Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in the last 2 months alone, reports indicate that nearly 3,000 Venezuelans have been jailed and 69 have been killed by the regime. Peaceful protests have led Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro to issue a decree to convene a constituent National Assembly, what he calls a constituente, in order to rewrite Venezuela's constitution.

But as we all know, Mr. Speaker, Maduro is fooling no one. This is just another attempt to undermine and discredit the current democratically elected legislature in the National Assembly. Another attempt of a power grab which seeks to consolidate more power around the executive and possibly rewrite the constitution to favor only one individual: Nicolas Maduro. Another attempt to pull a fast one over some in the international community who may make the mistake and call this weak and dangerous gesture progress.

But we know the truth. This is not progress. In fact, this is a major setback to democracy. Maduro is once again trying to delay the inevitable: free, fair, transparent, and democratic elections in Venezuela under the supervision of credible international observers.

Making matters worse, Goldman Sachs is also adding to the Venezuelan people's misery. Last week, the investment bank bought $2.8 billion in Venezuelan bonds, not only providing the Maduro regime a lifeline in the short term but saddling the Venezuelan people with crippling debt repayments in the long term.

When, not if, a democratically elected president comes to the Venezuelan people, they will be stuck with the bill and face the responsibility to pay for this debt.

With so many Venezuelans lacking basic goods, including food, many have taken to calling these bonds hunger bonds, as the regime lines its own pockets and the Venezuelan people continue to suffer.

This is unconscionable, Mr. Speaker. Venezuela's pervasive corruption means any infusion of cash like Goldman Sachs will not benefit the people of Venezuela who desperately need it. Instead, Maduro and his thugs fill their coffers and use the cash to abuse the Venezuelan people and use it to stay in power.

Venezuela's state-owned oil company, PDVSA, was already sanctioned in the year 2011, for helping Iran avoid its own sanctions. Venezuela's Tarek El Aissami, second in command to Maduro, was sanctioned by our U.S. Treasury Department early this year under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. Can you imagine? The regime's longstanding ties to drug trafficking and other illicit activities are only now being exposed, and U.S. businesses should be avoiding deals with Maduro like the plague.

But the private sector is not the only one aiding the Maduro regime. Sadly, the U.S. government is also helping prop up the regime. How? By allowing purchases of Venezuelan oil. This keeps Maduro afloat. In 2016, Venezuela remained the third largest foreign crude oil supplier to the United States behind Canada and Saudi Arabia. In 2016, oil exports from Venezuela were valued at $10.5 billion. During the first 3 months of 2017, value of oil exports from Venezuela to us here in the United States was already worth $3.5 billion. Financial transactions like these made to Maduro or any other despotic regime should be prevented.

We have a moral obligation to respect the suffering needs of the Venezuelan people and help alleviate this suffering.

50th Anniversary of the Reunification of Jerusalem

Mr. Speaker, later today, together with Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, we will be joined live from Jerusalem by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Speaker of the Knesset Edelstein for a special event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem--Israel's eternal capital.

I led a congressional delegation visit to Israel last week, and we met with both Prime Minister Netanyahu and Speaker Edelstein at the Knesset in Jerusalem.

We also toured the famous City of David and saw discoveries that prove, without a doubt, that Jews have lived in Jerusalem for millennia. This is important, Mr. Speaker, because there are efforts at the United Nations--at UNESCO and the Human Rights Council--that seek to erase all Jewish ties to Jerusalem.

As we are set to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification, we should take this opportunity to rebuff such efforts at the U.N. and, instead, reinforce that Jerusalem is, was, and always will be the eternal home of the Jewish people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor from H.R. 2560.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a young and valiant member of our south Florida community, Thalia Rodriguez. Just 17 years old, Thalia used her skills that she learned from her high school's emergency medical responder class to save the life of one of our Miami-Dade police officers.

Major Ricky Carter was off duty, traveling on his motorcycle, when an unexpected crash left him critically injured at the side of the road. Thalia came upon the scene, immediately began to apply first aid to the injured police major. Realizing that his injuries were too severe to wait for the first responders to arrive, Thalia made the split-second decision to fashion a tourniquet out of a belt, thereby buying Major Carter precious time. Thalia's brave act that Sunday morning saved Major Ricky Carter's life.

