Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank, once again, Ranking Member Engel for his tremendous leadership and all of his efforts to promote stronger relationships with nations within our own hemisphere. I have the distinct pleasure, as I have said, to represent south Florida in Congress. We have many, many constituents in my district from the Caribbean. Part of what makes south Florida so unique is the contribution of the Caribbean diaspora. What we have here during Caribbean American Heritage Month is an opportunity to strengthen the U.S.-Caribbean alliance and contribute in a meaningful and positive way to our neighbors. We have been in a crisis mode, Mr. Speaker, focusing most of our attention on the many areas that, rightfully, demand our attention overseas, but it would be in both of our long-term interests, as well as our near-term interests, to develop mutually beneficial and strategic alliances close to home with the Caribbean nations. Just think of all the economic opportunities that we can help in working with our neighbors to open up. We have a great opportunity with this bill to help them diversify their economies by tearing down burdensome barriers that are preventing them from taking advantage of direct foreign investment and trade. That can lead to greater growth, more stability for the Caribbean, for the diaspora, and for the United States as a whole. So I urge my colleagues to support passage of this important bill. I look forward to continuing to work with Mr. Engel and Mr. Royce to develop even stronger ties to our neighbors in the hemisphere. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close once Mr. Engel yields back his time. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 343) expressing concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People's Republic of China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in recent years, sadly, the United States has receded from our role as a promoter and defender of human rights internationally. Once a central part of U.S. foreign policy, we have witnessed the protection of human rights fall far down on our priority list as administrations have become too eager to make deals with despots and tyrants in places like Iran, Cuba, and North Korea. Those who once looked to the United States to be the leader, to stand up and protect those suffering and those who are being denied their most basic and fundamental rights, no longer view us as the voice for the voiceless, willing to stand up for those suffering around the world. Shame on us, Mr. Speaker, because this failure to promote our ideals and our principles, well, that leads ruthless thugs to believe that they can get away with whatever they want, and, ultimately, it increases the suffering of the people that they exploit. The United States must once again make our core values and beliefs a central tenet of our foreign policy agenda in order to restore our credibility and to restore the faith that so many have in our ability to help bring about change for those who cannot protect themselves. Passing this resolution today, Mr. Speaker, sends a clear signal to China that the United States opposes its gross violations of human rights, particularly against the Falun Gong practitioners. They are so peaceful, and they are so full of composure. They pose no threat to China, yet this ruthless dictatorship forces them to commit unspeakable acts. This resolution sends a signal to countless others suffering around the world that the United States will, once again, make the protection of human rights a priority. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us to support this resolution, support our ideals and values, support human rights, and help the practitioners of Falun Gong. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my dear friend and a true patriot, Ambassador Armando Valladares, for being awarded the Canterbury Medal, the highest honor bestowed by The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Armando Valladares spent 22 years in Castro's gulags. He endured unconscionable torture while in prison. Why, Mr. Speaker? Because Armando refused to put a sign on his desk saying that he supported Fidel Castro. No matter how much abuse he endured in prison, Armando fought his jailers every day. He protected his conscience from the constant and ongoing attacks of the brutal Communist dictatorship. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan installed Armando Valladares as our U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Council. Earlier this year, Ambassador Valladares wrote about President Obama's misguided and dangerous overtures to the Castro regime--one- sided negotiations. In a recent op-ed that Armando Valladares wrote, he said: ``In agreeing to meet with Raul Castro, Obama rewards a regime that rules with brutal force and systematically violates human rights.'' Ambassador Valladares, thank you for your courage. Thank you for your principled stand against the Castro regime. Godspeed, my friend. Commemorating Deering Estate's 100th Anniversary

