Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the British Embassy for including me in an exchange program with scientists, policy leaders, and members of the British Parliament who are on the front lines of our global battle against Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's attacks our oldest population, stripping our grandparents of their memory and their dignity, and placing debilitating stress on devoted caretakers.

Forty-four million worldwide and 5 million right here in America are affected. In fact, an American develops Alzheimer's disease every 68 seconds, which means by the time I finish this speech someone in our country will have this heartbreaking disease.

Through the Affordable Care Act and the National Alzheimer's Project Act, Congress and President Obama have taken important steps to address this growing crisis. It is a moral and economic imperative that we continue to escalate our efforts.

Madam Speaker, I am very honored to be here in a bipartisan manner to talk about a subject that we can all agree on, which is that freedom from sexual assault is a basic human right. It is not to be tolerated in any corner of society. And the issue is not talked about enough, so I am glad we are bringing it up today.

I want to focus today on sexual assault that is taking place at an alarming rate in a place that we would not expect, and that is it in our military.

The reports of sexual assault in the military are mind-boggling. The Defense Department estimated that there were 26,000 sexual assaults in 2012. Those numbers are shocking, but this isn't just about statistics. It is about real people.

I want to share a story about one of my constituents. Elisha Morrow joined the Coast Guard at age 22. She started boot camp with so much pride and hope. She joined the Coast Guard because she believed deeply in their mission to save lives, which they do every day.

Her hope turned to humiliation and sorrow as her company commander sexually harassed her with innuendos and advancements night after night. The commander became even more emboldened and eventually raped the female recruit.

Shockingly, the commander was convicted of lesser charges of cruelty and maltreatment and adultery and not rape because the victim could not prove that her life wasn't under physical threat and that she didn't fear for her life. She had committed to his sexual advances under command.

The law did not take into account situations in which a superior abuses his or her position to take advantage of victims. That is not full justice. That is why the victim felt even more humiliated.

As a mother of a marine war veteran, when I heard this story, I knew I had to do something about it, and I want to thank my colleagues because we joined together when we passed the National Defense Authorization Act to direct the military to examine the need for a new definition of rape and sexual assault in cases when someone abuses their position in command.

No military recruit or servicemember should endure sexual abuse. Our sons and daughters put on the uniform to protect us, and now, we must protect them.

So we have made some good progress, Madam Speaker, which I am proud of, but there is so much more to do. We have to be vigilant.

There still remains a debate, even within our Congress, whether to remove these type of cases from the chain of command. We have to be vigilant and make sure our laws are working and make sure our sons and daughters are protected and get the full support they need to heal when they are assaulted.

In this country, every citizen has the right to be safe and protected. There should be no exceptions.

Mr. Reed, I want to thank you again for allowing me to share this moment with you.

Mr. Speaker, I am wearing blue today, joining people around the globe in recognition of Autism Awareness Day as we bring light to a disorder that affects 70 million families worldwide, 1 in 68 children in the United States.

Autism Day is a day of hope for the mother and father whose sweet baby doesn't smile or babble, for the child who rocks obsessively, for the teen locked in his own mind who is shunned by classmates, and the aging parents who fear their adult child's care when they are gone.

Awareness is about increasing knowledge, which means early diagnosis and early intervention, and it is about love for all our precious children. On this day of awareness, Mr. Speaker, let's all commit to work together in a bipartisan manner to fund autism research and reduce the financial strains for Americans with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is a big day for the women of this country. The United States Supreme Court will hear argument in a case called Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius.

The Affordable Care Act mandates that employer-provided health care cover all forms of contraception at no cost. However, Hobby Lobby, a for-profit corporation, contends that its ``religious beliefs prohibit it from providing full coverage.''

I respectfully suggest, Mr. Speaker, that what is at stake is not the religious freedom of a corporation but the life and liberty and ability to pursue happiness by our daughters, our sisters, and our mothers.

There is no more crucial right for women and their families than the ability for women to be in control of their own bodies. The decision to use birth control is a conversation for a woman and her physician, not a woman and her boss.

Tomorrow is a big day for the women of this country.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote No. 134 for H.R. 4015, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 134, the motion to recommit for H.R. 4015, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, anyone who turns on the news for even a few minutes will see our good friend Israel in a region of chaos and unrest.

War in Syria--with refugees pouring into Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. Violence in Iraq. Upheaval in Egypt. And of course, the threat of nuclear advancement in Iran.

And yet, Israel remains a strong, stable, and reliable ally.

More than ever, we must do all we can to strengthen our critical relationship.

H.R. 938, the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2013, will do just that.

