Gus Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the eight inventors who have been recognized as the 2019 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. To be named as an Inductee, these inventors were nominated by their peers nationwide and have undergone the scrutiny of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Selection Committee. As a result, their innovations have been identified as significantly impacting the quality of life, economic development, and welfare of their communities, the residents of Florida, and the United States. The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was founded in 2013 by Paul R. Sanberg, Senior Vice President for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Enterprise, and Judy Genshaft, President, at the University of South Florida. It was recognized by the Florida Senate with Senate Resolution 1756, adopted on April 30, 2014. Its mission is to encourage individuals of all backgrounds to strive toward the betterment of Florida and society through continuous, groundbreaking innovation by celebrating the incredible scientific work that has been or is being accomplished in Florida and by its citizens. Nomination to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is open to all Florida inventors (living or dead) who are or have been residents of Florida. The nominee must be a named inventor on a patent issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The impact of the inventor and his or her invention should be significant to society, and the invention should have been commercialized, utilized, or led to important innovations. The 2019 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame are: Michael Bass: Professor Emeritus at the University of Central Florida selected for his significant inventions in optics and spectroscopy that have optimized the use of lasers and optical systems, aiding in the treatment of major diseases and improving the design of the world's fiber optic communication system. Joanna S. Fowler: Native Floridian, University of South Florida alumni, and 2008 National Medal of Science recipient selected for her transformative research that enabled the use of molecular imaging to more accurately identify and treat illnesses ranging from drug addiction to cancer. Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000): Former Florida resident for nearly two decades, Oscar-nominated actress, and 2014 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee selected for her ground breaking invention of the Secret Communication System, which led to the creation of various technologies used today to support Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. Thomas A. Lipo: Research Professor at the Florida State University Center for Advanced Power Systems selected for his pioneering innovations in the field of electrical machinery and power electronics that improved the technology that runs subway cars as well as paved the way for hybrid and electric vehicles. Alan F. List: CEO and president of Moffitt Cancer Center selected for his dedication to understanding cancer biology and developing novel therapeutic strategies for treating hematologic malignancies such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myelocytic leukemia (AML). Chris A. Malachowsky: University of Florida alum selected for inventing the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) that transformed the visual computing industry, revolutionized high performance computing, and opened the door to modern artificial intelligence. Luther George Simjian (1905-1997): prolific inventor and founder of Tampa based Reflectone, Inc, who developed the Optical Range Estimation Trainer used during WWII, which became the standard for simulation defense training, and for his many other inventions including his ATM concept that revolutionized the banking system. Richard A. Yost: University of Florida professor of chemistry selected for his invention of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, a ground breaking analytical instrument that is used daily in drug development, disease testing, food safety, and environmental studies. Innovation and invention are the building blocks of our nation. I applaud these highly accomplished individuals and the organizations that support them in their quest to change the world in ways that truly benefit humanity. It is because of the perseverance of these inventors that future generations are encouraged to reach beyond their limits and push the boundaries of innovation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 3504, as amended, the Ryan Kules Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019. Our highest calling as a committee is to empower those who have been injured in defense of our country to live independent and productive lives. The Specially Adapted Housing program, or SAH grant program, is one way we do that, and this bill makes several needed improvements to that program. SAH grants are awarded to certain severely injured servicemembers and veterans to help them adapt their homes to increase their comfort and independence. It is a quality of life issue, Madam Speaker. SAH grants can be used to make all kinds of home adaptations, including installing grab bars, wheelchair ramps and lifts, lowering countertops, and widening hallways and doorways. My bill would make needed improvements to this program and provide prioritization when processing SAH grants for veterans with serious illnesses like ALS. It would also double the number of times a veteran can use an SAH grant and increase the base amount of funding available to veterans by 15 percent. Finally, this bill would authorize VA to