Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, once again, Americans are heartbroken by a gun violence tragedy.

Since the mass shooting last Friday in Santa Barbara, more than 160 others have lost their lives at the hands of a gun, including an 18- month-old baby who was shot in front of his mother in my hometown of West Palm Beach. This mother will never see her child go to school, graduate from college, walk down the aisle, or hear him say ``I love you, Mom.'' Too many lives have been taken and too many communities have been torn apart.

I applaud the House vote yesterday to invest funds to help the States improve submissions to the national background electric system. With that said, we must do much more to expand background checks and strengthen mental health intervention and research.

From California to Florida, American families are counting on us--the Congress--to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and keep our children safe.

Mr. Chair, once again, Americans are heartbroken by a gun violence tragedy, mourning the students killed in Santa Barbara.

Since that mass shooting on Friday, more than 120 others have lost their lives at the hands of a gun, including an 18-month-old who was shot in front of his mother this morning in West Palm Beach.

This mother will never see her child go to school, graduate from college, or walk down the aisle--she will never hear him say, ``I love you Mom.''

As a former Mayor of an urban city, I've seen firsthand how gun violence disrupts entire communities and devastates families.

Too many lives have been taken. Too many families have lost their daughters and sons, their sisters and brothers. And too many people have endured unimaginable pain and grief caused by senseless acts of gun violence.

And, it is unbelievable to me about in the wake of more heartbreaking killings with firearms that the reaction of some in this Congress is to weaken gun laws. That's why I support the Esty amendment to keep strong laws against gun trafficking on the books.

Not only should we pass this amendment, we must do much more to improve our national background check system and strengthen mental health intervention and research.

From California to Florida, American families are counting on us to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and keep our children safe.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, across South Florida, and indeed around the world, Jews are celebrating Yom Yerushalayim--Jerusalem Day. It was 47 years ago today that Israel liberated its capital city of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War, allowing Jews for the first time in decades to visit Judaism's holiest site, the Western Wall.

Israel immediately abolished the discriminatory laws that had previously prevented Jews from entering the Old City and implemented safeguards to ensure Jerusalem serve as a protected place for reflection and prayer for members of all religions. According to the State Department's annual report on International Religious Freedoms, ``[Israel's] 1967 Protection of Holy Sites Law safeguards the holy sites of all religious groups within the country and in Jerusalem.''

Today, Jerusalem has become more than a religious haven. It is a large and expansive city where ancient holy sites are accented by modern innovations. Over four million tourists came to Jerusalem last year alone to witness the city's beauty, enjoy the cuisine, and connect to the land.

Jerusalem has been the heart of the Jewish people for thousands of years. Even through centuries of exile, Jerusalem remained the focal point of Jewish aspiration, with Jews praying towards the direction of the Western Wall regardless of where they stand geographically in the world.

That is why Israel's founding Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion said in 1947, ``No city in the world, not even Athens or Rome, ever played as great a role in the life of a nation for so long a time, as Jerusalem has done in the life of the Jewish people.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House's legislative efforts to combat human trafficking, a form of modern-day slavery. The sickening fact is that human trafficking is a big, booming business--trafficking a child for sex is more lucrative than drug trafficking. That is why I am glad to join my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, in taking additional steps to protect our sons and daughters from this horrible crime. This legislation makes many important changes to current law, and would help us provide additional resources to victims, strengthen law enforcement's ability to punish those who purchase sex from minors, and protect girls who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation from being treated as criminals. This bipartisan legislation will help to protect our most vulnerable children, including those in the foster care system, who are victimized through no fault of their own. These children need our help which is why I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, an expansion of the Port of Palm Beach was included in the bipartisan Water Resources Reform and Development Act, due to it receiving a timely chief's report. This port shares the Lake Worth Inlet with a popular recreational area known as Peanut Island as well as the internationally renowned town of Palm Beach.

Due to this proximity and feared damage to the environment, marine life, and dramatic change in the character of the waterway, the expansion is mired in controversy and a threatened lawsuit.

So I want to make it unequivocal that my positive vote for WRRDA is because it moved many, many important infrastructure projects forward for Florida and should not be construed as advocating for the Port of Palm Beach expansion. And I will not support Federal funding unless and until there is a clear community consensus of approval.

