Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Fortune ``Tino'' Bosco, of Tampa, Florida, who lost his battle with cancer last month. Fortune described himself to many as ``just a poor Italian immigrant,'' but to all who knew him, he was so much more--a grand story teller, a civil rights advocate, a political powerhouse, a bocce ball enthusiast and a dedicated family man.

Born in Lanciano, Italy, Fortune earned a degree in law and economics from the University of Rome, and went on to serve in the Italian National Police and at Interpol, the Paris based international police agency. Also a professional soccer player, in the 1950s, Fortune played on the Italian Olympic soccer team.

In 1954, Fortune arrived in the United States on the Andrea Doria. Later, when the famed ship collided with another cruise liner, Fortune worked as a translator for the rescued Italian passengers. It was during this time that Fortune met the love of his life, Marjorie Nettleton, who was also helping the accident victims. Marjorie and Fortune would go on to settle in Florida and start a family, which became the focal point of Fortune's life.

Fortune earned his second law degree at University of Miami. Afterwards, he was hired as a civil rights attorney by the U.S. Department of Justice and transferred to Tampa to serve in the Office of Economic Opportunity. His passion for protecting civil rights brought him to Selma, Alabama in 1965 to participate in the historic civil rights march.

Always proud of his Italian heritage, Fortune was also known for his weekly ``La Pagina Italiana'' column in Tampa's trilingual La Gaceta newspaper. Even as Fortune struggled with retinitis pigmentosa, which slowly robbed him of his eyesight, Fortune continued to write his column, play bocce ball and chess games and actively participate in local and state political campaigns.

Fortune was active in a host of local community groups including the Sons of Italy, Mona Lisa Lodge and the Italian Club of Tampa. He served on the Mayor's Alliance for People with Disabilities and was an honorary member of the Board of Directors at the Lion's Club.

In so many ways, Fortune represented the heart and soul of Tampa. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Fortune's family.

Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous what this Congress is about to do. This Congress is voting on a sorely needed adjustment to reimbursement rates for physicians that is very important to my home State, Florida, and the entire country.

But as part of that, the Congress is also being forced to vote on opening up 8 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to drilling, which threatens the environment and the economy in the State of Florida. There has not been a single hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives, in the State of Florida, anywhere in the country, on the implications to the environment, the economy, the Florida beaches, not just a State treasure, a national treasure, opening this area up for drilling.

And what's at stake? What's at stake is this drilling is going to occur in a part of the Gulf of Mexico where the currents, the tides, the wind and the slew of hurricanes that we know all plague this part of the country could bring disaster to Florida in the event of a spill.

Now, reasonable people will disagree on the probability of a spill. But we should at least have an open and honest debate as to those facts and the serious implications to the State of Florida if there is a spill, because there has been evidence I have put in this Record from public hearings in Florida, from experts, that if there is a spill out in the Gulf of Mexico, this current could easily bring this oil spill into the west coast of Florida, my home, the Florida Keys, a national treasure, even to the east coast of Florida.

And why are we doing this? For 60 days of oil for the country and 97 days of natural gas one State, the State of Florida, is being put at risk, also, at a time where there are over 4,000 leases currently in effect for the oil and gas industry that are not being tapped.

As a matter of fact, 80 percent of the known oil and gas reserves on the

Outer Continental Shelf are already available for lease exploration and drilling. And yet, on the last day of this Congress, this Congress forces the American people, the United States Congress, who want relief for physicians and their patients, to be forced to open the Gulf of Mexico up to 8 million acres of drilling.

Now, what should happen instead? This rule should be defeated. This Congress should come back next year and have a comprehensive energy bill.

Should Florida support drilling in the Gulf of Mexico? Of course we should. We should be part of the national solution, but only after an open and honest debate to make sure that Florida's environment and our economy is protected, to make sure that drilling is part of a comprehensive bill that includes stronger, smarter fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, emphasis on renewables and alternative fuel. That is the responsible approach, not just for the State of Florida, but for the country.

So I would urge defeat of this rule, and let's go back and take up this issue in a fair way, not just for the State of Florida, but for the entire country.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of DeMaris Marsh of Brandon, Florida, a tireless advocate for America's seniors. Dee's passing last week is a tremendous loss to our community.

