Ross Spano

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Michaela McLean on her crowning achievement of being named Miss Florida 2019. Michaela, a graduate of East Ridge High School in Clermont, Florida, and daughter of two citrus growers, is no stranger to pageants, as she had also previously been named Miss Florida Citrus. To win this latest competition, she was able to showcase her skills as a collegiate dance major, a talent she uses to express her dreams and her struggles. She has plans now to use her other college major of public relations to help promote Florida's economic and cultural strengths. Michaela will promote her social impact initiative called Brave & Beautiful, which encourages women to develop healthy habits while living purpose-driven lives. Brave & Beautiful has already launched conferences in multiple schools in central Florida and has made an impact internationally in Kenya, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to hear how Michaela is using her many gifts to help transform lives, and I applaud her efforts. She is a wonderful role model for our young women.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Randall Edwards, a veteran of World War II, who this month turns 102 years old. Edwards enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1935, at 18 years old, and served as a first class radioman for the USS Canopus in the Philippines. He then joined Allied ground forces, where he and his unit were captured and sent to a Japanese prison camp. He spent 3 years as a prisoner of war, and despite being forced to work 7 days a week in appalling conditions and becoming nearly deaf due to abuse, he never allowed his spirit to be broken. In fact, after the war, he reenlisted in the Navy and was sent to Japan to serve in the U.S. occupying force. Edwards later became a national service officer for the American Ex-Prisoners of War organization, helping other veterans reintegrate. Warrant Officer Edwards survived some of the worst of World War II, and he persevered through captivity and returned to bring democracy to his captors. Mr. Edwards represents the greatest of our Greatest Generation, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I say thank you.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express grave concern with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. Every year, Congress is tasked with funding our military. These funds do everything from feeding our troops to equipping them for combat, to giving them and their families medical care. Because this funding is of such vital importance for our troops and our national security, these bills normally pass through Congress with wide bipartisan support. However, despite the President, senior military officials, and a bipartisan Senate all agreeing on a funding level, House leadership has proposed a bill $15 billion less than what experts say is required. This bill represents one of the worst political games I have seen in this House. It puts our servicemembers at risk and leaves our entire Nation vulnerable by underfunding personnel accounts, vital modernization initiatives, and deterrence against foreign aggression. I call upon this House to follow us in this lead to set aside our differences and authorize these programs at the levels needed to protect our troops and our Nation.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry for including amendment No. 341 in the en bloc package. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of amendment No. 341. This bipartisan amendment introduced by Representative Schneider and me will fully authorize the Boots to Business program, which ensures that our veterans and their spouses receive essential education on how to start and grow their own small businesses. In the same way that we give our troops the tools that they need for service, we must also prepare our veterans for civilian life. This program has received broad support from many of our veterans, and I strongly encourage my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to come together in support of this bipartisan amendment and give our veterans the training that they deserve.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Judy Genshaft for her 19 years of service as president of my alma mater, the University of South Florida. During her tenure, she emphasized research. That commitment has been a major part of why USF has been rated as one of the Nation's top 25 public universities for research. Her advocacy for technology had a direct impact on the city of Tampa, which has grown into one of the most successful tech hubs in the world. Under her leadership, USF's endowment nearly doubled; its 4-year graduation rate tripled; and now, all USF students graduate at the same rate, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or family income. On a personal level, she is also an immensely generous donor, having helped fund the USF Honors College and then made an additional gift to endow its deanship. More impressive than these numbers are Judy's contagious energy and her genuine concern for her students. She regularly worked 12-hour days and still made time to talk with students whenever she saw them. Mr. Speaker, Judy is a woman clearly guided by purpose. I am so grateful for everything that she has done and continues to do to make my alma mater, the University of South Florida, better for our students and our city.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table H.R. 3401, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment. This bipartisan bill passed the Senate with 84 votes and could be sent to the President's desk for his signature today.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a local legend who recently passed away in Lakeland, Florida. Mr. Billy Henderson had a passion for flying planes since he was a young man. As a matter of fact, he used to fondly say he started flying in 1946 when he was 16 years old and began legally flying 20 years later in 1968. Billy turned his passion into a life purpose, and in 1974, he and four others created SUN n' FUN, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting aviation education in central Florida. SUN n' FUN has grown from hosting a small fly-in, which attracted 900 attendees, to the largest annual convention in Florida. Every year, more than 100,000 visitors come to Lakeland to watch pilots, such as the Blue Angels, show off the best that aviation has to offer. SUN n' FUN not only brings in $60 million to central Florida every year, but also has an impact beyond the convention. The organization operates the Florida Air Museum, which houses over 100 aircraft, and sponsors over $2 million per year in scholarships for aviation education. Madam Speaker, the skies over Lakeland will never be the same without Billy Henderson, but they will be marked by his legacy for years to come.