Michael Waltz

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize three talented high school basketball players in my district, Khadija Faye, Tiera White, and Brianna Ellis. Khadija and Tiera play basketball at Father Lopez High School in Daytona Beach, and Brianna plays basketball at Flagler Palm Coast High School in Palm Coast, Florida. All three of these young women have just been nominated to play in the 2020 All-American Games, a national basketball competition benefiting the Ronald McDonald charities. They were among 46 seniors from Florida to be selected for this honor. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize their hard work and talent on the House floor today. The final roster will be announced next week, and we are all hoping all three will be on it. I know I speak on behalf of all of us when I say we are so proud and so excited to see Daytona and Palm Coast represented so well in women's basketball.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, Qasem Soleimani, as we have discussed, many of us have discussed here today, was a terrorist and a terrorist supporter, and hundreds of American troops were killed because of him. Many of them are scarred for life. I don't think we can overstate, in this body, how gruesome, how advanced, how effective the explosive devices that he poured into his militias were. They were deadly. They were manufactured in Iran. They were put in place by Iran. They were trained by Iran. They had the capability to completely penetrate our armored vehicles. Soleimani worked hand in hand, in addition to this, with Assad in Syria, a serial human rights abuser, and waged even chemical warfare on his own people, literally killing tens of thousands. And because of him, today, hundreds, if not thousands, of families, including Gold Star families, just this past holiday, couldn't open up presents with their loved ones. No longer will they celebrate birthdays or holidays because of this one evil man. This terrorist, because of his savage actions, I, as a former Green Beret who operated against these thugs for years, am grateful to the intelligence officer, as my colleague Mr. Kinzinger just mentioned, to the members of the military who carried out this mission to prevent more lives from being lost. Soleimani was actively planning attacks in the coming weeks, in the coming days, in the coming months. According to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, these attacks were imminent, they were clear, and they were a present danger for our troops, to our allies, and to our interests. From an oversight perspective, the President had a duty to act; and I, for one, would be screaming from the rooftops if he had not taken appropriate action. So, again, Madam Speaker, I am thankful for his leadership taking this monster out. Frankly, this should have been done a long, long time ago, years ago, by multiple previous administrations. It astounds me that this is up for debate.

Mr. WALTZ. For those of you saying actions have consequences, let me remind you that inaction has consequences. Go to Walter Reed or Arlington, or go visit the American contractor, as though that is some kind of term, the American that was killed just last week. His name was Nawres Waleed Hamid. He is from Sacramento. He is from California, and he was just buried. I think the answer for most Americans is this was warranted. It certainly was for me. I urge my colleagues to vote against the previous question and consider this resolution.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I am a Green Beret and a proud veteran, but this process does not make me proud. I fought all over the world, from Africa to Afghanistan, and I have seen fair and more transparent processes than this. Since the Democrats lost the election in 2016, they have been focused on impeaching this President. Meanwhile, we have not solved the problems America entrusted us to solve: immigration, healthcare, and infrastructure. Nothing in President Trump's call rises to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors worthy of impeachment. For that reason, I will be voting against impeachment today.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this defense bill because we are a nation at war. We are in a hot war with extremists around the world, and we are in a cold war with our peer competitors, Russian and China and other rogue states. And Madam Speaker, if the country isn't safe, everything else that we do in this body is secondary. Our domestic priorities, our economy, our education, trade, everything else that we debate in this Congress is at risk if we fail to protect this great Nation. One of the reasons that I ran for elected office, was that often what comes out of Washington isn't worthy of our previous veterans, my fellow special operators around the world, as we speak, and other military currently deployed, and it is not worthy of their families and the sacrifices of their families. This defense bill, from the sixth branch of the military and the Space Force, to childcare for Gold Star families, it is worthy. It is worthy of their sacrifice, past and present. I deeply and personally thank the chairman, Adam Smith. I thank the ranking member, Mr. Thornberry, and everyone else who stepped up, frankly, and all of my colleagues who stepped up to make the compromises necessary to pass this critical piece of legislation to be worthy of those who have sacrificed for all of us breathing free air today. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it. It is worthy of them, as we all are with this bill.