Donna Shalala

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and H.R. 549, the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019, this is lifesaving, bipartisan legislation to designate TPS for Venezuelans, and I appreciate the generous remarks of Ranking Member Cole. The socialist, narco regimes of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro have plunged Venezuela into catastrophe. Venezuela was once a thriving democracy. Now the economy, the health sector, the education system, and virtually every democratic institution is in ruins. The Venezuelan economy has completely collapsed, and the inflation is expected to reach 10 million percent this year. More than 4 million refugees have fled the continuous worsening conditions in Venezuelan. They have fled to Colombia, to Brazil, to Peru, to so many countries, and they have come to the United States, following the footsteps of millions of refugees before them; those who have helped make this the greatest country on Earth. They have come to our shores in search of the freedom, democracy, and security that the Maduro regime has stolen from them, and so many Venezuelans have come to south Florida where they have contributed so much to our diverse community. In my district, there are approximately 17,000 Venezuelan-born residents, so this is personal for us. These are our neighbors, our friends, our students, and our teachers. My constituents cannot safely return. As the vote on Tuesday demonstrated, we are ready to take legislative action to allow Venezuelans to apply for temporary protective status. TPS has bipartisan support in the House and in the Senate, but now it is time for the Senate to take this bill up. Our hope is that passage of this bill in our House will light the fire under the Senate. Bipartisan TPS legislation has passed through the Senate committees. Now more than ever, it is time for them to take it up and to get TPS signed into law. TPS is a fundamental, literally, lifesaving component to our approach to the crisis in Venezuela, but TPS alone won't solve the crisis. The United States and the international community must continue to put pressure on the regime to facilitate a peaceful change in leadership. We must expose the corrupt networks that prop up the Maduro government and meet the urgent basic needs of the poor, the hungry, and the sick. Because our ultimate goal is to secure a stable and peaceful transition of power for the Venezuelan people, I want to thank my Florida colleagues, including lead sponsors Mr. Soto and Mr. Diaz- Balart, as well as Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and also our Puerto Rican colleague, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon. I also want to thank Chairman McGovern for his work to help make sure this bill was included in this rule. Viva Venezuela.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 549, the Venezuelan TPS Act of 2019. And I thank my distinguished colleague from south Florida, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, for his comments and for his coaching during my first year. Venezuela was once the richest country in Latin America. Now, the economy, the health sector, the education system, and virtually every democratic institution is in ruins because of the Socialist policies of the evil Maduro regime. Venezuela is experiencing the largest refugee crisis in the history of the Western Hemisphere. There are tens of thousands of Venezuelan- born residents in south Florida--17,000 in my district alone. My constituents cannot safely return to a country in chaos. This is why TPS was created. As the vote on Tuesday demonstrated, this Congress is ready to allow Venezuelans to apply for TPS. TPS has bipartisan support in the House and in the Senate. It is time for the Senate to take this bill up. TPS is a fundamental component in our approach to the crisis in Venezuela, but it will not alone solve the crisis. The United States and the international community must continue to put pressure on the regime to facilitate a peaceful change in leadership, because our ultimate goal is to secure a stable and peaceful transition of power for the Venezuelan people.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this lifesaving bipartisan legislation to designate temporary protective status for Venezuelans. Maduro's evil regime has plunged Venezuela into catastrophe. The once-thriving country is in free fall, with Venezuelans now suffering from the largest economic, political, and humanitarian crisis in the entire hemisphere. Just in 2018, nearly 30,000 Venezuelans applied for asylum in the United States, becoming the number one country of origin for asylum claimants. Many Venezuelans have come to south Florida, where they have contributed so much to our diverse community. In my district, there are approximately 17,000 Venezuelan-born residents. My constituents cannot safely return. A recent U.N. report detailed the shocking government abuses, including extrajudicial killings at the hands of Maduro's death squads. Simply stated, granting TPS for Venezuelans is the right thing to do. TPS has bipartisan support in the House and in the Senate. We now have an opportunity to take real action to support those who have fled the crisis caused by the illegitimate, inhumane Maduro regime. Madam Speaker, I thank my Florida colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as our colleague from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon), for their work on this important legislation. I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote. Vive Venezuela.