Thank you to Thalia Rodriguez, a graduating senior at Westland Hialeah Senior High School, for her outstanding heroism.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight the Debbie's Dream Foundation, an organization in south Florida that seeks to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality while also supporting patients, families, and caregivers who are impacted by this disease.

According to the NIH, Mr. Speaker, there are nearly 100,000 people living with stomach cancer in our great Nation, but despite these alarming numbers, Americans diagnosed with stomach cancer face a challenging battle, as it is difficult to find reliable information, good treatments, and valuable resources. Here is where Debbie's Dream Foundation steps in.

Debbie's Dream Foundation works with local communities, businesses, government agencies, and the scientific community to raise awareness about stomach cancer and promote research and cutting-edge treatment to improve the lives of those afflicted with this cancer.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Debbie Zelman, the founder of this great organization, who is also undergoing treatment for this disease, for turning this tragedy into a positive change for others suffering from stomach cancer.

I also want to thank very much Debbie's wonderful parents and all of the advocates for their lifesaving efforts and unwavering commitment to defeat stomach cancer once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight a problem that impacts one in every nine women in our Nation today: postpartum depression.

As you can see on this poster, the condition can impact any mother, regardless of background or regardless of circumstance. Warning signs often include: feeling overwhelmed, changes in sleep patterns, unexplained anger, weeping or sadness, difficulty concentrating, unexplained changes in appetite, and feeling anxious or nervous.

Fortunately, if you are a new mother--and you don't have to go through this alone, remember this--there are great organizations in my community in south Florida, like Postpartum Support International. They have dedicated staff and volunteers who are ready to listen, to help, and to provide you with the resources and the referrals that you need to overcome this condition and get back to enjoying your family.

I would like to encourage every new mom in south Florida who may be experiencing any of these conditions to please get the help that you need now by calling 1-844-642-6667. Together, we can end postpartum depression in south Florida and, indeed, around our Nation.

Honoring Pepe Badia

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Joseph ``Pepe'' Badia for his commitment to expand educational opportunities for our south Florida students.

Pepe's latest philanthropic venture allowed for the establishment of a scholarship at my alma mater, Miami Dade College, in the name of its president, Eduardo Padron.

Pepe Badia came to Miami at a young age, just like I did and so many others at that time, fleeing the regime of Castro. His father began a new business in a small storefront in Miami, where he and Pepe, by themselves, packaged spices by hand and distributed them to local bodegas around the city. Today, that small storefront has grown into an international giant known as Badia Spices.

Pepe Badia has used his success to truly make a difference in our community, regularly donating portions of sales to many local and national charities and scholarships.

I join with the Miami Dade College familia, but, truly, all of south Florida, in thanking Pepe Badia for making our paradise an even groovier place in which to live.

Wishing Jay Kislak a Happy 95th Birthday

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor and wish a happy 95th birthday to Jay Kislak, a valued member of our south Florida community who has dedicated himself to preserving the history of our great Nation.

Jay Kislak began his career as a real estate agent at the young age of 18, a trade he learned from his father who instilled within him the value of hard work, persistence, and attention to detail.

Jay left his hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey, to pursue higher education at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Finance. Jay Kislak graduated early to enlist in the United States Navy, serving as a naval aviator for 3 years of Active Duty, followed by 10 years of service in the Naval Reserve.

The great State of Florida welcomed Jay Kislak and his family in 1953 with a promise of a better future, and it beckoned the young entrepreneur to seek our new business ventures. It was in south Florida that Jay grew his father's humble business into the national real estate giant that it is today, with residential and industrial properties spanning from Florida to Nevada.

Jay Kislak's immense success allowed him the opportunity to explore his true passion: the history and culture of the early Americas. Jay, along with his wife, Jean, established the Jay I. Kislak Foundation to advance knowledge and understanding of world cultures and history. The Kislak Foundation's impressive collections include one-of-a-kind maps, books, letters, paintings, and many other artifacts.

In the 50 years that Jay dedicated to collecting these rare treasures, he assembled one of the world's best and most significant private collections of documents and artifacts related to the

early Americas. Recognizing the significance of his impressive collection, Jay made an extraordinary gift in the year 2004 to our Library of Congress and to the American people with a contribution of 4,000 items, which are now on display permanently. The Library of Congress estimates that over 3 million visitors have visited this magnificent exhibit made possible by the generous donation of the Jay I. Kislak Foundation.

