Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, as part of our national celebration of Black History Month, I am paying tribute to African- American leaders from Florida who have made outstanding contributions to our community and our country. These accomplished men and women have not always received the recognition they have earned.

Today I rise to honor Judy Mount. Judy, a longtime resident of Jackson County, made history in 1995 when she became the first African- American woman elected official in the county and served as president of the Malone City Council. She continues to serve as Chairperson of the Jackson County Democratic Executive Committee.

Judy has faithfully and effectively served the Democratic Office in the Florida House of Representatives for 18 years. She is a member of the Democratic National Committee and has been a leader within the Florida Democratic Party in many different capacities.

In a series of firsts, Judy was the first African-American to be elected Vice-Chair of the Florida Democratic Party and, in 2017, she became the first African-American elected as the interim Chair of the Florida Democratic Party.

Throughout her life, Judy has worked tirelessly to make Florida--and our country--better, stronger, and more just. She is the epitome of civic engagement and public service.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Judy Mount.

Madam Speaker, as part of our national celebration of Black History Month, I am paying tribute to African- American leaders from Florida who have made outstanding contributions to our community and our country. These accomplished men and women have not always received the recognition they have earned.

Today I rise to honor Shevrin Jones. Shevrin grew up in Carol City. He earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Florida A&M University and his master's degree in educational leadership from Florida Atlantic University. Jones went on to found L.E.A.D. Nation, a South Florida non-profit organization committed to youth leadership development and social entrepreneurship training. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Florida Atlantic University.

Shevrin was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012, where he served honorably for eight years. In 2020, he was elected to the Florida Senate, becoming the first openly LGBTQ member of any race to serve in that chamber.

Senator Jones is continuing his family's proud legacy of public service. His father, Eric Jones, served as Mayor of West Park for over 15 years.

Senator Jones has always had a passion for education. He taught A.P. Chemistry in the Broward County Public School district, serves as the Executive Director of Florida Reading Corps, and founded South Florida Youth Summit, the largest gathering of young people in South Florida.

Every day, Senator Jones is making a positive difference in his community and for our country.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Shevrin Jones.

Madam Speaker, as part of our national celebration of Black History Month, I am paying tribute to African- American leaders from Florida who have made outstanding contributions to our community and our country. These accomplished men and women have not always received the recognition they have earned.

Today I rise to honor Arthenia Joyner. Born in Lakeland and raised in Tampa, Ms. Joyner has been a champion for justice and equality from a young age, participating in her first civil rights demonstration as a high school junior in 1960. She studied political science at Florida A&M University, where she also earned her law degree.

Ms. Joyner served as a legal assistant to State Representative Joe Lang Kershaw, the first African-American state legislator in Florida since the Reconstruction era. After law firms refused to hire her, Ms. Joyner opened her own law practice in 1991. She was the first Black lawyer to practice in Polk County and the first Black woman to practice law in Hillsborough County.

Throughout her career, Ms. Joyner has worked to combat racial and gender inequality. In recognition of her efforts, she received multiple presidential appointments by President Bill Clinton, serving as a member of the U.S. delegation to the 1994 World Population Development Conference in Cairo and to the 1995 U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Ms. Joyner proudly participated in the ``Lawyers Against Apartheid Day'' at the South African Embassy in Washington, DC on January 8, 1985, where she was arrested alongside former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark and others.

Ms. Joyner was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, where she served from 2000 to 2006. She was then elected to the Florida Senate, serving until 2016. In 2014, she became the first Black woman chosen as Senate Majority Leader. Throughout her career as a legislator, Ms. Joyner distinguished herself for her skill, leadership, and commitment to her constituents.

Arthenia Joyner has spent a lifetime overcoming adversity, breaking barriers, and fighting for justice and equality.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating Arthenia Joyner.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Equality Act, a long overdue measure I cosponsored to expand important civil rights protections to every American.

This is personal for me and my district. Central Florida is an area that prides itself on its diversity, compassion, and inclusiveness. But tragedy struck in June 2016, when a gunman walked into the Pulse nightclub and took the lives of 49 innocent individuals. Our community relied on those same values--diversity, compassion, and inclusiveness-- to overcome hate and move forward together with love.

