Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the inspiring work of former Congresswoman Carrie Meek.

Hailing from my home State of Florida, Carrie grew up in a family where giving back to the community was a top priority. Throughout her many years of dedicated work, Carrie served as special assistant to the vice president of my alma mater, Miami Dade College, where she was instrumental in the desegregation of the school.

In 1982, Carrie became the first African American elected to the floor of the senate, and my husband, Dexter, and I were proud to work alongside her on behalf of our community. Carrie and I later carried our bipartisan efforts to the marbled Halls of Congress.

As a Congresswoman, Carrie's coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee allowed her to fight for much-needed aid to south Florida after the devastating impact of Hurricane Andrew.

Following her retirement from Congress, Carrie established the Carrie Meek Foundation, promoting programs in housing, education, health, and economic development to improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable members of our society.

At the age of 91, Carrie continues to demonstrate her affection for selfless public service. She is an example to be followed.

Congratulations to Carrie Meek.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, which has just been named amongst the best children's hospitals in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Since 1950, Nicklaus, located in my congressional district, has been a shining light for our community and one of the leading pediatric healthcare centers in the world. Its doctors, nurses, and staff work tirelessly to provide the highest quality of care to children and teens in south Florida every day.

Nicklaus also includes the Miami Children's Research Institute, one of the largest providers of clinical research services for children in the Nation. From cardiology to neuroscience, our institute is at the forefront of the development of treatments and medicines which are improving the lives of kids not just in south Florida, but around the world.

So, once again, congratulations to Nicklaus on being selected as one of the best children's hospitals in the United States. Thanks to everyone at Nicklaus for continuing to inspire hope and promote lifelong health by providing the best care to every child in our community.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this Perry amendment which will strip vital language regarding the impact of Department of Defense activities associated with climate change.

The Defense Department does so many vital things for the safety and security of the United States and the American people. We all owe the brave men and women who wear the Nation's uniform a debt of gratitude that we can never truly repay. However, we must be cognizant of all the impacts that DOD activities have across the globe.

The Defense Department has such a large footprint, and the amount of military construction and other activity that it undertakes year round impacts our environment. How could it not?

We are talking about possible implications such as contributions to sea level rise--which is particularly important to my constituents in south Florida--that it would be irresponsible for us to ignore.

I have a Coast Guard base in my district, Coast Guard Miami Beach, located right there on the water in Miami Beach, and we know the impact of sea level rise in that area.

So as a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus, I urge my colleagues to oppose this Perry amendment. We have got to be clear-eyed, Mr. Chairman, about every possible impact of our military activities, and that includes the impact that we place on our environment.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Robert Lee Becerra, a very special young man

from my district who is severely impacted by autism and has made a positive difference in thousands of lives in south Florida. How has he done this?

Mr. Speaker, for years, Robert has helped train 6,000 Miami police officers, firefighters, and EMTs to identify people with developmental issues and tailor their actions and responses accordingly. With Robert's help, officers and first responders in south Florida are trained to de-escalate volatile emergency situations involving individuals on the autism spectrum or with mental illness.

Robert's assistance in emergency response training has not only helped officers to connect with autism patients on an emotional level, but it has also made a positive impact and has saved many lives in our south Florida community.

I thank Robert for his tireless work and participation in police and first responder training for more than 10 years. His efforts have helped make south Florida an even better community for all of us.

Thank you, Robert.

Mr. Speaker, for more than 100 days, the Venezuelan people have been courageously protesting peacefully on the streets against the abusive regime of Nicolas Maduro.

Since June, more than 1,400 people have been injured, over 3,600 have been detained, and over 100 people have been killed by Maduro's thugs.

Just days ago, Maduro moved opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez to house arrest after more than 3 unjust years in prison. But this diversion tactic is not enough. All political prisoners must be released.

Maduro's fraudulent constituent assembly must be stopped. And more names must be added to the sanctions list, especially those human rights abusers who are responsible for the violent actions against innocent civilians.

This will send a strong message that the United States stands with the people in their struggle for democracy and for justice for all Venezuelans.

Mr. Speaker, last week's general assembly meeting of the Organization of American States, the OAS, in Cancun, was intended to get greater support from the region to hold Nicolas Maduro and his regime accountable for their horrific actions against the Venezuelan people.