Because of Jay's extensive background in and knowledge of our great Nation's history, he has served on numerous boards and has held many leadership posts in our community.

Throughout all of his success, Jay Kislak never ceases to give back to our local institutions. His latest contribution to south Florida is the establishment of two new permanent exhibits at the University of Miami's Otto Richter Library and at Miami Dade College's Freedom Tower.

I join with many in saying thank you to Jay Kislak and his family for his decades of hard work and dedication that he has given to bring the world these magnificent historical artifacts.

Thank you, Jay Kislak, and many more years.

Mr. Speaker, today, the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee passed a bill that I authored, the Nicaraguan Investment and Conditionality Act, the NICA Act.

I thank Chairman Duncan and Ranking Member Sires for working with me to pass this important bipartisan measure that seeks to promote freedom, anticorruption, the rule of law, and supports an independent judiciary system in Nicaragua.

This measure sends a strong message of support to the people of Nicaragua that they are not alone. We in the United States Congress recognize their plight and aspirations for a better future of freedom and opportunity. We share their values of a free and fair electoral system, of justice and liberty

for all Nicaraguans, and we support their pursuit of a more open and democratic society.

Mr. Speaker, I am so grateful to Mr. Albio Sires, my good friend from New Jersey, the ranking member of our Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere in the Committee on Foreign Affairs for joining me tonight for this Special Order regarding the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, demonstrating not only the bipartisan nature of this issue, Mr. Speaker, but also the need for the United States, and specifically the Congress, to be even more engaged.

As Mr. Sires knows--and we will hear from him in just a few minutes-- the situation in Venezuela, as you can see here, is becoming more desperate by the day. The humanitarian situation is getting worse, if one can imagine that. The Maduro regime continues its flagrant human rights violations, and, despite the latest round of sanctions against human rights violators imposed by our excellent Treasury Department, the United States needs to take more decisive steps in support of the people of Venezuela.

Mr. Speaker, at least 48 Venezuelans have been killed in almost 2 months of protests, nonstop protests, against the dictatorship responsible for a litany of crimes. You cannot enumerate them. Horrific human rights abuses, drug trafficking, a rapidly worsening humanitarian situation. The list goes on and on, Mr. Speaker.

Venezuelans do not have access to even the most basic of necessities, which means water, food, and medicine. None of that exists in Venezuela. Venezuelan humanitarian shortages of food and medicine. People are standing in lines to get nothing. The Venezuelan Pharmaceutical Federation estimates that the country is running shortages on nearly every necessary medical item. For those few Venezuelans who could afford to purchase medicine, they are forced to pay exorbitant prices for supplies like gauze, pain relievers, Band- Aids, and that is only if they are available in the first place, Mr. Speaker. Hospital workers have told us that the supplies are being raided, and they are being sold on the black market.

The situation is no better when it comes to food. Last week, a 46- year-old man was killed by soldiers as he was on his way home from buying diapers for his baby. Killed while buying diapers for his baby. Why? Because diapers are a scarce commodity. They have been a scarce commodity for over a year now in Venezuela, a country that was abundant in natural resources. Earlier this week, this very week, a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed for the crime of buying flour.

One study reports that 75 percent of the population of Venezuela-- this is unbelievable--has lost an average of 19 pounds due to food shortages. Even obtaining water can be an expensive proposition for those without running water at home. The shortage of basic goods has led to massive lines, has led to violence, has led to looting as people have become increasingly desperate for the basic, meager means to survive. We are just talking about basic necessities, Mr. Speaker.

This tragic humanitarian situation could have been prevented, Mr. Speaker, and no one is more responsible than the thug who rules Venezuela with an iron fist, Nicolas Maduro, and his despotic regime. The Maduro dictatorship presides over the world's largest oil reserves yet has managed to run the state oil company and the entire economy into the ground.

Socialism does not work. Communism does not work. One need only look at Venezuela. Instead of allowing humanitarian relief, the regime has nationalized the food and medical supply chain and put corrupt officials in charge. What could go wrong?

Earlier this month, I wrote a letter, along with my good friend Albio Sires, as well as Eliot Engel, the ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and 12 other congressional colleagues joined Mr. Sires, Mr. Engel, and myself, urging the administration to use its voice, to use our vote, to use our influence at the United Nations Security Council to demand that Venezuelan authorities allow the delivery and the distribution of humanitarian aid. We were giving them what they need. Maduro would have none of it.