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 100th anniversary of one of south Florida's most notable cultural, historical, environmental, and archaeological treasures, the Charles Deering Estate, located in my beautiful congressional district. Charles Deering, the first chairman of the board of International Harvester, bought the property in the year 1916. Now, as a jewel of the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces system, the 444- acre Deering Estate serves as a center of community life in the very groovy village of Palmetto Bay. It also conserves globally endangered native plant communities and is a focal point for the ongoing Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands restoration that aims to re-create more natural freshwater flows and to slow saltwater intrusion into our drinking water sources as sea levels rise. And the sea levels are, indeed, rising due to global climate change. Mr. Speaker, the Deering Estate's future will be just as important as its past to all of south Florida. The Deering Estate is indeed a jewel in our already beautiful south Florida treasures.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res 129), expressing support for the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust victims live with dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining years, and urging the Federal Republic of Germany to reaffirm its commitment to this goal through a financial commitment to comprehensively address the unique health and welfare needs of vulnerable Holocaust victims, including home care and other medically prescribed needs, as amended.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this resolution.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank my good friend and south Florida colleague, Mr. Ted Deutch, for his work on this resolution and for cointroducing it together. It is an important resolution, Mr. Speaker. I also want to thank our chairman, Chairman Royce, and the ranking member, Mr. Engel, for always working in a bipartisan manner, for recognizing the importance of this resolution, and for moving this bill out of our Committee on Foreign Affairs in an expeditious manner. This resolution, simply put, Mr. Speaker, urges Germany to honor its moral and historical obligations to Holocaust survivors and to provide for their unmet needs immediately and comprehensively. I know that for Mr. Deutch and for me, this is an issue that deeply impacts many of our constituents in south Florida. There are just over 500,000 Holocaust survivors worldwide. About a quarter of that number live right here in the United States, with over 15,000 living in our south Florida communities, Mr. Speaker. I have had the honor and privilege to work closely with survivors from south Florida, many of whom I have come to call dear friends: my friends David Mermelstein, David Schaecter, Herbie Karliner, Joe Sachs, and Alex Gross; and Jack Rubin, who has testified before Congress on issues related to Holocaust survivors, including a hearing that I chaired alongside Mr. Deutch in the year 2014. There are also many more to thank, those who have made justice for Holocaust survivors their life's work, individuals like Sam Dubbin, Mark Talisman, and the list goes on and on, Mr. Speaker. It has been my close relationship with these individuals that has really helped me to understand the realities that survivors have endured during humanity's darkest period and, unfortunately, the sad reality that they face today--today--Mr. Speaker, especially when it comes to their home healthcare needs, to their mental health needs, to their medical care needs. Do you know, Mr. Speaker, that nearly half of all survivors worldwide live at or below the poverty level? After going through what is almost indescribable horror, these survivors are living at or below the poverty level. Many survivors are unable to maintain even a modest and dignified standard of living: they lack funds for home care; they don't have the money for medicine; they don't have the funds for food; they can't pay the utilities; and they can't pay their rent. As Jack Rubin said before our subcommittee in the year 2014: the existing system has fallen tragically short of what survivors need and deserve. The current funding and care delivery systems are difficult for survivors to access, and they are severely underfunded. That is why it is so important that we pass this resolution and urge our friends in Germany, our good partners in Germany, to honor the obligations and the commitments that they have made to provide for the needs of Holocaust survivors. German Governments have provided some support through income assistance programs and have doubled funding for home care services in the past 5 years, so they are trying. They want to do better. In fact, even by Germany's own admission, the care financed by the German Government to date has been insufficient for those in need of intensive long-term care. Mr. Speaker, because of the horrors that these survivors have endured and the emotional and physical scars they continue to carry with them, their medical, mental, and home care needs are far more complex, far more extensive than those of other elderly individuals. These survivors have endured the torture; they have endured the labor camps, experiments, the loss of loved ones, and even the loss of entire families. We owe these survivors the opportunity to live out the remainder of their days in the dignity and comfort they deserve. Germany owes it to the survivors to alleviate and end the continuing injuries inflicted by the Nazi regime by finding a way to provide for all of their medical, mental health, and home care needs, directly and without delay. I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Deutch and to join me in urging Germany to do the right thing, because time is of the essence. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank Mr. Deutch and Mr. Connolly. What a joy it has been for me to have worked with them, especially with my twin. The poor guy. That was a low blow by Mr. Connolly. Mr. Deutch might not forgive him for that. But what heartfelt words from Mr. Deutch. I thank him for that. We are indeed fortunate, Mr. Speaker, that we have so many constituents in our districts for whom this issue is so important. We are blessed that we have so many Holocaust survivors in our districts. But, sadly, as Mr. Deutch, Mr. Connolly, and I have pointed out, time is of the essence. These survivors are passing away without the urgent care that they have been promised and without the comforts that they need. So I want to close by saying, Mr. Speaker, just how important this measure is. Mr. Deutch talked about how our constituents are watching in south Florida. And it is so true. How important it is that we send a clear message to the German Government that time is of the essence. For over 70 years, Holocaust survivors have had to live with the painful memories and the toll that their experiences have had on their minds and their bodies. Successive German Governments have acknowledged Germany's responsibility for the Nazi regime's atrocities. Most recently, Chancellor Merkel's office stated: ``We know the responsibility for this crime against humanity is German and very much our own.'' I agree with Chancellor Merkel's office. We don't have time for negotiations, Mr. Speaker. How long will those negotiations take while, every day, yet another Holocaust survivor passes away. We don't need Germany to engage with the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Claims Conference. This was a process that was set up to deal with these issues, but it has not worked out that way. Why add another layer to the process when Germany can and should provide this assistance directly? The proof that this Claims Conference process has been nothing short of an abject failure is that nearly half of the survivors today, Mr. Speaker, are living at or below the poverty level. Under this current system, many have died well before their time as a result of this current broken system, to say nothing about the fraud, the corruption, and the embezzlement that has been documented. Mr. Speaker, the Claims Conference has failed to live up to its mandate to advocate and work on behalf of survivors. The Claims Conference provides artificial caps on survivors' needs. When those caps are reached, good luck. Just recently, a survivor from our own area right here in D.C. was told by a local service agency that the Claims Conference would no longer fund her Lifeline button. This woman lives alone, Mr. Speaker. She needs this service, but she was cut off. The Conference stops assistance for many, and many others receive no assistance at all, while their pleas fall on deaf ears. With the Claims Conference, there is no transparency, little accountability, and a shocking disregard for the actual survivors, themselves; but I believe Chancellor Merkel's heartfelt expression of concern about Germany's responsibility to survivors and her leadership on moral issues, and this will finally resolve this longstanding tragedy for survivors. That is why our resolution, Mr. Speaker, to fund, directly, survivors' needs is so important. We have seen what happens when the Claims Conference gets involved. Survivors are just not afforded the assistance they desperately need. So I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Deutch and me in urging Germany to fund, directly and comprehensively, all of the needs of survivors like it has pledged. There is no time to waste. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate a very dear friend, Lauren Morris Schulman, on her retirement. For the past 13 years, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Lauren on some of the most pressing issues regarding the U.S.-Israel relationship. Serving as AIPAC's Florida political director, Lauren has played a key role in building a stronger U.S. alliance with our closest ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel. Lauren has been a lifelong public servant in having previously worked as a staffer in Congress for the late E. Clay Shaw, Jr., and she also served at the county and State levels in Florida. Lauren has a wealth of knowledge and experience that will surely be missed by all who have had the pleasure to work with her; but I am certain that Lauren is looking forward to this exciting next chapter in her life and will enjoy spending more time with her husband, Cliff, and their children, Jake and Samantha. I wish my good friend Lauren Schulman the best of luck, and I congratulate her on her retirement.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to support La Liga Contra El Cancer--the League Against Cancer--and celebrate its 41st year of service. The League Against Cancer was founded in Miami in 1975 and provides free medical care for children and adults who have no financial means to combat their cancers. The league relies on doctors who volunteer their time to perform screenings and medical procedures. Since its founding, more than 60,000 people from 50 different countries have been served by La Liga Contra El Cancer. The league's annual tele-marathon will take place this Saturday, June 4, at the Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds. I encourage all south Floridians to take note of the great work that the League Against Cancer has accomplished for our community and consider supporting their mission.