[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 108 (Monday, June 29, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING DR. MELANIE MELENDEZ GARCIA AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN 
              CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 29, 2026

  Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Melanie Melendez Garcia as 
a Distinguished Leader in Central Florida for Caribbean Heritage Month. 
Dr. Melanie Melendez Garcia is a Puerto Rican-born emergency physician, 
entrepreneur, and community leader whose dedication to healthcare and 
service has made a lasting impact throughout Central Florida and 
Florida's 9th Congressional District.
  After earning her medical degree and completing her emergency 
medicine training in Puerto Rico, Dr. Melendez Garcia moved to Florida 
and answered a calling that extended beyond hospital walls. Recognizing 
the healthcare challenges faced by uninsured and immigrant communities, 
she founded MG Medical Center, where she provides excellent care to 
Latino and immigrant families. She partnered with the Office of Refugee 
Resettlement and became the first clinic to successfully integrate all 
medical services required for unaccompanied minors' immigration medical 
evaluations into a single visit. In 2025, her practice was recognized 
by the Orlando Sentinel Media Group, in Central Florida Favorites as 
Best Medical Facility.
  While continuing to serve as an emergency physician--a vocation she 
remains deeply committed to--Dr. Melendez Garcia has also provided care 
to underserved populations through the federal Indian Health Service.
  Believing that service extends beyond medicine, Dr. Melendez Garcia 
has become an advocate for entrepreneurship and community development. 
She currently serves as vice president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of 
Commerce of Central Florida, having previously served as director of 
the Osceola Chapter and Director of Trustees. Through her leadership, 
she mentors and empowers aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly 
healthcare professionals, helping them transform their dreams into 
successful businesses.
  Dr. Melendez Garcia was featured in Nosotras Latina Magazine in 2023 
and actively participates in faith-based and community leadership 
initiatives dedicated to empowering others.
  A devoted wife, mother, physician, and servant leader, Dr. Melendez 
Garcia believes that the greatest measure of success is not found in 
titles or accomplishments, but in the lives touched and the communities 
strengthened through service.

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