Donna Shalala

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise to thank Major Enrique ``Henry'' Doce for his 30 years of service to the Miami Beach Police Department. Born in Havana, Cuba, Major Doce spent his childhood in Miami. He is a graduate of Barry University. In 1984, he joined the Virginia Gardens Police Department. Five years later, he transitioned to the Miami Beach Police Department. Major Doce has worked to serve and protect the Miami Beach community in various capacities, including undercover work and work with the Police K9 Unit. He has been instrumental in supervising and training junior staff, and, for the past ten years, he has helped organize the Department's Memorial Weekend Planning. Major Doce has been named Officer of the Month eight times during his 30 years with the Miami Beach Police Department. He won the Hispanic Heritage Award in October 2016 for his service as a Hispanic Public Safety Officer. I'm deeply grateful for Major Doce's commitment to our community and for his outstanding work over the past three decades. Miami Beach is stronger and safer because of his service.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Julio Balsera, the extraordinary Cuban activist. He passed away last month at the age of 80. Born in Havana in 1939, Mr. Balsera spent his early years fighting the Castro regime. He fled Cuba by hiding inside the kitchen cabinets of a cargo ship bound for Caracas in 1960, and in 1963, he made his way to Miami. Mr. Balsera continued his activism in South Florida. He founded the J. Balsera School Bus Service, which offered children rides to school. Through this business, Mr. Balsera became a key figure in the burgeoning Cuban-American community. He got to know the schoolchildren who rode his buses and their families, and he was always happy to provide vote recommendations. He also sent his buses to mobilize voters ahead of elections and to help Cubans arriving in Florida during the Mariel exodus. Mr. Balsera sold his bus company after four decades of business, but he continued his activism, leading the charge to recall former Miami- Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez in 2011. He was also a founding member of the Cuban American National Foundation. Julio Balsera's influence can be seen at nearly every level of government in the greater Miami area, and his legacy of speaking truth to power will be felt for years to come. I'm proud to recognize his contributions to our South Florida community.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Dr. Lawrence Feldman. A Miami-Dade County School Board Member, Dr. Feldman has been awarded the Green Garner Award, the highest urban education honor in the United States, by the Council of the Great City Schools. Dr. Feldman has served Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 46 years, as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and region director. He has served on the School Board of Miami-Dade County Public Schools for over ten years, and he recently finished his tenure as the Board's Chair. His experience working with culturally and economically diverse communities throughout Miami-Dade County is unrivaled. Throughout his career with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Dr. Feldman has consistently prioritized the wellbeing of students. He has been involved in numerous school safety initiatives, including the implementation of Sandy Hook Promise's ``See Something, Say Something'' and ``Start with Hello'' gun violence prevention programs. He has promoted awareness of brain and head injuries amongst student athletes, and led the creation of stronger programs to identity and help victims of human trafficking and slavery at schools. Dr. Feldman is the recipient of numerous awards for his educational work and public service, including the Minority Chamber of Commerce Public Official of the Year Award. He has been selected as Keynote Speaker for multiple education organizations and conferences, and has led trainings and presentations across the country. I'm proud to know Larry as a great friend and extraordinary educational leader. He has been an exemplary public servant throughout his career, and I'm thrilled that he has been recognized for the Green Garner Award.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, having been through this before, I know how painful impeachment investigations can be. I also know that I am not alone in saying that supporting this continuing inquiry is not a decision that any of us makes lightly. None of us ever hoped to consider investigating our own President for compromising our national security and obstructing justice. Regardless of political ideology, we all understand our constitutional duty. It is with profound sadness and disappointment that we have to continue this investigation. The accusations the House is investigating go straight to the heart of our Constitution. Our Constitution endows us with not only the authority but also the duty to hold our colleagues in the Federal Government accountable if they fail to act in the best interest of our Nation. I don't think anyone here believes that domestic politics should interfere with foreign policy. I hope we will all vote to continue this investigation simply so that we can be clear on all the facts. More than anything, I am confident that all of us possess a capacity for fairness and a commitment to doing what is right for the country we love.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in celebration of pastors Rev. Dr. Anthony Reed and Rev. Karen Reed of South Miami-Dade's Martin Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church, commonly known as the Purple Church. The Reeds have been with the Purple Church for 14 years, providing constant support and inspiration for the Richmond Heights community. The Purple Church maintains active community outreach initiatives, including a food program, support for the homeless and juvenile offenders, and toy giveaways. The Reeds' leadership has brought their community together to participate in and benefit from these community service activities. The Reeds are committed to helping anyone who comes to them looking for support, regardless of culture or background. This spirit of acceptance led them to found the Unity Gathering, through which members of multiple churches come together in worship. The Unity Gathering also serves to raise scholarship funds to help attend college. I'm deeply grateful to Anthony and Karen Reed and for their dedication to the South Dade community.