Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I stand before you 2 days before the third anniversary of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, to tell this body, the people's House, that we have work to do.

The Pulse shooting shook us all to our core, and for so many in the LGBTQ community, these wounds may never fully heal.

We honor the memory of those whose lives were taken, but for those 49 people, their families, and, importantly, their chosen families, thoughts and prayers will never be enough.

``Orlando Strong'' and ``Never Again'' are only words until we take action.

We are united by the power our constituents have given to us to make laws. We must use that power to stop gun violence.

What does it say to the victims at Pulse, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Aurora, Virginia Beach, and too many others to list? Do we not care?

Making life safer for our constituents is not right versus left; it is right versus wrong.

Madam Speaker, I urge action on this national epidemic.

Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Engel for yielding me the time.

I rise in strong support of the Climate Action Now Act written by my dear friend and the chairwoman of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Kathy Castor. We are both blessed to represent the Tampa Bay region of Florida, which is the most economically vulnerable to climate change in the world.

For the people back home, this isn't a partisan issue. It is real. It is happening. It threatens our environment, our quality of life, and our economy.

I know there are friends and colleagues on the other side of the aisle struggling with this issue, and I want to offer encouragement: Do not wait for the next 1,000-year flood to hit your district or the next freak Category 5 hurricane that explodes over warming seas right before landfall. Do not wait for the next drought-fueled firestorm to destroy one of your towns or for rising sea levels to flood the streets when it rains during high tide, as it does in parts of my district.

The time to act is yesterday. Please vote ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the life of Walter Loebenberg, a community leader, advocate for the less fortunate, philanthropist and founder of the Florida Holocaust Museum.

As a young man, Mr. Loebenberg was forced by the Nazis to flee his native country of Germany for the United States. Mr. Loebenberg returned a few years later, where he honorably served the United States during the Battle of the Bulge. His service was so distinguished he was personally awarded a Bronze Star by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

After the war, Mr. Loebenberg returned to the United States and moved to Florida where he managed local hospitals, became a philanthropist, and fought to improve the lives of the blind, the hungry, and those who could not fight for themselves. He dedicated his life to improving the world, one act at a time.

In 1992, Mr. Loebenberg founded a Holocaust Museum at the Jewish Community Center of Pinellas County in Madeira Beach. This rapidly expanded into the Florida Holocaust Museum, opening in downtown St. Petersburg to great fanfare in 1998.

Mr. Loebenberg understood the importance of building a lasting tribute to the horrors and lives lost in the Holocaust--so that history might never repeat itself. His work, and his museum, will stand the test of time, as a testament, and a warning to all of us, and all who come after us. For the people of Pinellas County, the state of Florida, the U.S. House of Representatives, and a grateful nation, we honor the life of Walter Loebenberg.

Madam Chair, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Brown), for his leadership on this issue.

Souls to the Polls is a bedrock of Florida elections. For my colleagues who may be unfamiliar, minority communities, particularly African American and Latino, use Sunday early voting to energize their communities to make their voices heard. For those without reliable transportation or with unpredictable work schedules, Sunday voting is critical and sacred.

This is how a healthy democracy should work, communities organizing themselves to increase participation, doing their civic duty. Higher turnout and greater participation strengthen our democracy, giving elected leaders a stronger, more representative voice.

Unfortunately, some States have targeted Sunday Souls to the Polls voting. My own State tried to shut it down in 2012.

This amendment would block States from using voter suppression tactics against Souls to the Polls.

I urge my colleagues to support the Brown-Crist amendment and let the underlying bill pass.

Let's refresh our democracy, for the people.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, for 19 days, critical financial agencies which serve the people have been closed. Taxpayer assistance has stopped; the people's refunds are at risk of serious delay; small business support is suspended; and consumer protection work has been halted. People are hurting. It is a self-inflicted wound.

But today, we have the opportunity to reopen these critical agencies for the people. The solution is simple: vote ``yes'' on this legislation; put people above politics; and reopen our government today.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Waters for her tireless leadership for a strong, affordable National Flood Insurance Program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill. More than 5 million middle class and working Americans rely on the National Flood Insurance Program for economic security and peace of mind.

Congress cannot allow this program to expire. A lapse would leave countless families unable to renew their policies, putting them in financial peril if disaster were to strike. It would also upend the housing market, with closings coming to a full stop due to the inability to secure required coverage.

While I wish this bill included a much longer term extension, providing American families with another week of coverage is far preferable to a damaging lapse.

But, my colleagues, we must do better than 1 week. The people have endured seven stopgap extensions, including two brief lapses, since September 2017--7 extensions, 14 months. The bill before us is number eight.

