Ted Deutch

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for moving this bill swiftly through the committee to the floor. I am proud and appreciative to have introduced this bill with my friends Congressman Israel and Congressman Meehan, my colleagues on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Council. It is a testament to Elie Wiesel's inspirational reach across our country that 158 of our colleagues from both sides of the aisle joined us as original cosponsors. In particular, I am grateful to my friend and colleague, Representative Ros-Lehtinen, for her commitment to all of the ideals that Elie Wiesel lived out. H. Res. 810 recognizes the incredible life of accomplishments of Elie Wiesel. Elie Wiesel was a legend, the kind of influential figure that changes people around him and leaves the world in a much better place. His story is taught in classrooms, his work is read by millions in dozens of languages, and his accomplishments are recalled in halls of governments around the world. He lived through one of history's darkest moments. He survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald, scenes of some of the manifestations of the worst evil of humankind in modern history, and he went on to become an acclaimed writer, human rights activist, and Nobel laureate. This giant of a man refused to stay silent as other atrocities took place around the world in the years following the Holocaust. From Rwanda to Kosovo, from Cambodia to Sudan, Elie Wiesel always spoke out because, as he put it, ``I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.'' The last sentence reverberates loudly around the world today: ``Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.'' Mr. Speaker, this resolution is the least we can do to respect and to honor Elie Wiesel's memory, so let's do more. Over 70 years after the Holocaust, bigotry and prejudice continue to plague societies around the world. Anti-Semitism, the millennia-old hatred of Jews that spawned Hitler's Final Solution, can still be found today; anti-Semitism from Paris to Buenos Aires, from Malmo to Marseilles, to London, and anti-Semitism on the streets, online, and on college campuses. Time after time, Jewish communities around the world are forced to make a decision: Is it safe for me to send my children to a Jewish school? Can we walk to synagogue without fear of the heckling? And might it be time for me and for my family to move from our neighborhood, our community, or even our country because of the antagonism and hatred and violence that forces us to flee, like other times in Jewish history? I am proud of the bipartisanship that this topic receives from my colleagues and the widespread membership of the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, and I know that we will continue to use our platforms and our tools to keep Jewish communities safe. But the intolerance that Wiesel spoke out against wasn't limited to anti-Semitism. His life's experiences compelled him to focus our attention on any part of the world where innocent people are being targeted. Five and a half years into the Syrian conflict, over 400,000 people have lost their lives; millions of others are displaced. Thousands of Syrian children born in the last 5 years now know only the life of living in a refugee camp or makeshift residences. I am hopeful that the recently announced ceasefire will hold; but there have been some egregious injustices done to innocent Syrians by both the Assad regime and radical terrorist groups like ISIS. We cannot allow these violations to go unpunished, and we must pay attention to these atrocities every day, not only on the days when painful images of young children dominate social media, whether a refugee washed ashore or a bloodstained boy from Aleppo who has known only war. Whether it is war in Syria, turmoil in South Sudan, systemic human rights violations in Venezuela or in Iran, or attacks on women and girls in too many places in the world, it is our duty to keep the attention and pressure on human rights violators and do everything we can to protect innocent civilians. We must commit ourselves to promoting tolerance, speaking out against injustice, taking action against bigotry in all its forms, and upholding and living out the principle that comes from the Holocaust: ``Never Again.'' Elie Wiesel did his part and changed our world. Let's elevate Elie Wiesel's memory and continue his work. Silence encourages the tormentor. Today we speak out. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, through his writing, his work, and his life, Elie Wiesel helped the world know what transpired when Hitler tried to annihilate the Jews; and he lifted up the world in committing himself, and now all of us, to doing everything we can to ensure that nothing like that ever transpires again. I am so grateful to my friend, Mr. Israel, and to the other Members who coauthored this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I, along with Representative Wasserman Schultz, Representative Hastings, and Representative Frankel, rise today to honor the life and legacy of Helen Landers, who passed away on September 4, 2016. We commend Mrs. Landers' decades of service to Broward County and offer our sincerest condolences to her loved ones on her passing. Helen Landers served as Broward County Historian for over twenty years until her retirement at the age of 90. With her knowledge of the region and passion for history, she educated South Floridians young and old about our rich heritage. Through her participation in historical events like Pioneer Days, she fostered a love of learning about the past. Helen Landers also dedicated much of her life to helping women empower women. She was a member of the Broward County Women's Hall of Fame, a founding member of the Broward County Women's History Coalition, Chair of the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women 1989, and served on the National Board of Directors of the American Association of University Women. She advocated remarkably for women's rights and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Through her archival work and community service, Helen Landers preserved the stories of how South Florida came to be the home we know and love today. Her many contributions to our community will never be forgotten. It is with gratitude that we remember her life of service in the Congressional Record.