Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be the lead Democrat on this bill, and I want to thank my colleague and friend Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick for his leadership on this important issue.

This bipartisan legislation toughens Federal antistalking laws by increasing the penalty for convicted defendants by up to 5 additional years when their victim is a minor. The bill also requires the Department of Justice to review the enforcement of stalking laws at the State and Federal level and to identify best practices for enforcing such laws. Publishing best practices will help law enforcement agencies and prosecutors around the country secure convictions in these difficult cases.

There is nothing more important than protecting our children from harm. Those adults who harass or intimidate minors, whether in cyberspace or in our communities, must understand that the penalty for their conduct will be severe.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the House will approve this bill today, and I urge the Senate to swiftly do the same.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, America has always been a nation of problem-solvers. When our country is confronted with a seemly impossible challenge, we tackle it head-on. We conduct research, we examine evidence, and we perform studies, and we don't quit until we have made meaningful progress.

From reducing automobile and aviation deaths to eradicating deadly diseases, we always rise to the challenge. In each case, a serious problem was claiming too many lives; and American determination, based on rigorous research, helped solve or mitigate that problem.

However, there is one place where we have deviated from this proud American tradition and abandoned an evidence-based approach to addressing our Nation's most pressing challenges, and that is when it comes to the problem of gun violence.

Homicides in this country occur as a part of the daily drumbeat of violence in our communities. They also take place in the context of mass shootings, like the recent tragedies at Pulse and Parkland, where a single individual transformed a place of life into a war zone.

Let me be clear. Gun violence is a plague upon this Nation and must be treated like the public health crisis it is.

Instead of confronting this problem with courage and candor, Congress has cowered in fear. For over 20 years, a single sentence, known as the Dickey amendment, has been added to the annual bill that funds the CDC and other Federal agencies.

We can debate the exact meaning of the Dickey amendment, what it does and does not allow, but the reality is that federally sponsored research on ways to reduce gun violence has come to a grinding halt.

I introduced a bipartisan bill to repeal the Dickey amendment, and it currently has 170 cosponsors. There are many steps that we can take right now to protect our communities and our children, while respecting the Second Amendment.

One of these steps should be to empower our Nation to fund independent, unbiased gun violence research that will lead to policies that save lives. It is the right and patriotic thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, today I am filing a bipartisan bill to ensure our ally Israel has adequate missile defenses.

Threats to Israel come from Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Assad regime in Syria, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran. Each has an arsenal that can target Israel. The U.S. and Israel recently signed an agreement that the U.S. would provide Israel with $500 million a year in missile defense funding and that Israel can seek additional support when the two nations agree exceptional circumstances exist.

My bill would codify this law. This would affirm Congress' recognition that the $500 million is a floor, not a ceiling, and signal Congress' intent to provide more funds where conditions on the ground justify it. My bill reflects the view that the term ``exceptional circumstances'' should be interpreted in a reasonable and not overly restrictive manner. Providing Israel with additional missile defense funding could deter Israel's foes from launching an attack and help prevent conflict. The goal of my bill is to preserve the peace and to ensure that Israel prevails if its enemies choose the path of war.

Madam Speaker, as a member of the class of 2000, I rise to celebrate the 325th anniversary of the College of William & Mary.

William & Mary may be the second oldest college in America, but it is first in the hearts of its students and alumni. The college educated many of our Nation's Founding Fathers and continues to take pride in producing graduates who enter public service, including four current Members of Congress.

Like it has for so many others, William & Mary changed my life. As the daughter of refugees from Vietnam who became residents of Virginia, I was the first woman in my family to attend college. I arrived on campus feeling a little alone and more than a little nervous. Yet, from the moment I walked through Wren Portico as a freshman to the moment I rang the Wren bell after my last class as a senior, William & Mary always made me feel that I was part of a close-knit community, a tribe, if you will, bound together by pride and tradition.

I learned so much during my 4 years on campus, creating friendships and making memories that have lasted a lifetime. So, to William & Mary the institution and to those whose efforts have made it such a special place, I say, ``Thank you, and happy birthday.''

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a bipartisan bill that seeks to ensure that servicemembers who are leaving the military receive the specific training they need to make a successful transition to civilian life. The BATTLE for Servicemembers Act will better prepare servicemembers to attend college, to learn a technical trade, or to start a small business.