But despite tremendous progress our Nation has made toward equality, too many LGBTQ Americans still live in fear. That is because LGBTQ people across the country remain vulnerable to discrimination on a daily basis. The Equality Act ensures protections that already exist for other protected classes are equally available to all Americans. It is past time we pass this bill so that no American faces discrimination because of who they are or whom they love.

Honoring David King

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor David King, a constituent of mine who passed away recently.

David was born and raised in Tennessee. He attended Tennessee Technical College and Vanderbilt Law School, where he was an editor of the law review. David then served honorably in the Marine Corps, deploying to Vietnam. Following his military service, David relocated to Orlando with his college sweetheart, Marilyn, by his side. Together, they made central Florida home.

David was a trial attorney of skill and integrity, earning the esteem of fellow lawyers and judges. David fought vigorously for his clients but always treated his courtroom opponents and the justice system itself with respect.

David served as lead attorney for the Fair District Coalition, which worked to end partisan gerrymandering in Florida. David was dedicated to the cause of free and fair elections and to the principle that every vote matters in our democracy. David was deeply committed to his central Florida community, generously giving his time, energy, and financial support to many local nonprofit organizations.

David's proudest accomplishment was his family, especially his 56- year marriage to Marilyn and the sons and grandchildren their happy union produced.

May God bless the memory of this wonderful man, and may God bless his family, his friends, and all those who loved him.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, my amendment, which I am coleading with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of New York, involves a looming threat to American security and American democracy from the use of deepfake technology by our Nation's adversaries.

As policymakers, we must understand this challenge and put in place a whole-of-government strategy to address it in a way that protects our interests and is consistent with our values. The U.S. intelligence community has an important role to play in this effort.

The House Intelligence Committee, led by Chairman Schiff, recently held an illuminating and alarming hearing on deepfakes. As the witnesses at that hearing testified, technology now enables anyone with a computer, internet access, and technical skills to create fabricated and relatively convincing video and audio recordings that depict individuals doing or saying things that they did not do or say.

The technology behind deepfakes is rapidly evolving. Soon individuals will be able to create highly realistic and difficult to debunk video and audio content. At a time when Americans are already being inundated, especially online, by a flood of false or misleading information, deepfake technology has the potential to make it even harder for the American public to trust what it sees and hears.

It is easy to imagine the different ways in which deepfake technology could be exploited by America's foes. Imagine a Russian intelligence service creating a video purporting to show an American Presidential candidate accepting a bribe or an audio recording purporting to reveal an American Secretary of State saying something inflammatory about an ally. Or imagine a Chinese-produced video that falsely depicts the commander of a U.S. military unit committing a war crime. Such efforts, if not quickly exposed as false by the United States, could create havoc.

In today's world, perhaps the biggest national security threat we face is not the risk of direct military conflict between the United States and Russia, China, Iran, or another adversary. Instead, the threat lurks in the gray space short of kinetic action. It is illustrated by Russian efforts to intervene in the 2016 Presidential election, most notably in my home State of Florida. It is the threat from authoritarian governments using new technologies to spread disinformation, sow discord, create divisions, and cause the American people to lose faith in our democratic form of government.

To address this threat, our amendment requires the DNI to prepare a report for Congress on how foreign countries are using or could use deepfake technology to harm the United States and to explain how the intelligence community is working to develop appropriate countermeasures. This report will help us to understand the problem and to combat it more effectively.

We must get this right because the stakes couldn't be higher. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Chairman Schiff).

Madam Chair, I urge support for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, our amendment would require the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretaries of State and Defense, to prepare a report for Congress on efforts by Iran to establish long-term influence in Syria using both hard and soft power and the threat that this proposes to U.S. interests and allies, including Israel.

Syria's civil war, which began in 2011, has brought an influx of Iranian-backed forces into Syria. Iran and Syria are both designated by the United States as state sponsors of terrorism. Their military partnership dates back decades, and Iran regards Syria as one of its most important allies.

