Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Demings. I thank her for her service in law enforcement. I know she can view this at a level that some of us who have never witnessed this type of tragedy, never felt this type of tragedy--she has an understanding of it that I am grateful for her imparting to me.

As someone who was a State legislator and a lawyer, I have never seen this kind of tragedy up close. And even still to this day, as we remember these 49 souls, these 49 angels whom we lost and the 68 injured 2 years ago at the Pulse nightclub tragedy in Orlando, we still, as a community, are trying to understand this carnage, this loss, this tragedy. Our hearts still ache, Mr. Speaker.

This was the single deadliest known violent attack on the LGBTQ community, an attack on our Latino community, an attack on our African American community, and an attack on the whole Orlando community. Until last September, it was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Mr. Speaker, they have gotten even deadlier, with Las Vegas just recently.

Yet our community showed its resiliency and strength in the face of diversity. Orlando Strong is more than just a hashtag; it is our commitment to pledge to stand up to hate and to gun violence. Since then, Floridians stand stronger than ever.

Over the past 2 days, I have had the honor of attending events with Congresswoman Murphy, Congresswoman Demings, and Congressman Mark Takano, co-chair of the LGBT Congressional Caucus. We had an LGBTQ roundtable with local groups. We visited the Pulse Memorial. We helped hand out scholarships under the 49 Fund Scholarship Ceremony. We toured The LGBT Center. We went to a rally on action for gun violence. We went to the Orange County History Museum to see the history of those days, and I joined with Congresswoman Val Demings, my colleague here today, to hear the 49 church bells ring for the 49 victims at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Orlando.

Today, we honor the 49 lives taken by displaying love, acceptance, and kindness. But, most importantly, we honor them with action. That has been the theme over the last couple of days: we honor them with action.

I would like to recognize and focus my comments, in large part tonight, on following local groups and survivors in central Florida who, 2 years later, continue to transform their grief and mourning into positive change for all.

We cannot change the tragedy that happened. We cannot change the past. We cannot bring back those 49 angels whom we lost, but we can give meaning to this great tragedy through action to make sure these types of shootings no longer are commonplace in our society. We honor them with action.

First, I would like to talk about Brandon Wolf. Brandon, a native of Oregon, was one of the survivors during the Pulse nightclub shooting on June 12, 2 years ago today.

Brandon moved to Orlando in 2008, after attending the University of Oregon Political Science School. He now lives in Tallahassee, where he has become a leading activist in LGBTQ issues in minority youth.

After the shooting, Brandon and his friends launched The Dru Project, named after Drew Leinonen, an LGBTQ nonprofit organization on a mission to spread love across the Nation. I got to meet with Drew's mother this past week at our LGBT roundtable, and I will talk a little bit more about that in a little while.

The advocacy group sponsors gay-straight alliances in public schools and offers scholarships to help send future leaders to college. In August of last year, Brandon joined the board of advisers for a political action committee dedicated to ending gun violence.

Following the Pulse tragedy, Brandon was inspired by Drew's words: ``We never say I love you enough.'' He travels the Nation speaking on behalf of LGBTQ youth--education, commonsense gun legislation, and the future of intersectionality are some of the topics he discusses-- spreading the message of unconditional love and inclusion.

I attended the Pulse rally to honor them with action yesterday, organized by Brandon at Orlando City Hall, an amazing event that I will talk a little bit more about tonight.

Another call for action, to honor them with action was the onePULSE Foundation. The onePULSE Foundation was established by the owners of Pulse nightclub, including Barbara Poma, to create a sanctuary of hope following the shooting.

The foundation supports the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of a memorial and museum to remember the Pulse nightclub shooting. They also work towards giving out community grants to care for the victims' families and the survivors.

The foundation has currently established an interim memorial, which serves as a sanctuary of quiet reflection and love, dedicated to honoring the senseless loss of innocent life. There is hope to create an official permanent museum in the future, something that I look forward to working on with my colleagues, Congresswoman Demings and Congresswoman Murphy.

The onePULSE Foundation is also creating annual 49 individual college scholarships named in honor of each victim and designed for their specific vocations, hobbies, or life aspirations. Through their work, the onePULSE Foundation makes sure that the names and legacies of each of the victims, the 49 victims, these angels whom we lost that night, live on and are never forgotten.

I would also like to talk about our Q-LatinX community. LatinX is a term referring to our younger, next generation of our Latin community. In fact, many of our more senior Hispanics think: What the heck are these crazy kids talking about with LatinX? It is a self-styling of folks who are Millennials and who are Generation X who are Latin.

It is amazing that this name has come into the common nomenclature now, really amazing, and a testament to this kind of intersectionality that we saw that night, that we lost so much of, that is now being highlighted as a result.

Q-LatinX was founded in response to the mass shooting and active hate that occurred on June 12, 2 years ago today, at the Pulse nightclub. Its mission is to bring together and empower the most marginalized members of our community, establish affirming and supportive healing relationships and spaces, build a strong and united community, and work towards a society free of fear, violence, and hate.

Through their program of social justice education, they built a supportive infrastructure, addressing inequity and promoting inclusionary practices for local leadership and partnership agencies.

Q-LatinX strives to give a voice to the community. Through their immigration committee and HIV prevention education committee, Q-LatinX makes sure to prioritize issues that affect both the LGBTQ and Latino communities.

But it gets at this bigger issue of intersectionality.

I know when you look at our 49 victims, just like the rainbow flag that honors our LGBTQ community, it is a rainbow of individuals, a rainbow of backgrounds, and it is symbolic of the intersectionality of Orlando, an area that Congresswomen Demings and Murphy have the honor of representing with me. I am proud of that diversity, and I know Congresswoman Demings and Congresswoman Murphy are proud of that diversity.

Mr. Speaker, I want to now give Congresswoman Demings the opportunity to continue her impressions on both intersectionality, gun violence, and so many other issues that I know that we will be addressing tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Demings for bringing up something that I know has troubled all Orlandoans right now, which is a day before the second annual remembrance of the Pulse nightclub shooting, we had a standoff where four children were killed. It is a testament to the fact that there is so much left to be done.

