Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to wish a happy and healthy 90th birthday to Dr. Juan Ortiz. As one of the oldest full-time practicing M.D.'s in the U.S., Dr. Ortiz has provided exemplary care to his family, friends, and patients in our south Florida community. Dr. Ortiz has always shown impeccable leadership in both his professional and charitable endeavors, and his reputation for excellence is widely known. When he is not treating his patients locally, you will find Dr. Ortiz volunteering his medical services during catastrophes in remote locations throughout Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Not only is Dr. Ortiz a seasoned medical professional, but he is also a poet, a writer, and an avid traveler, with destinations extending as far as Antarctica. Dr. Ortiz, once again, I would like to express my appreciation for your contributions and your service to south Florida. I wish you a happy and healthy 90th birthday.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about our veterans. Memorial Day was just this past weekend, and we honored those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation. This weekend also, veterans from around our great country journeyed here to our Nation's Capital to visit the monuments that were publicly erected in their honor. I am so proud that a group of over 60 veterans living in south Florida--including David Millan, Don Lowe, and Augustine Fernandez--were able to make the trip on the first-ever Honor Flight from Miami International Airport, located in my congressional district. They, like all veterans, are true American patriots, courageous and brave, putting others before themselves, willing to stand up and fight for our Nation's ideals and for the spread of freedom, peace, and prosperity abroad. That is who they are. It is in their DNA. My family and I, we know the sacrifice and the courage and the resolve that is required to dedicate one's life to the service of our country. My husband, Dexter, proudly served in Vietnam as a U.S. Army Ranger, earning a Purple Heart. My stepson, Douglas, and his wife, Lindsay, both served tours of duty as Active Duty Marine Corps aviators in Iraq, with Lindsay also having served in Afghanistan. They are still serving our Nation as Marine reservists. I could not be prouder of them and their fellow veterans and have the highest respect for the families and caregivers who support our vets after they return home from their missions. I recognize that we can never repay our veterans in full for their contributions, but we must certainly try. I would like to think that all Americans feel the same way. A key part of our Nation's commitment to our veterans has always been providing them with quality health care, especially with respect to injuries suffered in the line of duty; but, more than a year after the most recent VA health system scandal rocked this administration and forced the replacement of a Cabinet Secretary, the VA's commitment on health care continues to fall tragically short. A year later, the number of patients facing long wait times is still the same, and somehow, the number of patients waiting more than 90 days has actually doubled. A year later, the VA health system continues to fail our veterans. We know that these veterans have the right stuff, the selflessness, the courage, and the pride that they demonstrate in defense of the American way of life; but what must they think of our government now? Unconscionably long wait times, bureaucratic mismanagement, top-down rationed care are all well below the bare minimum standards any American should expect; yet this is exactly what the VA, under this administration, continues to offer our veterans. At least this Congress has pushed for reform, for access, for choice. In the last year, we have passed laws that set out to improve access for veterans seeking medical care and mental health services. Congress also provided the VA with $16 billion to shorten wait times and improve healthcare quality. I have joined many of my colleagues to demand that the VA publicly release the findings of 140 internal healthcare investigations conducted since 2006 to enforce accountability at the VA. I have also joined a bipartisan contingent of my House colleagues to offer to help the VA staff focus on providing health care by allowing congressional staff to serve as the primary point of contact for veterans asking about their claims and their long appointment times. Over and over again, Congress' efforts have been met by a stubborn bureaucracy that looks to skirt legislative intent on expanding veterans access and choice and reforming the way that the VA health system does its business. I am committed to holding the VA under this administration responsible for the continued failings of our VA health system, and I will continue to fight alongside my colleagues in Congress for the reforms that will provide our veterans with the quality health care they deserve. We know that our veterans should not have to wait another year. The time is long past; the time is now. The next time that south Florida residents come to D.C. on Honor Flights to visit their war memorials, they will truly know that our Nation honors their service by providing quality health care at all of our VA facilities.