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the accomplishments of Ms. Natty Elias, the founder and President of Healthtex Distributors. Over 30 years ago, Ms. Elias, took special interest in the large influx of Hispanics arriving to South Florida from Latin America. Having immigrated herself in the early 1960's from her native Cuba, Ms. Elias understood immigrant desire and nostalgia for products from their homeland. It was with this understanding and with the goal to fill that need that she launched Healthtex Distributors. Despite initial push back from American retailers, Ms. Elias eventually grew her business from one product line into nearly 2,000 products imported from over a dozen countries around the world. Today, Healthtex Distributors is the largest distributor of Hispanic products in the state of Florida and her products are sold at over 4,000 stores across the country. Through years of hard work and dedication, Ms. Elias has distinguished herself as one of the leading business women in our South Florida community.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Bianca Maderal. A young adult undergoing cancer treatment, Bianca founded Fight Like a Kid, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with cancer. Bianca was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2016 when she was a senior in high school. Since then, she has been a constant source of inspiration and support for other children battling cancer. She continues to receive treatment at the Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. Between chemotherapy sessions, she can be found putting together care packages for pediatric cancer centers across the country, donating funds to pediatric cancer research, and helping other children with their diagnoses. As Fight Like a Kid puts it, sometimes real superheroes live in the hearts of small children fighting big battles. Bianca has become a superhero not only to the other children at Nicklaus Children's Hospital but also to their families and to cancer patients across the country. Fight Like a Kid is an incredible organization created by a truly inspirational young woman. It really is cancer's turn to be afraid.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 656 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. 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. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee met last night and reported House Resolution 656, providing for consideration of H.R. 823, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act; H.R. 1373, the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act; and H.R. 2181, the Chaco Cultural Heritage Protection Act, each under a structured rule. The rule provides each bill with 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking member of the Committee on Natural Resources. The rule makes in order 13 amendments total: 10 Republican amendments and 3 Democratic amendments. The rule also provides each bill with a motion to recommit. Finally, the rule provides recess instructions from November 1 through November 11. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the bills in this rule: H.R. 823, H.R. 1373, and H.R. 2181. These important bills recognize the need to protect unique and irreplaceable American landscapes--public lands that belong to all of us, not to the highest bidder and not to any individual Representative or party. President Theodore Roosevelt once said: ``Of all the questions which can come before this Nation . . . there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us.'' And that is what these three bills attempt to do. They represent the culmination of years of locally driven efforts. These bills protect some of our most iconic lands and resources. H.R. 823 is the result of collaborative efforts among a diverse set of local stakeholders with a shared interest in providing long-term protections for public lands in Colorado. The bill builds on earlier proposals to protect roughly 400,000 acres of public lands for the benefit of the people of Colorado and all Americans. H.R. 2181 would withdraw lands within a longstanding, 10-mile buffer zone around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. This withdrawal would protect an ancestral site for the Puebloan and Tribal communities. It would prevent damage to previously undiscovered cultural resources. Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the hub of trade and culture for thousands of ancestral Puebloans from 1850 to 1250 A.D. Lastly, H.R. 1373 would permanently prohibit new mining claims on approximately 1 million acres of public land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park, the crown jewel of our National Park System--of course, not counting Everglades National Park or Biscayne National Park in south Florida. In south Florida, we are all too familiar with what can happen if we fail to protect our most vulnerable and most unique lands and waters. Whether the Everglades, Big Cypress, and the Miami River or the Grand Canyon, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and public lands in Colorado, we have a deep obligation to conserve and restore these lands. And science tells us, as the climate crisis intensifies, these efforts have never been more urgent. Mr. Speaker, I proudly support these historic steps forward. Let us pass these bills. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my distinguished colleague and friend from Arizona, these bills recognize that some places, lands that belong to Coloradans, to Arizonans, to the ancestral Pueblo peoples, belong to all Americans, and they are just too precious to exploit. I would like to close, once again, by quoting our conservation President, Teddy Roosevelt. ``We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the Nation is worthy of this good fortune.'' Mr. Speaker, today we are doing our part. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the resolution affirming the United States' record on the Armenian genocide. This resolution is long overdue on the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians and thousands of Maronites, Chaldeans, Amalekites, Assyrians, and others who were part of the Ottoman Empire. Mr. Speaker, my grandparents left the Ottoman Empire to escape that genocide just ahead, but their relatives were not as lucky. My grandparents were Maronites. I remember my grandmother's tears as she spoke of their Armenian friends and the many Maronites and Amalekites who were slaughtered by the Ottoman Empire. As a child, I remember the tears and the suffering of our Armenian neighbors and the many members of the other communities whose tears I could not erase. As a child, I could not erase those tears, but for them, I proudly support this resolution.