Henry Bonilla

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's amendment, but I do understand that the gentleman is going to withdraw his amendment.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise and report the bill back to the House with sundry amendments, with the recommendation that the amendments be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, do pass.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 2744 in the Committee of the Whole pursuant to House Resolution 303, no further amendment to the bill may be offered except: Pro forma amendments offered at any point in the reading by the chairman or ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their designees for the purpose of debate; Amendments printed in the Congressional Record and numbered 3 and 6; Amendment printed in the Congressional Record and numbered 5, which shall be debatable for 30 minutes; An amendment by Mr. Hefley, regarding an across-the-board cut; an amendment by Mr. Tiahrt, regarding regulations; an amendment by Mr. Brown of Ohio, regarding school food program; an amendment by Mr. Kucinich, regarding genetically engineered fish; an amendment by Mr. Kucinich, regarding BSE testing; an amendment by Mr. Weiner, regarding minimum guarantees for agriculture funding for States; an amendment by Mr. Stupak, regarding FDA clinical trials; an amendment by Mr. Stupak, regarding FDA whistleblowers; an amendment by Ms. Kaptur, regarding Emerald Ash borer; an amendment by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, regarding 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Each such amendment may be offered only by the Member named in this request or a designee, or the Member who caused it to be printed in the Record or a designee, shall be considered as read, shall not be subject to amendment except that the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations and the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies each may offer one pro forma amendment for the purpose of debate; and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. Except as otherwise specified, each amendment shall be debatable for 10 minutes, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. An amendment shall be considered to fit the description stated in this request if it addresses in whole or in part the object described.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Appropriations have until midnight, June 3, 2005, to file a privileged report on a bill making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fallen hero--senior Border Patrol Agent, Travis W. Attaway of D'Hanis, Texas. Travis met an untimely death while serving our country and securing our Texas borders in the McAllen sector. On September 19, 2004, days of harsh rain and a rising Rio Grande tragically interrupted what otherwise was a routine three-man patrol operation near Free Trade Bridge in Los Indios. When rushing waters capsized the 19-foot patrol boat, Travis and two other agents were ejected into the river's strong current. At the young age of 31, Travis has marked history as a true American hero. He sacrificed his life to protect the citizens of this great nation. Today, we honor his memory and the memory of all our Fallen Law Enforcement Officers for National Police Week 2005.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, the chairman has worked hard to produce a bill that will fund additional enforcement, within budget limitations, and has set forth directions in the report accompanying the bill to get the Department headed toward a solution. I also want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee for hearing my concerns regarding the so-called ``catch-and-release'' policy that allows OTMs to be released on their own recognizance. Last summer, I was in communication with then-Secretary Ridge and then-Under Secretary Hutchison regarding this issue, and they responded by authorizing expedited removal for all OTMs apprehended by the border patrol. Unfortunately, the Department has implemented expedited removal in only two districts. I am therefore pleased to see this issue is addressed, as well, in this bill.

Mr. BONILLA. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, the chairman is absolutely correct. Expedited removal would allow the Department to save money while addressing the OTM problem. I would also add that taking such enforcement action would help deter OTMs from attempting to immigrate illegally in the first place. I once again thank the chairman for taking the time to hear the concerns of our border communities and for responding so readily. As a fellow subcommittee chairman, I know the difficulties in finding solutions that meet budgetary restrictions, and I appreciate the directions he has given to the Department, which will make great strides to ensure that this critical issue is addressed. Amendment Offered by Mrs. Musgrave

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this bill, and I congratulate the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman, for taking a firm, strong, aggressive stance to secure our borders, because that is one of the issues that is first and foremost on the minds of Americans, whether they are on the border or whether they live 2,000 miles away. Since the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of non-Mexican illegal immigrants, also known as OTMs, apprehended on our borders. In fact, some border patrol sectors have reported a 300 percent increase in OTMs this year alone. This problem has grown exponentially, in part because the Department of Homeland Security has failed to take a strategic approach to detention and removal that ensures that every illegal immigrant apprehended is properly deported.