provide additional funding for veterans 10 years after they use their SAH grants to make additional home improvements as they age. So, of course, they might want to get into a bigger house because their families grow, and they should have that opportunity to do so. This bill also includes H.R. 3640, the Housing Access for Blind Veterans Act, which was introduced last week by Representative Roe and Representative Elaine Luria from Virginia, the chair of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, to provide additional SAH funding to veterans who are legally blind. It is so important that we do this. I am proud to have named this bill after my friend Ryan Kules, an Army veteran, and I had the privilege of meeting him today and his wonderful family. It is a beautiful family. On November 29, 2005, while he was serving in Iraq, Ryan's vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, an IED, and Ryan sustained multiple injuries, including the loss of his leg and arm. He is a true hero, Madam Speaker. Those injuries made him eligible for the SAH grant program following his separation from service. Many of the ideas in this bill came from Ryan's own experiences with the SAH program. I am grateful to Ryan for his service, for his continued advocacy, and for allowing us to use his name for this important legislation. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Wounded Warriors Project and the Paralyzed Veterans of America for their help with crafting this bill, as well as my friend and chairman, Representative Mike Levin from California, who is the cosponsor of this bill and who does an outstanding job in committee, where we work in a bipartisan fashion. Madam Speaker, this bill also includes the text of H.R. 3535, the GI Bill Work Study Improvement Act. This bill was introduced by my friend, Representative Rodney Davis of Illinois, Representative Susie Lee of Nevada, and Ranking Member Roe of Tennessee to improve VA's workstudy program. The idea for this bill came from the student veterans and school officials who attended a GI Bill forum that Representative Davis had, and Representative Roe was in attendance, of course. He is the ranking member of the full committee. I commend Representative Davis for taking the concerns of his student veterans' constituents to heart and acting to address them by improving the way that those payments are made to eligible GI beneficiaries. The best ideas come from the people, Madam Speaker, as you know. This would entail changes to the current process where the student veterans are paid workstudy benefits by VA to a new process where student veterans are paid directly by their school. This makes sense. This will be done by block granting workstudy money to schools allowing them to administer the payments to student veterans. This will improve timeliness and accuracy of payments to student veterans. Finally, H.R. 3504, as amended, also includes the text of my bill, H.R. 2221, the Fry Scholarship Improvement Act, which would expand eligibility for the Fry Scholarship to certain survivors of members of the National Guard and Reserve. Representative Andy Barr worked on this bill as well, and he was a great advocate. Of course, he is an advocate for the National Guard and Reserve, Madam Speaker. The current Fry Scholarship provides post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to surviving spouses and dependent children of servicemembers who have died while on Active Duty. I would like to thank the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, for bringing this idea to our attention and again Chairman Levin for being an original cosponsor of this bill. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation today. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. This is a great bill named after a great American hero. We need to pass this bill. I want to thank the leadership of the chairman and the ranking member for bringing it to the floor. Again, we have got to get this done for our heroes. We have got to get it to the Senate and pass it as soon as possible because it is so badly needed. I appreciate it very much. I thank the staff for their support. Madam Speaker, I encourage Members to vote positive on this particular bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I am prepared to close. I want to say that this is an outstanding bill. I am glad we worked on this bill because we have a lot of women veterans who need this, and I want to make it permanent. So, again, let's pass this bill as soon as possible and get it to the Senate. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2942, as amended, the Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health, or HEALTH, for Women Veterans Act. I thank and congratulate Representative Cisneros on this very good bill, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for bringing this bill forward. Women are joining the armed services in record numbers, Madam Speaker, and are an important part of the military and veteran communities. In recognition of the brave services these women are providing our country, it is incumbent on us to ensure that they are aware of the many benefits afforded to them. Unfortunately, far too many women veterans are unaware of the healthcare services available for women through the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration. That is why VA and the Air Force partnered together to create a Women's Health Transition Training pilot program. The pilot program provides servicewomen who are on the verge of leaving the military with information about the care they may be eligible to receive from VA, how to enroll in VA, and how to successfully transition to civilian life. In short, it empowers women to make informed decisions about their healthcare by educating them about the benefits available. As of June 5, there have been 50 pilot sessions, Madam Speaker, and the women who have attended those sessions have reported a 98 percent satisfaction rate. The Helping Expand and Launch Transitional Health for Women Veterans Act would extend the Women's Health Transition Training pilot program through fiscal year 2020 to ensure that women leaving the military continue to benefit from it. This bill is sponsored, again, by Representative Gil Cisneros from California, and I thank the gentleman for his work. It is a very, very important bill. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I commend the chairman for bringing these bills forward in committee. I also commend the Speaker of the House for putting these bills on the agenda today, as well as the majority leader and the minority leader. These are very important bills. I rise today to support H.R. 2943, as amended. This bill, which is sponsored by Representative Gil Cisneros of California, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to make all fact sheets available in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. During the markup of this bill, the committee adopted an amendment that Ranking Member Roe offered to further require the VA to post all fact sheets on a clearly identifiable, easily accessible location on the VA's website and require the VA to report to Congress on the Department's language-access plan to assist veterans with limited English proficiency. This would ensure that the entirety of our veteran population, as well as their families and caregivers, are able to access and comprehend important information about VA benefits easily. It would also ensure that any barriers to care that might exist for veterans with limited English skills, Madam Speaker, are identified and broken down. I am grateful to Representative Cisneros for introducing this bill, and I am proud to support it today. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, this is a very important bill. We were just overseas and met with the troops, and we had quite a few servicemembers from Puerto Rico. I would like to say that most of them spoke perfect English, but they may not. They should have access to all the information in their first language. Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Wilson for yielding. He is a great friend, as well as the chairman. I thank Chairman Engel for putting this on the floor. Of course, I thank my colead, Mr. Kildee. Sudan is at a critical juncture between choosing freedom and democracy or continuing with authoritarian oppression. This resolution today is a powerful message for the United States that we stand behind the civilian protestors and a civilian-led government. Yesterday's violence and the horrific brutality on June 3 proved that elements of the old regime are still alive and well, unfortunately. Bad actors within the military, such as the Rapid Support Forces, should be condemned for their actions and have no place in Sudan's future. The United States and the international community need to maintain pressure on the military council to cease all attacks on peaceful protestors and civilians and to respect their right to assemble peacefully. The Rapid Support Forces and other perpetrators of violence also need to be held accountable for their violent acts. These bad actors have no place in a peaceful and democratic Sudan. Again, I am proud to be the colead on this timely resolution with Mr. Kildee. I thank him for his leadership. One story that I like to tell is when I was in Sudan, in March, I met with a United States citizen who was a political prisoner there, detained since January 4, away from his four children and his wife. He went over to Sudan a few years ago to take care of his mother, his elderly mother, and I respect that tremendously. He allowed his brother, who also is a U.S. citizen, to come to the United States and practice medicine. Well, in any case, the gentleman was detained because he took his body to a peaceful rally, a peaceful protest, a democratic rally for democracy, and he was detained and put in jail. I met with him outside of jail and he told me his story. We demanded his release, and within a few days he was released, Mr. Speaker. Anyway, this just tells you that we have a voice here, as United States Members of Congress, and we need to use it for a good cause. This is definitely a good cause.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of the amendment put forward by my good friend, Representative Cicilline, to lift the antiquated and failed prohibition on defense article and service transfers to our Eastern Mediterranean ally--the Republic of Cyprus. In 1987, the U.S. Department of State placed the Republic of Cyprus on a list of countries to which sales and transfers of defense articles and services is prohibited under the International Trade in Arms Regulations. The reason for the prohibition has never been clear. However, it appears to have been imposed in the erroneous belief that it would somehow encourage Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to resolve the nearly 45-year division of the territory of Cyprus. Unfortunately, no progress toward a peaceful and just settlement has occurred since the prohibition was imposed in 1987. The lack of progress is due to Turkish stubbornness most recently demonstrated by Turkey's insistence on antiquated and obstructive stances, such as the Treaty of Guarantee, which would allow for future unilateral Turkish military interventions and is completely unacceptable and contradicts the governing principals of a European Union member state. It is time to lift the arms prohibition on the Republic of Cyprus. It is in the best interests of the United States for the Republic of Cyprus to look to the United States, and not any other nation, to procure its defense articles. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Dr. Judy Genshaft, a truly outstanding leader whose contributions to the Tampa Bay area as the sixth president of the University of South Florida have been unmatched, in my opinion. President Genshaft has completely transformed USF by helping it achieve elite status as a preeminent research university. The National Science Foundation has ranked USF as one of the Nation's top 25 research universities. Under Judy's leadership, USF has nearly quadrupled its research portfolio to expand lifesaving research and develop cutting-edge technologies. The school's success has attracted some of the brightest young minds to the Tampa Bay area of Florida, growing enrollment by 40 percent, and USF's graduation rate has tripled with Dr. Genshaft at the helm. Summarizing the many accomplishments of President Genshaft in just 1 minute is impossible. She is a remarkable woman who has made the Tampa Bay region a better place. As she prepares to retire, it is my honor to say congratulations to her. Go Bulls.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, who was recently elected the new Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America. Archbishop Elpidophoros was born in Constantinople, Istanbul, Turkey, in 1967. Since August 2011, he has served as the abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of Holy Trinity in Halki, where I had an opportunity to meet him this past April. What a wonderful, wonderful person. Madam Speaker, our beloved seminary is located there as well. He is an expert theologian. I was so blessed to have a conversation with him. He is kind and honorable. We could hope for no better qualities in our new archbishop. He replaces Archbishop Demetrios, who has retired after 20 years at his post. Archbishop Elpidophoros leads a church of more than 1\1/2\ million Greek Orthodox Christians in the United States, promoting the values of orthodoxy at every opportunity. I wish Archbishop Elpidophoros the best in all of his endeavors and congratulate him on this great achievement. May God's grace be upon him in his new role.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

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

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 372, Expressing Concern for the United States-Turkey Alliance. Turkey has failed in its basic NATO responsibility to safeguard the freedom and security of NATO allies, both politically, and militarily. Turkey has bullied and continues to bully the U.S. and NATO allies around the world, in particular, Greece and Cyprus. Meanwhile, Turkey has grown ever closer in diplomatic and military ties to the authoritarian regimes of Russia and Iran, sowing international instability, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, Madam Speaker, which is why I joined my colleagues in introducing H.R. 91, to reaffirm the robust commitment of the House of Representatives to the importance of the United States, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus partnership. The Russian S-400 missile defense system is in no way interoperable with NATO's defense systems and represents a dangerous vulnerability to the F-35 program in the event an S-400 system user learns how to target lock F-35s and shares that knowledge with other international bad actors. We can't take that chance. Rewarding an international bad actor with F-35s, one of the most sophisticated articles of U.S. military technology, while they imprison and orchestrate brazen acts of violence against U.S. citizens, threaten U.S. allies and their sovereignty, and violate international law, sends the wrong message to the enemies of freedom and stability around the world. The clock has nearly struck midnight on the U.S.-Turkey relationship, and the time has come for Turkey to choose whether it will stand with the United States and NATO or fall with revisionist powers like Russia and China. In closing, Madam Speaker, I would like to applaud my good friends, Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul, along with Leaders Hoyer and McCarthy and the leadership of both the House Appropriations and Judiciary Committees, who made this possible. I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H.R. 2045, the Veterans' Education, Transition, and Opportunity Prioritization Plan, or the VET OPP Act of 2019, which would create a significant structural change at the Department of Veterans Affairs to better align and specialize economic opportunity for our veterans, our true heroes. As ranking member of the VA Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I know this committee understands the importance of prioritizing veterans' education, workforce training, transition, and vocational rehabilitation programs. However, the way the VA is structured, under the current system, it puts all benefit programs under one roof at the Veterans Benefits Administration. While I certainly understand that the VBA focuses a significant amount of time on processing disability claims and working to decrease its backlog of appeals, as the doctor stated, my colleagues and I on the committee have concerns that this has led to an imbalanced amount of attention away from other benefit programs, like the GI Bill education benefit and the employment programs, such as the vocational rehabilitation and employment, which is so very important as well. I fear