Next I want to talk about Christopher Hansen. Christopher Hansen is a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting. That night, he personally helped save the lives of those around him by assisting injured victims.

Mr. Hansen is now a member of the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence's board of advisors. Pride Fund works towards supporting candidates on the Federal and State level who will promote gun reform and advocate for LGBTQ safety and equality. Pride Fund is currently America's only LGBTQ organization that focuses solely on gun policy reform to ensure safety for all.

Through his own recovery, Hansen has found a home in a community which he recently joined months before the shootings. He has become a spokesperson for the memory of those killed at the Pulse nightclub and a central figure of support for survivors and everyone affected by the tragedy.

In an op-ed for the Orlando Weekly, Christopher writes: ``It started with an invitation. An invitation to a popular gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida: Pulse. In preparation for my night out, I decided to see a movie--'The Conjuring 2'--a horror movie based on a true story. Little did I know that I would have a night of horror of my own. And my night of painting the town red would be drenched in blood.

``Before the attack, I was having the time of my life. I was tearing up the dance floor and mingling with fellow club-goers. Then everything changed. I heard three loud booms, but I didn't think much of it. I continued dancing, thinking it was the base from the music and not the sound of gunshots. By the time I realized what was happening, screams, smoke, and flashing lights filled the club. People were rushing toward me, desperately looking for exits and places to hide. I followed the crowds and moved past the bathroom where people were hiding. I managed to get out unscathed. There was a pause in gunfire, and I was compelled to go back. Before I knew it, the gunfire started again, and I watched two men heading towards the hospital--one was shot twice. I urged his friend to keep him calm as I tried to stop the bleeding. I took my bandana off and wrapped it around one bullet wound, and pressed my hand on the other, praying he wouldn't die. I kept him level on the curb until an ambulance arrived.

``I turned and saw a girl in the grass, begging to be moved because she couldn't get up. We were told not to move her to avoid further injury, but I couldn't ignore her cries. I picked her up and her body became cold. I put her on my lap, which saved her life; she was shot in the back, and my thigh pressed against her wound. As she began to fall asleep, I slapped her face and asked her questions. Through keeping her awake, I learned her name was Kalisha, and she was a 19-year-old from Ohio.''

Just 19 years old.

``A man came to me and said I saved him as well, but I didn't remember; everything became a blur.

``I wanted to help as many people as I could, but I was later told to leave since I wasn't a professionally trained paramedic. My phone died earlier that night and my wallet was still in the club. Without a way to contact loved ones or money to get home, I walked the streets of Orlando covered in blood. I feared for my life that night and felt helpless and alone. I thought about the victims who were still there and the families who would learn their loved ones never made it home.

``That night, I met the mother of a victim I had seen hiding in the bathroom. She showed me his frantic text messages. His name was Eddie Justice, and he was killed in that very bathroom. The girls I met that night, Akyra Murray, Tiara Parker, and Patience Carter, were hiding in the same bathroom--all three had been shot.

Akyra, who just graduated from high school and was ready to attend Mercyhurst University in the fall on a basketball scholarship, had died. At 18 years old, she was the youngest Pulse victim.''

18 years old. We lost her.

``Her life was drastically cut short due to gun violence and someone with easy access to military-style assault weapons.

``Forty-nine people lost their lives that night, and another 38,000 will lose their life this year to senseless gun violence. I've joined Pride Fund's Board of Advisors so I can be a voice for the survivors and victims of Pulse, Las Vegas, and every shooting to come.

``Pride Fund's mission to save lives starts by supporting candidates on the Federal and State level who will act on sensible gun reform and champion for LGBTQ safety and equality. Pride Fund and I are turning tragedy into action''--they are also honoring these victims with action--``through a focus on commonsense gun reforms like enacting background checks, limiting ammunition sales, and preventing those convicted of hate crimes from purchasing guns.

``Members of Congress, reluctant as they are to cross the NRA, can effect change. They can address the easy access to assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, and ammunition sales. They can address our safety, rather than focusing instead on the safety of their own seats, courtesy of NRA cash.

``If Members of Congress won't prioritize our safety, then we have the power to find those that will.''

Those are powerful words by Christopher Hansen of the Orlando Weekly, so I want to take a few minutes about action.

First, I want to talk about gun reform actions and lack of actions on the Federal and on the State level. On the Federal level, we have had some reforms actually pass this past year. In the omnibus, we saw that the CDC can now study gun violence, even though they are not allowed to take any positions or say anything that would be deemed to promote or to advocate against gun violence.

We had a Fix NICS bill that will ensure that our agencies are getting the information about those who have been convicted of crimes or those who may be ineligible for other reasons into the background check system earlier, so that those background checks will be more accurate. We even see rulemaking to potentially ban bump stocks which were used in the Las Vegas shooting.

But the list is short of action that has been taken by this Congress, and the list of unfinished business is long.

First, is the failure to even give a hearing on re-instituting the Federal assault weapon ban. I say re-instituting because many people forget, from 1994 to 2004, we had such a ban. During that time, people's Second Amendment rights were still in effect; but we banned weapons that have no civilian use whatsoever. And we saw, during that period, the statistics bear out, because when you look at gun violence and mass shootings at that time, I challenge anybody watching this tonight across America to recall whether they remember during that time the number of mass shootings, the number of deaths during the assault weapons ban.

Then we look at 2004-2014, the number of incidents tripled. The number of deaths tripled. And that is just to 2014, not including Charleston or Vegas or the Pulse nightclub shooting or recently, in Parkland.

We also see universal background checks still not fixed. Ninety percent of Americans support this. Ninety percent of Americans support that there should no longer be loopholes in our universal background checks.

That you could easily, right now, sell in a gun show without any background check; this makes no sense. You could sell in a private sale without a background check; this makes no sense. This is an easy way for people who are wholly ineligible to be able to buy guns every day in every State.

And so what is the purpose of fixing our Fix NICS bill and having better background checks, if these giant loopholes that swallow the whole?

