Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, First Sergeant John Navarra, who is retiring as the leader of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

John V. Navarra is a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant with 22 years of service to our country. During this time, he served in multiple locations including the United States and Germany and primarily worked in the administration and logistics fields.

Coupled with his service, John has demonstrated a life-long commitment to education by earning an Associate's degree in Business and Computer Science, a bachelor's degree in Interpersonal and Group Communications, a Master's degree in Education with Concentrations in Teaching and Evaluation and a MBA in Leadership.

It is not just his own education that John has been committed to. John has served as the Army JROTC Instructor at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for 12 years, beginning in 2007. In this role, John educated, provided guidance, and mentored the students in the JROTC program. In doing so, he instilled in them the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to honor and thank Mr. John Navarra for his service to his country and his community. I congratulate John on his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this motion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with solemn responsibility. I carry the legacy of the history of the Jewish people, a history of persecution, of discrimination, of scapegoating, but also a history of perseverance and survival. The embodiment of that perseverance is the establishment of the State of Israel, the home of the Jewish people.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly condemn the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, economic warfare against the State of Israel, and there is no one in this Chamber--no one--who would question my commitment to opposing BDS or fighting anti-Semitism or supporting our ally, Israel. But I also strongly reject what my colleagues are doing here today.

My colleague, my friend from Texas, is right. There has been a long and bipartisan history of support for Israel, and it has been so strong because of that bipartisanship.

This is not a motion to commit about BDS. We have seen this play out before. The last time this resolution came up, my colleagues introduced a resolution condemning BDS and anti-Semitism and supporting Israel, and we all voted for it until it was time to actually go on the record, and almost every one of them voted against it.

This is about politics. This is about trying to drive a wedge into this Caucus where it does not belong. That is what they are trying to do today.

Mr. Speaker, the Jewish community also has a history of standing up against atrocities like the humanity crisis in Yemen. My colleagues are trying to block us from standing in support of our human rights and American values to condemn what is happening there. That is what this is about. That is why I am opposed to it, and we should all oppose it.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader, for his comments.

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

Parliamentary Inquiries

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, First Sergeant John Navarra, who is retiring as the leader of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

John N. Navarra is a retired U.S. Army First Sergeant with 22 years of service to our country. During this time, he served in multiple locations including the United States and Germany and primarily worked in the administration and logistics fields.

Coupled with his service, John has demonstrated a life-long commitment to education by earning an Associate's degree in Business and Computer Science, a bachelor degree in Interpersonal and Group Communications, a Master's degree in Education with Concentrations in Teaching and Evaluation and a MBA in Leadership.

However, it is not just his own education that John has been committed to. John has served as the JROTC Army Instructor at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for 12 years, beginning in 2007. In this role, John educated, provided guidance, and mentored the students in the JROTC program In doing so, he instilled in them the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to honor and thank Mr. John Navarra for his service to his country and his community. I congratulate John on his retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Ben Ferencz. Ben is the last living Nuremberg prosecutor and is also celebrating his 100th Birthday.

Born in Transylvania in 1920, Ben immigrated to the United States and attended public schools in New York. He won a scholarship to Harvard Law School where he worked as a research assistant for a professor writing a book on war crimes. He received his degree in 1943 and promptly joined the U.S. Army as a private in the artillery. He was awarded five battle stars for not being killed or wounded at Normandy Beach and every major campaign in Europe.

As the war was ending, he was transferred to General Patton's HQ to serve as a war crimes investigator. He entered many Nazi concentration camps as they were liberated and the horrors he saw made an indelible impression. When he returned home, he was recruited by General Telford Taylor to return to Germany to help in the additional war crimes trials.

He was appointed Chief Prosecutor in what was aptly described as the biggest murder trial in history--the ``Einsatzgreuppen case.'' All 22 defendants, including six SS Generals, were convicted of murdering over a million innocent men, women, and children. Ben was 27 years old and it was his first case.

Since then, Ben has dedicated much of his life to seeking compensation for victims and trying to prevent illegal war-making. He became a self-appointed personal lobbyist for peace, with countless lectures, publications, and speeches at many universities and in countries around the world.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to honor Mr. Ben Ferencz and his service to his country, his community, and the world. Happy Birthday to Ben.

Mr. Speaker, today should not be about politics. I didn't rise to be political. This is personal.

