Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DREAMers like Juan, who obtained a master's degree from our Florida State University and works in digital advocacy.

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

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would increase funding for the Small Starts program by $48 million. This is the amount that SunRail, a constituent passenger train system in my district, would need to begin phase 3 of construction. Phase 3 would connect the commuter rail system to the Orlando International Airport.

Currently, the Orlando Intermodal Terminal is under construction at the airport that would connect two transportation systems, both Brightline and SunRail, which were only really divided by a few miles, and Federal funding will eventually be key to connect this intermodal system and SunRail.

Central Florida needs to be more mobile, and I urge in the future that we look as we go forward with phase 3, and stand ready to help.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a resolution for Tom Flores urging he be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tom Flores had an outstanding and successful career, both as a quarterback and as a head coach. This resolution pays tribute to his inspiring athletic talents.

Flores became the first Hispanic starting quarterback in professional football history and played on two Super Bowl-winning teams. Also, he was the first Hispanic head coach to win two Super Bowls, a feat he accomplished on two separate teams, and he became the first Hispanic manager in the National Football League. He left with an impressive lifetime record and an 8-3 playoff record.

Tom has been a trailblazer for Hispanics in the NFL and has motivated a generation of new players by showing they can compete and win. Let's enter this trailblazer into the Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, recall President Trump's promise on the campaign trail: we will build a wall and have Mexico pay for it.

Not only is it costly and unnecessary, but it will do more to divide America than it will to keep us safe. First, taking the fact that Mexico is not paying for it, nor would anybody in their right mind think that Mexico was ever going to pay for it, now he is asking for $1.6 billion of Americans' hardworking taxpayers to pay for it.

We already have 650 miles of border fencing, but representing the Sunshine State, with over 1,000 miles of coastline, this isn't going to make us safer. It is not going to help us at all. And then you look to how there are racial undertones to this.

Notice how there is a focus on the Southern border, but not the Northern border?

While I would not support that, we can't help but notice that this is focused on dividing America on racial lines, on making us less safe and on wasting taxpayer dollars.

It is time to unite America. It is time to look forward to a safer America, and spend our money on the Coast Guard, on custom border control, and other works that will make us safer.

Mr. Chair, I want to make a statement regarding the passage of H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018. Specifically, I would like to make a statement about my amendment, Soto Number 20, to Division A, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018. My amendment moved $10 million from the Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide account to the Defense Health Program's Peer- Reviewed Prostate Cancer Research Program.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and is the second most common cause of male death. In 2017, approximately 161,360 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and an estimated 26,730 will die from it.

The Prostate Cancer Research Program is a unique research program in that it prioritizes research that will lead to the elimination of death from prostate cancer while enhancing the well-being of men experiencing the impact of the disease.

I support funding prostate cancer research and thank my colleagues for their support of my amendment.

Mr. Chair, I want to make a statement regarding the passage of H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018. Specifically, I would like to make a statement about my amendment, Soto Number 19, to Division A, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018. My amendment moved $1 million from the Operation and Maintenance, Defense- Wide account to the Defense Health Program's Peer-Reviewed Gulf War Illness Research Program.

If we are going to spend money on medical research within the Department of Defense, the Department must adequately fund research on those diseases that originate in war and wholly affect our servicemen and women. Over a quarter of a million veterans display symptoms of this disease, and the time has come to find, and fund, a cure for it.

I support funding Gulf War illness research and thank my colleagues for their support of my amendment.

Mr. Speaker, next week we will see consideration of the repeal of ObamaCare without a replacement. This would be a life-and- death issue for most Americans.

First, we would see skyrocketing uninsured rates: 18 million people would lose insurance next year; 32 million people would lose insurance by 2026.

We would also see skyrocketing premiums: 20 to 25 percent by next year, 50 percent by 2020, and 100 percent by 2026.

Seventy-five percent of Americans would live in a place where there would be no marketplace insurer.

We know that for every 455 people who gain coverage across the United States, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, that at least one life is saved. So if we lose coverage for 20 million people next year, we would be looking at 43,000 to almost 44,000 avoidable deaths in the United States. That is why this is life and death.

TrumpCare has had its shot, and it has failed. It is time for the parties to come together now. It is time to have a bipartisan bill to fix the ACA.

The American people deserve nothing less.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida, Representative Val Demings. First of all, I thank her for her service in law enforcement and also for her husband, Jerry Demings' service in law enforcement and to remember the 1-year mark of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

I wrote a poem entitled: ``Our Pulse Still Beats.''

