Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, over 8 months ago, Congress passed and the President signed a so-called ``economic stimulus'' bill which added nearly $1 trillion to our national debt, and now we are told by this administration, as the White House Council of Economic Advisors recently said, that we can expect 10 percent unemployment through the end of next year and that the economic stimulus bill will contribute little to further economic growth. However, since then, over 3 million jobs have been lost, and the national unemployment rate has soared from 8.1 percent to a 26-year high of 9.8 percent.

State unemployment numbers from my home State of Florida in September continue to reveal the sad fact that since the stimulus passed, unemployment has now risen to 11 percent, which is a record-high level not experienced since 1975.

Today, the House of Representatives will vote on legislation to extend unemployment benefits to those individuals who are unable to find a job. I have supported extensions of these benefits in the past, and I am proud to do so again today.

Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to honor a courageous south Floridian who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. U.N. Guard Louis Maxwell died fighting Taliban attackers at a hotel in Afghanistan last week. Louis and another U.N. security guard held off the terrorists and, in the process, saved innocent lives.

Louis graduated from Miami Central High School in the year 2000. He was such an outstanding trumpet player that he was offered a full music scholarship to Florida A&M University, yet he decided to serve his country and enlisted in the United States Navy. Louis later became a U.N. guard in the year 2007.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon praised Louis' bravery by saying the following: ``They fought through the corridors of the building and from the rooftop. They held off the attackers long enough for their colleagues to escape, armed only with pistols against assailants carrying automatic weapons and grenades and wearing suicide vests.''

I hope Louis' mother, Sandra, takes comfort in knowing that 17 people are alive today because of her son. I join her and the rest of his family in thanking Louis for his service, honoring his memory, and making sure that Louis will never be forgotten.

Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to honor the accomplishments and the ongoing work of one of South Florida's finest residents, Mr. Robert J. ``Bob'' Jensen of Homestead. Bob and his wonderful wife, Meda, are well-known for their caring and giving personalities and for their selfless work on behalf of our community.

Meda tells us that Bob's history began in a small town in Iowa where he was born and raised. He left Iowa in 1954 to serve in our U.S. Navy. He enlisted, excelled, and made Chief in 7 years. Three years later, Bob was selected for Officer Candidate School and was commissioned.

Commander Bob Jensen's specialty in the Navy was cryptology. I happen to know that his work is still classified, so please don't ask Bob. He still can't tell you about it.

The last place that Bob was stationed was our dear Homestead, Florida, and after 28 years in the United States Navy, Bob retired and chose to stay in Homestead with his wife Meda and family; Russell, Robert, Christian and

Jessica. The Jensens now have lots of beautiful grandchildren.

In 1983, First National Bank's President Bill Losner asked Bob to join the bank. Bill Losner knew Bob Jensen well. He picked out a career that perfectly suited Bob and that helped First National Bank excel in Community Outreach and Marketing.

As Vice President, Bob Jensen invested the bank's resources and began investing all his time to touch and nurture groups, organizations, and projects throughout Miami-Dade County. Everyone has told us, out of all of his volunteer and community work, Bob is proudest of his efforts to create better farm workforce housing.

Bob is also the former Chair and Commissioner with Homestead Housing and has served on the board for Centro Campesino. This outfit trains farm workers for better jobs, mostly in construction, and helps enable farm workers to build and purchase their own homes. These are wonderful legacies for Bob, his fellow board members, and those farm workers who have achieved the American dream of home ownership.

Did I mention Bob and Meda's work with the Pioneer Museum? Well, almost every Saturday of the year the Jensens and their trained docents give historical tours about our area at a restored railroad station house on Krome Avenue. He has also collected hundreds of historical photographs, on display at local shops, hotels, and other businesses in the Homestead area.

Bob is also a member of the Agri-Council, which educates south Floridians and visitors on the history of the agricultural sector of south Florida. Bob serves on the Military Affairs Committee of the Homestead and Florida City Chamber of Commerce, helping our active duty, reserve, and retired military personnel. And just 5 years ago, Bob created the Heritage Hall Museum at Homestead Air Reserve Base to record its history. He's called ``Mr. Homestead,'' a term of affection from a grateful community.

