Kathy Castor

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my longtime chief of staff, Clay Phillips, who is retiring at the end of this Congress. I thank him for his tremendous career of public service, including 16 years of service in the chief of staff role. There are few people in the Tampa area who have not worked with Clay, and I am grateful for all the work that he has done to ensure that veterans receive the benefits that they have earned to ensure that our neighbors were able to stay in their house during the foreclosure crisis, all of his work on affordable healthcare, and for social justice. He was also instrumental in Florida's new statue, the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune statue that all Americans will enjoy seeing. She is the first African American in history to represent a State in the National Statuary Hall Collection. He has always stood up for the voiceless, and as President Kennedy encouraged, let public service be a proud and lively career. Clay's career was proud and lively. I am grateful he has provided selfless service, and I am grateful for his friendship and his devotion to our neighbors.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and contributions of Paul Lamison, a beloved member of the Tampa Bay community, who passed away on August 4, 2022. Raised in Lakeland, Florida as one of seven siblings, Paul took great pride in his roots. Paul's dedication to journalism and sharing moments in history, big and small, that chronicled and defined our Tampa community is worthy of recognition. His devotion to family also is a great example of the quiet heroes in our lives everyday who deserve praise and honor. As Chief Photojournalist for Tampa's WFLA News Channel 8, Paul was a familiar voice and face for viewers and News Channel 8 staff alike throughout the course of his nearly 30-year career. Working firmly behind the camera for much of his career, Paul went on to be known as the man with `the best seat in the house' when he transitioned to his integral role on the morning team and as News Channel 8's `eye in the sky' in the Eagle 8 news helicopter. Reporting on events from the daily morning commute to celebrations of sports championships to the Gasparilla parade and special episodes in the lives of Tampa Bay area residents, Paul connected the community with professionalism and good cheer. Those who knew Paul loved him, describing him as a passionate, fun-loving person and a light that lifted up everyone around him. Paul's energy and joy was a constant, experienced both on and off screen. His authenticity and commitment have left an immensely positive impact on a generation of journalists, as well as his family and friends. Paul's legacy will continue to live through his siblings along with his wife, Nerissa, and their daughters Emily, Kate, Ava, and Emma. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my neighbors in Tampa Bay and the citizens of Florida, I am proud to honor Paul Lamison for his lifelong dedication to journalism and to sharing stories of all the great people and places that make up our community. We are all eternally grateful for his immense contributions. His legacy will live on and inspire many others in the Tampa Bay community and beyond for years to come.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, as chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and as a mom, I am proud to say the Inflation Reduction Act is a big climate deal. This is the largest investment in clean energy and climate solutions ever in U.S. history, and it comes at a crucial time. We must urgently slash climate pollution to avoid the worst impacts and to lower costs, create good-paying jobs, and build safer, more resilient communities. Today, I am optimistic that America will lead the world in solving the climate crisis, and I thank the young people all across this country who pushed us to take this historic step. The Inflation Reduction Act is also good news for Floridians, as Democrats will lower the costs of prescription drugs, empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices, institute a $2,000 cap, and much more. It is a big deal for the 2.8 million Floridians who purchase high- quality health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. With these tax credits, those policies will be more affordable. Yes, this is good news indeed, a true people over politics moment for all of our neighbors, their health, their pocketbooks, and the obligation we have to our kids to provide a livable planet. I thank Speaker Pelosi for her vision for the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, and I also thank Chairman Frank Pallone and my colleagues for their inspiring work. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 263, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, as a proud cosponsor of this legislation for many years. Big cats such as lions, tigers, panthers, and others deserve to live in the wild or in a safe and secure refuge like Big Cat Rescue back home in Tampa. But too often these beautiful creatures are privately owned and exploited for profit in the exotic pet trade where they are owned by unfit individuals and kept in awful conditions. That is why we must pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act. It would be a catastrophe if we did not pass it. Big cats are wild animals. They do not belong in backyards and garages and should not be in regular contact with people unsuited to take care of them. It is dangerous as well. We have seen numerous law enforcement and emergency calls due to the irresponsible private ownership of big cats fueled by those who are making money off of their suffering. So I am proud to have advocated for this legislation with many of the cool cats and kittens, volunteers, and supporters of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa. I thank Representative Quigley and the Natural Resources Committee Chair Grijalva for moving to protect big cats from exploitation. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same with a big ``yes'' vote on the Big Cat Public Safety Act.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, we are at a perilous time where an extremist Supreme Court and the GOP are rolling back our rights. They are rolling back the legal guarantee to control our bodies and to make our own decisions about when to have children. In States like mine in Florida, the Governor has already instituted a cruel 15-week abortion ban, and recently struck a plan to provide contraceptive care to working-class women and girls for the second year in a row. I have served in Congress for enough years to watch the GOP over time fight to eliminate birth control and family planning funds. They fought to eliminate the no-cost birth control under the Affordable Care Act, in addition to the Democrats fighting to establish this right to contraceptives. This bill also would ensure that doctors can continue to do their jobs and provide contraceptives without being turned into criminals. Contraceptive use is crucial to preventing unintended pregnancies, preventing and treating countless medical conditions, and decreasing the risk of certain cancers. Everyone should have equal access to necessary preventative care no matter which State you live in. On behalf of the women in the State of Florida and America, I urge my colleagues to support the right to contraceptives and the right of women to control their own bodies.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and contributions of Mary Mortellaro Caltagirone, a beloved member of the Tampa Bay community, who passed away on April 7, 2022, at the age of 99 after a lifetime of service as a devoted mother, educator and community volunteer. A Tampa native of Sicilian decent, Mary grew up attending local public schools before leaving home to attend college, a rarity for a woman of her background at that time. Mary attended college at Florida College for Women, now Florida State University, and graduated in three years with a Bachelor of Science in Spanish and Math in 1943. In addition to this, she earned a certificate in Elementary Education from the University of Tampa and was a member of three honor societies. Mary took all of the education and experience she gained and brought it back home to serve her community in Tampa. She went on to teach for 40 years in Hillsborough County public schools at various grade levels and I am very grateful and proud to have been one of her students myself. Mary retired from teaching in 1983, though her promotion of education and her community involvement only grew from there. Honoring her Sicilian heritage and Ybor City roots, Mary was a founding member of Lucerna and its offshoot organization, Pan American University Women (PAUW), whose mission it is to unite women of Latin decent who are graduates of