It designates Israel as a ``major strategic partner'' and increases our mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of energy, science, water, agriculture, alternative fuel technologies, and homeland security.

At a time of deep political division in Congress, this bill has across the board support, with 351 cosponsors, a reflection that our alliance with Israel is rooted in shared national interests, common values of democracy and freedom, and a recognition that the same forces threatening Israel also threaten the United States.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 938.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote Nos. 96, 97, and 98, I was not present because of a dental emergency. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' for rollcall vote No. 96, ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 97, and ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 98.

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 71, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Connolly

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kevin McCormick.

Kevin recently retired from his position as District Manager of the North Broward Social Security Administration office, where he has worked tirelessly for 40 years.

Throughout his career, his hard work and dedication have been recognized through awards such as the Regional Commissioner's Citation and an individual Commissioner's Citation. Kevin also took the time to both mentor others and serve as an instructor and a recruiter.

In honor of his tireless work to help our seniors, I am pleased to recognize Kevin McCormick and to thank him for his service to our country. I wish him good health and a peaceful retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor National Voices for Equality, Education and Enlightenment (NVEEE), an organization from my district, on receiving a $25,000 grant from the first-ever Be a STAR (Show Tolerance and Respect) Initiative.

The Be a STAR program, cofounded by the WWE and the Creative Coalition, recognizes projects that help encourage respect and tolerance among our nation's schoolchildren, and NVEEE has certainly earned this distinction.

NVEE is a non-profit organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, whose mission is to prevent bullying, violence, and suicide. This grant will be used to fund the Peace Ambassadors program and train young leaders in South Florida to serve as advocates to prevent bullying in their schools and communities.

Once again, I am proud to congratulate NVEEE on their efforts to empower our children and create a climate of acceptance, and I look forward to their continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor six outstanding graduates in Florida's 22nd District who have been selected to receive prestigious Fulbright awards to study, lecture, teach, or conduct research abroad during the 2013-2014 academic year. All of them were selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

The awardees are the following: Asma Aftab of the University of Miami, Jack Armstrong of Broward Community College, Anne Fertig of Rollins College, Debra Reyes-Brannon, also of Rollins College, Alicia Richardson of Florida State University, and Usar Suragarn of Florida Atlantic University.

These individuals are continuing a tradition of international exchange and mutual understanding that began in 1946, when Congress established the Fulbright Program. I would like to congratulate them on such a remarkable accomplishment and wish them the best of luck in their endeavors abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Meredith Ockman, recipient of the Palm Beach County National Organization for Women (NOW) Blood, Sweat, and Tears Award and tireless advocate for justice and equality.

Meredith, who currently serves as Vice President for Florida NOW, has truly dedicated her career to community service. She has worked with Compass: The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of the Palm Beaches to teach safe sex education, and has bravely defended women seeking abortion care from harassment and intimidation.

Her impact includes grassroots advocacy as well. She organized participants for the March for Women's Lives, and has served NOW in several capacities, including as Legislative Director for Florida NOW and President of Palm Beach County NOW.

With her limited spare time, Meredith volunteers with several organizations and is the President of the Women's Health Foundation of South Florida. In honor of her tireless efforts on behalf of South Florida women, I am pleased to recognize Meredith Ockman for her amazing achievements and wish her continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my constituents, Reverend Pam Cahoon, who has steadfastly fought against hunger and injustice her entire life. When Reverend Cahoon was in elementary school, she convinced her mother to pack extra lunches so her classmates could have something to eat.

Since that time, her impact on Palm Beach County has been extraordinary. As executive director of Christians Reaching Out to Society Ministries (CROS), an organization working to end hunger in our community, she managed to increase the budget by more than 50 times the amount available when she first joined CROS. Under her leadership, CROS has served more than 85,000 meals, given out more than 28,000 after- school snacks, and provided more than 16,000 lunches for students to take home to provide meals over the weekend. She will retire on February 20th after spending 35 years as the Executive Director of

Mr. Speaker, this great country of ours has weathered hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and fires. Now our families in Florida and across the Nation are confronting a man-made crisis, created unintentionally by past acts of this Congress.

An economic storm is brewing. Just ask my constituents, the Woodlaws, who live in a modest home in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. They have paid off their mortgage and pay $2,400 a year in flood insurance. Because of Congress' past actions, they now face a $12,000 bill for the same coverage that they cannot afford and are one flood away from financial disaster. Our constituents like the Woodlaws are facing skyrocketing jumps in flood insurance premiums unless we act now and take up the bipartisan Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act.

Mr. Speaker, a storm is brewing.