Carlos Curbelo

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 371, I was in a meeting. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of this amendment and thank my colleague from New York for allowing me to join in leading on this important issue. This amendment would allow the Director of National Intelligence to provide grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions of higher education to offer advanced foreign language programs that are important to our intelligence community. These students, in addition to the traditional classroom setting, would also be able to travel and study abroad so they can gain a firsthand perspective of the culture in which they are immersing themselves. Mr. Chairman, the study of Farsi, Middle Eastern, and South Asian dialects is of the utmost importance in developing our country's continued relationships abroad. I am proud to advocate for Hispanic- Serving Institutions, like Florida International University and Miami Dade College in my district, and will strive to provide them the opportunity to train their students so that they can go on to serve our country. I am proud to be working with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) to provide more opportunities for these young Hispanic students who want to serve their country and to provide our intelligence community this special tool to recruit those who could be useful in advancing the cause of building the relationships that are so critical to our intelligence services operating throughout the world.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, June 15, 2015, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of an impassioned debate on trade promotion authority, trade adjustment assistance, and trade enforcement. We are hearing arguments from our colleagues on both sides of this issue, from both sides of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to serve as the voice of my constituents from south Florida, who directly see the impact of these free trade agreements every single day. The United States currently has 20 free trade agreements, 11 of which are with countries in South and Central America. Miami is often called the gateway to the Americas, and I am proud to represent a diverse and proud community that has seen the positive impact of free trade. Workers in south Florida create goods and services that are used throughout the world, something that is only made possible with free trade agreements. Congress must pass TPA so the United States can open up new markets. Since 2007, there have been over 100 agreements signed on a global scale while our country has sat idly by.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want the American people's representatives to have a strong hand in negotiating future free trade agreements, and this TPA bill ensures this will happen. It provides unprecedented amounts of time for the agreements to be read and ensures proper safeguards are in place for Congress, not the President, to drive the agenda on the negotiations. Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on TAA, TPA, and trade enforcement. If anyone has any doubts as to whether TPA is good for our country, I encourage you to visit south Florida.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. And I just want to take a moment to recognize the chairman, the ranking member, the subcommittee chairman and ranking member, for their work on this critical legislation. South Florida, where I hail from, is home to thousands of Haitian Americans, and I know that they will soon be expressing their gratitude to this House, to this Congress, for passing this important bipartisan legislation. This legislation is going to provide opportunity, hope for the people of the continent of Africa, but also for the people of Haiti. And in south Florida, we have a very special bond with Haiti. We know how much that country needs American involvement, opportunity. And the relatives of so many Haitians who live in south Florida will be beaming with pride and gratitude when they get the news that this House has passed this critical legislation. As Chairman Ryan says, this is not just trade legislation. This is foreign policy. This is foreign aid, but the aid that really helps people prosper, the aid that allows companies, governments to provide opportunity for their citizens. This will also provide opportunity for our citizens. The more markets that we help create for our products, American businesses and American families will thrive. For a long time, people have been complaining that the economic recovery has been weak; that it has left the people at the bottom behind. This is our opportunity to change that, to create more markets for American exports, to give people hope and opportunity, so that the United States can continue being that country, Mr. Speaker, where anyone who comes and wants to succeed and wants to work hard will have that opportunity. This is how we do it, and we also do it by working together. All of us in this House want to strengthen Medicare, and today we have taken another important step toward strengthening Medicare. How? By working together. This is exactly what the American people sent us here to do. For too long, Members of this House have refused to cooperate, have refused to find common ground. Well, we are doing that today, and I am so proud to be able to come to the floor of the House to congratulate our leaders for their fine work, and to offer my strong support of this important bipartisan legislation.