that this lack of attention was fully realized last year, again, as the doctor stated, as VBA failed to properly implement sections 107 and 501 of the Forever GI Bill. This failure by the VA to update their IT systems caused massive delays in processing GI Bill claims for thousands of student veterans last fall, many of whom rely on their payments as the only source of income. And sadly, it was not the first time that the VA has failed to provide GI Bill payments on time. Hopefully, it's going to be the last time. To help solve this inequity, H.R. 2045, the VET OPP Act, would create a fourth administration at VA called the Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, led by the new VA Under Secretary appointed by the President of the United States. This new Under Secretary would be tasked with managing all education, home loans, small business certification, transition assistance, and vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits within the VA. This bill is a smart, commonsense policy that will allow VA to improve outcomes for our Nation's veterans seeking better economic opportunities. Finally, the bill will allow Congress to provide significantly better oversight and accountability of those running these programs. I want to thank the sponsor of H.R. 2045, Dr. Brad Wenstrup, for introducing this legislation this Congress.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee, my good friend, Mike Levin, who is doing an outstanding job for co-leading the bill with us. I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 2045, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2326, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William ``Bill'' Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act of 2019. As ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I am proud of the work we have done in the subcommittee so far this year on a bipartisan basis and through regular order. Last Congress, we worked together to make reforms to the Transition Assistance Program at the Department of Defense, enacting a portion of this bill in the National Defense Authorization Act. We created a more individualized process for servicemembers to undergo counseling and training for civilian life well before their discharge. I think that is the key. The bill was formed as a result of multiple roundtables and hearings, which included stakeholders from my district who discussed the importance of community involvement in their transition process and stakeholders from all over the country, Madam Speaker. And yet, despite all the progress we have made, there is still more work to be done. I am grateful that we are revisiting this issue today. H.R. 2326 will provide access to veteran employment tracking information to the VA and to the Department of Labor. It will also reestablish a pilot program for an off-base TAP program for veterans and their spouses, made available at locations such as local high schools and community centers. Madam Speaker, I think it is so important to include the spouses. H.R. 2326 would also create a 5-year grant program at the VA for qualified community organizations that provide innovative transition assistance services to veterans. I know we have many of these organizations in my district in Florida and all over the country. One example of this is Veterans Alternative in Holiday, Florida. I am grateful for the great work that they do. Finally, this bill would require the VA, DOD, DOL, and SBA to coordinate their efforts to conduct a 2-year independent assessment and curriculum review of TAP and the transition process, as well as a 5- year longitudinal study on the effectiveness of these TAP changes. I am glad to see the bill being taken up today by my friend and the subcommittee chairman, Mike Levin, whom I have gotten the pleasure to know this year. I think I don't have much more time, but I want to give him so much credit for doing a great job as chairman of the Economic Opportunity Committee, as well as Chairman Takano and my good friend, Republican Ranking Member Roe. I also commend Representative Arrington for doing a great job. We are helping our veterans. Let's pass this good bill and get it to the Senate and to the President so it can become law.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a local leader who has made a tremendous impact on the Tampa Bay area through a lifetime of public service, my dear friend, former Oldsmar Mayor and City Council Member Jerry Beverland. There has been no greater champion for the city of Oldsmar than Jerry and his lovely bride, Wanda. As both Mayor and City Council member, Jerry has been a lion during decades of City Council meetings, never backing down on a stance that he believed was in the best interests of Oldsmar. He has been a lead voice on every great endeavor for the city from the Sports Complex to the Water Reclamation Facility to the Oldsmar Library. His public service has extended beyond the city limits, as he has served as President of the Northeast Pinellas County Water and Sewer Authority, and as a member on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Pinellas County Council of Mayors. Many of the initiatives he spearheaded made a profound impact on our community. Pinellas County residents will benefit for many years to come because of his leadership. Jerry Beverland has given his time, talent and treasure to make Oldsmar a wonderful place to live, work and play. As a local historian, Mr. Beverland has helped to preserve the rich cultural heritage and tradition of our community, publishing four books on the history of the City of Oldsmar. Proceeds from the sale of his books have benefitted the Oldsmar Library. On a personal note, Jerry has been a trusted friend and advisor of the Bilirakis family, and me, in particular, for decades. His passion for life and for the city of Oldsmar is inextricably intertwined. The Beverlands have endured life's ups and downs for over sixty years together in the city they call home. Yet through their tribulations, no one has consistently done so much, for so long, for the city. Jerry Beverland's integrity, wide breadth of knowledge and commitment to service above self is an example to which we all should aspire. I look forward to working with him and Wanda to continue making the city of Oldsmar a great place to live.