The men and women in our all-voluntary military serve and sacrifice for this Nation. When they decide to leave the Armed Forces, it is our Nation's moral obligation to take all of the steps necessary to help them thrive in the next stage of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the three original cosponsors of this legislation. The first is Congressman Jack Bergman, a retired three- star Marine Corps general who recently visited in my central Florida district as part of a program organized by the Bipartisan Policy Center. Congressman Bergman joined me on a visit to the local VA hospital and to a meeting of my veterans advisory board.

The other original cosponsors are Congressman Carlos Curbelo and Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, who

are the co-chairs of the Congressional Future Caucus. I am proud to serve as a vice chair of this caucus which promotes policies to empower younger generations, including our young men and women in the military.

I also want to thank the outside organizations that have endorsed this bill. Namely, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Student Veterans of America, and the Millennial Action Project.

Let me briefly outline what the bill would do. Over 200,000 servicemembers are honorably discharged from the military each year. Many of them are under age 25, do not have a bachelor's degree, and leave the military without having secured a civilian job. Under current law, the Department of Defense is required to ensure that eligible departing servicemembers participate in the Transition Assistance Program, or TAP.

The content of TAP has evolved over the years and continues to be the subject of vigorous debate in Congress and within DOD. As presently designed, TAP's mandatory core curriculum consists of a 3-day employment workshop, 6 hours of briefing on veterans benefits, and 8 to 10 hours of briefings on topics such as translating military skills to civilian jobs and managing personal finances.

Beyond this mandatory core curriculum, eligible servicemembers are also given the option to participate in a more specialized 2-day workshop in one of the following areas: higher education, technical and skills training, or entrepreneurship.

In my view, the core curriculum is necessary, but not sufficient to enable most departing servicemembers to successfully transition to the civilian world. I believe departing servicemembers should supplement the core curriculum with at least one of these 2-day workshops so they can receive training tailored to their specific personal and professional goals, whether that involves going to school, learning a trade, or starting a business. The problem is that these 2-day workshops, precisely because they are optional, are rarely utilized.

According to a report recently released by the Government Accountability Office, fewer than 15 percent of eligible Active-Duty servicemembers participated in one of the 2-day workshops in fiscal year 2016, including only 4 percent of eligible marines.

Requiring transitioning servicemembers to opt into a 2-day workshop sends a signal to servicemembers and their commanders that the workshops are unnecessary, thereby discouraging participation. Therefore, my bill will require DOD to ensure that all eligible servicemembers participate in the core curriculum and one of the 2-day workshops. As with the core curriculum, participation in a 2-day workshop could be waived for certain departing servicemembers, including servicemembers with specialized skills who are needed to support an imminent deployment.

In addition, the bill would allow servicemembers who do not wish to participate to opt out of the training. However, the ultimate goal is to ensure that more departing servicemembers receive this targeted training and to boost the current 15 percent participation rate.

There is far more that we can do as a country to make certain that our warriors are well equipped, both practically and emotionally, to deal with the challenges of civilian life. I believe passage of this legislation would be a step in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today, I am filing legislation to honor an American hero. My bill would name the U.S. Post Office at 567 East Franklin Street in Oviedo, Florida, in honor of one of its native sons, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe.

Scripture teaches us that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends. On October 17, 2005, in an Iraqi province north of Baghdad, Sergeant First Class Cashe made the ultimate expression of love, disregarding his personal safety and enduring unimaginable pain in order to save multiple soldiers under his command from their burning vehicle after it hit an improvised explosive device.

His actions that fateful day were so remarkable that they almost defy description. Words like ``courage'' and ``bravery'' do not seem adequate to fully capture the deeds this soldier performed.

The actions that Sergeant First Class Cashe took resulted in his death, as he must have known they would. After his passing, Sergeant First Class Cashe received the Silver Star, the third-highest combat award that the Army confers.

Over the past years, there has been a passionate, painstaking, and patient effort to have Sergeant First Class Cashe's Silver Star upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Notably, this effort has been led by the battalion commander who nominated him for the Silver Star. This individual, now a two-star general, came to believe he deserves the award. I strongly agree with this conclusion.

But right now, I want to talk not about medals but about the man himself, because that is what matters the most.

Alwyn was born in 1970 in Sanford, Florida, and was raised in Oviedo, attending Oviedo High School. He was the youngest of nine children-- five girls and four boys. The family didn't have much money, but they had plenty of pride. When Alwyn was just 6, his father passed away. Alwyn's mother, Ruby Mae, worked long hours at demanding jobs, working on an assembly line and, later, as a custodian at Florida Tech, since renamed the University of Central Florida.