Also, these extended magazine clips. The reason people heard 45 to 50 shots fired in a minute is because of these extended magazines and these assault weapons. When you have a shotgun, when you have a handgun--and I will let Congresswoman Val Demings talk a little bit more with her background in law enforcement--yes, you can hurt people. But you can't do the kind of carnage we have seen with these assault weapons. And I look forward to hearing your opinions on that Congresswoman Demings.

I also want to talk about gun reform on the State level. We had some victories, we had some defeats. After fighting to keep guns out of teachers' hands in schools, that battle was lost; while we have been able to prevent them from being on college campuses.

But we did have some positives, and I give 100 percent of the credit to the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting and the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, who stood hand in hand and went up to Tallahassee to advocate for greater gun safety. And I could say, having survived nearly 10 years in the Florida Legislature, it is not a welcome place for a lot of these reforms.

But they had some great reforms passed. They raised the age to purchase firearms from 18 to 21. They banned bump stocks--which, President Trump, it is time to follow suit like they did in Florida. Attorney General Sessions, it is time to get those rules in place.

They also were able to harden our schools. Now that is something that I was remiss before to not mention. We did have the Safe Schools Act to help harden our schools.

They also created critical red flag legislation that allows our law enforcement--and I look forward to your comments on this as well, from your background, Congresswoman Demings--to allow law enforcement officers who are on the scene and see that someone will be a danger to others, to be able to take away their guns for a limited time period and then to be able to go and request a judge to get it back. We do this in domestic violence, as you are familiar with.

So these are things that actually have happened in Florida that are moving the ball forward. And if it can happen in our State, that has been so protective of some of these critical reforms, I believe it can happen, both on the Federal level and that Republicans and Democrats can join together for these reforms.

But the last thing I want to talk about, but not least, are first responders, because you can't talk about action without talking about our first responders. The brave men and women of the Orlando Police Department that you had the honor of being chief of, Congresswoman Demings; the brave men and women of the Orange County Sheriff's Office, which your husband is our honorable sheriff of; our Orlando and our Orange County Fire Department who were on the scene, along with our EMTs, to give lifesaving aid to 68 injured people and try to save some of those 49 we lost.

We have had some action to help out our first responders, too. Our UCF Restores program, which helps with PTSD for firefighters, law enforcement, and our military, immerses these heroes into virtual reality so that they can, unfortunately, have to relive those experiences, but then meet with a psychologist or a psychiatrist to talk about that, to bring up these repressed memories. And we have had tremendous success. We have had tremendous feedback from our local fire departments, from our local law enforcement, and from our military.

We are able to work together, you and I and Congresswoman Murphy, to get $4 million in our Federal budget and open up more of this treatment, not only to our military, but to victims of sexual assault in this recent National Defense Authorization Act bill.

We also saw, and I will let you expound on this more, anti-terrorism dollars finally come back down to Orlando, that you led the charge on. And thank you for that, Congresswoman Demings, for doing that, from your perch helping out with homeland security and being our expert on security and on antiterrorism, protecting the homeland.

And then, finally, I want to end this part of our section by talking about the advancements in our pension system in Florida to help out our first responders. Your husband was a leader, is

a leader, but was a leader in the State Legislature, as Sheriff, to help with the Adam Pierce Act, which made sure that our fallen law enforcement who were paralyzed but still wanted to work, wouldn't lose their pensions because they want to do some administrative work and want to still be involved and want to go to work every day and do their part for justice. And that was a bill that your husband spearheaded through, and I remember.

We also had an amendment of my bill onto that bill; you may or may not recall, and the Sheriff was really nice to allow us to do it along with law enforcement, to help our firefighters.

There was a loophole where, if our firefighters died in training exercises, they would get nothing. They would get no death benefit for their families. They wouldn't get the healthcare benefit. They would be left with nothing because of this loophole.

And John C. Curry, Mr. Begg, and Mr. Mickle from Osceola County, John Curry, from Volusia County, they, retrospectively, were able to get relief because we made it retrospective.

Then finally, we were able to, after we lost Deputy Pine in Orange County, with Sheriff Jerry Demings helping us lead the way, made sure that first responders who died in the line of duty didn't get 50 percent of their pension. They weren't half heroes. They now get 100 percent of their pension for their families, because they are 100 percent heroes and they gave 100 percent of their life and put 100 percent of their courage and their life on the line. And, at the very least, their families can be taken care of when they are no longer with us.

So there is a lot that we have honored with action over the years, both before and after Pulse. But there is a lot more to go, and I look forward to hearing your comments on that, Congresswoman Demings.

And thank you again for your service as our Orlando chief. And I know that there is a lot that you could bring to this conversation that we are continuing on with based upon your rich experience in these fields.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congresswoman for yielding. Of course, at the end of this, I am going to give the gentlewoman the last word, if that is okay with her.

So it has been a busy last couple of days as we pay tribute to the second annual remembrance of the Pulse nightclub shooting. This weekend, I got to go to PrideFest Kissimmee, and there is much to be proud about in Kissimmee. We actually have a human rights ordinance in Kissimmee County and Osceola County.

People in Orange and Osceola can't be fired if they are gay or lesbian, bisexual or transgender. But in a third county I represent, Polk County, they still can be. In fact, there is a community called Poinciana that is in both counties. If you live on the east side of Poinciana, you have rights. If you live on the west side, you still do not.

We also have now the Zebra Coalition that works with LGBT youth who are subject to bullying and can be intimidated. We are about to get the center

in Kissimmee as well to be a beacon of services and of hope, a safe place in a county that welcomes inclusiveness.

I also got to go to the 49 Fund scholarship ceremony where we saw LGBT youth be awarded scholarships. These are the future leaders who talk about how they are going to lead in LGBT rights, lead in gun safety reform. But I believe education is the seed of hope to stop this hate from happening in the future, and the future is bright.

We also had Congressman Mark Takano come down to visit with us, the co-chair of the LGBT caucus, for an LGBTQ roundtable. We heard about how HIV funds are being cut in Florida because Federal funds are being cut, even though our State trades off with being the number one State for new HIV contraction. So this is an issue that is affecting us.

We heard there about how these transgender school guidelines were one of the first things that the Trump administration took out, which is now leading schools to uncertainty in how they have to protect these vulnerable kids.