But I applaud our U.S. Ambassador at the U.N., Nikki Haley, for organizing a Security Council meeting on Venezuela last week. But more needs to be done, Mr. Speaker. As Ambassador Haley bravely said, Venezuela is on the edge of a humanitarian crisis, right here in our hemisphere. Humanitarian agencies must be allowed to operate independently in Venezuela, without interference from the thuggish Maduro regime, and deliver the aid that the people so desperately need. The world is ready to help Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro refuses this help.

Humanitarian agencies must say to Maduro, if they are hindered in any way, then those responsible must be held to account. Before I continue, Mr. Speaker, to address the Maduro regime's abuse of human rights in greater detail and how the United States can be a force for good in Venezuela, I yield to Albio Sires, my good friend from New Jersey.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Sires for such an eloquent statement on behalf of the beleaguered and embattled Venezuelan people.

Before I yield so proudly to Mr. Castro of Texas, another member of our Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, I would like to say just a few words about the continuing human rights abuses and the deteriorating situation in Venezuela.

As we have heard from Mr. Sires, we are dealing with a corrupt dictatorship, and we are dealing with a brutal dictatorship. At least 42 are dead and 90 arrested since protests began in March of 2017, you can see on this poster.

This is a dictatorship that will go to all lengths to maintain its tight grip on power and silence the opposition by tear gas, by real bullets, by jailing, and by intimidation. The people of Venezuela are literally dying, Mr. Speaker, on the streets from the violence of the Maduro regime. They are dying on the streets from starvation, and they are dying from the lack of medical supplies, yet they still risk their lives.

This goes on each and every day in Venezuela. They go out into the streets. They demonstrate to the world that they will not be silenced, and what they desire is freedom, and what they desire is democracy, and what they desire is nothing less and nothing more than their God-given human rights, the very same intangibles that many in America here take for granted because we live in the greatest country in the world. We take for granted that we have our freedom.

But the ideals that we proudly espouse and defend around the world are alive and well in the streets of Venezuela. Venezuelans are protesting against the regime's continual assaults on Venezuela's constitutional and democratic order.

Like Chavez before him, Nicolas Maduro has a horrific human rights record, including restrictions on freedom of expression, restrictions on the press, widespread arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, torture, and the list goes on and on.

In its human rights reports on Venezuela last year, our own State Department noted how the Maduro regime has misused the judiciary to undermine the National Assembly, a body overwhelmingly manipulated by the opposition since December of 2015. This opposition has risen to power thanks to the vote of the people.

So what did Nicolas Maduro say? Well, his supreme court nullified almost every action taken by the National Assembly, including refusing to allow lawmakers to take their seats in the legislature and overturning laws to free political prisoners and grow the economy.

I am so pleased to see that we have been joined by the chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Mr. Duncan, tonight.

But things have only gotten worse since that time. In March, the regime controlled the Supreme Tribunal of Justice--a sad name for what it does--and ruled that it would resume the responsibilities of the National Assembly. It said: We are the state. Who needs the National Assembly that is manipulated and controlled by the opposition? We nullify its actions. We will assume the responsibility.

And although what the Tribunal said, they had to backtrack almost immediately because the condemnation internationally was so loud. It partially reversed its decision just a few days later, but the damage was already done, Mr. Speaker. Venezuelans had further proof of a break in the constitutional order.

Anti-regime protests have been going on, as we can see here, day after day, day after day, as hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets to demand relief from the Maduro repression. According to The New York Times, before these protests even began, Mr. Speaker, the Maduro regime had arrested 6,893 people, jailed 433 for political reasons just in the past few years, and there are at least 175 political prisoners behind bars today, including Leopoldo Lopez and Daniel Ceballos.

Joshua Holt, a United States citizen, Mr. Speaker, is being unjustly held for nearly a year. In September, I wrote a letter, joined by my colleagues here, to the State Department about Joshua's case. Joshua Holt's health has deteriorated over the last month. I urged the State Department to secure his unconditional release on humanitarian grounds. We all were humbled to meet with Joshua Holt's mom, who is so anxious to see his release, just last month.