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, it is fascinating to come here to the floor and listen to colleagues who struggle to support free trade agreements with our allies come to the floor and advocate for expanded trade with one of our enemies, taking advantage of properties stolen from American citizens. I heard that we have a personal interest in this matter--and I do. I am an American citizen. I was born here. And I want to do justice by American property owners. Shouldn't we resolve these 8,818 claims before proceeding? Shouldn't we do justice by these families, these businesses whose property was stolen with no due process, with no hearing by the Castro government? Whose side are we on, Mr. Chairman? That is the question here. As Americans, do we want to be on the side of those who were aggrieved by a tyrannical regime--American citizens--or do we want to reward that regime by allowing others now to profit over those stolen properties? That is the question that we need to ask ourselves today. This is not about travel. No one is here advocating for restricting travel to Cuba. Many people travel to Cuba today legally, and that would not change. But I cannot stand for violating the property rights of my fellow American citizens.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast the following votes on H.R. 1335 due to inclement weather: Roll Call 264: NAY, Roll Call 265: NAY, Roll Call 266: NAY, Roll Call 267: YEA.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Farr amendment. Section 540 is critical in ensuring that exports to Cuba reach and benefit the Cuban people, not the regime's military and intelligence services, which actively and aggressively collaborate with our enemies throughout the world. Still today, Cuba has one of the most robust spy networks in the United States. These are not the people we should be rewarding with American business. The most recent State Department report on Cuba's human rights conditions says that harsh prison conditions, arbitrary arrests, selective prosecution, and the denial of fair trials continue in the country. The iron fist of the Castro regime has cracked down on peaceful democratic activists with over 2,000 dissidents arrested since the President's December 17 announcement. Just this past Sunday, 59 members of the Ladies in White were arrested along with 25 other human rights activists--their crime? It was attending Sunday mass, Mr. Chairman. The oppression is not limited to Cuba's borders. According to high- level military defectors from Venezuela's Government, there are between 2,700 and 3,000 Cuban military and intelligence agents aiding in the crackdown against Venezuelan protesters and opposing American interests in that country. These are the thugs--the very individuals--who would most benefit from the Farr amendment. Mr. Chairman, I understand that there is a diversity of views in this Chamber with regard to our broader Cuba policy. What I cannot understand is why anyone would want to reward the individuals responsible for the deaths of Americans, for the oppression of the Cuban people, for spying against our country. I respectfully ask my colleagues to oppose the Farr amendment.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne) for the time. I rise today with mixed feelings on this important legislation, the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. I appreciate the leadership of Chairman Thornberry for bringing a transformative bill to the floor that will strengthen our armed services and provide stability to the brave men and women of our military. I am also grateful for section 841, which includes the text of the SESO Act, a bill I have introduced that ensures small entrepreneurs have a fair seat at the table. But on the other side of this dichotomy is what I fear to be a truly unfortunate path for this body to take. Included in the underlying text of this bill is language that would request the Defense Secretary study the feasibility of allowing young men and women who were brought to this country as children the opportunity to serve in our armed services. I am very supportive of this sentiment, Mr. Speaker, and let's keep in mind, this is a nonbinding sense of the House. However, there are Members of this body who are threatening to vote against final passage of the NDAA if this sense of Congress isn't stricken from the bill.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, these young men and women were brought to our great country very early in life, often by no choice of their own. They have grown up in our neighborhoods and attended the same schools as our own children. For most of these young people, the United States is the only country they have ever called home. Allowing the Secretary of Defense to consider their service in our military should be something our country is proud to support, not something that will kill this bill. With that, Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Brooks amendment and look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill that will benefit all those who serve.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of University of Miami President Dr. Donna Shalala, a woman who has made such mark on our community since her first day on June 1, 2001. As a two-time University of Miami graduate, I have witnessed my alma mater's immense development during President Shalala's tenure; a reflection of her tremendous dedication to our community. During her tenure, UM has solidified its position among top research universities in the country. The University's two successful Momentum campaigns have raised $3 billion dollars in private support towards its endowment, academic research programs, and world-class facilities. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, President Shalala received her A.B. degree in history from Western College for Women. One of the country's first Peace Corps Volunteers, she served in Iran from 1962 to 1964. She earned her Ph.D. degree from The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She has held tenured professorships at Columbia University, the City University of New York (CUNY), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She served as President of Hunter College of the City University of New York from 1980 to 1987 and as Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Thank you President Shalala for your commitment to UM, for being a mentor, an educator, and a friend to our country's next generation of leaders.