Congressman David Rivera’s Week in Review: Week of May 14th

Miami, Fla.- Congressman David Rivera (FL-25) was in Washington last week and in South Florida over the weekend. 

Congressman Rivera Provides Update on Studying Towards Adjusted Residency Status (STARS) Act

Congressman Rivera announced on Saturday that he will file the Studying Towards Adjusted Residency  Status (STARS) Act in the coming weeks. 

The bill will allow undocumented immigrants who are 19 years of age or younger, or 21 years of age or younger and have been granted voluntary departure, arrived in the United States before the age of 16, and have maintained residence in the United States for at least the previous five consecutive years, the opportunity to adjust their residency status if they achieve a degree from an accredited four year institution of higher education and meet certain other criteria. 

The Congressman announced that he was starting work on the bill in March and has spent the last two months finalizing the language of the STARS Act. 

Congressman Rivera was inspired to develop the STARS Act by Daniela Pelaez, an 18 year old constituent who is the valedictorian of her high school class while also facing deportation proceedings.  Daniela was brought to the United States by her parents at age four without documentation. 

“Daniela Pelaez is a star student.  Her dedication to her school work has taken her to the top of her class at North Miami Senior High School.  She is preparing to start at Dartmouth University in the fall, but has spent the last few months concerned about possibly being deported,” Congressman Rivera said.

Daniela and her sister, Dayana Pelaez, were granted a two year stay of deportation in March.

“Under current law when a long-term U.S. resident who entered the country as a child, and does not have legal status, turns 18 years and 6 months of age, they begin to accumulate penalty time, which leads to prohibitions from reentering the country for years.  Even if they are accepted into a four year college or university, they may still face deportation or be prohibited from coming back to the United States. 

“The Studying Towards Adjusted Residency Status, or STARS Act, would give these students who seek to further their education an opportunity to get a degree at an American university and earn legal status. 

“However, the STARS Act does not ensure automatic suspension of removal or automatic residency.  This legislation very specifically focuses on students who have been accepted to four year colleges and universities and are 19 years of age or younger, or are 21 years of age or younger and have been granted voluntary departure.  STARS Act applicants must show good moral character and graduate with a degree from an accredited four year institution of higher learning to then be eligible for legal status.  Likewise, if the applicant fails to meet the necessary criteria, their conditional non-immigrant status will be revoked. 

“This bill provides an opportunity for young people, like Daniela, who have established long-standing ties in the United States, and who have excelled academically, an opportunity to fulfill their goals of getting an education and achieving the American dream.”

Click here for more information about the STARS Act, including fact sheets and the text of the bill.

House Approves Rivera Amendment to Prohibit Dept of Defense from Contracting with Businesses That Do Business with State Sponsors of Terrorism

Companies that do business with terrorist nations dealt major blow

The House of Representatives approved an amendment presented by Congressman Rivera to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 by a voice vote on Thursday night.

In a major blow to companies that do business with terrorist nations, the Rivera amendment prohibits the Department of Defense from contracting goods or services from any person or business that does business with a U.S.-designated State Sponsor of Terrorism. The amendment stops the flow of taxpayer dollars to business entities that do business with terrorist states and closes the loophole that allows foreign companies like Repsol to partner with State Sponsors of Terrorism while simultaneously profiting from American taxpayers through their subsidiaries.  Repsol has over $300 million in contracts with the Department of Defense while also partnering with the Cuban dictatorship in oil exploration efforts.

Currently, the Department of State designates Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria as State Sponsors of Terrorism.

“Many Americans would be outraged to know that there are foreign businesses conducting business with terrorist nations, while at the same time engaging in contract and procurement activity with the Department of Defense. I believe most Americans would agree this is not only a threat to American security, but also a threat to American jobs because these foreign businesses are taking job opportunities from American businesses that could be contracting with the Pentagon,” Congressman Rivera stated.

“This amendment would prohibit businesses that engage in business activity with terrorist nations—those nations that have been officially designated as sponsor of terrorism by our own government—from contracting and procurement opportunities with the Department of Defense.  This is an issue of protecting not only American security, but protecting American jobs.” Congressman Rivera concluded.