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, since 1904, the Bethune Cookman University, a historically Black college, has contributed to a rich and diverse history in my district. Four thousand students proudly call this university home in Florida's Sixth District, and we are proud of all of Bethune Cookman's accomplishments, especially in STEM fields. Minorities make up nearly 30 percent of America's population, but nationwide, as my distinguished colleague from Oklahoma and the administration have noted, we are seeing a gap in minority representation in STEM fields. Believe it or not, minorities only account for 11 percent of the STEM workforce. As we all know, the demand for STEM fields is at an all-time high. Over the next decade, the STEM shortage is anticipated to reach 1 million professionals. If we want America to compete and succeed, we must and we need to make sure our workforce reflects our country's diversity. The bill we are considering today, the MSI STEM Achievement Act, would help increase the capacity for minority students and STEM curricula and encourage partnerships with industry and Federal laboratories. In short, this bill will enhance our domestic workforce, so as to ensure America continues to compete globally. If America wants to lead militarily, economically, and critically in space, we must lead in STEM. I would be remiss to not also mention the importance of women in STEM. As I have said countless times since I have been elected, and will continue to say, from my experiences as a veteran and a Green Beret fighting all over the globe, where women thrive in business, where women thrive in civil society and in politics, extremism doesn't, and it is just that simple. And for that reason, diversity in STEM is truly a national security issue. And in Volusia County, in my district in Florida, just north of Cape Canaveral and just north of the Kennedy Space Center, we are seeing countless businesses participate in workforce development programs like the Space Coast Consortium Apprenticeship Program. This program and so many others are making huge strides to advance STEM curriculum and workforce development. As the Republican lead on the MSI STEM Achievement Act, I want to thank Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas for working with me to improve participation in STEM at these critically important MSIs. For America's continued predominance in science and technology, I urge my colleagues to support this important bill and for its passage.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I mistakenly returned from a meeting in the Rayburn Room too late and missed the second vote of the series. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 613.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, 1 year ago, on October 2, Volusia County, Florida, lost one of its greatest public servants, Dorothy Hukill. Dorothy Hukill was a servant leader who dedicated more than two decades of her life serving our community, working tirelessly to improve the lives of residents in our area. She served as a councilwoman of Ponce Inlet before becoming the mayor of Port Orange. She then headed to the Florida House of Representatives. It was there that she fought for education and financial literacy, encouraging high school students to take courses on money management. Dorothy didn't care about the spotlight. She preferred to be quiet, yet effective. She was always on her A game, and she truly cared about her constituents. Dorothy didn't see people as Republicans, Democrats, or Independents. She understood the need to work with everyone, and she truly cared about her community and the people she represented. Dorothy would put up welcome signs for people in our community who often planned months in advance to travel to Florida's capitol in Tallahassee. Madam Speaker, she was a true example of a servant leader. She sought to inspire others to make her community a better place, and she is missed dearly. It is my honor to recognize her on the floor of the House of Representatives today.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my delegation colleague, Congressman Mast, for drafting this important bill, the South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act of 2019, to address the HABs problem, the harmful algal blooms, and improve water quality in Florida. I also thank Senator Rubio for introducing the Senate companion, and I give credit to my predecessor in Congress, now-Governor DeSantis, for prioritizing clean water at the State level. Red tides and green algae have plagued Florida in recent years. As we have discussed here today, it impacts Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, Indian River Lagoon in my district, and both of Florida's coasts. Last Congress, the Interagency Task Force on HABs was reauthorized, which was a very important step. This bill ensures that the task force will produce an integrated assessment on the causes, consequences, and approaches to reduce HABs; identify the current gaps in research; and, very importantly, produce an action plan to deal with it. The focus of the task force is the Everglades, and the health of the Everglades impacts water quality across the State. The scope of the introduced version for H.R. 335 attempted to take this into account by including ``contiguous coastal near-shore water'' in the definition of eligible waterways. However, ``contiguous'' could be interpreted by the task force--this was my concern--in any number of ways, potentially excluding the northern reaches of the Indian River Lagoon. The entire Indian River Lagoon is part of the National Estuary Program, and the southern section is an Army Corps of Engineers authorized reservoir included in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. According to the Army Corps, Indian River Lagoon is ``home to more than 3,000 species of plants and animals'' and ``considered the most biologically diverse estuarine system in the continental United States.'' This dynamic ecosystem is sensitive. It is important to the environment for those reasons, but critically, it