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, when we left Washington 7 weeks ago, there were 311 Zika cases in Florida, and no local infections. Now there are over 600 cases, including 56 local infections, and the number of cases in pregnant women has doubled. Rather than meeting the serious public health crisis with serious policy, Republican leadership is playing a dangerous game by blocking Zika funding to make a political statement about Planned Parenthood and abortion. We get it. You oppose women exercising their constitutionally protected rights. You would like to live in a world where women don't have access to safe and legal abortion. You want to live in a world where Roe v. Wade is not the law of the land and where women do not have access to contraception. Enough. In the real world, Zika is spread by mosquitoes and Zika spreads through sex. Safe sex means fewer infections, and Planned Parenthood will help in this fight. It is time to protect American families in the real world, where the Constitution protects women's health care rights, and where we are facing a public health crisis from the Zika virus. Mr. Speaker, I urge Republican leaders to listen to anxious Floridians, Democrats and Republicans alike, who want Congress to act for them and not for attempted political gain.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I thank my Republican colleagues for joining here on this vitally important issue. I rise to call for a vote on a Zika funding bill that is free of partisan hot button issues and that is free of political gamesmanship. I am proud to join in this call for action with my Florida colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike. We have come together-- above partisan divisions--to support the administration's request for emergency Zika funding. Our ability to come together and the refusal of the rest of this Congress to do the same is telling. South Florida is actively fighting outbreaks in South Beach and Wynwood. There are cases in Broward County, and there are cases in Palm Beach County, and we have seen locally acquired cases in my home district. My constituents and the constituents of my colleagues throughout Florida are feeling the anxiety and the fear that come when there is so much that is out of their control. It is time for Congress to do all that we can to help stop the spread of this virus. This Congress' inaction is hurting Florida's families. As Representative Curbelo pointed out, it is hurting our economy. I have three children. My twin daughters are just settling back in to start a new year of college. Today, by the way--I share with my Florida colleagues--they are celebrating their 21st birthday. My son is finishing up high school; but it feels like just yesterday when my wife and I were anxiously expecting each of their arrivals into our lives. Like most Americans who are starting a family or who are growing a family, we experienced the full range of complex emotions as we waited for their births: the sense of not knowing exactly what is going to come, the excitement, the anxiety, the anticipation, the joy. Unfortunately, the Zika virus is threatening the joy of growing a family for thousands of Floridians, and we are just not doing all that we can to stop it. In December of last year, after outbreaks in Brazil were connected to devastating birth defects, The New York Times reported a warning for the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC warned at the time that imported cases ``will likely increase and may result in local spread of the virus in some areas of the United States.'' Now, at that time in December, 2,700 babies had been born with microcephaly in Brazil--an increase from 150 the year before. These babies were born with abnormally small heads, and now we know, from subsequent research, that the Zika virus attacks growing cells that cause incomplete brain development and smaller heads in these children. These birth defects are devastating. They are also incurable. These children will have lifelong problems with their vision and with their cognitive abilities and will have other complications. Now we know that the CDC's warning in December has become a reality in Puerto Rico and in south Florida. Verified cases have exploded in Puerto Rico. In the span of only a few weeks--from the end of July until today--the total cases of Zika on the island have jumped from 5,500 total and 672 in pregnant women to nearly 14,000 total and 1,000 cases in pregnant women. If these trends continue, experts expect that a quarter of the population of Puerto Rico will be infected--or 887,000 infections. That, unfortunately, would represent tens of thousands of babies being born with microcephaly. The costs of care and the toll on families is staggering. This is an issue that affects families. It is also an issue that winds up affecting their communities. The lifetime costs of medical care for each of these children will be in the millions of dollars. While the virus is spreading rapidly in Puerto Rico, experts like virologist Tim Tellinghuisen of Scripps Research Institute said that the situation in Puerto Rico could very much happen in Florida. Over the past 7 weeks, as Congress was in recess, Florida cases went from 311--and no local infections--to over 600 cases, including 56 local infections. The number of cases in pregnant women has doubled. Our constituents are at risk. For us, this is not a political fight. Honestly, in my heart, I do not understand how this has become a political fight for those leaders who have blocked the Zika funding in a clean bill. I understand and my colleagues here understand that we serve in the most polarized Congress in history. There are all kinds of issues that we could debate and ways that we might get at that and ways that we could change it as we need to. We have seen the divide over and over again between Republicans in Congress and President