[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5038-H5041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH--IN HONOR OF AMILCAR CORDOVA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Haaland). 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. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I honor 
Amilcar Cordova.
  Mr. Amilcar Cordova hails from Carolina, Puerto Rico. After high 
school, he moved to Pennsylvania, where he began his career in the 
health insurance industry. In 1994, he relocated to Orlando, Florida, 
with his family while he studied business administration at Florida 
Metropolitan University, and later, business management at the 
University of Phoenix.
  In 2003, he began working in the advertising industry with the 
largest newspaper in Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Dia, which just recently 
expanded to Central Florida. He later cofounded and served on the board 
of directors of Amigos Profesionales Business Network, an organization 
whose purpose was to help connect Hispanic professionals and business 
owners in Central Florida.
  In 2010, he founded Cordova Marketing Solutions, a firm that 
specialized in the development of small businesses by providing 
consulting, marketing, and advertising services. During this time, he 
joined the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida as its 
executive director, and in 2013, was elected as their President until 
the end of his term in 2016. He would resume his role as President in 
2019.
  Mr. Cordova is proud of his upbringing in Puerto Rico and is very 
grateful for the opportunities the U.S. has blessed him with. He tries 
to give back to his community through volunteer work, including riding 
his bicycle for different charities. One especially close to his heart 
is the Young Survival Coalition, an organization dedicated to providing 
essential services for breast cancer survivors under the age of 40.
  Mr. Cordova shares his life with his best friend, Ms. Milly Colon. He 
has two sons, four grandchildren, and is blessed to still have both his 
parents alive and well.
  For that, Mr. Cordova, we honor you.


                      In Honor of Cecilia Figueroa

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we 
honor Cecilia Figueroa. Cecilia Figueroa is an Ecuadorian-American 
journalist and media strategist. She graduated as a journalist in her 
native city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. She learned about faith, 
perseverance, and serving others from her parents, Isaac Alvia and 
Olimpia Ordonez.
  A woman pioneer in the print Hispanic media, her first job was at El 
Nuevo Dia an Orlando newspaper. Passionate about her work, she seeks 
stories promoting community outreach, education and knowledge about 
immigration policies that are affecting the Latino community.
  Cecilia enjoys highlighting profiles of Hispanic entrepreneurs, 
organizations, and faith-based communities, among others. She was the 
producer of the radio show, Hispanos Al Dia, and was cohost in various 
other radio programs. She has provided professional services to EFE 
News Service, El Sentinel de Orlando newspaper, and many others. In 
2018, she cofounded Conexion Hispana USA, where she was a journalist 
and social media manager for the platform.

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  In her free time, she loves to read and empower Hispanic women to 
reach their dreams. Cecilia enjoys sharing her knowledge in educational 
workshops and conferences. She was the vice president of the National 
Association of Hispanic Journalists in Central Florida and a founding 
member of Mujer Emprende Latina Orlando. She is an active member of the 
Hispanic American Professional and Business Women's Association of 
Florida.
  Cecilia has been recognized by various organizations for her 
involvement and contributions to community causes, including Women's 
Day by the city of Kissimmee, the Puerto Rican Day Parade of Osceola, 
Nuevo Sendero, Tertulia Cuatro Gatos, Unidos Por Ecuador of Central 
Florida, Ecuadorian Civic Committee of Central Florida, Voices of 
Silence, Evangelical Fellowship of Councils of Florida, and more.
  For that, Ms. Cecilia Figueroa, we honor you.


                       In Honor of Gaby Ortigoni

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we 
recognize Gaby Ortigoni.
  Gaby Ortigoni is the president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of 
Metro Orlando, which is responsible for promoting the economic 
development of the Hispanic community of over 1 million people.
  Some of the signature events and programs they have created to 
promote development in the community include the Hispanic Business 
Conference, the Hispanic Economic Growth Summit, the Don Quijote 
Awards, among others.
  Prior to this, she served as the regional vice president for Central 
Florida at Prospera, a nonprofit organization that provides free, 
bilingual technical assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs who are 
establishing or expanding their businesses. Under her leadership, the 
region achieved a 23 percent increase in clients who received 
individual consulting services.
  Gaby has also served her community in other roles, including being 
the manager of community relations at Orlando Utilities Commission, 
director of Hispanic Crime Prevention Program for FIU's Center for the 
Administration of Justice, senior community officer for the Puerto Rico 
Federal Affairs Administration, and being a legislative assistant in 
the Florida House of Representatives.
  She currently serves as a board member of many local organizations, 
including the Orlando Economic Partnership, the Heart of Florida United 
Way, the Association of Latino Professionals for America, and the 
National Latino Peace Officer Association, among many others.
  Her work ethic and commitment to her community has been recognized 
with numerous awards and recognitions, including Orlando Business 
Journal's 40 under 40, Women Who Mean Business Awards, Telemundo's 
Triunfadores, La Prensa's Hispanic Women Who Make a Difference 
Award, Orange County Sheriff's Community Service Award, Orlando Police 
Department's Good Citizenship, and she was named one of the 25 Most 
Influential Hispanics by HCCMO's Vision Magazine.