Indeed, Bob Jensen is a man about town. He's helping save the meal program that provides breakfast and lunch to the vast majority of school children at Laura Saunders Elementary.

He's received numerous awards and honors: Leadership South Dade's Leader of the Year; Presidential Award from the Homestead Chamber; honors from the Boy Scouts of America, the Mexican American Council, the American Red Cross, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and the Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation.

Bob Jensen is a historian, a volunteer, a mentor, a leader, and a friend to all whom he touches. God has blessed our Nation and our community with a great man, Bob Jensen.

As we know, health care is not a luxury; it is simply a necessity. And here in the United States we already have the best doctors, the best hospitals, the best patient care in the world. What we do not have is the best access to health care. That access lies in being able to obtain quality health care at a fair price.

All families deserve to know that their health care needs will be met. We need to promote changes that make health care insurance easily accessible and affordable for all Americans. And we need to do this in a way that fixes what is broken in the system without destroying what works in the system.

What we need is real health care reform. Real health care reform means that no one should be denied coverage due to a preexisting health condition. Real health care reform means coverage should be portable and stay with you through job changes or career changes. Real health care reform means that there should be no discrimination based on age or gender. Real health care reform means expanding the health care options for all Americans by forcing insurance companies to compete for all of our business. Real health care reform means supporting effective prevention, wellness, and disease management programs. And, most importantly, real health care reform means all of these things without destroying the current health care system that over 80 percent of Americans have said they are happy with.

The Pelosi health care bill wants to raise taxes on all individuals by 2.5 percent if they do not purchase bureaucrat-approved health insurance. The Pelosi health care bill makes over $162 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage for seniors. The Pelosi health care bill will eventually force Americans to purchase their coverage through the Federal Government with no real competition. The Pelosi health care bill makes no effort to control the skyrocketing costs of health care or insurance premiums. Instead, the Pelosi health care bill finds convoluted ways to hide health care costs in taxes on individuals, businesses, and by making timely and professional care a scarce resource.

As a mother and as a grandmother, I know that American families are worried. In the average household, it is us women who are often tasked with major and minor health care decisions. We choose our family doctors and take our kids and elderly parents to doctors' appointments. We stay home to nurse the sick children and our partners back to health. And we have seen every scrape, every cut, every blister that our family members have ever had. We know that families are in this together and we bind and look after our families.

Women know that if health care reform excludes even one member of our family, then it is unworkable. And we know the high cost of health care is the most important issue facing our Nation right now, because it is the most important issue facing our families.

Everyone deserves access to health care insurance. Everyone deserves health care treatment. And everyone deserves both at an affordable price.

The Pelosi health care bill is not the answer. We can, and indeed, we must, do better.

Mr. Speaker, many seniors from my area of south Florida are concerned about the $1 trillion Pelosi bill. The Pelosi bill is poised to hurt seniors by endangering their Medicare benefits. Seniors, after decades and decades of hard work and sacrifice, deserve nothing less than the best quality health care that we can provide. Any health care reform legislation must not endanger this solemn promise.

According to CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, the Pelosi plan will cut Medicare benefits by $162 billion. The Pelosi bill will force seniors to pay up to 20 percent more for their Medicare prescription drug coverage. It will also inflict massive cuts on a popular program, Medicare Advantage, that will force many seniors out of their current coverage. So not only do we take away benefits from our seniors, but we will make them pay more for what little they are left with.

This is not what seniors deserve. Seniors deserve to have their Medicare benefits protected. Whatever shape health care reform takes, this Chamber must never forget our pledge to our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I do not oppose the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, if I could ask unanimous consent to extend the debate time in light of the fact that we have three factions asking for time. I would ask for unanimous consent to extend equally the debate time, because we have so many requests for time.

I yield to the gentleman from California for the purpose of talking about debate time, not taking from my time.

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

This past winter, Operation Cast Lead in Israel exercised its right as a sovereign nation and its obligation to defend its citizens, and its very existence, against attacks by Hamas and other violent extremist groups in Gaza.