Dee devoted countless hours to helping improve the lives of seniors. She was an extremely dedicated volunteer for the AARP, serving the organization and its members in numerous ways. She volunteered as State Director of the AARP in Arkansas and served on the AARP National Legislative Council and the Florida State AARP Legislative Council.

As a Member of Congress, Dee was an invaluable resource to me because she was a strong voice for Florida's seniors. As a member of my Long Term Care Advisory Board, Dee provided important insight into many of the issues and federal programs affecting seniors. I know she advised numerous other legislative and political officials as well.

Dee was also committed to providing direct assistance to her fellow seniors. She taught AARP Driver Safety courses and volunteered as an AARP Tax-Aide counselor, helping seniors complete their federal tax forms. Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida's Grassroots and Community Outreach Manager said it best, ``Dee Marsh was a wonderful human being, an impassioned advocate for Floridians 50 and older, and a devoted volunteer for AARP. Through her many years of advocacy efforts, she was a part of helping improve the lives of millions of older Americans. We at AARP Florida will miss her kind heart, sharp mind and gracious Southern charm.''

I too will miss Dee and her devotion to helping legislators, like me, better serve the needs of our community. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Dee's family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the H.B. Plant High School girls' volleyball players, a powerhouse team who just this weekend won its first Class 5A state volleyball title since 2003.

With a 28-2 record, the number one ranked Panthers defeated Fort Meyers 25-16, 25-23, 25-19 in the championship match at The Lakeland Center. The team was led by senior Christine Williamson's 14 kills, five blocks and 12 digs.

Last season, the Panthers' march to victory was cut short by a heartbreaking loss to Venice during the state regional semifinals. At the beginning of this season, the Panthers made their intentions clear by wearing warm-up t-shirts that read ``Unfinished Business.'' ``Unfinished,'' however, was printed on a strip of Velcro, and on Saturday, the team proudly tore off ``Unfinished'' to announce their completed mission--``Finished Business.''

The Panthers' victory could not have been possible without the tireless efforts of coach Leanna Taylor. The team's final win gave Taylor her first state championship medallion as head coach.

Saturday's victory marked the culmination of countless hours of practice, the team members' unwavering dedication and unmatched skill. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I commend all the Panthers for their championship win. We are all looking forward to your next season.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Paul de la Garza, a passionate, dedicated journalist whose stories have sparked critical changes at Tampa's James A. Haley VA Medical Center and elsewhere. Paul's passing last month is a tremendous loss to his colleagues at the St. Petersburg Times and the entire Tampa Bay community.

Paul's inspiring work ethic developed at an early age. From humble beginnings in Port Isabel, TX, Paul worked his way through elementary school, high school and college and fought his way into the newsroom. Paul cultivated his love for journalism at the University of Texas at Austin where he served as reporter and editor of the student newspaper, earning a job offer in the Associated Press's Chicago bureau.

Paul first came to the Tampa Bay area in 1992 to work for the St. Petersburg Times, writing police news stories, a column and helping to edit the Tampa section. He went on to work at the Chicago Tribune as a metro reporter, then a foreign correspondent and Mexico City bureau chief.

The St. Petersburg Times welcomed Paul's return in 2000, and since then, his breaking news stories have helped to expose problems in veterans health care services at Haley, as well as shedding light onto operations at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base.

Paul's relentless pursuit of sources, his ability to befriend people from all walks of life, and his passion for revealing the truth, made him a superb journalist. But Paul will also be remembered for his compassion for others, his brave battle against Hodgkin's disease, and his intense love of family.

On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Paul's family. May his wife and children find comfort in the many people that Paul inspired and the legacy he leaves behind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Stanford Newman, a man who transformed the Tampa Bay community and the cigar industry during his more than 70 years as head of the J.C. Newman Cigar Co., based in Ybor City.

Son of a Hungarian immigrant, Stanford worked in the family business alongside his father, and then his two sons, and built J.C. Newman Cigar Co. into one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of cigars. The company, which owns Cuesta-Rey and Diamond Crown Cigars, is recognized by cigar aficionados across the globe.

