Visit to Guantanamo Bay

Floor Speech

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Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, I visited U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, a critical military national security asset serving key roles in the war on terrorism, drug and migrant interdiction, and as a strategic forward base for the Atlantic Fleet. Every day, approximately 7,000 U.S. military personnel and contractors go to work at GTMO to keep our country safe and to advance our national security interests in the Americas and throughout the world.

I had the privilege of meeting with Captain Culpepper, the base commander, who briefed us on the base's preparedness to assist with major migrant events in the Caribbean. This is important, considering the significant increase in Cubans fleeing the island over the last year.

I also met with Rear Admiral Clarke, who serves as Commander of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo. The JTF is working professionally and diligently to provide safe, humane, legal, and transparent care and custody of detainees. I was able to inspect the detention facilities, and I was impressed with efforts to treat the detainees with dignity and respect.

Our brave young people in uniform do an extraordinary job of representing our country, sometimes under very difficult circumstances, in this theater. Mr. Speaker, the men and women of Naval Air Station Guantanamo, the Joint Task Force, and the Marines who protect the base perimeter deserve the admiration, appreciation, and support of the American people and this Congress.

I thank my colleague from south Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for leading our visit to GTMO. I urge all of my colleagues to work to protect and strengthen this critical military asset. Zika Eradication and Good Government Act

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Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the Zika virus has wreaked havoc throughout Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. We have seen countless pregnant women infected, resulting in devastating fetal brain defects on their newborn children.

As of mid-April, 87 cases of Zika have been identified in Florida, and another 380 cases have been reported across the country. We must be prepared for the first domestic transmission of the virus, especially as the summer mosquito season begins and international travel is more frequent.

For these reasons, I have filed H.R. 5031, the Zika Eradication and Good Government Act. This bill will ensure no new funds are made available for Zika until all unspent Ebola money is disbursed, which the President already said he would do in early April.

This bill will also direct all Federal agencies that receive funds to combat Zika to work in collaboration and share best practice methods.

Finally, this bill will require a report from the President to Congress each month when any future funds are appropriated for Zika, detailing the obligations, expenditures, and effectiveness of the program.

Mr. Speaker, I support the President's call for funding emergency legislation to ensure Zika is eradicated. I also want to make sure the funds are spent wisely and effectively in fighting this virus.

This bill is an important first step forward. I strongly urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Zika Eradication and Good Government Act. Criminal Justice Reform

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Mr. CURBELO of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the need to improve our prisons and criminal justice system here in the United States.

Currently, there are more than 2 million individuals who are incarcerated in our country, the majority of whom committed nonviolent offenses.

Last December, I had the opportunity to visit with over 20 inmates at Dade Correctional Institution in south Florida. These individuals were visibly moved that someone had taken the time to speak with them and learn about their struggles. I felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to hear their stories.

Criminal justice reform is desperately needed in our country, and it is vital that we break the school-to-prison pipeline and ensure that those who have served their time have a second chance at success.

For all these reasons, I signed the Second Chance Petition, to allow nonviolent offenders to recover with dignity and become active members of their communities.

With this week's Criminal Justice Summit taking place at the White House, I call on all of my colleagues to build on this momentum and meet with inmates to learn from their experiences. I am a cosponsor of bipartisan bills focused on criminal justice reform and look forward to working with my colleagues to get these bills signed into law.

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