A few years ago, I was invited to speak at the U.N. General Assembly special session on anti-Semitism. I told the representatives from the assembled countries that anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine, that if there is anti-Semitism in your country, there is hatred that will ultimately permeate throughout society if it is not checked. I never thought I would need to explain that to my colleagues.

This is not political. No one should make it political.

The use of anti-Semitic language and images can never be tolerated. When a Presidential campaign runs a commercial alleging a Jewish global conspiracy in an ad featuring George Soros, Janet Yellen, and Lloyd Blankfein, it is invoking classic anti-Semitic tropes and it must be condemned. When the same campaign tweets an image of their opponent featuring a Jewish star and piles of money, it does the same thing and it must be condemned. When one of our colleagues accuses Soros, Steyer, and Bloomberg of buying the election, it also invokes classic anti- Semitism that must be condemned. And when one of our colleagues invokes the classic anti-Semitic tropes that Jews control the world, that Jews care only about money, and that Jews cannot be loyal Americans if they also support Israel, this, too, must be condemned.

We have the opportunity to condemn all of that, by all of them, intolerable as it all is, by passing a strong condemnation of anti- Semitism. Mr. Speaker, because of anti-Semitism over millennia, millions of Jews have been hated, targeted, and expelled from their countries, violently attacked, killed, and exterminated. Words lead to action and to death.

There is too much hatred, too many other people who are targeted, and we need to support all of them. But we are having this debate because of the language of one of our colleagues, language that suggests that Jews like me, who serve in the United States in Congress and whose father earned a Purple Heart fighting the Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, that we are not loyal Americans.

Why are we unable to singularly condemn anti-Semitism? Why can't we call out anti-Semitism and show that we have learned the lessons of history?

It feels like we are only able to call the use of anti-Semitic language by a colleague of ours--any colleague of ours--if we are addressing all forms of hatred. And it feels like we can't say it is anti-Semitism unless everyone agrees that it is anti-Semitism.

Who gets to define what counts as stereotypes or discrimination? Isn't it the people who experience the bias? The people who have experienced that hatred for thousands of years?

If Jews whose families were persecuted or attacked or killed are talking about how anti-Semitic words can lead at their most hateful and violent extremes, then it is anti-Semitism. And take my word for it. If you don't do that, then please understand that an anti-Semite will hear those words as a dog whistle.

What has been so difficult for so many people in my community is that people who are fearful when anti-Semitic tropes are used are being told that they are wrong. Jewish elected officials are saying that this history that we know well is invoked by referencing dual loyalty, and some of my colleagues are saying that it doesn't matter what that history means to me. It is intensely personal because it is ongoing: in Europe, in Asia, in the Middle East, in South America, and in the United States.

Eleven people were killed less than 6 months ago in a synagogue because they were Jews. What is happening in our country should alarm us all. The attacks on our colleagues because they are Muslim or African American or Hispanic or members of the LGBT community, any attack must be condemned when it is based on hatred.

But when a colleague invokes classic anti-Semitic lies three times, then this body must condemn that anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is worthy of being taken seriously on its own. It is worthy of being singularly called out.

Jews control the world? Jews care only about money? Jews have dual loyalty and can't be patriotic members of the country in which they live?

Words matter. For generations, they have had dangerous consequences for me, for my family, and for my people. This shouldn't be so hard.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to rise today to honor Ramola and her late husband Bob Motwani for their integral contributions to the City of Fort Lauderdale and to congratulate them on being recognized as ``Honored Founders'' of Fort Lauderdale.

After hearing that the city was flourishing due to large numbers of spring breakers, Ramola and Bob moved to Fort Lauderdale and purchased the Merrimac Hotel in 1986. However, the city's crackdown on spring break that same year led to a sharp decline in business, making it difficult to support their family.

In the face of this adversity, Bob set out to find new guests from around the world and began working with local beach committees. These committees sought infrastructure and other improvements that would attract more visitors to the beach. This hard work and determination paid off, attracting more visitors, businesses, and developers to the area. Their success allowed them to purchase additional properties for redevelopment and make an even bigger impact on the city.

Following Bob's untimely passing at the age of 47, Ramola took the reins managing their properties and raising their two sons. Ramola has continued the family's active civic engagement in beach development and redevelopment issues, including securing sponsors for projects the city couldn't afford on its own.

Madam Speaker, we have only just scratched the surface of the myriad contributions the Motwanis have made to revitalize Fort Lauderdale and turn it into the thriving city we have today. Congratulations to the Motwanis on this well-deserved recognition.