Inspiration from a brother lost too soon

A place for his memory to play the tune

Alas his pulse ceased

A safe place for a rainbow of people

Full expression was presented throughout this steeple

They all danced to the pulsating sounds

Then came a night of celebration

For many friends from many nations

On the move to impulsive grooves

In the midst of the night a dark figure entered

Hate-filled heart and soul a splintered

His guns pulsating death.

Horrors, and cries, as bullets fly

Some they ran and some they died

Their pulses ceased to be

Brave officers infiltrated the scene

A melee ensued amidst the smoke and gleam

And in the end terror was silenced, the repulsive vanquished

Medics and firefighters quickly came to the rescue

Seeking out those who cried out with fading hues

Come quick he is still breathing, wait she has a pulse

In makeshift ambulances staining ER floors in red

One by one saved from the dead

On the monitor, pulses finally steady beep, beep, beep

In the morn Orlando awakes in sadness

But comes together as One above the madness

The pulse of the city is unspeakable grief and unbreakable

love

From everywhere we came to the Center, the Bloodbank, the

Lake, and the Streets

We gave our time, our pennies, our blood, our hugs, and our

eats

Donors with a strong pulse are needed to replenish our stock

Makeshift monuments grew before our eyes

We gathered at Dr. Phillips for those we lost and those still

alive

As the bell rang 49 times, sorrow became the natural impulse,

but so was unity

This emotion, this grief, this love was felt around the world

By mothers and fathers, boys and girls

A community pulsating with sadness and defiant hope

Our happy little tourist town known for magic

Became the site of history's most violent shooting, tragic

But our community's pulse still beats

One year later one community stronger

Our pulse still beats

For those who survived

Our pulse still beats

And for those we lost

Our love still remains

For the 49 angels our love still remains

Though pain will ever be in our hearts

Our love still remains.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Demings for sharing Chris' story.

A coworker of mine, Ramses Tinoco, who survived the Pulse Nightclub shooting, sent me this letter entitled ``Everlasting Unity.''

``My name is Ramses Tinoco, and I am a Pulse Nightclub shooting survivor. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to continue with my life so that I can spread empowerment, compassion, love, and unity.

``I want to express my feelings and point of view. Realistically, as a community and nation, we all suffered a tragic attack of terror on this one-year remembrance of June 12, 2016. Today, this is known as the biggest mass shooting in American history. Here at the doorsteps of Pulse Nightclub, let's take in consistent consideration of the ones who ultimately suffered the most: the victims, families of the deceased, the injured survivors, the other survivors who were there and escaped by God's grace, and the community who stood by, grieved in the aftermath.

``As a community, we have been given an opportunity to rebuild ourselves as stronger individuals and help those that are falling behind in depression, anguish, lament, and grief. As a community, we must show that constantly we are not alone, we are united more than ever, and, above all, that we are better than yesterday.

``This attack was a terrible and unfortunate tragedy to live through. It was an ultimate reminder that there is still a lot of discrimination and hate in this world. However, we must engage, learn from it, and utilize it to confront and prevent future fear in our community and ultimately the rest of the world. We can't be stronger if we fuel hate and negativity. We can't be stronger by pointing fingers and censoring others based on their race, financial status, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs.

``Our world is facing some hard times. Everyone is becoming a victim. How can we stop this and end the fear? We must stand up and speak out for our rights, for our peace and protection, and for the safety of our country. Above all, we need to engage solidarity and equality for the love of humanity. We can begin to make this world a better place, right here, right now. It starts with you going out and doing something nice for someone. We need to live in a world free of fear. That time begins now.

``Ramses Tinoco'' of Orlando, Florida.

I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings) for sharing Brandon's story.

Next we have a story from a friend.

``My name is Jim McDermott, and I am a good friend of Chris Brodman who was the first survivor of the Pulse massacre to pass away of a rare brain aneurysm on September 11 of last year. Chris came to Orlando and made it his home in the fall of 2007. His outgoing, natural interest in other people and their stories made him quite popular in our community--and we are still grieving his loss to this day. It is hard to imagine that his constant, wonderful smile is not around anymore to brighten our days.

``He was and is the best friend one could ever have.

