Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, my parents and I arrived in this country in the early 1960's after escaping the totalitarian dictatorship of Fidel Castro in Cuba with the dream of starting a new life in freedom. Soon after arriving, my family and I were able to learn why this great country was seen around the world as the land of opportunity. After much hard work, my parents were able to settle into their new home and provide us children with the foundations for our future prosperity. That same dream of freedom and democracy that my parents had is still shared by the immigrants who arrive to this country today. Unfortunately, I am afraid that today, across the Nation and in some of our political leaders, there is a current which runs against this desire. The current, instead, runs in favor of severely restricting and even ending legal immigration. This movement is fed by the incorrect notion that immigrants are attracted to the United States because of our social programs and soon after arriving, they become a burden on the State. Mr. Speaker, the facts do not back this notion. The reality is that immigrants have made positive contributions to virtually all sectors of American life. In the economic spectrum especially, immigrants have clearly been prominent participants in the growth of the U.S. economy. For example, in my hometown of Miami, the number of businesses, large and small, owned by Cubans has grown from barely 900 in 1967, to over 28,000 in 1990. As a matter of fact, 18 percent of all small businesses are started by immigrants. This is the entrepreneurial spirit and personal initiative we in this country admire, and which the Founding Fathers of the United States tried to instill to future generations. Moreover, it has been estimated that legal immigrants pay a combined $70.3 billion a year in taxes while receiving $42.9 billion in services. Add to this the immense amount of human capital which legal immigrants bring to this country and there is little doubt that refugees have been an integral part of the U.S. economic success story. Mr. Speaker, it will be a sad day in U.S. history when we no longer look at immigration as positive for our Nation's prosperity. No other country can share stories like that of Pablo Fonseca, a Cuban who arrived in the 1980 Mariel boatlift and just 2 years later had already graduated from Miami-Dade Community College with high honors. He then proceeded to the University of Florida and later obtained his dentistry degree from the University of Indiana while winning numerous honors and awards. Today, Dr. Fonseca is a practicing dentist, full of admiration and gratefulness for this country. As he himself said, ``This great country is a place of unlimited opportunities. As long as you try hard and you know where you are going, the sky's the limit.'' Or the story of Edith Bolt, a Nicaraguan who arrived in Miami in 1985 as a teen with no knowledge of English. After graduating from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1989 and attending Miami-Dade Community College for 2 years, Edith proceeded to graduate magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in finance from Florida State University. Today, she works in the action-packed world of finance as a credit analyst for a Miami bank. Or the story of Winy Joseph, a young woman from Haiti who also knew no English but through ESL courses was able to learn the language. Today, Winy attends Miami-Dade Community College and plans to continue her studies in the field of international relations. And finally the story of Jorge Sierra, another Cuban who emigrated in 1992 to the United States at the young age of 21 without knowing a word of English. Today he is a fluent English speaker who has successfully obtained a degree in computer science and works as a software developer. Mr. Speaker, these are just four stories of the thousands which show the determination and hard work of immigrants in their drive to forge a new life of success. More importantly, these are the stories that make America great, that separate this country from all others. Where else can the daughter of Cuban refugees who fled their homeland in search of a new life become a member of the National Government? Only in America. Mr. Speaker, I dare say that all my colleagues in this body know of many immigrant success stories. Whether it is the small businessowner, or the son or daughter of an immigrant who is now a doctor or a lawyer after much hard work from the parents; all of us know of immigrants who have succeeded through honest, hard work. To turn our backs on these American residents who share the same dreams and hopes as native born Americans would be detrimental to this country and would betray the spirit of freedom and opportunity of which we are so proud.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today marks the half-way point of the Contract With America. This Congress has passed more major legislation in 50 days than most other Congresses would legislation increased, but the substance of legislation has changed as well. The focus of the legislation passed in recent Congresses was to expand the power of the Federal Government. The focus of the legislation passed over these last 50 days has been to reduce Government. The balanced budget amendment, the line-item veto, and unfunded mandates reform are all geared toward making the Federal Government a servant of the American people and not a millstone around their necks. Mr. Speaker, Republicans are committed to bringing real change to Washington, the type the American people voted for last November. We have kept our promise for the first 50 days and we will keep it for the next 50 days.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I support the Gibbons-McDermott substitute protecting section 1071, which has helped to open up broadcast licenses to minorities. It will also tighten the provisions of this tax incentive to prevent potential abuse and insure that it will truly benefit minority owners. If we fail to adopt this substitute, Mr. Chairman, we will be sending a message that we do not wish to continue this effort to encourage greater ownership by African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and other minorities in broadcasting. This provision was aimed at strengthening the FCC's efforts to make scarce broadcast air waves available to all Americans. Minority participation in the ownership of radio and television stations has increased dramatically under this policy. Before 1978, minorities owned less than one-half of 1 percent of broadcast licenses. Today, 3 percent of all radio and television stations are owned and controlled by over 300 minority owners. Many minority owners have testified that without this tax program, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for them to secure broadcast facilities. Section 1071 has made it possible for many to experience the American dream. By better serving the needs of the marketplace, it is truly a successful way of allowing our free enterprise to work for the benefit of all Americans. Mr. Chairman, let us not participate in a rush to judgment to destroy this program, which has helped to open up access to the Nation's air waves for all of us.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to join with thousands of my constituents and recognize Dr. Manolo Reyes for over a half century of public service in this country and in his native Cuba. On the occasion of his 70th birthday, Manolo Reyes had a street in Miami named in his honor in recognition of decades of leadership in south Florida. Manolo Reyes earned a law degree in Cuba and was a successful figure on Cuban television. With the establishment of the Castro dictatorship, he joined thousands of his fellow Cubans in a life of exile. In Miami, he became the face of the exile community for an entire generation of Cubans and non-Cubans alike, as the first Hispanic television news anchor in the United States. Those of us who grew up watching his morning newscast remember his dignified and authoritative delivery of the day's events. For his ground breaking work in television journalism Manolo Reyes received an Emmy. After earning a second law degree in the United States, Manolo entered a second career in the health care field. since 1987, he has worked at Mercy Hospital overseeing patient and governmental activities. In addition to all this, Dr. Reyes founded the Saint John Bosco Clinic which helps care for those who would otherwise fall through the cracks in the health care system. He has been quoted as saying ``next to my family, this clinic is the most precious act of love in my life.'' To Manolo Reyes and his family, I offer my congratulations on the recognition of a lifetime of achievement and best wishes for many more years of success.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, if there were a disease in this country that affected Americans of all races, ages, and sexes, a disease of epidemic proportions that touched the lives of each American citizen every single day, an epidemic that took over America's streets and literally held our citizens hostage in their homes--if there were a disease such as this in our country, wouldn't this Congress do everything in its power to find a cure? Mr. Speaker, there is such a disease in this America today--the epidemic of crime--and the American people are crying out for a cure. Republicans are working hard to find a cure. Our crime bill answers the citizens' pleas by forcing criminals to pay and pay dearly for their crimes. It's time that the criminal element in this country takes responsibility and blame for spreading the disease of crime. It's time to stop punishing the victim and start punishing the criminal. Mr. Speaker, this crime bill is the best cure for the epidemic of crime in America. I urge my colleagues in this Congress to give the American people a cure that is tough and effective. Give them a real crime bill.