is also important to our economy. A 2016 economic valuation study found that the output of the lagoon is about $7.6 billion annually. For these reasons, it is the right thing to do to ensure the Interagency HABs Task Force includes the entire lagoon. In coordination with Congressman Mast, I offered a management amendment in the Science, Space, and Technology Committee markup that lists the entire Indian River Lagoon in the definition of waterways to be included in this bill. We are not just seeing HABs in southern Florida. It is now spreading to other parts of my district and all parts of Florida. We have already seen blue-green algae in the St. Johns River and even spreading into our springs. Protecting the springs in central Florida is an ongoing effort. It is for this reason that the task force's integrated assessment is so important. It will improve water quality management and prevent harmful algal blooms across the entire lagoon. Moving forward, the Congress should examine the Clean Water State Revolving Fund allotment formula, which has not been updated since 1987.

Mr. WALTZ. Importantly, in 2018, Florida received the third lowest allotment per capita, according to the EPA, yet it has the third most significant infrastructure needs in the country. This is unacceptable, particularly for a program so important in a State where water is so critical to our way of life. I thank Congressman Lucas. I again thank Congressman Mast for his work on HABs and this important legislation before us today.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 324, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 325, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 326, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 327, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 328, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 329, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 330, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 331, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 332, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 334, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 335, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 336, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 337, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 338, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 339, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 340, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 341, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 342, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 343, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 344, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 345, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 346, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 347, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 348, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 349, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 350, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 351, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 352, ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 353, ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 354, and ``Yea'' on Roll Call No. 355.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service and career of Ambassador Marion H. Smoak as he celebrates his 103rd birthday. Ambassador Smoak has dedicated many years to public service and embodies the principles of a true servant leader. Ambassador Smoak earned a bachelor's in English and History from The Citadel in 1938. He went on to receive a law degree from the University of South Carolina Law School in 1941. After receiving his law degree Ambassador Smoak served in the Army as a Judge Advocate and was stationed in Berlin, Germany and New Caledonia, Japan with the 11th and 82nd Airborne Divisions. Following his tour abroad, he became a law professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Upon leaving his position at West Point, Ambassador Smoak continued to serve in the Army as a Legislative Liaison Officer right here in Washington, D.C. During his service, he assisted in drafting legislation and performed liaison duties both with Congress and the Department of Justice, State, and Department of Defense. Ambassador Smoak then became Chief of the Legislative Drafting Division for the Judge Advocate General. He served as Chief until 1961 when he retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. Following his retirement, Ambassador Smoak continued to serve his community by pursing elected office in the South Carolina State Senate. Upon completing his term in the Senate, Ambassador Smoak was appointed to serve at the State Department as the Deputy Chief of Protocol, then Chief of Protocol for President Nixon. During this time Smoak was witness to many historic events of diplomacy. When he retired from the State Department in 1974, he was given the title of Ambassador. His storied career continued when he was named Co-Chairman on the Committee of Finance for then Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan. Ambassador Smoak went on to practice international law until his retirement. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the career and lifelong servant leadership of Ambassador Smoak. It is with great pride that we thank him for his service and wish him continued health and happiness with his friends, family, and loved ones. Furthermore I hope that he may continue to enjoy his well-deserved daily martinis.