Debbie Mucarsel-Powell

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment, which would ensure that corals are included in projects eligible for grants provided for by section 102 of the underlying bill, the Living Shorelines grant program. Living shorelines are essential for protecting our coastlines from rising sea levels and stronger wave action from intensifying storms. My district in south Florida benefits greatly from many elements of living shorelines. Mangroves absorb the power of strong waves, protect our coasts from erosion, and store carbon. Our beautiful Everglades provide tremendous flood protection, clean our water, and provide habitats for so many types of wildlife. Another crucial tool in our natural toolbox is coral reefs, and we must ensure that projects to protect and restore our reefs are eligible for grants. My district is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world and the only barrier reef in the continental United States. Healthy corals dissipate the force of waves and protect coastlines from damage and erosion. In fact, according to NOAA, healthy coral reefs absorb 97 percent of a wave's energy, providing significant shoreline protection. Unlike concrete and stone seawalls and breakwaters, coral reefs have a tremendous amount of biodiversity that is unparalleled under the surface. They are the rain forest of the ocean. They are essential for our tourism industry and for our fishing industry, both recreational and commercial. Our coral reefs are suffering right now under the stressors of today's environment and human activity. We need to take steps wherever we can to protect and restore our reefs. Mr. Chairman, I urge the support of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the concern of my fellow colleague from the other side, but you know the technicalities that we have to deal with when dealing with bureaucratic agencies and governments. So we just need to make sure that we do not exclude such a crucial part of what we are talking about, which is protection for our shorelines. I just want to mention one more thing, that the annual benefits of coral reefs, including a flood protection barrier for more than 18,000 coastal citizens, actually provide $1.8 billion worth of coastal infrastructure in the United States in terms of benefits. So, whatever we are going to spend in providing grants to protect our coral reefs, we are going to receive back in benefits. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, today we recognize Latina Equal Pay Day. I want to start by emphasizing that the gender pay gap is real, and it hurts Latina women and families. We know that Latinas make only 54 cents for every dollar that a White non-Hispanic male makes for doing the same job. Let that sink in for just one moment. In 2019, Latina women get paid 54 cents for every dollar a non-Hispanic man makes for the same work. In fact, a Latina must work an additional 35 years to catch up to the earnings of a 60-year-old man, averaging to about $1.1 million in loss of earnings during a 40-year career. Continuing to ignore this disparity has repercussions in many aspects of our economy, and it leaves over 40 percent of families that are headed by a Latina in poverty. We must find a way to close the wage for the sake of our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, and our families.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, each November, we take time to reflect upon the lasting contributions of Native Americans in our country. The rich traditions and history of indigenous peoples shaped our Nation's democracy and cultural fabric long before the writing of the Constitution. Today, they continue to impact all facets of American life and have endured despite centuries of injustices. We must remain mindful of our past failures while moving forward to build a peaceful, mutually sustainable relationship between our government and Tribal nations. At home, in Florida's 26th Congressional District, it is an immense privilege to work with the Miccosukee Tribe in Florida. The Miccosukee people are dedicated to the protection of their homeland, the Florida Everglades, and have been a crucial partner in the fight for clean water and the restoration of the natural flow of water from the Kissimmee River to the Florida Bay. I am proud to have the Miccosukee Tribe in my district, and I am so grateful for their vital participation in the protection and the prosperity of south Florida. As our country faces new challenges, we should strive to include indigenous voices in our national conversation. This month, let's commit to honoring the legacy of Native nations and celebrating the indispensable contributions of the first Americans.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, over half of the people in my district in Florida, including myself, were born in another country. Over 8,000 of those immigrants are DACA recipients who have lived here for many years, some for decades, and have roots in our community. They are entrepreneurs, first responders, teachers, community leaders, and servicemen and -women. They are just as American as any of us. But today, DACA is at risk, leaving our friends and neighbors terrified for their future. DACA recipients contribute billions to our economy, and the economic consequences for removing our working DACA recipients would be catastrophic. But more importantly, we would lose valued colleagues, friends, and local business owners. Protecting DACA recipients is not just the right thing to do for our economy. It is the moral thing to do for us and our country. I urge the Senate to swiftly pass H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, that we sent them months ago to secure DACA and our country's future.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 3942, the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act. The spread of e-cigarettes is a public health crisis. I have had multiple conversations with parents who are seeing their children become addicted to tobacco products, and, as a mom, I refuse to stand idly by as a new generation of children become addicted to this substance. We have seen multiple deaths from the use of vaping products and several hundred lung disease cases in Florida alone. Approximately 5,600 kids in Florida are becoming new daily smokers each year. This is affecting children regardless of ZIP Code or income level. For years, e-cigarette companies have targeted our children using specialty flavors like cotton candy and made their products easy to purchase online without any age verification. We have the responsibility to do everything we can to keep this addictive substance out of the hands of our kids, including requiring online and in-person verification for e-cigarette purchases. The health of our Nation's children is at risk because of e- cigarettes and vaping products. The time to act is now.