Frederica Wilson

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Henry Lewis Ill. After conducting a year-long, nation-wide search, The Florida Memorial University Board of Trustees chose Dr. Lewis to serve as the university's 12th president in 2011. I congratulate him on thirty-five plus years of leadership and service to the Florida community. Dr. Lewis is recognized for his passion through his motto of transforming educational outlets from Good to Great. This educational passion pushed him to increase FAMU College of Pharmacy's endowment from $1 million to more than $22 million. Dr. Lewis is responsible for educating and training 25 percent of the nation's African-American pharmacists. In addition to his legacy as an educator, he raised over $95 million in biomedical research training grants. Dr. Lewis has also transitioned his exceptional leadership skills in the community serving as the first African-American elected to the Leon County Board of County Commissioners in Tallahassee, Florida. While a Commissioner, he established the county's Minority Business Enterprise program, developed the branch health clinic network, successfully advocated legislative funding for a $2.5 million clinic building and strategically placed a $20 million public library downtown adjacent to the C.K. Steele bus terminal, making it reachable to all Tallahassee citizens. Dr. Lewis is frequently lauded as a leader amongst leaders. He has been the recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award, Dr. Martin Luther King Leadership Award, Outstanding Tallahassean Award and Pharmacist of the Year. Colleagues, please join me in saluting Dr. Henry Lewis III, whose future educational investments will continue to create the nation's future global leaders.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to voice my strong opposition to the legislative efforts across the nation aimed at suppressing voter turnout. Democracy is not a spectator sport. It is something we should encourage every American to engage in. A vibrant democracy is a healthy democracy, and back home in my district we take that lesson to heart. I come from Miami, one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and I intend to keep it that way. Unfortunately, some of my former colleagues in the state legislature feel differently and are doing their best to ensure that some people don't enjoy the same access to the polls this November as they did last November. In Florida, we have enacted a series of changes to our voting laws, and I wanted to make this Chamber aware of them. I want you to hear personally, Mr. Speaker, the reasons why I feel that these new laws are not only uncalled for, but a detriment to American democracy. I feel that the letter the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators, and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP submitted to Chris Herren of the Department of Justice on June 17, 2011 regarding the voting changes in Florida states my feelings clearly and succinctly. I'd like to read that letter for you now, Mr. Speaker: June 17, 2011. Comment Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act Re: Section 5 Submission No. 2011-2187 (Submission by the State of Florida Regarding Omnibus Elections Law Bill, Laws of Florida 2011, Chapter 2011-40) Chris Herren, Chief, Voting Section, Civil Rights Division, Room 7254-NWB, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Herren: Introduction The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators, and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, urge the Attorney General to object to the pending Section 5 submission of the State of Florida's omnibus elections law bill, Laws of Florida, Chapter 2011-40 / HB 1355 (hereinafter ``Chapter 2011-40''), which provides for, inter alia: (1) a reduction in the number of days for early voting from 14 days to 8 days; (2) a requirement that registered voters who have moved between counties cast provisional ballots rather than regular ballots; and (3) unprecedented restrictions on volunteer third-party voter registration efforts. The state has failed to meet its burden of showing either that Chapter 2011-40 will not have a retrogressive effect, or that its adoption was free of discriminatory purpose. Each of the measures described above will have a retrogressive effect on minority voting rights. Moreover, Chapter 2011-40 was enacted despite strong and measured concerns presented by a majority of members of the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators about the bill, and the justifications proffered by the State do not help the State satisfy its burden of showing the absence of discriminatory purpose. Analysis I. Background The implementation of all proposed statewide voting changes in Florida is subject to the requirements of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973c(a). Because five counties in Florida are covered by Section 5 (Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, and Monroe Counties), statewide voting changes in Florida are subject to Section 5's preclearance requirements. See Lawyer v. Dep't of Justice, 521 U.S. 567, 570 (1997) (Section 5 applies to statewide voting changes in Florida); see also Lopez v. Monterey County, 525 U.S. 266, 283-84 (1999) (statewide voting changes are subject to Section 5 review where a state is partially covered by Section 5). Laws of Florida, Chapter 2011-40, the Omnibus Elections Law Bill that is the subject of this Section 5 submission, was signed into law by the Governor of Florida on May 19, 2011, and submitted for review to the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 5 on June 8, 2011. See Section 5 Submission No. 2011-2187. Retrogressive Effect Section 5 prohibits voting changes that would result in ``a retrogression in the position of racial minorities with respect to their effective exercise of the electoral franchise.'' Beer v. United States, 425 U.S. 130, 141 (1976). This Comment Letter focuses on the retrogressive effect of three provisions of Chapter 2011-40: (1) reductions in Florida's early voting period; (2) new provisional ballot requirements for registered voters who move across county lines; and (3) new restrictions with attendant penalties on third party organizations engaged in independent voter registration efforts. As documented below, each of these proposed voting changes will have a retrogressive effect. A. Early Voting Section 39 of Chapter 2011-40 (``Section 39'') amends Florida Statutes section 101.657(1) to reduce the number of early voting days from 14 to 8, and gives local supervisors of elections discretion over early voting hours, changing the hours that early voting sites must operate from a mandatory 8 hours per day (other than weekends), to a discretionary range of 6 to 12 hours per day. Thus, Section 39 not only essentially eliminates the first week of early voting in Florida, by decreasing the total number of days of early voting from the benchmark practice of 14 early voting days to only 8 days, it also makes possible a reduction in total hours of early voting from a mandatory 96 hours to a minimum of only 48 hours. Moreover, by providing for wide discretion in early voting hours, Section 39, as compared to the benchmark practice, will likely result in substantial inconsistency in early voting hours across the 5 covered counties, risking confusion amongst minority voters in these areas. Significantly, African Americans make up a disproportionate percentage of early voters in Florida's covered counties. African Americans constitute only 12.15% of the voting age population in the five covered jurisdictions in Florida, but were 18.86% of early voters during the 2008 General Election, with over 41,000 African Americans voting early. Additionally, Section 39 essentially eliminates the first week of early voting, which will have a clear retrogressive effect on minority voters in the covered counties. During the first week of early voting in the 2008 General Election, African Americans constituted an even higher percentage of early voters, 20.08% in the covered counties. A total of over 17,000 African Americans voted during the first week of early voting in the covered counties during the 2008 General Election. We note that the percentages vary from county to county, and, as the table above demonstrates, Hillsborough County featured the highest level of racial disproportionality among voters during the first week of early voting in the 2008 General Election, with African Americans constituting only 14.63% of the voting age population, but 27.70% of early voters. The figures in our independent analysis are confirmed by at least one news report indicating