Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Lavern Norris Gaynor a Happy 95th Birthday and to honor her for a lifetime of community service.

Mrs. Gaynor has dedicated her life to improving the well-being of her fellow citizens. The daughter of prominent Naples philanthropist Lester Norris, she learned the value of giving back in her youth and has carried on her family legacy.

Mrs. Gaynor has impacted the entire Naples community with her work, but she most cherishes the work she does for children in promoting early learning. She has been recognized as the Naples Daily News Citizen of the Year, Outstanding Philanthropist in 2015, and has twice been named the YMCA's Preeminent Pioneer, yet those closest to her say Mrs. Gaynor is humble and unassuming. Her work will impact our community for generations to come.

I thank Lavern for her service to the Naples community and wish her a Happy Birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Claire Sattler on her impressive victory at the 2018 Teen Jeopardy Tournament. Claire worked very studiously leading up to and throughout the tournament. I am honored that she admirably represented our Bonita Springs community in front of a national audience.

Claire was rewarded with $100,000 which she will use to pay for her college tuition. She has applied to 14 colleges and with her work ethic and determination, I know she will succeed as she pursues higher education.

Further, she plans on donating a portion of her earnings to charities, such as Stem4Students and Immokalee's Guadalupe Center. It is fitting that she chose to give back to further education for others. Our Southwest Florida community is grateful for her contributions.

Mr. Speaker, my missed vote was due to a family event.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 419.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ding Schoonmaker who received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Mr. Schoonmaker has made important contributions to the spport of sailing, both on the water as an athlete and in service to fellow sailors. As a sailor, Mr. Schoonmaker served as the alternate for the U.S. Olympic team in the Helsinki Games in 1952 and the Tokyo Games in 1964. Throughout his sailing career he won many regional championships, and was named the Star World Champion in 1975.

Mr. Schoonmaker has also served the sailing community as an advocate. He played a key role in founding the U.S. Sailing Center and served two terms as Vice President of World Sailing. He and his fellow 2018 inductees to the National Sailing Hall of Fame were formally celebrated on Sunday, November 11, 2018, with an Induction Ceremony hosted at the Lauderdale Yacht Club.

I congratulate Mr. Schoonmaker on his selection for this honor and thank him for his contributions to the sport of sailing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott, Sheriff Scott announced his retirement later this month. I want to thank him for his 30 years of service to our district. He has served as the 12th Sheriff in the 131-year history of Lee County. We are thankful for his leadership, service, and commitment to the safety of our district and citizens. I wish him and his family the best in his retirement.

The Lee County Sheriffs Office is a dedicated team of law enforcement officers who have been successful in decreasing the crime rate, promoting positive community development, and keeping us safe. I have confidence their next leader will continue the success that Sheriff Scott has presided over.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Fort Myers Miracle baseball team and their third Florida State League Championship. The Miracle recovered from an early setback to defeat the Daytona Tortugas by a margin of 8-5, securing their 3-1 win in a best-of-5 game series. This win serves to confirm the excellence of the Fort Myers Miracle program compared to its Florida peers. This 2018 victory marks the team's 2rd championship win in the last 5 years.

I congratulate the Fort Myers Miracle and Manager Ramon Borrego for this thrilling victory. We look forward to the continued growth and success of this great baseball program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller, who recently passed away at the age of 29.

Officer Jobbers-Miller spent his life placing service above self. From 2009 to 2015, Jobbers-Miller was a respected member of the Wayne Fire Department in Wayne, New Jersey. Then Fort Myers was fortunate enough to have Adam Jobbers-Miller join their team as a devoted officer of the law. As soon as he began his career with the Fort Myers Police Department, it was apparent to all those around him that Officer Jobbers-Miller would stop at nothing to protect and serve the people of Southwest Florida.

On Saturday, July 21st, Officer Jobbers-Miller responded to a call at a gas station in Fort Myers. An armed assailant at the gas station fired several shots at the FMPD officers, one of which struck Jobbers- Miller. He was immediately rushed to Lee Memorial Hospital, where he remained in critical condition until he passed away on July 30th. His passing brings great sorrow not only to the Fort Myers law enforcement community, but to our entire Southwest Florida community.

Every day, our officers and first responders put themselves in harm's way to ensure that the safety of all its citizens are protected. Officer Jobbers-Miller made the ultimate sacrifice to maintain this safety, and for that we are all immensely thankful.