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Juan Jose Malo on his retirement as the president of Miami's Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce. Juan Jose has tirelessly worked to help the Ecuadorian American-owned and -operated businesses in south Florida to prosper, to thrive, and to grow. And he has always demonstrated his trademark diligence by enthusiastically advocating on behalf of all of south Florida's business community. Juan Jose's generosity has also pushed the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce to undertake seven medical and humanitarian missions to Ecuador and one to the Dominican Republic. Juan Jose specifically has sought to bring attention to the plight of the Ecuadorian people by founding the magazine ``Revista Remesa,'' ensuring that our community had the latest political and economic news about Ecuador. Juan Jose, congratulations on your years of leadership. We know that you will continue your stellar work on behalf of all of south Floridians and the entire Ecuadorian American community.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Foster Care Month, first recognized by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, I would like to thank the dedicated foster families, social workers, and service providers for their commitment to help children. May is also a time to shed light on the plight of nearly 400,000 children and youth who are currently in our country's foster care system, and we call for safe and nurturing environments for these vulnerable members of our society. In an effort to give qualified adoptive and foster parents an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of these children, I will be introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would help ensure that more children have the opportunity to be raised in a loving and supportive home that they can call their own. The Every Child Deserves a Family Act would ensure that prejudices plays no part in adoption and foster care placements. A parent's ability to care for a child should not be determined by any parent's sexual orientation or gender identity, but by their love.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remind us that May is American Stroke Month. According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States. In fact, one out of every six people will suffer from a stroke in his or her lifetime, yet strokes are largely preventable and treatable. Small changes in diet and exercise can have an enormously positive impact on your heart health and help prevent a stroke. America's amazing medical researchers and practitioners are also doing their part by pioneering new treatments that save lives every day. Finally, let's remember these four letters, F-A-S-T: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and it is time to call 911. If you or your loved one experience any of these symptoms, call 911.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as the latest round of the P5+1 Iranian nuclear talks resume this week in Vienna, it is important for us to highlight just how weak and dangerous this deal is. From the moment that President Obama took office, he has sought the legacy of having achieved a nuclear agreement with Iran, regardless of the cost to our national security. In his first inaugural address, he promised to unclench his fist to dictators and followed that up in Cairo, telling the Iranian regime that he was willing to move forward ``without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect.'' Mutual respect, Mr. Speaker? This regime has targeted and killed Americans since the Iranian revolution in 1979. This regime was responsible for killing and wounding thousands of our U.S. troops in Iraq. This murderous regime is destabilizing the region and mocking the U.S. by blowing up a mock U.S. aircraft carrier and chanting, continually, ``death to America.'' Now the President is giving Iran not only access to billions of dollars, but also international legitimacy. Countries and businesses no longer fear doing business with Iran, even though the sanctions are still in place. They no longer fear looking like international pariahs, helping one of the world's worst human rights abusers and the world's largest supporter of global terror because President Obama has telegraphed to the world that he trusts the Iranian regime, giving it the legitimacy that it would have never gotten without this nuclear deal. So what do we see now? Well, Russia announced that it will resume sales of its surface-to-air missiles to Iran before the ink could even dry on the framework agreement, and Putin has said that Russia will trade assets like grain and construction equipment in exchange for Iranian oil. Iran has also announced that China is going to help it build five additional nuclear power plants. According to reports, China and Russia have stated that they will not support snapback sanctions. Now, snapback sanctions are the cornerstone of the deal that the administration has praised as a victory. And U.S. oil executives have reportedly begun talks with Iranian officials in preparation for the opening of Iran's economy--in Iran, no less. Now we hear reports that the Czechs stopped a potentially illegal nuclear technology purchase by the Iranians earlier this year. So I asked the administration: Did the administration know, and did the P5+1 know about this violation? Did they choose to ignore it in order to forge this framework agreement anyway? All of this in exchange for a deal that allows Iran to continue to enrich uranium and to keep every key element of its nuclear infrastructure intact. The Iranians are winning concession after concession, giving up nothing but a few cosmetic and easily reversible changes. Since taking office, President Obama has capitulated to Iranian demands to cement his legacy of the President who normalized relations with Iran. We won't even be able to adequately verify this nuclear