that, during the 2008 general election, African Americans were 22% of voters during the first week of early voting in Florida statewide, despite being only 13% of the Florida electorate. Overall, nearly 54% of Florida's African-American voters in 2008 voted at early- voting sites. In other words, African Americans were significantly overrepresented in the pool of early voters overall, and were much more likely than white voters to take advantage of the first week of early voting. Under Section 39, however, the first week of early voting would be eliminated, and the total number of mandatory early voting hours potentially reduced substantially, with inevitable retrogressive effects. It is unsurprising that, as a group, African-American voters have taken advantage of the access currently afforded by the existing early voting period in Florida, given that, as this Department has noted, minorities in the Section 5- covered counties in Florida have lower rates of vehicle ownership and therefore benefit from the flexibility afforded by a wider range of early voting days. More recent Census data shows that 17.6% of African Americans in Florida's covered counties live in homes without a vehicle, as compared to only 4.8% of whites. These disparities in access to transportation mean that African American voters are more likely to encounter greater difficulties obtaining transportation on Election Day, such that an elimination of early voting days would substantially curtail existing levels of access to the polls with a resulting retrogressive effect on minority voters. These concerns were confirmed by Leon Russell of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP. Mr. Russell stated the Florida NAACP's Get-Out-the-Vote efforts will likely ``be impacted by'' Section 39. He added that the benchmark practice of two weeks of early voting is essential because [t]wo weeks provided folks with options and allowed them to coordinate voting with other reasons for being in the vicinity of an early voting location. Even though you may provide the same number of hours of operation, those hours don't automatically equate to the same opportunity. With a limited number of locations, time of day and transportation are important. Joyce Russell, African-American Affairs Liaison for the Hillsborough County Government, echoed these concerns. She stated, ``[t]he fact that [the proposed law is] going to shorten [early voting] is going to affect African-American voters'' in Hillsborough County, where many African-American voters ``work different hours of the day, so they can't always get into the regular voting hours. Many have non- traditional working hours.'' She noted that in Hillsborough County, ``[w]e've seen African-American voter participation soar because of the early voting days.'' Ms. Russell stated that a longer early voting period ``gives you more flexibility'' for transportation, explaining that ``Black churches have gotten involved'' in helping African-American voters get to the polls, and that it is ``easier to arrange church buses on a Saturday'' than it is on Election Day. State Senator Arthenia Joyner, whose district encompasses part of Hillsborough County, stated that ``[e]arly voting has changed the landscape of voting'' by making possible broader participation among minority voters,'' and that the proposed reduction of early voting days would have a ``dramatic impact'' on Black voters in Hillsborough County. She noted that the total number of early voting hours in each County will be left to the discretion of each Supervisor of Elections, who could set the number of early voting hours as low as 48. Senator Joyner also stated that, even if the number of early voting hours remained the same, ``compressing into 8 days will not do what we had before--we're losing an entire weekend, including the Sunday before the election.'' State Representative Darryl Rousson, whose district also encompasses part of Hillsborough County, raised similar concerns, stating that, for his African-American constituents, ``[c]utting back the number of [early voting] days erodes access and absolutely chips away at a person's opportunities to vote.'' He explained that despite statements to the contrary, Section 49 does not ensure that the same number of early voting hours will be ``available, because local election officials will have discretion'' to reduce the number of early voting hours significantly. Representative Rousson added that ``Black leaders in my community,'' such as pastors, will now have a harder time ``gather[ing] up members'' for Get-Out-the-Vote efforts. He further stated that, in his opinion, Section 39 is ``aimed at minorities-- black folks and Hispanics--whose job restrictions do not permit them to vote at normal hours.'' This Department has previously objected to changes to Florida's absentee voting rules based on data showing that, in at least some covered jurisdictions, ``minority voters disproportionately avail themselves of the absentee voting option because they often do not have accessible transportation to the polling place on election day and/or have jobs that do not permit time off to vote.'' These same considerations should guide the Department's Section 5 review here. To put the significance of early voting into perspective, we note that, in the 2008 General Election, over 2.6 million votes were cast during Florida's early in-person voting period, accounting for an estimated 31.25% of all ballots cast. Most significantly, the percentage of early voters was even higher in four of the five Section 5-covered counties; specifically, the percentage of voters who voted early in the Section 5-covered counties were as follows: Collier (36.85%); Hardee (43.75%); Henry (44.39%); Hillsborough (28.41%); Monroe (33.50%). In recent elections, Florida has been beset by ``hours-long lines'' to vote on Election Day. Nowhere was this more true than in Hillsborough County, the largest Section 5-covered jurisdiction in Florida, where, during the 2008 General Election, ``[h]undreds waited for more than four hours to vote,'' and ``where poll workers failed to give hundreds of voters the second page of their ballot. . . .'' At the University of South Florida, which is ranked 14th among undergraduate institutions nationally in awarding degrees to African Americans, ``students waited in lines for in excess of three-hours'' during the 2008 General Election.'' Senator Joyner noted that, in Hillsborough County, ``we have long lines at the inner city polls on Election Day,'' and that the lines at the polls were ``long enough when early voting was 14 days, and they will be even longer now.'' Given these realities, early voting is a crucial means of participation for African-American voters in the covered counties. It is therefore clear that a reduction in early voting days as proposed in Section 39 would have a retrogressive effect on minority voters. B. Provisional Ballot Requirements Section 26 of Chapter 2011-40 (Section 26) amends Florida Statutes section 101.045 to eliminate the right of registered voters in Florida who move from one Florida county to another to change their addresses at the time of voting. Under the benchmark practice, Florida permitted voters who have moved to update their address information in person at the polls at the time of voting by swearing an affirmation as to their new address. In such cases, the voters' existing registrations are carefully cross-checked in a state database before the voters are given a regular ballot. Section 26 eliminates that right, so that voters who move among Florida's 67 counties will be forced to cast provisional ballot. According to one estimate based on 2008 election figures, the result will be that nearly 34,000 additional Florida voters will be required to cast provisional ballots. This law will have a clear retrogressive effect on minority voters in the 5 covered counties. For one, the impacted group of voters will be disproportionately comprised of minorities, who tend to move more frequently than do white Americans. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 43% of African Americans and 48% of Latinos reported moving during the previous 5 years, as compared to only 27% of whites. African Americans and Latinos similarly report a higher likelihood of moving within the next 5 years: 59% for African Americans and 43% for Latinos, as compared to only 35% for whites. These numbers are consistent with statistics from the Census Bureau showing that, in Florida's covered counties, African Americans have lower rates of home ownership (41.62% living in owner-occupied homes) than do non-Hispanic whites (74.31%), and other data showing that non-homeowners move three to four times more frequently than do homeowners. We note that this Department has previously relied on statistics indicating that minorities have lower rates of homeownership in the Section 5-covered counties in arriving at a determination to object to voting changes in Florida. Furthermore, Florida has the nation's highest foreclosure rate, with three of the Section 5-covered counties in Florida continuing to experience foreclosure rates that are substantially higher than the national average. In our assessment, there are currently higher relative rates of mobility amongst minorities as compared to whites in the covered jurisdictions in Florida, and this trend is one that is likely to continue in the coming years. Given these facts, the expected result of Section 26 is that more minority voters will be forced to cast provisional ballots, and at disproportionately higher rates. State Representative Rousson confirmed that this was the likely result for his minority constituents, explaining that, under Section 26, ``people who change addresses--which often happens in minority low-income communities--[will] have[] to cast provisional ballots'' more frequently. Ms. Russell, of the Hillsborough County Government, also explained that this change will ``affect African Americans disproportionately.'' She explained that ``African Americans, like other minorities, are often working class people . . . and sometimes they have to move.'' She noted that Section 26 is particularly problematic because African Americans in Hillsborough County ``have higher rates of unemployment and being laid off,'' and that, ``[w]ith the economy like it is, now people are having to move because of layoffs, or they lose their home or can't pay their rent, through no fault of their own, but they are still eligible to vote.'' Thus, we anticipate that, if implemented, Section 26 would force a disproportionate number of African-American voters to a different process for casting a ballot during elections, which will be retrogressive because provisional ballots are counted less frequently than are normal ballots, particularly in the covered jurisdictions. During the 2010 general election, the number of provisional ballots counted statewide was 74.27%, but only 55.64% of provisional ballots were counted in Florida's Section 5-covered counties, with particularly low numbers in Collier (58.71%) and Hillsborough (54.35%) Counties. Statewide, the number of provisional ballots counted during the 2008 General Election was even worse, with fewer than half (only 48.59%) of all provisional ballots cast in Florida actually counted. Of particular worry is that there was substantial variation within the State with respect to the treatment of provisional ballots: for instance, during the 2008 General Election, 80% of provisional ballots were counted in majority-white Duval County, whereas only 60% were counted in Section 5-covered Hillsborough County. Numbers were even lower in Section 5-covered Collier County: 36.45%. This suggests that the rules governing the counting of provisional ballots are not being implemented uniformly. Ms. Russell, of the Hillsborough County Government noted that, in her County, forcing voters to use provisional ballots can become ``so confusing that people will get discouraged and stay home,'' and that, even if voters do cast provisional ballots, ``[w]e know that those provisional ballots are not always counted.'' State Senator Joyner also noted that it ``takes additional work by a voter'' to make sure that a provisional ballot is counted, because voters will often have to return to the local election authority after Election Day in order to provide supporting documentation to ensure that their ballots are counted. In Senator Joyner's view, this will have a retrogressive impact on minority voters in Hillsborough County, ``whose incomes are limited, who don't have transportation, who'll have to make an additional trip to verify their information.'' In sum, given the disproportionately high rate of mobility and high foreclosure rate among minority communities within the 5 covered counties, Section 26 would result in more minority voters in the covered counties casting provisional ballots, which would in turn result in fewer ballots cast by minority voters being counted. The retrogressive effect of Section 26 would be particularly pronounced in Collier and Hillsborough Counties. C. Restrictions on Third Party Volunteer Voter Registration Efforts Section 4 of Chapter 2011-40 (``Section 4'') amends Florida Statutes section 97.0575 to require that any third party organization engaging in voter registration efforts submit any completed voter registration applications within 48 hours, or face penalties of $50 per application per day late. Section 4 represents a substantial change from the benchmark practice, which permitted volunteers working for third party organizations engaged in voter registration drives to submit completed voter registration applications up to 10 days after receipt. The 48 hour time period and the threat of substantial financial sanctions for failure to comply with this new restriction will severely hamper or completely deter voter registration efforts by volunteer third party organizations whose mission is to provide voter registration opportunities to minority communities. Leon Russell, of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, stated that Section 4 ``would likely discourage participation in voter registration efforts.'' Mr. Russell noted that the NAACP's voter registration events take place in many different locations during various days of the week, but that volunteers from individual NAACP units frequently ``may not be able to turn in documents until the unit meets'' again, which could be several days after a planned registration event. The fact that these efforts are volunteer-based and uncompensated makes speedier transmittal of the forms especially onerous on the minority communities within the covered jurisdictions, many of which suffer from higher rates of socio- economic disparities and higher poverty levels. Mr. Russell added, ``[t]he threat of fines will also keep people from volunteering.'' Harold Weeks, President of the Collier County branch of the NAACP, which regularly conducts voter registration drives in Collier County, stated, in reference to the fines contemplated by Section 4, that he ``wouldn't want to subject anyone to those kind of consequences,'' particularly ``young people'' who may mistakenly fail to turn paperwork in on time. He added, ``[w]e don't have much money to help pay somebody's fines.'' Ms. Russell, of the Hillsborough County Government, observed that, in her County, ``[t]here are a lot of African Americans, voting age individuals, who are not registered,'' but that Section 4 is ``going to intimidate a lot of African- American groups that would love to register people as first time voters.'' She added, You want to do your civic duty to register people, and now . . . it's very difficult to do. . . . Most people will feel like it's not worth the trouble. It's really going to hamper African-American Greek organizations (fraternities and sororities) that work on voter registration efforts. . . . It makes it more difficult to do that. State Senator Joyner also noted that the ``48 hour cap will cripple voter registration efforts.'' She stated that, ``[i]n the Black churches there's ongoing voter registration,'' but under the proposed change, ``you have to have someone every day'' turn in registration forms, which is an onerous administrative burden on churches serving low-income communities. State Representative Rousson echoed these concerns, stating that ``by making it 48 hours to get registration forms in, you're stifling'' voter registration. This is no trivial matter for minority citizens in Florida, who have substantially lower voter registration rates than average. As of 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that, in Florida, African Americans had a registration rate of 53.6%, Latinos a rate of 47.4%, and Asians a rate of 35.3%, as compared with an overall average registration rate in Florida of 62.4%, and an average for white Floridians of 69.2%. Voter registration drives are a crucial means of addressing these inequalities, as studies show that African-American and Latino voters are more than twice as likely to register in these drives. The implementation of Section 4 would therefore have the effect of only worsening these registration disparities. III. Discriminatory Purpose Assessing a jurisdiction's motivation in enacting voting changes is a complex task requiring a ``sensitive inquiry into such circumstantial and direct evidence as may be available.'' The ``important starting point'' for assessing discriminatory intent under Arlington Heights is ``the impact of the official action whether it `bears more heavily on one race than another.' '' Other considerations relevant to the purpose inquiry include, among other things, ``the historical background of the [jurisdiction's] decision''; ``[t]he specific sequence of events leading up to the challenged decision''; ``[d]epartures from the normal procedural sequence''; and ``[t]he legislative or administrative history, especially . . . [any] contemporary statements by members of the decisionmaking body.'' Numerous cases arising under Section 5 have employed this standard to help ferret out discriminatory intent in the Section 5 process. As noted above, various features of Chapter 2011-40 will have retrogressive effects on minority voters in the 5 covered counties. These concerns were no secret as Chapter 2011-40 was debated. To the contrary, they were raised often by members of the public. And, without exception, every single member of the Florida Conference of Black State Legislators voted against this legislation. It is noteworthy that these broad changes to long-standing voting laws--some of which have been in place for decades-- are being proposed so recently after the last General Election, when African Americans in Florida turned out and exercised their political power in record numbers. One news report noted that the changes to early voting, and in particular the elimination of early voting on the Sunday before Election Day, ``appear[] to be aimed directly at discouraging Florida's black voters.'' State Senator Joyner stated, ``we view this as an effort to marginalize the votes of minorities in our County because we had tremendous turnout in recent elections.'' State Representative Rousson added, ``in my mind, and in the minds of the Black leaders in my community, there is no question about the motives behind this. This is absolutely voter suppression and subversion. The perception is that it is aimed directly at [the Black] population. My constituents feel under siege.'' Chapter 2011-40 was enacted in spite of these and other objections, but we note that the state's proffered interests in enacting Chapter 2011-40 do not withstand even casual scrutiny. Although the State claims that these voting changes are necessary to prevent voter fraud, there is no evidence of a problem of voter fraud in Florida, as even the Florida Secretary of State has ``acknowledged that there is little voter fraud in the state.'' Nor is there any indication of how shortening the early voting period, requiring validly registered voters to cast provisional ballots, or imposing heavy fines on voter registration organizations would actually prevent fraud. Moreover, as this Department has acknowledged in response to a previous Section 5 submission by the State of Florida, ``procedures used to eliminate voter fraud should not unnecessarily burden the rights of minority voters.'' Finally, while legislators also claimed that these changes are necessary for the sake of reducing ``cost,'' an interest in administrative efficiency has not been recognized as a sufficient justification for voting procedures that otherwise violate the VRA. Conclusion For the reasons identified above, we urge the Attorney General to interpose an objection to Chapter 2011-40, as the state has failed to meet its burden of showing that it will not have a retrogressive effect, nor that it was adopted free of discriminatory purpose. Indeed, the state's submission contains no analysis whatsoever concerning the retrogressive effect of Chapter 2011-40 on minority voters, simply asserting without any substantiation that the proposed voting changes ``will apply equally to all voters. . . .'' That is not, however, sufficient to satisfy the state's burden to show the absence of retrogressive effect under Section 5 analysis. See Beer, 425 U.S. at 141. At a minimum, the Attorney General should issue a More Information Request (MIR) concerning the various issues raised in this letter as they affect minority voters in the five Florida Counties covered by Section 5. Should you have any questions regarding the information presented in this Comment Letter, please contact Dale Ho at 212-965-2252. Sincerely, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.: John Payton, President & Director-Counsel; Kristen Clarke, Co-Director, Political Participation Group; Ryan Haygood, Co-Director, Political Participation Group; Dale Ho, Assistant Counsel; Natasha Korgaonkar, Assistant Counsel. Florida Conference of Black State Legislators: Representative Mia Jones, Chair. Florida State Conference NAACP: Adora Nweze, President. Mr. Speaker, I don't think I could lay out my objections to the new voting laws in Florida any more clearly. I thank the authors of the letter I just read for their fine work, I only wish it wasn't necessary. Mr. Speaker, as we progress through this election season I would urge this Chamber and all of my colleagues to remember that every vote is important. Every American should be valued, and any effort to circumvent the right to vote, which some of us in this Chamber have fought so hard for, is a tragedy.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc was founded on Tuesday, December 4, 1906 at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, as the First African- American Intercollegiate Fraternity. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. was founded by seven courageous men who will forever be known as the Noble Jewels of the fraternity; Henry Arthur Calis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinkle Jones, George Biddle Kelly, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle and Vertner Woodson Tandy. The fraternity's aims of ``manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind'' have always been displayed by its many national programs which includes, ``Go to High School, Go to College'', ``A Voteless People is a Hopeless People'' and Project Alpha. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., successfully completed the building of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument in Washington, D.C., the only African-American and non-president to be so honored on The National Mall. The local chapter in Miami-Dade County, Beta Beta Lambda Chapter raised over $2.1 million during the leadership of seven chapter presidents and the monument coordinator (Brothers Gordon Murray, W. Ajibola Balogun, Dana Moss, Ola Aluko, David Young, Maurice Hurry, Trevor Wade and Gregory Gay) for the building of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument in Washington, DC. Today, I commend the Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for their contribution and their effort in building the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument in Washington, D.C.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to tell my fellow Americans that House Republicans have declared a war on the holidays. By refusing to allow an up or down vote on the payroll tax cut extension passed by the Senate, my Republican colleagues are putting lumps of coal in everyone's Christmas stockings, and taking away their Hanukkah gelt. We in Congress cannot in good conscience go home for the holidays until we ensure that our constituents can celebrate with their families instead of feeling like the Grinch stole all their presents. We have a measure in place which nine out of every ten Senators--both Democrats and Republicans--agreed to. We have a measure in place that the President, over his own wishes, has said he will sign into law. We have a measure that the majority of my Caucus is ready to support. Why are we waiting?! Mr. Speaker, today I urge to my colleagues to join me in support of a true payroll tax cut and unemployment extension. I urge them to join me in supporting the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3630. I urge them to join members of their own Caucus, and most of all I urge them to join the American public. We've been down this road before. What President Obama is for, the Republicans are against; and whatever the President is against, they are for. The Republicans are not looking out for the American people, Mr. Speaker--they are only looking out for their own selfish interests and for their stated goal of defeating President Obama in 2012. Let's put an end to these games, Mr. Speaker. Let's not give 160 million Americans a $1,000 tax hike, let's not take away the unemployment benefits of 2.2 million Americans, and let's not block 48 million seniors' access to their doctors.