So, Mr. Speaker, despite all of the Maduro regime's human rights abuses, the beatings, the violence, the murders, the repression, and the political prisoners, despite all of this, the Venezuelan people are refusing to be silenced. They are rising up, and they are protesting in even greater numbers. This is just amazing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro), my good friend from the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, we are so pleased that Mr. Castro has, once again, joined us in this battle for human rights, for democracy, for justice, for the rule of law, in our hemisphere. His voice is a valiant one that needs to be heard and is always present whenever the struggle for human rights is mentioned.

So thank you, Mr. Castro, for this stance today and for the stance that you have taken on behalf of beleaguered people in our hemisphere every day.

Now, Mr. Sires and I are so thankful that our subcommittee chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan), has joined us.

As I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sires is the ranking member of that subcommittee, and Mr. Duncan is the chairman of that subcommittee, a valiant voice for freedom that must be heard.

I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan).

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 2 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, May 24, 2017, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Brian Cooper, who is retiring from the Office of the Parliamentarian after 35 years on Capitol Hill. Brian's first job came in 1982, when he was hired in the stock room of the Longworth Building working in Publication and Distribution Services.

Since then, Brian held a variety of positions in Congress, where he learned the intricacies of the legislative process, and the inner workings of House operations--skills that earned him a job at the House Parliamentarian Office, where he currently serves as Chief Clerk. A consummate professional, Brian has spent his career committed to assisting with an orderly and accurate legislative process, observed in a fair and nonpartisan manner.

Madam Speaker, I ask my congressional colleagues to join me in congratulating Brian Cooper on his long-deserved retirement and wish him all the best as he pursues his passions, including his artistic endeavors, traveling, spending more time with his family, and cheering on his favorite Baltimore sports teams.

Bon voyage and Godspeed to Brian Cooper.

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned by the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Chechnya where hundreds of gay or perceived-to-be gay men have been harassed, have been tortured, and have been killed by Chechen authorities.

On April 1, a Russian independent newspaper first reported on this detention and disappearance of gay men, which the Chechen leader has continuously denied.

You see, Mr. Speaker, the leader Ramzan refuses to acknowledge that gay men exist in Chechnya, but we know from many credible reports that the Chechen Government has allegedly put these men into camps, and it plans to eliminate its entire gay population by Ramadan, which is May 26.

This is disheartening, to say the least, in an era where the world is moving toward tolerance and equality for all people. To hear about these atrocities being committed is very tragic. The United States should not and must not turn a blind eye to this unwarranted persecution. All individuals, no matter their sexual orientation, their gender identity, their religion, their race, or any other basis deserve the full enjoyment of their God-given rights. These are universal and are for all people to enjoy.

In the wake of these events, I joined several of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in sending a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to take swift action and condemn these atrocities which run counter to American values of promoting human rights and freedom and that should guide strategic decisions that we make on U.S. foreign policy.

I was glad to see that the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the Department of State spoke out against the practice of the Chechen authorities and called for the immediate release of the hundreds of detained men being held at these camps.

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley must be congratulated, also. She condemned these abuses and raised the issue at the first U.N. Security Council meeting. I look forward to the continued collaboration of these agencies and with my colleagues because we must send a united and clear message that we are against all forms of discrimination and all forms of violence.

Mr. Speaker, we must not forget that Putin has significant influence over what goes on in Chechnya, and, to date, Putin has done nothing to help. This is simply outrageous.

From restrictions on political participation, to the suppression of civil society, to the silencing of religious minorities, to the prohibition of freedom of expression, Russia has a deplorable human rights record. Just over the last few years, the Russian Government has adopted laws that restrict free speech, that restrict free association of LGBT individuals, and Russian agencies threaten the removal of children from their rightful loving homes.

Chechnya's crackdown on the LGBT community, directed by government officials, it is very clear to see that these are not haphazard events. These are state-sponsored violent activities. It is time for Putin to talk to his crony Ramzan and put an end to this barbaric gay purge. No government ought to be

able to dictate how each person expresses their individuality, and no government ought to be able to use children as pawns to punish and intimidate others.

I am committed to supporting LGBT individuals under siege in Chechnya, and through the combined efforts of wonderful organizations like the Council for Global Equality, Human Rights First, Human Rights Campaign, Freedom House, and so many NGOs in Russia, we will continue to raise the alarm about Chechnya and Russia's declining human rights record and help find a safe haven to those facing persecution.

