Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary group of women who have worked tirelessly towards the advancement of human rights in Cuba, and continue to shine a light on an imperative cause for freedom right in our backyard.

For the past 10 years, the Ladies in White has served as a leading pro-democracy organization of the Cuban human rights movement. Known for being white-clad in symbolization of peace, the women of this organization are all relatives of political prisoners and have remained steadfast in their fight for freedom. They are renowned for their weekly, non-violent, silent protests, and just yesterday received the Salcharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in an award ceremony delayed eight years because of oppressive travel restrictions.

The women of the Ladies in White continue to fight with courage and dignity for the betterment of the lives of the millions of people who call Cuba home, and have undoubtedly earned our profound respect and admiration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary person who has made incomparable use of poetry as a canvass for activism and exaltation, and remains a mantel of inspiration for the innumerable people who encounter his work.

Known for his poetic ingenuity and having served as the inaugural poet at the 57th Presidential Inauguration, Richard Blanco joins the ranks of venerated artists and activists as Maya Angelou and Robert Frost. As the first immigrant, first Latino, and first openly gay person to serve in said role, Richard remains a beacon of hope for increasingly diverse individuals in our community and beyond. Further, as an alumnus of Christopher Columbus High School and Florida International University, Richard serves as a special source of delectation for the millions of people who call South Florida home-- many of whom I represent.

Richard Blanco continues to grace the world with his unparalleled artistic vision, poetic genius, and social consciousness, and has undoubtedly earned our profound respect and admiration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary organization that has consistently worked to better the South Florida community and the lives of the countless people who call it home, and continues to shine a light on the cause for environmentalism, sustainable living, and conservation.

For over a decade, the South Florida National Parks Trust has worked to support South Florida's national parks and to perpetuate the livelihood of our landscape and wildlife. This organization has directly bettered our community through its support for South Florida's four national parks, and indirectly through its promotion of community involvement and environmentalism. The work of the South Florida National Parks Trust allows members of our community to visit better- preserved parks today, and helps to ensure our children continue to have the opportunity to visit parks tomorrow.

The South Florida National Parks Trust serves as an exemplary organization for conservation and environmentalism, and has undoubtedly earned our community's admiration, respect, and gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a courageous woman whose work on behalf of the advancement of human rights has inspired millions around the world and continues to shine a light on the cause of freedom just 90 miles from our shores.

For over 10 years, Yoani Sanchez has documented the realities of life in Cuba through her blog, Generacion Y, and drawn worldwide attention to Cuba's civil society. Her riveting accounts detailing human rights violations and other injustices have earned her praise and recognition throughout the world. She has been named as one of Time magazine's ``100 Most Influential People in the World'' and won the prestigious El Pais 2008 Ortega y Gasset Prize for Digital Journalism.

Yoani stands as a beacon of hope for Cuba's future, and her strength in the face of incredible odds has earned our community's profound admiration and respect. If my colleagues would indulge me, I would like to say a few words in Spanish.

Es un gran honor reconocer la valentia de Yoani Sanchez quien es una fuente de inspiracion para los millones alrededor del mundo que buscan la libertad y los derechos humanos. Yoani estara con nosotros aqui en el Capitolio la semana que viene e invite a todos mis colegas que vengan a conocerla para aprender sobre las realidades de Cuba y rendirle un homenaje a ella y la causa de los derechos humanos.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an organization that has been making a difference in my community for nearly a century. Since 1916, the YMCA of Greater Miami has been bringing people together from all walks of life and serving as an agent of unity in South Florida.

The YMCA of Greater Miami provides programs--child care, sports, before and afterschool care, aquatics, day camps, teen programs, adult fitness and senior programs--in 4 family centers, 3 preschools, and over 60 elementary and middle schools, and park locations throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Its mission is to enrich the lives of the communities it serves. The Greater Miami YMCA also keeps young people off the streets by providing them with opportunities to get involved in sports.

I am proud of the great work that the YMCA of Greater Miami is doing in South Florida and especially pleased to learn of the opening of its new family center in South Dade.

For its record of service to our community and the impact it has on the lives of young people, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the YMCA of Greater Miami.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Equal Pay Day because we are a stronger Nation when our sons and daughters get equal pay for an equal day of work. As the proud father of a teenage daughter, I know that children deserve to have a fair shot at success, regardless of their gender.

When a woman in south Florida is paid 86 cents for every dollar paid to a man for the same job, it creates a yearly gap for women of almost $6,000. That's real money. It's nearly a year of groceries, 5 months of rent, 30 months of gas.