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a local leader who has made a tremendous impact in the Tampa Bay area through a lifetime of public service. Colonel Jerry Custin USAF (Ret.) prouldy served our nation in the United States Air Force during which he received advanced training, flew 130 combat missions over Laso and Vietnam, and conducted defense analysis. He earned both the Defense Superior Service Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross while serving in the United States Air Force. He also worked with the National Security Agency, and completed his thirty-year career in public service as the Director of the Office of Electronic Intelligence, and the Chairman of the National Electronic Intelligence Group. After retirement, Jerry continued to serve our community. He worked as an Outreach Counselor for economically disadvantaged youth through the Pinellas Workforce Development Board. He then became the Business Assistance Specialist for the Oldsmar Chamber of Commerce, where he helped expand its footprint into Hillsborough and Pasco counties reconstituting the organization as the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. He later served as President/CEO of the Chamber and developed the Florida Suncoast Manufacturing Association (FSMA) which effectively serves Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties. Both organizations endeavor to enhance the regional workforce and ensure that students are trained for post-secondary success. With a fervent belief that the robust manufacturing sector in the community-- comprising nearly a third of area jobs and tax base--could benefit by more technically oriented services addressing current manufacturing practices and standards, increasingly skilled workforce requirements and a more comprehensive understanding of the availability of the varied products and services offered across our local manufacturing base, Colonel Custin has been instrumental in meeting those needs through his work at FSMA. On a personal note, Jerry is a trusted friend and advisor. Whether in the Florida Legislature or my time in the U.S. Congress, Jerry has been my go-to guy on issues related to workforce, manufacturing, and the federal budget among other subject matters. His unrivaled work ethic, strength of character and commitment to service is why he is held in such high esteem in his beloved Oldsmar community. I am honored to have him as a constituent.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I will tell the gentleman this: He has been a great model for me serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee. It is always good to go to the physician to hear firsthand what the patients need and want. So I thank the gentleman for healing his constituents over the years, and now serving them in the United States Congress. Madam Speaker, I cannot stress enough the devastation that hurricanes over the last few years have inflicted not only on the State of Florida, but all over the country, as you can see, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, what have you. And folks, we need to get--come together. We need to come together and get this done for the American people. This should be a no-brainer. We have waited too long for this to happen, and it needs to be a bipartisan bill out of the Senate. Get it on the floor of the House as soon as possible so we can help our constituents. One particular case, in the city of Tarpon Springs alone, Hurricane Irma exacerbated shallowing problems at its port. This puts at risk the livelihood of our marine and tourism business owners and impacts $250 million in yearly commerce a year. A remedy known as the Anclote River Dredge Project was set to be funded under the previously-passed emergency supplemental bill. We were given assurances--I understand we have a lot of disasters that need to be taken care of--but we need to take care of our constituents, and this is a good example. And we did this right. We have county matching funds, State matching funds that are at risk right now. The city has put up money. We have got to get this project through. The seafood industry is suffering. Again, commerce, the sponge industry is suffering because of the lack of dredging of this beautiful Anclote River. Unfortunately, the sheer number of areas in need of repair from disasters force the already-allocated funding to be moved to other projects, and I understand that. But these projects are important as well. We need to ensure projects like Anclote are quickly and adequately fixed after a hurricane or other disaster; and, therefore, I support the immediate consideration of a disaster supplemental bill. I thank my colleague, Neal Dunn, for this Special Order. He is doing an outstanding job. We have got to get this done quickly for our constituents.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, yesterday, I was unavoidably detained and unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: Yea on Roll Call 126, the European Energy Security and Diversity Act (HR 1616).