  For that, Ms. Gaby Ortigoni, we honor you.


                      In Honor of Iluminada Aponte

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I 
recognize Iluminada Aponte.
  Iluminada Aponte was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and 
has called the United States home for over six decades. Iluminada is a 
self-taught folk artist whose career has taken her first to Puerto Rico 
and then Florida.
  Iluminada's career first started with folk dance--Baile Folklorico. 
She performs both Puerto Rican and Dominican folk dance. From Puerto 
Rican bomba to Dominican bachata, Iluminada has not only been a 
performer, but also a dance teacher. Her passion for teaching folk 
dance inspires people of all ages, and she has made it her 
responsibility to advocate for and help educate various Hispanic groups 
through dance and cultural exhibitions.
  Iluminada's career has been one of strengthening communities through 
cultural celebrations. She considers herself a cultural ambassador, not 
only for her native Dominican Republic, but also for the entire 
Hispanic community. Her early experience as a missionary across Latin 
America has inspired her to connect people to each other by celebrating 
cultural diversity.
  Iluminada's commitment to promoting culture and the arts is not only 
seen in the diversity of her works but also in her leadership within 
the community. Iluminada is the founder of Alianza Dominicana of 
Central Florida, where she organizes and directs various cultural 
exhibitions highlighting Dominican and Hispanic culture to various 
groups within Central Florida. She has been recognized with awards from 
the Orange County government, the City of Orlando government, the 
Counsel General of the Dominican Republic in Miami, and more.
  For that, Ms. Iluminada Aponte, we honor you.


                   In Honor of Father Jose Rodriguez

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I 
recognize Father Jose Rodriguez.
  Father Jose Rodriguez is a vicar of the Iglesia Episcopal Jesus de 
Nazaret in Orange County, Florida.
  Originally from Puerto Rico, he arrived with his family to Azalea 
Park in 1987 and has been part of that community now for over three 
decades.
  He learned from his parents the importance of service and advocating 
for others. His father was a soldier, and his mother, a shop steward 
for UNITE HERE Local 737 at Walt Disney World.
  He was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from 
Rollins College with a BA and the University of Central Florida with an 
MBA. For many years, he served as the Episcopal chaplain to the 
University of Central Florida, where he and his wife served local 
students and young adults for nearly a decade.
  In 2017, he was assigned to Iglesia Episcopal Jesus de Nazaret, just 
months before Hurricanes Irma and Maria. For both storms, the local 
church mobilized to meet the people's needs. Their work is far from 
over.
  Welcoming newcomers has been a hallmark of the local Episcopal Church 
along the Semoran Corridor in Orlando and Kissimmee, including feeding 
programs, advocacy for those in need as well. Father Jose and the local 
church empower people to accomplish their goals by working with civic 
and elected leaders to promote and remove barriers to equal access to 
opportunity.
  As a priest, Father Jose understands the unique role that religious 
communities can play in the development of the greater community. 
Preserving and upholding human dignity is at the heart of Father Jose 
and the local church's work. His desire is to build up a resilient 
community where families have access to safe communities, a living 
wage, affordable housing, and healthcare.
  For that, Father Jose Rodriguez, we honor you.

                              {time}  2030


                        In Honor of Marcos Vilar

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I would 
like to recognize Marcos Vilar.
  Marcos Vilar was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and moved to the United 
States mainland at the age of 14. He currently resides in Orlando, 
Florida.
  Marcos holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of 
Maryland and a master's degree in education from the University of 
Illinois. Marcos has worked in Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and several 
cities in Florida; as well as in Puerto Rico, where he has designed and 
implemented innovative and successful programs and campaigns in 
government, labor, and nonprofit settings. He has worked on civic 
engagement campaigns in Florida since 2011, focusing on the Puerto 
Rican and Hispanic communities.
  Marcos worked as a teacher in Chicago in the 1990s. During his tenure 
at Roberto Community Academy, he was best known for working with at-
risk youth and integrating arts and cultural programming into 
afterschool programs. He also was adviser for the student body 
government and a leader of the local reform movement at the school.
  In January of 2002, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he held 
several national leadership posts, including national field director 
for Que Nada Nos Detenga, executive director for Americas Families 
United, national political director for the Service Employees 
International Union, and national field director for Mi Familia Vota 
Education Fund.

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  Today, Marcos serves as president and executive director of Alianza 
for Progress, Alianza Center, United for Progress PAC, and Vilar 
Strategies, LLC. He is also the founder of two prominent statewide 
Latino coalitions: Respeta Mi Gente and La Mesa Boricua.
  For that, Mr. Marcos Vilar, we honor you.