Even at 90 years old, Stanford continued to go to work 5 days a week, serving as chairman of the company. During his tenure, Stanford successfully guided his company through tremendous changes in the cigar industry, most notably, the Cuban embargo, which forced Newman to abandon the use of the Cuban tobacco leaf in their cigars. Not only did Stanford rise to meet this and many other challenges, but he went on to see his business flourish in the 1970s, when his Cuesta-Rey #95 cigar became the largest selling premium cigar in the nation.

Stanford's leadership did not stop at the company doors. He served as President of the Cigar Manufacturers Association of Tampa for more than 20 years and Board member of the Cigar Association of America for more than 56 years. His success and contributions earned him the 2001 Ernst and Young Florida Entrepreneur of the Year title and induction into the Cigar Aficionado's Hall of Fame.

Fortunately for the people of Tampa Bay, Stanford was not just a cornerstone of the cigar industry--he was a cornerstone of our community as well. Stanford dedicated his time, talent, and money to improving this community in countless ways.

He served as board member of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Second National Bank of Tampa. Stanford was a member of the board of trustees at Congregation Schaarai Zedek, a longtime member of Tampa's Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was one of the founders of the Ybor City State Museum, treasurer of the Berkeley Preparatory School and president of the Dad's Club. In addition, Stanford served as longtime director of the Latin America Fiesta and was a member of the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, as well as a number of Tampa's social organizations.

It is particularly fitting that Stanford continues to serve his fellow man in death as he did in his long, rich life. Stanford donated his liver to a transplant patient upon his passing.

Mr. Speaker, Stanford Newman was an icon in the cigar industry and in Tampa Bay. His contributions to our community's economy and culture will leave a lasting impression. On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I extend my deepest sympathies to his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Geraldine Barnes, a tireless activist in the West Tampa community, who lost her battle with colon cancer last month.

A Middleton High School and Hillsborough Community College graduate, Geraldine dedicated her life to helping improve her community. She worked for Hillsborough County as a community organization specialist for 36 years, served on the Tampa Housing Authority board for more than a decade, helped initiate the West Tampa Community Development Corp. to drive the rehabilitation of West Tampa, and worked at the West Tampa Neighborhood Service Center, providing services to low-income residents.

Young or old, Geraldine served anyone in need, always with a focus on strengthening her community, improving opportunities for its residents and giving the people of West Tampa a voice. Even throughout her struggle with cancer, Geraldine continued to volunteer her time and her strength.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to Geraldine Barnes, not only for her tireless efforts on our behalf, but also for the example she has set for all of us to follow. On behalf of the Tampa Bay community, I extend my deepest sympathies to Geraldine's family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Justo ``Bill'' Noriega, of Brandon, Florida, a pharmacist and family businessman who dedicated his life to helping his customers and his community.

Born in Ybor City, Bill earned his pharmacy degree at the University of Florida, graduating with high honors. Bill set up shop in the heart of Brandon, founding Bill's Prescription Center 50 years ago and working there until his cancer forced him to stay home.

Even in the face of growing competition, Bill's Prescription Center continues to be one of Brandon's longest-operating family businesses because of Bill's dedication to his customers. Bill took time with everyone who walked through his door--carefully listening to their concerns and patiently answering their questions--and he was known for helping patients who were unable to pay for their prescriptions. Always a servant to the community, Bill made sure his business continued delivering medicines to homebound customers, and his generosity extended beyond the pharmacy doors through his support of numerous community organizations.

On behalf of the entire Tampa Bay community, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the Noriega family. Bill was a role model for all of us, and I know that under his son John's watch, Bill's legacy of service will continue at Bill's Prescription Center.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Sarah Jordan- Holmes, an incredibly gifted leader and fundraiser who put her talents, her heart and her faith into improving our community.

As President and CEO of Prevent Blindness Florida for 15 years, Sarah raised millions of dollars, won over countless supporters for its mission and brought national attention to the organization. Through her work, Prevent Blindness Florida earned Tampa Bay Business Journal's ``Non-Profit of the Year Award'' in the area of Health Services, and Sarah earned the Association of Fundraising Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award.

Prevent Blindness Florida was not the only worthy cause that was blessed to count Sarah as an advocate. She led fundraising campaigns for the Florida Museum of Science and Industry, the YMCA and the University of South Florida. In addition, Sarah was active in a host of other local community, charitable and professional organizations.