Living in a free society and a truly blessed nation like ours, it reaffirms our moral obligation and our unique responsibility to speak for those who find themselves under the shadow of oppression and tyranny.

Mr. Speaker, I am against any actions that undermine the human rights of any person, and, in the coming days, I will introduce a resolution that condemns these reports of violence and persecution in Chechnya. It calls on its officials to immediately stop the abduction, the detention, and the torture of individuals based on their sexual orientation. It is just unbelievable.

It urges further our U.S. leadership to continue to condemn Chechnya's ongoing human rights violations and demand the release of individuals wrongfully detained. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protect and promote the human rights and dignity of all people.

Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that our colleagues would join me in this worthy endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to recognize the beloved memory of a dear friend, Roxcy O'Neal Bolton, who passed away the morning of May 17.

Roxcy was born in Mississippi and later moved to Coral Gables, Florida, in my congressional district, where she spent the last 53 years of her rich and accomplished life.

Roxcy became a champion for women everywhere. She was on the front lines fighting on behalf of abused women and created the first women's rescue shelter and the first crime watch in Florida to help curb crime against women. Roxcy also established the first rape treatment center in the country located at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, which serves as the model for the creation of many other such centers across our Nation.

It was Roxcy's vision that helped establish The Women's Park of Miami-Dade County, which was later renamed after Roxcy.

The passing of Roxcy O'Neal Bolton is a huge loss for those of us in south Florida; and, Mr. Speaker, it is a huge loss for women everywhere. We are comforted by her outstanding legacy, which will live forever.

My prayers go out to her children, David, Bonnie, and Buddy, and to all of her loved ones during this most difficult time.

Way to go, Roxcy. We are going to miss you forever, my friend.

Mr. Speaker, last night I had the honor of presenting the International Republican Institute's 2017 Freedom Award to great freedom fighters in my native homeland of Cuba, the Ladies in White, las Damas de Blanco, although my dear friend Berta Soler, the leader of the Ladies in White, was not able to be there. Why? Because the Cuban regime refused to allow her to leave the island. We were lucky enough to have one of the organization's founding members, Blanca Reyes Castanon, with us accepting the award on the group's behalf.

I have had the privilege of knowing both Blanca and Berta for so many years, and it has been an honor for me to be able to raise awareness about the brave and inspiring Ladies in White, whether I do it here from the House floor or by hosting them here in our Nation's Capital or in my district in Miami, Florida.

Each Sunday in Cuba, the Ladies in White fight for their relatives and all political prisoners in Cuba, demonstrating peacefully as they walk to church.

Yet each Sunday, Mr. Speaker, they are harassed. They are beaten. They are arrested by the regime's thugs.

As a Cuban refugee myself, fleeing the island with my parents when I was only 8 years old, I have seen how the regime has morphed and evolved its methods of repression over the years.

Its treatment of the Ladies in White is emblematic of how it treats all political dissidents, with intimidation, with harassment, with arbitrary arrests, with short-term detentions, with denying them the ability to travel, by trying to bully dissidents into silence.

It attempts to disguise its tactics of repression, trying to fly under the radar so that outside eyes are fooled or placated or feel that they can simply look the other way. But we won't, Mr. Speaker. We won't look the other way.

Despite all of the propaganda, despite all of the misguided policy over the past years, the reality is that the regime's repression is only getting worse, and dissidents like the Ladies in White are bearing the brunt of the regime's intimidation and violence.

The regime is terrified of anyone who speaks for their God-given human rights in Cuba. It wants to project an image to the outside world that the situation in Cuba is improving, but we must not be fooled, Mr. Speaker. The regime will do whatever it takes to remain in power. That is its sole desire, to remain in power. We must be clear-eyed.

We must be honest about what is really going on in Cuba. We must not be placated by the regime's lies or by those who repeat them. We must fight for the truth and show the Cuban people that they are not alone, that together we all stand in solidarity with them in the pursuit of freedom, in the pursuit of democracy and the ability to practice their religion, to live without fear of arbitrary arrests, to live without fear of torture, and finally one day to be able to choose their own leaders.

And we can start by supporting the faces of Cuba's future, the dissidents, the human rights champions, the defenders of freedom, like the brave women of the Ladies in White. They represent the true Cuba. They are Cuba's future. And it was my honor to present them with the IRI's 2017 Freedom Award last night.

