Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for the following votes because I had to travel to my congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Vote No. 426, ``no'' on rollcall Vote No. 427, ``yes'' on rollcall Vote No. 428, ``yes'' on rollcall Vote No. 429, and ``yes'' on rollcall Vote No. 430.

Madam Chairwoman, I rise in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.

I am pleased to join my long-time friend and colleague from Florida, Congressman Bill Posey, in supporting amendment No. 11, which we coauthored.

Our amendment equally increases and decreases NASA's exploration account by $1,969 to highlight the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission which occurred on July 20, 1969.

This amendment is part of a year-long, bipartisan effort we have undertaken to commemorate the 50th anniversary and to honor the incredible women and men who contributed to the mission's success and empowered the next generation of astronauts and aerospace engineers.

In the 114th Congress, we introduced and secured passage of the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act which was signed into law by President Obama. Proceeds from the sale of the coin will support aerospace education and scholarships. When one thinks of the most awe- inspiring events of the 20th century, Neil Armstrong taking the historic first steps on the Moon and declaring: ``That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,'' certainly comes to mind.

I want to especially acknowledge the work of Miss Katherine Johnson, a pioneering African American mathematician whose calculations ensured that the Apollo crew landed on the Moon and returned home safely.

American space exploration continues to inspire our next generation of pioneers and innovators, through an ambitious array of missions and destinations and support thousands of jobs in my home State of Florida and throughout our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan amendment and thank Congressman Posey for his leadership on space issues.

Madam Speaker, I was not present for the following votes because I remained in my congressional district due to a death in the family.

Had I been present, I would have voted: yes on Roll Call Vote No. 232; yes on Roll Call Vote No. 233; yes on Roll Call Vote No. 234; yes on Roll Call Vote No. 235; yes on Roll Call Vote No. 236; yes on Roll Call Vote No. 237; yes on Roll Call Vote No. 238; no on Roll Call Vote No. 239; and yes on Roll Call Vote No. 240.

Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act. I thank Representative DeLauro for her efforts in continuing to push this bill to fruition.

As chair of the HELP Subcommittee and as an African American woman, I feel very strongly about the issue of pay fairness. Our Nation cannot adequately improve labor conditions without addressing the stark inequities that exist along gender and racial lines. The fact that, on average, women currently earn just 80 cents for every dollar a man earns for the same position and amount of work is just plain wrong and is a disgrace.

By passing the Paycheck Fairness Act and promoting wage parity, we can lift families out of poverty and keep harmful biases out of the workplace. There are too many poor working people in America working two and three jobs to keep their families whole. Research has shown that a woman's level of education and work experience or chosen industry do not necessarily shield her from unfair pay. This problem is widespread and can be found across all sectors of the economy, affecting even the most prepared women.

Economically disadvantaged women are hit extremely hard, as are women of color. There are two Americas, a rich and prosperous America and a poor and struggling America. Black and Latina women earn 61 cents and 53 cents, respectively, for every dollar earned by men who perform the same job--such a discrepancy, such a stark statistic, such a shame. The wage gap is too wide and narrowing much too slowly for Congress not to act.

I strongly support H.R. 7 as a positive step toward correcting this glaring injustice. I reiterate my strong support for H.R. 7, and I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for paycheck fairness.

Madam Chair, I include in the Record a letter of support from the National Education Association.

National Education Association,

March 26, 2019.

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative: On behalf of our three million members

and the 50 million students they serve, we urge you to VOTE

YES on the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2019 (H.R. 7). Votes

associated with this issue may be included in NEA's Report

Card for the 116th Congress.

Equal pay for equal work is NOT today's reality.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2017,

the median weekly earnings of full-time, salaried female

workers were 82 percent of those of full-time, salaried male

workers.

According to AAUW, the pay gap is even bigger for women of

color with African Americans earning 61 cents, American

Indian/Alaskan natives 58 cents, and Latinas 53 cents for

every dollar paid to white men.

The gender pay gap exists in all demographics, all parts of

the country, and nearly all occupations--including female-

dominated professions like teaching and nursing.

The Institute for Women's Policy Research reports that

closing the pay gap would cut the poverty rate for working

single mothers in half and lift 2.5 million children out of

poverty.

The Paycheck Fairness Act of 2019 would help by:

Requiring employers to demonstrate that gender is NOT the

reason they pay employees different amounts to perform the

same jobs.

Prohibiting employers from asking job candidates about

their salary histories.

Protecting employees from retaliation if they discuss their

pay with colleagues.

Strengthening enforcement of equal pay laws by requiring

employers to provide to the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission (EEOC) data on salaries, promotions, and

dismissals, broken down by race and gender.

