K. Conaway

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Ms. Ellen Moreland, a senior instructor in mathematics at Angelo State University on her recognition as the 2009 Texas Professor of the Year. While some folks may be surprised that a professor from ASU is being honored, it is no surprise to her students who see her devotion to her craft every single day. The Professor of the Year Awards are awarded annually to those professors who have ``extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching, which is demonstrated by excellence in the following areas: an impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; a scholarly approach to teaching and learning; a contribution to undergraduate education in the institution, community and the profession; and support from colleagues and current and former undergraduate students. They could not have found a more fitting honoree than Ellen Moreland. Professor Moreland has carved out an invaluable role as an educator of educators. Among her classes, she teaches the capstone course at ASU, which is a broad survey of everything that graduating math majors have learned in their 4 years. It is designed for future mathematics teachers to take before they take the State certification exam. The test is difficult, but Professor Moreland's students all seem to do well on it. In fact, over the last decade, every single student who has taken her capstone course has passed the certification exam on the first try. This 100 percent success rate is unmatched anywhere in Texas. And it is not a stretch to say that her impact will be felt by generations of students all over Texas. Unfortunately, Professor Moreland could not be in Washington this week to receive her award. It is getting to be about time for finals, and she thought it was too important of a time for her to be away from her students. Instead, the 2009 Texas Professor of the Year is exactly where we would expect her to be, instructing her students and preparing another generation of American educators. Mr. Speaker, it is my deep honor to represent all of the people of District 11 of Texas, but it is always a great pleasure to be able to single out some of them for their extraordinary accomplishments. On behalf of the people of my congressional district, especially the math students, I want to thank Professor Moreland for her dedication to teaching and her generosity with her time. They could not have selected a better educator to be the 2009 Texas Professor of the Year, Ms. Ellen Moreland.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 865, Democrat Adjournment Resolution, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay''; on rollcall No. 866, H. Res. 893--Congratulating the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series Champions, the New York Yankees, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; on rollcall No. 867, H.R. 3788--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 Darrow Road in Stow, Ohio, as the ``Corporal Joseph A. Tomci Post Office Building,'' had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; on rollcall No. 868, S. 1211--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 60 School Street, Orchard Park, New York, as the ``Jack F. Kemp Post Office Building,'' had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; on rollcall No. 869, Thompson (D-MS) Amendment, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay''; on rollcall No. 870, Barton (R-TX) Amendment, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay''; on rollcall No. 871, Dent (R-PA) Amendment No. 4, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; on rollcall No. 872, Dent (R-PA) Amendment No. 5, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; on rollcall No. 873, McCaul (R-TX) Amendment, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; on rollcall No. 874, Motion to Recommit, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''; and on rollcall No. 875, H.R. 2868--Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I have criticized many of the provisions of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and with good reason. However, I believe that the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country. These provisions were adopted on an overwhelming bipartisan vote for the Eshoo-Inslee-Barton (EIB) amendment in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Creating a pathway for new products that does not destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technology and at the same time provide a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a creditable achievement. Ideally, this provision would be removed from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and considered separately, as it would pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. These provisions are the first step on the long path to the marketing of these new products. New research and clinical testing will have to occur, and the FDA must write rules that will ensure that research is done safely and effectively. I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry as it has been a strong engine of job creation in this country. Unfortunately, many larger companies that seek to enter the biosimilar market have outsourced research to foreign countries. With this week's devastating news that unemployment has reached 10.2 percent, it is critical that we preserve jobs in the United States. As this new market launches in the United States, we must foster innovative products at home to create jobs, and conduct research that will prove whether products are interchangeable with innovators' products. It is unlikely that these companies can create such interchangeable products; however research and testing will prove if it can be conducted within our borders without being outsourced.