my priorities, as I believe that this reauthorization can help us achieve our antipoverty goals here in the U.S. House.

The Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2017 will help set kids up for success that is long term, so they are not caught up in a system that puts them on a path where failure is inevitable. This bill includes reforms that will help juveniles transition out of the system through community-based services and education.

It also ensures that stakeholders can offer their expertise in order to best serve this population while also supporting prevention services to keep kids on the right track. Another important thing to note is that this bill prioritizes evidence-based strategies to reduce juvenile delinquency, directing necessary resources to what actually works.

Everyone deserves the chance to improve their circumstances. Many kids who end up in the juvenile justice system are the most vulnerable in our communities. These kids and the stakeholders and policymakers who support them need the flexibility and tools to effectively serve them. I believe this legislation is a step in the right direction, and I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of it.

I appreciate the work that the Committee on Education and the Workforce has done to help at-risk youth get on a path to a brighter future.

Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on account of a family obligation in the district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 267 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 268.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on account of family obligations in the district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 265, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 266.

Mr. Speaker, for over a decade, thousands of Venezuelans were forced to flee the brutal Chavez dictatorship, and the situation has only worsened under his handpicked successor, Nicolas Maduro.

Over the last several years, the people of Venezuela have increasingly spoken out against the Maduro regime, and time and time again he has attempted to silence them. In the last few weeks alone, the world has seen countless examples of the regime's thuggish tactics, unethical behavior, and lethal force against innocent civilians.

Top opposition leaders like Leopoldo Lopez remain locked up in Maduro's prisons, while the dictator continues to stop at nothing to try and control all branches of government. Thousands of opposition protesters have been arrested and dozens have been left for dead or killed.

So in response to this continued political crisis, I have joined with my colleagues Darren Soto, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz to introduce bipartisan legislation allowing Venezuelan nationals who have made a new home in the United States to remain here if they choose to do so, since it is too dangerous to return to their home country.

Instead of returning to the instability and uncertainty in Venezuela, these individuals would be granted legal permanent residency, so long as they do not have a criminal record and have never been involved in the persecution of others, eliminating any possibility of human rights violators or

Chavista thugs accessing our legal immigration system.

The people of Venezuela deserve the American people's support and admiration for their continued fight against the brutal Maduro anti- American regime. Honest and hardworking Venezuelans who would be persecuted or imprisoned unjustly should they return to their country should be allowed the opportunity to take refuge here in the United States.

Flood Insurance Reauthorization

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the critical issue of reforming and reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program. For my constituents in south Florida and the Florida Keys, and for coastal communities across the country, flood insurance is an absolute necessity to protect against natural disasters. But the program is flawed and saddled with $23 billion of debt.

We have a unique opportunity in the coming months to address the issues that matter most to our constituents, providing for optimal coverage at rates that are affordable to policyholders and based on accurate flood maps. There are numerous solutions I am studying, such as expanding the use of Write Your Own policies and growing the private insurance market, as long as strict oversight protocols are established and a Federal backstop is in place.

We should also promote stronger building standards for new construction projects that will better withstand flooding and strong winds. In Florida, we are a payee State, a donor State into the NFIP, but have also adopted strong building standards to reduce cleanup costs after the damage of a natural disaster has been done.

As Congress works to reform the NFIP, I will find commonsense solutions with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure our constituents have access to reliable coverage at fair and appropriate rates.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the seven Miami-Dade County schools that were recently named to the USA Today's top 100 public schools in the country, including Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School in my own district.

The rankings are based on graduation rates, reading, and math scores on State standardized tests, including how low-income and minority students fared in comparison to the State average, and the number of students taking college-level advanced placement courses and scoring well on the corresponding tests.

As a former Miami-Dade County Public School Board member, I am incredibly proud to see the tremendous growth and success of these schools in south Florida. MDCPS was in the midst of a financial and moral recovery when I was on the board just a few years ago; and during my time there, we improved the quality of education and put students and teachers first, resulting in major gains in student performance and graduation rates.