Putting in place robust remedies for discrimination.

For all of these reasons, we urge you to VOTE YES on H.R.

7.

Sincerely,

Marc Egan,

Director of Government Relations.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 787.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address an actual national emergency. There are too many damn guns in America, and far too many lives have been lost. Last year alone 40,000 Americans were fatally shot, the most in 50 years.

My county suffers from gun violence on a near-daily basis. In the last 5 years, we have lost 370 people to gun violence; 127 of these victims were children.

Recently, a pregnant mother was killed, and her teenage daughter injured in a senseless shooting. The family had already lost a relative to gun violence.

Almost as shocking as these statistics, for 25 years Congress failed to pass significant gun control legislation until today. I am comforted by how swiftly House Democrats began tackling this crisis, and pray that the Senate finds the courage to follow our lead.

American voters sent us an urgent message last November; thoughts and prayers and moments of silence are not enough. Let us reassure them that passing the Background Checks Act of 2019 is just the first step of many more to come; and we won't stop until this national emergency is over.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of David G. Queen, Jr., and commemorate the noticeable impact that he made on the lives of others.

Mr. Queen excelled in athletics at a young age. He trained with the elite Miami Northwest Express Track Club under the tutelage of legendary Coach Jesse Holt, Jr. As a member of

Miami Northwest Express, he participated in the National Jr. Olympics where he placed first in his age group by posting the fastest time in the nation. His prowess allowed him to earn many medals, ribbons, and trophies. He was also a standout in football for the Boys and Girls Club. His dream was to become a professional athlete. He is worthy of commendation for his most recent goal of starting a mentoring program to share his experiences with young people.

Mr. Queen's greatest joy in life was his daughter, Zanaa Queen, and he treasured every moment they were together. He dedicated his life to being an ever-present and responsible father after her birth and he had a particular delight in his voice whenever he spoke about his beloved Zanaa. Now, he leaves his precious little girl in the trusted care of her mother, Britney Houston, her grandparents, and extended family. He will rest well knowing that she will be given the attention and care that he always strived to provide.

Mr. Queen comes from a family with deep roots and strong ties in South Florida. His mother, Tangela L. Sears, is a dedicated community activist who has invested her heart and soul into improving her community. She was the motivation for Mr. Queen's desire to mentor youths through sports and education. His grandmother, Vera Lawrence, who he affectionately called ``Granny,'' was a longtime Miami Dade County employee, and his aunt, Sandra Sears, were important figures in his development and providing him a strong foundation.

Mr. Queen was born in Queens, New York, on February 27, 1986, to David G. Queen, Sr., and Tangela L. Sears, and the family relocated to Miami, Florida, soon after his birth. He began his education at Sparks Kindergarten and continued his studies at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, Charles R. Drew Middle School, and Northwestern Senior High School, all a part of Miami Dade County Public Schools, before graduating from Godby Senior High School in Tallahassee, Florida.

Please join me in acknowledging the life and lasting contributions made by David G. Queen, Jr., and expressing the need to use his dreams and aspirations to further promote transformative efforts to enrich the lives of young people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Jacqueline Charles, who reports on the Caribbean for the Miami Herald and is a recent recipient of Columbia University's prestigious Maria Moors Cabot Prize for outstanding coverage on the Americas. Maria Moors Cabot Prizes are the oldest international journalism awards and are presented to journalists in the Western hemisphere who have made significant contributions to upholding freedom of the press in the Americas and Inter-American understanding.

``Charles' great contribution has been as a narrator of the agonies of Haiti, the hemisphere's poorest country, crippled by misgovernment and battered time and again by nature,'' the judges wrote in their citation.

Charles was born to a Haitian mother in Turks and Caicos and grew up in Miami's Overtown neighborhood. As a child, she frequently traveled to Haiti to visit her grandparents and other relatives. She began her reporting career as a 14-year old intern at the Miami Herald. As a journalism student at the University of North Carollna Chapel Hill, Charles co-founded the Carolina Association of Black Journalists.

Charles has worked as a journalist at the Miami Herald since 1994 and has covered the Caribbean for the Herald since 2006, with a special focus on Haiti. After the catastrophic earthquake in 2010, Charles was the first foreign reporter to reach Haiti. She remained in Haiti for the next 15 months to report on the reconstruction process and the ongoing struggles of those living in displaced persons camps. Her work on Haiti was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2011, the same year she was named the National Association of Black Journalists' ``Journalist of Year.'' Additionally, Charles co-produced a documentary on Haiti, titled Nou Bouke (We're Tired): Haiti's Past, Present and Future, which earned a regional Emmy Award and was broadcast nationally.