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, yesterday, I was unavoidably detained and unable to make votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: Yea on Roll Call 88, the Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act (H.R. 539), and Yea on Roll Call 89, the Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act (H.R. 276).

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Hellas Liberty Maritime Museum and the Hellenic Merchant Marines. Madam Speaker, we must recognize the Hellenic Merchant Marines and their heroic deeds during World War II, with over 2,000 Hellenic Merchant Marine lives lost and close to 70 percent of the Hellenic Shipping fleet being decimated by the Axis Powers. Hellenic merchant ships transported much needed supplies across the treacherous Atlantic Ocean for the Allies. The Arthur M. Huddell, built in 1943 in the great state of Florida, was commissioned in the PLUTO (Pipe Line under the Ocean) operation, which supplied oil to our allies in Europe during World War Two. It is one of the few remaining Liberty Ships, built for this purpose. In a post-war period, the vessel was continually used to create underwater infrastructure functioning largely as a cable ship, occasionally responding to the request of the U.S. Navy. After serving our country dutifully, first for the Navy, then for commercial uses, the Arthur M. Huddell was retired in 1984, laid up with the majority of the U.S. reserve fleet in the James River. This retirement was not permanent; the 21st century saw renewed attention at the retired fleet to be used for educational purposes. The Greek State was interested in acquiring the vessel, to be used as a floating museum. The reciprocal aspiration of the U.S. government, the result of action taken by many Greek-Americans who were following Rhode Island Senator Leonidas Raptakis and Connecticut representative Dimitrios Yiannaros, with much of the mobilization activated by ship owner Spyros M. Polemis as well. The U.S. and Greece reached and signed an agreement on June 30, 2008. After U.S. Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton and Greek Minister of Merchant Marine Georgios Voulgarakis completed this transfer of ownership, The Arthur M. Huddell was officially renamed to the Hellas Liberty. Departing a month later, the ship arrived in Greece, for extended repairs before being recommissioned as a floating museum. On February 8, 2019, the museum will celebrate its 10th anniversary, honoring the close and fruitful relationship between Greece and the United States of America. Congratulations to all.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Engel for his friendship and all his good work over the years, as well. Again, I also thank Representative Smith, my good friend, for sponsoring this piece of legislation. As co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 221, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act. The Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism was established by the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act. The Special Envoy develops and implements policies and projects to support efforts to combat anti- Semitism globally. This bill elevates the position to the rank of ambassador, directly reporting to the Secretary of State, sending a clear message to the world regarding our commitment to combating anti-Semitism. In addition to requiring the position be filled, the bill prevents the appointee from holding any other office, making this a priority and ensuring their sole focus is monitoring and combating the scourge of anti-Semitism. Throughout history, humanity has experienced tremendous evil, Mr. Speaker. Our brightest moments as a Nation were those when we recognized evil and worked together to swiftly and unapologetically defeat it. Our darkest moments were those when we stood by and did nothing while making excuses for our passivity. Combating anti-Semitism and promoting human rights are pivotal components of American diplomacy and foreign policy. Additionally, dedicated U.S. leadership in this area is crucial, especially at a time when anti-Semitism around the world is dangerously on the rise. I urge my colleagues to support this good, bipartisan bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, this bill will help them in their efforts of Alzheimer's awareness and research. Please support this bill. We need it badly for our constituents. I appreciate all the help from all the volunteers and the advocates. Again, I urge strong support for this bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2076. I thank my good friend, Brett Guthrie from the great State of Kentucky, and also Mr. Tonko for sponsoring the House bill. This is so very important. The Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, or the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, is so very important. This bill will create Alzheimer's disease centers of excellence, which are badly needed. Through these centers and public health departments, we can strengthen our efforts at increasing early detection and diagnosis. It will also allow for the voluntary collection of data so researchers can analyze cognitive decline, caregiving, and health disparities in a timely manner. I know that is going to help so much in finding a cure for this disease. I am a cosponsor of the House version of the bill. In the Tampa area, we have the Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, which is one of the largest freestanding Alzheimer's research centers in the United States.