                        In Honor of Julio Zayas

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I would 
like to recognize Julio Zayas.
  Julio Zayas was born in Salinas, Puerto Rico, in 1948. He moved to 
New York City in 1968, where he and his wife established their family 
in the Bronx. He has four wonderful children, seven grandchildren, and 
five great-grandchildren.
  Julio studied at Hostos Community College and attended Cambridge 
University's New York chapter, where he developed his skills as a radio 
announcer and in advertisements. He was a member of several civic and 
cultural organizations in the Bronx, including the Puerto Rican 
Development Project, Alianza Civica Bayamonesa, the Salinas Club, and 
the Puerto Rican Veterans Association of Seneca.
  Julio became vice president of the Bronx Puerto Rican Parade and was 
the founder and president of the Puerto Rican Bronx Fair and Puerto 
Rican Week Festival. He worked as a consultant for the Bronx Coalition 
for a Better Bronx and the Soundview Community in Action as the 
outreach coordinator and publisher. A successful small business owner, 
Julio was also a poll inspector for the Bronx Board of Election.
  In 2012, Julio retired to Orlando, Florida. He continued his 
community involvement as a volunteer with several Puerto Rican activist 
organizations, including: Frente 436, Iniciativa Accion Puertorriquena, 
Coordinadora Ayuda Solidaridad y Apoyo, Vamos por Puerto Rico, and is 
the founder and president of Comite Preservacion Cultura 
Puertorriquena.
  Currently, he is the producer of his own radio show, Con Sabor 
Boricua Proyecto Radial. Julio is looking forward to other projects in 
the future to empower the Puerto Rican community in central Florida.
  For that, Mr. Julio Zayas, we honor you.


                        In Honor of Wanda Ramos

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I would 
like to recognize Ms. Wanda Ramos.
  Ms. Wanda Ramos was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She moved to 
Orlando, Florida, in 1999 and became involved in fighting for workers' 
rights, empowering new voters, and creating awareness about the 
importance of parental involvement in education.
  Wanda has been a board member of various organizations, such as: Jobs 
with Justice, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Community 
Legal Services of Mid-Florida, and the Legal Advocacy Center of Central 
Florida.
  While working as a retailer, Wanda organized workers to achieve 
better working conditions and better pay. She was a founding member of 
Vamos4PR Florida and Pa'lante Por Mas. Recently, she became a statewide 
board member of Organize Florida.
  As a founding member of Vamos Por Puerto Rico, she helped to 
spearhead the campaign Se Habla Espanol to petition the Orange County 
Public Schools to provide language access to non-English-speaking 
parents and students. She also advocated for the families arriving from 
Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to better understand and properly 
enroll their kids in school.
  Wanda was recognized as Citizen of the Year in 2015 for Orange County 
District 3 after organizing neighbors in their efforts to improve their 
community. Wanda continues to support our community through radio shows 
as well as her online program ``Wanda Contigo,'' bringing awareness 
about community issues.
  For that, Ms. Wanda Ramos, we honor you.


                       In Honor of Jose Rodriguez

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I would 
like to recognize Jose Rodriguez.
  Jose Rodriguez arrived in Palmetto, Florida, at the age of 12 from El 
Salvador. While attending school, he recalls being pulled out of 
regular class for 2 hours a day to practice English.
  During his first 5 years in the United States, Mr. Rodriguez and his 
family were migrant farmworkers, living 9 months in Florida and 3 
months up north, following the crops with the help of the Summer 
Migrant Institute held in Tampa at the University of South Florida.
  Mr. Rodriguez graduated early from high school, in the top 10 percent 
of his class. He was the first Hispanic person in Manatee County to be 
accepted into a 4-year university, where he earned his associate's 
degree.
  Mr. Rodriguez has worked as a general manager and on-air personality 
for La Que Buena, a regional Mexican radio station in Orlando. As part 
of his work, he makes sure to give airtime to nonprofit organizations 
and elected officials that support the immigrant community. While 
sharing his passion for music with his listeners, Mr. Rodriguez always 
keeps central Floridians informed on community resources like food 
drives, housing assistance, COVID-19 testing sites, and much more.
  Mr. Rodriguez also serves on the leadership committee of the 
Farmworkers Association of Florida. He draws his inspiration from his 
community, his two beautiful daughters, and his late wife.
  For that, Mr. Jose Rodriguez, we honor you.