However, we fell short of the 23 votes needed to fully enforce a resolution condemning Maduro for convening a fake constituent assembly with the

purpose of undermining the democratically elected national assembly.

I commend the 20 nations. Thank you to the 20 nations that stood up to the Venezuelan tyrant; especially I want to single out Barbados, the Bahamas, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Guyana, and Belize.

To our allies in the Caribbean who voted with the people of Venezuela and not with the regime, I say: Thank you.

And to those who voted against the people of Venezuela and with the regime, my message to you is: Wake up.

The Maduro regime is a sinking ship and, as that economy continues to implode, it will take some of the Caribbean nations along with it.

It is in the best interest of the Caribbean nations to work with the United States, with Canada, with Mexico, and other regional allies to put an end to the abusive tactics of the Maduro regime once and for all.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, countries like Nicaragua, whose leader Ortega is a kindred spirit of Maduro, spoke out to oppose the meeting and criticized the OAS for what it called interference in Venezuelans' domestic issues.

Ortega condemned the OAS for taking its rightful action to apply the Inter-American Democratic Charter for Venezuela, yet Ortega wants us to believe that he is in favor of negotiating in good faith with the OAS to improve the electoral, the political, and the human rights situation in Nicaragua. What a farce.

Ortega has been doing Maduro's bidding at the OAS since day one, and we see right through him. Ortega has illustrated time and time again that he is not interested in any reforms, nor is he interested in restoring any democratic values back to the people of Nicaragua.

But Ortega was not the only one who abandoned the people of Venezuela. No. El Salvador is another nation that has not once voted alongside the U.S. on issues related to Venezuela, even though we continue to provide funds for the Central American Alliance for Prosperity plan. They like our money. They just don't want to look at things our way at all.

Last week, I signed onto a letter led by my dear friend Albio Sires from New Jersey. He wrote this letter to the Department of the Treasury, urging it to designate the El Salvadorian Foreign Deputy Minister Jose Luis Merino as a foreign narcotics kingpin for his ties to illicit activities to drug trafficking, to money laundering, for the FARC--the FARC that is a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.

It is pathetic that the Venezuelan regime continues to use certain countries at the OAS as its puppets to shield itself from regional criticism.

In the last 2 months, Mr. Speaker, more than 70 people have been killed by Maduro's regime in Venezuela. Hundreds have been arrested. Hundreds have been injured by the violence, including a 17-year-old protester who was shot in pointblank range by pro-Maduro police thugs.

It is unacceptable for us to stand idly by as this cruelty continues to happen. It is a disgrace that the region could not come together in a united front to call out the Maduro regime for the violent thugs that they are, a disgrace to our democratic principles and values, and a disgrace to the Inter-American Democratic Charter for which the OAS stands.

The deteriorating situation in Venezuela is an important matter for the region, for our own interests, Mr. Speaker. Our message must be to those countries that continue to vote against the people of Venezuela: Stop being cowards. Be courageous. Stand up to those corrupt bullies in Venezuela. Do it for the people of Venezuela. How many more have to give their lives in Venezuela for you to wake up? And if you don't stop to reassess your support for the thug Maduro, and your willingness to turn a blind eye toward the suffering of the Venezuelan people, perhaps America will start to reassess its relationship with you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our esteemed chairman as well as the ranking member.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Speaker Ryan's measure which reaffirms America's commitment to NATO, article 5 and the principle of collective defense.

Like my colleagues, I believe that NATO has been indispensable in deterring another world war and in protecting our values and ideals. It is our commitment to each other and to those ideals that have made our alliance so strong, so effective. It is that commitment to each other that has enhanced the territorial security and stability of each one of us.

Let us not forget that it was following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that NATO invoked article 5 for the only time in its history, coming to the defense of us, the United States. This was a signal of unity, of strength, and that is what makes article 5 so special.

I also appreciate the pledges of our alliance members to share the burden of the cost of our mutual defense by aiming to spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense by the year 2024. That is so important, Mr. Speaker, because NATO's role over the years has evolved. We are no longer facing just the threat of communist aggression; we are facing a multitude of threats against our mutual national security interests around the globe, and we need to be prepared for whatever comes our way.