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago this week, a group of astronauts launched from Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, embarking on a journey of discovery into unchartered territory. July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind on the surface of the Moon. Armstrong and fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin spent 2\1/2\ hours collecting samples and taking photographs. Critically and importantly, they left behind an American flag and some of the most famous footprints in history, sealing America's place as the leader of the space renaissance in the international space race. Our journey to outer space was born out of a desire to discover, but that wasn't the only reason we went to the Moon. We also went to the Moon to compete with Russia, specifically regarding protecting our Nation's security. That competition still exists today, but it is even more serious now because of our economic and our military dependency on space and because, in addition to Russia, we now have China explicitly stating its intent to surpass America as the leader in space. Russia and China have made it clear their intention is not just to explore space, but to prepare themselves for conflict. Russia and China both know that they will never be able to take us on tank to tank, carrier to carrier, plane to plane, so they have decided in their national security strategy to take us out in space if we ever have to come to blows. This is why I fully support the creation of the space force. This is why space has now been declared a warfighting domain. And if we don't prepare ourselves, our very way of life will be at significant risk. Our banking, our financial institutions, our global logistics, our telecommunications systems all depend on space. So the 21st century space race is on, and America must lead, and this is why the push for space resources and funding today is absolutely critical. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I see how national security and space intersect every day. And as a Floridian, space is something that is absolutely in my DNA. It is from, of course, Florida's Kennedy Space Center that our astronauts launched to the Moon, and I know that Florida will be a key player when we go back to the Moon once more in 2024 and as NASA, the U.S. military, and American industry work together to maintain American leadership in space. In my district in northeast Florida, we are very fortunate to have companies that once again will assemble the lunar landers to help NASA get back to the Moon. So looking back on this historic Moon landing 50 years later, I hope we will all remember what an incredible moment this was for our country. Our American values and American ingenuity have taken us to new worlds not just on Earth, but beyond. It is an honor to celebrate these accomplishments here today, and it is absolutely critical that we continue exploring and we continue innovating. But it is also equally critical that we fully understand that our competitors seek to supplant our leadership role in space, and they are not in line with our values. We cannot and will not allow that to happen.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Chairman, this cut to the Overseas Contingency Operations budget, to the operations and maintenance account, is an attempt to back us out of the war on terror. We all want peace. We all want these wars to go away, but that doesn't mean we can just wish them away, that we can just cut an account by over a third and wish these wars away like the Obama administration tried to do in Iraq. The reality is we can either fight these wars in places like Kabul and Kandahar and Damascus and Baghdad, or this problem, particularly the terrorism problem, the extremism problem, will follow us home to places like Kansas City, San Bernardino, Orlando, New York, and others. It is irresponsible, in the midst of a war--and I remind my colleagues that we are in the midst of a war--to tie the Pentagon's hands by cutting these funds when we have special operators, as we speak today, as we are debating here today, in 72 countries, as we have more American servicemembers deployed overseas than the entire armies of the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada combined, ensuring a liberal world order that has ensured the greatest period of prosperity since World War II that the world has ever known. Mr. Chair, this is an irresponsible amendment. We can have this debate over where we should be and how our servicemembers should be deployed, but to cut their funds in the middle of the war on terror and try to back us out of these wars because you disagree with them is the height of irresponsibility. We have a moral obligation to our servicemembers overseas. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Chairman, with 23 years of service as a Green Beret, as a special operator with tours in the White House and the Pentagon, I can assure my colleagues that my primary focus is the Floridians I represent and the troops downrange. There are many things that I support in this bill: support and greater benefits for Gold Star families--although some of those recently introduced are not fully funded; restricting additional contracting with the Maduro regime; fully authorizing the Navy's anti- submarine warfare capability; and, of course, the emerging Space Corps. But I would describe this bill is, in many ways, necessary, but in a whole, not sufficient, particularly in seeking to close Guantanamo Bay without sufficient alternatives that previous administrations and Congresses have all, I think, sought to do in good faith; tying the President's hands in protecting the border and on Iran; and, of course, a wholly insufficient top line, as we have discussed here today, to deal with the global threat that remains on terrorism, to deal with China, to deal with Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other near-peer threats. Mr. Chairman, I hope this bill improves, sincerely, with amendments on the floor to be worthy of the men and women downrange defending this great country.