Iran and Iranian-backed forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, have provided manpower, training, weapons, and funding to the Syrian Government, led by President Bashar al-Assad. This assistance, coupled with support from Russia, has enabled the Assad government to retain or regain territory in Syria, and the Assad government currently maintains control over roughly two-thirds of the country.

Iran's goals in Syria include protecting the Assad government, increasing Iran's regional influence, threatening Israel from a closer location, building weapon production facilities and other military infrastructure, and securing a land bridge that would connect Iran to Hezbollah's stronghold in southern Lebanon via Iraq and Syria.

It is clear that Iran is seeking long-term influence in Syria and is pursuing this objective through military, political, and social means.

Iran's effort to establish a military presence in Syria has led to repeated confrontations with Israel. In February of 2018, Israel shot down an Iranian drone flying over Israeli territory and then targeted the base in Syria from which the drone was launched. In May 2018, Israel launched strikes against Iranian military installations in Syria. Iran responded by firing missiles at Israeli positions in the Golan Heights, and Israel then targeted nearly all of Iran's military infrastructure in Syria.

Iranian and Iranian-backed forces also seek to enhance their influence in Syria through nonmilitary means, such as purchasing strategic real estate, constructing Shia religious centers and schools, securing loyalty from Sunni tribes, and inducing the Assad government to open Farsi language departments at Syrian universities.

In a startling move, President Trump has proposed to withdraw all or most U.S. forces from Syria, a proposal I view as a profound mistake. But regardless of the number of U.S. troops deployed to Syria, I believe it is a vital U.S. interest to prevent Iran, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed forces from establishing an enduring presence in Syria.

Our amendment would require the DNI to assess how Iran is using hard and soft power to gain long-term influence in Syria. Among other things, the IC would examine how U.S. efforts to strengthen Kurdish forces in Syria could undermine Iran, how the U.S. helps Israel identify threats from Iran and Syria, and how Iran's influence over Syrian institutions could increase the likelihood that the Islamic State will reconstitute itself inside Syria.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I urge support for the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House approved an amendment I offered to the State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2020, and I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the amendment.

There is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and it is man-made. In my view, the people of Venezuela will not prosper as long as the regime of Nicolas Maduro remains in power. The regime has proven itself to be cruel, incompetent, and anti-democratic. It is driving what was one of Latin America's most vibrant nations into the ground.

The United States cannot be passive. We must stand behind the proud Venezuelan patriots who are struggling to reclaim their country from the regime that is destroying it.

Like last year's bill, this year's State-Foreign Operations bill provides $17.5 million for USAID and State Department programs to promote democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela. This funding is drawn from the nearly $2.2 billion in economic support funds that the bill provides for countries around the world. That is good, but we can and we should do better.

Because the situation in Venezuela has significantly worsened in recent months, our amendment would increase the $17.5 million for Venezuela by $3 million for a total of $20.5 million. This enhanced funding will be used for five main purposes in Venezuela: to defend human rights, strengthen civil society, improve governance, support independent media, and promote fair and transparent elections.

Currently, USAID programs in Venezuela are being conducted through several U.S.-based implementing partners who, in turn, work with over 35 Venezuelan subpartners. The respected organization, Freedom House, ranks Venezuela as not free. According to Freedom House, conditions have grown sharply worse in recent years due to the continued concentration of power in executive and harsher crackdowns on the opposition.

As a result, USAID programs to support human rights defenders in civil society groups are critical. U.S. support

enables these groups to document abuses by the regime and to keep the hope of democracy alive in an increasingly authoritarian country.

Venezuela is one of the most dangerous places in Latin America and the Caribbean to be a human rights defender. The Maduro regime is currently being investigated for crimes against humanity by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Organization of American States has similarly denounced the regime's abuses. These men and women on the ground in Venezuela put their lives on the line to expose the regime's failings, and they need our support.

On the media front, the regime has arrested and abused journalists, both Venezuelan journalists and foreign journalists, operating in the country, including a prominent American journalist. Harassment from the government has led most independent radio, TV, and print outlets to close. Social media has, at times, been blocked, including during the recent uprisings against Maduro. USAID programs are critical to overcome government censorship and propaganda.