Also, we heard even about some of the things that we take for granted, like that we are going to be having, through Zebra Coalition, an LGBTQ prom, because a lot of these kids, they get outcast in high school, and we want it to be an inclusive community. We are an inclusive community.

We also visited the Pulse nightclub memorial with Barbara Poma, and we watched the photos of grief. We looked at the names. We signed in and took our pilgrimage.

We went to the GLBT Center and heard about them coordinating services on that day and afterward, about the outpouring of love and supplies, and folks coming in to ask what they could do to help.

Then last night, we had the rally against gun violence. It rained the whole time, but people's spirits were up. This was the neatest point: It ended with an actual rainbow. Because the sun came out, a rainbow came down. It was right after our prayer, so I believe God was watching and gave us a sign with a rainbow at the end of that.

Then the Orange County Historical Museum this morning, as we saw in the photographs, we saw the memorabilia and more quilts than I have ever seen in my life, beautiful, colored tapestries, pictures of so many of our friends who fought side by side, and memorialized this great tragedy.

Lastly, we were at First United Methodist Church. The gentlewoman and I got to participate in that this morning, where we heard the 49 bells with each of the victim's names being discussed, being memorialized.

So I am going to leave it back to the gentlewoman and say it was an honor to be able to be there this morning, to hear the ringing of the 49 bells for our 49 victims, and we will never forget. I thank Congresswoman Demings for spending this time with me.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, my amendment would increase funding for the Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response program by $1 million and decrease the departmental administration fund within the Department of Energy by an equal amount.

The new Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response addresses the emerging threats of tomorrow while protecting the reliable flow of energy to America's broad population today by improving energy infrastructure security and supporting the Department of Energy's national security mission.

Being prepared and ready to respond quickly and effectively to all hazards is crucial. We need to make sure we can improve the ability of energy sector stakeholders to prevent, prepare for, and respond to threats, hazards, natural disaster, and other supply disruptions. Additionally, in today's highly interconnected world, reliable energy delivery requires cyber resilient energy delivery systems.

This amendment would increase funds to focus on preparedness and response activities to natural and manmade threats, ensuring a stronger, more prosperous, and secure future for the Nation.

Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman for his support.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, my amendment would increase funding for the Electric Delivery program by $1 million and decrease the departmental administrative fund within the Department of Energy by an equal amount.

This amendment is intended to increase funding for the new Electric Delivery program's activities to accelerate discovery and innovation in electrical transmission and distribution technologies and create next generation devices, software, tools, and techniques to help modernize the electric grid.

Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for all their work in advancing high-power capacity batteries and grid restoration efforts in Puerto Rico.

First, I thank the committee for the inclusion of report language discussing the potential benefits of high-power, high-capacity batteries. These batteries could provide energy resilience in the face of extreme weather disasters. These technologies could have prevented hardships during last year's hurricane season and decrease reliance on generators during emergencies.

In Florida, Hurricane Maria caused a prolonged power outage in assisted living facilities that cost lives. This could have been prevented, and this amendment assists in that.

Second, I thank the committee for the report language that supports the Department's involvement in the grid restoration efforts in Puerto Rico. Their continued effort and support provide technical assistance as Puerto Rico works to rebuild its energy infrastructure and is essential to long-term recovery.

Again, my amendment would increase funding for the Electric Delivery program, which would advance our Nation's grid reliability and resiliency.

I thank the chairman and the committee for their support, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, my amendment directs the Secretary of the Army to consider water storage when carrying out a water resource development feasibility study.

Section 109 requires the Secretary to consult with local governments and integrate their water management plans when developing a water resource development feasibility study. My amendment would include consideration of water storage when developing these studies.

Water storage is an essential tool that many States use to take full advantage of their water resources. In Florida, we receive over 50 inches of rain annually; however, we don't always get the rain where we need it. Water may be moved for flood control or water supply.

For example, from November 1, 2017, through June 4, 2018, the South Florida Water Management District moved approximately 151 billion gallons of water from Lake Okeechobee to preserve optimal levels for the ecosystem.

In my own congressional district, our water management district uses water storage to maintain maximum levels in Lake Toho. Additionally, these storage areas provide wetland habitat to many endangered species. Water storage is important and should be a consideration when studying water resources feasibility.

Mr. Chairman, I urge support for my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment adds universities to the list of entities the Secretary of the Army Corps of Engineers should consider when submitting their report to Congress on the use of innovative materials in water resource development projects.

Section 128 requires the Secretary of the Army to submit to Congress a report that describes the activities of various entities involved in the development of innovative materials for water development projects. Currently, as written, the bill mentions centers of expertise, technological centers, technical centers, research and development centers, and other similar centers. Universities are often at the cutting edge of research and, therefore, should be specified for consideration in preparing the report.

While the current language could already include universities in the category of ``other similar centers,'' such consideration would be discretionary. As such, a relevant area of activity may not be considered for the report because a single word was not added to the text. As Members of Congress, we ask for reports and recommendations from government entities so their expertise can be utilized in assisting the legislative process. Here, the activities conducted at universities should be considered so we can best capture the relevant information on the testing, research, development, and identification to best inform the Army Corps report and their congressional recommendations to resources development projects.

Mr. Chairman, I urge support for my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Shuster for his support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that my amendment be modified by striking ``line 3'' and inserting ``line 2''.

Mr. Chair, my amendment would direct the GAO study in section 130 to specifically consider trough bars, coastal wetlands, and barrier reefs in their study on the feasibility of natural features projects for the purposes of flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction, and ecosystem restoration.

Section 130 directs the Comptroller General to submit to the Congress a study of consideration by the Corps of Engineers of natural features and nature-based features in the study of the feasibility of projects for flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction, and ecosystem restoration.

Specifically, one aspect of the GAO study of consideration in H.R. 8 asks for an assessment of the costs, benefits, impacts, and tradeoffs associated with natural features and nature-based features, as well as the effectiveness of such features.

My amendment specifies some of the natural features and nature-based features that could and should be considered by adding the language: ``(including trough bars, coastal wetlands, and barrier coral reefs)''.

