Democrats Are Delivering for America
Floor Speech
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, the Republicans lost the majority and the Presidency because of their incompetence on COVID and the economy, and passed a tax cut for the rich that exploded the deficit by $400 billion, and the debt by $4 trillion.
So forgive me if I won't stand here and be lectured about fiscal responsibility from folks who took their only moment in charge to give windfalls to the wealthiest Americans, and now they are desperate to paint a sad picture of America. They are invested in our Nation's failure, solely as a desperate move to try to get back to power.
Meanwhile, we Democrats are delivering. First, we defended democracy. I was up there in the Chamber on January 6 when a violent insurrection attempted to stop the democratic, peaceful transfer of power. This violent insurrection was stoked by my Republican colleagues. They don't want to talk about that now. But that's too bad.
They attacked our democracy. They desecrated this Chamber by stoking extremism. Yet, we got back here and they voted ``no'' and we voted ``yes'' to make sure that American voters were heard and certified Joe Biden's election as President. And yes, some brave Republicans joined us because they realized it was treason.
We will defend democracy and hold those responsible accountable through the January 6 committee.
Second, we got the pandemic under control. We passed the American Rescue Plan, put shots in arms, money in pockets, got kids back to school and families back to work. Every American had access to the vaccine; every American, and life is getting back to normal.
We stopped a great recession back in Florida, where we both have the honor of representing. We stopped a foreclosure crisis that knocked in half people's wealth, hurt through the generations, so many homeowners in Florida and across the Nation.
Unemployment is down to 4 percent nationally and under 4 percent in Florida. Yet, no Republicans voted for it.
Third, we passed the largest infrastructure law in our Nation's history. The infrastructure plan will upgrade America, roads and bridges, clean air and water, airports and ports, high speed internet access for all Americans, including rural Americans left behind before, and brownfield restoration and other environmental restoration. Ten Republicans voted for it. We applaud them. But they were ridiculed by their own party for voting for infrastructure.
What is wrong with the minority leaders in this Chamber if they are going to attack their own Members for investing in America, something that they had the chance to do? I would have voted for it under then- President Trump for an infrastructure package. But they failed to do it. We got it done.
Then Democrats led this House to pass a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act. That is to protect the homeland, fund our military, support our troops.
We passed a bipartisan budget just last week to meet the needs of the American people, jobs, healthcare, education, the environment, local projects; yes, supporting a robust immigration system, and making sure that we can meet all the needs of the American people.
We also had bipartisan support for the war on Ukraine, the relentless and disgraceful invasion by Russia of Ukraine. We have supplied them with military weapons, training, humanitarian relief, and we will defend democracy in Europe with that $14 billion we passed in a bipartisan fashion here.
And yes, we need to still continue to address COVID-related inflation. First, by getting COVID-19 under control, our economy is finally producing more goods again. Things are more efficient now. People are buying more services again to balance that out.
Second, our infrastructure law will upgrade our ports, our airports, and our highways to improve supply chains.
Third, we are addressing price gouging of companies that are taking advantage, particularly in gas and groceries.
Fourth, we are boosting domestic oil production to compensate for the Russian oil ban which was very popular and demanded upon by my constituents and others. And in the long term, we are investing in renewable energy. And yes, the Federal Reserve will do their part to help make sure we can address COVID-related and Ukraine war-related inflation, and we need to do this together, rather than politicize it.
Next, we are turning the corner to go to the America COMPETES Act, Madam Speaker, bringing American manufacturing jobs back home, something that people have talked about for years. We will get this done. We have had bipartisan support in the Senate. We had some bipartisan support in the House. We will now go to conference.
And what will that mean? Bringing back home more microchip manufacturing, which has made it harder to get cars and trucks on to American car lots. We can make it here at home. We can make it in America.
We will bring back personal protective equipment and other healthcare manufacturing to help out, like we saw during the pandemic, where it was a huge issue.
We will bring back telecommunications equipment. We invent telecommunications equipment, but so much of it, all of it, is made overseas. And with China now spying on us, we need to make sure we have our domestic production ready to go.
And pharmaceutical production, biosimilar production, aerospace production, like we do in East Orange County, as well as space production; having the busiest spaceport in the world, 70 percent of space flights going through there at Cape Canaveral, something that we beam with pride about in Florida.
So as we hear about the mistakes of the past and trying to invest in failure by many Republicans in this Chamber, the Democratic majority is defending democracy. We have gotten COVID under control. We have passed a major infrastructure package. We have passed bipartisan bills for the budget, for our military, for the war in Ukraine. And now, we go on next to bring American jobs home with the America COMPETES Act. The future is bright if we work together, Madam Speaker. Honoring Ashlee Maree Wright
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I would like to recognize Ashley Maree Wright.