In addition to covering ongoing humanitarian challenges in Haiti, Charles writes about Haitian politics, music, and immigration. As restrictive immigration policies have prevented many Haitians from seeking a better life in the United States, Charles has taken her reporting on the Haitian immigrant experience to Mexico, Canada, and Chile. Her work has greatly added to everyday Americans' knowledge and understanding of Haiti and its people.

Haitian Americans form a vital part of our community in South Florida and we are fortunate to have an outstanding reporter like Charles covering Haiti-related issues at the Miami Herald. I wholeheartedly commend Jacqueline Charles for her outstanding journalism on Haiti and the Caribbean and congratulate her on receiving this honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a true Florida civil rights icon, Dr. Howard Simon. Dr. Simon has served as executive director of the Florida branch of the American Civil Liberties Union since 1977. Before his appointment to his current position, Dr. Simon oversaw the ACLU's Michigan branch. Remarkably, his 44 cumulative years of service as a state director is the longest in the ACLU's 98-year history. In this capacity, he has been an outspoken champion for marginalized communities.

During Dr. Simon's tenure, the regional ACLU affiliate has taken on many major cases to defend Floridians' civil liberties. It successfully fought to end the use of paperless electronic voting systems after problems were exposed during a 2006 congressional election. This led to the optimization and standardization of voting across every county in the state.

Under Dr. Simon's leadership, the organization has also filed several lawsuits to halt dangerous initiatives passed by the state legislature. One suit successfully blocked a law requiring all applicants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to submit to baseless drugs tests. As the representative of one of the most disadvantaged districts in the country, I am deeply concerned by attacks on public benefits programs on which many of my constituents heavily rely.

In addition to overseeing the ACLU's legal, public education, legislative lobbying, and membership and fundraising programs, Dr. Simon frequently pens editorials for regional publications, challenging policies that undermine Floridians' constitutional freedoms.

I am grateful to Dr. Simon for his work defending Floridians' civil liberties. Unfortunately, it is often the most disadvantaged who are targeted by policies that threaten their rights or otherwise lack the necessary resources to defend themselves.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Dr. Howard Simon and congratulate him on a remarkable career. Dr. Simon recently announced plans to retire after leading the Florida ACLU affiliate for 21 years. I wish him all the best and thank him for his exemplary service to my home state.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Aminda Marques Gonzalez, vice president and executive editor of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, and a highly respected member of Florida's media community.

On July 21, 2018, Marques was recognized by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and inducted into the NAHJ's Hall of Fame for her accomplished career and efforts to promote diversity in the newsroom.

Born in New York City to Cuban immigrants, Marques has dedicated her entire career to journalism in South Florida. Marques graduated from the University of Florida in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and began her career at the Miami Herald, where she had previously interned. After covering a range of issues and rising from metro reporter to assistant city editor, she joined People magazine in 2002 as Miami bureau chief. In that capacity, she oversaw People's coverage of the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

Marques returned to the Miami Herald in 2007 as an editor and was promoted to managing editor in 2010. Under her leadership, the Herald has earned national recognition for its outstanding reporting. The Herald won two Pulitzer Prizes in 2017, one for work of the editorial cartoonist Jim Morin and one for the paper's series on the Panama Papers. The Miami Herald also has been a finalist for the Pulitzer three times under Marques' leadership, including for a 2012 investigation into the poor regulation of Florida's assisted-living facilities.

In addition to her post at the Miami Herald, Marques is president of the Florida Society of News Editors and sits on the Pulitzer Prize Board. She also serves on the advisory councils for The Journalism and Women Symposium, and The Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University.

Marques has the distinction of being the Miami Herald's first-ever Hispanic and second female executive editor. Her colleagues credit her for recruiting reporters and editors of diverse backgrounds and for challenging the overall lack of diversity in journalism.

I commend Aminda Marques Gonzalez for her trailblazing work in journalism, and I congratulate her on receiving the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Hall of Fame honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Eric Accime, a highly successful executive with more than 20 years of experience in the building and engineering industry and a generous philanthropist, who has had an outsized impact on underserved and impoverished communities around the world.

Mr. Accime, a product of Florida International University, participated in the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project I founded to intervene in the lives of at-risk boys of color and steer them onto a pathway to success. I am extremely proud that Mr. Accime has utilized the mentorship and assistance he received as a springboard to personal and professional success while remaining committed to giving back and serving those in need.

After graduating from FlU, Mr. Accime returned to the 5000 Role Models as a staffer and helped mentor other boys and young men of color, working to instill in them the same skills, confidence, and vision that has served him over the course of his career.