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3962 is almost 2,000 pages long. In a bill that long, you expect lots of things to be opposed to, and I am. Here is a short, partial list of some of the things I am against. I am against 5.5 million people losing their jobs. I am against 114 million people losing their private health insurance as a result of this legislation. I am against a new entitlement that creates $1 trillion in new spending that we can't afford. I am against stripping $500 billion out of Medicare funding that would otherwise go to Medicare. I am against $729.5 billion in new taxes over the next 10 years on Americans. Mr. Speaker, there is one thing I am for, and that is for starting over. Scrap this monstrosity. Let's start over with real health care reform, not this health care takeover.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Spaker, on rollcall No. 828--Flake Amendment, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 831, H. Res. 729, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 829--Motion to recommit H.R. 3854, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 830, H.R. 3854, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, it seems that the Obama administration has set its sights on yet another target of political dissension: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber represents roughly 3 million businesses with more than 96 percent of its membership being comprised of small businesses of 100 employees or fewer, the very backbone of our economy. The Chamber has expressed concern regarding various proposals, such as the regulation of greenhouse gases and a government-run health care plan, policies that, if enacted, would ultimately devastate small businesses across this country. It appears that the Obama administration is actively circumventing the masses of members within the Chamber to try to craft side deals with a few individuals in an effort to persuade defections. It seems that it is all part of a grand strategy to marginalize a well-respected organization with legitimate policy differences. When Barack Obama promised a new kind of politics, I don't believe a divide-and-conquer strategy based simply on disagreement with the American people is what the American people had in mind. I encourage the Chamber to continue to stand up against any business policies, regardless of political pressure. The millions of businesses, many of which are located in my State and congressional district, will be grateful for their resolve.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, frustrated this summer by diligent and watchful Americans, the President, the Speaker and the Senate Majority Leader have been unable to create a single-payer health plan, the single largest expansion in the cost, size and authority of the Federal Government in 70 years. But rather than give up, the Democrat leadership have decided to float an idea as a misdirection play to get what they want. They call it a trigger; I call it a wolf in sheep's clothing. While some might argue that a trigger would lower health care costs, Americans are awake and watching and they know better. They see this wolf and realize that a trigger paves the road toward government control of health care and the loss of individual choice of health care decisions. On this Halloween week, I urge the Speaker to take off the mask of reform and focus on health care solutions that don't include the government takeover of health care. The American people deserve honesty in this debate and won't be scared into supporting a trigger.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlelady for giving me some time to speak. First off, I want to brag on the majority. The gentlelady and the previous speaker and I talked about the 72-hour rule, the concept of a bill being available for not only Members to read but also constituents to read. This one's been available longer than 72 hours. And as far as I can tell, the sun came up in the east this morning and the world's continuing to turn, so this system can, in fact, work under a rational process that allows 72 hours to expire before something is voted on. So I want to brag on the majority for conducting themselves in the way that they said they would do throughout the 2006 campaign. And now, at least with this one narrow example, they have shown that the 72-hour rule will, in fact, work. Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask my colleagues to vote against the rule, to vote against this bill itself. I represent an agricultural district. I have a rural district in Texas. I represent 14 percent of the land mass of Texas. It is rural and it is agricultural. I'm going to vote against this bill because of the reckless increases in spending that are being proposed or being pushed forward. None of us are for hunger. None of us are for children getting up and going to school hungry. That's not what this is about. This bill, with a 28 percent increase over what we spent in 2008, a 14 percent increase in what we spent over 2009, plus an $8 billion stimulus infusion of cash, is reckless, simply reckless. We can't afford it. This will contribute to a $1.3 trillion deficit for 2010. We will have to borrow all $1.3 trillion. Now, what that does in effect is it fixes today's problems for just 2010. It doesn't fix anything, but it addresses the problems for 2010. The interest on that debt will be paid for by every generation every year of their lives. They will not pay it back. We will not pay it back. So what we are saying is with respect to the interest on that debt is that future generations will have to tax themselves to pay for that. Those are resources that they will not have available to deal with the hungry and the hungered in their generations because, as Jesus Christ said, the poor you will always have with us. There will be hunger in this world as long as this world exists. And what we are doing today with this bill is contributing to the irresponsible resource reallocation from future generations to today's problems. Both sides have made an art form over the last four years of taking future resources to fix today's problems. It's been wrong in the past. It's wrong today. And I would urge my colleagues to vote against this rule and against this bill when it comes up later on this afternoon.