                     In Honor of Dr. Antonio Crespo

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I would 
like to recognize Dr. Antonio Crespo.
  Dr. Antonio Crespo is an infectious disease specialist in central 
Florida with over 18 years of experience in his field. In May of 2014, 
he led the team that cared for the second case of Middle Eastern 
respiratory syndrome, MERS, in the United States. Currently, he is part 
of the team that has prepared and managed the COVID-19 pandemic, 
helping many in the Orlando community.
  He first earned his medical degree from Universidad Central de 
Venezuela and later moved to the United States to continue his 
education. He completed his residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center 
and infectious disease training at Temple University, both in 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  Since 2002, he has been part of the infectious disease team at 
Orlando Health, where he now serves as the chief of staff and the 
medical director of infectious diseases at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital.
  He has received several Attending of the Year awards and frequently 
appears among Orlando's Best Doctors. In 2012, he received the Lifetime 
Exemplary Physician Colleague Award given by Orlando Health.
  Dr. Crespo also takes time to serve as a clinical instructor at the 
Florida State University College of Medicine and as the new program 
director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship at Orlando Health. His 
passion for teaching new generations has inspired many on the path of 
infectious diseases so that more doctors might continue the fight 
against these elusive enemies.
  For that, Dr. Antonio Crespo, we honor you.


                  In Honor of Pamela and Estela Juarez

  Mr. SOTO. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I would like to 
recognize Pamela and Estela Juarez.
  For nearly 20 years, Cuauhtemoc ``Temo'' Juarez and his wife, 
Alejandra Juarez, worked together to build and sustain their American 
Dream in Polk County, Florida.
  Mr. Juarez, a naturalized U.S. citizen, grew up in Osceola County and 
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps right after graduating from 
high school. He would later reenlist in the United States Army Reserve.
  After his honorable discharge from the Marines, he came home, started 
his own flooring business, and met and married Mrs. Alejandra Juarez. 
Together, they worked hard to make their business a success. They built 
a home, joined a church, volunteered to help the less fortunate, and 
had two beautiful daughters, Pamela and Estela.
  Two years ago, their dreams were shattered when Mrs. Juarez was 
deported under the current administration's zero-tolerance policy. 
Despite the roots she set up, despite her husband's brave and honorable 
service, despite the fact that her husband and two

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daughters are U.S. citizens, she was forced to return to Mexico in 
August of 2018.
  Pamela is now 18. She recently graduated from high school with 
honors, has started online college classes, and plans to become a 
social worker. She has campaigned to build grassroots support for the 
families of military veterans who, like hers, have lost a family member 
to a cruel immigration policy. This November, she will vote for the 
first time.

  Estela, 11 years old, lived with her mom in Mexico but is now back in 
Florida, where she just started the sixth grade. She is following in 
the footsteps of civil rights leader John Lewis, whose book ``March'' 
inspired her. Estela is now working on a picture book about her 
struggle to reunite her family.
  Both young women have suffered enormously because of the trauma their 
family has endured. They and their family have been working hard to 
bring their mother home and will continue to do so until they are 
united again.
  For that, Pamela and Estela Juarez, we honor you.


 In Support of the Digital Taxonomy Act and the Blockchain Innovation 
                                  Act

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, today, I am pleased that the House passed, 
as part of the Consumer Safety Inspection Enhancement Act, two pieces 
of legislation that we were able to offer in the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, the Digital Taxonomy Act, H.R. 2154, and the Blockchain 
Innovation Act, H.R. 8153.
  We were very pleased to work in a bipartisan fashion to secure the 
inclusion of these two bills. Both bills will study and highlight the 
consumer protection aspects of blockchain technology and digital 
assets. They are the first blockchain bills to pass the House.
  H.R. 8153, the Blockchain Innovation Act, directs the Department of 
Commerce, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, to conduct 
a study and submit to the Congress a report on the state of blockchain 
technology in commerce, including its use to reduce fraud and increase 
security. It is setting up a larger long-term goal that we have to 
establish a blockchain center of excellence within the Commerce 
Department.
  Blockchain has enormous potential for innovation and economic growth. 
I believe, as government officials, we need to support that growth and 
enable its appropriate use for government business and consumers. We 
will continue to push until we have these policy objectives put into 
law with proper regulations so we can best position ourselves to be 
leaders in this space, especially when we see rivals like China and 
Russia pushing in these technologies.
  The Digital Taxonomy Act requires the FCC to submit a report to 
Congress about recommendations on unfair and deceptive trade practices 
and other practices related to digital tokens.

                              {time}  2045

  Specifically, the report asked the FTC to make legislative 
recommendations for how to further protect consumers and promotion and 
innovation in the global digital token sector.
  I look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues, both in the 
Energy and Commerce Committee and throughout the Congress, to help make 
sure we keep a competitive edge in blockchain for both digital security 
and for cryptocurrency and to enhance the use of artificial 
intelligence in the future.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Pallone, Chairwoman 
Schakowsky, Representative McNerney, and the committee for allowing me 
to incorporate these two bills.
  We appreciate Representative Rodgers, Representative Guthrie, and 
Representative Matsui, as well as our original cosponsor, 
Representative Davidson, for all of their hard work.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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