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Reverend Theodore Gibson, champion of civil rights in Miami. Born in 1915, Reverend Gibson emerged as a leader in South Florida's desegregation movement. Determined that his son would attend an integrated school, Reverend Gibson filed a lawsuit against Dade County Public Schools. He also led desegregation efforts at lunch counters and department stores, and even helped integrate Crandon Park Beach by leading a swim-in. Reverend Gibson served as president of the Miami NAACP from 1954 to 1964. During that time, he refused to turn over the names of the members of the local NAACP chapter to the Florida state legislature, which was hunting for communist influence in American political organizations. Reverend Gibson was arrested and fined for standing up for the dignity of the NAACP. In 1972, Reverend Gibson was appointed to the Miami City Commission, where he continued to promote civil rights and empower African American communities. A powerful orator and moral leader, Reverend Gibson devoted himself to the Christ Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove, where he served as a rector until his death in 1982. He is survived by his wife, Thelma Gibson. Reverend Gibson dedicated his life to promoting the rights and welfare of the African American community of Miami. His influence continues to resonate in South Florida and will be felt for years to come. I'm proud to honor his memory.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the 60th birthday of Arbetter Hot Dogs. Founded in 1959, Arbetter Hog Dogs is a family enterprise born out of passion for incredible cooking and the love of making people happy. The restaurant draws on Flaminia Arbetter's experience with Italian cuisine and Robert ``Bob'' Arbetter's memories of eating hot dogs at Fenway Park in Boston during his childhood. Arbetter Hot Dogs is a beloved institution in Miami, providing good, fresh food to our community. As the Arbetters work to honor their customers, provide for their family, and expand their hot dog enterprise, they do so with the support of so many in our community who have tasted their passion. I wish the Arbetter family a fantastic 60th anniversary of Arbetter Hot Dogs. I am confident that their next 60 years will be as fruitful as these last.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of a friend, Marca Bristo, the brilliant advocate for people with disabilities. She passed away recently at the age of 66. In 1977, she became paralyzed from the chest down after a diving accident at the age of 23. As she adjusted to life in a wheelchair, she struggled to navigate in an often deeply inaccessible world. Before long, she founded what is now Access Living, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization focusing on service and advocacy for people with disabilities. She served as CEO until shortly before her death. Marca helped write the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation that extended the Civil Rights Act to people with disabilities. The bill was signed into law in 1990. Four years later, President Clinton appointed her to serve as Chair of the National Council on Disability, where she continued working to increase accessibility and to fight disability discrimination. Her work revolutionized disability rights. She melded an unparalleled sense of legislative strategy with deep compassion for people with disabilities. We will remember her with pride as we continue to work to expand disability rights.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor my good friend Maurice Ferre, who was considered the father of modern-day Miami. He passed away on Thursday at the age of 84. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Maurice championed the power of architectural beauty and cultural diversity to reshape a city. He served Miami as mayor from 1973 to 1985 and succeeded in transforming the city into the commercial and cultural center we know today. Mayor Ferre's vision of Miami as integrated and urban, international and ultramodern is woven into every inch of our community, from the high-rises in Brickell to the bayside park that bears his name. He was a talented politician and innovative entrepreneur and a man of unparalleled class and elegance. He continued to advocate for our city and for the people of Puerto Rico until his last days. His passion, wisdom, and loyalty to Miami will be missed but never forgotten. He was a true titan of public service. I am proud to have called him my friend. Mr. Speaker, my thoughts are with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and with all those in Miami who will miss this incredible man.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of my friend Nick Buoniconti, the humanitarian and football legend. He passed away on July 30, 2019, at the age of 78. Nick's career with the Miami Dolphins began in 1969. With his help, the Dolphins went undefeated in 1972, culminating with a Super Bowl victory. The team won the Super Bowl the next year as well and remains the only team in the National Football League to go an entire season undefeated. After Nick retired from professional football, his son Marc sustained a spinal cord injury in a college football game, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. After this, Nick dedicated himself to focusing on his son's health and supporting the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, of which Marc currently serves as president. In addition, Nick and his family founded the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, which has raised over $500 million in support of the Miami Project's research objectives. Nick Buoniconti's influence will be felt in Miami for years to come. We will remember him with love and pride.