And so, in this new century, with so many women serving as heads of households and women being a critical part of our economic success, it's time we close the gender pay gap once and for all and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month. This celebration is so important because it provides us with an opportunity to recall the many ways in which women have shaped our Nation's history. It provides a time to reflect on their fight to achieve equality but also the work that remains to ensure that we are a society where our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons. During this month, I can't help but to be reminded of the countless women who have had an indelible impact on our Nation's history.

My home state of Florida was the beneficiary of the tireless work of one such woman, Marjory Stoneman Douglas. A writer, journalist, environmentalist, and feminist, Ms. Douglas lived a life of purpose and resolve until she died at the age of one-hundred and eight.

Among her many worthy endeavors, was her tireless advocacy for the Everglades. With her seminal work, The Everglades: River of Grass, Ms. Douglas transformed the public's perception of the Everglades from that of an inhabitable swamp, to a vital facet of South Florida's ecosystem and a true national treasure.

Her work as an advocate for the less fortunate and for the Everglades continues to reverberate throughout Florida and the nation.

It is women like Ms. Douglas who make the United States what it is today. Their commitment to their communities and to their country continues to bring our Nation closer to realizing the ideals on which it was founded.

Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate the women who have shaped our history, I remind my colleagues that while the month of March may come to an end, the fight for equality continues for our daughters, sisters, and mothers.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize a courageous woman whose work on behalf of the advancement of human rights has inspired millions throughout the world and continues to shine a light on the cause of freedom just 90 miles away.

For over 10 years, Yoani Sanchez has documented the realities of life in Cuba through her blog, Generation Y, and drawn worldwide attention to Cuba's civil society. Her riveting accounts detailing human rights violations and other injustices have earned her praise and recognition throughout the world. Yoani stands as a beacon of hope for Cuba's future, and her strength in the face of incredible odds has earned our community's profound admiration and respect.

If my colleagues would indulge me, I would like to say a few words in Spanish.

It's a great honor to recognize the courage of Yoani

Sanchez who serves as a source of inspiration for the

millions around the world who seek freedom and human rights.

Yoani will be here next week. I invite my colleagues to take the opportunity to meet this very courageous woman.

Let me begin by saying that the district I have the honor to represent in south Florida is made up of middle class families in neighborhoods like Kendall, Westchester, and the Florida Keys. The families who live in this region don't care about ideological debates of the left or right. They simply know the difference between right and wrong. And, ladies and gentlemen, the sequestration is wrong.

The Keys Reporter reported that over 600 civilian workers at Key West Naval Base will be furloughed. This will hurt small businesses and families. Reports also say funding for work-study programs at schools like Miami Dade College, Florida International University, and Florida Keys Community College will be cut. The Miami Herald reported that air traffic control workers at Opa Locka Airport will be furloughed as of the beginning of April.

I respectfully ask my colleagues to put their differences aside and get to work. I urge the Speaker to bring up H.R. 699, a balanced bill to replace the sequester with spending cuts and revenues.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of Black History Month--an opportunity to celebrate the rich legacy of African-Americans and the many ways they have shaped our Nation's history.

This Black History Month, we commemorate two landmark anniversaries in American history: the 150th anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Separated by a century, these two seminal events underscore what the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., once said--that ``the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.'' Each successive generation of Americans must always do their part to build on the progress of those who came before them in order to advance the ideals of freedom and equality upon which our Nation was founded.

In South Florida, we have benefited tremendously from trailblazing African-American leaders who have broken through color barriers in order to contribute to our communities and our country.

They include individuals who served our country bravely, including Lt. Col. Eldridge Williams--one of the legendary Tuskegee airman--and Col. Brodes Hartley Jr., who has been a leading civil rights leader in South Florida committed to improving quality health care access for low-income families. And also Reverend John A. Ferguson, who after serving in the Navy helped found a small congregation in Richmond Heights that would grow to nearly 800 under his leadership and today stands at over 1400.

They include leaders like Al Dotson Sr., a pastor who served as the first elected African American president of the Orange Bowl Committee and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Florida International University, as well as Mayor Otis Wallace, who has served Florida City as mayor for over twenty-eight years and is today the longest serving elected official in the State of Florida.

I could name so many others. South Florida is a better place because of their commitment to public service and their strong leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to share my deep concern with my colleagues of what these dangerous sequestration cuts mean to my community.

I have the honor to represent the suburbs of Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. We are a community of middle class families, and my constituents will be hurt if the leadership of this Congress fails to act.

Here are a few examples: south Florida's economy depends on the flow of tourists. It is an engine which fuels us. If sequestration goes into effect, TSA and customs agents will be furloughed, passengers throughout the country will miss their connecting flights, and we will have fewer tourists and hurt business.

Up to 600 civilians who work in the Florida Keys Naval Base will be furloughed. This means less money for everyday needs in the economy of the Keys. Students on work-study programs at schools like Miami-Dade College and FIU will see their funding cut. The leadership of this Congress owes the American people an explanation of why we have gotten to this point.