I am pleased to reiterate my support for Speaker Ryan's resolution. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their commitment to NATO and to the principle of collective defense. It is ever so important in these dangerous times.

Mr. Speaker, I thank, as always, our esteemed chairman, Mr. Royce from California, as well as Mr. Engel from New York, who really run our committee in the most fair, bipartisan way possible.

I think that our committee is an example for the rest of the House. But I am so grateful to have worked alongside my chairman and ranking member, and all of the colleagues in the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a bipartisan manner; particularly, Mr. Issa, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Lowenthal, in introducing and bringing to the floor this important resolution, H. Res. 351, Condemning the Violence and Persecution in Chechnya.

Since early April, there have been credible reports that gay or perceived-to-be-gay men in the Russian republic of Chechnya have been rounded up, have been detained, have been put into prison camps by the authorities of Chechnya. And according to international human rights groups and activists on the ground, the situation has rapidly escalated. Despite the international attention and the rage, the beatings and torture did not stop. Men continued to be tortured on a daily basis, and, allegedly, at least 20 men have been killed.

The latest reports indicate that lesbians are also being targeted now. This government campaign targeting LGBT individuals is also inciting ``honor killings.'' Families are being threatened and act out of fear of also being persecuted. This is appalling.

Putin has given free rein to the Chechen leader and has significant influence over what goes on in Chechnya. Let's not forget Russia's deplorable human rights record of silencing religious minorities, of prohibiting freedom of expression, of restricting free association of LGBT individuals. This is Russia's record. It is Chechnya's as well.

Nothing has been done. No perpetrators have been brought to justice. This is why it is up to us in the United States to not sit idly by while this state-sponsored persecution is ongoing. This bipartisan resolution, Mr. Speaker, does not only shed light on this dreadful human rights disaster, but it also calls on the officials of Chechnya to immediately put an end to the abduction and violence of individuals based on their real or perceived sexual orientation.

It calls on Putin to uphold the international commitments and protect the human rights of all people upon which Russia has entered. They have signed these commitments, yet they don't fulfill them. It holds accountable those individuals in the attacks who will also be sanctioned under two existing U.S. sanctions laws that we have passed: Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

Today, this body has the ability to once again be that strong voice for human rights of all individuals and to send a clear message to any oppressor that the United States will not turn a blind eye against violence, harassment,

and discrimination, no matter where it happens.

As a country, we have the responsibility to promote our deeply cherished American values and reaffirm our commitment to fundamental freedom, especially for those who live under the shadow of oppression and tyranny. We stand in solidarity with the persecuted, with the religious minorities, with the ethnic groups, with the suppressed women, and, in this case, with the LGBT community, because the respect of human rights of all people remains a U.S. foreign policy priority.

I thank my colleagues for their overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle who have supported this important resolution, which sends a unified message that the United States is committed to promoting human rights and that this crisis must end now because this matter is not just an LGBT issue--as important as it is--it is a human life matter and it deserves support from all of us.

Everyone deserves dignity. Everyone deserves respect in the place they call home, no matter where that is around the world. It is time to put an end to Chechnya's barbaric LGBT purge.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time and I thank the ranking member as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, also known as NATCA, on its 30th anniversary.

Since its foundation, NATCA has worked to guide aviation policies and improve working conditions for its members with one goal in mind: to ensure that passengers arrive safely to our destinations.

I would also like to recognize three remarkable individuals--Billy, Jim, and Mitch--whom I have met through NATCA's advocacy efforts. These men are committed to public service, first through their service in our Armed Forces, and then later as air traffic controllers ensuring that Miami's skies remain safe for all. Though Mitch has now retired, I know that his contributions to our Nation have not stopped.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating NATCA and its members on 30 years of outstanding public service.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize the Camillus House, an organization in my home city of Miami that works tirelessly on behalf of the homeless and those in need in south Florida.

Since its creation in 1960, the Camillus House has operated with the belief that every person is precious and deserving of love, respect, and a chance to live a dignified life.

Camillus has grown into an indispensable lifeline for the most vulnerable in our community. Camillus provides housing options, free meals, drug treatment, and a full range of medical treatment to the homeless and those with disabilities.

For these individuals, the staff and the volunteers at Camillus House serve as a family, giving them the hope and support that they need in their difficult transition to a new self-sustaining life.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Camillus' staff and volunteers for their devotion to the desperate and voiceless in our midst.