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, since St. Augustine, Florida, was founded as the first permanent settlement in 1565, the Hispanic and Latino communities have laid the foundations of the prosperous country we are all proud to call home. Last Friday, October 11, I had the privilege to honor several south Florida leaders for their contributions. Christina Campos is a Mexican-American mother of two who was raised in Homestead and now serves as Homestead Senior High School's community liaison. Dr. Guilarte immigrated to the United States from Cuba when he was 10. He is a respected scientist and educator who became the dean of the FIU College of Public Health. The Mexican-American Council's Homestead Mariachi Conservatory was recognized as Florida's premier mariachi music school for children. Maria Nardi leads the Nation's third-largest accredited park system in the country, providing welcoming environments for all families in Florida. On this final day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, let's remember that for many Americans across all parts of our country, Hispanic heritage is celebrated as something that we live every day.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act and the Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act. It is estimated that 11 percent of Florida's plant species and 883 vertebrate and invertebrate species are endemic to our State. Florida has 114 federally endangered or threatened species in our community. The Florida reef is the third largest reef in the world and the only living coral reef in the continental United States. Florida's unique ecosystem is too delicate to put at risk to the hazards of the drilling process. Offshore drilling puts our tourism industry and fishing industry at risk, two of the biggest factors in our economy here in Florida. Drilling should never take priority over keeping our ecosystems healthy or our fishermen's jobs. It is time to put the health and the well-being of our community over the greed of corporate polluters.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to this motion.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, this is an outrageous and truly insulting amendment meant to do nothing more than to score cheap political points. Let's be clear, Republicans are offering this amendment to take a stand against a socialist dictator, but they plan to vote against this bill, a bill that does nothing more than protect people from that very dictator. In other words, Republicans want to say that they support the Venezuelan people, but they are completely unwilling to do anything for them. I have just one thing to say to my Republican colleagues: Venezuelans don't need your empty words. They need action now. Let's be clear: Every American opposes dictatorial oppression, whether it comes from the far left or from the far right. In South America, we have seen dictators from the right and the left, like Augusto Pinochet in Chile or Jorge Rafael Videla in Argentina, both of whom killed and disappeared thousands of their own citizens in pursuit of rightwing agendas. During those regimes, we condemned dictators. I hope you remember those times, Mr. Speaker. We did not use the tragedy of the people to score cheap political points. We all oppose dictatorship and tyranny. It is what binds us together as Americans. Coming from South America, I understand very well what happens when we see a dictator rise, when it goes unchecked. Instead of honoring democratic principles, this amendment uses it as a political weapon to divide our Nation. That is bad enough, but it is worse when those who offer the amendment are also unwilling to help oppressed people who find themselves in a similar situation to the countless immigrants who came to Plymouth Rock, Ellis Island, or the Freedom Tower. Let me ask this: Do you think that oppressed Venezuelans, immigrants who desperately fled to the United States to seek refuge, prefer that we vote and waste our time on an empty condemnation or that we pass meaningful legislation to prevent the administration from deporting them back to a country suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in this hemisphere? Trump has said that he condemns Maduro and that he supports the Venezuelan people, but his words are as empty as this Republican motion before us. Trump's hypocritical immigration policies have left this House no other option but to act. We have the opportunity to set aside politics, like 37 of my Republican colleagues did on Tuesday, and do right by our Venezuelan brothers and sisters. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this motion to recommit. Let's support our Venezuelan brothers and sisters. ``Apoyemos a nuestros hermanos venezolanos.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill which incorporates the Coast Guard Shore Infrastructure Improvement Act that I introduced with Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana. It directs the Commandant of the Coast Guard to tackle the maintenance backlog of its shore infrastructure. The Coast Guard currently has a $2.6 billion project backlog, and 25 percent of its assets have exceeded their service lives. We must rebuild our Coast Guard in a strategic way, one that accounts for stronger storms that will only worsen with climate change. This bill will ensure that the Coast Guard has the processes in place to carry out crucial shore infrastructure repairs. Coasties often spend their personal time working on infrastructure improvements. It is unacceptable that they have to sacrifice their rest time and family time to repair crumbling buildings. Passing this bill will ensure America's security, the success of our Coast Guard, and the well-being of our servicemembers.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 549) to designate Venezuela under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit nationals of Venezuela to be eligible for temporary protected status under such section, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 549, the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019. This vitally important bill will provide help and support to those who cannot return to their home country of Venezuela. Years-long political and economic turmoil in Venezuela has resulted in the world's fastest growing migration, staggering poverty, and chronic shortages of medicine. Millions of Venezuelans are malnourished, and the United Nations estimates that 7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Four million Venezuelans have been forced from their home. Most have remained in the region in neighboring countries, but tens of thousands are here in the United States seeking refuge. It is long past time to grant temporary protected status for Venezuelans currently living in the United States. My district has one of the largest Venezuelan populations in the Nation, and I understand very well the crisis in Venezuela. I came to this country from Ecuador when I was 14 years old, having seen firsthand the damage that authoritarian and corrupt leaders in South America have caused their countries. I have good friends and family who are still there suffering in Maracaibo and in Caracas. They are desperate. I can hear it in their voices every time they update