Sarah's tireless work on behalf of the organizations she championed was deeply rooted in her faith and dedication to serve others. She served as a senior warden and vestry member of the St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church, president of the board of trustees for the Southwest Florida Episcopal Church Foundation, member of the Diocesan Standing Committee and participant in the Cursillo Movement.

It is no surprise that Sarah was so successful in her lifetime. She was a natural leader, a role model for everyone she met and a genuine go-getter. Sarah's faith and inner strength helped guide her through her long struggle with cancer--a challenge she faced with great dignity. During her lifetime, cut short by cancer, Sarah lived life to its fullest and gave to her family, friends and thousands of others to a point few people achieve in their lifetimes. Her powerful example will inspire many in our community and state for generations.

Among all her accomplishments, Sarah was most proud of her role as wife and mother. I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to her family for their loss. May they find comfort in Sarah's legacy--her contributions to our community will not be forgotten.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 9 ``The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006.'' I am proud to support this legislation and the bipartisan efforts that have brought it to the floor today.

The renewal of these key provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act is a critical opportunity to provide continued oversight and reform to our election system. This legislation will ensure that minority voters who have been disenfranchised in the past will not run the risk of facing such hurdles in the future. Though the Fifteenth Amendment of our Constitution guarantees the right of all citizens to vote free of discrimination, it is important that these provisions of the Voting Rights Act are renewed so as to clarify and expand this fundamental American right.

In addition to its importance on a national stage the beneficial effects of the Voting Rights Act have been felt locally in the Tampa Bay area, which I represent. In 1992, as a result of a Section 5 objection to Florida's reapportionment plan, the state created a new majority-minority state senate district in the Hillsborough County area. This new seat was created to account for the more than 40.1 percent of African American and Hispanic members of the voting age population in the area. Prior to this change, the legislative record shows that the redistricting had been undertaken with the intention of protecting the white incumbent.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 9, the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization, and ensuring that the right to vote is protected for generations to come.

Mr. Chairman, today we are debating an issue that is not just important to the country but it is deeply important to my home State of Florida: offshore oil drilling.

For the last decade, and I hope and expect for decades to come, the Florida delegation has stood together to protect Florida on this critical issue. Why? Because our beaches, our coastline is critical to who we are as Floridians. It is what brings us to Florida. It is what keeps us in Florida. It is what brings many of your constituents to Florida, particularly this time of year. And we do not want to sacrifice our beaches, our coastline, our environment for oil and gas drilling that threatens our environment.

Many of the Members of Congress here today from the States that generate revenue from oil and gas have said this is a debate about jobs. It is a debate about jobs. Eighty-eight million tourists visited our State last year. The threat of spilling off the coast of Florida could be a disaster to our reputation.

Last year, during a tropical storm, not even a hurricane, a tropical storm off the coast of Louisiana, there was a spill. A spill such as that off the coast of Florida would be a disaster to our environment, to our economy. And what is at stake here? Just a few months of natural gas and oil.

This is not the price Florida should pay. We should be debating here today raising fuel-efficiency standards, investing in research and development for the next generation of alternative and renewable energy. We should not be sacrificing the environment, the economy of the State of Florida for just a little oil and gas.

This Congress missed a very important opportunity to strike the balance. I have introduced a bill here in Congress, it is the Permanent Protection For Florida Act, which would have allowed for oil and gas drilling safely off the coast of Florida, safely off the coast of the Panhandle. I went to the Rules Committee and suggested that this bill be made in order as an amendment. The majority refused.

We need to strike a balance here, a balance between minimizing our dependency on foreign oil, using the resources we have, but protecting our resources. Florida's beaches are not just a State resource; they are a national resource, and they are a national treasure. They are part of who we are. And we will stand up and protect our environment, our economy, and our beaches.

Until this Congress strikes the balance, I would urge the rejection of this bill.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

The National Flood Insurance Program is critical to our country, particularly those of us that live in the coastal States. It is even more critical now because, as we have learned in Florida and in Mississippi and many States, we have entered a cycle of historic proportions in terms of hurricane and hurricane damage.