Obama; but the funds requested in this Zika battle--the funds requested to fight Zika--are not grounded in ideology. The President didn't wake up one day and say: Hmm, I think we should have $1.9 billion to fund Zika. After the warnings that followed the outbreaks in Brazil, President Obama went to the scientists and to the experts at the NIH and the CDC and other agencies, and he asked: What will it take to respond? His request to this Congress represents their answer. As we heard last week, the funding situation is now dire. Dr. Tom Frieden, the Director of the CDC, said, basically, we are out of money. So I join my colleagues here because it is past time to act. We have to put these political battles behind us. We have to do--and we have the opportunity to do here--something that, I think, is not only the right thing for us and, more importantly, for our constituents--for the American people--but we could do something that would actually, perhaps, set an example. We should elevate the common good. We have to protect American families, and we have to pass a clean funding bill to stop the spread of Zika. To Mr. Jolly, I will relay just one conversation I had on my way out of the office. I was talking to a staffer of mine about the coming months, and the conversation turned to November, when there is an election. Sometimes people from D.C. like to volunteer on campaigns on the weekend before the election. I have a young woman in my office who said she just doesn't think that she is going to be willing to go down this year out of fear of Zika. How do we not show that we can act in a way that responds to a public health emergency, and only to that public health emergency, without bringing in all of these other issues? We have to do this. I am really grateful to be here on the House floor, and I am really thrilled to be here with my Republican colleagues, who are as committed to doing this as I am. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share this time with you.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Coral Springs Cadet Squadron of the noble Civil Air Patrol, who was recently honored by the Coral Springs City Commission in commemoration of their 30th anniversary of invaluable service to the Coral Springs community. For decades, the Civil Air Patrol has performed the overwhelming majority of domestic search and rescue missions as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. The nonprofit organization is accredited for saving over seventy lives per year. These unpaid professionals claim a proud legacy of selfless sacrifice and service to their country and community that spans over decades. The debt we owe to these brave individuals is immeasurable, and we must always remember their service. The Coral Springs Cadet Squadron has been serving the South Florida communities of Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Tamarac, and Margate for 30 years. Their ready willingness to present colors and render honors at ceremonies makes them an irreplaceable asset to these cities. Furthermore, their cadet programs inspire youth to become leaders and exemplary citizens. I am proud to honor the Coral Springs Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol in the Congressional Record. I join the Coral Springs Commission in congratulating them on three decades of exemplary service and leadership.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. I thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this week we approach the 1-year anniversary of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the JCPOA, the agreement negotiated by the P5+1 countries over Iran's illicit pursuit of nuclear weapons. One year later, Iran remains far outside the community of responsible countries. Iran continues to sponsor terrorism around the region. It funds and supports the murderous Assad regime. It spouts anti-Semitic and anti-Israel vitriol. It foments unrest in other countries. It denies basic human rights to its citizens, and it unlawfully detains American citizens. Iran has still not returned my constituent, Robert Levinson, who went missing in Iran in 2007 and is now the longest-held American hostage. My friends on the other side of the aisle know that, and I commend Chairman Royce for his diligence in looking for ways to strengthen our sanctions regime and to vigilantly enforce the Iran nuclear deal in order to keep the pressure on Iran. Iran's subversive actions have not relented despite the agreement. Iran has explicitly and repeatedly violated U.N. Security Council resolutions by testing its ballistic missile technology, weapons capable of delivering nuclear warheads. In addition, recent intelligence reports from Germany expose that Iran sought technology related to the development of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. So there is a lot that needs to be done to keep the pressure on Iran. For all of these reasons, Congress needs to reauthorize the Iran Sanctions Act, the law that actually serves as the foundation for our sanctions policy. We have to pass new sanctions to address Iran's repeated ballistic missile tests, and we have to crack down on Iran's financial support for terrorism. These are items that have always enjoyed broad bipartisan support. All of the areas that Iran is doing harm throughout the region--support for terrorism, violation of the human rights of their people, ballistic missile tests--everything that falls outside of the nuclear deal, we should be working together to strengthen with this bipartisan support. But rushing through legislation that is designed to undermine the JCPOA and put the United States in violation of our commitments under the JCPOA not only fail to punish Iran's malfeasance--which is our goal, and it is the shared goal--but it weakens America's ability to lead a global effort against Iran's destabilizing efforts throughout the world. We can't do this on our own. We need to work with our allies. We need to lead our allies. That is the role that the United States has always played. Mr. Speaker, I did not support the Iran nuclear agreement, but it is in effect, and it must be enforced with vigilance.