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Coaches Appreciation Week and to acknowledge the accomplishments and dedication of one coach in particular: Coach Rocky Rawls of Bronte, Texas. Coach Rawls has been coaching in Bronte, Texas for the past 26 years. After growing up in Dimmitt, Texas and playing basketball for the late Kenneth Cleveland, Coach Rawls grew to love the game of basketball and decided to make it his career. He graduated from Dimmitt High School in 1978. He then went to Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas to play basketball for the Hawks. After 2 years in Big Spring, Coach Rawls left for Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas to finish out his college education, and, of course, to play ball. He graduated from Southwestern University in May of 1983. Just months after his graduation from college the superintendent of Bronte High School gave Rocky a call and offered him a position as head basketball coach. The rest, as they say, is history. This past season Coach Rawls accomplished a feat few basketball coaches accomplish at any level. He earned his 500th career victory against Bronte's rival, Robert Lee. Even more impressive is the fact that Coach Rawls has won all 500 games at one school. Bronte has been his home his entire coaching career. This past season, Coach Rawls helped the Bronte Longhorns go 25-3 and finish the season ranked sixth in the state, also sweeping eventual state champion Roscoe throughout the season. Subsequently, Coach Rawls was deservingly named Coach of the Year by the San Angelo Standard Times. Coach Rawls and his wife, Terri, have 3 sons. Logan, a student at Angelo State University, and twins Dakota and Kerwin, now juniors at Bronte High School, have all played ball for their dad. Bronte has been the home of a long and successful career for Coach Rocky Rawls, who after winning 500 ballgames I hear thinks it just might be a great place to stay and win 500 more. Asked when he might retire, Coach Rawls has joked that ``not until they ask me to coach girls,'' which after also stepping in as head football and boys track coach at various times, happens to be the only thing he hasn't coached at Bronte. Coach Rawls has instilled invaluable leadership skills in the many students who have called him ``Coach.'' He has incorporated the important values of self-discipline and perseverance into every practice, and ensured that the beliefs and conduct they learn on the court becomes a part of their daily lives as well. By example, Coach Rawls has instilled the importance of faith, family and community in the many lives he has touched throughout his years in Bronte. It is my great pleasure to extend my personal congratulations to Coach Rawls on his remarkable achievement of 500 victories, as well as express my sincere respect and appreciation for the positive impact he has had on the lives of many of the boys from Bronte, Texas. As an educator and a coach, he has had a hand in molding so many of them into men we can all be proud of. Madam Speaker, I myself, as a former athlete in both high school and college recognize that we owe men and women like Rocky Rawls a great debt of gratitude. On behalf of current, former and future student athletes, whose lives will forever be founded in the ideals and work ethics of competitive athletics, I say, ``Thank you.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 702 To amend title 39, United States Code, to provide clarification relating to the authority of the United States Postal Service to accept donations as an additional source of funding for commemorative plaques. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 700 H. Res. 317-- Recognizing the region from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri, as the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, and for other purposes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 701--H.R. 22--United States Postal Service Financial Relief Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 699 H. Res. 744-- Privileged resolution regarding Congressman Joe Wilson. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay''.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3326--Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010. Defense Critical Languages and Cultures Initiative--(Center for Security Studies) Angelo State University. The funding would be used for the University's Center for Security Studies which will produce cross culturally competent students able to understand and influence outcomes in support of American national security objectives. The Center for Security Studies will directly benefit Goodfellow Air Force Base by providing an educational degree completion for faculty as well as research opportunities on existing and emerging Air Force language, culture and intelligence requirements. Extra instructional capacity for Goodfellow Air Force Base in Mandarin and Arabic is also achieved. The project is located at Angelo State University, 2601 W. Avenue N, San Angelo, TX 76909. Mobile Firing Range for the Texas Army National Guard. The Mobile Firing Range is a self contained range that allows for the firing of pistol and rifle systems for the Texas National Guard. Currently there is no opportunity to fire weapons for training or qualification without traveling to a certified range on a military installation. The Texas National Guard currently does not have access to any indoor ranges that can be used to fire the M16/M4 which is the current armament for 90 percent of the soldiers within the Texas National Guard. The Mobile Firing Range will allow soldiers to train with their assigned weapons at home station. This system is a training and force multiplier due to the negation of travel and lodging, and staging needed when conducting this training on a military facility. The entity to receive funding for this project is Texas National Guard, 2200 West 35th Street, Austin, TX 78763. Center