John Carter

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Audrey Deckinga on her retirement from Texas Child Protective Services. Over her 39 years of service to the Lone Star State, she has shown an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our most vulnerable citizens. Audrey started her journey in the field of child welfare over 30 years ago as a foster parent. After beginning her professional career in CPS as a caseworker in Williamson County in 1988, she rose through the ranks over the next 25 years to become the leader of a CPS statewide program with over 8,000 staff. She has served as Assistant Commissioner since 2009 and has impacted the child welfare arena on both state and national levels. Under Audrey's advocacy and leadership, more children are served safely without a removal from their own homes. Adoptions have increased by more than 100%. After exiting the system, children are less likely to have a subsequent incident of abuse or neglect or to reenter state custody. These achievements bring to life the words of Fred Rogers, one of our nation's great champions for children, who said, ``Justice is taking care of those who aren't able to take care of themselves.'' Her work to do right for children doesn't stop at the end of the work day. Audrey remains involved in numerous state and national child welfare groups where she has developed a reputation as a forward- thinking supporter of policies that make a lasting difference in the lives of children. Retirement is to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is not the end of a career, but rather the beginning of a new adventure. I commend Audrey Deckinga for her work improving the lives of families in Texas. I wish her only the best in the years ahead.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I am a cosponsor of the Keep Your Health Plan Act. We had promises to folks that they could keep their health plan and keep their doctors. Obviously, those promises are not being kept. A lot of Americans are finding out this hard news. One of them is Elizabeth Hoffman, this pretty young lady, and her son, from Hutto, Texas, a small town in my district. Elizabeth is a single mother with a young son. She does not get insurance through her employer. She got her insurance through Humana at $167 a month, with a $2,000 deductible. It was the plan she liked. She has now lost her plan. Humana has canceled that plan. The plan most similar to the one she has now costs $404 a month, with a $2,500 deductible. Needless to say, she is not happy. She is not happy with the Obama plan, and she is not happy with the exchange and is worried about the pharmacy she is going to go to. She is not likely to have insurance next year.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of Harker Heights, TX Mayor Mike Aycock. He's proudly carrying on his family's contributions to public service. Harker Heights, just over 50 years old, is part of the larger Fort Hood community. One of the fastest growing cities in Texas, Harker Heights offers numerous recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The son of Bell County Commissioner Joe Aycock, Mike is part of a proud family that's been in Bell County since after the Civil War. Mike settled for good in Harker Heights after college. Nurtured by citizen activists and former mayor Ed Mullen, Aycock rose to the mayor's post and has developed a reputation as a courteous and dedicated public servant who remains focused on doing what's right for Harker Heights. The relatively young city of Harker Heights deserves a mayor with energy and enthusiasm to tackle the challenges of the future. It has one in Mike Aycock. I'm glad he's there and I look forward to seeing great things happen for Harker Heights.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the great public service of Belton, TX Mayor Jim Covington. Jim is dedicated to making Belton's beauty, amenities, and growth his top priority. Located deep in the heart of Texas, Belton is a unique city with friendly people and a rich history. Founded in 1850, Belton serves as the county seat of Bell County, one of the fastest growing areas in Texas. Belton is located on the famous Chisholm Trail, where millions of cattle were driven from Texas to rail heads in Kansas. Texas' state sport is celebrated daily at Belton's Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. A Sooner who as a young boy made his way south and took up roots in the Lone Star State, Jim is now a proud Texan. Developing leadership abilities in his youth, he settled in Belton to raise his family and realized he wanted to be a part of making the city a better place. Jim has been instrumental in infrastructure and park improvements and has kept his eye on managing growth. A proud part of the larger Fort Hood community, he's been involved in troop support for years. Jim stays grounded by balancing his mayoral duties with his work at his wife's real estate firm and by being a devoted father and grandfather. Jim Covington is an asset to Belton and I'm proud he's Mayor. Under his stewardship, Belton is on the right track.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the great work of Killeen Mayor Dan Corbin. This experienced leader and Vietnam veteran is the right man to work on behalf of the home of Fort Hood. A railroad town since the 1880s, Killeen weathered the Great Depression and later became the proud home of Camp Hood in 1942. Recommissioned as Fort Hood eight years later, it's now the largest military base in the world. ``The Great Place'' is so much a part of daily life in Killeen that the town's motto is ``Tanks for the memories.'' Dan was born and raised on a dairy and hog farm in northwestern Illinois. A Vietnam veteran, he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel in the National Army Reserves. During his time in the Army, he earned the Meritorious Service Medal, two Bronze Stars, and three Army Commendation Medals. Knowing firsthand the importance of our veterans, he's active in the American Legion, VFW, and the Fort Hood Area Veterans Advisory Committee. Dan's ability to relate to both enlistees and officers has added an extra dimension to his skills as a public servant. He knows how to be lead and how to lead. As mayor, Dan has embraced new technology and the internet as part of public service and constituent outreach. His tenure on the Water Sewage and Drainage Committee allows him to use his expertise on critical Texas water issues. He's looking toward a bright future of water reuse, new water treatment capacity, repairs to south sewage treatment plant, and implementing a citywide recycling program. Dan has fostered developments to downtown, work on homeless shelters, and better code enforcement. As the proud representative of Fort Hood, I'm glad civic-minded leaders like Mayor Dan Corbin are working hard to improve their community. The people of Killeen deserve no less.