David Jolly

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of one of the longest serving trustees of the University of South Florida, Mrs. Debbie Nye Sembler. For 12 years, Mrs. Sembler served on the USF board of trustees; and, for 10 years, she served as chair of the campus board of USF St. Petersburg. As Mrs. Sembler's term of service ends, I pay tribute to her many accomplishments, in particular, her contributions to excellence in higher education, not just for students from Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area, but for students across the State of Florida and, indeed, around the world. When Mrs. Sembler became a trustee in 2003, USF St. Petersburg was just earning a reputation as a student-centric research institution. Today, it has over 7,000 students in 37 undergraduate and graduate programs. As a trustee, Mrs. Sembler has led USF St. Petersburg through this remarkable growth, ensuring the USF system is recognized today as one of our Nation's leading higher education institutions. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating and thanking Debbie Sembler for her hard work and dedication to USF, for her commitment to higher education, and, most importantly, for her passion for student success.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate October as Manufacturing Month, established to highlight the importance of manufacturing in our Nation's economy and to draw attention to the many rewarding high-skilled manufacturing jobs across the Nation. Each day roughly 1,600 American manufacturers open their doors and take up the important work of job creation, keeping the U.S. economy thriving and inspiring our young people to pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering. Student tours like those in my home State of Florida also expose young adults to careers in the manufacturing industry like engineering, design, and robotics, tours led by the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to join me in celebrating Manufacturing Month and recognizing the many ways manufacturing is a cornerstone of our economy, both in my home State of Florida and also across the United States.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, my compliments to the chairman and to the ranking member for shepherding us thus far into this year. I often say the first job of Congress is to govern, and that means keeping the government open. I think what we are doing today is honoring the responsibility we have, our article I responsibilities to keep the government open. We talk a lot about Congress having the power of the purse, but with the power also comes responsibility. So as we have hard conversations as a country and as a Congress about whether we fund certain programs, whether we fund certain entities, that is an appropriate conversation to have, and I think we have handled that appropriately thus far. You sometimes would not know that based on comments on the other side of the aisle because they continue to try to score political points and use political capital to suggest we are on the brink of a shutdown. The simple fact is we are not. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have acknowledged today that they intend to vote for what is a responsible continuing resolution that will ensure that our government remains funded. The irony of some of the criticisms that often come--and this comes from colleagues on our committee--is that, to finally reach a deal, to finally have responsible governance, it takes a willing partner on the other side of the aisle and it takes intellectual honesty on both sides of the aisle of every member of our committee. I would respectfully point out to those on the other side of the aisle who serve on the committee that we had a debate over and over and over with each markup about the Budget Control Act and the caps that are in place by statute. There were very good suggestions from both sides of the aisle about where taxpayer dollars should be invested, which programs they should be invested in, from defense to transportation, to education, to healthcare research, and so forth. The irony is that, for each good idea on the other side of the aisle about where to invest money, there was a willful ignorance of the fact that any additional investment must come with an offset under the Budget Control Act. There were good amendments in the committee, and, frankly, many of them would have passed if they had included responsible offsets. But there were no offsets. I point that out only for this, not to relitigate all the markups we had in committee, but to suggest that somehow it is the Republicans' issue that somehow we have to resolve this. We have not had a willing partner throughout the markup of all of these bills. Just as the spirit of cooperation is here on the floor--and rightfully so--and we are going to pass the CR that funds the government and keeps it open--that highway of goodwill has to go both ways. Rather than just talk about what is not funded, let's talk about how we are going to operate under what is a statute, what is the law of the land that was signed by this President and, frankly, recommended by this President. As we talk about where spending comes between now and December 11, we have to recognize and be honest with the American people that we operate under a budget agreement that has statutory caps signed by this President. There are great ideas on both sides of the aisle about where to spend money, but if we ignore the fact that they are required to be offset, then we have not advanced this conversation one day. It is important that we keep the