for Hetero-Functional Materials. The U.S. Army Research and Laboratory Material and Devices division has deemed the Center for Hetero-Functional Materials, CHM, as critical to developing next generation devices for the military. CHM provides the infrastructure and resources required for research and development of new materials and processes that will be required for the fabrication of next generation military devices. This initiative integrates multiple disciplines to help produce a new range of materials that will lead to new devices with unprecedented capabilities. The entity to receive funding for this project is Texas State University at San Marcos, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. Compact Pulsed Power Initiative. This funding would be used for the development of explosive or battery-operated, compact, high-power radiation sources and associated antenna systems capable of destroying electronics used for radars, communications, computer, or remote detonation devices, and others that can disable car engines. The information gained from this research will be significant in furthering our nation's defense capabilities especially in the area of disabling and destroying IEDs. The entity to receive funding for this project is Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, mail stop 3121, TX 79409. Field Deployable Hologram Production System. This funding would be used for completing development of a compact production unit that produces 3D holographic imagery for mission planning and intelligence purposes for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army requests a self-contained, field-deployable EHI production system to accelerate imagery delivery to combat forces. The goal is a more efficient, cost effective production system that provides the deployed war fighter needed planning and intelligence capabilities on a much faster basis. The entity to receive funding for this project is Zebra Imaging, Inc, 9801 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering House Concurrent Resolution 79, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. House Concurrent Resolution Whereas, Border communities, such as Laredo, contend with heightened responsibilities in the world today, and since the advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, Laredo has become the busiest United States port of entry from Mexico and the sixth-largest customs district in the country, with more than $167 billion in total trade in 2007; while the heavy flow of international commerce is a boon to the local economy, it presents tremendous challenges to the first responders who protect the state and the nation as well as their own community; and Whereas, The Bureau of Transportation Statistics calculated that more than 1.5 million trucks and 300,000 rail containers crossed through Laredo in 2006, and according to Texas Department of Transportation estimates, truck tonnage will increase by some 250 percent by 2030; about half of this cargo includes hazardous material, and more than 60 million square feet of warehouse space in the city also contains significant amounts of hazardous materials, creating a tempting target for terrorists and enormous potential for a disaster that could not only endanger public health but also disrupt major transportation systems and negatively impact the national economy; and Whereas, Relatively isolated on its side of the border, Laredo is 150 miles from the nearest sizable U.S. city, and its police, fire, and public health personnel are the primary emergency responders for a region of more than 3,000 square miles; this includes a long stretch of the Rio Grande, which is the primary drinking water source for Laredo, Nuevo Laredo, and other communities in the Rio Grande Valley, making swift response to any contamination extremely critical; in addition, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission has recognized the region as among those most vulnerable to perils such as bioterrorism and epidemics; and Whereas, The Laredo Police Department has increased vigilance over border activity since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and confronts an escalating threat from violent international drug traffickers, who have been linked to terrorism; the fire department responds to a wide range of emergencies along the Rio Grande, from the rescue or recovery of individuals who have attempted to cross into the United States to bomb threats; and Whereas, The emergency response system in Laredo requires a higher level of funding to ensure public safety and meet homeland security imperatives; for instance, the city has only one hazardous materials response unit, purchased in 1991 and long overdue for upgrades; it lacks a detection system for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high- yield explosive weapons, as well as for quick assessment and management of industrial accidents; among other urgent needs are enhanced police staffing, improved radio coverage in remote areas, and construction of a secure regional emergency operations center where safety personnel and local, state, and federal government officials can coordinate decisions and resources in a crisis; and Whereas, With an estimated population of 217,000, Laredo is a much smaller city than other major United States ports; its own budget is accordingly limited, and at the same time, its size has been an impediment in the pursuit of federal assistance; homeland security funding formulas currently use census figures rather than threat risk in determining eligibility for such programs as the Urban Areas Security Initiative and Targeted Infrastructure Capability Grants Program, and, as a land port, Laredo is likewise ineligible for the Port Security Grant Program, even though it processes more international shipments than such grant recipients as Mobile, Alabama, and Lake Charles, Louisiana; and Whereas, Laredo, as the nation's second-busiest land gateway, shoulders unique law enforcement, public safety, and national security burdens far out of proportion to the size of its population; increased federal funding is necessary to strengthen first response where local agencies with strained budgets are responsible for protecting our nation's critical infrastructure and addressing international threats; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to refine Department of Homeland Security policy to consider risk levels as well as population size in assessing the financial needs of first responders in border communities along the international boundary created by the Rio Grande; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. David Dewhurst, President of the Senate. Joe Straus, Speaker of the House. Robert Haney, Chief Clerk of the House. Patsy Spaw, Secretary of the Senate. Approved: Rick Perry, Governor.