institutions of higher learning, to promote fellowship, encourage education and professional accomplishments and to provide charitable contributions to the Tampa community. Mary served as a four- time president and was twice honored as PAUW Woman of the Year. Other community organizations and philanthropic involvements of hers included the Italian Club and their Ladies Auxiliary, Sons of Italy, St. John's Presbyterian Church, Spanish Lyric Theater, Judea-Christian Health Clinic and the Ybor City Museum, where she amassed over 1000 hours of service! Mary's incredible devotion to these groups was extremely appreciated by their community members. In 2005, she was presented with the Italian Woman of Excellence Award for Cultural and Civic Involvement and in 2007, she was named Person of the Year for Outstanding Service by St. John's Presbyterian Church. Mary was a truly selfless and loving individual, and her legacy will continue to live through her sons Sam A. and Vincent G. Caltagirone (Sue), former daughters-in-law, Norma Tomasello Caltagirone and Carol Bond Caltagirone, nephews Vincent and Douglas Mortellaro (Tracy), cousin George Garcia (Bonnie), grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many more extended family. Her memory will truly be a blessing for her family, her students and all in our Tampa Bay community who have known her, learned from her and worked alongside her. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my neighbors in Tampa Bay and the citizens of Florida, I am proud to honor Mary Mortellaro Caltagirone for her lifelong dedication to education and for her demonstrations of service above self. All in our community are eternally grateful for her immense contributions. Her legacy will live on and inspire many others in the Tampa Bay community and beyond for years to come.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlemen for yielding time, and I thank my colleague and friend from Florida as well. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2938 to name the Federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, for Judge Joseph Woodrow Hatchett. It is so appropriate for us to honor his life and legacy by naming the Federal courthouse in Florida's capital city for Judge Hatchett as he was a champion for fairness and justice. He did have a hardscrabble background, being born to a maid and a fruit picker in the Tampa Bay area. He grew up in Pinellas County, but he was the pride of his family and his community through his graduation from Florida A&M University and with a law degree from Howard University. He served in the Army. He was one of the first African-American Federal prosecutors--I believe the first in the Middle District of Florida. He was a Federal magistrate and served with distinction. Then he was tapped as the first African-American supreme court justice in the history of the State of Florida, and then on the circuit court of appeals, where he then served as chief judge. Here is how various commentators, former clerks, and colleagues describe Judge Hatchett: he was unbelievably smart, he was a pioneer, a man of utmost integrity, a fine and decent judge who stood for racial justice and fairness, and a lifetime of work for ethics in government and justice in the courts. One of his colleagues who served with him said that his external gentleness and calmness was wrapped around a steel core of dedication to equality and justice. His contribution to both of those ideals in Florida and this country throughout his life are immeasurable. Madam Speaker, my Republican colleagues here who oppose the naming of the courthouse for Judge Hatchett now have an opportunity to do right by him. One commentator described the changing of votes on the floor of the House that day and the votes against this honorable man as a new perigee of political pettiness, folks who wanted to reinforce their image as political heirs to this sort of mean-spirited and backward thinking that the South sent to Washington in a long-gone era. So let's rise up against this thinking of us versus them, this capitulation to a MAGA mom. We are better than this in this House of Representatives, and it is time to honor this outstanding gentleman, Judge Joseph Woodrow Hatchett, for his life of integrity, fairness, and honor. He deserves so much more. But I hope we can all come together in a unanimous vote for this outstanding American.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and contributions of Dr. Walter Lee Smith, seventh president of Florida A&M University (FAMU) and outstanding citizen of Tampa and Hillsborough County, who passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at the age of 86. A scholar, historian, advocate and educational leader, Dr. Smith was a native of Tampa, Florida, but the impact of his great work reached far beyond our community, having touched the lives of those across Florida, our nation and the world. Dr. Walter Lee Smith was born in Tampa, Florida on May 13, 1935, to the late Eva Smith (Reynolds). Raised by his mother and stepfather, Rubin Reynolds, a strong work ethic was instilled in Smith from a very young age and applied throughout his childhood raised in Florida, Georgia and New York. He excelled both academically and in sports, all while living through firsthand experiences of racism and segregation within his communities. Smith's perseverance during these instances not only showed signs of his strong character but would go on to influence his professional interests and achievements. Years down the line, Smith would go on to work for the federal government and help to develop Titles IV and VI programs for school desegregation. As a young adult, Dr. Walter Lee Smith worked pushing clothing racks in the New York Garment district before he went on to enlist in the U.S. Army, having served his nation during the Korean war. Following his military service, Smith returned to Tampa Bay where he enrolled at Gibbs Junior College, the first of Florida's junior colleges for African American students. Smith was elected as the first student body president during his time at Gibbs. Following this, he went on to attend Florida A&M University and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Chemistry and subsequently a Masters of Education. Smith completed his education by earning a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from The Florida State University. Before becoming FAMU's seventh president, Smith worked in various roles throughout Tampa as: a 7-Eleven Store manager in Progress Village, a science teacher at Marshall High School in Plant City, assistant director of the Florida Education Association and provost at Hillsborough Community College. From 1974 to 1977, he served as president of Roxbury Community College in Boston, Massachusetts. Smith was appointed the seventh president of FAMU in 1977, serving in this role until 1985. Under his leadership, FAMU as an educational institution was positively impacted in innumerable ways. The university grew to eleven schools and colleges. Among those added were the School of Allied Health Science, School of General Studies, the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and a Division of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education. Various Graduate and Doctorate programs were established under Smith's administration, with the university having offered its first Doctor of Philosophy degree, a Ph.D. in Pharmacology, in 1984. Beyond academics, FAMU's athletic department was greatly developed during Smith's tenure and a $10-million Centennial Celebration Fund endowment was established, having since grown to more than $150 million. But Dr. Smith's educational efforts did not stop there. Following his departure from FAMU, Smith was appointed as a senior Fulbright Scholar and worked abroad with the University of Malawi. In 1994 through 1995, he founded FUNDA, an American style two-year college, specifically in Malawi and South Africa. After his time abroad, Smith worked as a professor at the University of Florida until his retirement in 2000. In 2002, he opened a privately held community library in his hometown of Tampa. Dr. Smith is survived by his wife, Barbara Abrams Smith; children: Col. John L. Smith (ret.), Andre Smith, Salesia Smith-Gordon, Walter Lee Smith II, Tracey Abrams Butler; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other members of their extended family. Along with his family, Smith's lifelong commitment to education will be carried on in a legacy across the various institutions he worked with. In 2007, FAMU named its School of Architecture and Engineering Technology building in honor of Dr. Smith. At the University of Florida, colleagues and former students of Smith's funded the creation of the Walter L. Smith Scholarship to support minority graduate students in educational administration. The Florida State University also holds a scholarship in Dr. Smith's name and in 2015, Hillsborough County Libraries named a reading room at the Robert Saunders Library in his honor as well. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of Florida and my neighbors across Tampa Bay, I am proud to honor Dr. Walter Lee Smith and his selfless devotion of strengthening education institutions and expanding their accessibility in Tampa, Florida, the United States and beyond. Dr. Smith's legacy is cemented into the history of our community and will live on and inspire others for many years to come.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the contributions of the nation's Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) and applaud the vitally important health care workforce programs they conduct to improve access to care for medically underserved individuals, particularly in the Tampa Bay area. AHECs, established by Congress in 1971 as one of the Title VII Health Professions Training programs, are the workforce development, training and education machine for the nation's health care safety net programs. Over the past 5 years, the AHEC program has trained 2 million health care professionals who are prepared to deliver culturally appropriate, high-quality, team-based care, with an emphasis on primary care for rural and underserved populations. The nation's 300 AHECs are in nearly every state and in multiple U.S. territories, offering hands-on and innovative health career curriculums for pre-college level students. They are committed to continuing education, clinical training of health professionals, and responding to community health needs. This is accomplished by forming academic and community partnerships that link the resources of academic health centers with the needs of the communities. AHEC clinical training placements put health professions students in a variety of real-world settings, such as migrant, urban, and rural community health clinics and health departments that provide care to rural and underserved communities. Connecting students to their communities helps facilitate future engagement, encouraging health career students to remain in their clinical practice regions following their training. As the nation's population becomes more diverse, it is important that the health care workforce follows suit. I have long supported the work of AHECs and particularly that of the University of South Florida AHEC program. Established in 1993, USF AHEC and its centers provide youth from diverse backgrounds with programs to inspire and support their interest in health careers through programs such as the Brain Expansion Scholastic Training (BEST), Recruitment and Education Assistance for Careers in Health (REACH), and AHEC Scholars. Students interested in medicine, nursing, dentistry, public health, pharmacy, and other disciplines are exposed to local free clinics in the Tampa Bay area--clinical training opportunities that illustrate the real-world impacts that poverty, racism, and inadequate access to health care have on the lives of their patients and families. As part of a statewide system of 15 federally and state supported AHEC program offices and centers serving all of Florida's 67 counties, USF AHEC and its partners across the state have leveraged their statewide infrastructure to create numerous programs to benefit the residents of Florida. Since 2008, Florida's AHEC network has conducted a $10 million annual comprehensive tobacco education program and group cessation counseling initiative; worked with the state's Opioid Response Program to provide over $1 million in education and training on opioids for health care providers, students, and community health workers; and partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to deliver HPV vaccine education and training programs. Congress has tasked AHECs with an extraordinarily important mission, and the need to strengthen the health care workforce in our country continues to grow. According to a new report by the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. could see a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034, and the American Hospital Association says more than 200,000 new registered nurses are needed each year to meet increasing health care needs and to replace nurses entering retirement. AHECs continue to be committed to addressing shortage areas and expanding the health care workforce, while maximizing diversity and facilitating distribution, especially in rural and underserved communities. On behalf of my constituents at the USF Area Health Education Center and the AHEC program more broadly, I call on my colleagues to join me in recognizing March 28th to April 1st, 2022 as National AHEC (Area Health Education Centers) Week.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life and contributions of Todd A. Vega, a beloved member of the Tampa Bay community, who passed away on February 28, 2022 at the age of 60. A fifth generation Floridian born and raised in Tampa, Todd positively impacted our Tampa Bay community in countless ways. Todd served for 34 years in the construction industry. A long-time Union member, Todd worked in various roles including pipefitter, organizer and most recently as Business Manager of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA) Plumbers Pipefitters Local 123 in Tampa. He always stood firmly for what he believed in and served as a major advocate for workers' rights throughout his career. Todd's dedication to his work and the people around him greatly contributed to the training of countless apprentices and journeymen who continue to strengthen the industry's standards and quality of work put forward in our community. Our community honors and grieves the loss of his tireless efforts and leadership on behalf of his members, the members of the West Central FL Labor Council and the Florida Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council and working families all over Florida. Todd was a big man, literally and figuratively, with a heart that was even bigger. The biggest gap in our community to fill may be his work for and devotion to children. Todd was always quick to help all as a friend and supporter, but it has been said of him that ``you sure never had to ask twice when helping kids was involved.'' The U/A Mechanical Contractors of Central Florida Charity Foundation exists to serve local children in need of school supplies, a toy or other resources that can brighten their lives and give them an opportunity. Todd's family and the working men and women of Tampa Bay and Florida were at the core of his life. They and we are so much better for it. I have in my prayers his wife, Shari; daughter, Tiffany (Ed); father, Harold; brothers, Troy and James (Kathy); niece, Alisha; nephew, J.P.; and grandchildren, Coy, Andy and Legend. His memory will truly be a blessing for them and all of us. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my neighbors in Tampa Bay and the citizens of Florida, I am proud to honor Todd A. Vega, his devotion to all of us and particularly workers' rights and opportunities. The impacts of Todd's big heart will be felt throughout our community for years to come. All in our community and especially those of us who called him a friend are eternally grateful for him having passed our way. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, this Black History Month, I am proud to celebrate local trailblazers who have lifted up our community and those who dedicate their time and talent to preserve local African American heritage. I rise today in immense gratitude of Robert Scott, Jr., a lifetime public servant. Mr. Scott was born in 1954 and it was during an impressionable age when he witnessed segregation, brutality, marches, resisting through nonviolence and the numerous assassinations of national civil rights activists and prominent figures, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, as well as Robert F. and John F. Kennedy. But he also witnessed the change and improvements that emanated. His parents were Robert, an insurance agent and Doris Scott, a school principal. He graduated from Chamberlain High School and then from Bethune Cookman University with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He also graduated from the University of South Florida Institute of Government Executive Fellows Program. Mr. Scott started with the City of Tampa as a personnel analyst and retired after 30 years as Division Manager of its Solid Waste Department in 2010. During his decades of service, he witnessed improvements in leadership and was proud to be part of diversifying leadership within city government. For decades, City of Tampa and Hillsborough County employees supported an annual local MLK tribute through a scholarship fund and downtown march, and Mr. Scott was part of that effort during his tenure at the City of Tampa. He also served on the City of Tampa Black History Committee. He is now the owner of Scott Travel Agency, which specializes in group and cruise travel to all regions of the world. He understands that learning about other cultures provides a better perspective of how to treat people. Mr. Scott was one of the founders that established the MLK Foundation to build a family-friendly parade that started in 2015, fund scholarships for deserving students and honor community heroes that uphold the legacy of Dr. King. Today, the MLK Foundation hosts one of the largest MLK parades in the southeastern United States and engages with businesses, community organizations and entertainment--over the past few years, numerous bands from Historically Black Colleges & Universities have participated in the annual parade. In fact, 2022 was the first time ever that the largest HBCU bands in the country, Florida's own Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University, marched together. He hopes Tampa's MLK parade inspires all cities throughout the state to host their own in an effort to unify entire communities. Mr. Scott has been a member of First Union Missionary Baptist Church for 48 years. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and a 32nd degree Mason. He has served on other boards and committees such as the National Safety Council Executive Board, American Cancer Society, Gasparilla Parade, Super Bowl committee, and is a Certified Manager of the Solid Waste Association of North America. He is married to his beautiful wife, Barbara, and has four children, Michael, Pavonne, Robert III and Jason. Mr. Scott understands fully how remembering our history, no matter how dark, can be used towards a better future. He also knows that preserving our own heritage is just as important as learning about other heritages from all over the world. Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful nation and Tampa Bay community, I am proud to recognize the service and leadership of Robert Scott, Jr.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, this Black History Month, I am proud to celebrate local trailblazers who have lifted up our Tampa Bay community. I rise today in immense gratitude for Lillian Cooper Stringer, a lifetime public servant who has been a leader to help ensure safety, dignity and vitality for thousands of neighbors. Born in Bartow, Fla., Mrs. Stringer moved to Tampa--into public housing--at a young age. Her mother did not complete middle school and she was one of five siblings. Precocious, in third grade Mrs. Stringer received the highest grade for English composition in all of Hillsborough County. The accolades and recognition she received from this became a pivotal moment that catapulted her into a true understanding that higher education was key to lifting herself out of poverty. She worked hard to earn good grades and remain an active student, including as a dancer and member of the Middleton High School Tiger's drill team. In 1978, Mrs. Stringer received her bachelor's degree in Radio, Television, Film Communication and English Education from the University of Maryland College Park Campus. Mrs. Stringer had stints with landmark local organizations before joining Tampa Housing Authority, including Hillsborough Community College, Hyatt Regency and WFLA. She found a special calling where she currently serves as the Director of Community Affairs for the Tampa Housing Authority, one of the largest housing authorities in the state and the state administrator for Assisted Housing/Section 8. Since starting in 1990, she has served the agency in various capacities, including all areas of resident initiatives; social services; inter-agency involvement; staff employee and resident training; as well as serving as a local and national housing advocate and agency spokeswoman. With little to no senior engagement available when she started with Tampa Housing Authority, she launched initiatives to improve senior safety and healthy community living--what she has erected and developed serves as a national model and will leave a lasting legacy. She developed numerous programs for Tampa Housing Authority's older residents through Elderly Services Initiatives to keep senior citizens engaged, including the foster-grandparent supports and intergenerational programs that connect seniors with youth. She also developed and coordinated plans for the first on-site clinic at an elderly property and created ``Senior Spotlight,'' a column that highlights the accomplishments of elderly residents. She coordinated the first ``Senior Cabaret,'' an event designed to provide an opportunity for the elderly to interact, socialize and meet elderly residents from other properties. Catapulting students in public housing into successful lives through education, as she herself did, became a passion and for years she coordinated a scholarship that also equipped students with luggage and laptops as they were sent off to college. She managed the first Family Day Care Homes, which provides an opportunity for qualified, unemployed seniors to keep no more than six young people in their home environment, as well as the Youth Sports and Cultural Program, Resident Enterprise Assistance Program, Revolving Loan Program and the agency's Recycling Center. Mrs. Stringer's current and prior memberships include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, local chambers of commerce, Public Relations Society of America, American Association of University Women, Florida Bar Grievance Committee, Metropolitan Ministries Advisory Board and Leadership Tampa Bay. She even owned her own boutique, Chez Lilly, from 2007 to 2011. Mrs. Stringer has been married for 40 years to former Judge Thomas E. Stringer and she is mother to Roderick Eugene Cooper. Mrs. Stringer's accomplishments did not come by mere accident or simply because they were part of her job duties. Rather, Mrs. Stringer has gone above and beyond her professional obligations because her personal experience, passion for dignity, and commitment to preserving Tampa's African American heritage led her to approach community engagement in new, innovative ways. Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Nation and Tampa Bay community, I am proud to recognize the service and leadership of Lillian Cooper Stringer.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, this Black History Month, I am proud to celebrate local trailblazers who have dedicated their lives to lifting up our community. I rise today in immense gratitude of Roosevelt ``Rocky'' Ratliff, III, a lifetime public servant. Born in Perry, Fla., at 2 pounds and 11 ounces, he gained the name Rocky by his delivery nurse because he was a fighter, despite his low birthweight. His parents, Roosevelt Jr. and Gloria, taught him that hard work and doing your very best in everything you do pays off. He moved to Tampa in 1984 and received his bachelor's degree in criminology from St. Leo University--becoming the first in his family to attain a college degree. He also attended Bethune Cookman University, where he was a member of the Marching Wildcats Band. Mr. Ratliff joined the Tampa Police Department in 1998, patrolling the seven public housing properties that existed at the time. He led with his ``Boots on the Ground'' philosophy that stressed the importance of patrolling neighborhoods on foot to deter crime and foster invaluable relationships with the neighbors. This philosophy helped him work his way up the ranks to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain before retiring as a major in 2018. He had a reputation for building strong community relationships throughout the City of Tampa. Because of his initiative, our communities became a safer place to live, work and play. Major Ratliff pioneered the Community Oriented Program (COPs) in all three Districts and helped resolve community complaints and disturbances in city parks by serving as the liaison to the Parks & Recreation Department. After 30 years, Major Ratliff retired but continued his community involvement through mentoring. He is a member of the Pi Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. that started a mentoring program at Just Elementary School for 20 young men in the fourth and fifth grades called the Gentlemen's Club. This program is vital in helping young men develop the proper skills needed to guide them throughout life and furthering their education. In addition, he is CEO of Strategic Community Engagement Consulting, LLC. He, along with Derrick Brooks Charities, developed a Community-Police Relationships (CPR) Zoom Forum to focus on addressing concerns between law enforcement and our Black and Brown communities. The Forum has been a major success throughout Florida. For decades, City of Tampa and Hillsborough County employees supported an annual local MLK tribute through a scholarship fund and downtown march, and Major Ratliff was part of that effort during his tenure at the Tampa Police Department. In 2018, he became a member of the MLK Parade Foundation. Today, the MLK Foundation hosts one of the largest MLK parades in the southeastern United States and engages with businesses, community organizations and entertainment--over the past few years, numerous bands from Historically Black Colleges & Universities have participated in the annual parade. In fact, 2022 was the first time ever that the largest HBCU bands in the country, Florida's own Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University, marched together. Major Ratliff is married to Antoinette and is the proud father to four daughters, Tyrhonza, Bianca, Asia and Markayla. Major Ratliff has always answered the call--the call to keep our community safe and the call to preserve our community's African American history. Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful nation and Tampa Bay community, I am proud to recognize the service and leadership of Major Roosevelt ``Rocky'' Ratliff, III.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Pallone for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, here in the United States, we continue to grapple with a maternal and infant health crisis. There are approximately 24,000 stillbirths in the United States each year, and we rank 25th among 49 high-income countries in stillbirth rates. There are longstanding and persistent racial and ethnic disparities, with Black women experiencing stillbirths at two times the rate of White women. So we need real change that will help lead to measurable improvements in health. That is why I was pleased to introduce the Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn, or SHINE for Autumn Act, with my colleagues, Representatives Herrera Beutler, Roybal-Allard, and Mullin. Through the bill, we intend to improve the research and data collection on stillbirths. We want to authorize grants for surveillance and data collection. We are going to develop guidelines and educational materials and create a fellowship at NIH to dive deeper into the research. The bill is named in honor of Autumn Joy, who was stillborn on July 8, 2011. Her mother, Debbie, turned this tragedy into advocacy. She spearheaded the effort to increase stillbirth awareness and education and lower stillbirth rates. And I am proud to help lead the legislation in Autumn's memory. I want to thank Debbie for her perseverance on behalf of families across America. This heartbreaking loss can happen in any family, and there is so much we still do not know. So this new law, this bill, SHINE for Autumn Act, will help avoid a lot of the tragedy that Debbie, unfortunately, found with the death of her daughter, Autumn. So I ask my colleagues to support the SHINE for Autumn Act.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Pallone for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan legislation with Representative Kim Schrier, the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act. Mr. Speaker, if Dr. Francis Collins, the head of the NIH, called a press conference today and announced that we had found a cure for cancer, there would be cause for celebration. Well, since 2006, there has been a safe and effective vaccine that prevents six types of cancer, including HPV-related cancers, including cervical cancer and throat cancer. It has been a remarkable development. The problem is that with these HPV-related cancers, there are no screening tests for many of these cancers, other than cervical cancer, for which there is a screening test. So you have to rely on prevention in order to avoid ever contracting these types of cancers. The other problem is that during the pandemic, there has been a dramatic drop-off in childhood vaccinations. It is very troubling. All childhood vaccinations have fallen way off, but particularly with the cancer-preventing HPV vaccine. According to data from CDC, HPV vaccinations fell by almost 64 percent for children ages 9 to 12, and they fell 71 percent for young people ages 13 to 17 compared to the previous two years. Last year alone, more than 1 million doses were missed. Mr. Speaker, here is what is also troubling, the trends that are here: There is a distinct rise among men and HPV-related cancers. Four out of ten HPV-related cancers occur among men: a lot of throat cancer. There are now 14,000 men annually being diagnosed with HPV-related cancers. That is a five-fold increase over the past 20 years. We can tackle this problem by helping educate families and parents all across America to avoid these catastrophic diagnoses and save lives in doing it. The PREVENT HPV Cancers Act builds on work the CDC is already doing to raise awareness about gynecological cancers through Johanna's Law and includes HPV and HPV-related cancers in the national public awareness campaign to educate providers, parents, and the general public about the lifesaving HPV vaccine. This is especially important in rural areas where there has also been a very dramatic drop-off. I thank my friends back home at the Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida's only NCI-designated cancer center, Dr. Anna Giuliano, who is an expert in the field, for educating me, and for bringing together advocates across the country. I thank Chairman Pallone, Chair Eshoo, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers, and Chairman Guthrie very much for their help, and Dr. Burgess as well for his support. Thank you for making this a bipartisan effort. I also thank Stephen Holland with the majority staff and Kristen Shatynski with the minority staff. Mr. Speaker, to the parents and families, it is vitally important to know that you can prevent your children from ever contracting cancer through the HPV vaccine. It is safe and effective, and more parents need to understand the import of doing this. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption, a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 1550, the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act. I want to thank my colleague Rep. Judy Chu for leading the charge on this important legislation to protect the full range of health care, including abortion. Every American deserves to live a safe and healthy life, and that means ensuring that everyone has access to the health services they need including contraceptives, checkups, abortion care, cancer screenings, pre-natal visits and more. The full range of health care. But too often in America access to high-quality, affordable health care has been limited due to racial disparities or economic disparities or where someone lives. I'm really proud of what Democrats have done over the decades to improve the lives of American families and improve their health care, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and children's health insurance, but we're in a moment in time where there's a radical fringe trying to take over these decisions. We must remember that the decision about when, whether or how to become a parent is a deeply personal life decision. It's a decision for a person and their family; it is not a decision for politicians in Washington or in state capitols across this country. Americans do not want to outsource these important fundamental life decisions to politicians. And I hope we can agree that we should not treat people differently just because they are working to make ends meet, or because of the color of their skin or where they live. As fundamental human dignity means being able to make decisions about your pathway in life, being able to determine your own pathway in life for yourself, not have it be made by some politician. I have to say it is so alarming to see this radical move by Republicans in Congress and in the recent extreme new law in Texas that would effectively ban abortion. For too long, we have seen Republicans across this country attack family planning and reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives. It's radical and it's wrong. Well good news, we are going to do our job as members of Congress today to put people's health, safety and real needs first. We've got to ensure that all people no matter who they are, where they live and how much they make and the color of their skin, have access to reproductive health care--including abortion--that they need, and they deserve. I urge my colleagues to make health care accessible to all Americans by supporting H.R. 3755.