Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gouverneur Health and its dedicated professional staff and volunteers for the critical work they are doing for patients and families in New York City.

Gouverneur Health is a Medicare and Medicaid certified center. It is one of the largest institutions in Lower Manhattan, and the largest freestanding ambulatory care center in New York State.

Gouverneur Health has taken care of the ever-changing population of the Lower East Side for more than a century. Gouverneur's dedicated and professional staff removes barriers caused by language, culture and income, enabling patients to make informed decisions vital to their physical, mental and social well-being.

With Gouverneur's help, our neighbors receive important disease prevention information and screenings to ensure a healthy future for children and hard-working families. These important services have grown and evolved over the past century, proving that the hospital is responsive to the needs of the community.

As they celebrate 132 years of tremendous work, I am confident that NYC Health + Hospitals Gouverneur will continue to build on its history of service and find many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Jonathan Williams Plaza, a New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCHA) development located in my district in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This complex is home to more than 1,340 residents. Built at the height of the Civil Rights movement, and three decades after the New Deal and the 1934 Federal Housing Act, Williams Plaza's towering buildings have long symbolized innovation and hope.

Williams Plaza has provided a sound foundation and pathway to self- sufficiency for thousands of its residents. The stability it provides families is what helped launch the educational achievement and careers of former public housing residents like U.S. Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor.

Williams Plaza provides meaningful support and services for its residents. Under NYCHA's Family Partnerships initiative, residents are able to connect to critical resources that help support family stability and tenancy. It offers job training opportunities, on-site afterschool partnership and accessible childcare in addition to NYCHA's city-wide network of social services.

On this special 50th year celebration, I also would like to recognize the Jonathan Williams Plaza Tenant Association for their volunteerism. The community service they provide improves the quality of life for their neighbors and surrounding community. They are a valuable asset to NYCHA and the resident stakeholders. I also want to recognize Mr. Juan Bello, Housing Manager and his team for their unwavering dedication to residents. I salute the following:

Mr. Joel Gross--Tenant Association President

Ben Zion Weiss--Vice-President

Abraham Frankel--Treasurer

Joanne Sanchez--Corresponding Secretary

Joel Schwartz--Secretary

Louise Sanon--Sergeant At Arms

Housing Manager--Mr. Juan Bello

Superintendent--Marian Polowcyk

Housing Assistant--Nina Dinkevich

Maintenance Staffer--Efrain Quintana

Caretaker--Andrew Adams

Resident Volunteer--Abraham Frankel

Resident Volunteer--Pedro Roman

Mr. Speaker, this week, the President of the United States turned his back on our Nation's immigrant heritage. With the repeal of DACA, he is creating havoc in the lives of 800,000 young Americans.

Yes, Mr. President, these are Americans. The average DREAMer came here at age 6. Some of them were so young when they arrived that they do not remember the journey. Many of them only speak English. And now you are going to deport them? That is how you make America great again?

The President of the United States told DREAMers that they ``did not have reason to worry'' because he has a ``big heart.''

This decision belies that claim. It shows the heartless, small- minded, and fear-driven politics driving this administration's policies.

Where the President has failed to show leadership, Members of Congress, from both parties, must step up. Mr. Speaker, bring to the floor today legislation to codify DACA. Let's have an up-or-down vote on the Dream Act and protect these young people. They are the face of America.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect Cristel, an attorney who came to this country when she was only 9 years old.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and achievements of Ms. Dorothy Shields who was a tireless advocate for the community of Red Hook, Brooklyn.

As a resident and community advocate, Ms. Shields played numerous roles in bettering the lives of Red Hook's citizens. As Resident Association President of Red Hook Houses East for 37 years, she was a voice for tenants' rights and many of the most vulnerable community members. As an advocate for community development and job creation, Ms. Shields was instrumental in luring new businesses to Red Hook.

Ms. Shields was also a dedicated public servant who spent time working for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) as a community service aide and for the New York City Board of Education as a paraprofessional.

The mother of six children, all of whom attended school in Red Hook, Ms. Shields passed along values of public service to her children, who went on to work in city services including NYCHA and the New York City Police Department. We mourn her passing and cherish her legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Detective Bruno Vidal, as he retires after 25 years of law enforcement service.

Det. Vidal began his law enforcement career in 1992 as a Police Officer with New York City's Finest, the NYPD. In 1993 he was assigned to the 90th Precinct in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In 1995, he joined the Community Patrol Officer Program (CPOP). A program designed to promote collaborative problem solving efforts between the community and police department. This program enabled Det. Vidal to patrol a dedicated geographic location within the community where he successfully worked with residents in identifying areas with serious quality of life conditions. As the CPOP Officer, his approach, mannerism and ability to communicate with the public, young and older, was instrumental in fortifying the trust between the 90th Precinct and the greater community.