While almost everyone can agree that flood insurance is long overdue for reform, particularly to address the affordability challenges that plague policyholders, we should not allow that goal to threaten the program's very existence.

I urge my colleagues to not only support today's bill but to work together in the coming days to reach agreement on a longer term extension.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today urging action to extend the National Flood Insurance Program.

If Congress fails to reauthorize the NFIP by November 30, millions of homeowners will be unable to obtain or renew their flood coverage; housing markets will grind to a halt; and families will be left at risk of financial ruin should a flood occur.

Congress must put this uncertainty to rest. Policyholders need stability. Our housing markets need stability. American families also need stability.

I urge my colleagues to bring to the floor, and to pass, the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker, this is very bipartisan. First, I thank Ms. Tenney for putting this together. It is wonderful of the gentlewoman to do that.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to say a few words about Ileana, what everybody knows. I am sure Mr. Gaetz will echo this, too. Just a wonderful lady, a great public servant, a heart of gold, and always with a smile on her face. Around this place, that is very uplifting and wonderful to see.

I wanted to come down here and testify, if you will, on her behalf.

What a wonderful shining light she really is. So, again, I thank Claudia for organizing this and putting this together. It is great of her to do so.

And, Ileana, if you are watching, God bless you and your wonderful family, and I know your future is going to be very, very bright. Thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, the famed ``Hurricane Hunters.'' This group of brave men and women from across the country save countless lives each year by literally ``flying into the eye of the storm,'' to collect data unattainable by other means. In communities across Florida, we have seen firsthand how critical this information is to hurricane preparedness and recovery.

The ``Hurricane Hunters'' are a component of the 403rd Wing at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Serving the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, they are the only operational unit in the world, flying weather reconnaissance on a regular basis. Their 20 aircrews consistently fly into tropical storms and hurricanes to fulfill their mission when and where it is most critically needed.

Early and accurate detection is key to providing millions of Americans ample time to prepare and evacuate. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is on constant stand-by, and can be deployed to up to three storms at once--crucial during a busy storm season. The 53rd works closely with the National Hurricane Center and NOAA to collect and relay real-time data from the center of the storm, the backbone of public weather alerts and warnings.

While modern satellites have greatly improved our ability to analyze storms at a distance, the data collected through firsthand observation provides a level of detail that remote analysis cannot match. By providing this information, the 53rd reduces the ``cone of uncertainty,'' projecting the storm's path, by nearly 30 percent. These enhanced projections provide critical lead time to prepare and respond, enhancing the protection of lives and property.

In a typically male-dominated field, the 53rd Squadron also stands out. With six female officers, they serve as role models for little girls everywhere who love science and dream of serving their country.

I am humbled to honor the legacy of our Hurricane Hunters, who put their lives on the line every day to protect Floridians and the American people from tropical storms and hurricanes. I thank them for all that they do, risking their lives in service to the public.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership and bipartisanship on this bill.

Americans who watched 60 Minutes last weekend or who read the Tampa Bay Times were shocked by serious airline safety concerns--specifically with Allegiant Airlines, a carrier that operates 95 percent of the traffic at my hometown airport. It raises questions about the FAA's ``compliance philosophy,'' focused on fewer enforcement actions, more working quietly with the airlines behind the scenes on safety issues.

I sure hope it is true that airlines are more likely to self-report safety incidents if they do not fear retribution, but lives are at stake, and we must get the facts. My amendment would require an investigation into whether this hands-off approach is, in fact, working. Profits can never trump passenger safety.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this straightforward amendment.

Mr. Speaker, Friday marks the eighth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

I was Governor of Florida at the time. I remember the tar balls. I remember them coming up on our beautiful beaches--as the ambassador does; marine life covered in toxic sludge; the harm done to Florida's tourism and fisheries industries; and, of course, the tragic loss of life aboard the Deepwater Horizon itself.

Mr. Speaker, I haven't forgotten it. Florida has not forgotten it. We must never have drilling off the Florida coast. We should take that argument off the table.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to tell the story of a young teen who came to our country with nothing but hope for a better future. No English, no money, just a dream. This story may sound familiar, but it is special to me. It is a story of my grandfather, Adam Christodoulos.

The story of America is a story of immigrants. Now we have a whole new generation of immigrants who embody our American values: family, hard work, service, love for the United States, and dreams for the future.

Without immigrants, from the construction worker in St. Petersburg to the CEO in Clearwater, there is no middle class. Let's remember the golden rule, treating all of God's children the way we want to be treated, fairly and with compassion.