Since entering the private sector, Mr. Accime has built an impressive body of work and been recognized for his outstanding contributions. His expertise spans the development and construction management of large multi-use real estate, municipal and commercial projects. To date, he has spearheaded various high-profile projects valued at more than $600 million. His accolades include the National Award of Excellence for a project built in Tampa, Florida, which was designated one of the two best projects in the United States for fiscal year 2000.

Although remarkably accomplished, Mr. Accime has retained the same values of service and community that drove him as a young staffer with the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project. His professional and philanthropic endeavors have helped significantly improve conditions, particularly for underserved children, both in the United States and abroad.

Mr. Accime has been integral to numerous relief efforts, having partnered with USAID, Habitat for Humanity, the Breaking Point International Corp., and the National Society of Black Engineers of Alexandria, Virginia, to provide resources and build vital infrastructure.

Following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Mr. Accime worked to help design and build a new National Campus of Health and Sciences there in collaboration with USAID. The project utilized cutting-edge design and delivery techniques to ensure the facility's sustainability, which was vital to Haiti's recovery and was estimated to produce approximately 1,500 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health practitioners over a 10-year period.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Mr. Accime for his exceptional achievements and humanitarian contributions. I am proud to call Mr. Accime a friend and can personally testify to his generous and hardworking spirit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. William Hawthorne, CEO and president of the consulting firm D/I Solutions. Over the course of his remarkable career, Mr. Hawthorne has made invaluable contributions to advancing corporate diversity and the wellbeing of his community.

Prior to his current position, he held the posts of senior vice president, chief diversity officer, and vice chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Business Council at Macy's, Inc. In this capacity, Mr. Hawthorne implemented and oversaw an expansive diversity and inclusion strategy, spanning many of the organization's functions.

Mr. Hawthorne's distinguished career has also included stints as deputy general counsel and national practice leader at Macy's Inc. attorney for the City of the Atlanta Solicitor's Office, trial attorney for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, and instructor for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy at Emory University School of Law.

Mr. Hawthorne's commitment to values of inclusion, diversity, and expanded opportunity extends beyond the boardroom and is reflected in his involvement with numerous community-based organizations. He serves as a board member and committee chair of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, sits on the steering committee for the New York City Center for Youth Employment, and serves as a mentor in the 5000 Role Model of Excellence Project.

I founded the 5000 Role Models program in response to a pattern of young men of color being incarcerated or dropping out of school in my home county of Miami-Dade and am grateful for the outstanding example that Mr. Hawthorne sets.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the extraordinary achievements of William Hawthorne, a dynamic and hardworking leader who has made his impact felt at each stage of his career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to the captain and crew of the Carnival Elation for their incredible bravery during the rescue of a fishing boat stranded in the Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Irma last year. Their mettle will be honored this week by the Association for Rescue at Sea.

While undergoing routine maintenance and the replacement of its bridge navigation system in Freeport, Bahamas, the Carnival Elation began monitoring a storm developing off the coast of Western Africa. When the storm quickly grew to a Category 5 hurricane and it became clear that its path would likely lead directly over the Bahamas, the decision was made to move the ship and seek shelter in the Gulf of Mexico.

While sailing away from Hurricane Irma's path, the Elation received a relayed distress message from the U.S. Coast Guard alerting them that a fishing boat, the Captain Eddie, was taking on water approximately 60 nautical miles to their east and that two crewmembers were in dire need of assistance. Elation Captain Gaetano Gigliotti and his crew immediately set out to assist in the rescue, while the Coast Guard planned to provide a helicopter in support of the effort. The Elation navigated through treacherous conditions, facing 15-20-foot waves and sustaining winds of 40 knots, gusting at times to well over 60 knots. Despite these conditions, and without normal comprehensive bridge systems and communications equipment due to their early evacuation, the Elation stayed the course, only to be informed shortly before arriving at the struggling fishing boat that the USCG could no longer provide helicopter assistance due to the dangerous wind conditions.

Nearing the fishing boat, Captain Gigliotti decided it was too dangerous to allow an Elation rescue ship to pick up the fishermen and instead chose to move the Elation closer to the life raft to facilitate a rescue through a single open door in the hull. The Captain skillfully maneuvered the 70,000+ ton, 260+ meter Elation at slow speed in the heavy winds and seas, successfully positioning the ship alongside the life raft. Ignoring the potential risk to their own lives, several Elation deck team members were able to successfully bring the sole survivor on board using a harness and hoisting line. Unfortunately, the Elation crew quickly learned from the survivor that his fellow crewmembers had refused to abandon ship and were lost when the fishing vessel rapidly sank. The Elation medical team took excellent care of the survivor, facilitated contact with his family and coordinated with the U.S. embassy to ensure his timely return to the United States after the ship returned to the Bahamas.