agreement, despite what the President promises, because he knows that access to Iranian sites rests with the Iranian regime. Access to military sites-- where they would more than likely hide some of their nuclear infrastructure--isn't in the deal either. It is foolhardy and dangerous to believe that Iran will give immediate and unobstructed access anytime, anywhere, to all of its sites. We are not even forcing the regime to come clean on the possible military dimensions of its nuclear program, nor are we addressing its ballistic missile program, its support for terror, and its expansionist agenda throughout the Middle East. All we are doing is legitimizing one of the world's worst and most dangerous regimes at the expense of regional and U.S. national security. Iran will use this influx of money to continue spreading terror and fomenting instability and sectarian conflict across the globe. We have seen it in Yemen. We have seen it elsewhere. Mr. Speaker, the Middle East is on the brink of collapsing, yet the President continues on this dangerous quest for his Iran nuclear deal legacy. He has ignored the reality on the ground for political considerations and, in doing so, is putting our national security in jeopardy and that of our ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I very much thank the chairman for his leadership on our committee. Mr. Speaker, this bill serves as a reminder of the unanswered questions surrounding the nuclear negotiations with Iran. We know Iran can't be trusted. Everything we have seen from Iran since 1979 shows that the regime is willing to lie, to cheat, to obfuscate to achieve its agenda, and part of that agenda is to attack and to undermine the United States and our regional interests. Can we verify Iran's compliance? No, because Iran controls the access of the IAEA to its sites. Iran hasn't even come clean on its possible military dimension of its nuclear program yet. The regime is also likely to get a $50 billion signing bonus, when a deal is signed, in exchange for nothing. What will Iran do with that money, Mr. Speaker? It will continue to support terror around the globe, stoke sectarian violence as we have seen all over the Middle East, repress its own citizens, and, just today, five Iranian boats fired shots across the bow of a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the gulf. Can we have snapback sanctions? Oh, please, the idea is laughable at best. According to reports, China and Russia have stated that there will not be any automatic snapback sanctions whatsoever to reimpose on Iran even if the regime is caught in violation. Once again, the Obama administration is playing a game of smoke and mirrors to get this deal finalized and to cement a legacy that the President has been seeking since he entered office. The deal is dangerous and will only jeopardize our national security.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Royce for the wonderfully bipartisan way in which he leads our committee, and I especially want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows) for his incredible leadership on this important topic. Madam Speaker, I rise in full support of this bill, to broaden sanctions against Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, has been responsible for propping up the murderous Assad regime in Syria. Hezbollah continues to be a major threat to our closest friend and ally, the Democratic Jewish State of Israel. Hezbollah and its patron Iran continue to seek ways to attack and undermine U.S. national security interests, especially with its increased presence in our own area, in the Western Hemisphere, and its increasing role in global narcotics trafficking. Madam Speaker, one way we have of countering Hezbollah's illicit activities is by cutting off its major source of funding and support. Once the administration gives Iran a signing bonus of $50 billion and lifts the sanctions against the regime, when this bad and dangerously weak nuclear deal gets signed, you can be sure, Madam Speaker, that the spigots will open and that money will flow directly to Hezbollah. So we must make sure that the administration fully and vigorously enforces these sanctions against Hezbollah and doesn't find any loophole or waive any of the provisions. After seeing the administration's willingness to work with the Iranian regime and the Cuban regime, I might add, it wouldn't surprise me to see the administration take steps to follow the European Union and split Hezbollah into a military and political wing to try to avoid these sanctions and appease the Iranian regime. We all know, Madam Speaker, that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization and that there is no split among the terror group whatsoever. You cannot differentiate between its supposed wings. It is all one terrorist organization. That is why I strongly support this bill, and I call upon the President to do more to counter this threat from Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank the chairman for including my amendment en bloc. Mr. Chairman, the amendment is very simple. It authorizes the Secretary of Defense to deploy assets, personnel, and resources to SOUTHCOM and to the Joint Interagency Task Force South in order to take on threats with sufficient intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Terror groups receive a large number of financial resources through the illicit drug trade and in their cooperation with drug cartels in our region, and we are dangerously ill-equipped to tackle these threats. It is in our vital national security interests to bolster our efforts to counter the nexus between drug traffickers and terror groups. To do so, we need to give SOUTHCOM the resources it needs to get the job done. Not nearly enough attention is being paid to the Western Hemisphere, and with our limited resources and intelligence capabilities, our visibility and assessment of the threats in our hemisphere are dangerously inadequate. This lack of resources jeopardizes our national security as terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant are increasingly operating in our hemisphere; and we all know that Iran, Russia, and China are expanding their influences here in order to undermine our regional interests.