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the appropriations minibus that we will be voting on this afternoon. Like the first appropriations package, this legislation is being considered without reaching a budget agreement, and it would bust the budget caps by over $350 billion in fiscal years `20 and `21. Not only is the majority spending out of control on programs we currently have, but they are creating new programs in these bills. This circumvents the authorization process and compounds the debt problem. Last week, I submitted an amendment to eliminate funding for one of these new pilot programs that would use Americans' hard-earned tax dollars to provide legal representation to those arriving at our southern border. My amendment would have reallocated that funding to assist victims of human trafficking and address school violence, both issues growing at the local level in our communities. Unfortunately, Democrats on the Rules Committee voted along party lines to prevent my amendment from coming to the floor. I call on Democrat leadership to stop silencing commonsense proposals and let us debate those tough issues. It is what we were elected to do.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the immigration supplemental that will be brought to the floor later tonight. While I appreciate that the majority in this House has finally come to the realization that there is, in fact, a crisis on our southern border after spending the first 6 months denying that fact, they continue to refuse to work with Republicans to address the real problem. The bill before us today was drafted with no Republican input. For the past 2 days, its fate has seemed uncertain, as there are members of the Democratic conference who don't believe we should have a border or enforce our laws. We are a nation of laws. Americans who selflessly choose to join the law enforcement profession put their lives on the line every day to protect Americans and care for those in their custody. They are working overtime to deal with this crisis. What support do they get in this supplemental? It doesn't fund the pay or overtime shortage. Instead, members of the majority party have spent the past week calling ICE and CBP criminal agencies that are killing children. I want everybody to think about that for just a moment. There are members of the Democratic conference who are telling Americans that ICE and CBP are killing children in their custody. The Democratic leadership has been engaged in negotiations the past 2 days to win the support of these Members. One of the solutions contained in the manager's amendment is an extra $2 million for the continued operation of the Immigration Court Help Desk program. The average wait time to have a case heard in the immigration court is over 700 days. Does the bill include the $55 million that the Senate bill does for additional immigration judges? No. Rather, it includes $2 million for a 1-800 number to check on the status of a case. The wait is over 700 days.

Mr. SPANO. The wait is 700 days. That is like putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. I look forward to addressing this crisis, but this bill is not the solution. If they were serious about solving the problem, Democrats would include additional funding to take care of our law enforcement, which is working so hard to address the crisis, and they would include additional funding to reduce the court backlog. It is time to get serious about the crisis. It is time to offer real solutions.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Ranking Member Diaz- Balart and Chairman Price for working together on the bipartisan en bloc package that passed the House this afternoon. That package included my amendment to increase funding for commercial space activities at the FAA by $8 million. In Florida, and all over the country, we are seeing the commercial space industry continue to grow rapidly, and the launch frequency is only expected to increase. The 5-year FAA reauthorization, which received strong, bipartisan support and was signed into law at the end of the 115th Congress, recognized the need to begin increasing funding for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation. My amendment increased funding to $33 million, the fiscal year 2019 authorized level. This will ensure the Office of Commercial Space Transportation has the resources necessary to facilitate increased commercial space launches and reentries.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank Ranking Member Aderholt and Chairman Serrano for working together on the bipartisan en bloc package that passed the House yesterday. That package included my amendment to increase funding for the International Trade Administration by $2 million to provide additional funding for enforcement and compliance activities. Unfair trade practices directly harm our domestic manufacturing and agricultural sectors. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that there are nearly 55,000 unpaid antidumping and countervailing duty bills covering fiscal years 2011 through 2016, totaling $2.8 billion in uncollected duties. This is a critical issue for my district. Americans who eat U.S.-grown strawberries in the colder winter months are probably eating a strawberry grown and harvested by the hardworking farmers in Plant City, Florida. We are proud of our role in providing Americans access to U.S.-grown produce year-round. However, the strawberry growers in my district are under attack. They are under attack from illegal ``dumping'' practices, and this must be stopped. The additional funding provided by my amendment is a step in the right direction to combat unfair trade practices so that U.S. producers can compete. Again, I want to express my gratitude to Ranking Member Aderholt and Chairman Serrano for including this amendment in the en bloc package that passed the House yesterday.