government open. I am glad that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and enough colleagues on this side of the aisle are saying: Yes, we have to keep the government open. We have to keep the Department of Defense funded. Our men and women in uniform who carry the flag for us every day, we have to ensure that they are funded. Our first responders, DHS, coastguardsmen, coastguardswomen, our transportation programs, education, critical healthcare research is all that we will continue to fund through this responsible continuing resolution. We all wish we had a full-year bill that we were considering today, but we do not have that. The responsible action by this body is to pass this bill with sufficient numbers on both sides of the aisle. I would charge those on my side of the aisle who care deeply about certain extraneous issues involved in the debate this week, we have responsible ways to continue to address how we provide critical nonabortion-related women's healthcare service in underserved communities, while we still act today to keep the government open. It is a responsible path forward. Mr. Chairman, I thank you for bringing this forward.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize someone who has dedicated 26 years of his life to ensuring the health of our U.S. Army reservists, a man who has devoted his life to helping others, U.S. Army Major General Bryan Kelly, who retired as commanding general of the Army Reserve Medical Command in Pinellas Park, Florida, on September 26. General Kelly's military career began when he received a direct commission into the U.S. Army Reserves after graduating magna cum laude from Boston College, where he earned a Master of Arts and a doctorate in psychology. During his service to our country, General Kelly has served in the 883 Medical Company and the 804. He has been deployed to Iraq, where he served as the commander of the 399 Combat Support Hospital. And since 2012, General Kelly has served as the commander of the Army Reserve Medical Command. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking Major General Bryan Kelly for his 26 years of service and for the positive impact he has had, both on his community and the many men and women who serve in our military today. I also rise to recognize and thank his wife of 35 years, Denise, and his two daughters, Kristina and Michelle, for their support during his service.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I submit an article that appeared in the Tampa Tribune recognizing Dr. Judy Genshaft for her leadership as President of the University of South Florida. For the past 15 years, Dr. Genshaft has worked tirelessly to improve USF's academic successes, as well as expand USF's role in our local economy. It is my honor to recognize her achievements at the helm of USF, and we are fortunate to have her as a part of our Tampa Bay community. Editorial: Genshaft's Education and Economic Successes [From the Tampa Tribune, Sept. 12, 2015] Judy Genshaft has enjoyed the longest tenure of any University of South Florida president, and by most measures the university has flourished under her direction. But often overlooked is how her 15-year leadership also has boosted the local economy. Improving USF's academic standing, to be sure, has been the priority, and results have been impressive. The graduation rate, a persistent trouble area, has jumped from 48 percent in 2008 to 67 percent, thanks to university initiatives. The average SAT test scores of incoming freshmen have increased by 159 points, reflecting USF's growing status. The Tampa campus, once a barren collection of far-flung buildings, has been transformed into a beautifully landscaped and bustling community. Also impressive is how Genshaft has tapped USF's potential as an economic engine. She strengthened its ties to the business community and made it a catalyst for innovation and investment. Former USF President Betty Castor, who served from 1994 to 1999, also deserves credit for highlighting the university's economic importance. Genshaft expanded that effort. Genshaft, who has served as chair of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Bay Partnership, actively sought to recruit companies to the area, particularly those that needed the resource of a research university. Indeed, the university has excelled at winning research grants. As the Tribune's Anastasia Dawson reports, when Genshaft came to USF it brought in about $171.3 million in research funds. Last year that number was $440.5 million-- 43rd in the nation among public and private universities. These dollars have an impact far beyond campus. According to the National Institutes of Health, every $1 in research funding brings in $2.21 in local economic growth. So USF's research funds alone are calculated to be responsible for $974 million in new economic activity and account for 5,900 jobs with an average salary of $75,000. The emphasis on innovation has helped USF become the No. 1 university in the state for patents, and 10th in the nation and 13th worldwide. With USF badly in need of renovating its 40-year-old medical school facilities, Genshaft seized the opportunity to partner with Lightning owner Jeff Vinik in the redevelopment of downtown's Channelside District. Now, with the backing of the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott, the USF Morsani College of Medicine and the new USF Health Heart Institute will be the centerpiece of Vinik's downtown project, which will include residences, offices, hotels and retail shops. The school is expected to create 1,500 jobs and undoubtedly will attract other health-care enterprises. Genshaft also is pushing to redevelop the challenged neighborhoods near USF into an innovation district that will attract and nurture new enterprises. Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe is heading the Tampa Innovation Alliance. Thanks to such diverse efforts, USF is widely recognized as a university on the move and is attracting widespread attention and support. It's nearing its goal of raising $1 billion in donations. Genshaft has had the occasional tussle with the Legislature, mostly stemming from lawmakers wanting more for USF branch campuses in their communities. The USF system includes St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses. The Legislature, in an act of fiscal lunacy, transformed USF's Polk County branch into a separate university, Florida Polytechnic, in 2012. Such dustups underscore the pitfalls of a branch campus system that invites meddling by lawmakers focused on bringing goodies to their districts. Granted, USF's football and basketball programs have languished in recent years. But those rough spots pale in comparison to USF's progress during Genshaft's 15 years. Her contract runs out next year, but she says she would like to remain. That decision will be up to the USF Board of Trustees. But there is a good reason Genshaft has managed to stay at USF's helm for 15 years. She is getting the job done.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago this month, the President of the United States addressed the Nation proposing his strategy for a war against ISIS. He struggled with what the mission was. Were we as a nation engaging to degrade ISIS, to defeat ISIS, to destroy ISIS? And then the question arose in this body, at what level do we engage? Do we consider an Authorization for Use of Military Force, something that is proper under our constitutional authority? Yet 1 year later, we have not considered an Authorization for Use of Military Force. We have not had the debate over what is the role of this body and our current foreign policy and our current national security strategy against ISIS. The only portion that we were willing to touch was the request to arm and train Syrian rebels; and this body, I believe wrongfully, authorized and appropriated half a billion dollars--$500 million--to train Syrian rebels. Yesterday, we heard from the top commander of our forces in the Middle East that there are either four or five individuals engaged as Syrian rebels confronting ISIS--$500 million, five people. The President's strategy against ISIS has failed. ISIS continues to grow geographically, continues to be enriched. Russia's hand is strengthened. Iran has increasing leverage every single day. Mr. Speaker, the architects of terror today are emboldened. But they are emboldened not only by the failure of this administration's policy; they are emboldened by the failure of this Congress to do our job. Where are we in this debate? Where is this Congress on whether or not we are going to consider an Authorization for Use of Military Force? Where are we today on the $500 million that has now trained five people? Do we stand behind that decision as a body? I hope we do not. The bigger question we have to ask, and it is a hard question: Are we a nation at war today with ISIS or are we not? If we are, are we willing as a nation to accept the human and economic consequences that come with conflict? The frustration you hear in my voice is the frustration we hear in the voices of the American people across the Nation every single day. It is a frustration about what this body does not do. We should be having a debate over the Authorization for Use of Military Force. I don't know how that debate turns out. Nobody wants to go into conflict. We don't get to choose the threats that come our way. We only choose our response, and 1 year later we have no response. All this is through the lens of an agenda that we continue to fail to do. Let's give voice to the American people on issues like border security and immigration reform, on transportation, on a budget that finally balances. The frustration is not that we haven't achieved these things; it is that we haven't even engaged in a legislative fight to begin to advance the agenda that is right for the American people. We are elected to be custodians of the public trust, and we fail that public trust every day we fail to consider the issues that are of most significance to the American people, to honor the constitutional responsibility we have under article I. We have spent the last 2 years cloaking ourselves in the article I authority of the Congress every time the President overreaches, and we have rightfully done so; but just as we cloak ourselves in the article I authority, we have to recognize article I brings responsibility. We have failed to honor the responsibility that we have under article I. We have an obligation to have a very hard debate about whether or not we are a nation at war with ISIS and whether or not we are doing anything in the face of the President's failed policy to actually confront the audible threat of terror of a regime that wishes to bring harm and destroy the United States of America. This body has failed to engage in that debate. Mr. Speaker, I ask with the utmost conviction of this Member but, frankly, the people who give me the honor to represent them in this House. Let's give voice to the American people. Let's give voice to the people that we represent here in this body, and let's finally have that debate.