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize police officer Shirley Verde on being named the Village of Pinecrest Police Department's Officer of the First Quarter of 2015. Officer Verde has consistently shown her commitment to her community and her fellow officers through her professionalism and dedicated service. She also has proven herself as an invaluable member of the Pinecrest police DUI enforcement program. A perfect example: in the early morning hours of March 1 of this year, Officer Verde successfully and safely resolved a situation where an impaired driver was traveling in the wrong direction on heavily trafficked U.S. 1. There is no doubt that her quick and decisive actions saved many lives. Officer Verde is incredibly worthy of this honor, and I thank her for her dedication and service to the people of my hometown, the Village of Pinecrest.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shine the spotlight on a Miami constituent who courageously risked his life for a stranger. Last Tuesday, on his way to work, William Ramirez witnessed Miami Police Officer Rosny Obas become pinned down under a hail of gunfire. Mr. Ramirez bravely swerved his van into the line of fire to shield Officer Obas, then was able to get the officer to safety. When asked why he did it, William humbly said, ``How could I not?'' I say William Ramirez is a hero. South Florida is blessed by the service of patrolmen like Officer Obas, who work every day to keep us safe, and we are further strengthened by residents like William Ramirez, who sometimes add heroic action to their everyday routines because it is simply the right thing to do. How could we not?

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Julio Frenk on being named as the sixth president of the University of Miami and the first Hispanic to be selected for this job. Dr. Frenk joins my hometown Hurricanes after a 6-year tenure as dean of Harvard's School of Public Health. The son of German and Spanish immigrants who settled in Mexico, Dr. Frenk's remarkable career as an academic and a public servant also includes his service as the Mexican Minister of Health under President Vicente Fox. I would like to welcome Dr. Frenk and his wife, Dr. Felicia Knaul, to south Florida and to the Miami Hurricanes family. I look forward to working with him as he leads the university's continued transformation into a global research hub in a world class international city. Go Canes.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to recognize one of the most profound educational leaders of her generation, Dr. Donna Shalala. As the head of my alma mater, the University of Miami, Donna made it her goal to see UM become the next great American research university. Never one to leave a promise unfulfilled, under her unparalleled guidance, the university has consistently ranked in the top 50 research institutions. Through leadership, service, and selflessness, Donna has positively impacted our south Florida area as a school administrator and a community leader. It is with great pride, admiration, and affection that I join our community and University of Miami students, professors, and grads in thanking Dr. Shalala for her hard work and dedication. Donna, you are an outstanding member of our south Florida community, and we will certainly miss you. I wish you good fortune and all the best in this new, exciting, next chapter of your life. Oh, yes. Go Canes. Thank you, Donna.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring attention to a wonderful event taking place this Sunday, April 19, in south Florida, the 15th annual Miami Walk Now for Autism Speaks. According to the CDC, over 3 million individuals in our great country are impacted by an autism spectrum disorder. There have been dramatic scientific advances in our understanding of autism over just the past 5 years, but we must ensure that progress toward effective treatment and a cure continues. The Miami Walk along with others taking place across our wonderful country will raise vital funds to help support important research and family services--research and services. I urge everyone to get out of the house, enjoy some good exercise for a great cause in sunny south Florida this weekend, and participate in the Miami Walk Now for Autism Speaks.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand here today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize the upcoming 50th anniversary of my alma mater, Florida International University, on April 6, 2015. Not only is FIU worlds ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time, but the university and the entire FIU community has moved Miami-Dade County worlds ahead as well. Since its founding in 1965, FIU has grown alongside south Florida and has helped enable the region's notable progress and evolution over the last five decades. To President Mark Rosenberg, my good friend, and the whole Florida International University family, I say happy anniversary, and thank you for decades of outstanding contributions to south Florida. I look forward to the next 50 years of amazing accomplishments to come. As a two-time graduate of FIU, I say, Go Golden Panthers. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand here today on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize the upcoming 50th Anniversary of my alma mater, Florida International University, on April 6th, 2015. Not only is FIU ``Worlds Ahead'' in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time, but the University and the entire FTU community has moved Miami-Dade County ``Worlds Ahead'' as well. Since its founding in 1965, HU has grown alongside South Florida, and has helped enable our community's notable progress and evolution over the last five decades. Miami-Dade County's only public research university has now awarded over 200,000 degrees in more than 180 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs, and currently enrolls more than 54,000 students. FTU is also a major economic engine that contributes nearly $9 billion each year to the local economy as a top-10 employer in the county. To President Mark Rosenberg, my good friend, and the whole Florida International University family: happy anniversary and thank you for decades of outstanding contributions to South Florida. I look forward to the next 50 years of amazing accomplishments to come. And as a two-time graduate of FIU, I say Go Golden Panthers!

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank our brand-new Florida colleague, the gentleman from Miami, Mr. Curbelo, for his leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor before us tonight. I especially commend my good friend, the gentlelady from Miami, Dr. Wilson, for spearheading this effort to commemorate and thank our law enforcement officers, and especially to highlight the sacrifice that these two special agents made. As was pointed out by the previous speakers, Mr. Speaker, in 1986, Special Agents Benjamin P. Grogan and Jerry L. Dove were killed while serving bravely in the line of duty after they and other agents gave chase to two robbery suspects. A 5-minute gun battle--the bloodiest in FBI history--erupted when the suspects' vehicle was stopped in my sleepy neighborhood of Pinecrest, Florida, and both suspects began firing on law enforcement. In addition to the tragic loss of Special Agents Grogan and Dove, five other agents, including the agent who shot and killed the suspects, were injured, as approximately 145 shots were fired during this exchange. Even though scenes as tragic as this one are very rare in south Florida today, our community understands the dangers that all law enforcement officers face in the course of their daily work to protect civilians. The sacrifice of both special agents and their families is a testament to the ethos of service in our south Florida community. Although nothing will bring back these brave agents, I am proud to support Ms. Wilson's important bill to name the FBI's new south Florida field office for them. It is just one way, Mr. Speaker, in which we can honor their service and their sacrifice. Special Agents Dove and Grogan are role models for our new generation of law enforcement officers. Their bravery, their courage, their selfless dedication is seen every day in law enforcement officers in south Florida.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 162) calling on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as always, Mr. Royce, the chairman of our Committee on Foreign Affairs, appreciates Ranking Member Eliot Engel of New York's leadership in support of the people of Ukraine. Last week, March 18, Mr. Speaker, marked the 1-year anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion and occupation of Crimea. During the past year, Russia has strengthened its hold over the peninsula, expanded its military presence, and increased its oppression of the minority Tatar population and others who refuse to bend to its occupation. Putin's success in Crimea emboldened him to expand his aggression into eastern Ukraine. Last April, Chairman Ed Royce of California, chairman of our committee, led a delegation to Ukraine and traveled to the Russian-speaking east. The many Ukrainians that Ranking Member Engel and Mr. Royce met with wanted to be Ukrainians, not separatists; yet Moscow moved from forcibly seizing Crimea to aggressively supporting militant separatists in eastern Ukraine. Today, Mr. Speaker, the conflict in the east has resulted in over 6,000 deaths, at least 15,000 wounded, and more than 1 million displaced persons. This carnage is the work of the separatist forces controlled by Moscow, which has supplied them with massive amounts of weapons and has even sent in Russian military forces in combat-supporting roles. As Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland testified before the Foreign Affairs Committee this month, Russia ``has thousands and thousands'' of soldiers operating in Ukraine. As she summed up: This is a manufactured conflict controlled by the Kremlin, fueled by Russian tanks and heavy weapons, financed at Russian taxpayers' expense. Mr. Speaker, the administration's response to this crisis has been tepid at best. Six months ago, the President of Ukraine stood in this very Chamber and, while thanking the United States for our assistance so far, asked for defensive weapons to enable Ukraine to defend itself against superior forces. Pointedly, he told both Houses of Congress, ``One cannot win a war with blankets,'' which is what we are providing. Earlier this month, Members met with the First Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, who said that his country urgently needs antitank weapons, such as the Javelin; radar to pinpoint enemy fire; and communications equipment to overcome Russian jamming. Ukrainian forces cannot match the advanced equipment that Russia is pouring into eastern Ukraine. There is no shortage of the will to fight, only a shortage of defensive weapons. Legal authority for such assistance was made crystal clear by the Congress in December by passing the Ukraine Freedom Support Act. Top administration officials, including Secretary of Defense Carter and Chairman Dempsey of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have indicated support; indeed, this weekend, NATO's top military commander asked: Is inaction an appropriate action? We know his answer is ``no.'' Unfortunately, for Ukrainians and for international security, President Obama has chosen inaction in the guise of endless deliberation; but there is far more at stake here than the fate of Ukraine, Mr. Speaker. This unprovoked attack on a peaceful country, the forcible occupation of its territory, and an effort to unilaterally redraw its internationally recognized borders will undermine the foundation of the international order that was established and has been defended at great cost by the United States and our allies. The world is closely watching what we will do to help Ukraine defend itself from outright assault. If it is too little, too late, those with designs on a neighboring country will feel all that more emboldened. The people of Ukraine are not asking for us to fight for them. They are only asking for the weapons they need to defend themselves. I ask our colleagues to vote for this bipartisan resolution urging the administration to provide this critical assistance to Ukraine before it is, indeed, too late. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of two local south Florida innovative tech hubs: Venture Hive and LAB Miami. Venture Hive is a business accelerator, and LAB Miami is a tech incubator, and both are local leaders working to help our community's entrepreneurs grow, create more jobs, and expand our economy. Building on these lofty goals, Susan Amat, the founder of Venture Hive, has partnered with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to engage students in the business of innovation at an early age. Meanwhile, Wifredo Fernandez, or ``Wifi,'' has worked to build a place known as the Ellis Island of Miami for tech entrepreneurs. Both of these wonderful places are examples for cities across our Nation to help strengthen our economy and spur innovation. Congratulations--felicidades to Venture Hive and LAB Miami.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month, and this week also marks Brain Science Awareness Week, and I am very proud of the amazing advances in neuroscience research that are taking place in my district of south Florida. The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, working in concert with the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, is at the forefront of understanding traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and how they can best be treated. Project investigators are now beginning to experiment with transplanting patients' own nerve cells to enhance recovery following paralysis. This brave work has never been more important, especially for our patriots, our military men and women, as they return home from combat and support missions abroad. Thanks to the brain research happening in Miami and elsewhere, we have never been closer to a cure.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an outstanding educator in my south Florida Congressional District, Dr. Erick Hueck, a chemistry teacher at Miami Senior High School. Dr. Hueck has been an accomplished teacher for more than 25 years, and he has the awards to prove it, including the Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year Award and the Governor's Teacher of the Year Award, among many others. But more than these accolades, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hueck is known to his students as a mentor and a role model, someone to whom they can come for both academic and life wisdom and who is making learning and science fun. Dr. Hueck is a positive influence, giving his students the knowledge, the confidence, and the opportunity to follow their dreams. Thank you, Dr. Hueck. We are all so very proud of you. Go Stingarees.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Army congressional liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives Major Trent Colestock. The Army has recognized his patriotism, abilities, and his demonstrated potential for increased responsibility, and it promoted him to the rank of major on February 1. Born in my hometown of Miami, Florida, and raised in Mineral Wells, Texas, Trent graduated from Texas Christian University, where he earned a degree in business administration and an Army commission. During his congressional assignment, he earned a master's degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army's Field Artillery Branch, Trent has served at Fort Drum, Fort Hood, and in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Throughout his career in our proud military, Trent has earned many accolades, including the Combat Action Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. It is my distinct pleasure, Mr. Speaker, to join with Major Colestock's family, friends, and peers as they honor his promotion and the many accomplishments of his outstanding service to our Nation.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.