``Chris was celebrating at Pulse a few days late because he had to work on the actual day of his birthday itself. He was lingering with friends, enjoying the festive atmosphere of the club that was one of his favorites, when the attack began. In what I find to be an example of his character, Chris pushed his friends to safety over the back fence first before escaping himself. Not one person who knows him finds this to be a surprise, as Chris was always our protector, our confidante, and our hero.

``As we come upon the one-year mark of the assault on Pulse, we wanted to remind the world of his heroism and his day-to-day loving example of how a great person can affect your life for the better. Chris loved people that were utterly themselves and unique. He prized authenticity and loyalty wherever he went. He had high standards, and he lived by them, and it made us want to live up to them as well.

``I know in my heart that he would want us to bridge the divides that separate us. He believed strongly in forgiveness and kindness. He was open to new ideas and new ways of thinking if it would lead people to a better life. My favorite recent picture of him was after the shooting where he proudly held up

a sign at the LGBT Center downtown saying: `Love always wins.'

``In his memory, let us strive to remember not just the victims of this tragedy but the survivors as well. Let us ensure that they are getting the counseling and medical care that they continue to need. We should strive to maintain the loving bubble of hope that has surrounded our city, because of this event, despite all of the strife and division elsewhere in this country. We need to tell, preserve, and remember their stories, for they are worth hearing.''

``They have important lessons to teach all of us. Orlando is known as being the premier destination in the world for families of all kinds--a rainbow of diversity that is infused in every aspect of our city beautiful. So today let us protect the loving vision Orlando has become around the world in the face of this tragedy. Let us stay Orlando Strong. And in so doing, we remain the beautiful haven that drew Chris to us.

``And let us never forget the red-haired boy from Shirley, New York, who taught us about unconditional love and friendship from the day he arrived.

``We love you forever, Chris.

``Sincerely,

``Jim McDermott.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, Congresswoman Demings, my colleague, for reading the letter of Joshua. How inspiring it really was.

Next we have a statement from our dear friend, Eric Rollings, who is one of our supervisors of the Orange County Soil and Water Board, and who also is one of our only openly gay elected officials.

``As an openly gay elected official and Orlando resident for 27 years, I know the city and Orange County very well. We are a loving, caring community that supports the rights and pursuit of happiness for all of our residents. One year ago this very day, we were devastated to feel the loss of so many lives from every part of all of Orlando. Yes, Pulse by name was a gay nightclub, but it was attended by everyone and all walks of life felt safe dancing and having a good time for more than a decade.

``As the night became dawn and the horror of the extent of what happened became painfully available by every media outlet, I didn't need to listen to news reports because I live right across the street from Pulse. The sound of the blades from the helicopters above my house cut through June air, day after day, looking for a better camera angle. Out of so much pain came so much love.

``Immediately Orlando went into action. The outpouring of love from everywhere in the world is still so incredible. The help came from faith-based organizations, the small stores, corporate America. Most of all, it came out of love and our neighbors. I hope this never happens to your community or any community, but it most likely will. Let me offer some advice.

``Love thy neighbor, know your neighbor, and take care of your neighbor. Do not wait until another tragedy. Talk to your children about violence. Let's help the persons that suffer from mental illnesses.

``There is a significance and real difference between a city that is tolerant, a city accepting, and a city that embraces the LGBTQ and all its communities and individuals within those communities. I am proud to live in a city and a county that embraces! We are Orlando Strong and we are Orlando United.''

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the names of those who perished in the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

[From www.cityoforlando.net, June 12, 2017]

Victim's Names

Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old; Amanda L. Alvear, 25

years old; Oscar A. Aracena Montero, 26 years old; Rodolfo

Ayala Ayala, 33 years old; Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old;

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old; Angel Candelario-Padro,

28 years old; Juan Chavez Martinez, 25 years old; Luis Daniel

Conde, 39 years old; Cory James Connell, 21 years old.

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old; Deonka Deidra Drayton,

32 years old; Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old;

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old; Mercedez Marisol

Flores, 26 years old; Peter Ommy Gonzalez Cruz, 22 years old;

Juan Ramon

Guerrero, 22 years old; Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old;

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old; Miguel Angel Honorato, 30

years old.

Javier Jorge Reyes, 40 years old; Jason Benjamin Josaphat,

19 years old; Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old; Anthony

Luis Laureano Disla, 25 years old; Christopher Andrew

Leinonen, 32 years old; Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years

old; Brenda Marquez McCool, 49 years old; Gilberto R. Silva

Menendez, 25 years old; Kimberly Jean Morris, 37 years old;

Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old.

Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20 years old; Geraldo A. Ortiz

Jimenez, 25 years old; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old;

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old; Jean Carlos Mendez Perez,

35 years old; Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old; Jean Carlos

Nieves Rodriguez, 27 years old; Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-

Rosado, 35 years old; Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years

old; Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old.

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old; Shane Evan Tomlinson,

33 years old; Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old; Martin

Benitez Torres, 33 years old; Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24

years old; Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old; Luis

Sergio Vielma, 22 years old; Franky Jimmy Delesus Velazquez,

50 years old; Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old; Jerald

Arthur Wright, 31 years old.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the beautiful State of Hawaii for yielding to me, and I thank her also for being a champion of immigrants, both in her State and across the Nation.

It is Immigrant Heritage Month this month, and I think it is critical that we take a few moments to talk about the state of immigration here in the United States. I can't do that any better than by talking about a few stories of what I have experienced over the past few months.

On January 27 of this year, we saw President Trump sign his executive order, quite expeditiously, on a travel ban that specifically targeted the Muslim community, with seven countries, where 90-plus percent of the population practice Islam.

It was an interesting moment for me. My wife and I were having dinner with a few friends of ours in the district, and one of them had asked me: Well, how is this ban going to affect you? How is it going to affect your district?

At the moment, I wasn't really sure, but then I got a call only a few minutes later by my district director. Our first constituent was identified as coming back on a United Arab Emirates flight back from Iraq and was scheduled to land the next morning: a girl who had graduated from the University of Central Florida and lived a very productive life as a legal resident in central Florida for the last 6 years after her graduation.

So we went the next day--early the next morning because, if anything, my legislative experience in the State legislature has told me: go to where the action is, go to where the controversy is, and do what you can to help.

First, we went to Customs and Border Protection, and we got no response. We actually got surprise responses of what were we even doing there, because this was not a matter they were prepared to handle.

So we went to the airport and were greeted by Greater Orlando Aviation Authority officials who were very helpful and understood that these were central Floridians who had been flying for 20 hours and were just about to arrive back into Florida, where they lived.

That morning, I also met a young man who was a citizen from an area just north of the district, who was waiting for his two parents to come in on the same Emirates flight. We found out that the constituent and the two parents were three people who were held back and questioned.

Throughout the day, we would get updates, but what we found out is there was very little information because there was very little understanding by Customs and Border Protection about how to implement this very vague order. The court had just ruled that it was potentially unconstitutional.

So working with our local officials after hours of building up, hours of waiting with the families, hours of press starting to arrive, hours of TV coverage, and hours of protest, right when we were in the middle of doing interviews, that is when the families were finally released, after 7 hours of being questioned without water, without food, after a 20-hour flight.

You could not have scripted this to make the point of how misguided this ban was than what happened. Right in front of TV cameras from across central Florida, first, the two parents came down--parents of a citizen who hadn't seen his parents in over 5 years.

The scene was traumatic: crying, hugs, and welcomed by cameras wondering what had happened to these two individuals. These were simply two citizens of Iraq trying to come over to visit their son, who had already been given visas to come on over.

A few minutes later, our constituent finally arrived as well. She also had been held for 8 hours without water, without food, after a 20- hour flight, and a barrage of questions.

After that, we saw public opinion change sharply in central Florida as people saw these were the alleged people that were getting extreme vetting: people who were visiting their son in central Florida, longtime residents, who only had productive lives in central Florida.

A few weeks later, we had the deportation force memo come down. I was shocked. We sent out letters to our sheriffs, we sent out letters to our schools, asking if they were planning on participating in this deportation force that President Trump had called upon to help implement and enforce our immigration laws.

We called immediately a round table, where we invited immigrant groups, we invited law enforcement groups, and so many others to talk about the issues that were happening.

Two of my three sheriffs immediately said they weren't planning on participating, that this was a Federal issue. A third ended up going from fully participating to, a day later, walking back that position, to just picking up folks who had been accused of violent felonies.

Then our schools responded very quickly after they were posed with a scenario--a situation that was going down the very same day: a citizen, a young woman of Mexican descent, whose parents were also legal immigrants, was asked in front of their classmates about her status.

Afterwards, there were a lot of finger-pointing and excuses that these were questions that were being levied to determine whether she needed to participate in the ESEA program. But at that moment, it was just more of this anti-immigrant rhetoric that was coming out of so many areas in central Florida.

