[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 196 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H10108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING 15 YEARS OF PEPFAR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on December 1, we commemorated World 
AIDS Day, celebrating our many accomplishments in the fight against 
HIV/AIDS around the globe. One important program for which we are also 
celebrating 15 years of success this year is PEPFAR.
  Mr. Speaker, before Congress enacted PEPFAR, the HIV rates were 
skyrocketing, especially across the developing world. New cases of HIV 
infection were outstripping AIDS deaths by more than 60 percent.
  Serving in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, we followed this 
issue closely, hearing from advocates and administration officials on 
what to do. There was an almost unchallenged notion that we were about 
to lose a whole generation in sub-Saharan Africa. It just seemed to be 
an utterly hopeless situation.
  In 2003, our tremendous leader, President George W. Bush, called on 
us in Congress to take action in responding to this global crisis, and 
I am proud that we swiftly answered the President's call. Today, there 
are over 14 million people receiving HIV treatment globally, and over 2 
million babies born HIV-free to HIV-positive women--simply astounding.
  PEPFAR morphed from an emergency plan to a sustainable program, and I 
am so glad that USAID is at the helm of this lifesaving program. Since 
his time as Ambassador to Tanzania, USAID Administrator Mark Green has 
had a clear-eyed strategy to address the challenges posed by the HIV/
AIDS epidemic. What he has done has reinvigorated this program.
  We are so proud as Americans of what PEPFAR has achieved. It is 
something that we need in order to continue to be a global leader 
against the HIV pandemic.
  I will never forget standing in the Oval Office as President George 
W. Bush signed this essential program, PEPFAR, into law. I hope that my 
colleagues continue to protect and strengthen this vital program.
  I am also proud of the many organizations like the One Campaign that, 
day in and day out, are working to get us closer to our goal of an 
AIDS-free generation.

                              {time}  1030


                      Recognizing the Simon Family

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Simon 
family of Key Biscayne for their exemplary work on the yet-to-be-named 
park located in my congressional district at 401 Hampton Lane in Key 
Biscayne, the first neighborhood park for their community.
  I would like to thank Arielle Simon, the horticulture adviser; Brett 
Simon, the architectural designer; and their father, Steven Simon, the 
project coordinator, who worked tirelessly as volunteers to see this 
vision into fruition.
  This is not just any park; it is not just any effort. In an 
editorial, the community, newspaper, The Islander News, wrote:

       The park, put simply, is beautiful--but the story behind it 
     is even more so.

  From the beginning, Steven, who has a history of effective community 
leadership, saw an opportunity to work with local elected officials to 
tackle a problem which they inherited.
  Steven brought in his daughter, Arielle, who worked at Miami's 
renowned botanical garden and became a certified horticulturist, and 
his son, Brett, who has a master's degree in architecture and 
craftsmanship education in furniture design, and other volunteers and 
seasoned professionals.
  Together, they all worked as a team, drafting proposals and securing 
the necessary funds to see this project through.
  And here is how the Simon family beautifully described and included 
south Florida limestone in their proposal. They said:

       We incorporated that natural material in our park design so 
     that, metaphorically, we bring the bedrock upon which this 
     island community of shifting sands was founded to the 
     surface. Functionally and aesthetically, limestone is an 
     integral part of our creation of a gathering place . . . in 
     our first neighborhood park.

  The story, which is well documented in Key Biscayne's Islander News 
over the past 3 years, truly shows what is possible when people come 
together with a desire and a drive to do something positive for the 
betterment of their community. I invite all of my congressional 
colleagues to come to Key Biscayne and visit that island paradise and 
especially to see this park for yourself.

                          ____________________