Ashlee Maree Wright is a mother, dynamic visionary, and results- oriented leader. She founded Wright on Time Educational Services in 2006, which provides customized educational solutions to communities that desire to open a school, solve an educational problem, or require management services. WOT focuses on developing innovative learning environments that cultivate the entire student in a way that empowers them to be impactful leaders of tomorrow.
As the founder of New Beginnings High School in 2011, Ashlee successfully implemented a unique educational model that provides an innovative and nurturing educational experience, which is available to all students in central Florida.
Thousands of students who were once unsuccessful in a traditional public school model are now thriving, graduating from high school, and pursuing postgraduate opportunities due to Ashley's unparalleled work.
Before her role as founder of NBHS, Ashlee established herself as an educational professional by being an exceptional teacher and ultimately climbing the career ladder to become a principal at the age of 25. As a result of her modus operandi, she is widely acclaimed as a business leader who genuinely cares about the growth of each child.
Her ability to effectively raise students' academic prowess and self- esteem helps bolster their performance amidst any present challenges they may have. Today, she builds and operates schools utilizing her education ethos to replicate her success.
Ms. Wright graduated from Florida State University in 2003, gave birth to the beautiful and precocious Victoria Maree in 2007, and started her own charter system in 2010. Her passion, upbringing, and love for empowering others through education laid the framework for her unique education and management methodology.
Building on her parents' legacy, award-winning educators Dr. Clint and Debra Wright, Ashlee continues to shift the education paradigm and change lives for the better, one community at a time.
For this and more, Ashlee Maree Wright, we honor you. Honoring Asma Patel
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I would like to recognize Asma Patel.
Asma Patel is a board-certified community attorney who has diligently served and continues to serve Osceola County. Ms. Patel holds dual degrees with honors in psychology and legal studies, as well as a Juris Doctorate degree.
During her law school career, Ms. Patel was a student ambassador, mentor, and the president of the Muslim Law School Association at her alma mater. She honed her dispute resolution skills by competing in and ultimately winning first place in an international law school mediation tournament.
During this time, she continued to demonstrate her dedication to serving her community as a guardian ad litem fellow. In this role, she played a crucial role as a representative for abused, abandoned, and neglected children.
Ms. Patel has spearheaded community initiatives aimed at ending domestic violence. As a certified domestic abuse victim advocate, she assisted survivors in crisis by providing essential resources and support. In an effort to create awareness, she has hosted family empowerment seminars and tabled at events aimed at tackling domestic abuse.
Through mentorship, extensive networking, and volunteerism, Ms. Patel has worked with marginalized and vulnerable communities, striving to bring light and change to the social injustices that plague them. Most recently, she has begun to help address the issue of inaccessibility to feminine hygiene products by providing these products to local Title I schools.
Ms. Patel's Bridge the Gap initiatives in Osceola County are inspired by her desire to take action that empowers women to be courageous in the pursuit of dreams.
For this and more, Ms. Asma Patel, we honor you. Honoring Deputy Chief Betty Holland
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I recognize Deputy Chief Betty Holland.
Deputy Chief Betty Holland is a 34-year veteran of the law enforcement profession. She currently works for the Kissimmee Police Department as deputy chief of the operations bureau.
Before coming to the Kissimmee Police Department in March 2018, she worked for 30 years for the Polk County Sheriff's Office, where she retired as a captain.
Deputy Chief Holland has held several prominent supervisory positions in the law enforcement community, including her time as the criminal and strategic investigations lieutenant and overseeing the criminal justice academy as a captain.
Deputy Chief Holland received her bachelor of science in business and professional leadership from Southeastern University and her master of public administration from Troy University. In addition, she is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute's administrative officers course from the University of Louisville and a graduate of the certified public manager program from Florida State University.
Deputy Chief Holland's first thoughts of a law enforcement career surfaced at 15. Her best friend's dad was a retired deputy sheriff, which sparked her interest in law enforcement. This interest quickly developed into a passion, and when she graduated from high school, she immediately accepted a position at the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Deputy Chief Betty Holland's career goals include becoming chief of police with the Kissimmee Police Department and continuing to build relationships with the community. She is passionate about lowering crime rates with innovative, new deterrent measures; holding public servants to higher standards and expectations; and creating more open lines of communication between officers and civilians. Her actions regarding these objectives remain a consistent measure of her interests in the betterment of the field of law enforcement.
For this and more, Deputy Chief Betty Holland, we honor you. Honoring Cindy Lewis
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I recognize Ms. Cindy Lewis.
Cindy Lewis has dedicated her nearly 33-year career at the Kissimmee/ Osceola County Chamber of Commerce to serving the business community of Osceola County.