Passage of this amendment further confirms and reiterates congressional intent concerning the prohibition of public tax dollars going to business entities that do business with terrorist states.

Click here to view video of Congressman Rivera speaking about the amendment on the House Floor.

Congressman Rivera Disappointed, Concerned by State Department Granting Visa to Castro Dictator’s Daughter

Congressman Rivera released the following statement on Thursday regarding the decision by the U.S. State Department to facilitate a visit by Cuban dictator Raul Castro’s daughter, Mariela Castro Espin, to the United States to speak at a conference hosted by the Latin American Studies Association.

“It is extremely disappointing, and a cause for great concern that the U.S. State Department has granted a visa that allows Mariela Castro Espin to visit the United States.  The State Department’s decision sends a message that is contradictory to established U.S. policy—specifically Presidential Proclamation 5377—which suspends the entry of officers and employees of the Cuban dictatorship and the Cuban Communist party into the United States.  Not only is Mariela Castro Espin the head of Cuba’s National Center for Sex Education, but she is the daughter and niece of Raul and Fidel Castro respectively, and a vocal advocate of her father and uncle’s tyrannical regime.  The State Department should not be putting out the welcome mat for officials from countries that have officially been designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism.”

Congressman Rivera at the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Hearing on Cuba’s Global Network of Terrorism, Intelligence and Warfare

Congressman Rivera questioned Michelle Van Cleave, the President of National Security Concepts, Inc. and a former National Counterintelligence Executive under President George W. Bush, as well as Christopher Simmons, the Founding Editor of Cuba Confidential and a retired Defense Intelligence Agency Supervisory Counterintelligence Officer during the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere hearing on Cuba’s Global Network of Terrorism, Intelligence and Warfare.

“We’ve mentioned a few times during the hearing that Cuba is on the State Department’s list of official Sponsors of Terrorism and I wonder if I could get your opinions regarding intelligence activity either being the sole purview of nation states, or perhaps also activities that other actors engage in, such as terrorist organizations.  How many of the terrorist groups or terrorist organizations with which Cuba cooperates—perhaps with activities on the island or off the island, but nexus with Cuba—also engage in intelligence activity against the United States?” Congressman Rivera asked. 

Van Cleave agreed that intelligence operations are practiced by many terrorist organizations around the world to gain the assets, insights and information necessary to be successful in their terrorist operations.  She believes that Cuban involvement could be useful to terrorist groups, noting that terrorist groups often go through other organizations or contacts to gain the information and local expertise they need to carry out their plans. 

Congressman Rivera noted that the Castro dictatorship has ties to and relationships with organizations like the ETA, the FARC, Hezbollah and Hamas.

“What is the intelligence activity against the United States from organizations like ETA, FARC, Hezbollah or Hamas?” Congressman Rivera asked.

Van Cleave noted that these organizations carry out terrorist operations against friends and allies of the United States, and may have need for insight and information as they carry out their terrorist plots.

Simmons pointed out that Cuba has had ties to more than 40 different terrorist groups since the 1960s.  According to Simmons their basic protocol is to provide intelligence training first, to help the terrorist group become established, to then eventually move on to bilateral operations; essentially allowing Cuba to conduct terrorist operations by proxy.

Click here to view Congressman Rivera’s opening statement from the hearing.

Click here to view Congressman Rivera’s questioning during the hearing. 

Congressman Rivera on VAWA

Congressman Rivera voted against the House version of H.R. 4970, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) on Wednesday because it eliminated important legal protections for immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence or violent crimes.

"While there are many important provisions in the House version of VAWA, Congressman Rivera believed the bill jeopardized the safety of immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault by unnecessarily eliminating legal protections for these victims.  Congressman Rivera represents a district with a large immigrant population and intends on working with congressional leaders to ensure these legal protections for immigrant women are preserved in the final version of VAWA,” Congressman Rivera’s office said.

Notable Meetings: Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan

Congressman Rivera joined Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and members of the House U.S.-Mexico Friendship Caucus on Wednesday for a breakfast.  Ambassador Sarukhan discussed the upcoming July Mexican presidential election, bilateral cooperation to combat transnational organized crime and trade issues between the two countries, including Mexico’s ascension to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. 