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering House Concurrent Resolution 183, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. House Concurrent Resolution Whereas, The oil and natural gas exploration industry has been a significant part of the state's economy since the early 20th century; today, Texas is the leading producing state for oil and natural gas in the country, accounting for 21.3 percent and 27.8 percent of total U.S. production, respectively; and Whereas, Texas producers provide more than 200,000 jobs for Texas citizens, with an average pay that is almost three times higher than the average paid by all other industries; during fiscal year 2008, Texas producers paid over $5 billion in taxes and fees to the state's general revenue fund; and Whereas, Natural gas is a highly valued, clean fuel that has become a mainstay of electricity production and other industrial operations in Texas, while oil continues to constitute the backbone of the state's industrial sector and fuels virtually all of the state's transportation system; and Whereas, Renewable energy sources offer great promise for Texas' long-term energy needs, but the technology that would make these sources abundant is in its infancy, and until that technology is adequately developed, renewable energy sources will remain dispersed and unable to deliver base load capacity; and Whereas, Conservation can help satisfy the state's energy needs, and action to reduce customer demand is the quickest way to meet energy needs in the short term, but a growing economy and population will require more energy than can be saved through more efficient energy use; and Whereas, To keep pace with increased demand, independent producers completed more than 11,000 wells in Texas in 2008, and in the two-year period 2007-2008, they increased the production of natural gas in Texas by more than 12 percent; and Whereas, In addition to generating high-quality jobs, independent producers help to reduce America's dependence on Middle East oil by exploring for domestic resources and providing stable supplies of cost-effective energy to consumers; and Whereas, Independent producers rely on longstanding tax provisions to plan their activities and to explore for new wells to offset declining production from older ones; without the development of new wells, energy supplies would decline and the costs to consumers would rise; and Whereas, President Barack Obama's initial budget includes provisions deleting the intangible drilling costs deduction, percentage depletion allowance, geologic and geophysical costs deduction, and domestic production activities deduction, and the elimination of these provisions would cripple this state's energy jobs, reduce small businesses' access to capital, and harm royalty owners; and Whereas, Intangible drilling costs (IDCs) typically include expenditures for physical items with no salvage value, as well as other costs associated with preparing and completing a well for the production of oil, gas, or geothermal steam or water; producers have long been able to deduct IDCs as current business expenses, rather than depreciate or amortize them over the life of the well; IDCs are actually similar to research and development costs, for which most manufacturing businesses are able to take a tax credit, rather than a deduction; and Whereas, The percentage depletion allowance, also known as the small producers exemption, was created in the 1920s to encourage oil and natural gas exploration, which is an inherently high-risk venture; the exemption is available only to the smallest producers and allows them to deduct 15 percent of their gross income from oil and gas properties; and Whereas, Geologic and geophysical (G&G) costs relate to the surveys that producers conduct or commission in order to locate and develop oil and natural gas reserves and to minimize unnecessary drilling; G&G costs may be amortized over the first 24 months of the life of a well; and Whereas, The domestic production activities provision allows businesses a tax deduction for qualified production activities that are based in the United States; the deduction helps to preserve American jobs and American small businesses; and Whereas, Major integrated companies are not eligible for the IDC deduction, percentage depletion allowance, or domestic production activities deduction, and they are subject to a seven-year amortization schedule for G&G work; consequently, ``big oil'' is not impacted by the proposed budget changes; and Whereas, President Obama has stated his intention to support the development of jobs, promote the use of clean- burning energy, and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, yet his budget proposals would lessen the ability of independent producers to help meet those three goals: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to reject the provisions of President Barack Obama's budget that would eliminate the intangible drilling costs deduction, percentage depletion allowance, geologic and geophysical costs deduction, and domestic production activities deduction and to encourage instead the development of Texas oil and natural gas; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. David Dewhurst, President of the Senate. Joe Straus, Speaker of the House. Robert Haney, Chief Clerk of the House. Patsy Span, Secretary of the Senate. Approved: Rick Perry, Governor.