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the work being done to rejuvenate the South Dade neighborhoods in Florida's 26th Congressional District. Prepared by more than 300 residents and businesses, the plan entitled ``Tomorrow's South Dade'' is a community-driven effort to provide a vision for the future of the region over the next several decades. South Dade has a rich history based in agriculture and military and is home to one of our country's great natural treasures, Everglades National Park. The leaders of Tomorrow's South Dade program have established nine committees to focus on different areas in which to strengthen the economy, including infrastructure, agriculture, and education. I commend the bold leadership of Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter and Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace, and with the help of Bill Durquette of Homestead Hospital and Bob Epling of Community Bank of Florida, I am confident local government and businesses can work in unison for the betterment of our community. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to promote Tomorrow's South Dade and ensure future generations have a community they are proud to call home.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable contributions of Dr. Jonathan Gueverra, President of Florida Keys Community College in Key West, Florida. Dr. G, as he is known, recently introduced me to a portal that connects students with jobs and serves as a guidance instrument for them while they are in school. I was particularly impressed with the component that informs students about the return on their educational investments, especially because financing is a fundamental aspect of the higher education debate today. This type of transparency is imperative in helping our students navigate a massive amount of information in an easily accessible way. I applaud Dr. G's work to ensure that students in the Keys are connected with opportunities that will help them achieve their professional goals, while also educating them about the financial responsibility that is inherent in pursuing higher education. As we continue our work on higher education here in the House, I look forward to encouraging innovation in the way that we help students achieve success, and also promoting access to funding sources like flexible Pell grants. Dr. G and his colleagues at Florida Keys Community College have made it their mission to offer the best tools to their students, and I hope that their efforts can serve as an example to be replicated throughout the country.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, last week, the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, in a direct violation of a cease-fire, attacked a resting army unit in Cauca, killing 11 Colombian soldiers and injuring 20. I mourn with the Colombian people for this senseless loss of life. Just this past weekend, reports from Colombia claim that a naval convoy delivering medical and humanitarian care to remote communities in Colombia's Amazon region twice came under attack by FARC forces. Attacking medical personnel is considered a war crime by international law. Colombian President Santos continues to demonstrate a dangerous naivete in his negotiations with the terrorist organization. The FARC demands immunity and political legitimacy, but it is not an honest partner in the peace process. Immunity for the FARC would constitute an affront to the memory of thousands murdered by that terrorist organization, innocent victims whose spirits demand justice. Mr. Speaker, peace is always achieved through strength, never through weakness and appeasement.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a truly innovative set of brothers. Just last month, I met with Brandon and Sebastian Martinez, business-savvy 7- and 9-year-old brothers and students who I have the honor to represent in Congress. They are an example of how one is never too young to follow their dreams. Ever since Sebastian and Brandon were toddlers they had a fascination with socks. They had collected a variety of colorful, eccentric, and patterned pairs. Their mother, Rachel Martinez, decided to have them design their own. They began in May of 2014 with their small business ``Are You Kidding?'' and rapidly skyrocketed onto the national stage when they presented their idea to Daymond John, an investor on the hit television show `Shark Tank', and George Stephanopoulos from `Good Morning America'. They have sold their socks to many different stores and have donated thousands of dollars of their earnings to the American Cancer Society. Small businesses like that of the Martinez brothers make up the fabric of our economy. They have demonstrated their commitment to charitable causes and today I would like to recognize them for their leadership and commitment to our community.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Master Sergeant Norma Garcia Fuller, an American patriot, who will be receiving the Living Hero Award. I have the immense privilege of representing so many courageous former service members and their families in Florida's 26th Congressional District, and Master Sergeant Garcia Fuller exemplifies the greatness of our military. Born and raised in Homestead, Florida, Master Sergeant Garcia Fuller enlisted in the United States Army in 1989 and attended Fort Jackson, South Carolina for the majority of her training. Serving in several different roles in the United States Military, Master Sergeant Garcia Fuller was placed on orders in support of Operation Enduring Freedom at United States Southern Command in March of 2010. During this assignment she held numerous positions such as Assistant to the Inspector General, Human Resources Sergeant for the Resources and Assessments Directorate, and Executive Assistant to the Senior Enlisted Leader, where she was promoted to Sergeant First Class. In April 2013, she was mobilized to Guantanamo Bay where she served as the Joint Personnel Center Noncommissioned Officer and the Manpower and Personnel Noncommissioned Officer, where she was promoted to her current rank of Master Sergeant for her service to our country. Brave men and women like Master Sergeant Norma Garcia Fuller protect and preserve the integrity of our nation and the freedom that we enjoy. I offer my sincerest recognition of her service to our community and our nation, and highest accolades for receiving the Living Hero Award.