PROTECTING SOUTH FLORIDA

On 2025-05-21, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20) delivered a floor speech titled "PROTECTING SOUTH FLORIDA" in the House.

PROTECTING SOUTH FLORIDA

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025)] [House] [Page H2204] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PROTECTING SOUTH FLORIDA (Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, today Republicans are jamming through a reckless bill that would wreak havoc on south Florida. In response, I introduced a series of commonsense amendments to protect American families. Over the past few weeks, multiple hospitals, including several children's hospitals, have come into my office and pleaded with me to stop the devastating Medicaid cuts. One children's hospital, in particular, showed me their net operating margins for 2024. They were in the negative. This bill will close them down and deprive more than 80,000 children of lifesaving care. This bill also threatens the integrity of this lifeline program, while giving tax breaks to the wealthy and well-connected and leaving our children sicker, poorer, and without healthcare. I am offering an amendment to protect Florida's ability to fund Medicaid. I refuse to stay quiet and silent while this body attempts to rip away healthcare from our most vulnerable children who need it. I also introduced another amendment to protect south Florida's small businesses and the workers they depend on. Immigrants are the economic engine of south Florida. Their hard work and ingenuity make the region a desirable travel destination that thousands of people flock to each year. Unfortunately, this tax-breaks-for-billionaires bill threatens to upend the district's economy, shutter small businesses, and disrupt south Florida's tourist industry. As it is currently written, this bill would impose excessive fees on employment authorizations sought by asylum seekers and individuals holding temporary protective status to work in the United States. At a time of unprecedented worker shortages for south Florida businesses, Congress should make it easier for companies to hire and not more difficult. My amendment caps employment authorization fees at $550 for asylum seekers and TPS holders. It is a commonsense change that would give south Florida businesses the flexibility they need to keep moving and to keep thriving. I also have an amendment that strikes the visa fee for this bill. Imposing a fee on tourists at a time when U.S. tourism is experiencing instability and unprecedented lows because of reckless trade wars would be catastrophic to our economy. Furthermore, my amendment eliminates the cruel remittance tax that will exacerbate crises in places like Haiti, Venezuela, and African countries that depend on them. Taxing this lifeline will only bring more economic instability to the Caribbean and result in increased migration to the United States. Mr. Speaker, remittances should not be taxed but should be incentivized. I will continue to fight relentlessly to protect south Florida from this reckless bill. ____________________