Mr. Speaker, like many Americans, I have been often disappointed with the lack of cooperation in Washington, D.C. So today, I am happy to offer congratulations to the United States House and Senate for this very important bipartisan conference report that when passed and implemented will promote millions of jobs and mean billions of dollars of economic impact for our Nation.

As a proud Member of Congress from south Florida, I am especially excited to see the advancement of the widely supported expansion of Port Everglades and the restoration of our most precious wetland known as the Everglades--the source of drinking water for 7 million people.

Although the bill is not perfect, we are today living up to the desire of the American people that we work together for the good of our country.

With that said, because of the apparent lack of community support for the expansion of the Port of Palm Beach, my vote should not be construed as support for that project. Moving forward, our first priority should be to first do no harm, without degradation of our environment or quality of life. It should be a local community decision as to what uses should dominate the intracoastal waterway in that area and I urge the Port of Palm Beach, Town of Palm Beach, County Commission and other interested stakeholders to come to a joint resolution.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Engel, thank you and Congresswoman Wilson for bringing this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, what we have seen take place in Nigeria, the crimes perpetrated by Boko Haram, is simply unthinkable and appalling.

There are some crimes against humanity that should not be tolerated regardless of where they occur in the world. The violent kidnapping of over 250 girls for the sole reason that they were seeking an education is one such crime, innocent girls who should be carefree but instead are prisoners enduring the unimaginable. In the 21st century, we cannot let this kind of horror against children go unanswered.

First, I want to thank President Obama for sending a multidisciplinary team to Nigeria where they are working with the United Kingdom, France, and Israel to help resolve this crisis.

I am proud to support this resolution condemning Boko Haram and calling for continued United States support to return these girls safely to their families and bring these terrorists to justice.

Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, on Mother's Day, we

celebrate the blessings of our moms. In deep appreciation, we give them candy, cards, and beautiful flowers.

With that said, what our moms really deserve is an economy where women are given equal pay for equal work.

Sadly, today, in the United States of America, women earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by their male colleagues.

So I respectfully suggest that on this Mother's Day we as a Nation commit to pay equity for all, regardless of gender.

And to my own mother, I thank you for your zest of life, unwavering encouragement, unconditional love, and your matzo ball soup.

Thank you, Mother.

Happy Mother's Day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sally D. Chester, a truly inspiring nurse from my district and recipient of the Palm Beach County Medical Society's 2014 Heroes in Medicine Humanitarian Award.

Throughout her career Sally has provided outstanding service to those in her local community. As chair of the Palm Beach County Medical Society, she united physicians in improving the community's health and as president of Leadership Palm Beach County, she educated and united leaders in building a better community.

In 2004, when her husband, Don, became a quadriplegic following a devastating accident, she stood by him as his primary caregiver and became involved with service dog training. As a cofounder of Genesis Assistance Dogs and board member of New Horizons Service Dogs, she works to transform the lives of people with disabilities, including our veterans, through the training and placement of assistance dogs.

In honor of her inspiring service for our community, I am pleased to recognize Sally D. Chester, R.N., and wish her continued success in all of her endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, tonight's Special Order is meant to honor Israel's 66th Independence Day. Last year, I also had the honor of leading a similar Special Order.

Much is made about the contention in the United States Congress. Therefore, it pleases me to say that the security of Israel remains bipartisan in every aspect. I have a number of Members with us tonight who I will yield my time to to celebrate this wonderful occasion.

First, I yield to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), my colleague, a distinguished member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I thank the gentleman from Rhode Island for your articulate and passionate remarks.

Now it gives me great pleasure to yield to the very distinguished gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows), another colleague of mine on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Thank you, Mr. Meadows, for your very moving comments. I appreciate you being here with us tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield to the gentleman from California, Mr. Alan Lowenthal, another one of my distinguished colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee and a fellow first-term Member whom I had the honor of traveling to Israel with our freshman class.

Thank you, Mr. Lowenthal, for your very heartfelt comments.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Israel commemorated Memorial Day to honor the memory of more than 24,000 Israeli men, women, and children who have been killed in terror attacks and wars over the past 66 years.