One of Alwyn's sisters, Kasinal, who is now an ICU nurse, describes her brother as the baby of the family, rambunctious, a little spoiled by his siblings, and, of course, deeply loved. She remembers buying him a 10-speed bike so he wouldn't be different from the other kids in the neighborhood and how happy he was.

Alwyn enlisted in the military after high school. Kasinal told us it had a transformational effect, turning this aimless boy into a resolute man, the civilian into a soldier--and not just any soldier, but a soldier's soldier, a tough-as-nails infantryman, and an old-school leader in the best sense of the term.

As Kasinal put it, Alwyn bled Army green right from the start. The Army gave him a second family with even more brothers and sisters, bound together by the American flag on their uniform and the events they experienced and endured together, from boot camp to combat.

On October 17, 2005, Alwyn, now Sergeant First Class Cashe, was on his second deployment to Iraq. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle carrying him, six other American soldiers, and the squad's interpreter struck an IED. The blast instantly killed the interpreter and ruptured the vehicle's fuel cell.

Flames engulfed the vehicle. Initially, only lightly injured, but covered in fuel, he descended into the hull, extracted the driver, who was on fire, and extinguished the flames. At this point, multiple soldiers remained in the vehicle, one of whom managed to open the rear hatch.

Sergeant First Class Cashe rushed to the back of the vehicle, reached into the hot flames, and started pulling out soldiers. His fuel-soaked uniform caught fire and the flames spread quickly over his body. Despite what must have been terrible pain, he returned to the vehicle twice more to extract his soldiers, all while he was still on fire and exposed to enemy gunfire.

By the time all the soldiers were saved from the vehicle, his injuries were the most severe. Second- and third-degree burns covered 72 percent of his body. Nevertheless, he refused to be evacuated until all his soldiers were medevacked out before him.

When he arrived at the U.S. military hospital at Balad Air Base in Iraq, he was still fully conscious. What remained of his uniform had melted to his skin, yet he tried to fight off the nurses, insisting that they treat everyone else first. Despite determined efforts to save his life at various hospitals abroad and in the States, he eventually succumbed to his wounds on November 8, 2005, surrounded by members of his biological family and his Army family.

Sergeant First Class Cashe's actions reflect the highest standards of servant leadership, devotion to duty, and sheer bravery.

We cannot bring Sergeant First Class Cashe back or erase the pain felt by those who loved him and those who served alongside him, but we can pay tribute to his life and his legacy. We can engrave his name on a plaque and designate a Federal building in his memory so the public never forgets this American soldier, this son of Oviedo, who laid down his life for his friends in service to our country.

I respectfully ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the football team at the University of Central Florida located in my congressional district.

The Knights finished the season ranked sixth in the Nation by the Associated Press. They had a perfect 13-0 record--the only team in college football to go undefeated. UCF won the American Athletic Conference championship with an exhilarating--and excruciating--double- overtime victory against a talented team from the University of Memphis.

The Knights shook up the world of college football in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Day when they beat Auburn University, one of the most storied football programs in the country.

I had a personal stake in the outcome of the Peach Bowl, having made a friendly bet on the game with Congressman Mike Rogers, whose Alabama district is home to Auburn. I am excited to collect my winnings from Congressman Rogers later today, a bucket of delicious Florida oranges that he will deliver to me while carrying a UCF helmet.

I thank the football gods that UCF did not lose. Under the terms of the wager, I would have been compelled to blanket a tree on the Capitol grounds with toilet paper, pursuant to a time-honored and, frankly, bewildering Auburn tradition. I am grateful that the Knights saved Capitol Police from the trouble of having to arrest a Member of Congress for vandalism.

Even though UCF was not given the opportunity to play for the national championship, the players and coaches of this team are national champions in my book. The Knights didn't just win games, they also won our hearts. They didn't just beat opponents, they also beat the odds. Sports--in particular, team sports--have a unique power to captivate, to unify, and to inspire.

Under the strong and steady leadership of Head Coach Scott Frost, the Knights captivated the school's students and alumni, filling them with pride. They united our Central Florida University community from Orlando to Oviedo, from Apopka to Altamonte Springs, and they inspired countless people, young and old alike, both football experts and novices. Importantly, UCF the football team brought national attention to UCF the university, which has quietly become one of Florida's and our Nation's academic gems.

To be sure, the Knights' squad was filled with talented players, seven of whom won first team all-conference honors, including rifle- armed quarterback McKenzie Milton, fleet-footed running back Adrian Killins, and one-handed defensive warrior Shaquem Griffin, who personifies courage and character.