Mr. DEUTCH. I thank my friend. Mr. Speaker, we have to maintain immense pressure on the Iranian regime so long as it violates human rights, supports terrorism, and tests ballistic missiles; but failure by the United States to uphold the deal will only weaken--I repeat for my colleagues who share my commitment to standing up to Iran, it will only weaken--our efforts to lead the international community in taking strong action to counter Iran's actions both under and outside of the JCPOA. These three bills this week that have been rushed to the floor without having the opportunity to discuss them, to debate them, and to develop broad bipartisan support on them in ways that will not jeopardize our role under the JCPOA weaken our ability to lead. That is why I oppose them, and that is why I urge my colleagues to oppose them as well.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Madam Speaker, what will we tell American families when their child is born with microcephaly caused by the Zika virus? It is not a hypothetical question. Families in Puerto Rico are already answering it. Over 276 travel-related cases of Zika have been reported in my home State of Florida, 43 cases affecting pregnant women. In Florida, we are on the front line and we are at risk of local outbreaks. The Florida delegation on both sides of the aisle supports funding to prepare for and prevent local infections, but we still don't have a bill. Over the 7-week recess, while Federal, State, and local officials try to prepare for Zika without the resources they need, we will need to prepare answers for these families. Did we do all that we could to prevent an outbreak? Did we follow recommendations from scientists and infectious disease experts? Did we assure women that they don't need to be afraid to become pregnant in my State of Florida? I wish we could say that the leadership of this Congress put the health and security of American families above partisan politics. I hope, and they better hope, that it is not too late.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, today marks 1 month since the worst mass shooting in our Nation's history. This week, we learned that the House majority will not bring a bill to the floor until after the 7-week recess that starts this week. The majority claims that it needs to show calm, that it needs to show leadership. Well, the majority has already failed to show leadership. That is why we are not calm. It has been 30 days since Pulse, 223 days since San Bernardino, 226 days since Colorado Springs, 285 days since Roseburg, 362 days since Chattanooga, 390 days since Charleston, 781 days since Isla Vista, 832 days since Fort Hood, 1,030 days since Navy Yard, 1,131 days since Santa Monica, 1,306 days since Newtown, 1,383 days since Minneapolis, 1,437 days since Oak Creek, 1,453 days since Aurora, 1,562 days since Oakland, 1,735 days since Seal Beach, and 2,012 days since Tucson. This is not leadership. This is cold. This is heartless. This is cowardice. It is time to take action to make our communities safer.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Stanley Almodovar, III, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. I understand what we are debating here; but I would just ask the gentleman that, as we have a discussion about national security and the security risk to infrastructure: Isn't it true that the threat of a suspected terrorist purchasing a gun and the failure----

Mr. DEUTCH. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's discussion and analysis of these issues, but it begs just a couple of questions. There is some extensive discussion about what Congress intended and how a statute will be interpreted and whether interpreting that statute, acting in the name of national security, whether the statute should be clear so that it can be acted upon in the name of national security. So I ask my friend, if that is the case, if we are so worried about IT infrastructure and the security risks of IT infrastructure and what Congress intended in a statute, then clearly the gentleman would agree we ought to be more concerned. In fact, it should be our fundamental concern to worry not just about the security risk to IT, but the security risk to the lives of people who live in our communities.