On the democracy front, Maduro was reelected in May of 2018 in a snap election that failed to meet minimum international standards and was widely condemned as illegitimate. The sooner that civil society and international actors can weigh in on how to improve the National Electoral Council and reform the electoral system more broadly, the sooner free and fair Presidential elections can be held.

This is the goal of the Guaido government. It is also the goal of the Lima Group which is composed of Latin American countries and Canada and which is seeking a just solution to the crisis in Venezuela. It is a goal that merits continued American support.

I am proud that my colleagues voted for this amendment. It is a vote for the people of Venezuela who have suffered so much under this terrible regime.

Mr. Speaker, today marks 3 years since the terrible tragedy that took the lives of 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

That is 36 months, 156 weeks, 1,095 days that the victims' families and loved ones have had to live without their presence and without their light.

This single incident shook our community to its core and forever changed us. But our city showed that we are a vibrant community that prides itself on its love and inclusion.

Following the tragedy, hundreds came out to donate blood and help their fellow brothers and sisters in their time of need. The site was transformed into a makeshift memorial, one that was full of love, thoughtful notes, and flowers.

This was the largest attack against LGBTQ people in U.S. history. As we celebrate Pride Month, we must honor their memories, be inspired by their legacies, and recognize the positive contributions the LGBTQ community offers to the world.

While those memories may be raw and remembering those we lost may still hurt, we cannot forget that the love that the 49 victims brought into this world will always be stronger than the hate that stole their lives on that day.

Hate will never win. Love always will.

The memories of those who lost their lives will never ever been forgotten.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which I am proud to co-lead with 25 members of the Future Forum, a generational caucus that focuses on issues important to younger Americans.

My amendment would provide additional support for youth suicide prevention strategies in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, juvenile justice systems, and foster care systems.

My amendment would provide an additional $2 million for the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention State and Campus grants.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth in America. In the past decade, approximately 22,000 Americans ages 10 to 19 have died by suicide.

This is staggering, and we must remember that behind every abstract statistic lies a shattered human life, a brokenhearted family, and a distraught community.

This issue hits close to home for families in my central Florida district where, in recent years, we have mourned the loss of far too many students to suicide. Just months ago, a student died by suicide on a school campus. She was only 17 years old.

Last year, I held youth and mental health advisory board meetings in my district. My constituents told me that there was a need for additional resources on campus and in our communities to help students and young adults treat mental health conditions before they become serious or even life-threatening.

That is precisely what our amendment would do.

Simply put, this grant funding will help save lives.

Madam Chair, I respectfully ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. McAdams), my colleague and fellow Future Forum member.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, if you spend your life working hard, then you should have the dignity of a secure retirement. That is why I rise today in strong support for the SECURE Act, a bipartisan bill that will help more Americans retire with dignity and with a higher quality of life. It allows older Americans to continue to invest more and for longer in their traditional IRAs so that they can get a greater ROI on their hard-earned money.

It also contains a provision I authored requiring employers to allow long-term, part-time employees to participate in a company's 401(k) plan. This change will especially help women, as women are more likely than men to be long-term, part-time workers.

Finally, the SECURE Act fixes a mistake the Republicans made last Congress when they rammed through their partisan tax giveaway to corporations and the wealthy. In doing so, they inadvertently raised taxes on Gold Star children and families.

As we fix this problem today, I hope this body remembers that process matters and that a bad process leads to unintended consequences that hurt everyday Americans. I am glad that we can undo some of that damage today.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the SECURE Act, which is a good piece of bipartisan legislation that helps countless American families.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor my constituent, Oscar Duncan, who passed away on April 10th, at the age of 75.

A long-time resident of Geneva, Florida, Oscar Duncan lived an extraordinary life, and leaves behind an enduring legacy. He was a soldier, a law enforcement officer, and a successful small business owner.

