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[Page H2987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING RESOURCES TO REOPEN SAFELY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Spano) for 5 minutes.
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
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.
Honoring Sergeant Andrew Bosko
Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Andrew Bosko, a
Lakeland, Florida, World War II veteran who is 98 years young.
Andy was born in Ohio, raised in Pennsylvania, and one of 13 children
of immigrant parents from Austria and Czechoslovakia.
He entered the Army Air Corps in 1943, assigned to the VII Fighter
Command in Hawaii. In 1945, the command was reassigned to Iwo Jima,
which had been seized by Marine units, to provide emergency landing
fields supporting bombing operations against Japan.
Meanwhile, his wife and true love, Sophia, was supporting the war as
a Rosie the Riveter. Yet, they still found time to write to each other
each day.
Following the war, Andy worked as a machinist in New York and later
launched some of Lakeland's favorite restaurants.
Andy, you, together with your bride of 74 years, represent the
greatest of our Greatest Generation. You experienced economic and
social turmoil and a World War, and then you rebuilt our Nation into
the greatest on Earth.
It is our honor to serve you, as you, for so many years, have served
us.
Saluting Ella Erickson, Veteran of the Month
Mr. SPANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the inspiring story of
a World War II veteran from Lakeland, Florida.
At 100 years young, Ella Erickson is a unique personification of what
heroism is about.
Raised in Wisconsin, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943.
Following basic training, she reported to Marine Corps Headquarters
here in Washington, and for the next 2 years, Staff Sergeant Erickson
maintained the records of Marine prisoners of war.
Discharged at the end of the war, Ella married and began her family
and career.
While holding demanding jobs at Wheaton College and as a nurse caring
for the ailing, she also found time to be a supportive wife to
international evangelist Victor Erickson and raise four children, two
of whom went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force.
She has been a hero to the sick and to our Nation and an even greater
one to her family. She epitomizes what heroism is all about,
sacrificial service.
Thank you, Ella. Thank you for serving us and showing us how to live
well.
On behalf of Florida 15, I salute you.
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