Mr. DEUTCH. Will the gentleman yield for a question?

Mr. DEUTCH. I thank my friend from Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I would, respectfully, tell my friend from Georgia that preventing guns from falling into the hands of suspected terrorists is a big issue, but it is a small issue for us to address. It is very straightforward. I oppose the rule today because I find it hard to believe, given the threat of suspected terrorists' buying guns, that, rather than debating that, we are debating a bill about eliminating pornography from our agencies. That is the priority. America is watching. What is this House going to do in response to the continued threat of gun violence? Last month, in my home State of Florida, we suffered the worst mass shooting in our Nation's history. We shut down the House to demand a vote on legislation that will make our communities safer. Now, this week, we have a proposal before us that looks like it was blessed by the gun lobby. The fact is that gun companies have had their way in Washington for too long, and it is about time that we put the safety of the American people first. This morning, I met with my constituent Kate Ranta and joined her on the Capitol steps. She is a brave survivor of gun violence. Her words that she shared on the Capitol steps deserve to be heard in the people's House; so I will share them. ``I am far too familiar with the dangerous and deadly relationship between guns and violence against women in America. ``Three-and-a-half years ago, my estranged husband stalked me to my apartment, an address I had not given him. ``He shot through the door with a 9-millimeter handgun. My father and I were standing behind that door pushing against it. My son was standing directly behind us and the bullets flew through the door. ``My father and I were both shot in front of my son when he was only 4 years old. He screamed, `Don't do it, daddy. Don't shoot mommy.' ``He then watched me crawl in my own blood and begged for my life. He was only 4.'' Kate's domestic abuser shouldn't have been able to get a gun, but our broken and disjointed laws just don't work. Thirty-two States don't require background checks on all gun transfers. Those who we know are dangerous, those we know who want to hurt their own family, the presence of a gun, Mr. Speaker, in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that the woman will be killed. Our broken gun laws make it as easy as a mouse click to get a handgun or a rifle with a 30-round magazine. Or they can go to one of the estimated 2,000 gun shows held every year in America. They can get these guns with no questions asked. We must close these loopholes. Kate won't stop speaking out for her family and for others like hers. I won't stop speaking out for them. We have to have a vote to close the background check loophole. I also value the way this body works. I value debate. But it is not debatable. It is not debatable that if you buy a gun in a gun store and have to have a background check that you shouldn't have to have the same check if you buy it at a gun show or if you buy it online. It is not debatable. It is not debatable that suspected terrorists shouldn't be able to buy guns. Let's move forward and do the right thing for the American people.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Chair, this is a simple amendment. It strikes a highly partisan policy rider that would bar the SEC from requiring disclosure of political spending by corporations. Since the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, we have seen an explosive growth in corporate political spending. Even under the twisted interpretation of the First Amendment in that case, disclosure would at least mean some level of accountability. In that case, the Court decided that corporations get the same free speech rights as people; and now these corporations are taking advantage by funneling unlimited funds through tax-exempt groups to secretly influence our elections. Section 625 of this bill would completely bar any funds from being used to develop a rule to require disclosure of political contributions to tax-exempt organizations. This represents a behind-closed-doors trick to block the administration from requiring corporations to simply stand behind their political spending. Corporations shouldn't be able to hide their political motivations behind complex webs of so-called social welfare groups, not when these groups are little more than P.O. boxes in Virginia. We have to get money out of politics, but until then, let's have some disclosure. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, we know that ISIS and other terror groups are trying to manipulate, exploit, and radicalize vulnerable Americans to commit acts of terror. An al Qaeda spokesman called for violence saying: ``America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms. You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background check, and most likely without having to show an identification card. So what are you waiting for?'' Our law enforcement, Mr. Speaker, needs the tools to stop an attack. Unfortunately, the proposal to be offered by the Republican majority this week will actively hinder investigations. It will make it easier for terrorists to evade capture, and it will make America more vulnerable to attack. I have spoken with the FBI Director. He knows the current law prevents law enforcement from blocking a gun purchase by suspected terrorists. This loophole will certainly lead to tragedy. It is only a matter of time. We must act now. The terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 used planes. In response, we barred suspected terrorists from flying. Now terrorists are attempting to exploit our weak gun laws. Let's make the laws stronger. Let's stop the next attack before it happens and before it is too late.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, our hearts are broken, and we are angry. The deadliest mass shooting in our history, 49 young lives ended in a place that served as a refuge from hate, a place of love and safety and community. Mr. Speaker, when faced with terror and hatred, our Nation is tested. This House of Representatives is tested. And we are failing that test. Shame on us if we cannot close the loophole that lets people on the terrorist watch list buy AR-15s. I am so tired of the House majority's pitiful excuses. Why does this majority allow suspected terrorists to buy guns? Why does this majority refuse to close the terrorist loophole and strengthen background checks? Mr. Speaker, I am ashamed of this institution. Let us vote today. Let us vote to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of suspected terrorists. Let us vote so everyone can see where we stand and who we stand with. Mr. Speaker, I stand with every American who rightly believes that if you are on the terrorist watch list, you can't buy weapons that can be used in the next mass shooting. That is where I stand, Mr. Speaker. Where do you stand?