The reason I rise is to speak in support of the Taylor amendment, which will be offered by Congressman Taylor of Mississippi, that calls for a study by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security into what I think is a growing crisis not just in Mississippi but now in Florida.

In Florida, the insurance industry recently succeeded in a session of the legislature in passing a law that repeals a 100-year-old law called the ``value policy law.'' This loophole that has been created in Florida is resulting in hundreds, and I fear soon thousands, of Floridians sitting back and waiting to get paid by their insurance company and watching the flood insurer blame the wind insurer, and the wind insurer blame the flood insurer.

It is even worse in Mississippi, where one of our colleagues, Congressman Taylor, who is offering this amendment, is being forced, while serving as a Member of Congress, to sue his own insurance company. The same is true down at the other end of the Capitol, with Senator Trent Lott and at least one Federal judge.

This law in Mississippi, now the law in Florida, could become a law throughout the country; and we need to study this because I think the impact on the consumer will be devastating.

If you fly over Florida, which you and many of your constituents will do, now that it is summer vacation, you will still see thousands of blue tarps from a year ago from the last hurricanes. Every time you see one of those tarps, it represents a Floridian, a family who either cannot live in their home or is suffering water damage every time it rains. And it rains in Florida in the summertime.

This is not a Federal issue, at least yet; but it is a very important State issue to our constituents. The least we can do as a Congress is to support Congressman Taylor's very simple amendment to have this study done about the impact to the consumer of this loophole that has been created in Mississippi and now in Florida and perhaps other States. We need to be there to protect our constituents in a time of storm.

Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank Chairman Davis and Ranking Member Waxman for bringing this bill to the floor. Today, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5104, naming the Morris W. Milton Post Office in St. Petersburg, FL.

From the moment he became a lawyer until his untimely death in 1986, at the age of 42, Morris Wilbert Milton, Sr. was one of the most courageous and creative attorneys who fought for the rights of the disenfranchised and disadvantaged in Florida and particularly in the St. Petersburg area.

Mr. Milton grew up in Welaka, Florida in Putnam County. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach and a doctor of jurisprudence from Howard University School of Law in Washington, DC.

One of his greatest contributions to the community came in his commitment to convince the Florida Legislature to adopt a plan for single member legislative districts. In 1982, Florida had one of the smallest numbers of black state legislatures, five, in the South. In 1981, the Florida Legislature had 21 public hearings, and Milton attended many of them. Traveling back and forth to Tallahassee, he was relentless in his appeal. In 1982, the Legislature carved the area into smaller districts to elect one representative each. As a result, the House wound up with seven majority African American House seats and seven majority Hispanic seats.

In addition to this, throughout his impressive legal career, Morris Milton fought for the hiring of more minority teachers and the promotion of more African Americans to prominent administrative jobs at the Pinellas County School Board. He was a counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, in a court battle against voter registration practices in Pinellas County and spoke out against police brutality.

Along with his legal work, Mr. Milton also found time to establish the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida and to be president of the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP for 10 years.

Mr. Milton's concern for the entire community led him to volunteer his services on the board of directors of the Pinellas United Way, Pinellas Opportunity Council, the Pinellas County Urban League, and the Bethune-Cookman Alumni Association. He was also on the Sixth Circuit Judicial Nominating Committee for judges.

So, it is my pleasure to sponsor this legislation to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1750 16th Street South in St. Petersburg, Florida, as the ``Morris W. Milton Post Office,'' in honor of such a admirable man. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5104.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to further elaborate on the drilling issue that has been discussed by the last two speakers, Democrat and Republican.

Mr. Chairman, since 1981, this Congress has included language in this Interior spending bill that says that we draw a line as far as the extent to which we are willing to risk oil spills off the coast of Florida and off the coast of the United States in return for drilling. It has been a matter of balance.

This bill today contains a provision that repeals this language, that has been there since 1981 and, as was mentioned earlier, will allow the possibility of leases for oil or gas as close as 3 miles off the east coast of Florida and 9 miles off the west coast of Florida, my home.

The risk of a spill to the State of Florida is devastating, and to be perfectly honest, it is entirely uncertain to all of us what the risk is. But it is a risk that we do not want to accept in Florida, particularly because the quantities are so modest in return as far as what the Nation needs.

