Lois Frankel

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this Congress, with a unanimous voice vote, passed a resolution that mandates antisexual harassment training for Members and staff. Of course, it is about time. But here is the thing, Mr. Speaker: it is pitiful and embarrassing that a Member of Congress would need an instruction manual that tells them that they must keep their pants on in their office. What we need is to create an environment of a safe and respectful workplace and policies and procedures that will allow victims to come forward to be fully compensated, for Members to be held accountable, and to have fair due process.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I must leave for a funeral. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 651. personal explanation

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Temple Torat Emet's new Rabbi, David Siff, to the South Florida community. Rabbi Siff has been an inspiration to Jewish communities across the country, from South Carolina to Philadelphia, and now he joins us here in Boynton Beach. Since receiving his rabbinic ordination in 2006 and a Ph.D. in Jewish Philosophy in 2009, both from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, he has cultivated a culture of warmth and inclusiveness for everyone in the community. Rabbi Siff has been key in developing Shabbat and holiday programming that engages families with young children, promoting a vibrant and hopeful future for the American Jewish community. His dedication to Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world, will be a great asset to the Temple and to South Florida. Temple Torat Emet and the rest of the Jewish community of South Florida is lucky to have Rabbi Siff, and I'd like to join them in extending him a warm welcome.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, first I want to thank my colleagues and all those ``me too'' survivors who bravely come forward to tell their stories of sexual harassment. Imagine you are a young congressional staffer who eagerly comes to Washington to make the world a better place for some and work for someone you actually believe in. Instead, your boss breaks your trust with unwanted sexual advances, groping, abusive language, or worse, and you feel absolutely devastated and powerless. Here is the thing: the United States Congress has made sexual harassment in the workplace illegal, yet this behavior has sullied our own Halls. Quite frankly, I think it is pitiful and embarrassing that we even have to have this discussion, but with that said, today's resolution to require mandatory antiharassment training is obviously a good step and necessary. And there is more work to be done, as my colleagues have said. There must be respect and safety in all our workplaces, in Congress, and across America. I urge all my colleagues to support this good resolution.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Christian D. Searcy and Steven L. Daniels for receiving the 2017 Anti- Defamation League's (ADL) Palm Beach Jurisprudence Award. This award acknowledges those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the legal profession as well as the community in which they live. I have had the honor of knowing both these gentleman for many years and commend their worthy recognition. Christian D. Searcy is President and CEO of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. For 43 years, he has litigated cases primarily involving catastrophic injury and death in venues throughout Florida, as well as other states. He has been honored numerous times for his exceptional advocacy and extraordinary contributions to the cause of justice. He is well known for his generous contributions to many non- profit organizations committed to helping the disabled, improving education, and advancing community causes. Steven Daniels has played a significant role in the South Florida Jewish community since the 1980s. He has been an integral member of the local and national ADL leadership. Steven has also served as President of Temple Beth El in West Palm Beach as well as the Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches. He has earned the ``Super Lawyer'' distinction from Florida Trend magazine, and is currently the managing partner for the West Palm Beach and Boca Raton offices of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr. Christian Searcy and Steven Daniels share the distinction of excellence in their profession and the advancement of fairness and justice in the community, the founding principles of the ADL. I congratulate and thank them both.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I stand against Republican efforts to give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest citizens and big corporations while robbing the pockets of middle class families and ransacking Medicare and Medicaid. My constituents are worried. Just ask Marion, who uses Medicare to buy her costly diabetes drugs, or Sherry, whose husband has Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home paid for by Medicaid. Americans want a better deal, one that invests in infrastructure, education, and innovative research and lowers the costs of things like child care and prescription drugs. We want better jobs, better pay, and a better future, not more giveaways to hedge funds and conglomerates.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the bipartisan leadership of this committee. Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 34th anniversary of the devastating Marine Corps barracks bombing in Lebanon. As the very proud mother of a U.S. marine, this is deeply personal to me. My son returned safely from his tours of service. Not so blessed were the families of 220 marines and 21 other service personnel who were murdered when Hezbollah struck with truck bombs at a Marine Corps compound in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 23, 1983. The marines we lost that day were someone's husband, father, brother, or son. Except for al-Qaida, Hezbollah has killed more Americans than any other terrorist group in the world, and it continues to be a menacing threat to all humanity. Just look at Syria, the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time: hundreds of thousands of civilians murdered; 5 million have fled as refugees; Hezbollah, a tool of Iran, propping up Assad and fueling the violence. Their actions don't stop there. Israelis live under the constant shadow of Hezbollah's missile arsenal that is pointed directly at them. In just a decade, they have increased their rocket count from 15,000 to 150,000. They hold the Lebanese people hostage by embedding weapons in their mosques, their hospitals, and their schools. These bipartisan bills before us that I wholeheartedly support will help America go after the full range of Hezbollah's activities, sanctioning them for utilizing civilians as human shields, targeting Iran's financial support to Hezbollah, and urging the European Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of these bills.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and the leaders of our comittee for their bipartisan efforts. It is very appreciated. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan legislation that directs the State Department and USAID to support programs and educate displaced children, with a special focus on girls. When you look at the horrors of the world, from South Sudan to Burma, to Syria, think about the fact that there are 55 million displaced children, 28 million refugee children that have been uprooted from their homes due to violence and poverty, and making up half of all the refugees. Here is the thing. What happens when a young person has no hope, no education, no future potential of a good job to one day take care of their family? Will they become victims of trafficking or vibrant members of society? Will these millions of children become our friends or foes? Will the communities they live in be our trading partners or havens for terrorists? Around the world, only a quarter of refugee children are enrolled in secondary school, and the number, as my colleagues have pointed out, is even worse for girls. Just seven girls for every ten refugee boys are enrolled in secondary school. We are talking about a lost generation. In Syria alone, over 5,000 schools have been destroyed. Just ask a young lady named Muzoon. She is known as the Malala of Syria. At age 15, she fled her besieged home in Syria. When she was told to bring only her essentials, she packed a suitcase full of books because she knows, ``That education is a shield that we can use to protect ourselves in life.'' She even went door to door in refugee camps to convince parents to keep their daughters in school instead of pressuring them into early marriage. Muzoon knows and we know that when girls are educated, they lead to healthier, more productive lives that enhance the economy and the peacefulness of their societies. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this fine legislation.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Madam Speaker, today I rise for Donna. This is her story: She said it was a miracle. At age 41, she was finally pregnant. Early blood tests and ultrasound showed a healthy fetus. Donna was filled with the joy of an expectant mother. Then tragedy struck. Her fetus stopped growing at 26 weeks. An ultrasound showed anencephaly, a fetus without a brain, a fetus that could not sustain life on its own. Madam Speaker, this 20-week abortion bill is cruel punishment for women like Donna, forcing them to face weeks of pregnant agony with no hope for the life that they so wanted. This is a bill that inflicts pain, not stops it, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Team USA for their victory over Team Europe in the Solheim Cup. Team USA includes our nation's best women golfers, and they took home the title for the second consecutive time by defeating Team Europe 16\1/2\ to 11\1/2\. The team was led by captain Juli Inkster and South Florida native Lexi Thompson, the third best female golfer in the world. The Americans went into the final day of the tournament with a five-point lead and they fought hard to maintain it. Important final day victories by veteran Paula Creamer as well as South Florida's own Christie Kerr helped seal the win for Team USA. All the members of Team USA played well throughout the tournament, and I am happy to congratulate them again on this impressive accomplishment.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this critical bill that will help ensure that women have a meaningful role in peace and security around the world. From Syria to Myanmar to South Sudan, violent conflicts are becoming more widespread and deadly. Women in conflict zones suffer tremendously, and women and girls make up around half of any refugee population, where they are at risk of unspeakable violence. But women are not only victims. They also help moderate violent extremism and are key to post-conflict society building. Yet so few are present at the tables of power. In peace processes between 1992 and 2011, women made up only 9 percent of negotiators. When women have a seat at the table, the prospect that peace negotiations will succeed rise significantly, as does the likelihood that women's rights and interests will be addressed. A recent study from the International Peace Institute found that a peace agreement is 35 percent more likely to last for at least 15 years if women participate in its drafting. This legislation would