Above all, Oscar was the Duncan family patriarch. He and his beloved wife Bernice were married for 44 years, and he was fiercely protective of her. Heaven help the person who said a cross word to Bernice in Oscar's presence.

Together, they had 10 children, which led to 22 grandchildren, which led to 23 great-grandchildren. That's more than a family. That's an army.

My office spoke to one of Oscar's four sons, Hannibal Duncan, about Oscar's life. Hannibal made clear that those who knew his father best had the greatest respect and affection for him.

Oscar was born and raised in Tampa, at a time in our nation's history when African-Americans were treated unequally under both law and custom.

Adversity made Oscar strong, as fire forges steel. Everything Oscar Duncan achieved in life, he had to fight for. Nothing was given to him; he earned it all.

Out of high school, Oscar volunteered for the U.S. Army, serving for five-and-a-half years, including tours in Korea and Germany, and rising to the rank of sergeant.

The same qualities that made Oscar a good soldier made him a great man. Discipline, intelligence, toughness, fairness, self-confidence, the capacity to suppress fear and doubt, a sense of purpose. He was a natural leader that others wanted to follow.

After leaving the service, Oscar earned two degrees at an Orlando- area college and became a police officer in Eatonville, famed as the first city in the country to be organized and governed by African- Americans.

In 1971, Oscar was a member of the first class of black deputies selected to join the Orange County Sheriffs Office, which had officially desegregated in the early 1960s but had accepted only a handful of African-Americans in the ensuing years. For nearly a decade, Oscar woke up every day and worked to keep central Florida safe, always the consummate professional.

Then, in his mid-30s, Oscar decided to walk a different path. He left law enforcement and opened Duncan's Food Mart in Eatonville, located next to the dry cleaning shop that Bernice ran. It became an iconic institution in the city. Oscar did everything at the store--cooking and cleaning, manning the cash register, and handling the finances. The kids were expected to help as well, and it was here they absorbed their father's lesson that success demands sacrifice.

According to Hannibal, Oscar explained his decision to change careers by saying that, ``at some point in your life, you have to choose between being a mouse and being a man.'' For Oscar, being a man meant striking out on his own, answerable to no one but himself. It also meant giving back to the African-American community he cherished-- creating jobs, economic activity, and a place for folks to gather and enjoy each other's company.

Oscar ran the store for nearly 20 years, until he suffered a series of strokes and his health began to unravel. Hannibal said his father died like he lived--no complaints, no self-pity. Just dignity and toughness.

Oscar Duncan was a man until his final breath. He will be deeply missed.

I ask my congressional colleagues to join me in offering our condolences to those he loved and to those who loved him.

Mr. Speaker, there is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and it is man-made.

My view is simple. The people of Venezuela will not prosper as long as the Maduro regime remains in power. It has proven itself to be cruel, incompetent, and antidemocratic.

Ideally, the regime will go peacefully, but it must go.

The United States cannot be passive. We must stand behind the proud Venezuelan patriots who have taken to the streets and are struggling to reclaim their country from the regime that is destroying it. We must be ready to support these brave men and women with all elements of American power, always working alongside our partners in Latin America.

The Venezuelan people need to know that we have their backs. If the Maduro regime targets its own citizens with violence, it should be prepared to suffer the consequences.

To the Maduro regime, I say ``enough,'' ``basta.'' To the people of Venezuela, I say ``be strong,'' ``fuerza''; ``we are with you,'' ``estamos con ustedes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of this bill, the BRIDGE for Workers Act. I want to express my gratitude to the three original cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation: Congresswoman Walorski, Congresswoman Torres Small, and Congressman LaHood. I also thank Chairman Neal and Ranking Member Brady for their leadership on the committee, and Chairman Danny Davis and his staff for all the work they have done on this bill to prepare it for floor consideration.

Mr. Speaker, no American worker wants to be unemployed, and it is vital for our government to provide cost-effective support during that challenging and stressful time. Our focus should be on giving unemployed workers the skills and resources required to return to the workforce as quickly as possible. We want everyone to feel the sense of dignity that comes with earning a paycheck, providing for their family, and contributing to our economy.