Immediately following Memorial Day Israel transitioned to Independence Day, when Israelis and Jews across the globe celebrate the modern-day revival of the State of Israel. This abrupt transition from the solemn Memorial Day to the celebration of Independence Day embodies the Israel and Jewish narrative of resilience in the face of adversity. We recognize our suffering while we appreciate our survival.

Mr. Speaker, as commented by my colleagues who preceded me, the importance of Israel as our best ally in a very unstable region is so significant in this United States Congress that each year the first- term Members take a tour of Israel. We visit leaders and members of civil society. I was honored to be on that trip this summer.

When we visited Israel, we saw a nation at the forefront of innovation, science, and technology, a country where booming modernity sits side by side in stark contrast with ancient history.

Sixty-six years ago, Israel began as a modest nation of 800,000 people, fighting for its very survival. Today, Israel's population stands at well over 8 million. It is a thriving, liberal democracy, the homeland for the Jewish people, a global economic and high-tech powerhouse, and it maintains the region's most powerful military force; yet, as my colleagues mentioned, Israel still faces threats.

For anyone who has ever been to the small Middle Eastern country, you are immediately struck by the proximity of unfriendly or unstable neighbors; the border with Syria, where war has ravaged the country for years, threatening to destabilize the surrounding region; the border with Egypt, where the largest Arab nation faces great uncertainty; then the border with Gaza from an Israeli kibbutz that suffered thousands of rocket attacks. We witnessed, ourselves, how the good people live in fear each day.

Of course, there is the perpetual threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. For Israel, an Iran armed with nuclear weapons represents an unimaginable threat. Without even firing a single weapon, Iran would be able to extend its nuclear umbrella to its terrorist proxies across the globe, including to Hamas and Hezbollah, sitting on Israel's doorstep.

Even more terrifying, we would see a proliferation of nuclear arsenals throughout the region; yet, even in the face of these threats, Israelis remain optimistic for their future and proud of their national identity. So, tonight, I want to say that we are proud as Israeli allies, and we join them in celebrating their 66th year of independence.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to share the story of one of my constituents. His name is Aron Bell. He is 85 years old, and he is a proud Jewish American resident of Palm Beach County. Today, he is celebrating Israeli Independence Day, but this is more than just a celebration for him; it is a memory.

Aron Bell was born Aron Bielski. For those of you who may have seen Daniel Craig's blockbuster movie ``Defiance,'' you are familiar with the Bielski brothers--the Jewish partisans who saved over 1,000 Jews from death camps by building a village of defiance in the forest of Nazi-occupied Poland. Aron was the youngest of these brothers depicted in the film.

After his traumatic survival during World War II, Aron emigrated to the British Mandate for Palestine, having witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust and having understood the increased urgency for Jewish self- determination.

In 1948, when Israel declared its independence and was immediately attacked by five surrounding Arab nations, Aron fought in order to protect the Israelis' dream of independence.

Aron's journey, though remarkable, is not unique. The story of the Jewish people is riddled with triumph and tragedy. Israel's national anthem, called Hatikvah--meaning ``the hope''--sings of the 2,000-year- old dream to be free in a land of our own. After centuries of pogroms, inquisitions, and genocide, the dream has been realized in the establishment of the State of Israel.

I know I speak for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle tonight when I say we celebrate the independence--the birth--of the great State of Israel; and we are here to protect and secure Israel for eternity.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor seventy- five high school seniors in Florida's 22nd District who have decided to enlist in the United States Armed Forces.