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute the committed public service of Salado Mayor Danney McCort. This proud native Texan is not afraid to roll up his sleeves to improve his community. Salado is a picturesque, historic village on Salado Creek just east of Interstate Highway 35 between Waco and Austin in southern Bell County. The clear, bubbling springs of the creek, which made it a favorite camping ground for Indians thousands of years before Spanish explorers arrived in Texas, have had much to do with the development of the area. The town is the proud home to the Stagecoach Inn, the oldest continuously running hotel in Texas. Growing up on a farm cultivated a work ethic in Danney that has served him well both professionally and personally. His career as a builder and engineer with the Veterans Administration, along with his love of home repair and do-it-yourself projects, fostered in Danney a can-do spirit that is a reflection of the Salado Community. Mayor since 2012, Danney's worked to annex the 1-35 corridor, obtain a sewer system for downtown Salado, and foster music and culture in his thriving city. Along with his engineering knowledge, he knows firsthand the importance of water to Texas communities, farms, and livestock. Salado deserves great leadership and Mayor Danney McCort is delivering. I look forward to continuing my longstanding and productive relationship with him.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute Army Specialist Wesley Acuna of Round Rock, TX who was recently awarded the Expert Field Medical Badge. This symbol of excellence is a sign of his technical and tactical proficiency. With only a 17-percent pass rate, the Expert Field Medical Badge remains one of the most prestigious and coveted awards a medical professional can obtain in the Army. The testing process, which mirrors the dynamic role medics play in operations today, emphasizes tactical combat casualty care, evacuation, communication, and warrior skills. The security of America permits no compromise when it comes to upholding these high standards. Inspired by the support from both his section and his unit, Spc. Acuna excelled through these challenging tests and finally persevered through the grueling final stages of the qualifying event, a 12 mile march in full combat load in the blazing Kuwaiti desert. Under harsh and stressful conditions, he proved himself as both expert medical professional and skilled warrior. That he was one of 21 elite soldiers to be awarded the Expert Field Medical Badge speaks volumes about his excellence, professionalism, and determination. Despite his tremendous accomplishment, Spc. Acuna has no time to rest on his laurels. He is currently deployed to the Middle East with the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The needs of his mission and his country continue. Spc. Wesley Acuna's commitment to excellence not only displays the best values of central Texas, but is a reflection of the greatness of the men and women of our armed forces. I commend his achievements and celebrate his commitment and perseverance.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the work of Temple Mayor Danny Dunn. This eighth generation Texan honors his home state's illustrious past yet looks forward to its even brighter future. Founded as a railroad construction camp in the 1880s, Temple quickly became home to hospitals, industry, and higher education. Over the years, the Temple area became an ideal place for military personnel to move to for their retirement. A native son of Temple, Danny got his love of public service as a young boy attending civic events when others were playing flag football. His dreams of becoming Temple's Mayor came true in 2012 and he's made the most of his time in office. He's focused his energies on building and improving his hometown through strategic growth and development, while maintaining Temple's current infrastructure. As a licensed Texas real estate broker, Danny knows the importance of making sure Temple offers the best of small town living with the best of big city amenities. Danny relies on an extensive network of community activists, ranging from former mayors, Rotary Club members, and faith leaders, to guide him on how to best work for Temple. Mayor Danny Dunn is lucky enough to know you don't have to leave home to know that's where you belong. I join the people of Temple who are glad he's stayed and is working to making his city a great place to live.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the lasting love and commitment of two great Texans. On November 2, 1938 millions of Americans recalled the thrilling race the day before between thoroughbreds Seabiscuit and War Admiral. Others were still recovering from Orson Welles' legendary War of the Worlds radio broadcast from the previous weekend. Willie Heselmeyer and Elda Zeplin of Taylor, TX had bigger things on their minds. They were joining hands at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (founded by Elda's family in 1894) to become husband and wife. 75 years later, they still walk together hand in hand. Willie, with Elda constantly by his side, worked the land as a cotton, corn, and milo farmer. They brought two sons into the world and were united through feast and famine. Together they witnessed their nation's brave soldiers defend freedom on foreign shores, watched a humble midwesterner take mankind's first steps on another world, and marveled at technological advances beyond any of their dreams. What began in 1938 continues strong into a new millennium. Willie and Elda still live independently in their home on their farm east of Taylor. They play dominoes with friends nearly every day. Family and faith remain at the center of their happy life together. Willie and Elda will gather this November with friends and family at the Fellowship Hall of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Taylor to celebrate 75 years of love and commitment. Marriages like the Heselmeyers are the foundations of one of our most cherished institutions and give us all an ideal to which we can aspire. They make both Texas and our nation strong. Erika and I, who will celebrate a half century of marriage in a few years, congratulate Willie and Elda on 75 years together and wish them the best in the years to come.