Israel did so while taking extraordinary measures to minimize the risk of civilian casualties. Indeed, as Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan, has stated: ``During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli Defense Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.''

Then, in January, the Human Rights Council, dominated by dictatorships, voted to authorize a so-called fact-finding mission. Notably, most free democratic nations did not render their support for this sham. The mission's mandate had nothing to do with fact-finding and everything to do with persecuting Israel for defending herself. The mandate prejudged Israel's guilt, targeted only Israel, and Richard Goldstone agreed to head this mission.

Mr. Goldstone claims that he got the Human Rights Council president to modify the mandate. Well, my colleagues, just as the Speaker of the House cannot unilaterally change a resolution once adopted, neither could the president of the council change the mandate without the council's approval. Claims of a revised mandate are false since the council did not take any action to approve any modifications.

Fast forward to September, Mr. Speaker, when the so-called fact- finding mission released its report. Indeed, it's a 575-page hatchet job commonly known as the Goldstone Report.

While this report contains sweeping accusations that Israel had deliberately attacked civilians, in contrast the report disregarded evidence that Hamas and other such groups in Gaza used innocents as human shields and deliberately launched attacks from schools, from hospitals, from mosques. To fully appreciate the Goldstone Report's bias, one need only look at the testimony of an Israeli doctor whose clinic was hit by a rocket launched from Gaza.

The doctor, who was severely wounded in the attack and had already undergone seven operations to address her injuries, says, ``Judge Goldstone, in July you invited me to testify. I told you my story.

``I testified in good faith.

``But now I see your report. I have to tell you: I am shocked.

``Judge Goldstone, in a 500-page report, why did you completely ignore my story?

``I feel humiliated.

``Why are there only two pages about Israeli victims like me, who suffered thousands of rockets over 8 years?

``Why did you choose to focus on the period of my country's response, but not on that of the attacks that caused it?''

Mr. Goldstone claims that the report never sought to deny Israel its right to self-defense, but the report sought to cast Israel's actions in response to rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza, not as carefully targeted defensive measures, but as the deliberate infliction of violence on civilians.

This is not surprising. The fact-finding mission includes a member who, even as the operation was taking place in January of 2009, signed a statement entitled, ``Israel's bombardment of Gaza is not self- defense, it's a war crime.''

Indeed, this statement began by categorically rejecting Israel's right to defend herself against such attacks. Further, the words ``self-defense'' or similar terms never appear in the report. The report recommended further action by multiple U.N. bodies, including the General Assembly, the Security Council and International Criminal Court. The Human Rights Council has already used this report to condemn Israel. No surprise there.

Tomorrow, the General Assembly will likely to do the same. As Israel is being ostracized at the U.N., violent extremists in Gaza continued to fire rockets and mortars at innocent Israelis, 265 of the last 9 months alone. Just yesterday, militants in Gaza fired another rocket, which exploded near an Israeli residential area. No surprise there.

Israel's military intelligence chief testified yesterday that Hamas has test-fired a rocket with a 60-kilometer range, far enough to hit the Tel Aviv area, threatening up to 3 million Israelis.

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

Mr. Speaker, at this time I am so honored to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), our well- respected and esteemed Republican whip.

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to my good friend from Indiana, Mr. Burton, the ranking member on the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia of our Foreign Affairs Committee.

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to my good friend, the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran), a member of the Agriculture, Transportation, and Veterans' Affairs Committees. A busy man.

Madam Speaker, I'm proud to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe), a member of the Agriculture, Education, and Veterans' Affairs Committees. Another very busy man.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself my remaining time.

We must recognize what is at stake here. The Goldstone Report asked for this matter to be considered by the International Criminal Court, equating Israel with the genocidal regime in Sudan. Today enemies of freedom seek to haul democratic, political and military leaders of Israel before an unaccountable court for defending their nation against Hamas, but how long before U.S. officials will have to face the same persecution for defending our Nation against al Qaeda or any other such threat?