me on the crisis. In Miami I have met with reporters who have had to flee their home because a free press does not exist in Venezuela. Just yesterday, more rolling blackouts hit the country jeopardizing the lives of hospital patients and sending the country into pure darkness. Even if Nicolas Maduro, the leader of this brutal narco-regime, were to leave today and the legitimate President, Juan Guaido, were to be sworn in, extraordinary and temporary conditions exist that would prevent Venezuelans from returning safely. Maduro's regime has plunged Venezuela into catastrophe. The poverty rate in Venezuela is soaring, and the nation's health system is near collapse. Just imagine, nearly one-third of Venezuelan physicians have fled the country, and an astounding 79 percent of hospitals are experiencing shortages in supplies to assist the country's mounting medical needs. This dire situation is only exacerbated by massive food and water shortages. Malnutrition is widespread, especially among children and pregnant women. Frequent nationwide blackouts contribute to the deterioration of already impoverished communities. This is one of the worst humanitarian crises that we have seen in the Western Hemisphere. One thing is clear: we have to help our Venezuelan brothers and sisters in the United States. These conditions in Venezuela warrant a designation of TPS, and through H.R. 549, Congress will take this necessary action. I commend my colleagues, Representatives Darren Soto and Mario Diaz- Balart for introducing this bill. I thank Representatives Donna Shalala and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Chairwoman Lofgren of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship and Chairman Nadler of the Judiciary Committee for their support and hard work in helping move this bill forward. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the concerns Mr. Cline has brought up, but I would like to remind him that the Immigration and Nationality Act and this bill provide the authority to terminate TPS for Venezuelans, and Venezuelans, right now, are clearly eligible. TPS was created specifically for the situations that we are seeing. TPS was created to address situations where extraordinary and temporary conditions in a country prevent its nationals from returning safely. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto), my colleague.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), my colleague.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Shalala), my colleague.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, just a couple of quick responses to my colleague, Mr. Brooks. The only thing that I do agree with is, yes, we do have to put our own house in order. We have an executive in disarray at this moment. I think that maybe the gentleman is ill-informed. The people of Venezuela did not elect the narco-regime, the authoritarian, dictatorial leader who is Nicolas Maduro. They had fraudulent elections in May 2018. Please do not insult the people in Venezuela, who are suffering, who have no food, who have no access to medicine. We have seen the worst humanitarian crisis in this hemisphere, and it was not because Venezuelans elected him. Actually, he held fraudulent elections. The interim, legitimate President is Juan Guaido. But we are not going to see a tsunami of Venezuelans coming to this country. This bill applies only and specifically to the Venezuelans who are already residing in the United States. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), my colleague.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Murphy), my colleague.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In response to Mr. Cline's concern, once again, TPS is the law of the land. It is under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. All we are asking is to place Venezuela as a country that is designated under TPS in this bill. We are talking about people who are suffering. We cannot send them back to a humanitarian emergency. We wrote a letter to the Trump administration, asking them to grant TPS for Venezuelans. They have the ability to do so at the administrative level right now, but they have refused. They say they are supportive of Venezuelans, but I seriously question that when they disagree with the importance of granting TPS for the thousands of Venezuelans living in this country today. We cannot send them back to a brutal regime, to a regime that is actually killing its own citizens. I would like to express my support for H.R. 549. There is, as I mentioned, widespread poverty and shortages of food and water. The government is in disarray, and we can't wait any longer. We have to help our Venezuelan brothers and sisters in the United States, and this bill accomplishes just that. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 549. We must do it, ``lo tenemos que hacer.'' This is the moment. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, 9 years ago, the House passed the Affordable Care Act to ensure that tens of millions of Americans had health insurance. Thanks to the ACA, over a million Floridians were able to get healthcare coverage. In these past 9 years, Republicans have consistently tried to repeal and sabotage the Affordable Care Act. As a result, families in Florida are often unable to afford their healthcare. Today, the President tried once again to repeal the Affordable Care Act. If the President gets his way, more than 1.6 million Floridians would lose their coverage, and insurance companies could charge even more, resulting in higher costs for American families. Women could be charged more than men for the same services, and people living with preexisting conditions could lose coverage. Floridians cannot afford these attacks on their healthcare. I implore the Senate to pass the bills that we have already sent them to protect healthcare for all Americans.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule. Right now, there are thousands of children detained in temporary facilities, facilities like the ones in Homestead, which is right in the middle of my district. We have no answers. We have no idea of when these kids are going to be released. It is an overcrowded facility, with kids who are sleeping in warehouse areas on bunk beds, of more than 144 kids. They are living in prison-like conditions. Many have been there for months. These kids should not be detained without their freedom and their rights. What we are asking from the Senate are reasonable requests for the safety and for the well-being of thousands of children. We have to pass these provisions put forth by the House. We must put in writing that no child can be held and detained in a temporary facility like Homestead for more than 90 days.

Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, many of the children have families living right here in the United States that they could be reunited with. But those who are running the facilities have no incentive for reuniting them. The Senate bill does not have a timeline. The Senate bill is inadequate. We must pass the House-amended bill.