Gus Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the seven inventors who have been recognized as the 2018 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. In order 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 citizens 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 as a whole, and the invention should have been commercialized, utilized, or led to important innovations. The 2018 inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame are: Sara Blakely, Tampa Bay native and graduate of Florida State University in Tallahassee, who invented the renowned undergarment SPANX and built a billion dollar enterprise that has influenced fashion worldwide; Emery N. Brown, born and raised in Ocala, anesthesiologist- statistician at Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT and Harvard professor, who made significant contributions to the advancement of the science and practice of anesthesiology; Phillip A. Furman, St. Augustine resident and distinguished alumnus of the University of South Florida in Tampa, whose revolutionary discoveries led to the development of antiviral drugs that are used to treat some of the most insidious viral diseases; Richard A. Houghten, founder and CEO of Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, headquartered in Port St. Lucie, who has made a significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry through his novel approaches to drug discovery; Edwin A. Link (1904-1981), former trustee and vice president for the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, who invented the flight simulator, commercialized in 1929; Sudipta Seal, Trustee Chair, Pegasus and University Distinguished Professor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, whose discoveries led to groundbreaking therapeutic applications in regenerative nano-medicine; Herbert Wertheim, optometric physician, graduate of the University of Florida in Gainesville, and honorary alumnus of Florida International University in Miami, who was the first to discover and produce ultraviolet light dye absorbers for eyeglass lenses. 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. Furthermore, 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. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to make votes that evening. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' for rollcall 231, H.R. 5005-- To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the birthplace of James Weldon Johnson in Jacksonville, Florida, as a unit of the National Park System; rollcall 232, H.R. 2991--Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act; and, rollcall 233, H.R. 5655--Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument Act.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Dunn, my fellow Floridian, a great Member of Congress, and also my good friend Mr. Walz, who has done an outstanding job over the years supporting our veterans. I also thank Mr. Walz for his service. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4830, the Servicemembers Improved Transition through Reforms for Ensuring Progress Act, or the SIT-REP Act, which will hold student veterans harmless from bureaucratic red tape and delays at higher education institutions at the VA. I am proud of the work my colleagues and I conducted on the Veterans' Affairs Committee last year to pass the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act, or the Forever GI Bill. This historic legislation expanded access to education and improves and modernizes the GI Bill for our veterans. This is one of the reasons, Mr. Speaker, we came to Congress: to do something like this, to help our veterans get their education. In our committee hearings on implementation of the Forever GI Bill, we heard concerns about the delays in processing of tuition payments between the schools and the VA. I also had roundtables in my district with veterans, and this was a concern of theirs. So while the average timelines for processing these benefits are 25 days for new claims and 9 days for supplemental claims, oftentimes the processing timelines spike higher at the beginning of each school year upon a surge in claims. We heard concerns from our VSO stakeholders--I thank them--regarding delayed payments resulting from either slow VA processing or a mistake or tardiness by the school certifying official. In some cases, the delays meant schools putting a hold on a student's account or forcing the student to begin payment of tuition and fees on a payment plan until they received money from VA. My bill, the SIT-REP Act, would give the Secretary the authority to disapprove courses of education for the GI Bill unless the educational institution adopts a policy ensuring that it will not impose a fee on the veteran or deny the veteran's access to education. This policy would be applied for the first 90 days of the school term. The SIT-REP Act is a commonsense bill that protects student veterans and their families who, through no fault of their own, are denied access to education because the school made a mistake or the VA made a late payment. It is not the veteran's fault, and they should not be punished for the actions of others. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in support of my practical and bipartisan legislation, which will help ensure our student veterans have full access to the educational benefits they have earned and deserve. I hope that the Senate takes up this bill quickly. Again, I urge passage of this great bill. We have got to get it to the President's desk as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, I thank the committee staff as well. They did a great job on this bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, what an honor it is, an honor and a privilege, to serve with Mr. Sam Johnson, a true American hero. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2372, the VA MISSION Act, which will provide significant reforms and improvements to the Veterans Choice Program. Since its implementation, the Veterans Choice Program has served over 1.7 million unique veterans seeking timely and high-quality healthcare for their physical and invisible wounds. Although progress has been made, there is more work to be done to ensure we balance resources from community care and the VA healthcare system. The VA MISSION Act will streamline and consolidate the Veterans Choice Program with the other duplicative VA community care programs to create one new cohesive Veterans Community Care Program. This new program allows eligible veterans to seek care from non-VA providers in the community if the VA is not providing the quality care the veterans deserve, and timely care. It also requires access to community providers if the veteran and doctor believe it is in the veteran's best medical interest to seek such care. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Roe, who did an outstanding job with this bill, for his hard work on this bicameral, bipartisan piece of legislation, which is the result of a long negotiation process, where both sides of the aisle put aside differences and compromised to strike a balance between each stakeholder. This is how Congress should work. I am proud of the work that we have done on this committee. I want to thank the staff, as well. The committee ensured that we have a great work product for our true American heroes. Again, I want to thank the sponsors of the bill. Mr. Speaker, let's have a great vote for our true American heroes. Let's pass this VA MISSION Act and get it to the Senate as soon as possible.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of the first aircraft carrier named after our 35th President of the United States, the USS John F. Kennedy. President John F. Kennedy began his political career as a member of this chamber and his legacy continues to this day with our colleague from Massachusetts, and his great-nephew, Joe Kennedy. The USS John F. Kennedy, nicknamed ``Big John,'' was the only ship of her class and the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. Since its first keel plates were laid down on October 22, 1964, at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia, the ship grew weld by weld and deck by deck to its full magnitude--five city blocks in length, 252 feet across the flight deck, and the height of a 23-story building. Big John was officially christened by President Kennedy's 9-year-old daughter, Caroline, on May 27, 1967, just two days short of what would have been President Kennedy's 50th birthday. Some 30,000 spectators gathered at the shipyard to witness the launching of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier. President Lyndon B. Johnson, delivering the principal address, was joined at the podium by members of the Kennedy family including Caroline, the Matron of Honor Jackie Kennedy, and a distinguished list of military and civilian officials. As the bottle of champagne crashed across the bow with Caroline's swift blow, the ship floated free from the keel blocks that had supported her during years of construction. In that moment, Hull 577 became the mighty aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy. A little over a year later, the ship entered the fleet after being commissioned on September 7, 1968 with Captain Earl P. Yates in command. The Kennedy's maiden voyage and several of her subsequent voyages were on deployments to the Mediterranean during the 1970s to help deal with the steadily deteriorating situation in the Middle East. It was during the seventies that Big John was upgraded to handle the F-14 Tomcat and the S-3 Viking. During her seventh deployment in 1978, Kennedy set a record of 31,568 flight hours and 12,438 arrested landings. On January 4, 1982, Big John sailed as the flagship for Carrier Group 4 from Norfolk, Virginia on her ninth deployment and her first visit to the Indian Ocean. During her time there, the USS John F. Kennedy played host to the first visit of the Somali head of state aboard a U.S. Naval ship, held the largest mass re-enlistment ceremony in her history officiated by the Secretary of the Navy, and achieved her 150,000th arrested landing. Her cruise ended with port visits to Mombasa, Kenya and Toulon, France before returning home on July 14, 1982. In October 1983, Big John was diverted to Beirut, Lebanon from her planned Indian Ocean deployment, after the Beirut barracks bombing killed 241 U.S. military personnel taking part in the Multinational Force in Lebanon, and spent the rest of that year and early 1984 patrolling the region. On December 4, 1983, ten A-6 aircraft from Kennedy along with A-6 and A-7 aircraft from USS Independence took part in a bombing raid over Beirut, in response to two U.S. F-14 aircraft being fired upon the previous day. Setting sail in July 1986, Kennedy was the focus of the world when she served as the centerpiece of a vast international naval armada during the International Review in honor of the 100th anniversary and rededication of the Statue of