In the face of certain danger, Adam Jobbers-Miller never hesitated to act in a truly heroic manner. His life of selfless service was tragically cut short, but his tireless dedication to the welfare of others will forever be remembered by all who were fortunate to know him. Kathleen and I extend our deepest condolences to Officer Jobbers- Miller's family, friends, and fellow officers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues, and include in the Record, testimony from Principal Carl Burnside of Dunbar High School, who testified at the Education and Workforce Committee and thank him for his service to our community and to education.

I want to thank you Congressman Francis Rooney for

bestowing upon me the honor to speak to the House Committee

on Education. My name is Carl Burnside and I am the very

proud principal of Dunbar High School in Fort Myers, Florida,

where ``Achievement is the Expectation.'' I truly believe

that what we have accomplished at Dunbar High School has

enabled our students to rise up from incredibly humble

circumstances into amazing career and college successes.

After being closed in 1969, in 2000, the school was

reopened and I was appointed principal. Ironically my

appointment was in great part due to my background in STEM as

being a 1993 recipient of the Presidential Award for

Mathematics in Teaching which I received here in Washington

DC. By 2005, Dunbar High School's minority to majority ratio

was incongruent to the demographics of the Lee County School

district. Therefore, something had to be done to help reduce

minority isolation in the district.

After going through growth pains, a young lady by the name

of Jana Hambruch shared with me the concept of not just

having a STEM academy but having one that would allow

students to obtain industry certifications. As technology is

an inherent societal need for all, we recognized a need to

provide students with high-end technology training. In 2003-

2004, a $3.3 million federally funded Magnet Grant provided

DHS with the chance to start the Academy for Technology

Excellence (ATE) program. Dunbar quickly went to the

forefront of College and Career Readiness as it became a

model for other high schools across the country.

Subsequently, Dunbar has been featured in a variety of

educational magazines, webinars, and conferences and has

received several distinguished awards both locally and

nationally.

Originally, the Academy for Technology Excellence (ATE)

program was uniquely designed to provide 9th-12th grade

students with the training needed to get the most in-demand

industry standard IT certifications. The ATE program has

truly enabled students to cross the digital divide and focus

on essential skills to make them more marketable for their

future. ATE graduates have a competitive edge over other

college-bound students and several of our ATE students have

received employment right out of high school in the $35,000-

$50,000 range.

As we moved into our 3rd year of the program Microsoft

took notice of all the certifications our students were

achieving and was amazed. They decided to partner with us and

named our school the 1st Microsoft Certified High School in

the Nation. They declared our students as their ``Certifying

Heroes". They utilized our program as a pilot program to be

mirrored at other high schools throughout the United States

and beyond. Dunbar has partnered with technology giants like

Microsoft, Adobe, Hewlett Packard and Pearson VUE, plus many

other local business partners. Dunbar has even connected with

the local colleges and universities establishing bridging

opportunities from high school to postsecondary education.

Dunbar accomplished all of this despite student demographics

that many would see as challenging. Since its opening, the

school's student population had a high percentage of low

socio-economic students approaching 90% on free or reduced

lunch.

Lead by our IT Program Manager and Lead Technology

Teacher, Denise Spence, the accolades that Dunbar achieved

have been significant. A few highlights: Besides Microsoft

declaring Dunbar High School as the first Microsoft Certified

School in the Nation, it was selected as a Microsoft Showcase

School. Dunbar was selected as an Adobe Model School. Both of

these entities reached out to Dunbar due to the success that

such a humble school was having in high powered

certifications. Our students receive paid internships

highlighted by the annual internships of students at Chicos

FAS headquarters which led to some of the students working

there fulltime immediately after high school. Later with Race

to the Top funds, Dunbar added strong programs in Engineering

and Biomedical Science from Project Lead The Way (PLTW)

further enhancing the school's opportunities for its students

in the College and Career pathways. When we applied to be an

IB Diploma School, the reviewers enthusiastically recommended

that due to our outstanding Career STEM pathways, we would be

an ideal school to also have the IB Career Related program

which we have also become, one of only a handful of IB STEM

schools in the country.

We offer the career academies that make parents who want

their kids to go to college to be less hesitant and more

proactive in enrolling their child in these kinds of

programs. We offer the programs that are at a rigorous post-

secondary level in fields that are lucrative for their

children not just for today but for the jobs of the future.