Mr. Chair, we introduced H.R. 8 8 years ago after our friend and former colleague, Gabby Giffords, was shot and nearly killed.

When she was by our side to introduce the bill, she said: ``Speaking is still difficult for me, but I don't think I can make myself more clear: Congress must act to make our country safer from gun violence.''

Now is that time. We have waited too long to close loopholes that let people easily avoid background checks through private sales. I have cried with too many survivors and attended too many funerals. I have marched with too many student activists, and I have bowed my head through too many moments of silence.

We know strong gun laws work. In the 25 years since the Brady law took effect, background checks have stopped more than $3 million in gun sales and have saved countless lives.

It is time to expand the Brady law. It is time to close the dangerous loopholes. It is past time for Congress to take action to save lives from gun violence.

Mr. Chair, this is not a moment of silence. This is not a sit-in. This is action by the United States House of Representatives on behalf of everyone who has pled for that action after San Bernardino and after Sutherland Springs and after Fort Hood and after Virginia Tech and after Columbine and Sandy Hook and Las Vegas and Pulse and everyday gun violence in our communities and, yes, after Parkland.

Let's represent the 95 percent of the American people who want us to take this action to help save lives. Let's pass H.R. 8.

Mr. Speaker, I don't know what it is like to lose a child to gun violence. My words are not sufficient to describe that pain.

These are the words of Patricia Oliver, the mother of Joaquin Oliver. Joaquin was killed 1 year ago tomorrow at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Dear Representative Deutch: I am writing to you to plead

with you to ensure that other mothers and fathers do not have

to endure this gut-wrenching pain, the senseless and

unnecessary loss of life, liberty, and the pursuit of

happiness for my family.

My name is Patricia Oliver. My beautiful son, Joaquin, was

one of the 17 who lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman

Douglas High School last year. Words cannot express the

devastation wrought on the families of the victims, the

shattering of families, friends, and those who survived.

After the avoidable mass shooting, many said we were in

their thoughts and prayers. How many of you in this Chamber

uttered just those words?

I thank you for your prayers, but are you actually thinking

about your constituents, about those you have sworn an oath

to serve, and about those you know and love? If you were

thinking, you would do something.

It is in your power to enact commonsense gun laws,

commonsense mental health support, and appropriate support

and guidance

to law enforcement. If we have the courage to stand up and do

this, then never again will thoughts and prayers be needed in

the aftermath of a mass shooting.

This country is at a crossroads. We need your leadership.

We need your love, your compassion. We need your serious

thought unmarred by lobbyists.

I implore you to think about the kids. Think about how you

would feel if it were your son, your daughter, your

granddaughter, or your grandson, because it could be.

Had we--had the Members of this body--learned the lessons

of Columbine and of Sandy Hook, Joaquin would still be here.

The lives of hundreds would not have been ripped to pieces.

This was preventable.

Something you can do, and urge your colleagues to do right

this moment, is support the recently introduced universal

background checks bill.

It is now my mission in life to do whatever I can to ensure

that no mother and no father have to endure the pain I have,

that no shining beacon of light, hope, and love like my

Joaquin is snuffed out too soon in a preventable mass

shooting.

We know that he didn't have to die if our leaders had done

enough. Other countries have solved this problem. The roadmap

exists. Please follow it.

Sincerely, Patricia Oliver, Parkland, Florida.

Mr. Speaker, Patricia and Manuel, Joaquin's father, have not allowed Joaquin to remain a victim. He is an advocate.

Last month, the Olivers visited Capitol Hill with a statue of Joaquin to deliver this letter and to call for change. It is time to listen to them, Patricia, Manuel, and Joaquin. We shouldn't have to know the pain that Patricia and Manny know, that 16 other families in Parkland know, and that families in every corner of this country know, to do something about gun violence.

The time to act is now.

One year ago, Madam Speaker, on February 14, 2018, 17 people were killed in a senseless and horrific act of gun violence at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

I ask the Members of the House of Representatives to use this time to center their thoughts on the 17 who were killed, the 17 who were injured, the healing of the Parkland community, and the 40,000 lives lost to gun violence in every corner of this Nation each year.

I ask that we work together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to end this silence with action to make all our communities safer from gun violence.