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the Torres amendment, No. 658, which recognizes the lifesaving work performed by our Nation's 911 call takers and dispatchers. Mr. Chairman, all of the emergency activities in my own district--the police, the fire, the emergency responders--strongly support this amendment, and so I want to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle simply stating these professionals save lives. And more than giving 911 call takers and dispatchers the recognition they deserve, it would make the standard occupational classification system more accurate and, therefore, more useful as a statistical resource. I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the brilliant coach of the United States Women's National Team, Jill Ellis. On Sunday, on a soccer pitch in Lyon, France, our U.S. team clinched their fourth FIFA World Cup victory, two of which have been won under the leadership of Coach Jill Ellis. I know that our former colleagues who passed title IX in 1972 are smiling. That year, only 700 girls in the United States played soccer at a high school level. This year, over 400,000 played at a high school level, a 55,000 percent increase. Coach Ellis lives in my district with her family. She is my friend. We join our entire country in honoring her extraordinary recruiting, her analytical skills, and the sophisticated winning system she developed. As one writer put it, her team ``could do different things and win in different ways.'' Jill Ellis is one of the greatest coaches in soccer history. She is the very definition of world class. I am proud to join my colleagues in honoring her and the entire United States Women's National Team today.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Chairwoman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chairwoman, the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program provides financial assistance to servicemembers for voluntary off-duty education programs in support of professional and personal development. Tuition assistance is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and are part of an approved academic degree or certification program. These courses must be offered by schools that are recognized by the United States Department of Education, and they must abide by all rules governing the higher education sector. Because of a loophole that exists in Federal law, known as the GI Bill loophole, however, many for-profit colleges target veterans and servicemembers with aggressive and deceptive recruiting tactics in order to collect as much GI Bill and DOD revenue as possible. In fact, research has demonstrated that the for-profit college sector is the only sector in higher education that increases tuition when additional Federal student aid becomes available. As one for-profit college president turned whistleblower told veterans' organizations and Federal officials last summer: We cleaned up all our materials, but behind closed doors, our recruiters will do anything and say anything to get their hands on GI benefits and DOD Tuition Assistance funds. This is simply unacceptable. Through the selfless sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, we as citizens receive freedom, a freedom that many people in this world envy. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to those who serve and must not allow anyone to abuse their benefits. Madam Chair, this amendment is simple, and it will ensure that veterans, Active Duty servicemembers, and their families are not taken advantage of by anyone in the predatory for-profit college sector. This amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to publish on its website the distribution of DOD Tuition Assistance funds at institutions of higher education and conduct an audit for any for-profit institution that fails to meet the financial responsibility standards set in the Higher Education Act of 1965. Madam Chair, a for-profit college has, by definition, a fiduciary duty to its shareholders to maximize profits. Success is determined by the amount of tuition revenue brought in and the profits made, not by the quality of education provided to its students. We speak about the good and bad actors in the for-profit college sector, and this amendment seeks to tell us just that. I know that my good friends on the other side of the aisle have always supported our veterans. I know they deeply care about fiscally responsible policies and transparency. Supporting our veterans and Active Duty servicemembers has historically drawn large, bipartisan support. It is incumbent upon us as elected officials to put forth an accountability system that distinguishes bad actors from good actors and looks out for the American taxpayer and protects our military community. Madam Chair, this is personal for me. Every generation of my family has served in our country's military, and all have used their educational benefits. I know the value of a good education. I have seen it firsthand in my four decades as an educator and as a college president. Our veterans deserve better than policies that allow bad actors in our education system to take advantage of their service and their sacrifice. I want to thank my colleagues who have worked with me on this issue and my good friend, Congresswoman Katie Porter, for cosponsoring this amendment. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment and stand on the side of our servicemembers. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Chair, the DOD has already taken steps before to ensure Tuition Assistance funds are being spent properly when those institutions have been identified. My amendment allows the Secretary to broadly apply much-needed oversight to a sector that continues to defraud servicemembers and siphons off billions of dollars from the Federal Government. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of Wilbur Bell on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Mr. Bell's business, Bell's Short Stop. Opened in 1969, Bell's Short Stop has grown into a community staple. Thanks to Mr. Bell's business savvy and dedication to the tight-knit West Perrine community, Bell's Short Stop has expanded to include Flavas, a soul food staple that attracts not only locals but also Florida politicians and visiting NFL players. Mr. Bell's businesses have played an integral role in the lives of the families of West Perrine, bringing supplies and services as well as community spirit to the neighborhood. Mr. Bell is also a local celebrity, West Perrine's first elected official as former Chair of the Miami-Dade County Community Council. Prior to this position, he studied at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and served in Vietnam, for which he received a Vietnam Service Medal. He is also a licensed real estate broker and member of Midtown Realty's Millionaire Club. Mr Bell's business has become a family affair. Three of his children worked at Bell's Short Stop, and one son currently runs Flavas. But more than that, Mr. Bell treats his customers as though they are family. I am truly inspired by Wilbur Bell's passion for giving back to the West Perrine community, his dedication to his business and to his family, and his ability to transform a store into a local landmark. South Florida is richer and fuller thanks to his work.