Congratulations to las Damas de Blanco, the Ladies in White.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for working to help bring this important bill to the floor in a timely manner and, more importantly, for conducting the affairs of our full committee in an even-tempered, professional manner that is an example to the rest of the House. It is an honor to serve under their leadership.

I also want to thank my good friend Nita Lowey because she is the author of this bill, but I want to thank her for her leadership in fighting anti-Semitism across the world. She has been at this fight for many a year. We have worked closely together on defeating this hatred, one of the world's oldest forms of discrimination. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of her bill, and I thank the gentlewoman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important initiative for our Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, a task force of which I am proud to be a cofounder and a co-chair along with Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Engel, of course Chris Smith, Ted Deutch, Kay Granger, Peter Roskam, Marc Veasey, so many good Members. But more than that, Mr. Speaker, it is an important initiative for the Jewish communities across Europe who have been facing a troubling increase in anti-Semitic incidents and attacks over the past years that have put their safety and their security at risk.

Mr. Speaker, all across Europe, Jews have been targeted. Their places of worship have been targeted, their homes, targeted; their businesses, targeted. Why? Because of their faith.

They have been the target of deadly attacks in European cities, democratic societies that we call allies: France, Belgium, Denmark, elsewhere--horrific. This is simply unconscionable, Mr. Speaker.

There is no time to delay in taking action. We cannot allow for an atmosphere of intolerance and hatred to once again rear its ugly head in Europe. That is why this bill is an important first step.

We have identified growing anti-Semitism as a problem before, but this bill will enhance reporting requirements so that we can more acutely identify the problems and, equally important, Mr. Speaker, we can identify the security challenges facing these Jewish communities. Then we can learn how to best tackle this, and we can learn how we can partner with our European allies and our friends and local law enforcement, along with civil society, to protect against anti-Semitic acts. We can get a better understanding of how our partners in Europe can better educate their children. We can get a handle on how to better promote awareness in their societies to the dangers of such blind hatred.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that the first step in fighting anti-Semitism is identifying the problem areas and then developing a plan to address it. This bill will help us identify the problem. It is an important first step in taking the necessary action to protect the Jewish communities of Europe. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the time.

I applaud the work that both Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel have done in helping to focus more of our foreign policy priority here in our own Western Hemisphere.

I also applaud Congresswoman Norma Torres for authoring the measure that we have before us today, H. Res. 145, reaffirming our dedication to the fight against corruption in Central America. It is an important measure, Mr. Speaker, and it is an important fight.

For years, I have been a strong advocate for this fight because, where corruption is allowed to spread, drug trafficking and crime inevitably thrive;

and this is negative for our neighbors, it is bad for us, and it is bad for our interests. That is why it is vital that we make battling corruption in the region more of a priority of our foreign policy.

In fact, earlier this year, I traveled to Honduras and Guatemala with my good friend Albio Sires, and we saw firsthand how these governments are attempting to tackle corruption in their countries. It is not easy, Mr. Speaker. They are making progress and taking some of the tough decisions necessary, but there is so much more to be done and so much more that they need to do, but they need help from the United States.

That is what we heard when we hosted the attorneys general from the Northern Triangle countries here in Washington, D.C., just last month to discuss what they are doing to fight corruption and what assistance they might need from us. That is why this resolution before us is so important and so timely.

We must urge the governments of Central America to do more to battle corruption, but we also must pledge to do more ourselves because they cannot do it alone. Central American governments must take a stand and voice their support for anticorruption programs. They must respect and defend the authority of the judicial branch, and they must make it a priority. That is not easy for them to do.

Some of these governments have shown a willingness to take these steps, but, sadly, Mr. Speaker, not all of them have. While we urge willing partners to take the steps necessary to fight corruption, we must be willing to do more for those unwilling.

That is why I have reintroduced my NICA Act, which aims at tightening the economic screws on the Ortega regime until we see some drastic reforms, including efforts to end corruption. It is our duty to support our neighbors so that our partners to the south can live in far more open, free, and democratic societies.

It is also in the benefit of our security and it is in the benefit of our national interests to do so. That is why I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 145. I also urge my colleagues to support my NICA Act and to take a more engaged role in our foreign policy interests in our own Western Hemisphere.