There is a better alternative that will create jobs, and that is H.R. 699. I respectfully ask unanimous consent to bring up this balanced budget bill that replaces the sequester with balanced cuts.

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon a group of 20 freshman Members of Congress will gather to announce that we are putting aside our partisan differences to do the right thing for the American people. For Democrats, this means that 10 of us are willing to compromise on spending so long as we keep our promise to seniors that they can retire with dignity and have access to affordable, quality health care. My Republican colleagues have said that they are willing to compromise on revenues so long as Democrats meet them halfway.

Like most Americans, to those of us who are new to Washington, ``compromise'' isn't a dirty word. It's what regular, ordinary people do in their daily lives. The American people get it. If you have a problem that arises in your office, you and your coworkers may disagree on how to address it, but your company does not wait until it gets to the last minute to solve it. You simply meet with your colleagues, put differences aside, and find solutions. Not everyone will get what they want, but we move forward. And this is precisely what the American people have sent us to Washington to do. They have sent us here to solve problems on their behalf and not argue all the time.

Mr. Speaker, the challenges before us are serious, and they deserve serious proposals. While our economy is growing, we still have many families that are looking for work or waiting for our economy to grow more quickly. Many parents are working two and three jobs and yet cannot find a way to save money for retirement or send their kids to school. I see this all the time in my community in places like Kendall, Westchester, and Islamorada.

This status quo is unacceptable to me, just as I know it is unacceptable to my Republican colleagues. Yet it seems that when we gather in this Chamber, rather than finding commonsense solutions to our problems, we engage in ideological debates that are designed for political posturing that lead us to nowhere.

At a minimum, if we can't agree on every issue, we should be working hard to solve problems. The American people may not know this, but the fact is that of the 31 days that we met here last month, Members of Congress only gathered six times. And in those 6 days, the only bill of any real significance was the Hurricane Sandy relief--a bill that should have been approved last year. Maybe this is the way Washington works; but in the rest of America, if you show up to your job less than 20 percent of the time--that's about 1 day a week--you probably won't have a job for too long. And yet some of my colleagues find this acceptable. Well, I don't. And I know the

American people won't find this acceptable either.

So I respectfully invite each of my colleagues, Republican and Democrats alike, and even those of you who have been in Washington for a while, to join us for this moment of bipartisanship and work together on behalf of our fellow citizens. Let's remember that it is a privilege to serve the American people. It's time to get to work.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 42, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 15th anniversary of Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1998 and administered by the Carmelite Sisters, Carroll offers its students the opportunity to pursue a rich academic curriculum in an environment that fosters both intellectual and spiritual strength.

Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School has established itself as a school with a challenging and thorough academic program while forming a partnership between students, parents and teachers. This has fostered a family-centered environment that extends beyond the classroom and leads to the success of its students. As such, Carroll's alumni have gone on to some of our nation's most prestigious universities and are leaders in their communities.

Part of what has made Carroll such a successful school is its faculty's focus on ensuring that its students excel both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to its robust academics, Archbishop Coleman Carroll is home to an outstanding athletic program that has earned the Bulldogs numerous district and regional championships. Moreover, students at Carroll can participate in 18 different extracurricular clubs, nine honor societies and a campus ministry program designed to nurture faith and good values.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored that Florida's 26th Congressional District is home to Archbishop Coleman Carroll, as well as most of its students and ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating its students, faculty and parents on its 15th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special school in the congressional district that I am honored to represent. For 55 years, Christopher Columbus High School has instilled in its students strong values and served South Florida as an institution of academic excellence and athletic achievement. Columbus has educated thousands of fine young men and community leaders, including my brothers, some of my close friends and members of my staff.

Established in 1958 in the spirit of St. Marcellin Champagnat, founder of the Marist Brothers, Columbus' teachers and staff work tirelessly so that its students can achieve their full potential across every facet of their lives.

Columbus Explorers excel both inside and outside of the classroom. The school's award-winning academic curriculum is tailored to meet the individual needs of its students and equips them with the tools they need to lead successful lives. It also boasts an athletic program that competes across 15 different sports and has earned dozens of district and state championships.

Columbus works to develop young men of good social conscience and social responsibility, offering its students daily morning masses, weekly youth group meetings and opportunities for community service.

Among Columbus' alumni are some of America's leading entrepreneurs, elected officials, distinguished scientists and doctors, professional athletes, high ranking officers in our armed forces, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and the poet at the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Mr. Speaker, for all of the achievements that I have cited and those that time constraints do not allow me to list, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Christopher Columbus High School. It is only fitting that Columbus' motto be Adelante, for this school has certainly been moving South Florida and America forward for over half a century.