require a governmentwide strategy to promote women's participation, and institutes training for State Department, USAID, and Pentagon personnel to facilitate women's engagement in conflict prevention and resolution. I'd like to commend the progress made under President Obama on this issue, which includes issuing the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. In the last five years alone, the percentage of peace agreements referencing gender equality has increased from 22 to 70 percent. We have an opportunity to make our voice heard on the issue of women in conflict. The UN Security Council will convene next month to hold its open debate on Women, Peace and Security. The United States should highlight its commitment to ensuring women's equal participation in peacemaking, and protecting their physical and economic security. That begins with sending a high-level delegation. I urge adoption of the bill.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call votes 494, 495, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted on Roll Call Vote 494: NAY, and on Roll Call Vote 495: AYE.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, I was unable to vote on rollcall Nos. 494 and 495. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 494 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 495. Amendment No. 117 Offered by Ms. Norton

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chairman, my, my, my. Here we go again. Another bill to protect the derrieres of big business, allowing them to hide crucial data from public scrutiny, information that would disclose pay disparities in the workplace. It is a law, Mr. Chairman, that businesses must pay equal pay for equal work. So why is it that women and minorities make much less money than their white male counterparts doing similar work? Mr. Chairman, let's pass this amendment. Root out pay discrimination, because it is time that all Americans are paid for their hard work and not for their gender or the color of their skin.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, this bill inexplicably defunds UN Women. What is UN Women? UN Women was created by the United Nations in 2010 to direct activities on gender equality issues. The organization helps meet the most urgent needs of women and girls by supporting women's full participation in their country's political, economic, and social life. So as I said, this bill inexplicably takes away funding, $8.5 million, that we are trying to get back from this very important program. I think this defunding of this is wrong, it is unwise, it is immoral. Let me tell you what happens when we abandon the UN Women, because this is what we are walking away from: providing services for survivors of human trafficking. We are walking away from registering women to vote and participate in their political system, including women in the peacemaking process. We are walking away from combating child bride kidnapping and fighting child marriage. That is what we are walking away from today. I know we have a lot of issues here in this country. We have been battling the hurricanes, and I know our hearts go out to all those impacted. There is something else that has been going on in this world for years now, which is the greatest humanitarian crisis that we have seen since World War II, and that is what is happening in Syria. You have millions of people fleeing into neighboring countries, running away from rape, from murder, from chemical attacks. What is the United States doing? Oh, well. We are abandoning the Muslims, we are trying to build the walls, while we have great allies like Jordan, for example, who have now taken in over a million Syrian refugees, including this very young girl who was at a program that I had an opportunity to visit when I was in Jordan at a facility run by the UN Women where they are working with women to give them skills, to teach them. This young girl fled her home in Syria under rocket fire, leaving her family, her brother killed, and fleeing to Jordan, where she is now learning to be a journalist. We are defunding programs like that in this bill. So we are putting so many women's lives at risk, like Zaad, the girl I just talked about, leaving women and girls vulnerable to sex trafficking, poverty, homelessness, and hunger; and we say we want to try to bring stabilization to these regions across the world. Let me tell you what research shows. Research shows that when women are empowered, economies grow and societies are more stable with less violence. And our own U.N. Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said: We want to make sure that our governments support girls and support women, and we should encourage every country to support these basic rights. So what are we doing today? We are defunding UN Women. As I said, it is inexplicable and it is wrong. I think it is actually idiotic. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), who I think can elucidate even more on this subject.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time, and I respectfully withdraw this amendment.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Arthur and Julia Bullard on their 50th wedding anniversary. The Bullard's are beloved members of the South Florida community. They met at Roosevelt High School in West Palm Beach and married at the New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, where they remain important leaders of their congregation. Together they have three children and six grandchildren. Both Julia and Art have dedicated their working lives to serving the public. Julia is a highly respected educator. She worked for the Palm Beach County school district for 30 years and was the Principal of Roosevelt Elementary school for 20 years. Art worked for the U.S. Postal Service for over 30 years and was a West Palm Beach City Commissioner. He capped his hard working career as Assistant to the Mayor during my eight years as Mayor of West Palm Beach. His friendship and guidance was invaluable to me and will always be cherished. It is my honor to recognize Arthur and Julia today, and to join with their friends and family in celebrating this milestone.