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on Rollcall No. 781 on passage of H.R. 3078. To implement the United States-Columbia Trade Promotion Agreement; Rollcall No. 782 on passage of H.R. 3079, To implement the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement; Rollcall No. 783 on passage H.R. 3080, To implement the United States-Korea Trade Agreement; and Rollcall No. 784 on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 2832, To extend the Generalized System of Preferences, and for other purposes, I am not recorded because of an absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay,'' ``nay,'' ``nay,'' and ``yea,'' respectively.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember Frances Reeves Jollivette Chambers. Fran was born on November 13, 1921 in Overtown--in the heart of my district. She was the daughter of The Miami Times founder Henry E.S. Reeves and his wife Rachel Jane Cooper Reeves who had emigrated from the Bahamas two years earlier. Fran was an integral part of my community, and she will be missed dearly. Fran wed Cyrus M. Jollivette, Sr., in December 1942, was widowed in January of 1960, and married James R. Chambers in July 1963. She would remain with James until his death in June of 2000. During her life, she was blessed with daughters Regina Jollivette Frazier and Cleo Leontine Jollivette, and a son, Cyrus M. Jollivette. Before passing, she was also blessed with four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Again, Fran was a leader in my community. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High in 1938, she graduated summa cum laude from Bennett College in 1942 and received a Master of Arts degree from New York University in 1959. She would later study at the University of Miami, the University of Florida, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, and Barry universities where she amassed more post graduate credits than required for a doctoral degree. Fran taught and guided generations of students at Dunbar Elementary, Miami Jackson Senior High, COPE Center North, and Holmes Elementary before retiring from the Dade County Public Schools in July 1979. In total, she spent more than 37 years as a teacher, reading specialist, counselor, and principal--she was an amazing woman. In the 1950s, Fran was a volunteer for the March of Dimes and the American Heart Association, and in the 60s she was JESCA board chair, a board member of Senior Centers of Dade County, and a member of the American Association of University Women. In the 70s and 80s she was a member of the Florida State Board of Optometry and the League of Women Voters, and as a retiree in the 1990s she continued volunteering in the community while traveling the world. Ultimately, Fran visited more than 50 countries and six continents. She was a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the NAACP, a platinum member of The Links, Inc., and a charter member and past president of the MRS Club, a six-decades-old group of friends. At Incarnation Episcopal Church she was a member of Daughters of the King. Again Mr. Speaker, Fran was a remarkable woman. She will be missed. Almost thirty years ago, and in a far different world, she conceived, developed, and implemented a research plan that would lead to a book recording the history of Miami's black pioneers. Her goal was to ensure that future generations could appreciate the long and difficult road Pioneer Miamians had traveled, and that they would not be forgotten. In the same vein, we will not forget her. Fran's vision was realized in March, 2010, when a 120 page hard-bound coffee table book, Linkages & Legacies, was published by The Links, Inc., Greater Miami Chapter. Mr. Speaker, today I rise with a heavy heart to announce Fran's passing, but I will leave this chamber with great joy as I remember all the wonderful gifts she gave to my community. We miss you, Fran.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today, you would have been fifteen. Today, you would have been a freshman in high school. Today, you would have been the fine young woman you were meant to be. You are not forgotten. Mr. Speaker, Rilya Wilson was a foster child of the Florida Department of Children and Families. She went missing on January 18, 2001, and was not reported missing until two years later. The resulting investigation culminated in the resignation of the DCF chief and the passage of a new law I championed in the Florida House of Representatives--a law improving the supervision of foster children and requiring the tracking of efforts to find missing children. It was later shown that Geralyn Graham, her caretaker, engaged in identity and Medicaid fraud by accepting payments during Rilya's disappearance. Today, Geralyn is in jail, and believed by many to have murdered our beautiful Rilya. Unfortunately, circumstantial evidence is the only evidence available to prosecutors, and I fear that Geralyn Graham will walk free. This must not happen. The laws governing the reporting of missing children simply are not strong enough. Failing to report a child you know is missing should always be a crime of the most serious kind. Once more--Rilya, you are not forgotten. I will never sleep, I will never slumber, and I will never rest until we find you--until those responsible for your disappearance are brought to justice. Many nights I dream that I will one day get to meet you. Every night I dream that you have grown into the fine young lady you were meant to be. Every night I dream that I will see you reunited with your loving sister, Rodericka. I pray that it will be so.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. I have asked some of my colleagues to join me today to pay tribute to a wonderful, wonderful stateswoman who represented Florida's 17th Congressional District for more than a decade--Congresswoman Carrie Pittman Meek. It is my present district. As a part of the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, her colleagues are honoring her today for her distinguished service to greater Miami, to Florida, and to this Nation. In Congress, she focused on issues near and dear to her heart and to those of her constituents, including economic development, education, affordable housing, and issues affecting Haiti and Haitian Americans. The Miami-Dade County community has shown its appreciation to her by naming an elementary school, a health clinic, a boulevard, a branch of a local college, and a community center in her honor. Congresswoman Meek once said, ``Service is the price you pay for the space which God has let you occupy.'' I cannot think of someone who embodies this principle more than she. Thank you, Carrie Pittman Meek, for standing up for all of us, and we are all standing on your shoulders.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Alvin Aureliano Davis, who was recently named the 2012 Macy's Florida Department of Education State Teacher of the Year. With this honor, Mr. Davis will serve as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for education, touring Florida as an education advocate. Mr. Davis is the band teacher at Miramar High School and has been a music educator for the past 11 years. By actively encouraging his students and keeping them engaged on obtainable goals, his students find success both in and out of the classroom. For the past three years, every student who was a regular participating member of the Miramar High band program has gone on to college under his guidance and leadership. Alvin Davis graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. He began his professional career as the band instructor at Crystal Lake Middle School, teaching the fundamentals of band to 6th thru 8th graders. As the director of the Miramar High School band, Mr. Davis, has continuously constructed his music program and performances with the philosophy of developing an award winning, academic-focused music program on the cutting edge of creativity and band pageantry. Mr. Davis has a genuine and vested interest in his students. Passing on the legacy of music appreciation is only part of his greater mission of instilling academics and discipline. He requires his students to receive one-on-one counseling with a member of the band staff, and he personally reviews students' report cards and interim reports. Every school band rehearsal includes a one-hour study hall where students are tutored. He has implemented guidelines that high school seniors can perform only if they have registered to take the ACT or SAT college entrance exams, and must prove they have applied for admission to a college or university. Over the years he has developed a reputation as an educator with a heart as big as the moon as he is wholeheartedly dedicated to the entire educational welfare of students. Alvin Davis is the husband of Tiffani Davis and the proud father of 16-month-old Caitlyn. I proudly acknowledge his achievement as the 2012 Macy's Florida Department of Education State Teacher of the Year and appreciate his commitment to the many students whose lives he has positively impacted.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 615, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Stated against:

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to attend to votes in the House today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on final passage of H.R. 33, the Church Plan Investment Clarification Act.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. I rise today in support of this bipartisan amendment that strikes a blow for fairness for those consumers who need flood insurance. I rise along with my colleagues from Florida: Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, David Rivera, Ruben Hinojosa, and Rush Holt. I am a proud Floridian by birth. I make Florida my home. Most of my family and friends live in the great State of Florida. On top of our sunshine, Florida has a regular hurricane season and torrential rainfalls. The majority of the people who live in Florida live in this reality for the majority of their lives. However, flooding does not only affect the State of Florida, so I want to ensure that taxpayers who live in flood zones do not pay too much for their vitally needed flood insurance. This amendment is very simple: It prevents flood insurance rates from potentially going up 100 percent. The current cap on flood insurance rate increases in a given year is 10 percent. My amendment would keep it that way. This commonsense, bipartisan amendment is fiscally responsible. It protects consumers, and it ensures that the National Flood Insurance Program will remain sound. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my bipartisan amendment that strikes a blow for fairness for those consumers who need flood insurance. Along with my colleagues Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, David Rivera, Ruben Hinojosa, and Rush Holt, I want to ensure that taxpayers who live in flood zones do not pay too much for their vitally needed flood insurance. My amendment is very simple. It prevents flood insurance rates from going up 100%. The current cap on flood insurance rates is ten percent. My amendment would keep it that way. I am a proud Floridian by birth. I make Florida my home. Most of my family and friends live in the great State of Florida. On top of our sunshine, Florida has a regular hurricane season and torrential rainfalls. The majority of the people who live in Florida live with this reality for the majority of their lives. However, flooding does not only affect the State of Florida. Flooding is our Nation's most common disaster. While flooding affects every State, most private insurance companies do not offer their own flood insurance. Plus, standard homeowner insurance policies do not cover flooding. In 1968, Congress started the National Flood Insurance Program, or the NFIP. This allows homebuyers to purchase flood insurance for their homes. In Florida, you cannot get a mortgage on your property if you do not have a flood insurance policy on your home. Ninety percent of all flood insurance is done through the NFIP. There are more than 20,000 NFIP communities throughout our nation and all of them are not in Florida. Since 1978, Florida policyholders have paid 14.1 billion dollars in premiums and have had 231,595 individual losses and received ONLY $3.6 billion in payments--3.9 times more in premiums than they receive in claims. Yet Floridians had a 9.6% increase in premium rates from 2009 to 2010. Nationally, from 2009 to 2010, premiums increased an average of 8%. The NFIP today covers approximately 5.6 billion households and businesses across the country for a total of $1.25 trillion in exposure. Forty percent of those policies are held in Florida, and one in four Floridians is covered under NFIP. Floridians collectively pay nearly $900 million in premiums per year. The near $19 billion in debts held by the NFIP are mostly as a result of the 2005 hurricane season (Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma) and the 2008 Midwest floods. While the average flood insurance policy is about $600 per year, residents of high-risk flood areas pay disproportionately more in premiums. However, these residents do not take near the same proportion in payments on claims. Furthermore, individuals outside of high-risk areas file over 20% of NFIP claims and receive one-third of disaster assistance for flooding. The NFIP paid $709 million in flood insurance claims to homeowners, business owners, and renters in 2010. In fact, in 2010, New Jersey had the highest number of claims, and Tennessee had the highest payments on claims--not Florida. As a matter of fact, Florida was not in the top 10 in either category of claims or payments. I thank the Chair for the time. My commonsense amendment is fiscally responsible, protects consumers, and ensures that the NFIP will remain sound.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of The Links Incorporated's Dade County Chapter. On June 18, 2011, The Links Incorporated will celebrate its 25th anniversary at the InterContinental Hotel in Miami, Florida. A group of trailblazers seeking to better their community came together on a beautiful Sunday on June 1, 1986, at Miami's Pavilion Hotel, now the Intercontinental Hotel, to launch their beloved Chapter, officially. The Dade County Chapter has continued to fulfill its mission and has grown tremendously. The Links, Incorporated is an organization of accomplished, dedicated women who are active in the community. The Links members are newsmakers, role models, mentors, activists and volunteers who work toward the realization of making the name ``Links'' not only a chain of friendship, but also a chain of purposeful service. Among its many accomplishments, the Dade County Chapter has established many programs accessible to all the members in its community. In addition, it has managed to serve and empower Miami- Dade's most underserved, women and children, with unprecedented dedication. Impressively, The Dade County Chapter of Links Inc. has amassed over 100,000 hours of community service. Spanning the last 25 years, The Links of Miami-Dade has provided educational assistance to students at middle school, high school, and collegiate levels in all areas of study including the arts. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me as I honor The Dade County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. Today I pay tribute to The Link's History and applaud their current undertaking to secure a bright and prosperous future for African-Americans of Miami-Dade county, the nation, and the world.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts of National Voices for Equality Education and Enlightenment (NVEEE) in providing support services to youth and families affected by bullying, violence, and suicide through preventative education and communication. Jowharah Sanders, founder of National Voices for Equality Education and Enlightenment; says, ``Bullying is not just an action; it is inaction as well''. I agree wholeheartedly. Fortunately, Ms. Sanders understands that we will have to work together from the ground up to defeat bullying at every level. Sanders, a drum major for the voiceless and victimized, founded NVEEE in October 2009. Driven by a personal mission, Sanders sought to help those who have been affected by bullying, violence, victimization, and abuse in their lives, to prevent it from happening to as many children and families as she can, and to show them that they are not alone--even when they feel the most disempowered. Sanders challenged friends and colleagues to join the struggle for peace and equality, and ultimately to be the change they want to see in the world. National Voices for Equality Education and Enlightenment has been a pioneer in the eradication of bullying. In Florida alone, NVEEE has reached more than 750 students through the ``Not on My Watch Bullying and Prevention Workshop'', which features workshops led by NVEEE's Teen Mentors and Peace Ambassadors. This campaign increases awareness of the violence surrounding youth and young adults, and empowers students and communities to take action by refusing to be bystanders. In March 2011 this workshop became accessible to educational institutions across the nation. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me as I honor the National Voices for Equality Education and Enlightenment for their stance against bullying. The exemplary dedication demonstrated to this cause is to be commended and I give her my full support.