[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.

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