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my disappointment in the missed opportunity this House had this week to protect individuals with preexisting conditions. Since the Democrats took the majority in January, they have stoked fear with the American public that the administration will remove these protections; however, maintaining the current coverage requirements for those with preexisting conditions is an issue that Republicans and Democrats in this body agree on. That is why I cosponsored Congressman Rodney Davis' amendment to H.R. 2740 that would have prohibited any funds at the Department of Health and Human Services from being used to weaken the existing safeguards. However, every single Democrat on the Rules Committee voted to prevent this amendment from even being debated by the full House. Instead, they would rather continue to politicize the issue and stoke fear that these critical protections are in imminent danger of being taken away. I urge this body to stop sowing discord on issues we agree on and to work towards bipartisan solutions that benefit the people we serve.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the city of Temple Terrace and Mayor Mel Jurado for officially declaring the city a trafficking-free zone. As part of the effort, the city of Temple Terrace has pledged to take important steps to crack down on buyers in the sex trade, which will reduce the demand for sex workers and decrease the number of victims trafficked, specifically. Temple Terrace is implementing a zero-tolerance policy where city employees will be automatically terminated if they are caught soliciting prostitutes. The Temple Terrace Police Department has also been encouraged to increase enforcement against buyers of sex work by conducting more stings. And, finally, city staffers are required to take mandatory training on how to spot signs of trafficking and how to help potential victims. This is a monumental step forward for our community, and I am honored to join the city of Temple Terrace and Mayor Mel Jurado in the fight against human trafficking.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Bruce Burnham, a retired member of the military police who served in the Vietnam war and was awarded the Bronze Star. After retiring from the military, Mr. Burnham began teaching at Armwood High School, where he taught history, social studies, and classes on the Vietnam war for 30 years. Known affectionately as the mayor of Armwood, Mr. Burnham continues to dedicate his retirement to the students. He serves as the announcer for the Armwood varsity football team and continues to give speeches to high school students on the Vietnam war. Mr. Burnham was placed on the front lines of history, and he has spent the last 30 years retelling that history to his students. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Burnham clearly has the love of our community. He also has the respect of our country.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which is necessary to save the innocent lives of innocent children, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, if this unanimous consent request can't be entertained, I urge the Speaker to--

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I was one of 169 House Members who signed a letter to President Trump urging him to reject any appropriations legislation that would undermine pro-life protections. The President agreed. He agreed that long-standing pro-life provisions should be retained and has promised to veto any bill that weakens those pro-life protections. Unfortunately, the legislation before us not only strips pro-life provisions, but it includes language that, in fact, undermines efforts to promote life. In this bill, Democrats included provisions that would prevent the Trump administration from implementing its Title X and conscience protection rules to protect life. The Title X Family Planning rule ensures that Federal funds do not go to facilities that perform or promote abortion as family planning. For more than 40 years, this country has operated under the policy that not one cent of taxpayer money can be used to fund abortion. We are a Nation that deeply values religious liberty, and this rule further protects Americans' tax dollars from being forced to subsidize entities that kill unborn children. Accordingly, I am fully supportive of Representative Roby's amendment, that we will debate this afternoon, to strike the language that would halt this important rule and the other amendments that will restore pro-life policies to this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support these provisions.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, at the start of this Congress, the new Democratic majority promised that legislation would be considered under regular order. Six months into Congress, it is evident that that promise has been abandoned altogether. Instead, the majority has used a procedural tactic to set spending levels and circumvent the normal budget process. There is now no sign of a 2020 budget resolution coming before the House to set spending levels, so the full House has no opportunity to debate these levels as a standalone bill. The national debt exceeded $22 trillion this year. The American people expect us to debate and vote on a budget that will outline the direction of our Nation. However, without having passed the budget, the House will consider a massive spending bill this week that combines five appropriations bills. Altogether, the package includes nearly $1 trillion in spending. Members will take this vote to spend with no plan or agreement between the House and Senate on an overall budget. I call on the majority to follow through on its promise of regular order and bring a budget before the House so that we can debate the out-of-control spending and how it can be reined in and reined in now.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of nine young men and women who have accepted the call to serve our Nation, beginning with their nominations to one of our prestigious U.S. service academies. Each has excelled academically and has shown strong leadership through extracurricular activities. Today, I applaud the following nominees. Harry Combs, Gabriel Compres, Rayna Drigo, Jackson Pepe, and Carlton Potter will be attending the United States Military Academy. Treyvon Poe and Zane Richardson will both be attending the United States Naval Academy. Kenya Smith will be attending the United States Air Force Academy. And Andrew Campbell will be attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy. This group of students reflects one of the best and brightest in Florida's 15th District. I congratulate them. I am honored to nominate them to our service academies, and I am confident that they will serve our country with distinction.