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the seven inventors who have been selected as the 2021 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. These inventors were nominated by their peers nationwide and have undergone the review of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame Selection Committee. Moreover, 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 at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. It was recognized by the Florida Senate as Senate Resolution 1756, which was adopted on April 30, 2014. Its mission is to encourage individuals of all backgrounds to strive toward the betterment of Florida and society through groundbreaking innovation by celebrating the incredible scientific work that has been accomplished by Floridians. Nomination to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is open to all Florida inventors (living or deceased) 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 2021 Inductees of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame are: Norma Alcantar: University of South Florida Professor of Chemical, Biomedical & Materials Engineering, who is recognized for pioneering advances in natural technologies to clean and purify contaminated water; as well as developing novel therapies for Alzheimer's and cancer treatment; new sustainable soil systems; remediation of ocean oil spills; and creating novel filtration technologies for aquaculture systems. Mark Dean: University of Tennessee Professor Emeritus at the Tickle College of Engineering, former IBM Chief Technology Officer of the Middle East and Africa, who is recognized for revolutionizing personal computer technologies as one of the original inventors of the Industry Standard Architecture ``bus''; as well as inventor on three of the nine patents for the original IBM PC; and leader of the team that developed the one-gigahertz processor chip. Roberta Goode: Founder and President of Goode Compliance International, LLC. Adjunct Faculty Member at University of Miami and George Washington University, who is recognized for breakthrough patents in hemostasis valve designs for vascular catheters that have significantly advanced the field of minimally-invasive cardiac surgeries and diagnostic procedures. Dean Kamen: President of DEKA Research and Development and the Founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), who is recognized for sustained cutting-edge innovations across multiple industries that have advanced and benefited society, including: AutoSyringe; HomeChoice for in-home dialysis; UVAR XTS System for treatment of T-Cell lymphoma; the Hydrotlex surgical irrigation pump; the iBOT mobility device; and the Segway. Susann Keohane: IBM Innovation Leader for Healthy Aging and Emerging AI Products and IBM Master Inventor, who is recognized for groundbreaking inventions in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and the Internet of Things that have transformed analytics and machine learning techniques and significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities and the aging population. David Kotick: Senior Science Technical Manager for LVC Simulation and Training at the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, who is recognized for seminal innovations integrating digital communications across Live Virtual Constructive training environments that advanced simulated training for the U.S. military which benefited overall readiness. Rajiv Singh: Vice President of Entegris, Inc. and Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida Department of Materials Science and Engineering, who is recognized for breakthroughs in advanced semiconductor processing of next generation materials, including chemical mechanical polishing for mechanically hard advanced electronic materials. 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.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, over the past decades when officials in Florida tried to restrict access to the ballot box, the Voting Rights Act provided protections for all Floridians to cast their vote. Maybe they limited hours of voting, or didn't provide timely notice to changes in polling places, or didn't provide clear ballot language, but the Voting Rights Act was there. But, unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act and after that State officials moved to enact other discriminatory practices to keep certain people and people of color from casting ballots. It is wrong. So it is vitally important that the Congress adopt the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to make sure voting is fair, especially in places where voting discrimination has been historically prevalent. As John Lewis said: When you see something that is not right and not fair, you have to speak up. You have to say something. You have to do something. And that is what we are going to do today. I say to Representative Sewell, We are going to cast a reinvigorated Voting Rights Act. And I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life of Mr. Joseph ``Joe'' ``Chito'' Garcia. Born in 1930 during the Great Depression, Mr. Garcia had a strong desire to help his family and his community. As a young boy he shined shoes, sold lemons and delivered newspapers around West Tampa to help support his family. He then grew up to be considered a wise, quiet, individual with a big heart and was described as ``an outstanding example of an honorable man who lived his faith, his deep devotion to his family and friends.'' During his childhood, Mr. Garcia joined the West Tampa Boys Club and later went on to support four local clubs by serving as president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay. He worked as a lawyer and served as the Chairman of the Tampa Port Authority. During his 16 years on the Tampa Port Authority Board of Commissioners, Mr. Garcia fulfilled his goal of developing the port to become business friendly for a growing Tampa area. Driving around the Channelside area in our hometown, you can see the influence and vision Mr. Garcia had for our city. When he retired, the Port Authority named their building after him. He was also involved with the Ybor City Rotary Club and the Florida Aquarium, all which made him one of Tampa's most notable philanthropists. Mr. Garcia's life was lined by the values of his faith and service to his country and community. He attended Jesuit High School and got a scholarship to attend Loyola University, where he worked two or three jobs at a time to help pay his way. There, he joined the Navy serving in various leadership positions and continued serving in the Navy Reserve after active duty. After the Navy, Mr. Garcia attended law school at the University of Florida. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of Florida and my neighbors across Tampa Bay, I am proud to honor. Mr. Garcia who died in the morning of May 28, 2021, two days after his 91st birthday and a lifetime of helping our Tampa community grow. Mr. Garcia made great contributions to advance the well-being of our Tampa neighbors through his integrity and leadership. We are grateful for his contributions and may his soul rest in peace.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Castor amendment. America's public schools, colleges, and universities are the engines of economic opportunity, and our funding package provides historic investments in students and schools at a time when they need it, especially in Florida where the Governor and legislature are intentionally undercutting our public school students and local control. Florida, the third largest State in the country, ranks 45th in per pupil funding, and it diverts an enormous amount of public money to for-profit charter schools that are not accountable and often fail to provide the full range of educational services required by law like those for special needs and disabled students. When my local school board in Hillsborough County recently questioned the quality of education provided by certain for-profit charters, the State Commissioner of Education threatened to withhold money from students and schools--the fifth largest district in the entire country. Many for-profit charter corporations need oversight by the U.S. Department of Education especially in Florida where they skirt civil rights laws and they weaken our traditional public schools. So I thank my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee for the oversight measures included in this bill that will help ensure that every child has an opportunity to learn and succeed, especially the students in Florida who deserve better. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of my amendment.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act. These PFAS chemicals, synthetic, manmade chemicals, have now, according to the science, evolved into a very significant public health threat, and it is time that Congress act to protect our neighbors back home, families, communities all across America with the passage of this bill. This is a bipartisan bill, and I want to thank my colleagues, Congresswoman Dingell and Congressman Upton, for leading the charge here, because what they propose and what we will vote on today will protect our communities by instituting some new oversight and regulations of these forever chemicals in PFAS, help us clean up these chemicals from our drinking water, and protect the public health. These PFAS chemicals are not regulated in any way right now. They are often used in firefighting foam, in nonstick surfaces, stain-resistant surfaces, and food packaging. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has determined that PFAS exposure is associated with low birth weight babies, an increased rate of cancer, lower fertility rates, and developmental issues in young children and infants. A new study out of the Yale School of Public Health recently found that exposure increases the risk of miscarriage by 80 to 120 percent in pregnant women. The CDC also issued a disclosure regarding a potential intersection between PFAS and COVID-19. These chemicals now have been detected in communities all across the country. This bill will help us rely on the science, provide some safeguards, make sure we are gathering the scientific data we need to keep our communities safe back home. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, our neighbors back home are tired of the scam artists ripping them off, so I rise in strong support of H.R. 2668, the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act. I thank Representative Cardenas, Chair Schakowsky, and Chair Pallone for moving this bill swiftly to the floor. H.R. 2668 fixes a glitch in the laws governing the Federal Trade Commission. Now the FTC is one of our most important consumer watchdog agencies, and for 40 years the FTC has been able to recover ill-gotten gains and restitution for consumers, but a recent Supreme Court decision kind of threw it back to Congress for us to clarify the FTC's authority. This is very important. This is the authority that allows the FTC to rightfully recover moneys for consumers when fraudsters cheat them out of it. And this is especially important for seniors, folks in the Active Duty military, veterans, and others because they are often targeted by scams like telemarketer credit card scams, those scam artists that claim that we are working for a charitable organization that is going to help disabled police officers or disabled military, these false, fake cures that say, pay us this money and you are going to be cured of your Type 2 diabetes or you won't be in pain anymore. It is so wrong. The FTC is working overtime. They have particularly been working overtime during the COVID pandemic because there have been so many scams and frauds. We have got to pass this bill so that we can empower the FTC to get people's money back. It is that simple. In fact, in my home State of Florida, just since July 2018, the FTC helped recover over $81 million for over 540,000 Floridians. So if Members don't support this legislation, you are just giving a green light to the fraudsters to steal from consumers without penalty. That is wrong. We can't let that happen. I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 2668.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, there is good news. The Congress intends to invest in America through passage of a landmark surface transportation and infrastructure package. This is what President Biden challenged us to do, and we will follow through. It also comes one year after the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis made landmark recommendations to solve the climate crisis and expand clean energy through a clean energy action plan to cut greenhouse gas pollution, to reach net zero as soon as possible, follow the science, improve our health, and make our communities more resilient to costly climate fuel disasters. Madam Speaker, over the past year, we have already passed 250 recommendations here in the House and turned 100 of them into law. But now we are going to build on that progress through the INVEST in America Act. It is the most climate-forward transportation bill in the history of the Congress with record investment in public transit and rail; investments to make roads and bridges more resilient; record investment in electric vehicle charging stations, pedestrian and bicycle trails; progress on environmental justice, clean air, and clean water. This is good news, indeed.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that we work together to reduce harmful methane pollution as soon as possible. That is why I strongly support S.J. Res. 14 which will get America back on track in controlling methane pollution and leaks. Methane is a highly potent gas that, pound for pound, traps more than 80 times as much heat on our planet in the short term as carbon dioxide. Plugging methane pollution leaks is good for our public health, as it can reduce the risk of asthma, heart attacks, and premature deaths. Reducing methane pollution is good for the climate, it's good for business, and it will create thousands and thousands of jobs across America. That's why there is broad consensus from energy companies, local communities, the tourism industry, labor groups, environmental organizations, environmental justice leaders, and faith leaders on methane pollution control. In fact, in 2019, when my Select Committee on the Climate Crisis was doing our broad outreach to develop recommendations for solving the climate crisis, this was an area where we reached broad consensus, as a wide range of stakeholders and scientists told us reducing methane pollution would be needed to help save our planet. Adopting today's resolution will restore common-sense safeguards to limit methane pollution from oil and gas production, as we reverse the Trump Administration's misguided efforts that stopped them. Restoring these safeguards is one of the recommendations we included in the Select Committee's Climate Crisis Action Plan. It's a modest and straightforward step in the right direction, but it's a very important one. Controlling dangerous methane pollution has broad support. A recent Morning Consult poll found that an overwhelming majority of Americans-- including 81 percent of Republicans--support congressional actions requiring oil and gas companies to regulate, check for, and fix methane leaks. And it is more important now than ever. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the various shutdowns around the globe, carbon dioxide and methane emissions surged in 2020, including the largest increase in methane emissions recorded since record-keeping began nearly four decades ago. Furthermore, we know that fossil fuels are playing an outsized role in this crisis. According to an analysis published by scientists from NASA and Stanford last year, fossil fuel-related methane emissions in the United States contributed approximately 80 percent of the total increase of methane for North America from 2006 to 2017. Stopping methane and other pollution from oil and gas production is an important step in solving the climate crisis. Even major oil companies--from BP America to Shell to ExxonMobil--support federal regulation of methane pollution. Building on the examples of Colorado, Wyoming and Ohio, a nationwide standard is critical to protect--Americans everywhere from harmful air pollution stemming from oil and gas production. Let's be clear: We must cut methane pollution to prevent catastrophic climate change. Today we have the opportunity to move in that direction by supporting this resolution. This an important step, and it is the least we can do. I want to thank my good friends Congresswoman DeGette and Congressman Peters for their outspoken advocacy on this matter, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Biden Administration to build on this progress.

Ms. CASTOR of Florida

Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 175 inventors who will soon be inducted as the 2020 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in an induction ceremony in Tampa, FL that will feature a keynote address by U.S. Commissioner for Patents, Andrew Hirshfeld. To be named as a Fellow, these men and women were nominated by their peers and have undergone the scrutiny of the NAI Selection Committee, having had their innovations deemed as making significant impact on quality of life, economic development and welfare of society. Collectively, this elite group holds nearly 4,800 patents. This year's class of Fellows includes individuals from 115 research universities and non-profit research institutes spanning across the United States and the world. The now 1,403-member group of Fellows is composed of more than 165 presidents and senior leaders of research universities and non-profit research institutes, nearly 600 members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; 45 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, 63 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and U.S. National Medal of Science, 40 Nobel Laureates, 392 AAAS Fellows, 264 IEEE Fellows and 184 Fellows of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, among other awards and distinctions. The NAI was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. We are greatly indebted to innovators such as the ones being inducted this month for their contributions to society through their inventions. I commend these individuals, and the organizations and taxpayers that support them, for the work they do to revolutionize the world we live in. As the following inventors are inducted, may it encourage future generations to strive to meet this high honor and continue the spirit of discovery and innovation. The 2020 NAI Fellows include: JD Albert, University of Pennsylvania; Naofal AlDhahir, The University of Texas at Dallas; Khalil Amine, Argonne National Laboratory; Ananth Annapragada, Baylor College of Medicine; Samuel Asirvatham, Mayo Clinic; William Bachovchin, Tufts University; George Barany, University of Minnesota; Randall Bateman, Washington University in St. Louis; Eric Beckman, University of Pittsburgh; Gary H. Bernstein, University of Notre Dame; Matt A. Bernstein, Mayo Clinic; Vaughn Betz, University of Toronto; Bir Bhanu, University of California; Riverside Venkat Bhethanabotla, University of South Florida; Ronald Biediger, Texas Heart Institute; Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University; Donal D.C. Bradley, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Bruce Branchaud, University of Oregon; Daniel Brown, Northwestern University; Susan K. Brown, Cornell University; Scott P. Bruder, Case Western Reserve; University Irwin Chaiken, Drexel University; V. Chandrasekar, Colorado State University; Chih-hung Chang, Oregon State University; HsuehChia Chang, University of Notre Dame; Ramalingam Chellappa, Johns Hopkins University; Kuan- Neng Chen, National Chiao Tung University; Jianjun Cheng, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Mung Chiang, Purdue University; Ki Chon, University of Connecticut; Keith M. Chugg, University of Southern California; Mark Clarke, University of Houston; Jason (Jingsheng) Cong, University of California, Los Angeles; Liming Dai, University of New South Wales; Rajesh Dave', New Jersey Institute of Technology; Valina Dawson, Johns Hopkins University; Nancy DeMore, Medical University of South Carolina; Reza Derakhshani, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Robert Desnick, Mount Sinai Health System; Michael Diamond, Washington University in St. Louis; Steven Eschrich, H. Lee Mott Cancer Center & Research Institute; Gary Evans, Southern Methodist University; Robin Felder, University of Virginia; Albert J. Fornace Jr., Georgetown University; Gordon Freeman, Harvard University; Alexander Fridman, Drexel University; Andres Garcia, Georgia Institute of Technology; Sharon Gerecht, Johns Hopkins University; M. Monica Giusti, The Ohio State University; Charles Glabe, University of California, Irvine; Martin Gleave, The University of British Columbia; Michael Goldfarb, Vanderbilt University; Carol Greider, Johns Hopkins University; Paul Hansma, University of California, Santa Barbara; Joseph Harding, Washington State University; William Harris, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute; Jibo He, Wichita State University; Sidney Hecht, Arizona State University; Richard Heller, University of South Florida; Paul Hergenrother, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; James Hickman, University of Central Florida; Rodney JY Ho, University of Washington; Eric Holmes, Florida State University; David Horsley, University of California, Davis; Tony Jun Huang, Duke University; Scott Hultgren, Washington University in St. Louis; David Hunn, The University of Texas at Arlington; Laurence Hurley, The University of Arizona; Louis Ignarro, University of California, Los Angeles; Bahram Jalali, University of California, Los Angeles; Susan James, Colorado State University; Nikil Jayant, Georgia Institute of Technology; Michael Jewett, Northwestern University; Lizy Kurian John, The University of Texas at Austin; Henry Kapteyn, University of Colorado Boulder; Thomas Katsouleas, University of Connecticut; Mark Kay, Stanford University; Michael Keidar, The George Washington University; Mark Kendall, Australian National University; Michael Kessler, North Dakota State University; Nicholas Kotov, University of Michigan; Konstantin Kousoulas, Louisiana State University; Boris Kovatchev, University of Virginia; Chung-Chieh ``Jay'' Kuo, University of Southern California; Hoi-Sing Kwok, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Michael Lebby, Glynwdr University in Wales, UK; Pooi See Lee, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Xiuling Li, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Lanny Liebeskind, Emory University; James Lillard, Morehouse School of Medicine; Chwee Teck Lim, National University of Singapore; Julia Ljubimova, Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation; Laurie Locascio, University of Maryland; Gerald Loeb, University of Southern California; David Luzzi, Northeastern University; Hongbin Ma, University of Missouri-Columbia; Anant Madabhushi, Case Western Reserve University; Duncan J. Maitland, Texas A&M University; Tadeusz Malinski, Ohio University; John Mauro, The Pennsylvania State University; Bill McCutchen, Texas A&M University; Donald McDonnell, Duke University; John McGlone, Texas Tech University; Richard Melker, University of Florida; Anton Middelberg, University of Adelaide, Australia; Richard Miles, Texas A&M University; Charles Mistretta, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jin Kim Montclare, New York University; Margaret Murnane, University of Colorado Boulder; Mitzi Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina; Vijaykrishnan Narayanan, The Pennsylvania State University; Denise Ney, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Robert A. Norwood, The University of Arizona; Thomas O'Halloran, Northwestern University; Ann Palmenberg, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Eleftherios Papoutsakis, University of Delaware; Keshab Parhi, University of Minnesota; Norbert Pelc, Stanford University; Vir V. Phoha, Syracuse University; Peter Pidcoe, Virginia Commonwealth University; Leonard Pinchuk, University of Miami; Ralph Pollier, Louisiana State University; Behnam Pourdeyhimi, North Carolina State University; David Puleo, University of Mississippi; Judit Puskas, The Ohio State University; David Putnam, Cornell University; Si Zhao (Joe) Qin, City University of Hong Kong; Tariq Rana, University of California, San Diego; Thomas Ranney, North Carolina State University; Vilupanur Ravi, California Polytechnic State University; E. Premkumar Reddy, Mount Sinai Health System; Elsa Reichmanis, Lehigh University; Martin Richardson, University of Central Florida; Naphtali Rishe, Florida International University; Michael A. Rogawski, University of California, Davis; Jannick Rolland, University of Rochester; Jean- Francois Rossignol, University of South Florida; Ashutosh Sabharwal, Rice University; Joshua Sakon, University of Arkansas; Ravi Sandhu, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Edward Schuchman, Mount Sinai Health System; Gregory Schultz, University of Florida; Yang Shao-Horn, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Arlene Sharpe, Harvard University; Rahul Shrivastav, University of Georgia; Sachdev Sidhu, University of Toronto; Larry Sklar, The University of New Mexico; Daniel K. Sodickson, New York University; David Stephens, Emory University; Szymon Suckewer, Princeton University; Timothy Swager, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Nongjian Tao, Arizona State University; Nitish Thakor, Johns Hopkins University; Albell I. Titus, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; John Trent, University of Louisville; Van N. Truskett, The University of Texas at Austin; Din-Ping Tsai, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Ranji Vaidyanathan, Oklahoma State University; George Varghese, University of California, Los Angeles; John Volakis, Florida International University; Luis Von Ahn, Carnegie Mellon University; Bipin Vora, Illinois Institute of Technology; Haiyan Wang, Purdue University; Lihong Wang, California Institute of Technology; Joyce Y. Wong, Boston University; Neal Woodbury, Arizona State University; Han-Chung Wu, Academia Sinica; Changhuei Yang, California Institute of Technology; Gerald Zamponi, University of Calgary; Ling Zang, The University of Utah; Feng Zhang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Liangfang Zhang, University of California, San Diego; Jia Zhou, The University of Texas Medical Branch; MengChu Zhou, New Jersey Institute of Technology; S. Kevin Zhou, Chinese Academy of Sciences & The Chinese University of Hong Kong.