[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 26 (Monday, February 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1512-H1515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank the gentleman from 
North Carolina. We in Florida all express our condolences for the loss 
of Congressman Walter Jones. I thank the gentleman for bringing that 
up.
  Mr. Speaker, we had the longest shutdown in history caused by the 
President of the United States claiming the mantel that government 
needed to be shut down for his border wall. Then, finally, government 
was reopened as every party came to their senses.
  As we speak, Mr. Speaker, we have Senate Members and House Members 
diligently negotiating a bipartisan border deal, four Republicans in 
the Senate led by Senator Shelby and three Democrats led by Senator 
Leahy. In the House, we have Chairwoman Nita Lowey, subcommittee 
Chairwoman Roybal-Allard, Ranking Member Granger, and Ranking Member 
Fleischmann.
  I believe a deal is imminent, where both sides will deliver 
concessions and

[[Page H1513]]

have to compromise. Yet, tonight, I heard dozens of speeches by my 
friends across the aisle on the one hand pleading for a bipartisan deal 
and on the other hand condemning Democrats with every other breath.
  Were they not aware that there is a bipartisan negotiation happening 
as we speak that their colleagues are involved in? Devoid of reality, 
perhaps, or maybe it was just political scare tactics.
  Mr. Speaker, when bipartisan plans come up before this body this 
week, and we show that we will keep the government open and protect our 
Nation, I know one other thing is for sure: My colleagues across the 
aisle are going to need a new script, because these scare tactics 
aren't going to work anymore.


                          Black History Month

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I want to 
recognize Anna M. Pinellas. Anna M. Pinellas and her husband, Louis C. 
Pinellas, moved to Kissimmee, Florida, in 1981, after having worked in 
local government in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia.
  Having knowledge in securing funds for various projects, she was 
hired by the city of Kissimmee and was able to secure grants for the 
infrastructure around Osceola Square Mall, the paving of Hill Street, 
and John Young Parkway, the first of those grants being $750,000.

                              {time}  2015

  She was also hired by Osceola County government to secure Federal 
funds for projects, which include bringing Head Start back to Osceola 
County, refurbishing the old courthouse, and the establishment of a 
salary plan for Osceola County employees.
  One of her primary goals was to pursue the establishment of the Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in the city of Kissimmee, city of St. 
Cloud, Osceola County, and the school board. Thirty-four years ago, 
Pinellas founded Osceola Visionaries, Inc., a nonprofit corporation 
devoted to honoring and celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. before 
the holiday was observed.
  Today, Pinellas continues to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by 
hosting their annual banquet and holding programs for the central 
Florida community.
  And for that, Mrs. Pinellas, we honor you.


                    Recognizing Beverlye Colson Neal

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Beverlye Colson Neal.
  Beverlye Colson Neal is the president of the Orange County branch of 
the NAACP and the former executive director for the Florida State 
Conference of the NAACP. She has spent most of her life fighting for 
civil rights, beginning in her early childhood, as a member of the 
Jacksonville Youth Council of the NAACP.
  She has a wealth of experience in the field of civil rights, 
community, and political organizing. Her involvement has been centered 
around safeguarding the Black community.
  She coordinated the 1984 GOTV efforts for the Congressional District 
3 for Reverend Jesse Jackson for President of the United States, 
getting the only elected Jesse Jackson delegate from Florida from that 
congressional district. In 2009, she was asked by Dr. C. Delores Tucker 
to start a chapter of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. in 
Florida. She has since organized five other chapters in the State. She 
has been instrumental in ensuring the programs under the NCBW-Orlando 
reflect the needs of Black women and their families in Orlando.
  She is the mother of three adult sons--James, Odell, and Kenneth 
Neal--and the proud grandmother of five grandchildren. She has a 
committed passion for the work that she does in the State, and is 
always working for those who are ignored or overlooked. She feels that 
this is God's purpose for her life on Earth.
  And for that, Mrs. Beverlye Colson Neal, we honor you.