In my home State of Florida, we are no stranger to the issue associated with national features and the role they play in storm damage reduction, especially after the devastating effects of last year's hurricane season, but this is by no means a Florida-specific issue. Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm

Sandy showed us firsthand what happens when natural flood protection features do not exist.

This amendment would serve to highlight important natural infrastructure options to the GAO study, namely, trough bars, coastal wetlands, and barrier coral reefs were specified with storm damage reduction concerns in mind. These natural structures buffer shorelines against waves, storms, and floods, which help prevent loss of life, property damage, and erosion.

For example, trough bars and sand dunes provide substantial protection from storm-induced erosion. The larger the trough bar, the more time it takes to be eroded by waves and the more protection it provides areas further landward. Coastal wetlands lower flood heights, filter floodwater, and protect from storm surges. Coral reefs reduce wave energy by an average of 97 percent, dissipating disproportionately more wave energy as wave energy increased. Taken together, these natural features would reduce storm damage and are items that would be specifically evaluated in the GAO study.

Mr. Chair, I urge support for my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Shuster for his support.

The technical amendment was advised to us by the Parliamentarian.

I thank the chairman again for his support.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would direct the Secretary of the Army to endeavor to inform all residential property stakeholders of adjoining Army Corps of Engineers' interest in their adjacent property.

Section 137 of this bill would expand public access to residential real estate data by placing information related to all real property data that the Army Corps holds an interest in online. Not all constituents have easy access to the internet.

Elderly constituents may not be able to easily search information about Army Corps projects online. Thus, my amendment would expand access to the real estate information by directing the Secretary of the Army, to the maximum extent practicable, to endeavor to provide such information to all adjoining residential stakeholders of real estate with which the Corps holds an interest.

By informing residential stakeholders, we will ensure they are aware of how Army Corps property interests might influence their property values, the enjoyment of their property, or their way of life.

Mr. Chairman, I urge support for my amendment and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hoang A. Doan (aka HD), is a Vietnamese Refugee-Boat person who immigrated to Orlando, Florida in June 1979. He and his family were rescued in the Philippines Sea by the U.S. Navy, in September 1978 and lived in the Mandaluyon (Manila) Refugee camp until June 1979. Upon receiving a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering, he initially worked for the Naval Sea Systems Command in Virginia until 1997, where he was recruited by the Naval Air Systems Command to work on various USN and Foreign Military projects until the present day.

His works for the Navy included the overhaul of U.S. Navy Ships, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) sonar equipment, Fire Control equipment, and shipboard computer systems. Other projects include construction and modernizing Peacekeeping Forces in Mongolia, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Romania, Thailand, Slovakia. In addition, he assisted in building USN Helicopter Simulation and Training Programs across the U.S., Hawaii and Japan. He is currently serving as the Branch Manager at Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division in Orlando, Florida, and serving as the NAVAIR Wounded Warrior Recruiter, Asian American Pacific Islander Team Lead.

He is serving as a Council Member to the city of Orlando Mayors Veterans Advisory Council, Orange County, (FL) Veterans Advisory Council, an active Commemoration Partner Member of the DoD's 50th Year Vietnam War Commemoration.

He is married with two children. His wife, Christina, is an Engineer employed by the U.S. Marine Corps Program Management Training Systems (PMTRASYS). His son, is currently a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division, and his daughter is pursuing a medical career through the U.S. Army's University of Central Florida's ROTC Program.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Khanna for all of the good work that he is doing. I know he is changing the world in California. There are going to be so many labor issues to come from that that I can't even dream of right now. But I rest assured knowing that someone of his savviness of knowing technology will help us make sure that we are protecting working families going into the future.

I also share his concern and believe that American Airlines should be paying living wages to the folks who are working for them and certainly stand with CWA on that issue.

Today, we are talking about Janus v. AFSCME. Mr. Janus is a man who wants to get something for nothing, a man who wants to get the benefit of collective bargaining without having to pay for it, and he is asking the Supreme Court to dismantle unions in the process of that, all because he doesn't agree with some political messaging of the union, in this case, AFSCME.

I would like to take a moment to take this logic to its end. Perhaps every shareholder should be able to object to Fortune 500 companies about political messaging they disagree with. Every single one of them: 1 share; 1 million shares. Perhaps every employee should have the right to object to their Fortune 500 company employers' political messaging if they disagree. But, of course, that is not what is happening because this is a concerted attack on America's unions, leaving corporate dark money to reign unchecked in our political process. Ultimately, it is an attack on the middle class.

Imagine our country without a strong middle class. Imagine a country with just the haves and the have-nots. There are plenty across this globe. There are plenty that aren't making a big difference in this world because when you have the rich control all capital, all political power, that is when they control us, and we don't have the innovation. We don't have the incentive. We don't have the progress that is so critical to capitalism, which I think is being missed on this. If you don't have a fair market, you can't have successful capitalism, and part of a fair market includes having a strong voice for our middle class, for our working folks, through our unions.

It is no surprise that a rise to greatness in this country was tied to the rise of the middle class. Think about it: GIs returning home from World War II, fanning out to the suburbs. Even before that, around World War I and before that, when you had all of these major milestones that we talked about--a 40-day workweek, overtime, child labor laws, OSHA, so many things that happened, antitrust, that created the modern economy--and we surged and prosperity reigned through most corners of the United States.

So I want to just take a moment--and I appreciate Mr. Khanna for bringing this forward--to urge the Supreme Court to do the right thing: to protect the right to collectively bargain from being dragged down by nonunion free riders just because they disagree with the political message.

Or, in the alternative, allow every employee, every shareholder, to object to corporate political speech they disagree with. Let's keep it fair on all sides then. If I have one share and I am a part-time employee of a major Fortune 500 company and I disagree, I should be able to object, just like this man wants to be able to object. Corporations aren't people; people are people.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Khanna) for the opportunity to be able to stand with him on behalf of America's working families.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Andrew Jeng.

Horng ``Andrew'' Jeng has been extensively involved with different communities and organizations. He is owner of Uptech Computers, the President of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs of Central Florida, APAPA; president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida; principal of Kissimmee Chinese School; and president of Kiwanis Club of Kissimmee, Florida.