Now the language in the bill, which I would like to discuss, it is important to point out what it does and what it does not do. It gives the White House the authority to issue leases should it choose to do so right off the coast of Florida.

The language says, it is only for natural gas. But if you look at the record, including the President's own leader in the Department of Interior, he says when you go to drill you get what you get. If you make an investment as a company to drill for gas and you get oil, you are going to take oil. So this is about having an oil spill as well as gas.

Secondly, there has been a representation made that this drilling off the coast of Florida and other parts of the United States is going to lower the price at the pump. With respect to Florida, nothing can be further from the truth. The representation is made that if we convert massive amounts of our cars and trucks to natural gas, then this provision will lower the price at the pump.

The price at the pump is the problem with the price of oil. This provision is not going to help deal with the Nation's needs as far as oil. It could produce enough oil to generate a spill off the coast of Florida, but it is not going to lower the price at the pump.

Let me finally just say, reasonable people can disagree on where this line should be drawn. But the way to do that is through hearings around the country, in the State of Florida. We want to be part of the solution in terms of meeting the Nation's energy needs.

Mr. Chairman, I do not question for a minute the motives behind the sponsor of this bill, but there is a right way and a wrong way to have this debate. The right way is to have an open and honest discussion in the committee, around the country. Come to Florida. Our beaches are not just a State treasure, they are a national treasure.

But the wrong way to do it is this last one, to change a balance that has existed since 1981 is to have a very short debate and to simply erase what Congress has had in place for decades through other energy crises and subject the State of Florida and other parts of the country to the possibility of an oil spill that could be enormously devastating, not just to our environment, not just to our economy, but to our way of life.

Mr. Chairman, I hope that the Members of Congress will choose to take a responsible approach to this very important issue. This is not just about Florida. It is about coastlines that are pristine in terms of the entire country as well as the rest of the coastline.

I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time. I do not think anybody on the floor of this Congress is going to accuse the President of being bashful about drilling. He does not support this drilling right off the coast of Florida.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Representative Capps for yielding.

One of the things that everyone agrees on tonight with respect to this amendment is that we need to have an adequate supply of energy to meet the needs of this country. Eighty percent of the known oil and gas reserves in the Outer Continental Shelf are already available to the energy companies that need them. There are more than 4,000 leases held by these energy companies that are currently not used at all.

It is important to point out what this amendment does. The amendment says it allows drilling for gas up to 3 miles off the east coast of Florida, 9 miles off the coast of Florida, my home the West Coast, as well as the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States. It has been pointed out, and it has not been objected to, this is not just about gas, it is also about oil because if a company makes an investment to earn a profit for gas and they get oil, they are going to go for oil.

The bitter irony here is off the coast of Florida there is very little oil. It is really a drop in the bucket. That is why the amendment does not talk about oil, but it is enough to make a difference to the State of Florida.

There has been a lot of conversation here tonight about other States, about this being about jobs. Let me tell you about my home State Florida. This is about jobs. Last year, we had 88 million tourists visit our State. Those of you who are here tonight represent families who are saving their money to enjoy their family vacation, what State will be the number one destination for beaches? Florida. This is not just a State treasure; it is a national treasure. Yes, this is about jobs and Florida's beaches are a critical part of our economy.

There has been some discussion tonight that there is no risk as far as spills. The truth of the matter is none of us really know exactly what the risk is. One of the few things we do know is last year when Tropical Storm Arlene hit off the coast of Louisiana, there was an oil spill. There was a rig that resulted in a spill that soiled the coast of Louisiana. We cannot have this happen in Florida. It is too devastating. It is too important to our economy.

This is about balance. It is about protecting jobs. It is about respecting the rights of States. Nobody has a monopoly on what the truth is as to where the line is drawn. There is plenty of drilling off the coast of Florida right now in the central and western gulf, but this is the wrong time and the wrong place to have this debate.

The folks we represent in Florida deserve an open and honest discussion in our State, on our beaches, with small business owners whose livelihood depends upon the risk of a spill to our coast, and there we will discuss the balance, the tradeoff in meeting the country's energy needs, but not tonight

in a one-hour debate in the evening on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Floridians deserve better. Americans deserve better. I urge adoption of the amendment.