A native Floridian, Cindy was born in DeLand, Florida, as the second daughter of Johnny and Annette Wimberly. She has called central Florida her home for her entire life and is a proud graduate of Osceola High School's class of 1980.
Cindy began her career with Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce as an administrative assistant in 1989. She was promoted to officer manager in 1994 and executive vice president in 2008. In her time at the chamber, Cindy was recognized as Chamber Professional of the Year in 2017 by the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals. She received her certification as a Florida Certified Chamber Professional and is currently in her fourth year at the Institute for Organization Management, a professional development program of the U.S. Chamber Foundation from which she will graduate in June of this year with the IOM certification.
During her tenure at the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber, the chamber has been recognized by the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals as Chamber of the Year in 2001, 2017, and 2021. Cindy is also a graduate of Leadership Osceola.
Cindy has been married to Troy Lewis, the love of her life, for 32 years. Cindy and Troy own a ranch in Clermont, Florida, filled with cattle, donkeys, chickens, cats, and two spoiled dogs who are their pride and joy.
When she is not working or ranching, she enjoys spending time with her husband boating, enjoying other outdoor activities, learning new recipes, vacationing in the Florida Keys, and spending time with her family and friends.
For this and more, Ms. Cindy Lewis, we honor you. Honoring Doris Moore Bailey
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I recognize Doris Moore Bailey.
Ms. Moore Bailey's innovative marketing skills for a national youth organization inspired her to develop middle school and teen mom initiatives in four Florida counties and 24 schools to provide services for 1,000 students yearly.
An experienced adjunct professor and YMCA program director, she believes that no one achieves a successful life without the influence of positive mentoring.
Twice appointed by Florida's Governor Lawton Chiles to the Peace River Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, she participated in flyovers of the basin's 105-mile Peace River, Florida's Manatee River that flows into the Gulf of Mexico to Tampa Bay, and Florida's largest storage facility with 1,147-acre New Wales gypstack in Polk County.
She established the African American Chamber of Commerce of Polk County, Inc.; the African American Historical Museum of Lakeland; reestablished the Polk County Democratic Black Caucus; organized Polk County USCT and buffalo soldiers re-enactors; and is a founder of the Friends of Cathay Williams Organization. She is also the only female buffalo soldier and advocates for the rights of voters to access the ballot box. Through her work, she strives to enhance community resources.
In 2022, she organized the African American Historical Museum of Lakeland Equal Justice Initiative's lynching Community Remembrance Project and Polk County's first commemoration of the 56th anniversary Selma Bridge crossing Jubilee Unity march. She is a Polk County trailblazer, spanning 30 years in talk radio as an executive producer and host of Our Voices.
Moore Bailey and her husband of 44 years are parents of two adult children and the grandparents to five grandsons.
In 1992, she organized Florida's first Juneteenth observance. She is a member of New Bethel AME Church, an NAACP Gold Life member, and a chartered member and past president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Chapter in Lakeland. She also authored anthologies: ``Voices of Unsung Immortal Mothers'' and ``Sons of Immortal Mothers.''
For this and more, Ms. Doris Moore Bailey, we honor you. Honoring Dr. Lynn Marshall
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I recognize Dr. Lynn Marshall.
Dr. Lynn Marshall's journey in public health began when she worked as an education and training coordinator for the Healthy Start Coalition. During that time, she joined the Florida Healthy Babies Committee and led a subcommittee that consisted of the following partners: Lakeland Regional Health, Florida Department of Health, Healthy Start Coalition, Sunshine Health, and Spirit Life Ministries.
In 2019, Dr. Marshall and a handful of community partners hosted the first Melanin Families Matter community event at Lakeland Regional Health Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children. In August 2019, Dr. Marshall took the initiative to incorporate and serve as the president of Melanin Families Matter. She has received proclamations on behalf of Melanin Families Matter from the Polk County Board of County Commissioners, Winter Haven Chain of Lakes Mayor Bradley T. Dantzler, and city of Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz.
These governmental officers have recognized and publicly declared the month of March to be Melanin Families Matter Month.
Dr. Marshall continues to host annual Melanin Families Matter health panels and community events that are open to the public at no cost. In addition to providing education to the Polk County community, Dr. Marshall also spearheads a Community Distribution Day each year. It is during this time when care packages, educational materials, clothing, food, and play items for babies and children are provided to families in need at no cost.
As a community advocate, Dr. Marshall has served as a guest speaker on the following platforms: 100 National Coalition of Black Women, Polk State College Women's History Month panel discussion, The Empowered Woman, Our Voices Live radio broadcast, and more.
Dr. Marshall is the wife of Dr. Jarvis L. Marshall, and together, they have two beautiful daughters.