Liberty. Big John hosted President Ronald Reagan and many other dignitaries during the review. Kennedy departed for the Mediterranean in August of that year, returning home in March 1987. During her November 1987 work ups, Kennedy's flight deck crew trapped their 200,000th arrested landing. In August 1988, the USS John F. Kennedy departed Norfolk, Virginia for her 12th major deployment to the Mediterranean. During this deployment, a pair of MiG-23 Flogger fighter aircraft from Libya approached the carrier task force, which was 81 miles off the shores of Libya conducting routine flight operations in international water. Big John launched two F-14 Tomcats from the VF-32 ``Fighting Swordsmen'' to intercept the incoming MiGs and escort them away from the task force. During the course of the intercept, the MiGs were determined to be hostile and both Libyan aircrafts were shot down. Big John entered the nineties eager to take on new challenges as part of America's commitment to help keep the world's oceans free for all nations. After spending the first half of 1990 participating in various exercises, the carrier paid a visit to New York City for Fleet Week and Boston for the Fourth of July--hosting more than 180,000 visitors. In August of that year, the USS John F. Kennedy received short-fused orders to load up and get underway in support of Operation Desert Shield. Big John arrived in the Red Sea in September 1990 and was chosen as the flagship of the Commander, Red Sea Battle Force. On January 16, 1991, aircraft from the embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing Three, began Operation Desert Storm as part of a multi-nation coalition to drive Iraq out of neighboring Kuwait. Throughout the war, aircraft from JFK flew 2,895 sorties and 114 strikes delivering over 3.5 million pounds of ordnance over 11,263 combat hours. Following the cease fire, Big John passed through the Suez Canal for the fourth time in seven months and began her journey home. When the carrier arrived home in Norfolk, Virginia on March 28, 1991, her crew was witness to the greatest homecoming celebration and outpouring of public support since World War II. Big John's next deployment from October 7, 1992 until April 7, 1993 was her 14th to the Mediterranean Sea. This cruise was marked by the developing turmoil in the former country of Yugoslavia. Throughout the ship's deployment, the crew hosted many visitors, both in port and at sea, and conducted numerous joint exercises with armed forces from Mediterranean littoral nations and spent most of her time in the Adriatic Sea. She passed another milestone by logging her 250,000th arrested landing on December 8, 1992. Following the deployment and a two-year comprehensive overhaul at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, she was transferred to the Mayport Naval Station near Jacksonville, Florida, which remained the ship's home port. In October 1995, the USS John F. Kennedy was designated to be an operational reserve carrier and Naval Reserve Force ship with a combined full-time active duty and part-time Naval Reserve crew, assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In this capacity, her new primary function was to provide a surge capability, and in peacetime, to support training requirements. Following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the Operational Reserve Carrier concept was discontinued and Big John was returned to the active duty fleet. Her 15th and 16th deployments included transits of the Suez Canal, operations in the Persian Gulf. There, she became the first U.S. aircraft carrier to make a port call in Al Aqabah, Jordan, while also playing host to the King of Jordan. During the first six months of 2002, Big John's aircraft dropped 31,000 tons of ordnance on Taliban and al Qaeda targets in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On August 8th, the carrier passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and returned to Mayport Naval Station on August 17, 2002. The USS John F. Kennedy deployed again in 2004 with Carrier Air Wing 17 and sailed east in support of the Global War on Terror. She passed through the Suez Canal and on July 10, 2004, launched her first aircraft in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, providing critical overhead support for Multi-National Corps--Iraq and Iraqi forces. During the deployment, CVW-17 aircraft flew 8,296 sorties for a total flight time of 21,824 hours. The veteran carrier and her air wing transited the Suez Canal, homeward-bound, in late November returning to Mayport Naval Station on December 13, 2004. On December 30th, a little over two weeks later, the U.S. Navy announced its intention to decommission the ship. On March 23, 2007, the USS John F. Kennedy was decommissioned. She set sail on her last voyage at the end of a tow line in July of that year, setting course for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, which she reached on August 1, 2007. The carrier was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on October 16, 2009. The 80,000 ton warship, namesake of the 35th President of the United States, saw 18 deployments and boasted 30 commanding officers in its illustrious 38 years of service. I commend all those who contributed to the legacy of this great ship--from its builders to the men and women in uniform who served aboard to keep our nation safe.