Many members of the team justifiably played with a chip on their shoulder, having been overlooked by more established college football programs coming out of high school. They had to earn respect through their actions. Ultimately, what made the Knights so special and so successful was not what they accomplished as individuals, but, rather, what they achieved together as a team.

It was clear from watching the coaches and players that they loved and respected each other. The bond they shared made them teammates in the truest sense of the word. The team's motto, which is the name of the UCF fight song, is ``Charge on.'' It is a message whose power extends beyond the football field and applies to life itself. When you confront challenges, charge on. When others doubt your abilities, charge on. And when you think you can't work any harder, charge on.

As a proud fan, I thank the UCF football team for showing us all what it means to charge on.

Mr. Speaker, when I think about America's future, I know that its success will be driven by the bright, technologically-savvy minds of our young people.

Mr. Speaker, in a nationwide competition, Rollins College achieved one of the highest student voter turnout rates in the 2016 Presidential election.

I want to recognize the hardworking students and faculty at the Rollins Democracy Project for this accomplishment, which reflects the school's commitment to preparing the next generation of engaged citizens and global leaders.

As Justice Brandeis once observed, the only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen.

Our democracy withers when our citizens are disengaged from and cynical about the political process. However, it is strongest when our citizens are engaged and informed. Our democracy works best when our citizens use their voice and their vote to hold elected leaders accountable. It thrives when our citizens understand that, while the right to vote is sacred, it is only powerful if it is exercised.

Mr. Speaker, that is why what this school accomplished is so important and why I am so proud to represent Rollins College in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of one of my constituents, Greg Wood, who passed away on October 14, 2017, at the age of 70.

In tribute to Greg, who served in the United States Marine Corps and was wounded in action during the Vietnam War, my office arranged for an American flag to be flown over the U.S. Capitol. I am so glad that our country raised the flag in Greg's honor, because Greg did so much to support and defend this country. Greg fought to protect the fundamental freedoms that our flag represents.

This Saturday is Veterans Day, when our nation pauses to express gratitude to all those who honorably served, both living and departed. The day before, I will attend a ceremony at the Park Maitland School in Orlando, where we will formally present the flag to Greg's widow, Donna. Donna was kind enough to talk to my office about her late husband, about what mattered most to him, and about how he lived his life.

Greg was many things--a Texan at heart despite spending most of his life in the Sunshine State; a well-educated man who earned a master's degree in finance; an adventure-seeker who once rode his motorcycle from the United States all the way down to Panama; a respected commercial real estate broker; a sports lover; a fisherman and a hunter; and a pillar of our central Florida community.

But, as Donna made crystal clear, Greg was--above all--a U.S. Marine and a family man. These two roles defined him. They were the core of who he was. They gave his life purpose and meaning.

In a speech that he delivered many years ago to members of the Marine Corps, President Ronald Reagan said: ``Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the Marines don't have that problem.''

Greg volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps in March 1966, when he was only 18 years old. After basic training, Greg was sent to Vietnam, where he served as a forward observer--directing artillery fire onto enemy targets. Working as a forward observer, especially in Vietnam, was an exceptionally dangerous job.

The Marines are famous for their bravery, discipline and toughness. Greg was a Marine's Marine--respected and even revered by his brothers in arms for his courage and commitment. Despite his youth, Greg was a natural leader of men. They followed him, and they trusted him. Some even thought he might be invincible, and did not want to go out on patrols unless Greg was going with them.

Friendships forged in war are uniquely deep and intense. Greg lost many good friends in Vietnam--and, as Donna tells us, he carried these losses with him for the remainder of his life. On some days, the memories haunted Greg, and he struggled with feelings of sadness and guilt. Like any warrior who has seen his fellow warriors fall, Greg naturally asked himself: ``Why them and not me?''

Physically, as well as psychologically, Greg did not leave Vietnam unscathed. One fateful day, while out on a mission, he was shot and critically wounded--earning a Purple Heart. When Greg awoke hours later in a military hospital, a priest was administering his last rites. Although he survived, doctors told him he was unlikely to live past age 35. In a sense, then, Greg's entire life was one big case of beating the odds.

After being honorably discharged from the Marines, Greg was determined to become successful professionally and personally--in part to honor his fallen comrades who never had the chance to build a career or a family of their own. As Donna told us, nearly everything that Greg did later in life was shaped by his formative experience in Vietnam, whether for better or for worse.