Honestly, I had no idea how much of an impact the academies

were having until we started to receive various visits from

schools, across the United States and really the world and

were hearing back from our graduates about the employment

they were getting because of the technical coursework they

received in high school.

Dunbar's acclaim is worldwide. In 2014, I was invited to

Barcelona Spain to the Microsoft Global Forum where I had the

opportunity to share about the technology programs at Dunbar.

We receive visits from schools not just from our state but

also from across the country and even outside the United

States. Recently, we were approached by a student exchange

program from Hungary exploring the possibility of sending

some of their students to the United States to enroll in our

technology program.

As a cute anecdote, much to the chagrin of my football

coaches, they have loss a couple of starter players due to

the fact that the students received fantastic paid internship

opportunities while in high school and are now making more

money than my coaches in the IT field without a college

degree. Here are a few of the success stories and you will

notice they come from different backgrounds, all low income

but their pathways to success were all different.

Juan arrived at Dunbar High School unable to speak English.

He went on to obtain a plethora of certifications. He was

selected to be an intern for Chico's FAS whose national

headquarters is located in Fort Myers. After graduating from

high school, Juan went to work for Chico's full-time in their

IT department and attended Florida Gulf Coast University

part-time and worked to obtain his degree. His salary was in

the $40,000 range. He was recruited from there by Call Miner,

a technical data company, and now admittedly makes almost

twice as much.

Juliana was another student who qualified for the free and

reduced lunch program but thrived in the technology program.

She went on to qualify for the World Microsoft competition.

She became the first person in the United States to make the

podium spot, as she captured 3rd place in the world in the

Microsoft Office World competition. Upon graduation, she went

on to attend and graduate from the University of Florida with

a full scholarship.

Christian was another student who was raised by a single

father. Christian, who as an African American student came to

Dunbar his 10th grade year and was looking to find himself

and at the time his focus was athletics. However, due to his

vast IT performance from our technology program, he secured a

financially lucrative work situation as a Service Desk

Specialist and reportedly has a salary in the excess of

$100,000 prior to his graduating from any college.

Last but certainly not least, Tyler also came from a

single family home with financial struggles. Tyler excelled

in all facets of school but his true passion was in the

technology field and his focus was always on going to

college. Although he knew he would need scholarships. In

2013, Tyler qualified for the Microsoft World competition and

became the first United States World Champion that year.

Before he graduated, he obtained over 48 industry standard

certifications in network administration and game design and

programming. He is now a student at M.I.T.

The success of Dunbar High School has required hard work

and extensive planning. Decisions made could not be only

about the present but also the future. Our goal is to prepare

our students for the jobs of the future because they will

face a global competition in the workforce. Another key

component has entailed ongoing professional development for

our teachers. Microsoft along with other corporations such as

Aruba networks has assisted in that area.

We will continue to work diligently to provide tremendous

opportunities for our students. We also want to continue to

be a leader in educating students in the K-12 arena as it

pertains not just to technology but to other STEM careers.

While we are very proud of the work that we have done, we are

not satisfied with resting on our accolades. We remain in a

mode of continuous improvement as we go provide our students

with incredible educational opportunities that engage them in

pursuing a prominent future in whatever they aspire to dream

about. Max Anderson who was a 2013 graduate of Dunbar

recently wrote to my IT staff: ``I will forever be grateful

for the knowledge, experience, and opportunity I was afforded

by Dunbar High School. I am extremely fortunate to have had

such great educators that pushed me to do such immense

things, all by the age of 23. I'll be starting a new position

as a systems engineer for Georgia United Credit Union in

Duluth, GA outside of Atlanta. This is a huge step for my

career, and I can't help but reflect on the teachers and

mentors that helped me to get to where I am today.'' We will

continue to impact the lives of our students at Dunbar High

School and what we offer at Dunbar High School is what needs

to be available to students throughout our nation.

Mr. Speaker, our inability to pass either of the immigration bills yesterday was a disappointing failure to solve two of the largest problems we face: routine illegal border crossing and abuse of the asylum system.

In addition to wall-building and border security bills, I have sponsored legislation to get the workers we need to drive a growing economy:

Change our system of immigration from family-based to skill-based, like Australia and Canada. We need legal, verifiable, and skilled or the educatable to be workers coming in all ranges of skills. This is the RAISE Act.