But like that incident, which was covered at length, minds and hearts changed in central Florida. There was an apology given to this young woman who was a citizen, and they changed the policy so that no one would be asked about immigration status in front of their peers, even if it was for something as harmless as the ESEA program.

With our sheriffs clarifying their policies to not join this DHS call for deportation force, we were proud once again to have an inclusive society in central Florida where we welcome everybody. We are such an international community, home to the best theme parks in the world, a world-class convention center and hotels, and we welcome everybody from across the globe.

Then, in addition, I just received a letter from a constituent. Her daughter had grown up, gotten a job, fallen in love, and had a bright future ahead of her. But she worried because her daughter's boyfriend potentially could be deported because he is on an H-1 visa.

These types of policies breaking up families don't serve any interest in helping people pursue the American Dream and don't serve any interest in protecting our economy and protecting growth in central Florida, where we have such a large cattle industry and where we have such a large citrus industry.

Finally, we have so many DREAMers, young students, who live in central Florida, who are working and striving, rising up in our society, and helping people along the way, immigrants who potentially could be one of 40 percent of creators of Fortune 500 companies that have been created here in America, one of the 65,000 servicemen and - women who are immigrants, who serve in our United States military. And we find that, with every 100 immigrants, we are creating 120 new jobs because our country has been founded and created on growth and equality.

So I would like to see a few things happen, things that I believe Democrats and Republicans can agree on. First, let's make sure to ratify the DREAMer program, the Deferred Action program. You have bipartisan cosponsorship for this bill. This is something we could get done, especially for

our veterans and those serving in our U.S. military.

In addition, I believe that we need to relook at the H-1 visa program, the farmworker program. We need to acknowledge the reality that we have had for the last 150 years of agriculture here in the United States, which is that we rely on many of our immigrants coming from Mexico and Central and South America to help with our agriculture. This has been going on for over a century.

What we can do is simply go from a 1-year to maybe a 3-year or 5-year program. I know our immigrants' rights community would support it. I know our agriculture communities would support it; and we wouldn't have people unwittingly not getting back to their country of origin after the 1-year visa expires, when they just want to go back and come back again to help out as seasonal labor.

Then thirdly, there is an arbitrary cap on highly skilled workers here in this country. We train them in Ivy League schools, in brilliant schools in Texas, California, Florida, and across this Nation. And then, because of an arbitrary cap that no one wants to change because of the hot-button issue of immigration, then we send them on their way, back to their countries of origin, rather than keep them here and harness their talent for the future of our economy.

Canada has even got word of this and welcomes these folks. When they realize their visas are up, they beg them to come to Canada to help start new businesses.

So these are some of the ideas that we can fix, that we could all agree on, that both parties can agree on. And of course, in the end, we need a comprehensive immigration reform. But, in the meantime, let's get some things done that we all agree on and move our country forward.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii, one of the most beautiful States of the Union, for her leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the United States- Israel Agriculture Strategic Partnership Act, H.R. 2659, a bipartisan bill that permanently authorizes the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development program, otherwise known as BARD, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

I thank my co-introducer, Congressman Yoho, as well as you, Mr. Speaker, for being a cosponsor, and many others in the Florida delegation.

I could wax ecstatic and poetic about BARD, but let me just say this: the program works. It inspires healthy competition of good ideas. It is beneficial to both countries and provides a fantastic return on investment; over $440 million worth of benefits for the United States and $300 million of benefits for Israel.

BARD is focused on urgent goals like increasing agricultural productivity, particularly in hot and dry climates.

BARD is training the next generation of innovators through ag science workshops and postdoctoral fellowships. It funds programs in over 25 States, including our great State of Florida. It strengthens our relationship with our best ally in the Middle East: Israel.

This is a forward-looking, commonsense, bipartisan bill supported by experts and advocates on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, today we have a new Trump budget and more broken promises. If you recall on May 7, 2015, the President said: ``I was the first and only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.''

Broken promise number one. His budget cuts Medicaid, it cuts Medicare, it cuts Social Security.

In The Washington Post on January 15, 2017, the President said: ``We are going to have insurance for everybody. Much less expensive and much better.''

This broken promise number two is that he cuts $1.4 trillion out of healthcare and covers 24 million less people, jacking up insurance rates for countless others.

Broken promise number three to the Farm Bureau at ag.com on April 24, 2017: ``I support a strong safety net for our Nation's farmers.'' Yet he cuts $50 billion over 10 years from farm subsidies, including critical citrus greening research dollars for central Florida, where I represent.