In the past, Andrew was involved with the Boys & Girls Club; Seniors First Inc.; the Asian American Heritage Council; Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce; International Association of Chiefs of Police; and American veteran groups.

As the president of Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, he supported the business community with facilities and intimate knowledge of the community as well as supporting businesses through advocating for positive business legislation, hosting network events and seminars, and international outreach.

Andrew received the award of Outstanding Asian American from Orange County, Orlando in 2016; and in 2009, the community service of Asian American Heritage Council in Orlando, he earned a bachelor's of law from Central Police University in Taiwan, and a master's degree of computer information from the New York Institute of Technology.

For that, Mr. Andrew Jeng, we recognize you.

Honoring Dr. Sajid Chaudhary

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Dr. Sajid Chaudhary.

Dr. Sajid Chaudhary is an infections disease specialist providing healthcare services in the Kissimmee area since 2004. He completed his internal medicine training from Brown University and his infectious disease fellowship training from the University of Massachusetts.

Dr. Chaudhary is on faculty at the UCF College of Medicine, teaching medical students and resident doctors. Dr. Chaudhary has served, also, on the board of Osceola Regional Medical Center, and he is a founding board member and served as president of the Association of Pakistani Americans of Central Florida.

He has served as president of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America, known as APPNA, and launched projects for four mobile clinics to help uninsured people in four States in the United States, including Florida.

Dr. Chaudhary is very active in the community through volunteering and most recently helped raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Earlier this year, I joined Dr. Chaudhary in the opening of a free healthcare clinic in Kissimmee, in our district, which he was very actively involved in establishing.

For that, Dr. Sajid Chaudhary, we honor you.

Honoring Jose Fabricante, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Jose Fabricante, Jr.

Jose, ``Joed'' Fabricante, Jr., is currently the president of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. He has been involved with the chamber since 2010 and has taken multiple leadership roles within the organization.

The Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida's mission is to provide leadership, support, and encouragement to the Asian American business community of Orlando so that the members of that organization may prosper and grow.

Jose currently works for Universal Orlando Resort in the security division as an entry-screening sergeant. He has also worked in various departments at Universal Orlando Resort and has had an impressive career with the company for close to 15 years.

Jose is also on the board of directors for the Orlando Economic Partnership since 2018, this year.

His family moved to the United States in 1992 from the Philippines and has called Florida home since then.

For that, Jose Fabricante, Jr., we honor you.

Honoring Ricky Ly

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Ricky Ly.

Ricky Ly is an Orlando engineering professional. The son of Vietnamese boat refugees, he has proudly served central Florida in the community for the past 15 years. In 2018, he was chosen by Orlando Weekly as one of the 10 people making Orlando a better place to be.

As a past co-chair of the Florida Water Environment Association's Water Resources, Reuse, and Resiliency Committee, he worked to educate fellow water professionals, community leaders, and the public about critical water resources and challenges that face our State.

Mr. Ly currently serves on the board of directors of Second Harvest Food Bank. He has been involved with the City of Orlando's Families, Parks and Recreation board; the Orlando Mayor's City Academy; Pi Delta Psi Fraternity; and a board member for local NPR affiliate WMFE.

Mr. Ly also leads voting registration campaigns for the local Asian American community and was awarded the Golden Hands Award from the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida.

He recently worked with the local PBS affiliate, WUCF-TV, on the documentary series ``Vietnamese Orlando,'' highlighting the history of the vibrant Vietnamese American community in Orlando.

A graduate of the University of Central Florida, he is the cofounder of the Asian Pacific American Coalition at UCF and served as a student government senator representing the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science.

He is also the author of the book, ``Food Lovers' Guide to Orlando,'' and founder of tastychomps.com, highlighting our local Orlando restaurants, markets, and growing food scene.

In 2017, he was inducted into the Orlando Sentinel Culinary Hall of Fame. He is also featured in the Orlando Sentinel's ``Central Florida 100,'' a weekly opinion column featuring 100 of the most influential people in local government, politics, and culture.

He is most thankful for his parents; his life partner, May Wong; and their firstborn daughter, Victoria, who brings their family much joy and hope for the future and new dreams for the American Dream.

For that, Ricky Ly, we honor you.

Honoring Valerie Boey

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Valerie Boey.

Valerie Boey is the president of the Asian American Journalist Association's Florida chapter. She had been in television news for more than 20 years in the Sunshine State and currently works for FOX 35 News in Orlando.

As an award-winning television reporter, Valerie is proud to represent her Chinese American heritage on the evening news. In a world where crime often dominates headlines, she focuses on faith to help those who have been affected.

Valerie not only mentors Asian journalist students, but also journalism students of all backgrounds, as well as young professionals. She teaches them to report all sides of a story.

Valerie encourages her students to be the best they can be, knowing hard work pays off, whatever their heritage is, for being different is an honor, not an entitlement.

Valerie assists the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters, applauding fellow journalists around the State on their achievements and taking part in the college workshop. She also volunteers her time with the Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation golf tournament, which benefits young music students.

As a member of the Orange County Asian Committee, Valerie tries to bring people of Asian American heritage together, recognizing their talents and applauding their efforts to make this community better.

Valerie's father, Bob, was born in Singapore and grow up in Hong Kong. Her mother, Doris, was born in New York. She believes they both inspire her to carry on the importance of their Asian culture.

Valerie is happily married to Jeff Ramsey, who has taught her all about his Southern roots and appreciation for barbecue; but she, too, has taught him an appreciation for dim sum and the essence of feng shui.

For that, Valerie Boey, we honor you.

Honoring Khalid Muneer

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Khalid Muneer.

Born in Pakistan, Khalid's family moved to the United Kingdom in 1961, where he graduated from the University of Aston in Birmingham.

After 17 years in investment banking and working in eight countries, he moved to Florida and built a successful real estate commercial business. At the same time, he devoted his time and passion for civic duties to the Asian community.

Khalid Muneer has been a very active leader in our community in central Florida. He was the President of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce CFL in 2016, won the International Leadership Foundation Award in 2017 for his accomplishments, and was on the top 100 most influential people list reported by the Orlando Sentinel. This year, Khalid is president of the American Muslim Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida.