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center as it holds its Prom-Night Tribute- Dinner on Thursday, June 2. During this joyous celebration, leaders of the Michael-Ann Russell JCC will be recognized for their contributions to improving the lives of the Jewish community in south Florida. The honorees are: Gary Bomzer, who serves as the president and CEO of this wonderful organization; Paul Kruss, who serves as the chair of the board of directors; and Ariel Bentata and Jeffrey Scheck, who were past chairs. Founded in 1987, the Michael-Ann Russell JCC has been committed to not only strengthening Jewish values in south Florida, but it has also dedicated time and resources to educating our future leaders and fostering a strong relationship with our ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel. I am thankful to witness the growth of the Jewish American community in our area as its members continue to strive for a better and more prosperous tomorrow. Mazel tov to the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center on a job well done.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the ongoing crisis in Venezuela due to the incompetence of its leader, Nicolas Maduro. No matter what Maduro says, the crisis is his fault, not the fault of the U.S., not the fault of the Organization of American States. Maduro and his corrupt cronies are the ones to blame for this disaster--no one else. While the Obama administration has sometimes tried to concede to the Maduro regime, it has only been reciprocated with no real positive change or any way forward by Maduro. Even now, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas has had to suspend appointments for Venezuelans who seek first- time tourist and business visas due to staff shortages that it blames on Maduro. This is just the tip of the iceberg, Mr. Speaker. For a country that is rich in oil reserves, it is the sign of incompetence and corruption that Venezuela is struggling with empty grocery stores, shortages of medicine, high inflation, and a plummeting economy. Now Maduro is trying desperately to receive assistance from other countries to save his corrupt regime. India has offered medicine in exchange for Venezuelan oil, and China may offer loans to Venezuela in exchange for oil. But these attempts are possibly too late, and Venezuela may not be able to survive this incredible economic downward spiral. To put it simply, Mr. Speaker, Venezuela is on the verge of total collapse, and what an impact that will have throughout our hemisphere. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when. On top of that, Venezuela is also facing medical shortages that have become a humanitarian crisis. Recently, a group of Venezuelan legislative members were in D.C., meeting with us to ask for humanitarian assistance for their people and for medical supplies to take care of the sick in Venezuela. Now, these members are the opposition of Nicolas Maduro, but they know that Maduro doesn't care about helping the people, so they are rising up to the chore. The Venezuelan Medical Federation has asked the Maduro regime to accept humanitarian aid in order to handle the massive shortages of medicine in the country, a request that has not been agreed upon by Maduro. The Venezuelan Neurology Society reported that the shortage of medicines for neurological conditions has reached around 90 percent. The Venezuelan National Assembly has declared a humanitarian health crisis that includes the lack of 872 essential medications. In April, the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported that the Venezuelan Pharmaceutical Federation declared that the shortage of medicines in pharmacies has reached 85 percent. The lack of medicine, Mr. Speaker, impacts people from all walks of life, from the elderly, to the sick, to the mentally ill, to the children who cannot receive lifesaving care. Individuals with serious illnesses have to go from pharmacy to pharmacy, looking for the medicines. If they don't find them, they either have to leave the country or try to smuggle the medicines in through the underground black market. The situation in Venezuela can also quickly become more violent and even more dangerous if the crisis is not resolved quickly. Maduro has issued emergency decrees, even though the National Assembly rejected it, that will help him consolidate even more of his power. Power? Maduro doesn't care about the food and medicine for the people. All he cares about is having more power. Last week Venezuela launched its biggest military exercise. Who is invading Venezuela? Why did he do it? To scare the population and to show the Venezuelan people his military might so as to prevent any protests by the people. At the same time, the Venezuelan National Assembly has called for its own country to be suspended from the Organization of American States. The crisis in Venezuela must wake up others in the region. The new leaders of Argentina and Brazil are needed to bring the Southern Cone together in the name of regional stability. Where is the leadership in the United States? President Obama has yet to add more names of human rights violators in Venezuela. Adding names would prevent them from coming to the United States. This is a list that is based on a law that I passed along with my Senate colleague, Senator Marco Rubio. That law is going to expire, and we need to extend it a few more years because those rights are being violated every day. I talked about the economic hardships, but let's talk about the political and human rights violations that are going on every day in Maduro's Venezuela--they are committed by the Maduro regime--including the unconscionable imprisonment of Leopoldo Lopez and scores of pro- democracy activists. The dire situation in Venezuela, Mr. Speaker, is out of control. Let's see what we can do because the Venezuelan people deserve better than a corrupt Maduro.