I ask that this moment of silence not be in vain, and I ask my colleagues to please rise and bow your heads as we remember Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, Martin Duque Anguiano, Nicholas Dworet, Aaron Feis, Jaime Guttenberg, Chris Hixon, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Montalto, Joaquin Oliver, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alex Schachter, Carmen Schentrup, and Peter Wang.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for the time and for her support of this legislation, and I thank Mr. Collins from Georgia for his service and for his support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's veterans. Our veterans distinguish themselves in service to our country, but that distinction is too often recognized and preyed upon by scam artists.

H.R. 450, the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act, will close a loophole in our criminal law and will give Federal law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on financial fraud schemes that target our veterans.

My friend, veteran, and former Congressman Tom Rooney introduced this bill with me in the past two Congresses. It passed by a voice vote in the 115th Congress and passed unanimously 411-0 in the 114th.

It is time to pass it again and to finally make it law to help our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to Representative Meadows for continuing this important bipartisan work to protect America's veterans.

In a 2017 survey, AARP found that 78 percent of veterans receive scam pitches specifically targeted to their military service. They also found that 16 percent of veterans lost money to financial fraud over the past 5 years, double the rate of nonveterans.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Greg Dover of Palm Beach County Veterans Services, who sounded the alarm and helped fight for this important legislation.

I have heard too many stories from south Floridians--veterans, survivors, families, and their veterans service officers--who have been taken advantage of through so-called pension poaching scams that target the supplemental aid and attendance pension benefit.

In one case, a veteran responded to a solicitation with the hope of securing additional pension benefits. He was met with a high-pressure sales tactic in his own home. The sales representative tried to convince him to apply for benefits that he didn't want and that he wasn't eligible for.

In addition to filing an improper claim on the veteran's behalf, the scammer lied and told the veteran that he was required to enter into a long-term healthcare contract in order to receive the benefits.

Pension poachers comb through south Florida's senior communities to look for targets. They gather residents for high-pressure sales pitches to convince them to file inaccurate claims.

In one case, a scammer intentionally withheld spousal income from a veteran's application to illegally unlock additional benefits. The veteran paid excessive filing fees of over $600, but that wasn't the worst of it. The VA eventually learned about the additional unreported income. They learned that the veteran was not eligible, and they sought to claw back nearly $50,000 in overpayments.

By the time the veteran faced financial ruin, the scammer had disappeared and couldn't be found.

As our senior population continues to grow, aging veterans will require assistance with activities of daily living that the veterans aid and attendance benefit can provide. The application of financial eligibility requirements offers an opportunity for scam artists to take advantage of our most vulnerable American veterans with empty promises and hidden consequences.

Veterans don't have to face benefit hurdles alone, but they shouldn't be easy targets for criminals either.

This legislation will help law enforcement fight back against pension poachers and other scammers. It will root out scam operations. And it will protect our veterans from falling prey to these ploys.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to be there for our veterans, just as they have been there for us. Please vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Mr. Charles DiMatteo, who will be celebrating his 100th Birthday on February 8.

The son of a produce store owner father and a seamstress mother from Sicily, Charles lived the American Dream. He was born at home and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, as one of nine children. His parents were well-known in the area as co-founders of Sacred Heart Church on North Street in the North End. Charles went to school and helped out in the family store.

Charles received a draft notice and entered the Army Air Corps in 1942, serving as a radio operator and marksman. He was in 16 missions under fire in places like Burma, China and India. He suffered serious injury while unloading a cargo plane and was hospitalized. Charles continued his service until 1946, when he was honorably discharged with many service medals and honors.

Following his military service, Charles worked as a railroad claims agent and ran a wholesale produce business. His fruit baskets were legendary in the area and he was referred to as the ``Basket King.'' He is a lifelong member of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and the DAV (Disabled American Veterans). After retiring at age 70 and relocating to Florida, he joined DAV Chapter 133 in Pompano Beach.

Charles is known as a generous man who has supported many charities over the years. Charles is also a family man with a loving wife Anita, two children, 7 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Despite knee replacement and back surgeries, Charles still gets around quite well at age 99. Not surprisingly, he is a fan of the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots, and enjoys watching their games on television. His other hobbies include following the stock market, swimming and dining out.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to honor Mr. Charles DiMatteo and his service to his country and his community. Happy Birthday, Charles.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to rise today in recognition of the important work done by Rabbi David Steinhardt of B'nai Torah Congregation.

For 25 years, Rabbi Steinhardt has offered a religious home in the B'nai Torah congregation. As a member myself, the Rabbi has brought words of wisdom, healing, and inspiration to me, my family, and the Jewish community of Boca Raton. His deep commitment to teaching and advancing Jewish values has brought B'nai Torah to preeminence. His sermons reinforce our values and provide spiritual guidance, and his deep commitment to Israel is most appreciated by our community. For these 25 years of leadership, I am grateful for Rabbi Steinhardt.