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Chair, last week The Washington Post reported that the administration is canceling English classes, recreational programs, and legal aid for unaccompanied minors in migrant shelters. The largest of these shelters, the Homestead detention facility, is in my district's backyard. The children housed at the Homestead facility are between the ages of 13 and 17. Despite their youth, they have already faced unfathomable hardship, including poverty and violence in their home countries and the journey they have made to ours. But because of our anti-immigrant, antichild policies, their hardship doesn't end at our border. These children are taken to detention facilities like the one at Homestead, which currently houses 2,350 kids. I have seen the prison-like conditions in which they are kept. In fact, if they were in our Federal prisons, they would be better treated. In our Federal prisons murderers have 30-minute meals, but at these facilities for children, the kids have only 15 minutes to eat their meals. Federal prisoners are entitled to 300 minutes of phone calls per month, while these children have only 80 minutes a month to call their families. They are closely monitored, unable to leave the compound, kept in military camp-like rooms with up to 150 kids per room. We do not have a Federal prison in this country which houses 150 persons in one room. They are barred from even hugging their friends or siblings. Some of these kids have been forcefully separated from their parents without explanation. And what is more, the Homestead facility is for profit. We are letting a private company make money off of these children's tears. Now, without classes, recreational programs, or even legal aid, these kids are on their own in every way imaginable. This is utterly un- American. The canceling of classes, programs, and legal aid for these kids is only the latest step in this administration's anti-immigrant agenda. We have a moral obligation to treat these children like we would treat our own, and that means providing them with the support they need during and after their detention. I have introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill, H.R. 2740, that will increase funding for legal services, child advocates, and post-release services by $10 million. These are basic services that the administration is legally obligated to provide to unaccompanied children who are detained in these shelters. Our laws require us to do so. Our budget must be smart; it must be careful; and it must be compassionate. We have a chance to show that there is no excuse for the mistreatment of our most vulnerable children. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to this appropriations bill. These children are our collective responsibility, and they deserve better. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time. Announcement by the Acting Chair

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters).

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Chair, let me just remind everyone that these children are our collective responsibility. They deserve better, and I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to this appropriations bill. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, today as we mark Gun Violence Awareness Month, we wear orange to remember the victims of gun violence. We remember Parkland. We remember Pulse and Charleston and Pittsburgh. We remember Virginia Beach. We remember the children of Liberty City and Sandy Hook. We wear orange to remember. We wear orange to remind ourselves that we must not give up until children can go to school, worshippers can go to church, and employees can go to work free from the fear of gun violence. We will not give up until universal background checks are in law and until the weapons of war are banned from our streets. Madam Speaker, we will not give up until this epidemic is over.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 415 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, on Monday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 415, providing for consideration of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, under a closed rule self- executing a manager's amendment. The rule provides 2 hours of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill in this rule, H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act. I rise as the granddaughter of immigrants. This is a historic day in which we begin to shape immigration policy that reflects American values. H.R. 6 offers a path to lawful permanent residence status for Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED beneficiaries. These are our neighbors, our friends, our schoolmates, our workers, and our family. They make our communities stronger and fuller. They are Americans in every way except under the law. We intend to correct that omission today. These immigrants are longtime residents of our country with deep roots in the communities where they reside. For many of them, the United States is the only country they have ever called home. It is cruel and un-American that we have left members of our communities to suffer uncertainty in this way. With this bill, we keep families together and ensure that these women, men, and children can continue contributing to the communities we share. In my district, Florida's 27th, there are 11,400 residents who are eligible for protection under H.R. 6. Approximately 8,200 are Dreamers, and 3,400 are TPS or DED holders. As I have long said, in my south Florida community, it doesn't matter the color of your skin, the language you speak, whom you hold hands with, your religion, or your country of origin. You are a Miamian if you call our city home. Today, the House of Representatives will make clear that you have every right to call yourselves Americans, too. Madam Speaker, I proudly support this historic step forward towards a more just America. Let's pass this rule and H.R. 6. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren), the distinguished chair of the Committee on the Judiciary's Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 2 minutes.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.