                       Recognizing Johnnie Walker

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Johnnie Walker.
  Johnnie Walker was born in Ethiopia in 1961, where his father was a 
technical advisor for the U.S. Department of State. He is now employed 
as a national representative for the American Federation of Government 
Employees, working for and with Federal employees performing the full 
range of employee and labor relations duties for Florida, Puerto Rico, 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  For 32 years, he has been a labor activist, advocate, and trainer, 
with extensive experience representing unionized bargaining unit 
employee members, and others. His advocacy has obtained over $500,000 
in back pay for D.C. government bargaining unit employees.
  Walker received his undergraduate degrees in political science and 
liberal arts from the College of Central Florida and Howard University. 
He worked as the constituent liaison for the late Florida Congressman 
Bill Chappell, Jr. from 1983 to 1986. He has received numerous 
recognitions from the D.C. Committee on Political Education, D.C. 
Central Labor Council, and the AFGE.
  Walker represents Federal Government employees and provides community 
support and outreach to thousands of union members he represents, the 
most recent example being the ongoing support for furloughed employees 
by holding collections and distribution drives, town halls, and 
roundtable discussions to discuss the effects and seek solutions.
  And for that, Mr. Johnnie Walker, we honor you.


                      Recognizing Cynthia Downing

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Cynthia Downing.
  Cynthia Downing is a native of Florida; mother of one daughter, 
Cyntoria; and a recent grandmother of grandson, JaMarcus. She is a 
graduate of Haines City Senior High. She received her Bachelor's degree 
in Management of Human Resources and a Master of Business 
Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.
  Ms. Downing is a lifetime member of the Haines City NAACP, where she 
serves as president. Her love of advocating for people and seeking 
justice has afforded her the opportunity to serve on social and 
economic panels. She is most proud of instituting the Black History 
Program, Black History Essay Contest, quarterly mission projects, a 
scholarship program, and the Drum Major for Justice Award. Serving in 
this capacity allows her to bring awareness and new initiatives to her 
community.
  She always had a passion for helping others reach their fullest 
potential, and her management skills allowed her to start her own 
business as a trainer and coach. She also assists with vocational 
rehabilitation with job placement.
  Ms. Downing is also active in many ministries of her church, New 
Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Haines City. She serves as a 
Sunday school teacher, newsletter editor, website administrator, and 
president of the Shepherd's Care Ministry.
  She lives by the quote her dad often repeated: ``To whom much is 
given, much is required.''
  And for that, Ms. Cynthia Downing, we honor you.


                       Recognizing Anthony Gordon

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Anthony Gordon.
  Anthony Gordon was born and raised in Avon Park, Florida. After 
graduating from Avon Park High School, he attended Polk State College 
on a baseball scholarship, and soon began his professional baseball 
career with the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White 
Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers.

  After retiring from professional baseball in 1996, he began working 
with Bill and Brian Jarrett to purchase and operate the Jarrett-Gordon 
Ford dealerships in central Florida.
  Anthony serves as a board member for the Ford Motor Minority Dealers 
Association, as a Rotarian since 2002, and also served as a Haines City 
Chamber Board member, on the Board of Directors for Heart of Florida 
hospital, and was recognized as the Haines City Chamber of Commerce 
2014 Citizen of the Year. He volunteers for the Great American Teach-In 
at Ridge High School, Bethune Academy and Horizon Elementary in 
recognition of Black History Month.
  Mr. Anthony Gordon is a dedicated husband and father, as well as a 
longtime active member of New Zion Temple Holiness Church Association, 
where he currently serves as an ordained minister. He is a firm 
believer that his

[[Page H1514]]

life's accomplishments are directly ordered by the mercy and grace of 
God.
  And for that, Mr. Anthony Gordon, we honor you.