Notable Meetings: National Federation of Independent Businesses- Florida

Congressman Rivera met with Pablo Diaz, the Legislative Director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Florida chapter on Wednesday.  The NFIB was founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization to give small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business.  The NFIB has offices in Washington, DC as well as all 50 state capitals.

Notable Meetings: City Year Miami

Congressman Rivera met with representatives from City Year Miami on Wednesday.  The City Year Miami corps is made up of tutors and mentors dedicated to providing services to Miami-Dade County’s underserved children and youth.  The group spoke with Congressman Rivera about the impact City Year is having in Miami-Dade elementary and secondary schools, and how their efforts are helping get students in high poverty schools back on track to graduate.

Notable Meetings: National Association of Realtors

Congressman Rivera met with Bill Poteet and a group of National Association of Realtors leaders from Southern Florida on Thursday.  The National Association of Realtors was founded in 1908 in Chicago with 120 founding members and has grown to become America’s largest trade association, representing more than one million members involved in residential and commercial real estate.  Congressman Rivera spoke with the realtors about national issues related to the real estate industry.

District Activities: CNC Biennial National Conference

Congressman Rivera joined Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute Executive Director Mary Ann Gomez on Friday at the CN 16th Biennial National Conference to honor Guarione Diaz, CNC’s president and CEO who is retiring after many years of service to the organization.  Congressman Rivera and Gomez presented Diaz with a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol and a recognition in the Congressional record.

CNC was found in Washington in 1972 by a small group of Cuban-American professionals concerned with the future of Cuban-Americans in the United States.  The non-profit organization how has offices in Washington, DC, Union City, NJ and Miami, Fla.  The organization strives to provide services to needy individuals with a  focus on Hispanics and other minorities. 

District Activities: Cuba Nostalgia

Congressman Rivera attended the 14th annual Cuba Nostalgia on Sunday. Cuba Nostalgia is a celebration of Cuban culture that features exhibits that highlight the island’s history, traditions, music and art focusing on the time before the Castro regime’s takeover of the island.  This year’s Cuba Nostalgia theme featured the 400th anniversary of Cuba’s patron saint Our Lady of Charity.   

Notable Votes: H.R. 365- The National Blue Alert Act

Congressman Rivera voted in favor of H.R. 365, the National Blue Alert Act.  The bill directs the Attorney General to establish a national Blue Alert communication network within the Department of Justice to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, and assigns a DOJ officer to act as the national coordinator of the Blue Alert Communication network. 

Congressman Rivera has also taken votes to support legislation to create jobs and improve the economy, including:

H.R. 872: Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act

H.R. 910: Energy Tax Prevention Act

H.J.Res. 37: Disapproval of FCC’s Net Neutrality Regulations

H.R. 2018: Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act

H.R. 1315: Consumer Financial Protection and Soundness Improvement Act

H.R. 2587: Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act

H.R. 2401: Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act

H.R. 2681: Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act

H.R. 2250: EPA Regulatory Relief Act

H.R. 2273: Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act

H.R. 3094: Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act

H.R. 527: Regulatory Flexibility Improvement Act

H.R. 3010: Regulatory Accountability Act

H.R. 1904: Southeast Arizona Resource Utilization & Conservation Act

H.R. 1070: Small Company Capital Formation Act

H.R. 1965: Small Banks’ Access to Capital Act

H.R. 2930: Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act

H.R. 2940: Access to Capital for Job Creators Act

H.R. 3012: Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act

H.R. 1230: Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act

H.R. 1229: Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act

H.R. 1231: Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act

H.R. 2021: Jobs and Energy Permitting Act

H.R. 1938: North American-Made Energy Security Act

H.Con.Res. 34: Budget for Fiscal Year 2012

H. Res. 516: Importance of Passing A Fiscal Year 2013 Federal Budget

H.R. 1173: Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2011

H.R. 3567: Welfare Integrity Now for Children and Families Act

H.R. 3582: Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2011

H.R. 3578: Baseline Reform Act of 2011                                     

For more information on these job creating measures and the House Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators, visit www.jobs.gop.gov.