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidable detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 302. Stated against: Mr. McCaul. Mr. Speaker, during the second voting series today, I intended to vote ``nay'' in accordance with leadership recommendation on the first vote, Democrat Motion to Recommit H.R. 5053--Preventing IRS Abuse and Protecting Free Speech. I inadvertently voted ``yes.'' I intended to vote ``no.''

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with the Honorable Lois Frankel, the Honorable Patrick Murphy, and the Honorable Alcee Hastings, to recognize Charleen R. Szabo. Ms. Szabo will retire as the Director of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center on June 30, 2016. We commend Ms. Szabo's career and offer our sincerest gratitude for her dedication of nearly 42 years of service to our veterans. Ms. Szabo received her undergraduate degree from Utica College of Syracuse University and was later awarded her Master's degree from State University College of New York at Brockport. Charleen began her career at the Batavia, New York VA Medical Center before transferring to the Miami, Florida VA Medical Center. Throughout her career, she has devoted herself to the Richmond, Virginia VA Medical Centers in Richmond, Virginia; Newington, Connecticut; Batavia, New York; Lebanon, Pennsylvania; and Miami, Florida. As director of the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, she has made it a priority to direct the Center with respect and care for the needs of all local veterans. Ms. Szabo has worked endlessly to improve the lives of our veterans. She embodies the VA's mission to ``Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.'' The legacy Charleen Szabo leaves behind is a true testament to her commitment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and to the men and women who served and protected our Nation. Her legacy will have a long-lasting impact on the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center for years to come. We offer Ms. Szabo our warmest congratulations and wish her a rewarding and rich retirement.

Mr. DEUTCH

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this resolution. And I thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for moving so quickly to pass this resolution through committee and bring it to the floor, because time is, sadly, very much of the essence. Today we will vote on H. Con. Res. 129, which calls upon Germany to fully fund the needs of aging Holocaust survivors. I want to thank my friend, Chairman Emeritus Ros-Lehtinen, for her steadfast leadership and for her longstanding commitment to championing the needs of Holocaust survivors. More than anything else, I want to thank the survivors in south Florida and throughout the Nation. You are my constituents, my friends, and my heroes. This includes Jack Rubin, whose tireless advocacy through trips to Washington to educate and testify in Congress shaped this very effort; and Norman Frajman, whose dedication to educating students in our own community helped ensure that they will never forget. My friend, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, mentioned so many of the people that she is so close to. I want to thank her for giving me the opportunity and the blessing of getting to know and spend time with David Schaecter, David Mermelstein, and others. It breaks my heart that today in the United States there are tens of thousands of survivors who live in poverty and cannot afford, and thus do not receive, sufficient medical care, home care, and other vital life-sustaining services. Today we have an opportunity to send a clear message that these survivors, who made it through the darkest time in history, deserve to live out their lives with the dignity that they are so worthy of and have long been promised. Some of my colleagues might wonder: Why is this resolution needed? It is simple: Holocaust survivors are not receiving the care that they need. For decades, the German Government has remained committed to funding survivor needs. This is something I know Chancellor Merkel cares a great deal about, as she has reaffirmed that commitment. But the survivor population is aging into their eighties, their nineties, and hundreds. Their needs are greater. Unfortunately, despite the payments of the German Government over decades, significant gaps in survivor care remain. And German officials have acknowledged that shortfall. Right now there are special negotiations going on with the German Government. In the coming days, decisions will be made in Berlin that will determine whether or not survivors will receive the funding and the care that they so desperately need. But I am worried. I am worried that time is running out. I am worried that this is our last chance to ensure that, once and for all, survivors have what they need. Every survivor deserves to receive the care needed to live in comfort. So many survivors are struggling. And, again, while