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituents who is celebrating a remarkable milestone in her cancer journey. Jean Gaspar of Palm Harbor is celebrating 10 years of good health following her diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in 2008. To give back after her cancer diagnosis, Jean became deeply involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by volunteering with Team in Training, a program that brings individuals together as a team to train for an endurance event, and Light The Night, an event that supports treatments that are saving the lives of patients today. Through Team in Training and Light The Night, Jean has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Jean is also an active advocate for policies to help blood cancer patients. I had the privilege of meeting with Jean last May when she visited Washington, D.C. to participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Volunteer Leadership Conference. Jean's story is inspiring, and I enjoyed the opportunity to talk with her about policies to help blood cancer patients access their treatments. On the heels of National Volunteer Week, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is recognizing Jean's good health and tremendous volunteerism on April 28, the night before she embarks on her first triathlon, by naming her the National Honored Teammate for the event. As the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus to Cure Blood Cancers and Other Blood Disorders, it is my privilege to join with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in congratulating Jean on reaching this health milestone and to wish her well at the St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 29.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the American Hellenic Institute regarding Turkey's continued dangerous actions in the eastern Mediterranean and broader region that threaten regional security and U.S. interests. As one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, I have advocated for the rights of Greece and Cyprus against the intimidating actions of Turkey. Since Turkey's Presidential referendum vote, Erdogan's government continues to ignore and violate long-standing international law and treaties--a threat to regional security and an impediment to regional interests, stability, and prosperity. As we have done times before, we must continue to condemn these acts of aggression and renew our call for President Erdogan's government to demonstrate to the international community that it is committed to all international laws and agreements. Additionally, the United States and our strategic regional allies must be better prepared to respond quickly and forcefully to transgression of international law from any nation including NATO ally Turkey through targeted sanctions and foreign aid restrictions. President Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the nationwide membership of the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), I write to urge the U.S. government to condemn strongly the acts of Turkish provocation and aggression in the eastern Mediterranean and broader region that have dire implications to U.S. security interests. During this month alone, Turkey's antagonistic behavior--or ``gunboat diplomacy''--in the Aegean Sea against NATO partner Greece, and bellicose threats to EU member Republic of Cyprus' sovereign right to explore for natural gas with its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), were taken to new dangerous heights. In fact, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Greece, Cyprus, and international oil and gas companies, warning them not to ``step out of line.'' Furthermore, Turkey's acts of provocation have also been directed at the United States. With regard to the Aegean Sea, a Turkish coastguard vessel collided with a stationary Greek coastguard vessel near the Greek island of Imia, on February 12, 2018. Video footage of the incident has since been released and shows damage to the Greek vessel's stern. In addition, Turkey continues to violate Greece's airspace. According to press reports, 33 Turkish aircraft have violated Greece's airspace during the first twelve days of February 2018. Combined with what transpired on the seas, these are very serious incidents that risk placing lives in harm's way and violate international law. With regard to Cyprus and implications to the potential for energy security, Turkish warships harassed the surveying vessel of Italian oil company Eni and threatened on February 23, 2018 to sink it in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus. According to press reports, Eni's ship was forced to make maneuvers to avoid a collision after the Italian captain's request to the Turkish vessel to change course went unanswered. The Republic of Cyprus has the sovereign right under international law to explore and exploit its natural resources within its exclusive economic zone. The United States has stated repeatedly it supports Cyprus' sovereign right to explore energy in its offshore areas, most recently by a State Department Spokesperson earlier this month. ``The United States recognizes the right of the Republic of Cyprus to develop its resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone,'' the spokesperson said, adding, ``the island's oil and gas resources, like all of its resources, should be equitably shared between both communities in the context of an overall settlement. Furthermore, Turkish aggression in Cyprus' EEZ presents an endangerment to U.S. companies, such as ExxonMobil and Noble Energy, who have