Joe Garcia

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize a courageous woman whose work on behalf of the advancement of human rights has inspired millions throughout the world and continues to shine a light on the cause of freedom just 90 miles away. For over 10 years, Yoani Sanchez has documented the realities of life in Cuba through her blog, Generation Y, and drawn worldwide attention to Cuba's civil society. Her riveting accounts detailing human rights violations and other injustices have earned her praise and recognition throughout the world. Yoani stands as a beacon of hope for Cuba's future, and her strength in the face of incredible odds has earned our community's profound admiration and respect. If my colleagues would indulge me, I would like to say a few words in Spanish. It's a great honor to recognize the courage of Yoani Sanchez who serves as a source of inspiration for the millions around the world who seek freedom and human rights. Yoani will be here next week. I invite my colleagues to take the opportunity to meet this very courageous woman.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Let me begin by saying that the district I have the honor to represent in south Florida is made up of middle class families in neighborhoods like Kendall, Westchester, and the Florida Keys. The families who live in this region don't care about ideological debates of the left or right. They simply know the difference between right and wrong. And, ladies and gentlemen, the sequestration is wrong. The Keys Reporter reported that over 600 civilian workers at Key West Naval Base will be furloughed. This will hurt small businesses and families. Reports also say funding for work-study programs at schools like Miami Dade College, Florida International University, and Florida Keys Community College will be cut. The Miami Herald reported that air traffic control workers at Opa Locka Airport will be furloughed as of the beginning of April. I respectfully ask my colleagues to put their differences aside and get to work. I urge the Speaker to bring up H.R. 699, a balanced bill to replace the sequester with spending cuts and revenues.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of Black History Month--an opportunity to celebrate the rich legacy of African-Americans and the many ways they have shaped our Nation's history. This Black History Month, we commemorate two landmark anniversaries in American history: the 150th anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Separated by a century, these two seminal events underscore what the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., once said--that ``the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.'' Each successive generation of Americans must always do their part to build on the progress of those who came before them in order to advance the ideals of freedom and equality upon which our Nation was founded. In South Florida, we have benefited tremendously from trailblazing African-American leaders who have broken through color barriers in order to contribute to our communities and our country. They include individuals who served our country bravely, including Lt. Col. Eldridge Williams--one of the legendary Tuskegee airman--and Col. Brodes Hartley Jr., who has been a leading civil rights leader in South Florida committed to improving quality health care access for low-income families. And also Reverend John A. Ferguson, who after serving in the Navy helped found a small congregation in Richmond Heights that would grow to nearly 800 under his leadership and today stands at over 1400. They include leaders like Al Dotson Sr., a pastor who served as the first elected African American president of the Orange Bowl Committee and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Florida International University, as well as Mayor Otis Wallace, who has served Florida City as mayor for over twenty-eight years and is today the longest serving elected official in the State of Florida. I could name so many others. South Florida is a better place because of their commitment to public service and their strong leadership.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share my deep concern with my colleagues of what these dangerous sequestration cuts mean to my community. I have the honor to represent the suburbs of Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. We are a community of middle class families, and my constituents will be hurt if the leadership of this Congress fails to act. Here are a few examples: south Florida's economy depends on the flow of tourists. It is an engine which fuels us. If sequestration goes into effect, TSA and customs agents will be furloughed, passengers throughout the country will miss their connecting flights, and we will have fewer tourists and hurt business. Up to 600 civilians who work in the Florida Keys Naval Base will be furloughed. This means less money for everyday needs in the economy of the Keys. Students on work-study programs at schools like Miami-Dade College and FIU will see their funding cut. The leadership of this Congress owes the American people an explanation of why we have gotten to this point. There is a better alternative that will create jobs, and that is H.R. 699. I respectfully ask unanimous consent to bring up this balanced budget bill that replaces the sequester with balanced cuts.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon a group of 20 freshman Members of Congress will gather to announce that we are putting aside our partisan differences to do the right thing for the American people. For Democrats, this means that 10 of us are willing to compromise on spending so long as we keep our promise to seniors that they can retire with dignity and have access to affordable, quality health care. My Republican colleagues have said that they are willing to compromise on revenues so long as Democrats meet them halfway. Like most Americans, to those of us who are new to Washington, ``compromise'' isn't a dirty word. It's what regular, ordinary people do in their daily lives. The American people get it. If you have a problem that arises in your office, you and your coworkers may disagree on how to address it, but your company does not wait until it gets to the last minute to solve it. You simply meet with your colleagues, put differences aside, and find solutions. Not everyone will get what they want, but we move forward. And this is precisely what the American people have sent us to Washington to do. They have sent us here to solve problems on their behalf and not argue all the time. Mr. Speaker, the challenges before us are serious, and they deserve serious proposals. While our economy is growing, we still have many families that are looking for work or waiting for our economy to grow more quickly. Many parents are working two and three jobs and yet cannot find a way to save money for retirement or send their kids to school. I see this all the time in my community in places like Kendall, Westchester, and Islamorada. This status quo is unacceptable to me, just as I know it is unacceptable to my Republican colleagues. Yet it seems that when we gather in this Chamber, rather than finding commonsense solutions to our problems, we engage in ideological debates that are designed for political posturing that lead us to nowhere. At a minimum, if we can't agree on every issue, we should be working hard to solve problems. The American people may not know this, but the fact is that of the 31 days that we met here last month, Members of Congress only gathered six times. And in those 6 days, the only bill of any real significance was the Hurricane Sandy relief--a bill that should have been approved last year. Maybe this is the way Washington works; but in the rest of America, if you show up to your job less than 20 percent of the time--that's about 1 day a week--you probably won't have a job for too long. And yet some of my colleagues find this acceptable. Well, I don't. And I know the American people won't find this acceptable either. So I respectfully invite each of my colleagues, Republican and Democrats alike, and even those of you who have been in Washington for a while, to join us for this moment of bipartisanship and work together on behalf of our fellow citizens. Let's remember that it is a privilege to serve the American people. It's time to get to work.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 42, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' Personal explanation

