Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I was not present for votes on March 5 through 6, 2019 due to an illness. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 104; Yea on Roll Call No. 105; Nay on Roll Call No. 106; and Nay on Roll Call No. 107.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Lakeland Christian School Mock Trial team for winning second place in the Florida High School Mock Trial Competition.

The team previously won first place in regionals and went on to win not only second place among all teams in Florida but also the Stephen Shenkman Professionalism Award and the Best Attorney award, which was granted to Abby Branham.

In addition to Abby, the team included Ama Fosu, Annie Bolter, Trent Curtis, Keaton Walding, Jace Gravitt, Faith Nagy, Emily Branham, Lucy Bolter, Seth Martinez, Tag Hunt, Riley Rhoden, Carter Sawicki, Haley Caylor, and Aline Peek.

These students dedicated many hours of hard work and preparation to learn the facts of their case and present them thoughtfully in the competition. I am confident the knowledge they gained will help them become active members of our community in college and beyond.

Their success comes not only from their own hard work but also from the mentors who guided them through the process. The talented students were coached by Chasity Branham, professor of criminal justice at Polk State College, and Judge Melissa Gravitt, who recently assumed the bench for Florida's 10th Judicial Circuit.

These women took many hours out of their busy schedules to impart their passion for justice to these students. I appreciate all that they do. Our next generation is made better by their service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to an obstacle that has stood before this Nation for many years, but that has recently risen to new and alarming heights.

Last month, the United States national debt topped $22 trillion for the first time in our history. This is $3 trillion higher than our annual GDP and equates to over $67,000 in debt to be borne by each and every American.

I understand this debt is the culmination of choices that all seemed responsible in the moment. My colleagues and I entered public office to serve the country. And, too often, it is tempting to fix society by throwing money at our problems. However, this tactic mortgages future generations for the benefit of the present.

Congress has a duty to serve not only their own generation but generations to come, and we must exercise prudence to balance the desires of the present with the needs of the future.

This $22 trillion problem will require strong resolve from strong leaders.

Our Nation looks to us, this Congress, to correct the spending mistakes of the past, and I look forward to working with you all to clear a path for our future.

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 3 o'clock and 8 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a tradition that has come to define a small town in rural Florida.

Every winter, Plant City transforms for the Strawberry Festival, an event to celebrate the annual strawberry harvest.

When the festival was founded in 1930, it was a way for the residents of Plant City to not only mark a new crop of strawberries, but also was one of the few times a year locals could eat strawberries, due to their short shelf life.

Today, the 11-day event attracts guests far beyond Plant City, and the strawberry growers in the community now supply virtually all winter strawberries grown in the United States. This success comes at the hard work of growers in Plant City.

These entrepreneurial men and women work tirelessly to bring us the strawberries many of us enjoy, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them for all that they do for us. Strawberries have become the lifeblood of Plant City, and our community wouldn't be what it is today without them.

I also want to take this time to congratulate Kendall Gaudens, who was crowned this year's Strawberry Festival Queen. Kendall joins the illustrious ranks of many great women before her, including Florida's current attorney general, my friend Ashley Moody.

I also want to congratulate Madilyn Conrad, who was named first maid, and Kennedy Cullins, Jada Brown, and Olivia Frazier, who were selected for the court.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to an unsung hero in Florida's history.

In 1858, James Dean was born into slavery in Ocala, Florida. In pursuit of his dream to enter public office, Dean entered Howard University School of Law working part time as a clerk to put himself through school.

He earned a bachelor's and master's of law, graduating as the valedictorian in both degrees. After graduating, Dean returned home to Florida in 1887, taking a position as a school principal and establishing a law practice in Key West.

His practice grew so quick that he had to resign from the school within a year to care for his clients. As his business grew, so did his standing in the community. In 1888, just a year after moving to Key West, he was nominated to serve as a county judge.

This didn't sit well with many White political leaders in Key West who conspired to have him removed from the bench. They fabricated a story that Judge Dean illegally married an interracial couple and the Governor of Florida removed him from office.