been, or will be, working to explore for hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean. Moreover, Turkey continues to demonstrate it is not a true and dependable U.S. and NATO ally. President Erdogan threatened United States military forces with an ``Ottoman slap'' if they continued to partner with Syrian Kurds. Turkey's military campaign against the Kurds in Syria places U.S. troops in Manbij at risk of peril at the hands of a NATO partner. Further, Turkey's $2.5 billion purchase of four divisions of S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia has raised concern among NATO partners and potentially subjects Turkey to U.S. sanctions based upon the recently-enacted Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), according to a U.S. administration official. Mr. President, Turkey is a significant force of instability and a failed U.S. ally. Historically, this has been the case; however, Turkey demonstrated this yet again in the short span of three weeks this month. Turkey's aggressive and provocative actions directed at the United States and U.S. allies, Greece and Cyprus, are overt, egregious and dangerous. I urge the administration to act to uphold the rule of law and to call on Turkey, the provocateur of these tensions, to cease and desist with its aggressive actions that are a threat to peace and stability and are not in the best interests of the United States. Sincerely, Nick Larigakis, President.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, named in memory of a hardworking and honorable man, the RAY BAUM'S Act reauthorizes the Federal Communications Commission for the first time in 28 years. This bill is the result of a wholly bipartisan process that includes important provisions that will benefit all our constituents. This includes further prohibitions on spoofing calls, reports on promoting internet access for low-income veterans, and improving 911 caller information. The bill also provides additional funding for the repack process and fosters technology growth by authorizing studies on spectrum available for future auctions. I applaud the work of the subcommittee on getting this done. This bill will truly benefit innovation and our constituents, and I support its passage.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a constituent, a true American hero. What an honor it is to introduce Chaplain Robert Vick, who currently serves as the American Legion National Chaplain. Chaplain Vick lives in New Port Richey, Florida, with his wife of 62 years. She is present today as well. Together they have 4 sons, 10 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. In addition to his commitment to his family, the chaplain has a great love for our country and a passion for service. A Korean war-era veteran of the U.S. Navy, Chaplain Vick has a distinguished record of service. He also has been a proud Legionnaire since 1983. I am also proud to say that he is a family friend. Saying that he feels called to use his ministerial training to serve the spiritual needs of other veterans and their families, Chaplain Vick was appointed National Chaplain of the 2 million-member American Legion last year. Even as the U.S. Capitol prepares in honoring another humble servant of God tomorrow, the Reverend Billy Graham, I am proud that Chaplain Vick offered this morning's prayer in the U.S. House.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. My friend, David Peluso, was born with pulmonary stenosis, a condition where the pulmonary valve will not open properly. He had surgery, again, emergency open-heart surgery, at 2 days old, another corrective surgery at age 10, and many hospital visits and procedures in the meantime. Today, again, we are giving these children hope. Today, he is a husband and a father to two kids, trying to live a normal life with atrial flutter that requires additional surgeries. This bill will continue the surveillance program so we can collect data on children and adults with congenital heart problems. I can go on and on, Mr. Speaker. Thank you so very much, and let's pass this great bill for our children and give them hope.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1222, the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, which will reauthorize and ensure continued investment in surveillance research to assess the lifelong needs of individuals with congenital heart defects, or CHDs. These surveillance efforts will help improve our understanding of CHD across the lifespan, from birth to adulthood. This research will help us learn more about demographic factors such as age, race, gender, or ethnicity. In addition, the legislation emphasizes the need for continued biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CHD. NIH will further research into the causes of congenital heart defects, including genetic causes, and study long-term outcomes in individuals with CHD of all ages. Also, NIH may study data to identify effective treatments and outcomes and identify barriers to lifelong care for individuals with congenital heart defects CHD is the most common birth defect and the leading cause of birth defect-related infant mortality. For the Down syndrome community, about half of the children born with Down syndrome have CHD. It is a true public health issue and, as late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel noted, it does not discriminate by race, gender, or socioeconomic status. The road ahead may be scary and uncertain for any parent with a newborn