I encourage everyone in south Florida to visit camillus.org or to call 305-374-1065 to learn how you can empower this organization to continue serving those in need in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Nora Sandigo Children Foundation, a nonprofit organization in my home city of Miami, working around the clock to serve kids in our community who have been separated from their parents by deportation.

I have known Nora, the founder of this organization, for many years, and I have seen firsthand her true passion for ensuring the well-being of these children. Through the support of donors and volunteers, this organization is able to provide assistance in the form of food, clothing, educational programs, legal advice, and many other vital services.

This week, Nora will be visiting our Nation's Capital, with a delegation of 50 children from Florida, to advocate for the restructuring of our immigration policies so that the kids for whom she cares, who are as American as you and I, don't have to grow up apart from their parents.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation must do right for these children, and I urge my colleagues in Congress and the administration to work together so that we can have an immigration system that reflects our Nation's compassion and provides a solution that is fair and just to everyone.

Mr. Speaker, Representative Ed Perlmutter and I will be introducing the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment Act.

In 2017, more than 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, and many of them are currently repaying their student loans. For these individuals, a cancer diagnosis goes beyond the exhaustive treatment and increased medical expenditures and often leads to unemployment or underemployment. As a response to this growing problem, I have introduced the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment Act.

This commonsense bill will enable cancer patients to defer payments on their public student loans while actively receiving treatment without interest accruing during this difficult period, helping them, thusly, to avoid defaults. This measure will also help lenders by empowering borrowers to continue repaying their public loans after their treatment ends, leading to fewer defaults.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join Mr. Perlmutter and me in standing with cancer patients

throughout our Nation and supporting the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to recognize George Logothetis, the CEO and chairman of the Libra Group, a private organization based in my congressional district that is dedicated to bolstering local communities through educational and business programs.

George is a visionary who recognizes the value of promoting startup businesses as a catalyst for financial self-sufficiency, economic development, and job creation. In 2015, George created the American Entrepreneurship Award, a nonprofit with one goal in mind: to make free enterprise accessible to every underserved community across our Nation.

This Friday, June 23, George will host AEA's annual awards ceremony in our home city of Miami, where George will announce the winners of the 2017 Business Plan Competition from Miami and the Bronx. The awardees will receive a cash prize as well as vital consultation and mentorship to get their new business ventures off the ground.

I would like to thank George for his leadership in promoting innovation, and I look forward to his future success, as well as the AEA's.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring attention to alopecia areata, a common autoimmune disease affecting almost 7 million Americans today. This disease is characterized by hair loss in round patches throughout the body and can affect everyone regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity.

Alopecia areata can have a devastating psychological consequence on patients, especially children whose confidence and emotional well-being can be severely impacted by the physical manifestation of the disease.

Although there is currently no cure for this disease, we are blessed to have organizations like the National Alopecia Areata Foundation working tirelessly to bring hope to those whose lives have been touched by this condition.

Through its wonderful staff and volunteers, the NAAF is lending essential support to research for a cure, which will happen, and serving as a helping hand to the families as they deal with this overwhelming disease.

Mr. Speaker, there is much that we can do to help patients, and especially caregivers, so I encourage everyone in my community in south Florida and around the Nation to visit naaf.org to learn more about alopecia areata and to find out how you can get involved and help find a cure for this disease.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize June as LGBT Pride Month, a time in which we celebrate the progress our country has made toward equality and honor the contributions of LGBT Americans to the diverse fabric that is our Nation.

I would like to thank the many organizations in my congressional district, SAVE, Unity Coalition-Coalicion Unida, the National LGBTQ Task Force, just to name a few, and recognize their invaluable work to promote acceptance and fight harassment, bullying, and discrimination wherever it takes place.

This month we also celebrate 2 years of marriage equality. The union of two people in marriage should not be based on gender, but on love, and those legally married couples deserve equal respect and treatment under the law.

Mr. Speaker, this month of celebration is also, sadly, a stark reminder that we have a lot more work to do to end LGBT violence. We also commemorate the 1-year anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub terrorist shooting. As we honor the memories of those we have lost, we must also make a commitment to stand together to disarm hate and demand the equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals at home and abroad.