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize three schools that recently finished excellent high school baseball seasons. First, I want to congratulate Lakeland Christian, who capped off a 24-win season by winning the Florida Class 3A State championship on June 1. It was no small feat to knock off a three-time defending State champion, but under the leadership of Coach Blane Fox, they won 3 to 1. This was the first Polk County team to win a baseball State title in 24 years. Second, it should come as no surprise to those who know Florida baseball that it was two Hillsborough County schools, Plant City and Strawberry Crest, that faced off in the Class 8A championship on May 30. Plant City, under the leadership of Coach Michael Fryrear got off to a quick start and never looked back, winning 3 to 1 over Coach Eric Beattie's Strawberry Crest team and finishing the season with 30 wins. I congratulate Florida Class 3A State champions, Lakeland Christian; Class 8A State champions, Plant City; and Class 8A runner-up, Strawberry Crest. Madam Speaker, all three teams should be proud of their accomplishments over this past season.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, this country was built by great leaders on the bedrock of even greater ideals. The idea that all are created equal and endowed with those certain inalienable rights. The idea that democracy was instituted not to bestow rights given to us by God, but to safeguard them from tyranny. The conviction that a government's power to protect our rights comes solely by consent of the governed. But as we are a country of imperfect leaders, we often fall far short of these perfect ideals. And 100 years ago today, great women brought this country into a new age; an age where women are endowed with that inalienable right to vote; an age where women can safeguard their rights at the ballot box; an age where the power of our democracy comes from the consent of all the governed. And at a time when a woman serves as Speaker of the House and there are more Congresswomen with us today than at any other point in our history. We are in this age because of great women. And I am honored to share this House with so many of you.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Zion Lutheran Church in Groveland, Florida, for celebrating 100 years of service to the community. For the past 100 years, Zion has stood as a shining example to the people of Groveland of what it means to be a Christian. Under Reverend Werley's leadership, the congregation has actively shown God's love through service. The church regularly provides backpacks and school supplies to four schools in the area, which are then given to students who need them most. Additionally, many women in the church also operate a knitting ministry, where they knit prayer shawls and blankets for people who are spending time in hospitals and nursing homes. Many of these gifts come with a prayer so that the recipient knows that they are not alone in their time of need. Beyond these and many other acts of kindness, Zion has consistently spread the good news to the people of Florida. The church has led by example and shown what it means to live like Christ for generations of Floridians. You may be small in numbers, but you are, indeed, large in spirit.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I happen to be a Christian, and I am grateful. I am grateful to have been born in a nation where my beliefs and those of every other American are legally protected by our Constitution. It is no coincidence that the very First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees religious liberty. Our Nation was settled by men and women from all over the world with divergent beliefs and conviction. We were Catholics, Puritans, Lutherans, Jews, Baptists, Hindus, Anglicans, Quakers, and Muslims. This rich and diverse cultural melting pot was the soil in which the guarantees of the First Amendment were planted, sprouted, and grew very strong. And over these last 230 years, the freedom of Americans to worship and believe as their conscience and their God dictates has become deeply and firmly rooted in our Nations's heritage, laws, and jurisprudence. But although deeply rooted, I fear we have forgotten and neglected its fundamental importance. The First Amendment was adopted long ago, but freedom--freedom--is always a new idea. Coretta Scott King wisely said: ``Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.'' H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. You see, it would immediately expose churches, religious schools, and universities and faith-based organizations to legal liability for simply following their earnest beliefs. It would essentially allow the government to place its hard and unyielding fist inside the church walls to force compliance with the convictions and dictates of the State instead of the church. H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. It would force small businesses, small business owners all across this country to provide services or products to the public that may violate their deeply held, faith-based convictions, again, allowing the State to essentially impose from above, top down, its own moral codes and rules in place of those of the individual. H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. It is a large leap backward for parental rights, pitting physicians against parents, the genuine religious convictions of parents when their child seeks life-altering, irreversible sex reassignment treatment before that child has even developed physically or emotionally, once again, government inserting its rigid fist and iron will, this time, directly into the family unit. H.R. 5 is bad for freedom. It would, in one fell swoop, deliver a crushing blow to the base of the tree of religious liberty, the tree that has grown strong and provided shade and protection for many for so long.

Mr. SPANO

Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor First Lieutenant Hope Kirkendall, a distinguished veteran from Lakeland, Florida, who served in World War II. Lieutenant Kirkendall heard the call to serve after seeing the bombing of Pearl Harbor when she was only 18 years old. She joined the Army as a nurse, where she was one of the first women deployed to Normandy after D-Day. During her deployment, she routinely worked 12- to 16-hour days near the front lines of many major battles, including the Battle of the Bulge. She treated both wounded American and German soldiers. In 2004, she received the French Legion of Honor award for her service in saving France from German occupiers. Lieutenant Kirkendall provided hope to many on the battlefield, and her legacy continues to provide hope to us at home. Lieutenant Kirkendall represents our very best, and I thank her for all that she has done to defend and serve our great Nation.