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Chair, there is a distinct difference between oversight and unnecessary micromanagement. Protection of civilians is a fundamental part of military operations. DOD standards and policies are some of the most stringent in the world. No force in history has been more committed to limiting harm to civilians than the U.S. military. As a special operator who has had to make these decisions, we need to be very careful of secondary effects of these types of reports, from putting soldiers unnecessarily in harm's way, to pilots being overly cautious to provide close air support, to terrorists living another day to kill more civilians, ironically, because of this overreach and overcaution. Our policies and procedures are sufficient. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, since the 1940s, Daytona Beach has been the premiere destination for auto racing. Fifty years ago, Bill France, Sr. and John and Peggy Bishop laid a foundation that today supports one of the most prominent auto racing organizations in the world--the International Motor Sports Association. What began as a sanctioning body for a Formula Ford and Formula Vee race at Pocono Raceway has grown to become an international powerhouse specializing in world-class sports car competition. This year, IMSA, based in Daytona Beach, turns 50. It comes from humble beginnings. The IMSA started as a race with fewer than 330 attendees has expanded by leaps and bounds over the last 50 years now boasts some of the largest attendance numbers in its history. Here in my district, we understand the excitement and the benefits of our car racing. IMSA has been an important piece of our community, debuting its Grand-Am road racing circuit in 2000 at Daytona. This year, the IMSA will lead seven motorsports platforms and deliver live coverage to racing fans all over the world. It's an honor to recognize the IMSA and their contributions to our district and the racing community. I'd like to congratulate them on 50 years worth being proud of. Here's to many more.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, election security is especially significant to Floridians. Two Florida counties were breached in the 2016 election as a result of Russian spear phishing targeting county election officials. As Members of Congress, obviously, we are not here to relitigate 2016 but to work toward bipartisan solutions to defend the 2020 elections from foreign intrusion. I am disappointed that the majority is rushing this partisan proposal to the floor this week and has bypassed Republicans who have shown interest in working on election security. Just yesterday, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing on election vulnerabilities and potential solutions. That hearing occurred after-- after--this proposal had been introduced and a day before it will receive a vote on the House floor. This proposal throws $1.3 billion at the problem without careful consideration by the authorizing committees. This proposal also excludes bipartisan solutions, like the one I am drafting with Representative Stephanie Murphy from Florida. Our proposal, the ALERTS Act, would require Federal agencies to report to the Department of Homeland Security if an election intrusion is identified and require DHS to notify State and local officials of the breach, unless the information is deemed to compromise intelligence sources. Federal, State, and local officials have a duty to notify voters in Florida and voters across the country impacted by election attacks, a duty that was not upheld by the FBI in the wake of the 2016 elections and a duty that the ALERTS Act, this bipartisan proposal, would require. At yesterday's Science, Space, and Technology Committee hearing, the secretary of Oklahoma's State Election Board recommended a State and local reporting requirement like the ALERTS Act. So, testimony and a recommendation--both--were not considered by the authors of this bill. Madam Speaker, I request that my colleagues oppose this bill, and immediately following this vote, I ask Democrats and Republicans to come together to work toward a bipartisan election security package.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, this motion amends the bill by adding $10 million for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Department of the Treasury. This office plays a key role in countering our most critical national security threats by implementing sanctions. As a Green Beret, I have fought in the war on terror, and I can tell you this office is vital to the safety of our Nation and preventing war. In light of our current threats, this office requires an additional $10 million to accomplish its goals. This motion will implement sanctions policy toward Russia, North Korea, ISIS, and, particularly, the Iranian regime, the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism. I am personally well aware of the grave threat Iran poses to the security of our country. I have lived it. I have dealt with the Iranians and their proxies all over the world. They are an enemy of this country and our ally Israel, and that does not change regardless of whether my colleagues are Republicans or Democrats. Mr. Speaker, no one wants war. In fact, we want to drive Iran back to the negotiating table to prevent war. The best way to do that is to exert maximum pressure on its economy because