Mr. Speaker, let's pass a clean Dream Act today. We have the votes. We just need the will.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ranking Member Waters for her steadfast leadership.

While I have great respect for the gentleman from Minnesota, I rise in strong opposition to this bill before us today. I feel so lucky and fortunate to represent Florida's 13th Congressional District which includes my hometown of St. Petersburg, ``The Sunshine City.'' It is a beautiful place to grow up, to visit, to live, to work, and to retire.

It is also a place that still bears some scars of segregation. The Fair Housing Act was signed 50 years ago this spring. Why then are so many neighborhoods still segregated? Why are so many of our constituents still victimized by redlining and unequal access to credit? Fair housing data is a critical tool to right the wrongs of the past, to see how well banks are serving all of our communities.

It helps root out the occasional bad apple and the occasional bad institution. This data is worth the effort. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need laws to protect the vulnerable, or data to enforce those laws. But having fought and won discrimination suits on behalf of the people as Florida's attorney general, I will tell you, this is not a perfect world.

While I share my colleagues' desire to make regulatory compliance less burdensome, let's not make it easier on banks by making it harder for fair housing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Emma Couture, a remarkable and talented young woman who tragically left us too soon.

At 19 years old, Emma accomplished a great deal more than many of us could hope to in a lifetime. And she did it with an open and giving heart that inspired everyone she met. Emma exemplified the best and the brightest of our Pinellas community: a brilliant student, gifted actress, and a thoughtful, selfless individual.

From a young age, Ms. Couture showed a keen interest in the theater. In high school, she used her role as District Broadway Cares Representative to draw attention to AIDS research, organizing a donation drive and raffle at her local thespian competition. Emma used her unique talent on the stage as a platform to advocate for LGBTQ rights and other important issues, orchestrating a theatrical production that raised thousands of dollars for charity and drew performers from all over the country.

Emma's dedication to good works was matched only by her impressive intelligence. She was a victor on the television game show

Kid Jeopardy, serving as a source of civic pride for Pinellas County and an inspiration to little girls across the community. As a fellow Green Devil, no one better represented St. Petersburg High School and its motto of loyalty and service to God, country, and home.

After graduation, Emma realized her dream of working on the stage in New York City as a student at Marymount Manhattan College. She spent her final moments doing the very thing she loved most: directing her first college theater production, helping a fellow performer rehearse their lines.

Emma's passing due to unexpected heart failure was a sad day for Pinellas County. To her dedicated, loving parents Wilma and Peter, and her older sister Hannah, our hearts go out. I thank them for bringing such an incredible young woman into this world. She has left an indelible mark that will never be erased; her spirit will live on in the hearts of everyone whose life she touched.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and public service of retired St. Petersburg Police Officer Freddie Crawford, one of the ``Courageous 12,'' who put his career and life on the line in the fight against discrimination and segregation.

The Courageous 12 were the first African Americans employed by the St. Petersburg Police Department, who bravely served the residents of the city for many years. In the face of constant threats in the field and discrimination within their department, these 12 officers withstood both professional and physical risk to keep the peace and ensure equality and justice in their communities.

In the early 1960s, Officer Crawford and his fellow black police officers serving on St. Petersburg's police force were only permitted to police black neighborhoods. The segregation of authority even went so far as to mark patrol cars with a `C' for ``colored'' to designate that it was a black officer inside. Officer Crawford and his colleagues attempted to express their grievances to the Chief of Police on multiple occasions, only to be ignored and swept aside. After persevering through years of segregation in both his civilian and professional life, Officer Crawford and his colleagues in the Courageous 12 took their fight to the judicial system. Despite the personal and professional risk, Officer Crawford and his fellow officers sued the city of St. Petersburg in 1965.

Baker vs. the City of St. Petersburg did not initially receive a favorable ruling for the Courageous 12. But in 1968, a federal appeals court overturned the decision. In one year's time, Officer Crawford was patrolling a primarily white area in North-East St. Petersburg. The monumental efforts by Officer Crawford and his colleagues would inspire black officers in nearby areas, creating a domino effect of positive change in communities throughout the Tampa Bay region.

Even after retiring from the St. Petersburg Police Department, Freddie Crawford continued his efforts to address and eradicate segregation. He went to work for the Community Relations Services division at the U.S. Department of Justice where he used his experience with conflict resolution to resolve racial tensions in various communities across the country.

Mr. Speaker, please join me once again in commemorating Officer Freddie Crawford's life, and thanking him for his contribution to the cause of justice. He leaves behind a legacy of tireless dedication to equality and serves as an inspiration to the city of St. Petersburg and to our country.