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 15th anniversary of Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1998 and administered by the Carmelite Sisters, Carroll offers its students the opportunity to pursue a rich academic curriculum in an environment that fosters both intellectual and spiritual strength. Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School has established itself as a school with a challenging and thorough academic program while forming a partnership between students, parents and teachers. This has fostered a family-centered environment that extends beyond the classroom and leads to the success of its students. As such, Carroll's alumni have gone on to some of our nation's most prestigious universities and are leaders in their communities. Part of what has made Carroll such a successful school is its faculty's focus on ensuring that its students excel both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to its robust academics, Archbishop Coleman Carroll is home to an outstanding athletic program that has earned the Bulldogs numerous district and regional championships. Moreover, students at Carroll can participate in 18 different extracurricular clubs, nine honor societies and a campus ministry program designed to nurture faith and good values. Mr. Speaker, I am honored that Florida's 26th Congressional District is home to Archbishop Coleman Carroll, as well as most of its students and ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating its students, faculty and parents on its 15th anniversary.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special school in the congressional district that I am honored to represent. For 55 years, Christopher Columbus High School has instilled in its students strong values and served South Florida as an institution of academic excellence and athletic achievement. Columbus has educated thousands of fine young men and community leaders, including my brothers, some of my close friends and members of my staff. Established in 1958 in the spirit of St. Marcellin Champagnat, founder of the Marist Brothers, Columbus' teachers and staff work tirelessly so that its students can achieve their full potential across every facet of their lives. Columbus Explorers excel both inside and outside of the classroom. The school's award-winning academic curriculum is tailored to meet the individual needs of its students and equips them with the tools they need to lead successful lives. It also boasts an athletic program that competes across 15 different sports and has earned dozens of district and state championships. Columbus works to develop young men of good social conscience and social responsibility, offering its students daily morning masses, weekly youth group meetings and opportunities for community service. Among Columbus' alumni are some of America's leading entrepreneurs, elected officials, distinguished scientists and doctors, professional athletes, high ranking officers in our armed forces, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and the poet at the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama. Mr. Speaker, for all of the achievements that I have cited and those that time constraints do not allow me to list, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Christopher Columbus High School. It is only fitting that Columbus' motto be Adelante, for this school has certainly been moving South Florida and America forward for over half a century.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a dedicated educator, a true Miami treasure, a man who inspired me and many others, Mr. Pat Collins. Mr. Collins has been a social studies teacher and a department head at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School since 1971. Currently teaching AP U.S. Government and Politics and U.S. Government, Mr. Collins moderates Belen's chapter of Amnesty International. Pat is instrumental in the success of Belen Jesuit's model United Nations program, founded the overseas study program in 1994, and teaches civic responsibility to his students. A charter member of the U.S. Historical Society, Pat has received numerous awards, including the Cornell University Outstanding Educator and the Close Up Foundation's Linda Myers Chozen Award for teaching excellence in civics. Mr. Collins has inspired and educated many thousands of students, many who serve in public service like myself.

Mr. GARCIA

Mr. GARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dear friend and legend in the Key West community, Fred Cabanas. An aerobatic daredevil, fourth generation Conch, loving husband, and father, Freddy died this past Tuesday doing what he loved, flying. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to all who knew him, especially to his wife of over 30 years, Susan, and his two children, Kelly and Ray. Freddy began flying at the age of 16, hanging around airport hangars at Key West International Airport, exchanging plane washes for flying lessons. In time, Freddy became an aviation legend in Key West. Freddy helped put Key West on the map by opening ceremonies and competing in airshows with incredible stunts, both high in the sky and frighteningly close to the ground. His skill and enthusiasm for aviation were so ingrained in Key West culture that he was named General of the Conch Republic Air Force. But, Freddy was more than a talented aviator. He was a skilled and generous businessman as well. As the proprietor of Cabanas Aeronautics Unlimited, he enjoyed providing sightseeing tours of the beautiful Florida Keys, thrill rides to the brave-hearted, and perhaps most of all, giving back to others, from mentoring other pilots to flying supplies to earthquake-stricken Haiti. Mr. Speaker, the skies above Key West are just a little dimmer today without Freddy zooming overhead, but he will long be remembered for his renowned talent, gregarious spirit, generous heart, and the indelible mark he has left on the cultural fabric of Key West.