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise for one reason: to talk about creating jobs, jobs, jobs. I have been a Member of Congress for 18 weeks, and I still have not seen any plan that would create jobs. My constituents are hurting. They need help, and I don't see any coming. They are losing their homes. They need jobs. I did not come to Congress to ``drill, baby, drill.'' I did not come to Congress to hand out corporate tax breaks. And I did not come to Congress to end Medicare as we know it. I came to create jobs. Graduations are happening all across the Nation, and I can't help but wonder, what sort of world will our graduates be entering? What will happen to the class of 2011? Under the Republican budget plan, graduates are entering a world with job losses and stifled economic growth. Under the Republican legislative agenda, graduates are entering a world in which Big Oil is given a free pass, a free pass to ``drill, baby, drill'' with limited safety regulations and a free pass to drill with limited environmental safeguards. Under the Republican-controlled House, new graduates are entering into a world in which their elected officials waste time and energy trying to repeal meaningful health care reform. Health care reform is creating jobs for the class of 2011. Thousands of students will be trained in the health care field. Don't repeal their jobs in health care. Leave ObamaCare alone. Leave their jobs alone. A new graduate doesn't care about personal crusades lawmakers wage against women's rights and abortion. They care about jobs. They care about our Nation's future. They care about their future. Instead of political games, the time has come to focus on jobs. The time has come to focus on our Nation's future. As States all across the Nation are facing severe fiscal problems, let's stop focusing on ways to end Medicare as we know it and ways to destroy the social support network that has taken generations to build in our country. Our seniors need Medicare. It is the safety net and infrastructure all seniors need as they grow older. Seniors are living longer. They get their prescription drugs, they can play with their grandchildren, and they are thriving under Medicare. Leave Medicare alone. I propose that from now until August, each of us here in this Chamber come to Washington remembering the mandate from our constituents: focus on jobs, jobs, jobs. I don't care what kind of tea you party with. I don't care who your Presidential candidate is. I don't care how much press you garner. Join me in focusing on jobs, jobs, jobs. Let's rebuild our manufacturing base, let's keep our beaches clean, and let's make it in America. Make it in America, baby, and create jobs, jobs, jobs.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this bill, the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act. A year and a half ago, on January 12, 2011, the world for the Caribbean island of Haiti and for too many of my constituents changed forever. An earthquake measuring an incredible 7.0 on the Richter scale shook the Earth in Haiti. It killed elected officials, toppled the President's palace, the Senate, and all of the Cabinet buildings. People are still missing. The effect of this earthquake is still being felt today. Basic needs such as food, water, clothing, shelter, and health services are lacking. Thanks to our military--the U.S. Coast Guard, which performed thousands of hours of rescue in the first 24 hours of the earthquake; the U.S. Marine Corps, which provided stability and protection; the U.S. Army, which helped to establish logistics and additional protection; the U.S. Navy, with floating hospitals and surgeons; and the U.S. Agency for International Development--this disaster was not the total disaster it could have been. USAID worked then and continues to work coordinating and implementing programs with other international organizations. Adding further hurdles to the recovery operation has been the widespread outbreak of cholera last October. Cholera, a disease caused due to the lack of access to clean, clear water, has killed hundreds of Haitians and has further set back progress in one of our closest Caribbean neighbors. The people of Haiti deserve the opportunity to live in a clean, safe, and economically thriving country. The people of America deserve and want to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and need to know that the $1.8 billion invested in Haiti will speedily facilitate Haiti's transition to a bastion of comfort and economic stability. That is why I support House bill 1016, the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act. This bill provides for one of the first times a strong, fair, and objective accountability of how the people's money is being spent in Haiti. This report will also analyze how well the United Nations and other organizations and groups are coordinating their efforts to reduce duplication. Finally, this bill thanks the heroic efforts of Miami-Dade County's urban search and rescue teams, which hail from the 17th Congressional District of Florida, who volunteered their time, effort, and energy to save lives. These people saved lives and helped find loved ones for those trapped in the rubble of the earthquake and for those who were worried about the safety and well-being of their loved ones. I also would like to thank respectively the chairman and ranking minority members of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Connie Mack and Eliot Engel, and their staff for making this happen. Representative Engel was kind enough to carry the language of my amendment during subcommittee consideration, and Chairman Mack and both the Democratic and Republican staff worked tirelessly toward a compromise that worked for both sides. I also want to thank our full committee chairman, and one who I am so proud of, my Florida colleague, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for managing this language in her amendment during full committee consideration of this bill. Perhaps a bright spot in this ongoing calamity is that Haitians recently elected a new President, Michel Martelly, with whom we expect to work arm-in-arm with to help rebuild Haiti. His inauguration is next weekend. On Saturday, I traveled to Haiti. I met with Mr. Martelly. I met with the senators as they debated their new constitution. I'm hoping that that constitution will help guide them towards the next centuries in Haiti. There are 1,400 tent cities--not tents; tent cities--that house 850,000 residents in the streets of Haiti. No running water and one porta-toilet for every 80 residents. Families are huddled under the tents--mostly women and children. And because the national prison was destroyed during the earthquake, armed bandits roam the tent cities and sexual abuse against women and girls is rampant. The police force is extremely compromised and not trained. The army is nonexistent. And many bodies have not been found from this earthquake. It is inhumane to send anybody back to such conditions. We must help rebuild Haiti. We must support Haiti. We must support the new President from this moment on. We must include the peasants and the agricultural community at the table of negotiation. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is an affirmation of the generosity and will of the American people to come to the aid of a country in our neighborhood that desperately needs our help. The report required by this bill should help us channel our assistance efforts to make them as effective and efficient as possible. The Haitian people deserve nothing less. I strongly urge passage of this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time. General Leave

Ms. WILSON of Florida. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Ms. WILSON of Florida. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity this past Saturday to go to Haiti and take a helicopter ride to survey all of the damage on Haiti and all of the hope for Haiti, all of the islands and the connecting islands of Haiti to see what was happening. The African diaspora, which is mostly members of District 17, they all want to help rebuild Haiti. They will apply for contracts; and if dual nationality is granted, they will also run for office and lend their expertise to the recovery of Haiti. We all know that TPS expires in June. TPS, temporary protected status, was extended to the Haitian nationals. We, along with the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Congressman Payne, were working on trying to extend that deadline for at least another year. Haiti is in no disposition to accept any further deportations.