what the regime cares about the most is not the Iranian people--is not the Iranian people-- but lining its own pockets. All indications from the intelligence community are that the economic pressure campaign is working. Iran's currency is tanking. Inflation is on the rise. Oil exports are drying up. Most importantly, Iran is unable to pay its terrorist proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas. Specifically, this motion would fund sanctions on Iran's leadership, on senior commanders of the IRGC, on front companies, and on Iran's terrorist ally Hezbollah. Mr. Speaker, I want to remind this body of the marines we lost in Beirut at the hands of Iran, the 500 Americans killed by Iranian militias in Iraq, and the American hostages held in Iran as we speak here today, which include a U.N. worker and a Princeton Ph.D. student. As a soldier who has had to fight terrorism, no one wants to avoid war as much as I do. I wear a bracelet on my wrist of one of the Green Berets I lost, and I wake up every day thinking about how this body can be worthy of their sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, let's support this MTR, and let's work together to avoid another war in the Middle East. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, as a combat veteran and as a Green Beret, this is personal for me. I know firsthand the seriousness of the call to serve our country, and I know that when soldiers take their place on the battlefield, they are prepared to defend America and lose their lives for our freedom. The families of our servicemembers wait for their loved one's safe return nervously and anxiously await hearing their voice and feeling the comfort of their warm embrace once more. Unfortunately, for some, the knock on their door instead initiates them into a fraternity no family wants to join. That knock changes them forever and makes them part of the Gold Star family. When our servicemembers pass, many of their spouses put their benefits in their children's name. As if the loss of a mother or a father isn't and wasn't painful enough, some of our Gold Star children's pain is worsened by an unintended oversight in our Tax Code which forces them to pay thousands in additional taxes on survivor benefits and raises their tax liability from 12 percent to nearly 40 percent. This is not just a financial issue; it is a strategic issue for our Volunteer military. It affects recruitment and retention. Some people may not want to volunteer with the possibility of a large financial burden on their loved one if the worst happens. The bottom line is, if our family support starts cracking, the entire foundation of our modern military is in trouble. We have an opportunity today to right this wrong and to fix this with the Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act, which is being included in the SECURE Act that is up for today's vote. I would thank Chairman Neal and Ranking Member Brady for quickly recognizing this issue and for including this measure in the final bill. Today, I call upon my colleagues in the House to make this right. I hope that Members will join me in supporting the passage of this legislation to show our country's appreciation to the Gold Star families for laying so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, when Members think of my home State of Florida, they think of water. From our beaches to our springs to our lakes and our rivers, Florida's waterways stretch far and wide, covering nearly 26,000 miles. Florida's Sixth District, my district, is no exception, with miles of Atlantic Coast to the east and bordered by the St. Johns River to the west. From the Matanzas River marsh to the Everglades, water is at the heart of Florida's ecosystem and its natural beauty. People are drawn to Florida's water, and the numbers prove it. One thousand people per day move to the Sunshine State, with a record 126 million people visiting Florida last year. Tourism drives our economy, and Florida's tourism is dependent on clean water and its natural resources. Unfortunately, our water quality is threatened right now. We saw a new blue-green algae bloom erupt in the St. Johns River just last month. While it is too early to know exactly the specific cause of this incident, we do know what causes algae blooms, and there are steps the government can and should take to prevent them. This is why I am focusing my efforts to remove septic tanks from my district and connecting those communities to new sewer utilities. I am grateful for our State lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis, who prioritized water quality this year, putting $49 million toward water quality and wastewater grants and $25 million specifically for septic- to-sewer conversions. These conversions will have a positive impact by lessening discharges since septic leakage contributes to these growing algae blooms and these growing algae problems. We must leverage these State resources with Federal funds to address the full needs of Florida. We have the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program and State Clean Water Revolving Fund program, but they need to be better focused and better utilized to address this issue. We have to do more. That is why I requested much-needed funding for our National Estuary Program, which funds the Indian River Lagoon, in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill. The Indian River