Mr. BONILLA. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the classic beverage producer, Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola has been involved in its community and our Nation since the founding of the company. Through involvement in programs such as ``Reading is Fundamental'' and the U Promise Program, they have continually served the public. This history of public service was recently recognized when the Coca-Cola Company was awarded the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, USHCC, Corporation of the Year Award at the 25'' Annual National Convention and Business Expo in Austin, TX. As the company's promise states, ``The Coca-Cola Company exists to benefit and refresh everyone it touches.'' Such a recognition of the Coca-Cola Company by USHCC only reinforces the commitment Coca-Cola has made to make their promise come true. The Coca-Cola Company strives to reach out to the Hispanic community through a variety of programs. These programs primarily focus on education, which Coca-Cola believes is a ``powerful force in improving the quality of life and creating opportunity for people and their families around the world.'' Of close to 30 programs, three--the Art of Harmony, the Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship Program, and the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program--stand out in exemplifying the company's determination and willingness to ``benefit and refresh.'' Through programs such as these, Coca-Cola has encouraged students who may not have a family history of going to college, or the financial stability to succeed once they get there, the means and motivation to excel. Again, Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize the Coca-Cola Company as the recipient of the USHCC Corporation of the Year Award and bring to light their outstanding efforts within the Hispanic community.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, let me compliment the committees who put this bill together. They have done a great job facing very complicated circumstances. Specifically, they did a very good job about increasing the Border Patrol staff, that we need to deal with the increased flow of illegal immigration along the southwest border, along with other Federal agents that are necessary to do the job. Unfortunately, there was an oversight in the bill in providing bed space for the people that we catch. Let me point out as well that the overwhelming number of them now are categorized as they are by the Border Patrol as OTMs, ``other than Mexicans,'' people trying to enter our country that have figured out a different way to come in versus the ports of entry on either coast or using other means. Mr. Chairman, in many cases the OTMs, are now arrested, processed, interrogated and released into communities because the Department of Homeland Security does not have enough bed space. So, believe it or not, in Texas alone, since January, there have been over 15,000 OTMs released in communities throughout the State in the neighborhood. They might have been introduced into any neighborhood in Texas, no matter where one lives. Mr. Chairman, this is an outrage. Homeland Security claims the problem is bed space, so in this amendment we deal with that problem, calling for 2,500 additional bed spaces in 2006 and another 2,500 in 2007. This is an amendment that is supported by the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), Chairman of Homeland Security. It is also supported by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), my good friend, who represents an area near the Mexican border and the Gulf Coast in Texas and who has been working very hard on this issue. Mr. Chairman, this is a nonpartisan issue. We have strong support by other members of the committees working on this. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), my good colleague and friend from San Antonio and central Texas area, has been working hard on this issue as well. This is also something that is supported by, again no matter what ethnic group or political party one belongs to, especially on the southwest border. There is strong support by the mayors, the county judges, the county commissioners that are working very hard to deal with this illegal immigration problem every day. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to just single out the wonderful Border Patrol agents that are patrolling day and night, sometimes working with fewer resources than they should have, and doing a great job of patrolling the border. Help is on the way for them in terms of manpower and hopefully this amendment, when adopted, will provide the bed space as well to house the illegal aliens that are coming across our border and taking advantage of what we now have along the Mexican border. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I would yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) for a quick question. Mr. Chairman, did the gentleman acknowledge in the end that he would vote for the amendment? I wanted to understand that clearly.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his answer. I wanted to reiterate that in spite of the rhetoric that was just heard from the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), my colleague, he is supporting the amendment. I am delighted to hear that. The gentleman makes a lot of good points about problems that the Department of Homeland Security has faced over the last couple of years. I agree with the gentleman. That is why I am here trying to do something about it. But, again, in spite of the rant that we just heard about how bad the problem is, and I can assure the gentleman that I have probably delivered the same remarks in my district, and here in Washington as well, about the problems that the Department of Homeland Security is facing, but ultimately we are all here to try to do something about it. So I would hope that the gentleman would not only vote for the amendment, as he has indicated he will, but also tell his friends that we need this help for our good agents that are patrolling the border and for all of us who are trying to do something about it.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Neugebauer amendment. This is a hard chore to accomplish. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) has been working day and night to make this work. Every producer in this country that has ever come to see me before about a pending problem, an emergency situation that they face, people who represent different commodity groups, know that we have always done everything we possibly can to help them. But it is difficult. Money does not grow on trees and sometimes we have to take from one place and put it in another to make it work for the foreseeable future. It is no different than American families have to do when they have to struggle to make ends meet during emergency situations in their own homes and in their own neighborhoods. We have always tried to be fair. In the years that I have chaired the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, I have learned a lot, heard a lot and worked a lot on situations similar to this over the years. There is always a different solution that we try to look for. In this case, we do have an offset that applies to one particular program, the CSP program. But tomorrow will be another day and we will figure out how to handle a shortfall, as we always do, in the future when we face a pressing need. I would say to everyone out there who has concerns about this, tomorrow is another day. Today is the day we have to get this done for producers and for commodity groups all across the country. Again, I commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) for working day and night to try to pull this deal together. It is a good deal. Is everyone happy? Absolutely not. But it is the best that we can possibly do. Our hearts are in the right place, and we have worked hard to get to this point. I urge all of my colleagues to support the Neugebauer amendment.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 719) requesting the Senate to return to the House of Representatives the bill H.R. 4766, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BONILLA

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is a simple amendment that would transfer money from the Common Computing Environment, an amount that totals $120,957,000, and would put that into a lot of services that are very vital to communities, especially rural communities out in the heartland. It would put $52,873,606 into the Farm Service Agency salaries and expenses. It would also put $40,458,661 into the Natural Resources Conservation Service and $27,624,733 into Rural Development salaries and expenses. Now, to explain a little further, this amendment would provide funds to a lot of county-based agencies that deliver critical farm programs, economic development in rural areas and the delivery of conservation technical assistance. The Farm Service Agency delivers farm credit programs to all farmers and ranchers across America. The Natural Resources Conservation Service delivers conservation technical assistance to producers all across the country. The Rural Development is very critical to many Members who have these smaller towns and communities in their congressional areas, providing economic opportunity and housing opportunities to Americans from border to border and from coast to coast. This is a good amendment, and again, it gets money in the people's hands that truly need it out there. At this time, I would encourage all Members to support this amendment.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the right to object, and ask for a clarification as to the nature of why the gentlewoman needs this unanimous consent?

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman should be assured that there was absolutely no intent on the majority's part to interfere with the gentleman's issue that we expected him to raise today. So I just hope the gentleman understands that clearly, and the majority is not objecting to our returning to this portion of the bill. The objection was raised by the minority.