Of these seventy-five, twenty-two have joined the Army; their names are Daryl Flowers, Stanly Ramirez, Jonathan Belman-Otero, Wilfredo Colon, Jeanette Cox, Dalenjie Jeanty, Cory Chobot, Kendall Gonsalves, Jamile Hill, Devon Petchner, Gage Morgan, Mario Valenzuela, Jr., Vanessa Sheika, Jackenson Toussaint, Jeffrey Edano, Krista Ramirez, Julianna Guerra, Caylah Murray, Kamyra Johnson, Daniel Castillo- Hernandez, Matthew Smith-Mullaly, Matthew Woods. Thirty-three have joined the Marines; their names are Kevin Cobty, Andres Cifuentes, Jimmy Octave, Frank Barker, Timothy Murray, Nicholas Nixon, Emilio Perez, Devonta Battles, Rock Joseph, Artem Solomakin, Arnulfo Vasquez, Gabriel Figueredo, Brian Sauls, Thales Rodrigues, Richard Lemus, Manuel Gonzalez, Bailey Ochoa, Collin Murphy, Julian Sosa, Leandra Sinclair, John Newkirk, Alexander Averhart, Bryant Mercely, Jace Bowes, Eric Morzella, Dylan Pierre Louis, Emmanuel Rivera, Argelis Hernandez, Jacob Quickel, Victor Stremel, Christian Pontier, Jonathan Vallejo, Devon McCarthy, Jr. Three have joined the National Guard; their names are Jimmy Lopez, Shalena Higgins, Kenneth Talvo. Fifteen have joined the Navy; their names are Jason Bagnall, Bobby Thomas, Raymond Brooks, Alec Johnston, Max Joseph, Xavier Owens, Christian Peraza, Ariah Pickering, Victoria Umpierrez, Christina Coder, Christopher Gibb, Jose Lopez, Charles Tookes, Maria Valdes, and Nehemie Jean-Charles. Two have joined the Air Force; their names are Gabrielle Etheradge and Aubrey Amorer.

It is in thanks to the dedication of patriots like these that we are able to meet here today, in the United States House of Representatives, and openly debate the best solutions to the diverse issues that confront our country. On behalf of myself and all of my constituents in Florida's Twenty-Second District, thank you for your service and best of luck as you pursue this challenging endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation of Palm Beach County, Florida. The foundation will recognize Melanoma Awareness Day on May 5, an important opportunity to raise awareness of skin cancer prevention and treatment.

Malignant melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. In fact, one American dies from Melanoma every fifty minutes. In Florida, residents are especially vulnerable to excessive exposure to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun. Unfortunately, our sunny state has the second highest incidence of the cancer in the country.

That is why it is critical that Floridians, and all Americans, take steps to reduce their likelihood of developing melanoma. These include avoiding peak sunlight hours when the sun's rays are most intense, seeking shade, applying sun block with an SPF of at least 30-50+ every two hours, and wearing protective clothing such as long-sleeved pants and sunglasses.

In honor of the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation, I am proud recognize Melanoma Awareness Day. I would also like to thank them for their tireless work in preventing and detecting skin cancer and wish them the best as they continue this daunting but important endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we solemnly reflect on the 6 million Jews who were systematically murdered by a madman known as Hitler and his Nazi followers.

We remember the children torn from the arms of their parents as they marched to the gas chambers. We remember the teenagers who were forced to dig their own graves. We remember the men and women who perished in labor camps from disease and starvation.

This day is a tribute to the enduring memory of the destruction of humanity during the Jewish Holocaust. It is a forceful reminder for generations to come: never forget, and never again.

Mr. Speaker, they cradled us in our arms when we were babies, picked us off the ground when we scraped our knees, worked long hours to send us to college, and embraced us with unconditional love. I am talking about our parents and our grandparents. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I am distraught with tears in my heart because of the Republican budget--slashing Medicaid by billions and cutting critical funding for our neediest seniors in nursing homes.

When our grannies and gramps are at their weakest, their oldest, their loneliest, the Republican Ryan budget puts them in a wheelchair and throws

them off a cliff. That is wrong, Mr. Speaker. I say ``no'' to this budget. We can do much better.

Mr. Speaker, during this week, we sadly recognize and commiserate Equal Pay Day, which marks the number of extra days in 2014 the average woman has to work to earn as much as her male counterpart did in 2013, so I rise for the women who are not here today because they are working hard to take care of themselves and their families.

I am going to keep it simple, Mr. Speaker. Equal pay is about fairness, and as important, it is about survival. Equal pay means safe, secure housing. Equal pay means saving for a child's college education. Equal pay means building a pension that allows for a dignified retirement. Equal pay means that everyone, regardless of their gender, gets a fair shot at living their American Dream.