Lagoon in my district has, unfortunately, fallen victim to septic leakage and requires a plan for restoring water quality. The National Estuary Program supports and will help maintain healthy water and estuary ecosystems like the Indian River Lagoon. Alongside many of my Florida delegation colleagues, I supported the $200 million funding request for the Everglades restoration project in April, and I am glad President Trump has amended his budget to include the Everglades. Everglades restoration is dependent on cleaning Lake Okeechobee and its discharges, which impact water along our coast. I also commend my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee for passing the Energy and Water bill yesterday, which includes that $200 million figure. These requests will go directly toward improving Florida's waterways across the State and areas like the Indian River Lagoon, if signed into law. I am hopeful that, here in Congress, we can get this legislation passed through the House, passed through the Senate, and onto the President's desk for signature. It is the right thing to do for communities along the St. Johns River and necessary for maintaining the travel and tourism that drives Florida's economy. We must restore Florida's water quality and take this issue very seriously.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I unintentionally missed an amendment vote due to conversation with other members. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 191.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Madam 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, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I urge the Speaker to immediately schedule this important bill.

Mr. WALTZ

Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Speaker, each year in the month of March, our Nation takes time to celebrate Women's History Month and to recognize the important role women have played in our personal, local, national, and world history. We have made progress elevating women throughout our society, but it is not enough. There is still more work to be done here at home and around the world. Women play a critical role in the history of every American. As the son of a single mother who worked multiple jobs while putting herself through night school, I owe everything I am to this strong, independent, American woman. She and millions of other women like her blazed the trail for me, for today's young women, and, particularly, for my 15-year-old daughter, Anderson. I am proud to be raising a young woman at a time where we have seen tremendous gains for women in our Nation. I am proud to serve alongside a historic 102 women here in this Congress, the 116th Congress, including trailblazers like Martha McSally, the first female fighter pilot in Congress, and numerous other Republican colleagues in the House who were the first women to represent their districts: Representatives like Liz Cheney and Elise Stefanik, who are working diligently to ensure more female candidates have the resources they need to compete in our election system, and countless others who inspire me. As these national role models continue to be important, it is also critical to recognize the important role local heroes and local women have in our communities and our Nation, including many from my own district in Florida. That is why each week this month I will be honoring local women who have had or are having an important impact in our community, women like: Alice Scott Abbott, a Flagler County resident of the early 1900s who worked with the national women's suffrage movement and, following the ratification of the 19th Amendment, fervently employed her fellow Flagler County women to register and participate in the 1920 November election; Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded the Volusia County School that would later become Bethune-Cookman University. She was a national leader on issues related to civil rights, to education, to women and young people until her death in 1955. Mr. Speaker, as these local heroes exemplify, women and their contributions are critical to our success as a nation, but I also believe their strength is an essential part of our national security. As a Green Beret who operated all over the world, I know firsthand where women thrive in business, where they thrive in civil society, in politics, and in government, extremism does not. Where women thrive, extremism fails. As an Afghan elder once told me during one of my combat tours, he shared with me his secret weapon in defeating the Taliban. It wasn't a weapon or a missile or some type of other secret device. It was his teenage daughters, whom he had sent to India to be educated. He looked at me and said: This is our secret weapon to defeat extremism. And I will quote for you, Mr. Speaker, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning young girl who was shot in the face for attending school, Malala Yousafzai. She said: ``Extremists have shown what frightens them most: a girl with a book.'' So this Women's History Month must serve as a reminder that as a nation we have a responsibility to empower women who participate in every aspect of our society--not only for the betterment of America, but also as an example for the world. So thank you to the women of my district, our Nation, and the world who worked to make their communities a better place for us all. Daytona Bike Week