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it should come as no surprise that President Obama has agreed to arm Communist Vietnam and that he continues to extend diplomatic niceties and concessions to authoritarian regimes that show no intention of changing their brutal tactics. These overtures to the Castros in Cuba have resulted in a prominent human rights defender, Berta Soler--right here in this poster--the leader of the peaceful prodemocracy group, the Ladies in White--Las Damas de Blanco--and 27 others being arrested this week and facing charges of resistance because only in Communist regimes and under ruthless dictatorships is nonviolent opposition to the regime considered a crime. Peaceful dissidence, resistance, is a crime in Cuba. For all of the engagement--the concession after concession to the ruthless dictatorship--it has not moved the Castros even 1 inch toward freedom, toward human rights, toward the rule of law, toward democracy. The people of Cuba deserve better.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize teen philanthropist Joshua Williams of south Florida and the foundation that wears his heart on its sleeve--Joshua's Heart Foundation. In 10 years of service to underserved communities in south Florida, Jamaica, Africa, and India, Joshua's Heart Foundation has activated over 7,000 youths to collect and distribute food and personal items that have helped 600,000 families in need. With the help of his supportive mom, Claudia, Joshua began laying the foundation for Joshua's Heart's success when he was only 4\1/2\ years of age. New JHF chapters are springing up all over the country, and I encourage everyone to check out the amazing work that Joshua's Heart Foundation is doing every day and to get involved in a charity or with a volunteer organization that represents your own vision for the world in which you would like to live. Congratulations to Joshua's Heart Foundation for a decade of service. Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Air Traffic Control

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Donna Eisenman, who recently retired after 40 years in working for American Airlines' Washington desk. Donna Eisenman began her career as a flight attendant with Trans World Airlines in 1969. A year later, she transitioned to American Airlines for a position as a reservations agent in Philadelphia. In a time before computers, Donna effortlessly sold airline tickets and helped customers with travel arrangements. In 1972, Donna moved to Washington, D.C., to start the next phase of her career. Donna spent the next 10 years working at the City Ticket Office and at the ticket counter at Reagan National Airport. In 1982, she transitioned to the Schedule Airline Ticket Office, which served DOD customers in northern Virginia. Donna's efforts were so successful that she was asked to open a different satellite office to assist Fort Belvoir travelers. Later, Donna was asked to reestablish a long-abandoned desk specifically designed to help government travelers. Donna accepted this challenge, and the American Airlines Washington desk was reborn. For the next 28 years, Donna's unyielding commitment to customer service and her natural sales ability provided government and frequent travelers with the best experience in the industry. On March 25, Donna retired from American Airlines, and she is now spending time with her lovely family and is volunteering for the wildlife rescue causes that she champions. I thank Donna for her service and dedication. Congratulations, Donna. I wish you all the best in your much-deserved retirement. Honoring Lourdes Sovedia

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize the outstanding career of Lourdes Sovedia. After 40 years of teaching, Lourdes will be retiring at the end of this school year. Like me, Lourdes' family fled the oppressive Castro regime when she was just a young girl in order to seek freedom and refuge in this wonderful Nation, the United States. She worked hard at learning the language and the culture, and with inspiration from her mom, she dedicated her life to pursuing a career in education. After working her way through college, Lourdes made her American Dream a reality when she became a full-time teacher at Gesu Catholic School in downtown Miami. Throughout the years, Lourdes has taught at multiple schools and has earned many awards and deserved recognition. As a former Florida certified teacher, I recognize Lourdes' dedication, and I thank her for all that she has done for the students in south Florida throughout her impressive career. Congratulations to Lourdes. Recognizing Joshua Williams and Joshua's Heart Foundation's Decade of Service

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the air traffic control at Miami International Airport, which is an area that I am so proud to represent. This upcoming Thursday, May 19, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Miami-Dade Aviation Department will celebrate this accomplishment and honor the men and women who keep our skies and our airports safe. Working around the clock, the air traffic controllers direct aircraft and minimize potential troubles in the sky, like the ones that come from severe weather patterns. I am very proud to know so many of these diligent workers--individuals like Mitch Herrick, Jim Marinitti, Bill Kisseadoo, and many others--who, in their professionalism, keep order in the airspace and protect our public. Mr. Speaker, rerouting aircraft to avoid congestion and minimize delays is not an easy task, especially at one of our Nation's busiest airports; but it is because of the controllers' dedication and commitment that we can feel safe in arriving at our destinations. Congratulations to my friends--all of the air traffic controllers at Miami International Airport.