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding. We can talk about Bill Young all night, a man who came from nothing and grew to be head and shoulders above, champion for America's military. But I think the thing that struck everybody who ever met Bill Young was his humanity. He was just such a kind, gentle, fine man. He cared about every soul he met. He took the time when I was a freshman to meet me and talk to me. I told him I had some interest in appropriations and learning how it worked, and he sat down and talked to me about it. Whenever I had any questions I needed to ask him, he was always very, very informative and very, very kind in explaining things to people, to me and others. Bill Young was a very special man because he came from very, very meager means and he rose up to a position of power, but you would have never known by his interaction with humanity that he was a man of power in this government because everybody who draws a breath was important to Bill Young. But the most important people were those who served in our armed services. I wanted to share something which I think is a perfect description of the kind of man Bill Young was. I had the privilege to go on a trip with him to Normandy for an anniversary of that landing on D-day, and on the way we landed in Shannon, Ireland. When we arrived, it just so happened that at least one or two brigades from Fort Hood, Texas, which is in my district, were there, ordinary soldiers and their officers in transit to Afghanistan. When Bill Young came into the room, ordinary soldiers, as if he were some kind of star that you would see in a rock concert, started moving over to have their picture taken with Chairman Young. Chairman Young at that time was in a wheelchair most of the time. But as he did when he presented his bill on this floor, he stood with every soldier and took a picture. I stood on the periphery of that and listened. He asked about their parents and where were they from and about their deployments and their needs. Just a gentle, kind, friendly man with hundreds of soldiers gathered around him. I heard one soldier ask another soldier: Who is that guy? It looks like everybody here wants to have their picture taken. The other guy said: I don't know for sure, but the way I understand it, he is the guy who makes sure when we go to battle, we have everything that we need to be victorious. That is a great statement about a human being and a great statement about the man. He cared about all who serve our Nation, but in particular those who risk their lives on our behalf. In honor of Bill Young, I will always remember that day where soldiers flocked to him just to be seen with Mr. Young.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 90 years of extraordinary service by the Georgetown, TX Noon Lions Club. Throughout their history, the Club has helped where help is needed--in their own communities and around the world--with unmatched integrity and energy. Founded in 1923, the Georgetown Noon Lions Club has made a real difference in Central Texas. They've provided generous scholarships to deserving high school seniors. Through the Kid Sight team, they've promoted eyesight health for hundreds through regular vision screening events. The Club's philanthropy has directly benefited the Boys and Girls Club as well as the Texas Lions Camp. When the Georgetown Noon Lions Club gets involved, problems get smaller and communities get better. The Club continues to fulfill the inspiring personal code of Lions Club founder Melvin Jones, ``You can't get very far until you start doing something for somebody else.'' The Georgetown Noon Lions Club's commitment to service reflects the best values of Central Texas. I applaud their work and wish them well on their 90th birthday and for many years to come.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise to present the House with a bill that sustains our critical border security and enforcement operations within the Department of Homeland Security. Right now, at this very moment, there are brave men and women patrolling our borders, manning our ports of entry, and conducting border enforcement, drug interdiction and investigative missions, but they are not being paid. Right now, at this very moment, border security and enforcement operations are being conducted but with minimal essential personnel. Right now, at this very moment, the National Targeting Center, at which Customs and Border Protection officers check traveler watch lists and ensure that dangerous criminals and cargo never reach American soil, is operating, but its personnel are not being paid. Right now, at this very moment, the E-Verify system is not operating, making it impossible for employers to check the lawful immigration status of potential employees. So this bill before us provides for continuing appropriations to ensure that frontline agents along our borders receive their pay and that certain components of DHS can carry out their border security and enforcement missions at full strength. Let me remind my colleagues that our border is not secure. In fact, our border is constantly under siege from smugglers and traffickers alike, and it is our duty to ensure that sufficient resources are provided to carry out the necessary security, enforcement and interdiction efforts. That is precisely what this bill does. This