Khalid is also a husband, father, grandfather, and has dedicated his work to strengthening the Asian American community in central Florida.

For that, Mr. Khalid Muneer, we honor you.

Honoring Neal Abid

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Neal Abid.

Neal Abid is the executive director of the largest nonprofit Arab American Community Center in Florida, a trusted resource and advocate for the Florida Arabic community.

Mr. Abid is a passionate, philanthropic outreach provider through the AACCFL. Since Mr. Abid's appointment as executive director of the AACCFL, he has overseen the expansion of resource offices in Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville.

Over the past 4 years, the AACCFL charity services have assisted over 15,000 community members through its healthcare services, refugee assistance programs, and employment services, as well as many other services based out of the AACC Orlando headquarters.

Mr. Abid is the founder of the largest annual community Arab festival that attracts over 35,000 attendees, combined, in Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, annually.

Mr. Abid is notably recognized on the national level for his leadership role in the community. He is a passionate advocate for equality, human rights, women's rights, healthcare equality, and political engagement.

Mr. Abid is an American Palestinian who resides in Orlando with his lovely wife and four beautiful children.

For that, Mr. Neal Abid, we honor you.

Honoring Imam Abdul Rahman Patel

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Imam Abdul Rahman Patel.

Imam Abdul Rahman Patel is the head of the Imam Council of Central Florida, serving our community for over 20 years. Imam Patel works with community leaders, government officials, educators, and the community to foster peace, unity, and love.

He has traveled to over 60 countries and brings his experience and understanding of different cultures to light by advocating across economic, social, religious, and cultural spheres. His love for the entire community is exemplified had his actions.

He assisted in establishing the first free healthcare clinic in Osceola County, in our district, and provided much-needed medication and resources to the Victim Service Center of Central Florida, ensuring no person in need is turned away due to lack of funds or medication.

Imam Patel has joined forces with local domestic abuse shelters, working to educate the community on domestic violence and providing support to local shelters through co-hosting events,

providing medical services, meals, and support to survivors of domestic violence.

As a Muslim American leader, he started some of the first institutions for Islamic education within the United States. For two decades, he has been devoted to serving the community. He has also hosted and organized community townhall meetings with local government.

To promote unity, shortly after the Pulse nightclub tragedy in 2016, Imam Patel, along with other community leaders, organized an event to honor the victims from Osceola County. Since then, he has actively worked with other leaders to reach out and express support for central Floridians of all backgrounds.

As a community leader and a father of eight children, Imam Patel has championed many causes to inspire togetherness among everyone in central Florida, vowing to spread love without limitation.

For that, Imam Abdul Patel, we honor you.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, May 24, 2018, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi for, one, chronicling the legacy and untimely death of Medgar Evers, a favorite son of Mississippi and civil rights hero, and also for his personal remarks on how he inspired him.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, while I was born 15 years after the untimely death of Mr. Medgar Evers, we live in a more just and perfect union as a result of his sacrifices.

So I thank his sacrifices and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) for bringing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 35 transfers jurisdiction of approximately 200 acres of public land from the Bureau of Land Management to the National Cemetery Administration to extend the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the Armed Forces who have met a minimum of Active Duty service requirement and were discharged under certain conditions. BLM offered their general support for this bill when it was considered during a Senate hearing.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill that honors our Nation's fallen heroes who fought to protect the freedoms we enjoy today, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentlewoman from South Dakota on her hard work on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First, I want to congratulate the chairman on having a productive committee. I appreciate that one of those bills was from our own office. We will keep them coming, hopefully.

Back to the bill at hand. Almost 200 years ago, the Indian Nonintercourse Act was enacted with the intention of protecting Indian tribes by preventing the loss of their lands. It does so by preventing the transfer, sale, lease, or other conveyance of any land owned by an Indian tribe to third parties without Federal approval. This prohibition applies to both trust and tribally owned fee lands.

Although a number of laws have been passed over the centuries that effectively supersede the Nonintercourse Act, the actual act has never been repealed. Therefore, relief from the act is sometimes necessary so that a tribe may manage their fee lands efficiently and put them to productive use.

This is what S. 1285 would do. It clarifies that these seven Oregon tribes have the authority to lease, sell, convey, warrant, or otherwise transfer their tribally owned fee lands without approval from the Federal Government. The bill also clarifies that this authority does not apply to trust lands. Congress has previously enacted similar laws for other Indian tribes, so this measure is not unprecedented.

In closing, I want to thank our colleague from Oregon, Congressman Peter DeFazio, for his sponsorship of the House version of this bill and his leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 1417 will allow the National Law Enforcement Museum to display firearms associated with the history of law enforcement in the United States. This bill was developed in cooperation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to ensure that the museum is authorized to display these items without jeopardizing public safety.

The National Law Enforcement Enforcement Museum was authorized by Congress in 2000, and is scheduled to open in Washington, D.C., later this year.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the brave men and women in uniform who keep us safe every day by supporting this bill, and I share Congressman Young's concern about making sure that we are honoring our fellow law enforcement officers.

It was just this past year that we lost several law enforcement officers from central Florida, including in my district. On Sunday, I found myself going to the Law Enforcement Memorial to plant a rose next to the picture of one of our fallen officers, Lieutenant Clayton, whom we lost this past year. She was also a dear friend of Congresswoman Demings.

In addition, we lost Sergeant Howard and Officer Baxter of the Kissimmee Police Department, who were killed in the line of duty this past year. We also honor them.

These are opportunities for us to remember that these officers put their lives on the line every day to make sure that we are safe. Sergeant Howard, Officer Baxter, and Lieutenant Clayton faced dangers, and we need to memorialize them.

We also lost Deputy Norman Lewis from Orange County, as well, who served under Sheriff Jerry Demings, husband of Congresswoman Demings.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, just to close, I would like to take a moment to remember Sergeant Howard, Officer Baxter, Lieutenant Clayton, and Deputy Lewis, who lost their lives this past year protecting our communities in Orlando and Kissimmee. I also appreciate Mr. Young from Alaska for putting forth this bill and the chairman for managing the bill today.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, Soto amendment number 3 to H.R. 4, FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, would require a sink or sanitizing equipment in the lactation area in commercial service airports.