As Black History Month comes to a close today, it is important to not shy away from uncomfortable moments in our history. And while Governor Bush posthumously reinstating his judgeship in 2002 can never make up for the harm suffered, remembering his story makes us all more sensitive to current injustices suffered by our friends in the Black community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, an institution that has helped small businesses and business owners in the Tampa Bay area succeed for over 60 years.

I think specifically of Ron Pierce, a very good friend of mine who started his own consulting firm 10 years ago. Over the past decade, he has grown his small business to include four other consultants and now provides advice to some of the largest interests in Tampa, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Port of Tampa Bay.

On top of managing his own successful business, he is also an upstanding member of our community. He regularly volunteers to bring food and clothing to families in need. He has worked on youth drowning prevention and provided advice to leaders in Tampa Bay on how to improve our local economy.

In recognition of his service, the Chamber recently bestowed upon him the Community Leadership Award, the highest honor granted by the organization.

The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce is a model organization in my district, and it helps small businesses succeed in their work so that they can then help others.

I am proud to be a member of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the Small Business Committee, I look forward to working with them to create a stronger economy for Tampa Bay.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor A.D. Shaw, founder and pastor of Shekinah Glory Cathedral located in Plant City, Florida, and who most gracefully offered this morning's opening prayer. He is also my brother and my friend.

Pastor Shaw's dedication to family, friends, and community serves as an example to many. His over 15 years of hard work in the ministry without expecting anything in return embodies the definition of unity and the best of the human spirit.

As I listened to his prayer, I thought of the many distinguished men and women who have stood in this Chamber, at that podium, preaching the importance of unity in our great Nation.

One such man was Abraham Lincoln, who said: ``A house divided against itself cannot stand.''

In our fast-moving society, it is easy to focus on those things that divide us over those things that bring us together. It is why, Mr. Speaker, I stand here today calling for greater unity among all who serve in this Chamber, among the American people and for the thousands of communities across our great land.

Only together can we withstand adversity, not just as individuals, but as a Nation. This does not mean that we will always agree. It does mean we should seek unity in those disagreements.

We do not need to see eye to eye to walk hand in hand.

If, as a Nation, we seek to remain strong into the 21st century, we must stand united through our differences.

Mr. Speaker, 28 years ago today was a very good day. In fact, it was one of the best days of my life. You see, it was the day that Amie Sue Wurzel said yes. She said yes to my clumsy marriage proposal.

Since then, we have been through a lot together. We raised four kids, completed undergraduate school and law school, moved eight times, started and grew a business, grieved the death of her brother and my father, struggled through my significant health challenges, and won six elections.

I loved her back then, but the days, months, and years of shared heartache, struggle, laughter, sickness, joy, commitment, and faithfulness have caused my love for her to grow stronger and deeper than my words can possibly express.

She has put up with and even supported my crazy ideas and dreams, even when they have required great sacrifice for her and for our family.

On this Valentine's Day, Amie Sue, even though we are apart, I need you to know and understand how grateful I am that you said yes and how very much I love you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enthusiastically support Congresswoman Wagner's born-alive bill, a bill that would protect children born after a failed abortion from further attempts on their lives.

This is not a liberal or conservative issue. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. This is not a political issue, even. It is a moral issue, and moral issues have a way of being undeniable.

It is a universal truth that laws protect the living; and while many of us cannot agree when life begins, I am confident that everyone in this House would agree that life begins at least at birth. More importantly, I am confident that the vast majority of the American people would agree that a child born alive is, in fact, alive.

I understand there may be attempts to prevent a vote on this bill to protect Members who are against the born-alive bill, but, no, it is impossible to protect politicians from the moral convictions of the American people, and history is unkind to those who try.

I urge Members from both parties to see the born-alive bill as an opportunity to foster bipartisanship in this House.