In times of hardship, such as after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Rabbi Steinhardt has created a space for mourning and healing within B'nai Torah. After the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, he welcomed local leaders of all religious denominations for a powerful community-wide vigil. Rabbi Steinhardt's work with the Interfaith Clergy Association has contributed significantly to the strength of our broader community.

As we begin this new year, I am confident Rabbi David Steinhardt will continue to be a cherished member of the Boca Raton community. I greatly appreciate Rabbi Steinhardt's dedication to the congregants of B'nai Torah and the people of South Florida, and I am pleased to honor him.

Madam Speaker, let's be clear. The longest shutdown in our history is not about border security. Both Democrats and Republicans agree we need strong border security; we need new technology; we need stronger ports of entry; and we need more personnel.

But the President is tossing aside what we agree upon so that he can hit taxpayers for $5 billion for his wall, and he is making 800,000 hardworking Federal employees and contractors, and their loved ones, pay an even higher price right now.

I have heard from constituents who should be working as aviation safety inspectors to keep our skies safe. Instead, one is waiting in the unemployment office. One cabin safety inspector is struggling to pay for cancer medication. Another is negotiating a payment plan for his mother's care, and his mother is an 88-year-old veteran living with dementia.

Let's end the pain of this shutdown, reopen the government, get Federal workers back on the job and being paid. We can work together to strengthen our borders, and we can treat asylum seekers with respect.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Engel for helping to shepherd this legislation through the committee last year and for bringing it to the floor so quickly this year. I thank the ranking member, I thank my fellow co-chairs of the Anti-Semitism Task Force, and I especially want to thank my colleague, Chris Smith, who has been a stalwart ally in combating anti-Semitism and has worked to create and strengthen this position for many years.

Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, on January 9, 2015, a gunman entered a kosher supermarket in Paris, killing four. Last year, on the anniversary of the Hypercacher shooting, another kosher supermarket in southern Paris was targeted with swastikas and arson.

Tragically, there have been countless attacks against the Jewish communities of Europe over the last few years, some of which make headlines, but many of which don't: The anti-Semitic murder of a Holocaust survivor; the man attacked in Germany for wearing a kippah, a Jewish skullcap; the shootings at the Jewish Museum of Belgium in Brussels that killed four; the shooting at a Bat Mitzvah in Copenhagen; an 11-year-old in England attacked on the street as children shouted, ``Burn all the Jews;'' and White supremacists and anti-Semites marching in European capitals.

Anti-Semitism is certainly not a new phenomenon, but we should expect that the United States Government would take a leading role in tracking, combating, and preventing it.

After October 27, when the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in America took place and 11 Jews were gunned down for practicing their religion, America has an obligation to lead. We need a global-facing officer at the State Department who will engage Jewish communities and European leaders to make their countries safer for Jews.

We have repeatedly asked this administration to fill the Special Envoy position. They have left it vacant for almost 2 full years under two different Secretaries of State. Members of Congress have sent letters to the White House and the State Department. We have asked administration officials in person about when or whether they plan to appoint a Special Envoy. There is bipartisan frustration over the delay.

Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine. When it is present in your country, there is hatred in your country. I am pleased the House will vote on this bipartisan bill early in this Congress to send a clear message to the administration that there is no time to waste. Democrats and Republicans together expect America and the President to stand firmly against anti-Semitism by filling this important position.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to rise today in recognition of the important work done by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton and to congratulate the recipients of their Outstanding People and Leaders (OPAL) awards. This year's honorees are Charles Bender, Rabbi David Steinhardt, Aubrey and Sally Struhl, and Art and Glorianne Polacheck. In addition, I would like to congratulate the recipients of the Boca Raton Rotary Club's Lifetime Legacy Award, Jim and Arlene Sclafani.

Through their philanthropy, service, and selfless sacrifices, each honoree has touched countless lives and made a lasting impact on our South Florida community. The work they do and the time they have put in is truly deserving of these awards.

I extend my most sincere congratulations to all of tonight's honorees. As we begin this new year, I am confident that the Rotary Club of Boca Raton will continue to be a cherished institution in South Florida that betters our community. I greatly appreciate the Club's work and am pleased to honor their OPAL and Lifetime Legacy Award honorees.