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), my good friend and a distinguished Congressman, for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and these three bills that protect our coasts and our coastal economies. Mr. Speaker, I particularly want to thank my fellow Floridians, Mr. Rooney and Ms. Castor, for introducing the bipartisan legislation that places a permanent moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the eastern Gulf. Beyond protecting coastal ecosystems, these bills help ensure military readiness, given the long history of military training and activities, particularly in the Gulf. Offshore drilling is a dirty and dangerous venture that threatens our fragile coastal ecosystems, and in Florida, offshore drilling threatens our very way of life. Mr. Speaker, millions of tourists come to Florida each year to join us in enjoying our pristine beaches and our clean water. Our livelihoods depend on a healthy and clean marine environment. Offshore drilling threatens nearly 610,000 jobs and roughly $37.4 billion in GDP in Florida alone. The risk of another catastrophe like Deepwater Horizon is too great to endanger Florida's healthy ocean resources and thriving coastal economies. In 2018, Mr. Speaker, Floridians spoke out loud and clear. A State constitutional amendment to ban offshore drilling in Florida's waters passed with nearly 70 percent of the vote. In the county where my district is located, Miami-Dade, it passed with nearly 80 percent of the vote. Simply stated: We don't want offshore drilling. Instead, we should be investing our time and resources in renewable, clean energy that we know creates jobs and sets us on a course to combat climate change. Mr. Speaker, we don't need offshore drilling, and we don't want offshore drilling.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the Boys & Girls Club of Miami-Dade on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the Wild About Kids Gala. Founded in 1940, the Boys & Girls Club has become a cornerstone of South Florida through its commitment to the community's youth. This organization serves more than 8,000 children year-round and provides them with the opportunity to succeed. Through after-school and summer programming, participants engage in cultural arts, sports, tutoring, and mentorship to learn character and leadership skills that will guide them for the rest of their lives. The Boys & Girls Club has profoundly impacted our district and the students involved. Participants' high school graduation rates are double those in Miami-Dade County. Education and mentorship are critical to a child's success and the diligent efforts of the Boys & Girls Club have resonated across South Florida. The Boys & Girls Club began with one building and recreation center in 1940 and has grown to five centers across Miami-Dade. I am truly inspired by the Boys & Girls Club's dedication to our community and their passion for enriching the lives of the children they serve. South Florida is richer and fuller thanks to their work.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of my friend Nick Buoniconti, the humanitarian and football legend who contributed to two Miami Dolphins Super Bowl wins in the 1970s. He passed away on July 30, 2019, at the age of 78. Mr. Buoniconti grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, before enrolling in Notre Dame, where he began his football career. Small for the N.F.L., he began playing for the American Football League (A.F.L.) in 1962. An ambitious student as well as an excellent athlete, he studied at the Suffolk University School of Law in Boston during his tenure with the Patriots, graduating with his law degree in 1968. Mr. Buoniconti was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 1969. After the A.F.L. and N.F.L. merged, he helped the Dolphins win the Super Bowl VII, capping off a season in which the team went undefeated. The Dolphins continued to dominate the next year, winning the following Super Bowl as well. Mr. Buoniconti played with the team through 1976, when he retired from professional football. In 1985, Mr. Buoniconti's son Marc sustained a spinal cord injury in a college football game that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Mr. Buoniconti left his job at U.S. Tobacco to focus on his son's health and support the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, of which Marc Buoniconti currently serves as president. The Miami Project is a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where I have seen the groundbreaking research it has supported in the fields of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. Mr. Buoniconti and his family also founded the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, which has raised over $500 million in support of the Miami Project's research objectives. Nick Buoniconti dedicated his life to excellence, both in his football career and in his work with the Miami Project. His influence will be felt in Miami for years to come. We will remember him with love and pride.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Francisco Portillo, the Honduran political activist who fought for immigration reform in the United States. He passed away earlier this month at the age of 64. Born in Honduras, Mr. Portillo dedicated his life to defending and advising Central American immigrants. He founded the Francisco Morazan Honduran Organization in 1996. The organization advocates to improving conditions for Central American immigrants and extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Central Americans, Venezuelans, and Haitians living in the United States. Until his death, Mr. Portillo served as president of this organization and the Coalicion de Organizaciones Latinas Unidas por una Reforma Migratoria. Mr. Portillo received multiple awards for his work, including the 2018 Pride Hispanic Prize. His dedication to public service and immigration reform changed our South Florida community for the better. We will remember him with love and honor him by continuing his work for immigrant rights.

Ms. SHALALA

Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart in honor of Dr. Alice Johnson, who passed away on July 22, 2019 at the age of 91. Dr. Johnson was a renowned educator, writer, and playwright who touched the lives of all who knew her. She began her career as an elementary school teacher and later became a reading specialist and then a writer. She studied creative writing under Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer and novelist Evelyn Wilde Mayerson. She published 19 books and served as playwright for over a dozen plays. Throughout her life, she received numerous accolades, including the Miami-Dade County ``In the Company of Women'' Award. Dr. Johnson was an active member of the Miami-Dade community for more than four decades. She belonged to Christ The King Catholic Church, where she was known for her charitable contributions and her original play ``Women of the Bible,'' which was written for the women of the Christ the King. She will be missed and remembered with love and pride.