This achievement led to his appointment as the precinct's Community Affairs Officer. In this capacity, he worked extensively within Williamsburg community. Det. Vidal established strong relationships with schools, faith-based and local organizations, small businesses, housing leaders and elected officials. He has earned numerous awards and the respect of the community and members of the service. In 2007 he was promoted to the well-deserved rank of Detective. And in 2015, he earned the new rank of Detective Specialist 2nd grade.

For twenty-five years, Det. Bruno Vidal has been an exemplary role model and dedicated public servant who served with pride and honor. I am proud to know and have worked with him on local issues. He is a loyal representative of New York's Finest. I also want to thank his family, Mrs. Arisleida Vidal-Abrue and their three children Matthew, Carolyn and Adam for supporting his career. Please join me in saluting Detective Bruno Vidal from the 90th Precinct in New York City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of Aixa Torres on the occasion of her birthday and retirement. Ms. Torres was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, to Domingo Arturo Torres and America Figueras. She moved with her parents and sisters to New York City in

1955, where she attended public schools. Ms. Torres graduated from the City University of New York and Lincoln University.

Among her many achievements, Ms. Torres was instrumental in working with local elected officials to push the New York City Housing Authority to fully repair old, faulty gas pipes at Smith Houses that sometimes forced residents to go without cooking gas for weeks or months at a time. Under this leadership and partnership, Smith residents can reliably use their ovens and stoves without having to worry about looming gas outages.

Ms. Torres' leadership has also been put to the test by multiple natural disasters. Her efforts resulted in the successful evacuation of hundreds of Smith residents ahead of Hurricane Irene, and her advocacy during Hurricane Sandy demonstrated that an organized community can overcome the worst of disasters. On behalf of the residents of Alfred E. Smith Houses, she recently formed a Sandy Task Force for the purpose of overseeing the Sandy Recovery and Resiliency at Smith.

After decades of community work, serving on advisory councils and public school parent associations, Ms. Torres retired in 2014 from the Department of Education as the Lower East Side's Family Advocate. In August 2004, she, along with Principal Santiago Tavares, instituted a Citywide High School Summer Graduation. In 2010, Torres also began serving as President of the Alfred E. Smith Resident Association, on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Ms. Torres married the late George Carmona, Jr. in 1971, and had two children, George III and Liza Noemi. For more than 50 years, she has resided on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where she lives with her daughter and grandchildren, Mia and Elijah.

Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump has now been President for 188 days, and despite the promises, his Republican-controlled Congress has not passed a single meaningful piece of job creation legislation.

Last night, we watched as Republicans failed in their latest effort to take healthcare from the American people. Mr. Speaker, it is time, at last, to move on.

The American people are looking for real proposals to create jobs, increase wages, and strengthen our economy. They are looking for--and they deserve--a better deal.

As the ranking member of the Small Business Committee, almost every day I hear from entrepreneurs and small businesses who create jobs in our communities, and under Democratic plans, we will give them tools to further succeed.

We will offer small firms tax incentives to bring on and train new employees. We will invest in apprenticeship programs to help meet small businesses' workforce needs. We will expand internet access to fuel the next generation of innovation and e-commerce.

I ask my Republican colleagues, at long last, give up on this obsession with attacking America's healthcare. Instead, let us move forward with giving America's workers and small businesses a better deal.

Mr. Speaker, if is my honor to recognize the American Chinese Commerce Association (HK) as they celebrate 20 years of exemplary service to the Asian American community.

Since it began, the American Chinese Commerce Association (HK) has been a voice for Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans living in New York City and around the globe. As one of the largest chambers of commerce in the United States, the association is committed to providing business opportunities in the American and Chinese business sectors. By assisting immigrants as they develop successful business enterprises, the association is a bold advocate for local small businesses and entrepreneurs.

When it comes to maintaining business and trade relationships between the U.S. and China, the American Chinese Commerce Association works to protect the best interests of both parties.

I sincerely congratulate American Chinese Commerce Association (HK) for its proud history and many achievements. The future is bright for many more years of successful and even life-changing work.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Ms. May Liang Mui and Mr. Baitong Yan on their upcoming 2017 ``No-Boundaries'' International Art Exhibition.

A non-profit exhibition held annually, ``No-Boundaries'' harnesses the power of art and art education to promote social responsibility among students who hail from all corners of the globe. During this event, students have the opportunity to work alongside professional artists and cultivate a project that fuses art, culture and global human rights.