Madam Speaker, the way forward is obvious. We must support the right of all democracies to defend ourselves and our citizens. We must reaffirm our support for Israel and her efforts to defend herself from violent Islamic militants and their state sponsors. We must oppose any attempts to grant consideration or endorsement to this irredeemably biased Goldstone Report.

House Resolution 867 achieves these goals, and 170 of our colleagues who cosponsored it agreed. My colleagues, we have a choice to make: stand with free democratic nations or send a message to those who seek Israel and America's destruction that they can continue unhampered as the U.N. and its apologists sweep under the proverbial rug incessant attacks like the ones Hamas and other violent extremists launched from Gaza against Israel. The choice is clear. Support this resolution.

Would the gentleman yield?

You asked unanimous consent to put the Goldstone Report in the Congressional Record, I object.

If my colleague would yield, I would like to know how much it will cost the taxpayers to put 575 pages of the Goldstone Report in the Congressional Record.

Parliamentary Inquiries

Parliamentary inquiry, Madam Speaker.

Is it correct that after a certain number of pages, there will be a cost estimate for the printing in the Congressional Record? This report is 575 pages, and I am wondering the cost to the taxpayers for the printing of this biased report.

I just want to be clear, when you asked under general leave for unanimous consent, that I will object to that for the printing in the Record.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

I thank my esteemed chairman for his words, and I join him in the declaration of support for the work of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.

As we know, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, also known as RFE/ RL, was established 60 years ago and was a powerful voice for freedom in the battle of ideas against communist tyranny.

Former Polish President Lech Walesa and Vaclav Havel, the former President of the Czech Republic, have all testified that by means of its broadcast of unbiased and independent news programs behind the Iron Curtain, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty played a vital role in the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist allies. In fact, the Soviet KGB and the Warsaw Pact intelligence services, appreciating the threat posed by Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty to their communist regimes, conducted massive operations to foil its operations. They even resorted to violence.

Just two instances: For example, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Bulgarian service correspondent was believed to have been murdered by Bulgarian intelligence services; and six Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty employees were critically injured when a bomb paid for by Romanian security services exploded at the headquarters of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Munich, West Germany.

Today, as our generation engages in yet another battle of ideas, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty continues to prove its worth. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's broadcasts in 28 different languages reach people in 20 countries throughout southeastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Afghanistan service is now the most popular media program in that country, and it intends to expand next year to reach the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, providing a much- needed source of independent and accurate news to compete with the shrill rhetoric of the extremists in that area.

Today, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and its personnel continue to suffer attacks, some mounted in new ways. Just last year, for example, a new style of attack, a cyberattack, was mounted against the Belarusian service of RFE/RL to prevent the broadcast of a rally against the regime in that country.

But in the more traditional style of attack, an Iranian American journalist was convicted and sentenced in Iran to a year in prison, Mr. Speaker, and her 98-year-old mother was threatened with eviction from her housing unit because of the journalist's antirevolutionary work with RFE/RL's Iranian news service.

Also recently, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist in Turkmenistan was tortured by authorities who tried to coerce him into signing a pledge that he would stop working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Turkmen service, and then they detained him against his will and put him in a government-run psychiatric center.

Journalists such as these, Mr. Speaker, who work for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are heroes, fighting with determination for freedom. I am proud to have authored this resolution in recognition of their brave efforts and proud of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's six decades of service in the promotion of freedom.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for those statements.

I have no further requests for time, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 831, on a Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to ``Expressing support for designation of a `National Firefighters Memorial Day' to honor and celebrate the firefighters of the United States.'' Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to recognize the Athalie Range Cultural Arts Foundation and its upcoming annual Celebration of Life event honoring those who have made significant contributions to the African American community. This year, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, WHQT General Manager Jerry Rushin, and retired Bacardi Heritage Foundation president Jose Bacardi will be honored.

The Athalie Range Cultural Arts Foundation helps to encourage the appreciation and the enrichment of arts, especially of African American arts, in south Florida. The foundation was named after one of south Florida's most dedicated and courageous residents.