                        Recognizing Wayne Gandy

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Wayne Gandy.
  In 1989, as a senior at Haines City High School, Wayne Gandy was 
recruited by Auburn University to play football. He was then drafted as 
a first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams, where he played his first 5 
years. Since then, he has played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New 
Orleans Saints, and the Atlanta Falcons, having never missed a game.
  After the NFL, Gandy focused on his foundation, The Wayne Gandy 
Foundation, organized exclusively to support and promote the power of 
sports in developing the qualities of leadership, social 
responsibility, and excellence through the sponsorship of sports camps, 
team building events, and programs that build healthy spirits, bodies, 
and minds of at-risk teens.
  In addition to this, he also hosts a daily 3-hour syndicated radio 
show, the Sports Joc Show with Wayne Gandy, and serves as a color 
analyst for ESPN. Gandy still returns to his hometown, Haines City, 
Florida, and offers help wherever it may be needed. For the past 3 
years, he has sponsored the Wayne Gandy Christmas Tournament, a semi-
final high school basketball tournament in Haines City.
  In 2017, Haines City High School dedicated the Wayne Gandy field to 
Mr. Gandy, thus showing how much his name is synonymous to the meaning 
of truly being a ``hometown hero.''
  And for that, Mr. Wayne Gandy, we honor you.


                      Recognizing Lemuel Geathers

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Lemuel Geathers.
  Mr. Lemuel Geathers, from the historic Pughsville neighborhood of 
Winter Haven, Florida, served as the city's first African American 
Commissioner and Mayor. He was also the special assistant to 
Congressman Andy Ireland. He is a World War II veteran, and served as 
an electrician in the Navy.
  In 1954, he went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in 
industrial arts and education from Florida A&M University. He spent 28 
years as a teacher in Polk County, and one of his greatest 
accomplishments was serving on the committee to establish a junior 
college in Winter Haven, Florida, now known as Polk State College, 
because he knew the importance of receiving a good education.
  He has served on the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, 
Winter Haven Hospital Board, Polk County Industrial Bonding Board, Polk 
County Master Planning Committee, and was chairman of the city's Human 
Relations Committee. Mr. Geathers was also the first African American 
chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee in Polk County. He has 
been affiliated with the National Education Association, American 
Legion, NAACP, Boys and Girls Club, and Optimist Club.
  His wife, Juanita Geathers, is a retired educator and former 
secretary of the Florida Democratic Party. They have six children and 
nine grandchildren, all college educated.
  And for that, Mr. Lemuel Geathers, we honor you.


                       Recognizing George Brooks

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
George Brooks.
  Staff Sergeant George Brooks enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1954; 
7 years after the USAF had integrated its forces. He was stationed in 
Biloxi, less than 1 year before Emmett Till was murdered in Money, 
Mississippi. He was also one of the first African Americans to attend 
electronics school.
  While stationed in Spokane, Washington, he worked on the B-36 
aircraft, becoming one of the first Black bomb navigation technicians 
to fly the craft, flying three missions. He left Spokane in 1956 for 
Westover Air Force Base, in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he first 
started working on the B-52 bomber, also joining the first ranks of 
Black navigators on that plane.
  He flew 47 missions in the B-52, and was awarded the Air Medal with 
two clusters. Over the course of his 20-year career, he flew over 100 
missions, until retiring from the USAF in 1974.
  Mr. Brooks went to work for the Department of Defense for 13 years 
after that as an electronics consultant, until his retirement in 1987. 
He traveled the world extensively, with stops in seven continents, 
including Antarctica, finally ending up in Nalcrest, just outside Lake 
Wales.
  Staff Sergeant George Brooks, for that, we honor you.


                        Recognizing Orrett Davis

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I recognize 
Orrett Davis.
  Orrett Davis is a growth marketer, startup advocate, and technology 
enthusiast. While continuing to support Orlando's tech community, Mr. 
Davis currently serves as Director of Marketing at SightPlan, an 
Orlando-based technology company providing cutting-edge solutions for 
the Nation's growing multifamily industry.
  Mr. Davis is a proud graduate of the University of Florida, and 
received a master's degree in business administration from Rollins 
College. Prior to SightPlan, Mr. Davis was head of growth for Abe AI, a 
financial technology company, recently acquired by Envestnet Yodlee, 
where he launched the largest virtual summit on artificial intelligence 
and banking.
  Mr. Davis was the first executive director for the Orlando Tech 
Association, OTA, which helped cultivate the explosive growth of 
Orlando's startup and technology ecosystem.