One of Greg's daughters, Kristina, told me that her father loved war movies, but they always made him cry. It is clear that Greg had complex feelings about war itself, but that he cherished the American soldiers, sailors, airmen and--of course--Marines who fought these wars. It didn't matter whether they served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Iraq. He felt a sacred bond with all of them.

In addition to his military family, of course, Greg treasured his own family--which includes Donna, four children, and eight grandchildren. By all accounts, he was a loving husband and father, who coached Little League, served as a Boy Scout leader, and did all the big things and little things that great dads do.

So, I hope Greg has been reunited with the friends he lost in Vietnam. I hope he is happy and at peace. And I hope he knows how much his life mattered to his family and to the country he so nobly served.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Lester Mandell, who transformed countless communities in central Florida though his work as a builder and transformed countless lives through his generosity as a philanthropist. Lester passed away recently at the age of 96, leaving behind a large and loving family, but his legacy will live on.

Born in a hardscrabble Brooklyn neighborhood, and a veteran of World War II, Lester did not graduate from college. However, neither his lack of formal education nor the anti-Semitism he frequently faced could stop Lester from achieving his professional goals, because they were no match for his talent, tenacity and toughness. Lester's life was a quintessentially American story of success earned though hard, disciplined, joyful work.

As one of Lester's grandsons said about his grandfather: ``He believed that, if you did things the right way, you would get the right result.'' This is the essence of character.

Lester was a master builder, in both the literal and figurative sense. The homes, neighborhoods, and public parks he developed throughout central Florida over the course of many decades are his most visible legacy.

Lester also built bonds of a more intangible nature. He donated generously to many causes he cared about, from scholarships for inner- city children to support for the Jewish community he loved so much. Lester often donated anonymously and rarely spoke about his donations, even to his own family.

As his grandson recounts, Lester was a serious man who did serious work, but he did not take himself too seriously. He had a sense of humor and light-heartedness that disarmed friend and stranger alike.

Lester's greatest legacy, of course, is his family. He leaves behind his wife and partner for life, Sonia. They were married for 70 years. Sonia and Lester had four children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

I know they miss Lester. But I hope their loss is eased by the knowledge that Lester was a great man and, even more importantly, a good man.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2763, The Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Improvements Act, which will modernize two programs that provide Federal funding to small technologically advanced firms to research and develop innovative products.

I am proud to have cosponsored this legislation with Congressman Steve Knight, and I am encouraged that my colleagues on the Small Business Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee on both sides of the aisle support the bill.

For decades, American innovation and ingenuity have bolstered our economic growth and solidified our country's status as a global leader in technology; and for more than 30 years, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs have provided a critical source of funding to small businesses that engage in research and development. These initiatives were established to help spur innovation and job creation throughout the country.

Since the inception of the programs, more than $40 billion has been awarded to small, innovative firms to address our Nation's most important research and development challenges. Because of the high-risk nature of their ventures, SBIR and STTR grantees receive R&D funding that might otherwise be unavailable in the private sector.

As a direct result of the Federal investment in these programs, breakthroughs have been made in a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, defense, energy, and healthcare. In turn, these discoveries have generated tremendous economic growth and job opportunities across the country, including in central Florida.

For many research companies in my district, these two programs serve as a gateway to the Federal contracting field. That is why I am honored to have cosponsored this bipartisan legislation.

The final bill reflects bipartisan compromises and input from both committees of jurisdiction. Most importantly, it includes many provisions focused on developing innovative products that support important national priorities and that can be sold on the commercial market.

To improve oversight of the program, the bill requires the Small Business Administration to submit an annual report to Congress no later than December 31 of each year. This will enable us to better account for the use of funds and to better assess the progress of SBIR and STTR initiatives at participating agencies.

Another provision makes permanent the pilot program that establishes the Civilian Agency Commercialization Readiness program, which allows up to 10 percent of agency administrative dollars for sequential phase II awards to eligible businesses.

Finally, the bill includes an amendment that I authored to require participating Federal agencies to take additional steps to educate small firms about the SBIR and STTR programs and to encourage more small firms to apply for funding.

After more than a decade of fits and starts with these two programs, H.R. 2763 will make program improvements and provide much-needed certainty to small businesses seeking to commercialize. By authorizing the administrative fee to run these programs for an additional 5 years beyond its current authorization, Congress is taking proactive steps to give small firms the confidence they need to continue developing innovative products.

I respectfully ask my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the ranking member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, supporting our entrepreneurs and small businesses are a top priority for both sides of the aisle. Our bill will make it easier for small firms that receive SBIR and STTR awards to bring their products to market and achieve commercial success.