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of House Joint Resolution 111 which would eliminate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule prohibiting mandatory arbitration clauses in financial services contracts. These clauses, which are buried in the fine print of banking contracts, strip consumers who are scammed, cheated, or defrauded by big banks of their constitutional right to seek justice in our nation's courts. Instead, they force consumers to go through a secretive non-judicial process overseen by an arbitration provider chosen by the bank. According to a study conducted by the CFPB, when these disputes are resolved through arbitration, consumers receive relief in only 9 percent of claims and even when consumers do win, they recover, on average, only 12 cents for every dollar claimed. I support the CFPB rule and oppose this effort to allow big banks to deny customers access to the justice system. The elimination of the forced arbitration rule protects the special interests of Wall Street and hurts consumers. I therefore urge my colleagues to vote no on this Resolution.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call vote 410, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I also give my thanks to Mr. Royce; Mr. Smith; and my colleague, Ms. Bass, for their leadership. I am very proud to be part of this bipartisan act to stop what we call modern-day slavery of men, women, and children. Human trafficking is a global crisis of epic proportions. After drug trafficking, it is the number two criminal enterprise on Earth. Yes, it happens right here in our own backyard. Recently, I met Shandra. She is a mother; a college graduate; and formerly a banker in Indonesia, until a financial crisis hit. Looking for a better life for her family, she came legally to the United States, taking what she thought was a job in the hospitality industry. The minute she landed in the United States of America, her hopes turned into a living hell. It is hard to put what happened to her in words. Shandra's new employer held her by force. With threats of violence, he drugged her and sold her into prostitution day after day, for years. Finally, after multiple attempts to escape, she actually climbed through a bathroom window and went to safety. Mr. Speaker, shockingly, as we speak here in this room today, there are millions of innocent victims like Shandra who are held in some form of cruel servitude. Our effort today will save lives and prevent horrific suffering. I am proud to be part of these efforts.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote 341, I was not present because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Engel and Chairman Royce for their leadership. Like my colleague, who just spoke, over the last 4 years, I have been privileged to help represent the United States at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Mr. Speaker, I would like to borrow a line from a very well-known poet who said, ``No man is an island,'' recognizing that human beings do not thrive when isolated from others, a concept that is recognized by all religions. This is more true than ever as our world becomes increasingly dangerous. And, more than ever, the United States of America needs friends to stand strong and stand up for our mutual democratic values. So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution, committing the United States to NATO article 5 collective defense.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, after 18 years of a loving partnership, my friends, Tim and Mike, were finally allowed to do what billions of men and women have been doing for many centuries, enter a legal commitment called marriage. Yesterday, I had the joy of celebrating LGBT Pride Month on the National Mall with Tim and Mike and hundreds of thousands of people of all genders and sexual orientations. We rejoiced our common humanity and the right for each person to be their true self. Miley Cyrus, the festival headliner, said it best: It was a party in the USA. And, yes, our country has come a long way from the Stonewall riots of June 1969. The thing is, there is more work to be done. Today, we remember the horrific Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting 1 year ago. We must keep striving for a world where all people can live away from violence and free to love who they want to love without recrimination.

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida

Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding contributions of Rabbi Michael C. Simon to the Jewish community and the South Florida community at large. For thirteen years, Temple Beth Kodesh in Boynton Beach, Florida has been blessed by Rabbi Simon's wisdom and leadership. Thirteen is a spiritually meaningful number in Judaism, repeated numerous times throughout the Torah, oral law, and liturgy. I would like to join the congregation in celebrating Rabbi Simon's milestone. In addition to his leadership of the congregation, Rabbi Simon is the author of a book that focuses on Jewish life from a variety of different perspectives, and is an Adjunct Professor of Rabbinics at Gratz College and an Adjunct Professor of Jewish History at Florida Atlantic University. I congratulate Rabbi Simon and his family for their exemplary service to the Jewish community in South Florida, and wish them many years of health and happiness.