Speeches and Statements

Thank you for that kind introduction, President Cornwell.   As President Cornwell mentioned, he was my boss when I taught finance at Rollins.   And technically, as one of my constituents now, he’s still my boss.   He’s also someone I greatly admire and the leader of an educational institution dedicated to preparing students to become global citizens and responsible leaders.   It’s a worthy goal—and one that aligns with the mission of those in the room today.    ... Read more

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for their testimony. Social Security is the bedrock of our retirement system. It is one of the most successful government programs of all time, helping to keep millions of seniors out of poverty. It’s also important to remember that Social Security is not an entitlement; it is a benefit seniors have paid into and earned after a lifetime of hard work. There are 4.6 million people in Florida, including 125,000 people in my Orlando-area district,... Read more

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I strongly support the State of Israel.  It’s a homeland for the Jewish people and a sanctuary from anti-Semitism.  Israel is a thriving democracy and its citizens have made enormous contributions to our global society. The U.S. has no better friend than Israel.  Yes, on occasion our two governments will disagree on certain policies, as all sovereign nations do.  But our strong alliance is rooted in shared values, shared security interests, and a deep historical... Read more

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I support this bipartisan bill to extend Temporary Protected Status to Venezuela. There are over Four Hundred Thousand Venezuelans living in the U.S., and more than half live in Florida.  About Two Hundred Thousand of these men and women would receive TPS if this bill becomes law.  They could work legally, pay taxes, and contribute to our economy for a period of time, without living in fear of deportation. Venezuela is in crisis, and making Venezuelans in the U.S.... Read more

Thank you. Six months ago, we stood together to announce the introduction of the Raise the Wage Act. I’m proud to say that, later today, the House will pass this bill. This will be the first time in 12 years that a chamber of Congress approves an increase to the federal minimum wage. It’s been stuck at $7.25 an hour for a decade, even though the cost of living in this country has skyrocketed. Let me be clear. We are going to secure this important victory—which is one battle in our broader fight... Read more

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, there’s been an awful lot of talk recently about what it means to be a patriotic American. The fact is: the answer for each of us is deeply personal. I was not blessed to be born an American citizen. I was born in Vietnam, where my parents faced persecution by a communist government, in part for their wartime affiliation with the U.S. military. When I was a baby, we fled Vietnam by boat, running out of fuel in the South China Sea, when a U.S. Navy ship came to our... Read more

Thank you Madam Chair, My amendment, which I am co-leading with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of New York, involves the looming threat to American security and American democracy from the use of deepfake technology by our nation’s adversaries. As policymakers, we must understand this challenge and put in place a whole-of-government strategy to address it in a way that protects our interests and is consistent with our values. The U.S. intelligence community has an important role to play in this effort.... Read more

Thank you Madam Chair. Our amendment would require the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretaries of State and Defense, to prepare a report for Congress on efforts by Iran to establish long-term influence in Syria using both hard and soft power, and the threat this poses to U.S. interests and allies, including Israel. Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011, has brought an influx of Iranian and Iranian-backed forces into Syria.  Iran and Syria are both designated... Read more

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  I move to strike the last word. I want to thank you for your leadership on this important issue. I know how vital this bill is to millions of Americans who’ve worked hard and played by the rules. That includes tens of thousands of workers and retirees who live in Florida, and hundreds of workers and retirees who reside in my Orlando-area district.  Because I feel a responsibility to help these men and women, I intend to vote “yes” on this legislation. I think... Read more

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move to strike the last word. I want to explain why I voted “no” on the two previous bills we considered today, and why I will vote “no” on this bill as well. I’m not opposed to what is in these three bills. In fact, I support their contents. I am opposed to what is not in these bills, and that’s a responsible pay-for. Our nation’s fiscal situation is precarious. CBO projects a deficit of $896 billion dollars this year. Federal debt held by the public is projected to grow... Read more