Athalie Range was a pioneer in our community, first as a civil rights activist and later as a public official. As the PTA president of Liberty City Elementary, she became a champion for the students of Miami-Dade County. She informed the school board about the deplorable conditions of Liberty City schools, and she demanded better resources for those schools.

Athalie became the first African American to serve on the Miami City Commission, and she also became the first African American and the first woman to head the Florida Department of Community Affairs. Athalie Range lived a life of humility that underscored her deep commitment to civil rights, justice and opportunity for all.

I commend the Athalie Range Cultural Arts Foundation for continuing in Athalie's footsteps, for helping to support the arts and for enriching the lives of all of south Florida residents.

Mr. Speaker, in many households, women are the main link between our family members and the health care that they receive. Women make the majority of health care decisions for their families. As the mother of two young adults and a new grandmother, I know the many responsibilities placed on women with children. From the time children are born to far beyond when they reach adulthood, a mother's care and advice are never far away. If we are fortunate, eventually we will be the grown children of elderly parents.

In my family, my mother suffers from Alzheimer's, among many other age-related problems. I know the responsibility of caring for our elders. My day would not be complete without at least making sure that I, along with my husband, children, and parents, have and take all of our prescriptions

and make it to our doctors' appointments on time. It is no wonder that women are the majority of health care workers in the United States. We are well prepared for this task.

Every American deserves access to health care insurance. This is our goal, and it must be the goal of our Congress. The goal must not be a bill that costs $1 trillion. The goal must not be a bill written behind closed doors. The goal must not be a bill that increases taxes on our families and all of our small businesses. The goal must not be a bill that passes huge debts on to our children and grandchildren.

Women deserve better. Every American deserves better. They deserve health care treatment, and every American deserves both health care treatment and efficiency at an affordable cost. But as America's mothers will tell you, Congress should be utilizing what works in our health care system and fixing what does not. Mothers are masters at finding commonsense and practical solutions.

What we currently see is a health care system burdened by excesses and inefficient bureaucracy. What we see is our children denied coverage because of a preexisting condition. What we see is parents changing jobs, causing our families to lose our doctors. What we see is women and our parents being charged more for insurance premiums because of their gender or because of their age.

What we don't see is how a government takeover of our health care is going to provide for our families' needs. What we don't see is how a bureaucratic takeover of our health care will bring down the cost of health care procedures or health care insurance. What we don't see is how the Pelosi $1 trillion bill helps us more than it hurts us.

Every American family deserves affordable health care and affordable health insurance. To use a mother's saying, let's not go throwing out the baby with the bath water. Simple, commonsense, cost-effective reform is how we can include all families in our health insurance market. We can and we must accomplish health care reform without ruining the current health care coverage that is enjoyed by the majority of families.

Women across the United States want to protect their family's coverage while ensuring that every other mother out there has the same access that she does. The Pelosi bill is not the answer. We can do better. We must do better.

Madam Speaker, I support Red Ribbon Week and our unified efforts against illegal drug use.

Red Ribbon Week represents the largest united effort of the American people to promote drug prevention. We must all continue to support this effort.

This dreadful problem plagues communities throughout our Nation and especially my home district in South Florida. Miami is one of the leading areas in cocaine related deaths. And an estimated 20,000 people a year die from illegal drug use throughout the United States each year.

Thankfully, over 80 million people participate in Red Ribbon week by pledging to lead a drug free life. With our encouragement we can have many more youths take this pledge.

As a former educator I know that Red Ribbon Week offers the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and help educate students at a young age on the dangers of drug use. The terrifying fact is that over 60 percent of teens reported that drugs were sold, used, or present at their schools. We must teach students about the dangers of drugs and discourage them of ever becoming involved with drugs in the first place. Only by actively engaging our children can we impress on them the importance of being drug-free.

It has been proven that when teenagers' parents talk to them regularly about the dangers of drug use, they are 42 percent less likely to use drugs. Families, adults, and children joining together for this cause have a profound impact on not only those participating, but also the communities as a whole.

We must continue to strive to increase awareness and participation in Red Ribbon Week to help stop this devastating problem of drug abuse and drug-related violence.