We thank Captain Gigliotti and the entire Elation crew for their bravery in coming to the rescue of this fishing boat and its crew. Their courage in the face of extreme conditions, even placing their own lives at risk to save the lives of others, stands as an example of true heroism. I am pleased their efforts have been recognized by the Association for the Rescue at Sea and that they have been awarded the 2019 Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award. They also were honored by the International Maritime Organization with its 2018 Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

As a founder and chair of the Florida Ports Caucus and proud representative of PortMiami, which is known as the ``Cruise Capital of the World,'' it is my honor to recognize the captain and crew of the Carnival Elation.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 263.

Mr. Speaker, I, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson, from the 24th district of the great state of Florida, along with my colleagues and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sisters Congresswomen Alma S. Adams, Sheila Jackson Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Terri A. Sewell, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, rise today to acknowledge and honor the 110th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the contributions of its founder, Ethel Hedgeman Lyle. Ethel Hedgeman Lyle was a visionary ahead of her time, an advocate for women's rights, and a dedicated community servant.

We stand to bring witness that Ethel Hedgeman Lyle deserves to be commemorated by a U.S. postage stamp in support of her many achievements.

Mr. Speaker, we are especially honored to be joined by our international president Dr. Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, to validate our efforts. She has been on this mission for a long time. It is a journey she hopes to see to fruition.

Mr. Speaker, we are beaming with pride and overflowing with excitement because we are on the verge of making history by bestowing an honor that is about 110 years overdue.

Mr. Speaker in recognition of her great achievements, Ethel Hedgeman Lyle deserves to be commemorated with a United States postage stamp.

Mr. Speaker, Ethel Hedgeman Lyle founded Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1908 on a cold January day on the campus of Howard University during a time when Jim Crow laws segregated African-American women and prevented us from joining established Greek organizations. Undeterred by the obstacles of race and gender, she created a legacy of sisterhood that continues to inspire millions of women to devote their lives to community service and activism. She deserves a stamp.

Mr. Speaker, Soror Ethel Hedgeman Lyle cut through the bitter cold of that winter day like a ray of hope, a guiding light, if you will. And, today we have an opportunity to propel the initiative to further immortalize her impeccable character and extraordinary achievements through her commemoration on a U.S. postage stamp.

Mr. Speaker, today, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, is an international service organization with more than 300,000 members in more than 1,000 graduate and undergraduate chapters across the globe. The sorority is headquartered in Chicago and oversees the operations of two charitable foundations. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated, has inspired millions of women to dedicate their lives to realize its motto, ``Service to All mankind.'' These accomplishments were made possible by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle's vision to combine scholastic merit, personal achievement, and the rich historic African-American culture to create a women's collegiate-service based organization that has lasted 110 years. She deserves a stamp.

Mr. Speaker, as members of Congress and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, we are humbled to be able to support this effort. Thousands of our members across the globe have signed letters in support of the initiative She Deserves a Stamp. Just making that statement puts me in awe of how incredible Soror Ethel Hedgeman Lyle and her classmates really were.

You see, when they agreed to come together to make history by doing what had never been done before, African Americans and women didn't have the right to vote.

African Americans couldn't even share a lunch counter or schools with whites in 1908.

But, today, 49 African Americans are serving in Congress . . . and seven of them are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Mr. Speaker, I think Soror Ethel Hedgeman Lyle knew that one day African Americans and women would be able to vote. She knew that one day African Americans would serve in Congress. And, I strongly believe she knew that if given the opportunity, African-American women would become the most educated demographic in America. She knew this at a time when most women were denied an education. She deserves a stamp.

She is a ``Guiding Light.'' She still shines on the path others didn't know existed.

Her work has lighted a path for many social and academic organizations that tear down the walls of racial and gender inequality. Her work has lighted the path for millions of women to attend college. Her work has shone brightly to highlight how living a life that is dedicated to ``Service to All Mankind'' can change the world in ways we never thought possible. She deserves a stamp.

Mr. Speaker, now, she needs our support. We have to be a part of this movement. This is our chance to give back to someone who has given the world so much, and continues to give through her legacy. To paraphrase an African proverb, ``We are, because she was.'' And, if anyone has ever deserved to be on a stamp, it is the prestigious, wonderful, visionary Ethel Hedgeman Lyle, the founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first African American Greek Letter Sorority. She deserves a stamp.