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an institution that for a half century has provided excellence in higher education to the people of Florida's 13th Congressional District, to the State of Florida, and, increasingly, to all corners of the world. I rise to recognize and honor the University of South Florida St. Petersburg as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. USF St. Petersburg was established in 1965 by the University of South Florida to meet a rising demand by students who sought to make their mark in the world. It grew through the eighties and nineties, and, by 2006, USF became its own accredited institution by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Today, it boasts over 5,000 students and faculty who are Fulbright Scholars and Pulitzer Prize jurors; and it boasts partnerships with leading health institutions, like All Children's Hospital and Raymond James. In short, USF St. Petersburg has become part of the fabric of Pinellas County, enriching the lives of students, faculty, and all of our neighbors. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing USF St. Petersburg as it celebrates 50 magnificent years of higher education.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize someone who has been described as a pioneer in national substance abuse policy and prevention and a woman whose dedication, drive, and compassion have made the world simply a better place. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Betty Sembler of St. Petersburg, Florida, as she retires as chair of the Drug Free America Foundation after nearly 15 years of dedicated leadership. Mrs. Sembler has actually dedicated the past three decades of her life to fighting the war on drugs. In 1976, she was 1 of 10 founding members of Straight, Inc., a nonprofit drug treatment program that successfully treated more than 12,000 young people with drug addiction in eight cities nationally, from Dallas to Boston. Mrs. Sembler then turned her sights to establishing a national drug policy to reinforce the four critical fronts to combat drug abuse: education, treatment, interdiction, and law enforcement. Mrs. Sembler helped form public policy in the United States' campaign against drugs through her participation in the White House Conference for a Drug Free America, as a member of the Florida Governor's Drug Policy Task Force, and as a board member of DARE Florida, a national organization that provides drug resistance education for elementary and middle school students. Mrs. Sembler has continued her campaign against weakening drug policies and against legalization of drugs on an international basis. She serves on the board of DARE International as vice chairperson. She accompanied her husband, Mel Sembler, on both of his missions as United States ambassador, first to Australia and then to Italy. Mrs. Sembler is the founder and board chair of Save Our Society from Drugs and the Drug Free America Foundation. Both organizations work to educate people about the effects on individuals, families, and communities, from legalizing and loosening restrictions on drugs while also fighting to reduce drug use, drug addiction, and drug-related illnesses and death. Mrs. Sembler serves on the boards of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Operation PAR in Pinellas County, the Florida Holocaust Museum, the Florida Governor's Mansion Foundation, the Florida National Guard Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Training Advisory Board, the Jewish Policy Center, and St. Petersburg's Menorah Manor. Mr. Speaker, in 2008, the DEA Museum Foundation presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Mrs. Sembler for her 30 years of leadership and commitment to fighting drugs. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by the foundation and recognizes long and sustained commitments to supporting law enforcement, drug abuse treatment, and drug abuse education. Mrs. Sembler was awarded honorary agent status by the DEA, only the second such designation to ever be given. Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is Mrs. Betty Sembler and her work with the Drug Free America Foundation has positively impacted lives and families around the world and has, no doubt, saved lives around the world. Mrs. Sembler, with her grace, friendship, and charm, has impacted each and every individual that she has touched throughout her life, including this Member of Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking Mrs. Betty Sembler for her selfless years of service and for her work leading the charge, pushing back against dangerous drug policies, and promoting public health and public safety.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a man who was a veteran, a volunteer, a devoted Christian, and a man who was dedicated to helping others. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember John Milton Chalmers, or ``Jack'' Chalmers, of Pinellas County, Florida. Mr. Chalmers passed away quietly in his sleep on July 20 at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center at the age of 81. Born in Scotland, Mr. Chalmers came to the United States when he was 15 years old. He later graduated college with a degree in engineering and served in the U.S. Army. An avid sailor, cyclist, and animal lover, Mr. Chalmers' life was marked by helping others. As a member of Northside Baptist Church, Mr. Chalmers volunteered in the food pantry and worked as a veterinarian assistant after retiring. He was an active volunteer in the Central Pinellas Republican Club and a member of the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee. With a brilliant mind and as someone who was always striving to give back, Mr. Chalmers was a man who led by example. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in remembering and honoring Jack Chalmers, a very dear and gentle soul, a dear friend of mine, and a man who will be missed by so many. May God forever bless Jack, and may God bless those who loved him dearly.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, the House will soon consider legislation to address sanctuary cities, local policies that skirt Federal policies regarding the detention of undocumented individuals who have broken the law, a policy that led recently to a terrible tragedy. We should address this. It is right we do so. But I rise out of concern for the enforcement mechanism in the current draft of the legislation. The current draft would penalize sanctuary cities by reducing assistance to law enforcement, the very men and women we rely on each day to keep us safe. Consider the irony. To promote greater public safety in law enforcement, we are threatening to reduce assistance to law enforcement, when it is commissions and councils that actually adopt policies regarding sanctuary cities. This is simply wrong. We can do better. I anticipate voting for passage because we need to address this issue nationally, but I ask my colleagues today to work together. Let's replace this shortsighted provision that wrongfully punishes those who serve us each day on the front lines of law enforcement, men and women that, months ago, we lauded on this House floor during Police Week for the fine work they do. Let's not reduce resources for law enforcement. Let's ensure that we are able to increase and continue to invest in local law enforcement.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, most economists and financial advisers have recognized that families across the United States are headed toward a major retirement crisis. Studies have shown that a majority of households headed by someone aged 59 or younger are in danger of suffering from falling living standards in their retirement years. And so the administration and this Congress should be advancing policies that make retirement counseling, savings advice, and investment services more accessible, not less. Retirement planning, savings counseling, and investment advice can improve the quality of life and economic stability of every American. Yet recent actions by this administration, however well intended, will make these financial services less accessible and less affordable to those who are in most need of them by forever changing the rules regarding financial advising related to retirement accounts. Mr. Speaker, for years the community of financial advisers, including those throughout Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area that I have the privilege to represent, has been governed by what is known as the suitability standard; that is, a financial adviser is required to provide financial counseling and investment recommendations that are suitable for a client based upon that client's financial position and financial goals. The suitability standard requires advisers to act fairly in dealing with clients. This suitability standard has served individual investors well for many years, creating a market for financial services for new and low dollar investors seeking basic investment services and thoughtful financial and retirement planning. But the administration is now in the process of replacing that standard with a new standard called the fiduciary standard. This new standard, under the guise of protecting investors, will actually have the opposite effect. The administration's proposed rule will ultimately reduce or, in some cases, eliminate financial counseling, products, and services to new and low dollar investors. The rule will result in the elimination of financial products that adequately compensate advisers for their services, and it will increase the cost of compliance on advisers who ultimately will need to pass on those costs to clients through a higher fee structure. And it will simply cause some advisers to cease serving many clients who are, in fact, in most need of financial services. But worse, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Labor's new rule reflects the approach we continue to see from regulators throughout this administration, an arrogant and demeaning suggestion that industry throughout America is necessarily comprised of all bad actors, and unless these actors are forced to do so by this administration, they will no longer do right or do good but for the heavy hand of government and the heavy hand of this administration making them do so. It is a Washington-knows-best approach that communities across the country continue to reject. My message today is a simple one: The administration can do better. Do not issue the proposed new fiduciary standard rule. The Department received thousands of comments about the proposed rule and seemingly ignored them all. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have sent letters to the Department of Labor expressing the negative impacts that this proposal would have on their communities, and we have begged the Department of Labor to revisit this rule and simply do better on behalf of the American people. Congress has also taken action on its own and will continue to do so. Recently, the Appropriations Committee included provisions within their respective bills in the House and Senate to halt the administration from moving forward on this perhaps well-intended but completely wrong proposed rule. It was right that we did so. The administration simply must do better. It starts with recognizing that the financial adviser industry is comprised of men and women across this country who provide a valuable contribution to individuals and couples seeking retirement guidance. Then let's realize that transparency and sunlight can solve most concerns. But to instead impose a new legal standard that will only increase compliance cost, result in expensive and needless litigation and ever more trial attorney fees and will ultimately eliminate financial counseling to hundreds of thousands of families who need it most, well, Mr. Speaker, that is the wrong answer. Let's keep the suitability standard. Let's trust financial advisers for the good service they provide. Let's strictly enforce the current law against the very small number of individuals who seek to take advantage of individual investors. Let's protect financial services for those who need them most. And let's revisit a rulemaking process that focuses only on transparency, ultimately providing consumers and clients with the information they need to make responsible investment decisions and to responsibly select a financial adviser that is right for them. It is time that this administration begins trusting the American people.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As a nation, we continually strive to achieve both energy independence, as well as protect the environment, our critical habitats, and the quality of life in communities like Pinellas County, Florida, that I have the opportunity to represent. One way we strike that balance is represented in how we currently manage the Gulf of Mexico when it comes to oil drilling. Under a 2006 act, we allow for drilling exploration in the central and western Gulf off the coast of Texas and Louisiana and other States, but we have a ban that protects the State of Florida. That ban currently protects the State of Florida with a drilling ban of about 125 miles or, in some cases, 235 miles. This ban has been in place for 32 years through the operations of the Appropriations Committee. And while the current statute allows for the ban through 2022, year after year, those on the other side of this debate, very respectfully, attempt to erode that ban. The truth is we don't need any additional drilling in the eastern Gulf of Florida to achieve energy independence. There are nearly 1,000 active leaseholds in the central and western Gulf. There are probably nearly 3,000 more available. And to change the ban is just something that we don't need. This amendment is very simple. It says none of the funds may be used to study, prepare for, research, investigate any increased offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf contemplating the expiration of a ban in 2022. I am pleased to be joined in offering this amendment by my colleague from Bonita Springs, Mr. Clawson; my colleague from Tallahassee, Ms. Graham; and my colleague from Jupiter, Mr. Murphy. With that, Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the chairman's understanding of the interest of those in the State of Florida and the current debate currently from those on the other side that wish to actually lift the ban. It is important that, as a delegation, we have the opportunity to have this debate. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Clawson), my colleague from Bonita Springs.

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I would close by offering my colleagues there is authorizing legislation that would extend the ban past the year 2022. This language simply says a ban is a ban is a ban. And while there is a ban on activities on drilling and the like, this simply says that no planning may occur for post-2022 drilling. With that, I would urge a ``yea'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice in support of Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. Today, 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, including 200,000 who are younger than 65. When you include dementia and other brain diseases with Alzheimer's, the number of diagnoses is nearly on par with cancer diagnoses. In fact, Alzheimer's, itself, is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and of the top 10 causes of death, Alzheimer's is the only one that today cannot be prevented, cannot be cured, and cannot be slowed. This week, Congress is taking action. Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee approved an initial funding bill for the Department of Health and Human Services that provides a $300 million increase over last year's level for Alzheimer's research at the National Institute on Aging. Additionally, the committee continues its support for the Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program at the Department of Defense. These programs, coupled with several bills pending in the House, including the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act, are a testament to the strong advocacy that we have been witnessing on Capitol Hill and throughout the country, but we must continue to do more. I encourage my colleagues to join me in this fight and join me in raising awareness of this most critical national health concern.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 375. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who has literally walked the walk in support of our Nation's wounded warriors. Mr. Speaker, 65-year-old Richard Albero, a former Naval officer and math teacher from Dunedin, Florida, recently completed an 86-day, 1,150-mile walk from home plate at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa during a spring training game to home plate at Yankee Stadium in New York City. He did so to honor his fallen nephew. Richard's nephew, Gary, worked at the World Trade Center and lost his life in the 9/11 attacks. In addition to honoring his nephew, Richard also chose to do something very special. He walked to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. His goal was to raise $25,000. During Richard's trek up the East Coast, which began on March 2, he went through six pairs of shoes. He suffered blisters on his feet and traveled over countless hills and endured the many elements, yet Richard never gave up. Very recently, just a few weeks ago, he completed his walk, arriving at Yankee Stadium to a cheering crowd. Along the way, Richard blew past his goal for raising money and raised $55,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project. Mr. Speaker, Richard's nephew would be most proud and the Members of this body should be most proud as well as we reflect on and remember those who lost their lives and those who pay tribute to them today, those like Richard Albero. May God bless Mr. Albero. May God bless our men and women in uniform who protect us each and every day. And may God bless these United States.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, on June 3rd I voted in support of an amendment to H.R. 2578, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2016, which I intended to oppose. Let the record show that it was my intention to vote no on roll call vote 280 and oppose the amendment offered by my colleague from Oregon.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial anniversary of one of our Nation's most beautiful communities--the city of Clearwater, Florida. Named for its abundant fresh springs and waters, the city was established by colonists in the 1830s and was originally named Clearwater Harbor until 1895. It was then renamed Clearwater and was later established as a municipality on May 27, 1915. Clearwater is known internationally for its clear gulf waters, award- winning beaches, a rich history of Major League Baseball spring training, and it is even home to our very own movie star--Winter, the dolphin. Not only is Clearwater a great place to call home, but it is also a great place to visit year round. In fact, Clearwater currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days of sunshine in a single year, which is why, today, Clearwater continues to warmly welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to represent the people of Clearwater and our greater Pinellas County community. I urge this body to join me in recognizing this most significant milestone. Happy anniversary to Clearwater, Florida.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chair, I want to compliment the Chairman for a good bill that responsibly invests in law enforcement, space, the sciences, research, our oceans and marine resources, and our weather sciences. I also want to thank the Chairman for his support in this bill for an innovative data collection initiative to improve fish stock assessments and research of the fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico. As we discussed in our hearings, we as a nation need to utilize all available tools and technology, and work with all fisheries' sector participants, including recreational, for-hire and commercial, to provide the most accurate assessment of the health of our fish stocks, including the Red Snapper species so critical to our quality of life in our Gulf states like Florida and Texas, and so critical to our regional economy. This innovative data collection initiative will better enable the National Marine Fisheries Service and the regional council to make the most informed decisions possible about the length of various fishing seasons. Mr. Chair, without constantly improving, more accurate, quantifiable data--data that is believed to reliably reflect the fisherman's experience on the water--our commercial and recreational fishermen alike find it difficult to understand decisions made by government to shorten fishing seasons and limit catches. To be clear, this important new provision included in this year's CJS bill is intended to provide the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office new tools to utilize data collection efforts from our recreational, for-hire and commercial fishermen, state and local officials, third party researchers, and academia--data collection and research focused on the unique stock assessment challenges of Gulf fisheries. By working with our recreational, for-hire and commercial fishermen, and engaging them directly in data collection, the NMFS Southeast Regional Office will ultimately accumulate more and better data, and will begin to restore trust between the sectors and regulators. This public-private effort will allow officials tasked with managing our fishery resources to reach the right balance, balance for our recreational fishing community's quality of life and right to fish on our waters, balance for our regional economy fueled by the commercial and for-hire fishing industry, and balance for our strong interest in stock rehabilitation, species preservation and protecting our critical natural resources. Mr. Chair, the Florida Institute of Oceanography estimates that Florida's ocean economy generates almost $30 billion dollars per year in economic activity, more than that generated by citrus, cattle, ranching and the space industry of Florida combined. It is critical that we get this right. I look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Culberson through the appropriations process, and with NOAA and NMFS Southeast Regional Office during implementation of this funding, to stand up this critical, innovative stock assessment initiative and make it a success for Florida and for all five of our Gulf States, including the Chairman's home state of Texas.