bill ensures that Border Patrol can fully conduct its operations from San Diego to Brownsville and all along our northern border as well. This bill ensures that ICE can fully conduct its investigations. This bill ensures that the Coast Guard can fully conduct interdiction in both the source and transit zones and off the coasts of California, Texas, Florida, and all maritime approaches to the United States. This bill ensures that our immigration verification and biometric identity systems are up and running. This bill also takes steps to turn on our E-Verify system. Mr. Speaker, all of us are aware that the government is shut down despite the numerous attempts to move forward. We have repeatedly offered versions of continuing resolutions to sustain the government's operations, but to no avail. Furthermore, we have offered to negotiate, to convene a conference and work out the differences in a professional and orderly manner, but such offers have been refused out of hand. This bill is yet another offer to the other side of the aisle to at least fund vital components of the government. We have a duty to ensure our borders and coastlines are safe and secure and that our laws are being enforced. This bill does this without increasing the rate of spending and in a manner entirely consistent with the text of the noncontroversial H.J. Res. 59. In short, the bill before us is about getting our priorities right. It is my hope that the passage of this bill will not only support our border security and frontline agencies but will also lead to the reopening of the entire Federal Government. In closing, I urge my friends on the other side of the aisle to lower their partisan blinders, to come to the table and work out the current impasse so that we can get on with the business of fixing our Nation's budgetary mess. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), the chairman of the authorizing Committee on Homeland Security.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan, Candice Miller, vice chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the chairperson of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security and a member of the great class of 2002.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 371, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 79) making continuing appropriations for certain components of the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 79, and that I may include tabular material on the same.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), my colleague, the chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and a hardworking member of our subcommittee.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, if anyone has been watching what has gone on in this House for the last couple of weeks and this week, it reminds me of the movie ``Groundhog Day.'' The alarm rings, and we stand up and we do the same thing and we hear the same arguments consistently. I mean, you could have just heard this argument, and that is the argument that has been made throughout the entire almost-2 weeks now. So maybe it is time to talk about something that is called regular order in this House of Representatives. We have something called the appropriations process. We divide up the funding of the government into 12 sections, and we have classification of those sections and each subcommittee presents a bill to the committee for the funding of a certain Department. In our case, Mr. Price and I deal with Homeland Security. That bill is then brought to the floor and passed by the floor after it passes out of regular committee, and then it is sent to our colleagues in the Senate on the other side of this great building. At that point in time, normal procedure would be for them to deal with the appropriations process on their side. So I can't speak for all of government, but I certainly can speak for Homeland Security, and Mr. Price, I don't think, would dispute this: we passed our bill out of the House. So we don't even need to be here today, and we shouldn't even have needed to be here last week when we were here because, quite frankly, we have given a bill to deal with the problems of financing and supporting those people who defend our borders and all of the other things that we take care of in Homeland, and it has been sitting on the desk of Mr. Harry Reid in the Senate since June of this year, a long time before this so-called crisis arose. We could have it completely passed and signed by the President if the Senate had just done regular order. But they haven't. So as it relates to the issues we discuss here today, the reason these issues even come up is that the Democrat-controlled Senate has not done their job, and they have not dealt with the appropriations process. Today, as last week, we are dealing with an important portion of this process. It is so important that the very security of our Nation depends upon a secure border. The great debate that has gone on for 3 or 4 years, recent years as we look at the overall immigration crisis, is: What about the security of our borders? We have spent billions of dollars making it as secure as we can, and we will continue to secure those borders. All we think we should do is pay the people that are doing the job now and get the border secure. This is important to the future of our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire if my colleague has any more speakers.

Mr. CARTER

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to lay the appeal on the table.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order on the gentlewoman's motion.

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order that the instructions contained in the motion violate clause 7 of rule XVI, which requires that the amendment be germane to the bill under consideration. As I am sure you are aware, the Chair has ruled on October 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9 of 2013, the instructions contain a special order of business within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Rules, and therefore, the amendment is not germane to the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, I insist on my point of order.