This small but significant change would benefit traveling mothers and children. A 2014 study in Breastfeeding Medicine showed that only 62 of the top 100 passenger-volume U.S. airports labeled themselves as ``breastfeeding friendly''. However, they found that only eight of the 100 surveyed airports provided the minimum requirements for a lactation room, as set forth under Section 122 of this bill.

I am pleased to see that this bill would require medium or large hub airports to maintain lactation areas in each passenger terminal building with minimum requirements of a chair, table, and electrical outlet. With the inclusion of my amendment, traveling mother will now have access to sanitation equipment, too.

I thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and the staff of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for their support and for working with me on this amendment. I thank my colleagues for their support on this issue.

Mr. Chair, Soto amendment, Soto number 21, to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, H.R. 4, would require the FAA Administrator to also consider the potential emergency medical needs of pregnant women when evaluating the minimum contents of approved medical kits--currently the bill only

specifies the consideration of children's emergency medical needs.

Obstetrical symptoms, while rare causes of in-flight medical emergencies, should be given consideration when evaluating the adequacy of in-flight emergency medical kits.

I am pleased to see that this bill would require the consideration of the potential emergency medical needs of pregnant women. I thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and the staff of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, for their support and for working with me on this amendment. I also thank my colleagues for their support on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in strong support of my bill, H.R. 3961, the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2018.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, Chairman McClintock, Ranking Member Hanabusa, and Congressman Webster for all their collaboration and support on this important bill.

The Kissimmee River forms the headwaters of both Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades.

Decades ago, the Federal and State governments, including Florida, instructed the Army Corps of Engineers to channelize this river, leading to a decline in the ecosystem.

Decades later, both the Federal Government and State government got together and spent nearly a billion dollars to restore this iconic river in order to improve recreation activities for Floridians and all Americans; to protect local ecosystems, including endangered species; and, of course, to clean the water that goes to Lake Okeechobee and eventually to the Everglades.

This bill, now that we have spent nearly a billion dollars, will help start us down the road for potential protection, and I am proud to work with both sides of the aisle to make sure that we get it right.

I believe it is imperative for future generations that we use this as an opportunity to safeguard the investment that we have made and to protect this ecosystem for wildlife corridors, for the enjoyment of Floridians and all Americans, for the protection of species, and to make sure that we are protecting the Everglades for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank, once again, our Natural Resources Committee, including Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, Chairman McClintock, Ranking Member Hanabusa, and Congressman Webster for working with me on this. With their support, this legislation could only be on the floor with them helping out.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in this Chamber to support H.R. 3961.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a hero of our district and a wise woman of Haines City.

Mary Naomi Ginwright Sanks is 99\1/2\ years old, and a living legend.

As a resident of Haines City, she is a community matriarch, who has and continues to dedicate her life serving others.

Ms. Sanks has provided a home to more than 20 foster children, and adopted 4 children of diverse races and gender.

She is a hard worker who continuously extends her hand to help by volunteering to serve at her church and community.

Mother Sanks, as she is affectionately known by the community, is a devoted and compassionate mentor and caregiver who continues to routinely cook and serve food for those who are sick and bed restricted throughout the community.

When residents seek Mother Sanks' advice regarding how to navigate the complexities of life, she can often be heard responding with a smooth smile and warm words of wisdom and advice to say, ``keep it moving.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for yielding.

Yesterday, the University of Central Florida in Orlando had a unique student body president election. The candidates were Karen Caudillo, my constituent, and Josh Bolona, both Dreamers, beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act. They ran on a platform of justice and equality, and so did I. Today we celebrate Josh Bolona's victory on becoming UCF's first Dreamer student body president.

So what a sad backdrop we have here today. President Trump declared victory for getting $1.6 billion to start his wall in a tweet late last night--$1.6 billion to start Trump's wall. So his wall gets funding, but our Dreamers get left behind. How can I, in good conscience, go home to my constituents and explain this?

I wonder aloud: When will our Dreamers be the priority? When will it be their time to shine? When will they have their moment of opportunity, a reprieve from worrying and from looking over their shoulders every day?

Mr. Speaker, when will the waiting finally stop for them and the living begin? When will the Dreamers finally get to dream?

Every week for 198 days, we have come here to ask our colleagues for their consideration of the bipartisan Dream Act. I remind you of that because it has been 198 days since the President put hundreds of thousands of Dreamers at risk of losing their jobs, careers, their families, and everything they have worked for their entire lives. Many take solace in a court injunction issued in California and New York.

As a lawyer, I can tell you these Dreamers are hanging by a thread. They are one adverse ruling away from oblivion.

What about the over 1 million Dreamers who are not part of the case? Those young people who would be entering the program, the young sisters and the young brothers of Dreamers who are in the DACA program and those Dreamers who did not apply out of concern and out of a mistrust they had for giving their information to a Federal Government that has turned their back on them? They would have no quarter under these injunctions and no rest. They have no peace.

Why can't we, once and for all, come together to give these deserving young patriots who embody our deepest values the opportunity to earn their citizenship, hardworking patriots like Josh, Karen, and hundreds of thousands of others who will have contributed an estimated $460 billion to the U.S. economy over the next decade? These young people are making positive and significant contributions to the economic growth of our country which benefits all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues across the aisle don't want deportation of Dreamers on their hands, so why not do something now, at this moment, at this time? Why not pass a law that would permanently allow these young people to build a life here, to graduate from college, to start a new business, and to show their immense gratitude to a country that gave them a chance?

Today we have the opportunity to uphold our values and pass the Dream Act so that these Dreamers and the millions of people who swore to represent them aren't worrying and wondering any longer. We are asking for one vote, just one vote, that will keep whole our principles and ideals and allow these young people to pursue the American Dream.

So for the 26th time in 198 days, I ask my colleagues to vote against the previous question so that we can immediately bring the Dream Act to the floor and provide certainty for Dreamers like Karen and Josh who want to continue to work, live, and contribute to the only country they love and the only country they have ever known. I cannot afford to wait another day, nor can they.