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentlelady from California, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who is the author of this legislation.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable woman, Ms. Isabel Afanador. Isabel Afanador was born in Bogota, Colombia. Quite accomplished, she has two Bachelor's degrees in Social Work, from the University Externado de Colombia and Florida International University. Additionally, she earned her Masters of Social Work from Florida International University. Upon graduation in Colombia, she was hired as the Director of Social Services of Laminas del Caribe S.A. In 1978, Isabel Afanador made South Florida her home. One year later she began to work for the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services as a caseworker in mental health. She was later promoted to the Program Manager position, which she held from 1988 to 1994. From 1995 to 1998 she was the Department of Children and Families District Licensing Coordinator, whose responsibility it was to ensure quality licensure of all residential providers and day care facilities. In 1998, Isabel left the child welfare arena to work for the Department of Juvenile Justice, where for two years she managed an operational division responsible for intake, assessment, detention screening, and case management of the Miami-Dade district. In August 2000, she was promoted to Chief Probation Officer for the Miami-Dade Juvenile Justice Program, and held the position of South Regional Director from 2008-2011. Ms. Isabel Afanador has used her many talents and skills for the benefit of the community. This includes freely sharing her time serving with the Children's Trust Board, Neat Stuff board, Abriendo Puertas board, Youth Task Force board, Criminal Justice Council and a member of St. Brendan's Parrish. Mr. Speaker, I ask those present today to join me in honoring Ms. Isabel Afanador and commending her many achievements and service on behalf of the state of Florida.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ms. Donna LaVerne Daniels Rice, a community activist, businesswoman, councilmember, and founder of the Columbia, Maryland chapter of Jack and Jill of America's Beautillion Ball. For the past 30 years, outstanding high school juniors and seniors from Columbia, Maryland; Baltimore, Maryland; and Washington, D.C. have been selected, honored and praised for their accomplishments as they move from one stage of their lives to the next. Through stimulating educational workshops, mentoring, culturally enriching experiences, and positive self-concept development, the Beautillion philosophy helps to prepare young men so that they can prosper as contributing members of society. In order to be selected as a ``beau,'' these young men must have at least a ``C'' average and excel in one of four areas: academics, the arts, community service, and sports. Of course, most of the young men honored excel in more than one area. The tireless dedication and devotion of my friend, Donna Rice, ensures that wonderful events that transform young people's lives happen each and every year. For that, I thank her. As a fellow Fisk University graduate, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Ms. Rice has a long list of other achievements, honors, and awards. None are more valuable, however, than the experience and honor we both share of mentoring young black boys and teenagers. We share the same concern for the plight of young African American boys, and from this concern, Ms. Rice began her community leadership and scholarship project. Her once meager project has now been duplicated in 53 other cities throughout the United States and the Bahamas. Tonight, as ten young men are honored as the leaders of tomorrow, let us also honor a leader of today--Ms. Donna LaVerne Daniels Rice, devoted wife to Dr. William Rice and the mother of three adult children. I thank my friend for her devotion to saving our young black boys.

Ms. WILSON of Florida

Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today to congratulate my friend, colleague, housemate and homegirl-- Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Last week, she was nominated by President Barack Obama as the first female Floridian to serve as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee, a highly coveted honor. For almost two decades she has done nothing short of inspire, lead, and succeed. When I served in the Florida state legislature with her, I recognized Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz's leadership abilities early--you couldn't help but notice. Through the years, she has proven time and again that she has the ability to bridge gender, racial, religious, and party boundaries; and she has proven that she will do whatever it takes to get the job done. We are all aware of her work on behalf of cancer survivors, her commitment to our men and women in uniform, and her passion for the poor. Her time on the House Appropriations Committee has demonstrated her zeal in advocating for these constituencies while at the same time promoting fiscal responsibility. My praise for the Congresswoman is not just because she is a Democrat; however, nor is it just because of the honor which was recently bestowed upon her. I praise her equally for the obstacles she has overcome and the passion she displays every day here, in the halls of Congress. She represents what is best in America, and why the American political system is not broken. She is a dedicated public servant who has represented the 20th Congressional District of Florida for more than six years, and I know that she will continue to represent all Americans in the manner they deserve well into the future. I am honored to serve beside the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee as a fellow colleague. Florida is fortunate to have a native daughter to serve this Nation in such an admirable and elevated position. She stands as a textbook example for all elected officials and is a role model for the United States Congress. Thanks to the support of her wonderful husband, Steve and their three children, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz moves onward and upward for us all. I wish her the best as we continue to fight for the people of Florida, for our country, and for the Democratic party. Congratulations!