Supporting this bill does not make you antiabortion or against a woman's right to choose; it simply ensures that laws already in place are enforced to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on the leadership of both parties to end the possibility of another government shutdown before next Friday.

Many in this Chamber oppose President Trump's plans to secure our border because they believe that doing so would send a negative message, a message that immigrants are not welcome in this Nation. This is simply not true.

Just yesterday, I met with farmers from my district who told me how very much they rely on skilled foreign labor. One farmer in particular advertised 800 jobs and, in fact, did not receive a single American applicant.

These farmers also expressed concern that, if the government shutdown continued, they will be unable to hire workers abroad because the State Department would not conduct the necessary hearings for H-2A visas. This is

not acceptable, and we can and must do better.

The strong economy led by President Trump has created more jobs than there are Americans to fill them, and we want to encourage legal immigration not only to fill a need, but also because immigrants create a stronger America. After all, without legal immigration, my great- grandfather, Francisco Spano, would not have immigrated here from Italy, and I would not be standing before this House today.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for this House to come together to avert another shutdown, continue growing our economy, and push for an immigration system that is fair, just, and inclusive for all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of school choice. Last week was National School Choice Week when individuals from all over the country gathered to raise awareness of different education options available to parents and their kids.

In my home State of Florida, we are blessed to have access to traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and home schooling. These diverse programs provide kids with different opportunities to excel in the learning environment that works best for them.

I think specifically of Hunter Frost, a young man with autism who I have gotten to know very well. Hunter attended Pepin Academies, a tuition-free charter school in our district that specializes in teaching students with learning and learning-related disabilities.

Hunter thrived at Pepin Academies, graduating third in his class. He went on to receive his associate's degree from Hillsborough Community College with an A average and has been accepted by my alma mater, the University of South Florida, where he plans to begin this fall.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to have Hunter as an intern in my office, and I look forward to his success and to seeing him excel in college and beyond.

Madam Speaker, this past June, our family was rocked by a very scary incident. We were excited and joyfully anticipating the birth of our very first grandchild, a boy whose name would be Silas. Our excitement and joy quickly turned to fear and dread when Silas was born lifeless, the umbilical cord tightly wound around his neck three times.

I was in the waiting room when I received a text from my wife, and she said:

Pray now. Silas was born, but he's not breathing. They're

working on him.

I began praying, and about 15 minutes later, my wife, Amie, frantically ran into the waiting room in tears and said:

He's still not breathing. Pray harder. Pray harder.

Instinctively, I fell to my knees, and I pled, crying to God:

Please, God, save his life. Breathe life into him.

I realized in that moment what I have known for all my life, and that is that human life is valuable, precious, and fragile.

Thanks be to God, about 10 minutes later, the doctor walked into the room and said:

He's breathing, finally, and we think he's going to make

it.

Two days ago, Silas turned 6 months old, and I cannot wait to see what God has planned for him. Silas fought for his life, and I am so thankful he will get to experience all that life has to offer.

Members, every innocent child should have a chance at life. God forbid, we would allow that fragile, precious, valuable, innocent life to be taken.

Mr. Speaker, recently, I have heard many of my Democratic colleagues, and even more in the media, saying that our President has manufactured a crisis at the southern border and that there is no need for funding to secure it properly.

Tell Ingrid Lake there is no crisis. Her 6-year-old boy, Lennox, sustained a life-altering injury as a result of an illegal alien's criminal behavior, and that individual had previously been deported 15 times.

Tell Officer Ronil Singh's family there is no crisis. Officer Singh was recently shot in cold blood by an illegal alien after a traffic stop.

Last year alone, border security intercepted about 17,000 people with no criminal convictions at our border.

Members, those who oppose our President at any cost, refuse to see the truth. But, to me, and I believe to all who objectively consider the circumstances, there is clearly a full-blown legitimate crisis. It is one we have been ignoring for far too long. An overwhelming majority of constituents calling my office in the last few days agree.

Mr. Speaker, let's get this government open now, and let's authorize the money necessary to ensure the security of our people.