In this effort we must also remember those who seek to safeguard our children in the fight against drugs. Just this Monday, three Drug Enforcement Administration agents died tragically while conducting overseas operations. The agents were returning from a counter-narcotics operation when the military helicopter they were riding in crashed. Seven U.S. military servicemembers were also killed in the crash.

Of these heroes, Special Agent Chad Michael was from my Congressional district and I would like to take this moment to honor his memory and sacrifice. Before being reassigned in August to a DEA operation in Afghanistan, Special Agent Michael was a member of South Florida's DEA team for six years. The DEA agents were assigned to the agency's operation against Afghanistan's opium trade, which frequently funds insurgent activity. Efforts in Afghanistan began in 2005 and in the past year have been reinforced to fully attack international drug trade and the activities it funds. Since illegal drugs have a large dependence on international sources, it is critical that we support those who help to fight this part of the drug war.

My prayers go out to Special Agent Michael's family, and to the families of all the heroes who risk their lives each day to make our country and this world safer and drug-free.

As a mother and grandmother, and for the sake of all our children, I urge all Americans to take the Red Ribbon Week pledge this and every October.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize a wonderful foundation, Sister to Sister, and its Miami Community Council.

Sister to Sister works year-round to bring heart awareness to thousands of women in south Florida. Its members educate women on the dangers of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among women.

Sister to Sister will host its Miami Executive Women's Breakfast on November 18 in Key Biscayne, in my congressional district, to stimulate interest in the many women's heart health fairs throughout the years. These heart health fairs include free heart screenings as well as great information on preventing heart disease.

Sister to Sister's heart health fairs have been held in more than 20 cities, and more than 80,000 women have been screened.

I commend our local Sister to Sister organization for its hard work and compassion in the fight against heart disease and encourage all south Florida women to attend one of their heart health fairs.

Heart disease is a serious issue, and we can promote early detection and treatment.

Mr. Speaker, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I rise today calling for a cure for this terrible disease. Although breast cancer impacts both genders, it disproportionately targets women and even more disproportionately impacts African American and Hispanic women. It is the second leading cause of death among women.

Breast cancer is survivable if caught and treated early. Unfortunately, we all know someone who has had breast cancer, and its impact is devastating on families, on friends, and on entire communities. I have had both the honor and sorrow of knowing many breast cancer survivors and its victims. I am in awe of the women who not only survive this cancer, but use their awareness to spread awareness of breast cancer prevention. We must all work together to bring about greater breast cancer education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and most importantly, a cure.

Mr. Speaker, let's tell our mothers and sisters: Get tested; you can survive breast cancer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to encourage all Florida residents to consider enrollment in Florida's Prepaid College Tuition Program.

I am a strong advocate of having parents and students get an early start on saving for college. As a mother and as a grandmother, as well as a former educator, I know the struggles working parents face when their children apply to college. Even in the best of times, parents and young adults can have trouble paying for tuition.

As a coauthor of the Florida prepaid plan, when I was a member of the Florida legislature, I knew that we could help make paying for college education easier on all of Florida's families. We created the Florida prepaid plan so that parents could lock in their children's tuition costs early and could ensure that they would be able to receive quality educations when their time came.

This plan has been extremely successful. Even as similar plans across the country are struggling, Florida's prepaid plan has a solid future. More than 206,000 students have attended college in Florida with the assistance of our State's Florida Prepaid College Tuition Program. With college tuition rising at about 6 percent each year, there is no reason not to take part in this program. There is flexibility in this program to allow parents to find the right plans and the right payment schedules which best fit a family's needs.

In addition to locked-in tuition rates, Florida's Prepaid College Tuition Program offers a tax-free investment fund--an account where money can be saved for tuition and additional college expenses. This program is truly helping families afford college for their children. Tuition plans vary depending on a child's age and a plan's options, but in most cases, the savings for a family can be incredible.

Prepaid plans can be bought by non-Florida residents, but the child for whom the plan is purchased must be a resident younger than 18 and not yet in the 12th grade. If the child decides not to go to college, the money is refunded or it can be transferred to a brother or to a sister. Also, that plan is good even if the child and the parents move out of State. Many States apply and accept Florida's prepaid plan.