Then on September 28, 2016, The Washington Times, he says: ``I will be the greatest President for jobs that God's ever created.'' He is cutting the National Institutes of Health, critical research dollars by $5.8 billion, cutting NASA by $200 million, cutting National Science Foundation by $776 million. We see big talk and broken promises.

Madam Speaker, sabotage.

A plot is afoot in Washington. It is time to sound the alarms. It is time to let the people know. It is time to ride like Paul Revere across our Nation and awaken Americans to this sinister scheme.

President Trump is sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. Trump has threatened to cut subsidies to millions of Americans, creating more uncertainty today by stalling in court. He has refused to fund the high-risk corridors, causing insurance companies to flee States like Iowa and Kentucky. He has cut the public notices to keep those in need of healthcare in the dark. He has cut the signup period in half to prevent more Americans from signing up.

Is sabotage destroying the healthcare market worth it? Is robbing millions of Americans of healthcare coverage worth it? Is that the price Trump is willing to pay for repeal? To give tax cuts to billionaires?

Mr. Trump, ObamaCare works. If you break it, you own it. When you sabotage healthcare for millions of Americans, you are responsible. And the people ought to know.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Direct Connect to Success Act.

In my district and across the State of Florida, hundreds of thousands of striving students start in community colleges and automatically get admitted into our 4-year universities if they graduate with a minimum of 2.0. A 4-

year degree opens up even more opportunities for these students, many of whom come from underserved and rural areas.

This has been a nationally recognized program that is only available in a few States, but by expanding this simple, proven program nationwide, we will extend the opportunity to continue higher education to millions more hardworking, deserving students.

We can all agree that government has a role to play in reducing barriers to success, and this guaranteed admission is a low-cost, highly efficient way to remove this big barrier. I ask you and others to join me in support of the Direct Connect to Success Act to create more opportunities to pursue the American Dream for all students.

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

We are here today, more than 400 years after the first English settlers landed in what became Jamestown, Virginia, to finally establish a government-to-government relationship with the Indian tribes who greeted those settlers.

The Virginia tribes that are recognized in this bill have treaties with the King of England that date back to the early 1600s. Their ancestors were there at Jamestown and facilitated the very founding and early development of our Nation.

These tribes have been unable to claim their rightful Indian identity in relation to the Federal Government, due in great part to the machinations

of one man, Walter Ashby Plecker, the State registrar for the Commonwealth in the early 20th century. Plecker, an avowed White supremacist, ran Virginia's Bureau of Vital Statistics for over 34 years. From 1912 to 1947, Plecker set out to rid the Commonwealth of any documents that recorded the existence of Indians or Indian tribes living therein.

He was instrumental in ensuring passage of the Racial Integrity Act in 1924, making it illegal for individuals to classify themselves or their newborn children as Indian. But he went even further and spent decades removing the category of Indian from birth and marriage records. Although this paper genocide, as it has been termed, attempted to erase the Virginia Indians from history, the tribal members held firm to their culture and to their identity.

In 1997, State legislation was passed to help correct the records of the Virginia Indians. Soon after, the Virginia Indians began their quest for Federal recognition. Passage of this legislation will finally put to end their 20-year struggle.

I commend and thank our colleague from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) for bringing forth this bill. I also want to give special thanks to former Congressman Jim Moran, who spent several years in this body championing this legislation and tirelessly working toward its goals.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to finally put this issue to rest and correct a historical injustice by extending Federal recognition to these six Virginia tribes. I urge all of my colleagues to join me and support this bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, it is time to right this wrong injustice and bring truth back into our history.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, big talk and broken promises, that is what we have seen.

As Trump's first 100 days come to a close, we see desperate times are leading to desperate measures. First, there is a push to revive TrumpCare. Really? Twenty-four million Americans would be kicked off health insurance in the first year, and there would be 15 to 20 percent increases in premiums according to the Congressional Budget Office. The big change to get a compromise is taking away essential benefits and preexisting conditions, the foundation of making sure Americans have health care.

Second, we see Trump's threats to defund the subsidies. This is a blatant violation of law. Seven million Americans would lose health care immediately if that happened.

Third, we see Trump's threats to cut Medicaid and Medicare by $1 trillion. Block grants will mean cuts to senior's health care, cuts to children's health care.

With these 100 days coming to a close, we see Trump as the least popular, least productive President in modern history.

While Trump is breaking his promises, our constituents are depending on us to keep ours.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 222.