who has CHD, but this bill helps give hope to those coping with the diagnosis. Nearly 1 in 100 babies are born with CHD, and more than 5 percent will not live to see their first birthday, unfortunately. We have to change that. Even for those who receive successful intervention, it is not a cure. We have to change that. Children and adults born with CHD require ongoing, costly, specialized cardiac care and face a lifelong risk of permanent disability and premature death. We must change that. As a result, healthcare utilization among the CHD population is significantly higher than the general population. It is estimated that, compared to their peers, the medical costs for individuals with congenital heart defects are 10 to 20 times greater. Hospitalization costs for pediatric patients alone total more than $5.6 billion each year, which is 15 percent of all hospitalization costs for patients 20 years of age and younger. Despite its prevalence and significance, there are still gaps in research and standards of care for CHD patients. But for the sake of the estimated 40,000 babies, Mr. Speaker, who will be born in the next year with CHD, there is more work to be done. Mr. Speaker, I began this journey almost 10 years ago, when then- Congressman Zack Space and I first introduced the Congenital Heart Futures Act. Last Congress, Congressman Schiff and I reintroduced the reauthorization of the original bill. During that time, I met a lot of patients with congenital heart defects along the way, and I have been touched by their stories. There are people like Trey and Nicole Flynn, a young Floridian couple who lost their son, Holden, while waiting for a heart transplant. He was only 2 years old. This bill supports the essential research necessary to make sure another family doesn't have to leave the hospital without their child in their arms. There is also Lucas Iguina, a young man born with a complex congenital heart disease that essentially left him with half a heart. Despite having three open-heart surgeries, Mr. Speaker, and countless doctor visits and medical procedures, Lucas has hopes and dreams like every other child. This bill ensures that the medical research will keep pace with his generation as they grow to be adults.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Jackson Radandt, born with half a heart, has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means the left side of his heart was underdeveloped. He depended on lifesaving research to help his failing heart survive until his heart transplant at age 11. He is a teenager now and will live his life with a heightened sensitivity for his new heart. Nicholas Basken was born with complex heart disease and wasn't getting blood to the lower half of his body, requiring heart surgery when he was just 2 days old. He is now at the top of his class, and this bill will ensure that his future remains bright as he navigates this chronic illness throughout his adulthood. Abigail Adams is a young Florida advocate, whom I will meet again tomorrow, with Down syndrome. Roughly half of the babies born with Down syndrome, Mr. Speaker, have a congenital heart defect. Abigail continues to advocate for individuals with Down syndrome.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for doing an outstanding job this year passing all 12 appropriations bills. Mr. Speaker, I support passage of this CR which includes three provisions of mine. It will reauthorize the Community Health Center program, providing $3.6 billion per year for the next 2 years. Community health centers have a proven track record of providing high-quality, cost-efficient healthcare to approximately 25 million Americans and have long enjoyed bipartisan support because they are a prime example of what is working in our healthcare system. The CR updates the civil and criminal penalties in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Many haven't been updated in over 20 years. It also repeals the Medicare therapy cap. This will ensure that patients who need physical, speech, or occupational therapy services can receive them without fear of losing their benefits if they hit an arbitrary cap. This is so important to our seniors, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Walden and Chairman Burgess for all of the hard work they put into reauthorizing CHIP. This is a 6-year reauthorization of the CHIP program, the longest CHIP reauthorization Congress has ever passed. The House already passed a full CHIP authorization last year. By the way, we also reauthorized the community health centers. Most Democrats voted against that. Democrats need to put politics aside and support the bill for the sake of our children. CHIP reauthorization will ensure funding for 200,000 children in Florida's CHIP program. In addition, this bill has my legislation that protects CHIP buy-in programs. This allows children who aren't eligible for traditional CHIP to buy into the CHIP program. It makes sense. Inconsistent guidance from CMS jeopardized these buy-in programs. This bill will provide clarity and protect about 12,000 children in the State of Florida who participate in the buy-in program. Mr. Speaker, I support this particular bill. Please, let's reauthorize CHIP for the sake of our children.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, my good friend John Katko, and also the ranking member, my good friend Filo Vela, and also the chairman, the full chairman of the committee, Mr. McCaul, for their great work. I really appreciate it. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4561, Security Assessment Feasibility for Equipment Testing and Evaluation of Capabilities for Our Homeland, or the SAFE TECH Act. My legislation seeks to strengthen the safety of international air travel. Specifically, this bill provides an avenue for third-party testing of innovative technology screening capabilities to enhance airport security. The testing program authorized under this act shall include evaluating the performance of detecting explosives and other prohibited items. Additionally, the SAFE TECH Act will look into alternative testing for other factors, including, health and safety concerns, operator interference, human error, environmental dynamics, reliability, and interoperability. The bill also assesses the feasibility of linking compatible security technology utilized by the United States and international allies in order to augment screening checkpoints. The coordinated collaboration is an essential element of strengthening global security. Currently, technical standards for safety and operating procedures at the international airports are set by international agreements. However, the standards in place are generally broad, leaving potential vulnerabilities through inconsistencies with international partners. On a recent congressional delegation trip that I appreciated the chairman including me on to review screening procedures for inbound travel to the United States at major EU hubs, I was startled by the lack of consistency in international standards and gaps in technology that support precautionary measures to ensure passenger safety. Today's bill--and I appreciate the work of the committee, and I thank you for making it an even stronger bill--will address this concern and improve the safety of our air travel for all passengers. I have always contended that, if we are not safe, nothing else matters. The protection and security of our homeland and its citizens is our responsibility, Mr. Speaker, which is why I introduced the SAFE TECH Act. We must ensure those entrusted with the care of our citizens have the best resources and technology available to combat the growing threat of terrorism. Passage of this bill today makes air travel safer for everyone entering the United States and for our citizens, and it represents a step forward in ensuring the cooperation needed to improve global security. I urge my colleagues to support this good bill and its passage in the House.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise awareness of an important issue facing our nation and community: the rise of human trafficking. The United States was founded on basic notions of human rights: that all people are born with an inalienable right to freedom, liberty and self-determination. Human trafficking is a crime against a person whereby through exploitation an individual is compelled to work or engage in a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion, thereby being stripped of his/her fundamental human rights. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers target vulnerable populations, including men, women, children, citizens and non-citizens, forcing them into servitude and/or the sex trade. Traffickers typically use multiple means to control their victims, including: beatings, rape, isolation, drug and/or alcohol dependency, document withholding, and psychological and emotional abuse. The International Labor Organization estimates that globally there are 20.9 million victims of trafficking. Nationally, the criminal enterprise of human trafficking is second only to the illegal drug trade, in terms of the speed of its growth and being among the most lucrative international crimes. Human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states and reported cases of trafficking increase each year, with 7,621 cases reported and 26,727 calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2016. Sadly, the State of Florida consistently ranks third in the number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. In 2016, Florida, with 550 cases reported, had the third highest number of human trafficking cases in the country. Human trafficking is a crime that impacts Pasco County, Florida. Through the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, our local community unites to combat this modern-day slavery, bringing together nonprofits, government and non-government organizations, private sector businesses to aid in the prevention, prosecution, education and awareness efforts needed to restore freedom and dignity to survivors. Just last month, my responsibilities on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology allowed me to question experts on the human trafficking crisis and the growing usage of the Internet to facilitate illegal activities as well as combatting criminals. At that hearing, my colleague even told a harrowing story of how his own daughter was nearly kidnapped while traveling overseas. I fully hope that these exchanges not only shed a light on human trafficking, but provide more ammunition for law enforcement to save people from their captivity. More awareness, education, and advocacy is needed, as it is crucial to eradicating human trafficking in our local communities, state, and nation. To this end, January is declared as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and January 11th is declared as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Every community and every individual is needed to fight human trafficking wherever it exists. Let us declare as one that slavery has no place in our world, and let us finally restore to all people the most basic rights of freedom, dignity, and justice.