One way we support unemployed workers is through the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment program. This program, administered by the Department of Labor, makes annual grants to States and territories to provide a range of services to recipients of unemployment benefits. Services include individual career counseling, assistance with job searches, and information on the local job market.

Under current law, States can only use these grants to assist workers who are expected to exhaust their unemployment benefits without having found a job. That is an unnecessary restriction that prevents many unemployed workers from getting valuable assistance.

Our bill would remove this restriction and allow States to use their grants to provide support to any individual receiving unemployment benefits, as long as the State believes these services would help the individual return to work more quickly. We provided a 1-year patch in the 2019 appropriations bill to make this change temporarily, but this bill would make it permanent.

This is a critical step because research shows the longer workers are out of work, the harder it can be to maintain their skills, their professional networks, and a stable home life. By combining targeted reemployment services with unemployment insurance benefits, we will help keep people attached to the labor force who might otherwise become discouraged and give up looking for a job.

In my home State of Florida, it is estimated this bill could provide up to 25,000 additional individuals claiming unemployment benefits each week with access to reemployment services.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask my colleagues to support the bipartisan BRIDGE for Workers Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of central Florida community leader, faculty member, and editorial writer, John Bersia, who recently passed away.

Born and raised in central Florida, John earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida as well as masters degrees from Georgetown University, American University, and the London School of Economics.

He then returned to our community to begin writing editorials for the Orlando Sentinel. There, he won a Pulitzer Prize for an editorial series that exposed the predatory lending practices of irresponsible payday lenders, leading to legislation that cracked down on that industry.

In 2001, he began teaching at the University of Central Florida, where he helped establish the Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. Throughout his career, he inspired his students to pursue a love of travel, new cultures, and humanity-focused work, but his passion spread beyond that campus.

He hosted a weekly TV show on WUCF and chaired different institutions, including the Global Connections Foundation, the World Affairs Council of Central Florida, and the Orlando Area Committee on Foreign Relations.

John sought to broaden people's connections to the outside world while helping us see that global issues can also be local.

For that and much more, he will be truly missed.

Madam Speaker, Newtown, Charleston, San Bernardino, my hometown of Orlando, Vegas, Parkland: Young Americans have grown up associating these cities with pain and tragedy. They have only known a Congress that is unwilling to address gun violence or be moved even by the senseless murder of innocent children.

After car accidents, gun violence is now the second leading cause of death among young people. This is a staggering statistic, and my young constituents know it. They live in fear that their classmates, friends, family members, or neighbors could be the next target. But instead of sitting on the sidelines, young Americans have marched, mobilized, and found purpose.

Today, their collective voices reverberated across the Halls of Congress as the House, for the first time in decades, answers their calls for commonsense gun safety measures.

I am proud to support legislation that will strengthen our background check system to help keep dangerous weapons away from dangerous people.

By passing these commonsense measures, we are finally taking concrete steps to defend the lives of these young Americans and guarantee them a safer future.

As chair of the Future Forum, I thank every young leader who has helped us get to this historic moment. We hear your pleas. We value your activism. And we will keep fighting with you to end gun violence once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.

It was just a year ago that we lost 17 lives at the hands of a gunman as part of the terrible epidemic that is gun violence in America. Fourteen of these were young students with a bright future ahead of them.

Today, I am here to honor the memories of Alyssa, Martin, Nicholas, Jaime, Luke, Cara, Gina, Joaquin, Alaina, Meadow, Helena, Alex, Carmen, and Peter and the three courageous staff members: Scott, Aaron, and Chris.

May their souls in Heaven be a guiding light to us here on Earth as we continue to fight against gun violence, because no parent wants to send their kids to school, to church, or to a movie theater worried about whether they may ever come home.

It took less than 7 minutes for a gunman in Parkland, Florida, to try to erase these 17 people, but he could not and will not be able to erase them from the memories of their loved ones.

Today we remember their lives by saying their names, and we honor them by taking action. We can and must act. I, for one, will never stop fighting to honor their legacies and make our communities safer by ending gun violence. We as a nation shall never forget.