I have also introduced a bill to prevent claiming amnesty from anyone who is already inside our borders. Amnesty is supposed to derive from ``credible fear'' of persecution, not flight because the country of origin is dangerous, lawless, or offers little economic opportunity to its citizens--not our problem.

These proposals would go a long way to solving the immigration crisis and creating a workforce to drive a growing U.S. economy in the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Naples Zoo on its recent induction into the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame.

The Naples Zoo earned this designation after receiving five consecutive annual `Certificates of Excellence' from Trip Advisor. Maintaining such an impressive record is no small feat, and requires a relentless commitment to quality customer service. An excellent visitor experience is a top priority of the staff at the Zoo, and their devotion to providing the best possible visit to the guest is indicative of the welcoming spirit present throughout Naples.

I am proud to recognize the Naples Zoo for its achievement, and gladly point to it as another shining example of the strong tourist appeal of Southwest Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of expediting repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike on Lake Okeechobee.

Subtropical Storm Alberto highlighted the need for repairs, as water levels in Lake Okeechobee are rapidly rising toward the safe limit, leading to earlier than usual discharges ravaging our Southwest Florida coastline. Expedited dike repairs would reduce the number and volume of these harmful discharges and better protect the livelihood of our community and our environment.

This is why I am working with my colleagues in the House, and with the White House, to secure additional funds to accelerate repairs. It's simply insurance: sooner or later a big storm will hit so it is best to reduce the time during which we are at risk. We need to pay less now, like an insurance premium, to hedge a future catastrophic risk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bill Mitsch for having received the first Odum Award for Ecological Engineering Excellence from the American Ecological Engineering Society in Houston, Texas.

As Director of the Everglades Wetland Research Park at Florida Gulf Coast University, he has become a highly respected scientist in the fields of wetland ecology, biogeochemistry, ecological engineering, and ecosystem restoration and modelling.

He has taught and inspired generations of scientists to pursue wetlands research through his extensive research on the subject, including writing five editions of a preeminent standard textbook about wetland ecology. Further, he founded the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, a major research wetlands laboratory at Ohio State University, and has served on the Science Advisory Board of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide his valuable input on wetland restoration.

I personally would like to thank Bill for his dedicated efforts and research on the Everglades.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dwight Brock, a devoted servant of Collier County who passed away on June 12, 2018.

After attending Florida State University and Stetson University, Mr. Brock received a law degree from Nova Law Center. Shortly after obtaining his J.D., he worked in the State Attorney's Office before he was elected Clerk of Courts for Collier County in 1993.

Mr. Brock demonstrated an unmatched dedication to public service, tirelessly fighting for the people he worked to protect. Early in his first term, Brock identified major faults in the business practices of Collier County investment managers. He successfully prosecuted the individuals jeopardizing the financial well-being of the county, ensuring the taxpayers' dollars were well safeguarded. This example of Mr. Brock's dutiful service to the people of Collier County was an early indicator of the courage and devotion with which he would serve for the rest of his career.

Our community mourns the loss of such an honest and faithful public servant. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Cheryl, his son, Bradley, and the rest of his loving family and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Thad Ward on his recent selection by the Boston Red Sox organization in the 2018 MLB draft. Ward, a right-handed pitcher, was selected in the fifth round with the 160th pick.

Ward's high school career was one to be remembered. He was honored as the 2015 News-Press Player of the Year as a pitcher at Bishop Verot High School. During his college career at the University of Central Florida, Ward pitched in 22 games this past season and compiled a 5-4 record with a 3.27 ERA over 63.5 innings.

I would like to congratulate Ward for taking the first step into realm of professional baseball. His hard work and dedication are paying off, and I look forward to hearing about his successes in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael Camelo, Jr. Camelo, a second-generation Cape Coral firefighter, who passed away on May 29th at the age of 37.

Engineer Camelo joined the department in 2006 and served honorably in several critically important positions including paramedic, hazardous materials technician, public safety boat operator, and as member of the Firefighter Survival and Rapid Intervention team.

Mr. Camelo is survived by his two children, Anna, 5, and Michael Camelo III, 3. Both of these young children will forever be a part of the Cape Coral firefighter family that Michael cared about so deeply throughout his entire life.

I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Michael Camelo, Jr. This is an immense loss to the Cape Coral Fire Department and to the city. Although short in years, Michael's life was filled with great accomplishment and a spirit of service to others--he and his family will be in my prayers, and the prayers of our community.