For this and more, Dr. Lynn Marshall, we honor you. Honoring Laudi Campo
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I recognize Laudi Campo.
Laudi Campo was born and raised in Morovis, Puerto Rico. Through a 25-year professional trajectory in communications, government, and nonprofits, she continues to build organizations, create partnerships, and implement innovative outreach and services for the community.
Her career started in the Puerto Rico Senate as a communications specialist. She then became an English teacher and later gained valuable experience in Federal grant management in the private sector. As a public relations director for Vega Alta, her most notable contribution became a radio program to connect the community with the local government.
In 2011, she moved with her family to Orlando, where she has been a noteworthy player in Hispanic relations in central Florida. As a Spanish-language teacher, she acquired valuable insight into the education system. Her passion for community work reignited at the Orange County Property Appraiser and the city of Orlando's District 2 office, a sector rich in diversity and community pride, where she helped people of different nationalities.
One of the most significant achievements became her work on the Trust Act policy, which was approved unanimously by the Orlando City Council and helps noncitizens who are victims of crime.
In 2019, Laudi was named deputy director for the Hispanic Federation Florida, the Nation's premier Latino nonprofit. She directed the Census, voter registration, and COVID-19 media campaigns during the pandemic. In 2021, she became HF Florida's State director. She expanded services and spearheaded a massive effort to vaccinate 13,000 individuals and educate more than 1 million Floridians on vaccines. She foresaw a pandemic aftershock and provided $1 million in financial aid to local nonprofits.
Laudi continues to forge partnerships and advocate for affordable housing, immigration, environmental justice, and fair redistricting. Most recently, she has been recognized by the 2021 Tech Innovadores for her work in digital inclusion.
For this and more, Senora Laudi Campo, we honor you. Honoring Sarah Johnston
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Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I recognize Sarah Johnston.
Sarah Johnston serves as the vice president of development of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida. She began her career in the development field in 2002 after graduating from the University of Central Florida. Her goal has always been to obtain a leadership position that utilizes and challenges her abilities to maximize results, build strong relationships, and honor her commitment to excellence, innovation, and community.
Sarah is a mission-driven professional with over 20 years of experience in building and sustaining excellent investor relationships with a measurable track record of success. Through her experience, she has demonstrated expertise in creating philanthropic cultures by utilizing a strategic, collaborative, data-driven, and results-oriented mindset. In her eyes, her team's responsibility is to serve as a connector for individuals in the community and their passion for investing in the future of children of promise.
Sarah's favorite part of her role is building bridges with investors and sharing the potential impact they can have through the stories of club members she serves. She believes there is nothing more important than telling a child you believe in them and that regardless of their ZIP Code or the economic status of their family, they deserve a chance to realize their dreams.
In her service to the community, Sarah raised over $25 million in hope and opportunity. Ultimately, she is driven every day by the bravery of the club members she serves who face and have overcome unimaginable obstacles, as well as the success they achieved through mentors and club programming. For her, being able to watch a club member be the first in their family to walk across a stage to receive a high school diploma, and seeing the pride light up in their eyes, keeps her believing that every day is an opportunity to be great.
For this and more, Ms. Sarah Johnston, we honor you.
In honor of Women's History Month, I would like to recognize Yulonda Bell. Ms. Yulonda Bell serves as the associate dean for the student services at Polk State College where she listens to, learns from, and encourages people from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. Bell is a strong leader who does not seek the spotlight and prefers to work in the background providing guidance and support that fosters student success.
Born and raised in Bartow, Florida, Bell was a teen parent who overcame obstacles to achieve her diploma and provide for her family. Her perseverance resulted in her achievement of an associate degree from Polk Community College, a bachelor's degree from Warner University, and a master's degrees from Webster University, all while raising two sons.
She first served Polk County Public Schools, followed by positions with the Florida Department of Children and Families, and finally Polk State College. She was the first in her family to achieve a college diploma, providing her with an understanding of the challenges that students of color and first-generation-in-college students face as they navigate higher education.
She is a leader on campus serving as an advisor to the Black Student Union; a founder of SISTERS, Strong, Independent, Sisters, that Encourage, RESPECT and Survive; a mentor for Polk State basketball; and the STEM Club students.
She invests time as a member of the organizing committee for the city of Winter Haven Juneteenth Celebration, serving on the city of Winter Haven's Martin Luther King committee, volunteering at the Neighborhood Service Center, and participating in Lift Lakeland to improve race relations and expand economic, education, and civic involvement.
Bell lives Maya Angelou's quote, ``I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,'' as she plays an important role in supporting students and celebrating their achievements.
For this and more, Ms. Yulonda Bell, we honor you.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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