                              {time}  2030

  As head of OTA, Mr. Davis was invited to the inaugural Tech Meet Up 
at the White House by the Obama administration, where he presented on 
the growth of Orlando's startup community.
  Mr. Davis has made a tremendous impact on the central Florida 
community, and in addition to his work in Orlando, he has helped foster 
entrepreneurial communities throughout the country.
  For that, Mr. Orrett Davis, we honor you.


                   In Recognition of Deloris McMillon

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I want to 
recognize Deloris McMillon.
  Ms. Deloris McMillon is a retired educator and administrator whose 
career spanned from 1965 to 2003. Her commitment to educating children 
and community service are among her greatest gifts and strengths.
  Ms. McMillon moved to Kissimmee in 1966 after marrying her college 
sweetheart, the late Samuel Lawrence McMillon, Jr.
  During a time when schools were still segregated, she helped pave the 
way for the integration of Black educators into the Osceola County 
School System.
  After receiving her master's in administration and supervision in 
1989, she was promoted to assistant principal at Osceola High School, 
and then principal of Parkway Middle School.
  Ms. McMillon has received numerous awards for her outstanding 
contributions and leadership in education and community service. She is 
a recipient of the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award, the Rosa Parks 
Memorial Award, the OCTA Human and Civil Rights Award, and more.
  Her involvements include Valencia Community College Board of 
Trustees; Osceola County Fire and Rescue Advisory Board; Osceola 
Visionaries, Inc.; and a member of the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber 
of Commerce Leadership.
  Deloris McMillon is currently the President of the Osceola County 
branch of the NAACP. She continues to advocate for equal rights and 
education. She encourages young people to seek higher educational 
opportunities by providing tutoring and financial assistance to 
college-bound students. She is a true role model for all women, not 
just women of color.
  And for that, Ms. Deloris McMillon, we honor you.


                 In Recognition of Gail Paschall-Brown

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I want to 
recognize Gail Paschall-Brown. Gail Paschall-Brown started her life in 
Brooklyn, New York, but was raised by her grandparents in rural North 
Carolina.
  Now a Floridian, Paschall-Brown is celebrating 21 years at WESH-2 
News, where she has served as an anchor and is a general assignment 
reporter.

[[Page H1515]]

  Starting in television while in high school, working in her hometown, 
Paschall-Brown did everything from shooting video for the city to doing 
commercials for advertisers.
  Gail received a bachelor of arts in drama and speech, with a minor in 
broadcasting, from East Carolina University. While at ECU, she received 
the Broadcaster of the Year Award from her peers and worked at WITN-TV 
7 in North Carolina. She served on ECU's first practicum program for 
journalists.
  Paschall-Brown learned the business from all angles. Beginning as a 
tape jockey, she moved to reporter, then to anchor, and even did 
weather before Doppler radar was implemented.
  In Florida, she has covered countless stories, including related to 
Trayvon Martin and Casey Anthony, and Polk County's Alejandra Juarez's 
deportation story to Mexico, that I am currently working on legislation 
for.
  Some of Gail's most memorable stories include the first Gulf War, the 
Grenada Invasion, and Susan Smith, who drowned her two sons, 
tragically. She has interviewed notables, including Congresswoman 
Shirley Chisholm, author Alex Haley, sportscaster Jayne Kennedy, and 
did stories ranging from Bob Hope, Phylicia Rashad, to Pope Air Force 
Base.
  Gail has received numerous community awards, including: being 
inducted into the Central Florida Association of Black Journalists Hall 
of Fame; Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs proclaimed Gail Paschall-
Brown Day on April 30, 2015, for being a committed and engaged reporter 
who has shown integrity and compassion for the community; and that same 
year, she also received the Spirit of Journalism Oprah Winfrey 
Journalism Award.
  She is most proud of her two children: Jasmine, a senior at North 
Carolina A&T and Joshua, a sophomore at Florida Gulf Coast University.
  After nearly four decades as a journalist, Gail says she loves this 
business still and hopes to continue serving the central Florida 
community.
  And for that, Ms. Gail Paschall-Brown, we honor you.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the remainder of my time

                          ____________________