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Madam Speaker, small businesses are vital to the strength and dynamism of the American economy, generating 63 percent of new private sector jobs over the past two decades. But it's not just about the entrepreneurs. It is also about helping workers that depend on small businesses for their paycheck, whether it be young people paying down their college loans, immigrants hoping to provide a better life for their loved ones, or moms and dads looking for a little more income while the kids are at school. Small businesses not only strengthen Main Street, they play a vital role in keeping our neighbors prosperous. One of the many challenges that small businesses face is a cumbersome and overbearing Tax Code. Most small businesses file their taxes as S corporations or sole proprietorships, both of which are taxed at individual rates. Congress needs to get serious about reforming and simplifying the Tax Code. Creating a broader, flatter tax base will allow for lower rates for both individuals and businesses. I look forward to working with my colleagues to find ways to reform our Tax Code so small businesses and their workers can thrive.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, and I would like to thank the Committee on Ways and Means and Committee on Energy and Commerce for taking bold leadership on such a critical issue. Sustainable growth rate is a budget cap on physician services passed into law in 1997 to control spending. Unfortunately, the SGR formula is fundamentally broken. Since 2003, Congress has spent nearly $150 billion in 17 separate short-term patches to prevent significant Medicare reimbursement rate cuts. This uncertainty is detrimental to providing our seniors and our doctors with the confidence that they deserve. This bill before us today repeals the outdated SGR formula and replaces it with a new permanent system that rewards quality and value and guarantees stability to Medicare beneficiaries and the physicians providing their treatment. Most of all, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our leaders for allowing us to have this special moment. Today, the American people have the Congress that they deserve, a Congress that is focused on advancing an agenda that can make the American people proud. Let us continue walking down this path together.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1092, as amended.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1092) to designate the Federal building located at 2030 Southwest 145th Avenue in Miramar, Florida, as the ``Benjamin P. Grogan and Jerry L. Dove Federal Bureau of Investigation Miami Field Office'', as amended.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1092, as amended, would designate the Federal building located at 2030 Southwest 145th Avenue in Miramar, Florida, as the Benjamin P. Grogan and Jerry L. Dove Federal Building. FBI Special Agents Jerry Dove and Benjamin P. Grogan were killed in 1986 during a gun battle with robbery suspects. Special Agents Dove and Grogan had been a part of a surveillance effort in connection with a series of violent bank robberies in Miami, Florida. Special Agent Dove was born in January 1956 in Charleston, West Virginia. He earned degrees from Marshall University and West Virginia University and had been in law enforcement for 4 years prior to his death. Special Agent Grogan was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in February 1933. He became an FBI special agent in 1961 and had been with the FBI for 19 years prior to his death. This legislation recognizes the ultimate sacrifice of these two FBI agents who were killed in the line of duty. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this legislation, and I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wilson) for her leadership on this bill. Mr. Speaker, earlier this afternoon, I spoke with George Piro, special agent in charge of the FBI's Miami field office, and on behalf of the families of the fallen officers and of all of his colleagues, he conveyed his sincere appreciation to this House for considering this important legislation today. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague from Florida, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank my two colleagues from Florida for their moving and eloquent remarks. I especially want to thank Ms. Wilson for raising awareness and taking this very special initiative to honor these men who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and the security of our community. Mr. Speaker, it is often in this House that we take time to remember those who are defending our freedoms around the globe, our men and women in uniform, as we should, because many of them also pay the ultimate sacrifice. Less frequently do we take time to honor our heroes in law enforcement, those who live with us in our neighborhoods and who keep our neighborhoods and our homes safe. By doing this today, this House is honoring not just these men, not just their families, but all of our law enforcement officers throughout this country who every day fight to keep us safe and to guarantee the security of our neighborhoods and of our families. Once again, I thank my colleagues for this wonderful bipartisan effort to honor those who truly deserve to be honored by this House. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CURBELO of Florida

Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow for morning-hour debate and noon for legislative business.