The SBIR and STTR programs are also critical to our economy, as they support our Nation's job creators and ensure that our country continues to produce cutting-edge research and development. This ingenuity is what makes our country a global economic powerhouse.

These programs, while successful, can be improved. The bill before us is a step in the right direction insofar as it will ensure that all Federal agencies are enhancing efforts to help more small businesses obtain SBIR and STTR funding and bring their innovative products to market.

Therefore, I respectfully urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Lester Mandell, who transformed countless communities in central Florida though his work as a builder and transformed countless lives through his generosity as a philanthropist. Lester passed away recently at the age of 96, leaving behind a large and loving family, but his legacy will live on.

Born in a hardscrabble Brooklyn neighborhood, and a veteran of World War II, Lester did not graduate from college. However, neither his lack of formal education nor the anti-Semitism he frequently faced could stop Lester from achieving his professional goals, because they were no match for his talent, tenacity and toughness. Lester's life was a quintessentially American story of success earned though hard, disciplined, joyful work.

As one of Lester's grandsons said about his grandfather. ``He believed that, if you did things the right way, you would get the right result.'' This is the essence of character.

Lester was a master builder, in both the literal and figurative sense The homes, neighborhoods, and public parks he developed throughout central Florida over the course of many decades are his most visible legacy.

Lester also built bonds of a more intangible nature. He donated generously to many causes he cared about, from scholarships for inner- city children to support for the Jewish community he loved so much. Lester often donated anonymously and rarely spoke about his donations, even to his own family.

As his grandson recounts, Lester was a serious man who did serious work, but he did not take himself too seriously. He had a sense of humor and light-heartedness that disarmed friend and stranger alike.

Lester's greatest legacy, of course, is his family. He leaves behind his wife and partner for life, Sonia. They were married for 70 years. Sonia and Lester had four children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

I know they miss Lester. But I hope their loss is eased by the knowledge that Lester was a great man and, even more importantly, a good man.

Mr. Speaker, September is Suicide Prevention

Month, and I rise to bring awareness to the pressing issue of veteran suicide.

When our servicemembers go overseas, they bravely and selflessly risk their own lives for the greater good. But when they return home, our veterans face new adversities. Many are confronted by intense emotional distress, including depression and post-traumatic stress. Others struggle to readjust to civilian life or to reintegrate into their families and their social networks.

Unfortunately, too many veterans succumb to their mental anguish. America loses 20 Americans every day to suicide. It is time we step up and be there for them and provide them the support they deserve.

I encourage anyone who knows a veteran--whether a family member, a coworker, or a friend--to reach out. A simple gesture of kindness can make all the difference in the life of a veteran going through a difficult time.

I will do my part in Congress, fighting for more and better resources to support our veterans. Veterans fought for us. Now it is time we fight for them.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my bipartisan amendment, which is cosponsored by Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon from Puerto Rico and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez from New York.

The American citizens in Puerto Rico and the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands are enduring an incredibly difficult situation in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

As a Member whose central Florida district is home to over 100,000 individuals of Puerto Rican heritage, I join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have made crystal clear to our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that they will receive all the Federal support they need to stabilize the situation in the short term, to rebuild in the medium term, and to emerge stronger in the long term.

We are part of one American family. And like any close-knit family, we always have each other's backs, especially when times are tough.

My amendment will ensure that Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories are treated equally under the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, which the underlying bill reauthorizes. The amendment will implement a recommendation made by the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico.

This Federal program provides annual grants to States and territories to fund home visiting services for families with young children. Visits are conducted by social workers and other professionals. They provide parenting education and other support services with a goal of helping at-risk families succeed. It is a great program that invests in children and families, helps lift them out of poverty, and increases the chance that they will become productive and successful members of society.

In theory, the program treats States and territories equally when it comes to the distribution of grant funding. In practice, however, Puerto Rico is treated unfairly. The Department of Health and Human Services makes allocations based, in part, on a U.S. Census Bureau data product on childhood poverty, but that data does not include information on Puerto Rico or the other territories. Therefore, Puerto Rico always receives the minimum grant allowed by the law, even though the island of 3.4 million has a high rate of childhood poverty.

My amendment would simply require HHS, when making grants, to use the best Federal data available for every State and territory and to use an appropriate alternative data source, if necessary, in the case of Puerto Rico. This will ensure that Puerto Rico receives its fair share of funding and not one penny more and not one penny less.

I hope my colleagues will support this amendment and that we will continue to do everything possible to help our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would simply reiterate my hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will support this amendment.

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