we appreciate the decades-long commitment of the German Government, I am not certain that our ally, Germany, understands the scope of the true need--the needs that Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and I see in our communities in south Florida every day. That is why passing this resolution here will send a message that is unmistakable; and that is that Congress is fully united. We stand at a decisive moment in the lives of our aging survivor population. Each month it seems that there is another funeral in my community and another survivor passes. So it is with a heavy heart that we must acknowledge that these current negotiations are likely the last opportunity for Germany to comprehensively address the unique health and welfare needs of survivors before it is too late. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us today urges our German partners to fulfill the moral and financial commitment to the victims of the Holocaust. The shortfall is the most dramatic when it comes to home care. For survivors, the need to stay in their homes as they age is critical. The thought of institutionalized care or being removed from their home is a devastatingly painful reminder of the past. As they age, they rely more on home care services. Under the current system, home care is capped so that even the most infirmed, isolated, and poor Nazi victims can only receive a maximum of 25 hours of home care per week. That is 5 hours a day for 5 days a week. There is no funding for additional hours. In committee I spoke about my 91-year-old constituent who survived Bergen-Belsen. He fell and suffered a fracture. He requires assistance with all of the activities of daily living. He now needs round-the- clock care, but the current funding system does not provide it. Many of those who survived also lack family support to help with transportation to doctors' appointments or help preparing meals. They deserve to have these most basic needs met. They deserve to be able to access care for all of their mental and medical health needs. And they deserve our support. Today I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the passage of this resolution and for Germany to seize upon this opportunity to alleviate the suffering of survivors. While no amount of money can ever erase the horrors faced by Nazi victims, there is a moral responsibility to ensure that they can receive all of the vital services and medical care necessary to live out the remainder of their days with dignity. No more limitations on home care hours. Complete the negotiations. And fund the needs now, once and for all. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), my friend.

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today we are talking about the frailest people in our community who have endured the worst, most unimaginable horrors. They are people whose entire families were destroyed. Mr. Speaker, Hitler tried to destroy them. He succeeded in killing millions, but his goal was genocide. His goal was to wipe the Jewish people from the face of the Earth. We can't imagine the magnitude of that evil, but we have just a few years left with those who managed to survive, to escape death-- sometimes multiple times--to endure concentration camps when everyone around them was sent to the gas chambers, and to flee death squads that roamed the European countryside killing--and mass killings--again and again and again. For them to live through all of that, to survive all of that, should we tell them that we are sorry, we must cap the amount of care you can receive in your home? Or that the social service agencies and their employees and their volunteers who know what their clients need should tell them to need less? Mr. Speaker, let's pass this resolution and tell every person sitting at the negotiating table in Berlin that we will not accept half measures. The German Government has reiterated its moral obligation to act. This resolution calls for action. The time to act is now. Survivors of the Holocaust deserve dignity. I would like to again thank my dear friend and fierce advocate for survivors, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. We have stood together on their behalf for years. She is remarkably committed to justice. Mr. Speaker, in closing, there are Holocaust survivors who are watching us now. When we pass this resolution, many will cry. They told me that. I cannot and I will not go back to south Florida on Friday and look into the eyes of these sweet people whom we are so fortunate to know, so privileged to have in our community, and tell them that Congress passed a resolution to make them feel better. They don't need symbolism. What I will tell them is that the United States House of Representatives overwhelmingly spoke on their behalf-- a group that 80 years ago had no one speaking for them. And we expect the German Government to hear what we are saying. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.