Today, Superintendent Carvalho and the board continue to make great progress. The teachers, staff, administrators, and parents at these schools are working to ensure our students have the best education possible.

Congratulations on this honor. I look forward to visiting the Archimedean Owls back home in the very near future.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 140

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to congratulate and express my gratitude to Monroe County leaders who recently took steps to address the impact sea level rise is having on roads and infrastructure in my district.

Earlier this year, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners took action that sets new standards for determining elevation of future county road improvement projects to account for future sea level rise. This is a problem my district is already facing. The 2015 King Tides led to flooding that lasted more than 3 weeks in several neighborhoods, causing damage to homes and businesses and leaving my constituents unable to move freely to and from their homes.

Mr. Speaker, few cities or counties around the United States are as advanced in sea level rise planning and implementation as Monroe County. I am grateful for their leadership, and I am committed to continuing to support their efforts any way I can here in Washington, from advocating for transportation infrastructure research grants that will help ensure we have the best engineering at our disposal to working with my fellow members of the Climate Solutions Caucus to discuss and build consensus for proposals that will mitigate the effects of rising sea levels.

It is critical we continue to work toward an infrastructure package that will give our communities the funds they need to bring our roadways like those in Monroe County into the 21st century.

National Debt

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss one of the most serious issues facing the United States--the staggering national debt that will reach $20 trillion this month, or $62,715 per person living in our country. While the national debt grew over $9 trillion under President Obama, we now have a new opportunity here in this Congress to work together with the new administration to propose and debate solutions that will address our country's debt and get our fiscal house back in order.

Every day, families across my district sit around the dinner table and make tough decisions about how they will spend their money. Most stick to their budgets because they don't have a choice, and their government should be no different.

In 2015, I was proud to support a 2-year bipartisan budget agreement that implemented new caps on discretionary spending for both fiscal years 2016 and 2017. Too often, enormous sums are wasted due to unpredictable budget cycles and government shutdown threats. With the adoption of this 2-year budget, Congress was able to reduce wasteful spending by providing certainty to agencies as they plan for the future.

The budget also included reforms to entitlement programs, which is the largest percentage of national debt. It is important that we protect programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid--the invaluable safety net for those who need the help--while working to implement reforms to make these programs solvent for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents sent me back to Washington to continue to build consensus with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance solutions that will rein in our national debt, and that is exactly what I plan to do. It is our duty, as elected officials, to leave our children and grandchildren with the same economic opportunities as previous generations, and that will continue to be one of my main priorities here in Congress.

Small Business Highlight

Mr. Speaker, I have never had much of a sweet tooth, but it has recently been brought to my attention that my district is home to some thriving small businesses that are putting south Florida on the map for desserts.

Not far from my district office, Night Owl Cookie Company, recently named Forbes 30 Under 30, is delivering fresh-baked cookies to constituents across West Kendall. Since starting the business in 2015, when he would make and deliver cookies from his parents' kitchen, Andrew Gonzalez's success has flourished to three brick-and-mortar locations across Florida.

Further south is Knaus Berry Farm in the Redlands where families from all across south Florida will travel to pick up fresh produce and, of course, to wait in line for fresh, homemade cinnamon

rolls. Founded as a family farm in 1956, Knaus Berry has since become a Miami staple, with generation after generation making the trip to south Dade to pick up fresh produce and baked goods. The farm's success has spread, leading to partnerships with other south Florida small businesses that use their cinnamon rolls to create Knaus Berry Farm- inspired doughnuts and ice cream.

It is important that we celebrate these small businesses, Mr. Speaker, because they provide hope, opportunity, and jobs to so many Americans in my district and across the country. It is critical for us to continue advancing policies in this Congress that will continue allowing these small businesses the opportunity to provide hope and jobs for so many Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I missed votes due to a family obligation. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 98 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 99.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 32.