On the recordFebruary 10, 2011
Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, I lost an irreplaceable part of my family. My mother, Amanda Ros, passed away from complications due to Alzheimer's. She was a warm, loving, and caring woman who led an extraordinary life. She was my father's rock, soulmate, best friend, and companion for 65 years. They led a unique and joyous life. She always kept him company and guided him with her wisdom and her kindness. It was her strength that helped our family transition as we fled the Castro regime and settled in south Florida. It was her determination and sense of purpose that inspired my father and her to start a small freight forwarding company in Miami that they ran together for over 30 years. Abu Mandy, as we called her, was an amazing grandmother. When I was first elected to Congress, my kids were very young, and my mother was an unwavering source of support, taking care of them and traveling with me whenever I was in D.C. Her actions made my transition to Congress all the more manageable. My most ambitious goal was never to be a Member of Congress or to be chair of an important committee; it was to be for my children the kind of mother that she was to me. {time} 1010 She always taught me to be proud of my Cuban heritage and of my Jewish legacy. My mother had many causes that were near and dear to her heart. First and foremost, both my parents championed the cause of a free Cuba.…