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, today kicks off International Human Rights Month, a celebration of the inalienable rights to which everyone is entitled. This coming year marks the 70th anniversary of the date the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations, a document which has been translated into more than 500 languages. This week, we examine the perils of human trafficking, which, at its core, is a violation of fundamental human rights and is far too prevalent around the globe. As vice chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus, I am saddened by the atrocities occurring around the globe in which people of all faiths are persecuted. We cannot turn a blind eye to injustice. America must remain a beacon of principled courage, recognizing and promoting the basic human rights of all people. If we remain silent in the face of these transgressions, we neglect that moral imperative, and we do so at the peril of civil society.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have supported and continue to support increased Federal funding for the promising research going on at the National Institutes of Health in order to encourage more progress addressing the Alzheimer's situation. November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. There are an estimated 5.5 million Americans living with this debilitating disease, and we know it often goes unreported or undiagnosed. This issue is near and dear to my heart because it has touched my own family, and I have seen firsthand the challenges of supporting a loved one battling the disease. I have been frustrated by the lack of progress. Again, Mr. Speaker, together, we will improve the quality of life for those who are suffering and work toward finding a cure. We must have funding for the NIH to get this done.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Over 30 million children and adults, including myself, suffer from diabetes. Another 84 million have prediabetes, and 90 percent of them don't even know it. Diabetes can cause stroke, blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, loss of toes, feet, or even legs. In addition to the personal toll this disease takes on the lives of those affected, healthcare costs for diabetic patients are 2.3 times greater than for those without diabetes. This awful disease costs the healthcare system an estimated $322 billion. Rates of diabetes have risen dramatically, unfortunately, in recent years. We must do something to stop it. The U.S. Congress is working towards that end. I was proud to have worked on the 21st Century Cures Act, which invests in research for a cure. The bill streamlines the FDA approval process and provides more money for research to the NIH. There is much more we can do, Mr. Speaker, to tackle this serious public health issue.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 918) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish mental health care to certain former members of the Armed Forces who are not otherwise eligible to receive such care, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 918, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 918, as amended, which was introduced by my friend and longtime committee member, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman). Mr. Speaker, there have been a number of different names for stress- related military health conditions throughout our Nation's history: battle fatigue, combat stress reaction, shell shock, post-traumatic stress disorder. Too often we see military personnel returning home with difficulties adjusting to civilian life. For many returning servicemembers, these stressors affect one's postdeployment, especially those receiving other than honorable discharges. Under current law, military personnel who separate under this status are not eligible for healthcare benefits or general services typically offered to honorable or generally discharged veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear, I firmly believe that discharge status is an important tool for military leadership, a tool which helps preserve order and discipline among the ranks. Removing the proverbial bad apples from the bushel is key to maintaining a cohesive unit structure. However, there also seems to be an evolving trend of soldiers who receive other than honorable discharges as a result of their military experience, rather than simply being a bad or ineffective soldier. In fact, according to the Medal of Honor Society, there are no fewer than eight Medal of Honor recipients who have received other than honorable discharges. H.R. 918, as amended, would provide that those combat veterans who receive other than honorable discharge statuses would be eligible to receive critical mental health assessments and services from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is only right, Mr. Speaker. Again, I appreciate the hard work and forward thinking of my friend from Colorado, who is also a veteran, Mr. Coffman. I urge my colleagues to support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the ranking member 100 percent. This needs to be done. It is long overdue, and thanks to my good friend, Mr. Coffman, it is going to get done. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.