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the great work they have done since their founding in 1991. The Tampa Bay Estuary contains one of the most vibrant and productive ecosystems along the Gulf Coast because the unique mix of saltwater from the Gulf and freshwater from rivers and uplands have created abundant nurseries for juvenile fish and other sea life. More than 70 percent of all fish, shellfish, and crustaceans spend some critical stage of their development in these near-shore waters protected from larger predators that swim the open sea. Very importantly, scientists at the Southwest Florida Water Management District have found that Tampa Bay now supports over 40,000 acres of sea grass beds. Tampa Bay is Florida's largest open water estuary. Due to the great work of the program, Tampa Bay's water quality is now as good as it was in 1950. I want to thank the leadership of Tampa Bay's estuary program, particularly Executive Director Holly Greening, for her vision not only for the estuary program, but for the entire Tampa Bay community. Tampa Bay is coming back to life, again assuming its position as the shimmering economic and environmental centerpiece of the vibrant southwest Florida region.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce to my colleagues our guest chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives today, Pastor Willy Rice of Clearwater, Florida's Calvary Baptist Church. Pastor Willy is a Florida native, attending Calvary as a young man and returning to the church years later in 2004 to become the church pastor. Pastor Willy is joined in ministry by his wife, Cheryl, and together they have three children. Mr. Speaker, Calvary Baptist Church is a church that is indeed alive. Pastor Willy and the entire church family minister each day through worship services, through Calvary Christian School, by serving those in need through Calvary Cares, and through ministries that support families, the elderly, supporting foster care and adoption services, providing grief counseling and ministry, and ministries to the deaf community. In each of these ministries, Pastor Willy and the Calvary family remain focused on sharing the saving grace and the love of the Christ in Whom we put our faith, living out this faith each day with a spirit of evangelism, a humble compassion, and a heart of Christian ministry. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues today to welcome Pastor Willy and his wife Cheryl. May God bless the Rice family, and may God bless the church family at Clearwater's Calvary Baptist Church.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I want to compliment the chairman for a bill that invests responsibly in law enforcement, space science research, ocean and marine resources, and weather sciences. I also want to thank the chairman for his support of an innovative data collection initiative in this bill to improve fish stock assessments and research of the fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. As we discussed in many of our hearings, we as a nation need to utilize all tools and technology and work with all fisheries sector participants, including recreational, for-hire, and commercial, that provide the most accurate assessment of the health of our fish stocks, including the red snapper species so critical to our quality of life in Gulf States like Florida and Texas as well as our regional economies. This innovative data collection initiative will better enable the National Marine Fisheries Service and the regional council to make more informed decisions about the length of various fishing seasons. Mr. Chairman, without constantly improving and accurate and quantifiable data, data that is believed to reliably reflect the fisherman's experience on the water, our commercial and recreational fishermen, alike, find it difficult to understand decisions by government to shorten fishing seasons and limit catches. To be clear, this new provision included in this year's CJS bill is intended to provide the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office new tools to utilize data collection efforts from our recreational, for-hire, and commercial fishermen, from State and local officials, from third-party researchers, and from academia. Data collection and research focus on the unique stock assessment challenges of Gulf fisheries. By working with our recreational, for-hire, and commercial fishermen, and by engaging them directly in data collection, NMFS Southeast Regional Office will ultimately collect more and better data and will begin to restore trust between the sectors and regulators. This public-private effort will allow officials tasked with managing our fishery resources to strike the right balance: balance for our recreational fishing communities' quality of life and right to fish on our waters, balance for our regional economy fueled by the commercial and for-hire fishing industry, and balance for our strong interests in stock rehabilitation, species preservation, and protecting our critical natural resources. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you as we continue to work through this appropriations process on this important provision, as well as working with NOAA and the NMFS Southeast Regional Office, during implementation of this funding to stand up to this critical innovative stock assessment initiative and make it a success for Florida and for all five of our Gulf States, including your home State of Texas.