Held at the United Nations (UN) in New York City, UN officials will present awards to outstanding young art students. Taken to prove that art truly has no boundaries, students of all different backgrounds will gather to traverse cultural barriers and express themselves through art.

I applaud all those involved in organizing such a rich cultural event right in the center of New York City. I extend my best wishes for a successful and inspiring exhibition.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the right to seek redress in the courts is one of the most fundamental rights we have as Americans. Unfortunately, companies routinely try to undermine this right by including mandatory arbitration clauses in contracts we use every day, including credit cards, student loans, auto loans, and cell phones.

These clauses often state that a consumer must resolve a dispute they are having with a third party often chosen by the company at a location that is chosen by the company. Companies also use these clauses to block class action lawsuits brought by consumers.

Now, once again, thanks to the CFPB, contracts that have these clauses will no longer be permitted to prohibit consumers from banding together or joining a class action. This rule helps hold companies accountable and protects consumers. That is why more than 280 consumer, civil rights, labor, community, and nonprofit organizations support this rule. That is also why unscrupulous firms are lobbying so aggressively to block this rule.

Stand up for consumers. Vote ``no'' on this joint resolution.

Mr. Speaker, since last year, when our intelligence community concluded that Russia sought to influence our elections, we have seen a series of terrifying headlines. This has not stopped.

Last week, we found out the President's son took a meeting in which he anticipated receiving from the Russian Government damaging information on the Democratic nominee. This was after it was spelled out in black and white in an email that the information came from the Kremlin. Donald, Jr.'s, response: I love it. But now we must go further. We need an independent commission, which Congress can authorize.

Speaker Ryan, these issues go beyond party. They go to the heart of our democracy. The American people deserve the truth. Allow a vote on an independent commission before the August recess.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise to congratulate Sing Tao Newspapers on 52 years of providing extraordinary news coverage from its New York branch office.

As one of the oldest and most widely read news sources in the Chinese community, Sing Tao Daily was first published in 1938. Providing in- depth reporting and updates from all corners of the world, Sing Tao Daily allows Chinese citizens living abroad to remain connected with global, national and local coverage. For a number of Chinese residents of my district in the Lower East Side of New York City, Sing Tao Daily serves as that connection.

Through engagement in local communities, the paper is always working to give back by supporting local arts and cultural events.

I congratulate Sing Tao Newspapers for a long history of publishing first-class news coverage. I wish all the staff and journalists many more successful years to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and honor that I rise to congratulate the students, and teachers from Middle School 50 (MS 50)--the John D. Wells School on its successful reign as New York City Middle School Debate Champions for 2016 and 2017.

MS 50 is located in the Southside of Williamsburg, Brooklyn of my district. It serves students from 6th thru 8th grade and has an enrollment that is 82 percent Latino with 21 percent of the students being English Language Learners. Despite personal challenges, these students have persevered and are competitive debaters. The school's debate program has helped students develop lifelong skills like critical thinking, verbal and written communication, leadership, teamwork, and determination. They understand that debate is an art form that requires the tactful ability to argue or refute a policy while maintaining proper decorum.

Today, debate remains the bedrock of our constitution and political system. It is uplifting to know that these students recognize the power of words and understand the art of debate. I am extremely proud of them. I also want to recognize and commend Principal Ben Honoroff, Debate Coaches Jason Warren, Matthew Mason, Thuy-An Vo, Andrew Geathers, and Carolina Hidalgo, and teachers for their support of this program and working with the Middle School Quality Initiative, a New York City Department of Education program focused on preparing middle school students for college. Please join me in saluting the MS 50 Debate New York City Champion Debate Team of 2016 and 2017.

Kevin Ascension, Jusue Canatero Nixon, Brandy Flores, Anthony Imbert, Kelvin Imbert,

A-Tiyana Johnson, Leslie Malin, Tracey McKeever, Victoria Paredes, Reynaldo Ramos, Grant Shan, Daiana Valencia, Emma Pichardo, Crisagnelly Canario, Tarek Ali, Denise Merino, Bryan Jacinto, Mohammed Islam, Evelis Rodriguez.

Deirra DuBois, Samantha Espinal, Quanique Walker, Yariel Cruz Hernandez, Solina Perez, Heaven Nesbitt, Wendy Calderon, Ariel Roman, Trystan Keohane, Michel Reyes, Fernando Espinal, Dawlin Paredez, Carlos Francisco, Merelin Penalo, Lisa Diaz, Lesly Deleon Clemente, Albert Sanchez, Yisneiry Rodriguez.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

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