Providing Resources to Reopen Safely

Floor Speech

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Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, the overwhelming majority of constituents in my district are eager to get back to work, and I believe it is Congress' duty, our duty, to ensure that our citizens have the necessary resources to reopen in a safe and responsible way. That is why I am proud to have introduced two bills that focus on this very need.

The SAFE at Work Act would create a tax credit for businesses that allow their employees to work from home. This not only protects employees and employers against the spread of COVID-19 but also encourages employers to create telework opportunities for those most susceptible to the virus.

I also introduced the KEEP Act, which supports the President's push for a 3-month payroll tax holiday. This initiative would allow millions of Americans to keep more of the money that they already earn, thus providing critical capital to weather this crisis without involving Federal bureaucracy.

No government program, no matter how generous, can replace a functioning economy. These measures would support hardworking Americans' efforts to get our economy back on track, so I urge their immediate adoption. Highlighting Border Wall Effectiveness

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Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to lend my voice to the fight to protect our Nation by securing its borders.

Since arriving in Congress, I have stood by the President and his efforts to protect our children from traffickers, dealers, terrorists, and other criminal elements by building a wall.

For decades, our porous borders have threatened our national security, and it wasn't until President Trump took office that our government took this threat seriously.

Just how effective has the wall been?

It is a fact that nearly 1 million people were stopped at the U.S.- Mexico border in 2019, but in the last 12 months, illegal immigration has been down 84 percent and illegal crossings from Central America are down 97 percent.

It is a fact that President Trump has deported over 6,000 MS-13 gang members.

And it is a fact that this barrier between the countries is helping stop the flow of illicit drugs. Nearly 450,000 pounds have been seized this year alone.

For far too long, too many have ignored the facts, but I haven't, and I will continue doing everything I can do to keep Florida 15 residents and its businesses safe.

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