The future of America lies in the hands of the next generation, and our children must be provided with the intellectual opportunities that they need to succeed. As a Nation and as a community, we must work together to improve the educational opportunities for all of our children. With the help of programs such as Florida's Prepaid College Tuition Program, we certainly have a valuable tool toward accomplishing this noble goal.

For anyone signing up before January 31, tuition rates will be locked in at the 2009-2010 tuition rates. Florida's public universities, Mr. Speaker, have been given the authorization to raise tuition up to 15 percent for next year. So, with these possible increases looming, there is no better time than now to make sure that our sons and daughters are afforded the education they rightfully deserve.

Madam Speaker, October 20, 2009 should have marked the 35th birthday of Shannon Denise Melendi; instead, she will be forever the 19-year-old victim of kidnapping and rape whose life was tragically ended at the hands of a ruthless killer.

Shannon was a gifted young college sophomore from Miami attending Emory University in Atlanta. In Miami, at Southwest High School, my alma mater, she was president of the junior and senior class and a champion orator who was captain of the debate team for 3 years. She was also in the National Honor Society and graduated cum laude in the top 3 percent of her class.

As a member of the Legal Eagles club, Shannon was an aspiring attorney whose ultimate goal was to sit on the Supreme Court. During her senior year, Shannon even spoke before the United Nations and Congress.

With grand dreams and a promising future ahead of her, nothing could have turned out to be more tragic than her disappearance. The news was devastating to her home community as it was to the Atlanta area where she had already established herself as a bright individual with an even brighter future.

She disappeared without a trace on March 26, 1994 while working at a part-time job at a softball country club. Shortly after, the first 10,000 posters and 60 billboards went up in Atlanta with Shannon's picture declaring her missing. Not long after that, her father, Luis Melendi, had the signs changed to ``kidnapped.''

Calvin ``Butch'' Hinton was named as a suspect. He was a coworker and an umpire she knew through her part-time job. Many pieces of evidence linked him to the disappearance of Shannon, but unfortunately not enough for a solid case. In a strange twist of fate, this demented man burned down his own home to keep the authorities from investigating him further, but he was sentenced to 9 years in prison for fraud when he tried to collect insurance on that house fire.

Then, more than 11 years after Shannon had disappeared, Hinton had just been released from prison when he was rearrested and placed on trial for Shannon's murder. After many heart-wrenching moments in the trial, the verdict came back guilty and Hinton was sentenced to life in prison.

Because of the atrocious acts of this horrible man, a bright young life was extinguished and the world is forever poorer because of it. Chillingly, though, this murderer is up for parole in 2011. With the confessed perpetrator behind bars, we have the comfort of knowing that no other person can fall victim to him, and that is why we should fight to keep him there in prison. Unfortunately, many perpetrators are roaming the streets today still preying on the most innocent of victims. Let us make sure that Calvin Hinton is not one of them.

Shannon's parents, Luis and Yvonne, as well as her sister, Monique, are still active today in efforts to protect children by strengthening our laws and protecting and educating youth and their families about violence and perpetrators. They honor their daughter and their sister, Shannon, and the countless other children like Shannon through their work. Shannon's story must serve as a reminder to students that they must always be aware of their surroundings and stay safe.

As a mother and grandmother, I cannot imagine the heartache the Melendis have gone through. Luis Melendi still speaks to high school seniors about the dangers posed by perpetrators and reminds them that this could happen to anyone. Last week, on what should have been their daughter's 35th birthday, the Melendi family spoke to the students at Coral Shores High School in Tavernier to keep Shannon's memory alive and to drive home the idea of being aware and being safe. With these efforts and the laws that we pass, we can help protect our Nation's youth.

It is in honor and remembrance of Shannon Melendi that I urge my colleagues to remain champions and protectors of our youth. Through the life of Shannon Melendi we know that even though it was short, we can make sure that the lessons learned from her murder last eternally.

I thank the Speaker for the time, and we will always remember Shannon.