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering House Concurrent Resolution 120, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. House Concurrent Resolution Whereas, South Texas is on the front line of the battle against the fever tick, a pest that threatens to inflict catastrophic losses on the beef industry should it continue to spread beyond a permanent quarantine zone established along the Rio Grande in 1943; and Whereas, Historically, the fever tick ranged across the entire southeastern United States, reaching as far north as Maryland and Pennsylvania; the tick can carry and transmit a parasite that causes cattle tick fever, which kills up to 90 percent of infected cattle; in 1893, the Texas Animal Health Commission was founded to fight this scourge, and in 1907 the United States Department of Agriculture established the National Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program; by then, the tick had already caused direct and indirect economic losses estimated to equal more than $1 billion in today's dollars; and Whereas, The eradication program had successfully contained the fever tick to an 852-square-mile quarantine zone by 1943; the tick was never eliminated in Mexico, however, and personnel from the USDA Tick Force have maintained a high level of vigilance to fight continuous reintroduction; after the pest was detected beyond the zone in 2007, five temporary preventive quarantine areas were established, covering more than one million acres in Starr, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Maverick, Dimmit, and Webb Counties; and Whereas, In March 2008, the Texas Department of Agriculture requested some $13 million to fight the spread of fever ticks; the USDA released $5.2 million, and in January 2009 it committed another $4.9 million in emergency funds, but sustained funding over the long term is essential; moreover, the National Fever Tick Eradication Strategic Plan, developed and approved by the USDA in 2006, has never been implemented and funded, and Dr. Bob Hillman, the state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, has warned that fever ticks are a national livestock threat that requires an all-out assault; and Whereas, The fever tick has gained substantial ground in this state, but the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Texas Animal Health Commission, and the USDA Tick Force continue working diligently with cattle owners to save a key component of the Lone Star State's agricultural economy and prevent the battlefront from extending to other states; if the fever tick is not contained, the cost to the cattle industry could easily approach $1 billion a year and lead to rising food costs for consumers: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to make eradication of the fever tick in South Texas a priority and continue to provide appropriate funding and resources for this effort; and be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution H.C.R. No. 120 be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. Guillen Gonzalez Toureilles Leibowitz, King of Zavala. David Dewhurst, President of the Senate. Joe Straus, Speaker of the House. Robert Haney, Chief Clerk of the House. I certify that H.C.R. No. 120 was adopted by the Senate on May 27, 2009, by a viva-voce vote. Patsy Spau, Secretary of the Senate. APPROVED: June 19, 2009. Rick Perry, Governor.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering House Concurrent Resolution 86, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. House Concurrent Resolution No. 86 Whereas, The men and women who have served in this nation's armed forces are entitled to ready access to the best possible medical care; and Whereas, For the more than 100,000 veterans living in the Rio Grande Valley, the nearest U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital is in San Antonio, as much as 300 miles and a five-hour trip away, and the lack of a VA hospital in the Valley has long imposed great hardships on veterans in that region and on their families; and Whereas, Veterans requesting appointments at the facility in San Antonio typically wait months to be seen, even for serious conditions; for those who cannot drive themselves, or who cannot afford to drive, van transportation is provided by veterans service groups; the lengthy trip, however, adds to the patients' physical distress; no ambulances are available to convey veterans to San Antonio, which makes the journey especially difficult for those who are bedridden; and Whereas, Once veterans arrive in San Antonio, they often wait hours for an appointment that may take only 15 minutes, or they may find that their appointment has been canceled; they may also discover that they need to stay overnight, which adds to the time-consuming nature of their trip and to its expense; and Whereas, For veterans who must go to San Antonio several times a month, the time lost to travel can make it difficult to hold a job; the demands of such a trip also place a great burden on family members who have to take time off from work, and possibly arrange for child care, to drive a veteran to San Antonio, and who may need to make such trips for many years; the cost of gas and meals, in addition to the expense of lodging, if that is required, substantially exceeds the prescribed travel allowance; and Whereas, The current facilities for veterans health care in the Valley are manifestly inadequate; the VA presently operates several outpatient clinics in the region, but these do not offer the full range of services, including testing and therapy, available in San Antonio; moreover, the VA has failed to pay the bills of many veterans who have had to seek emergency care at a local hospital; in addition, although there are plans to contract with area hospitals to provide some inpatient veterans care, the medical personnel in those facilities are unlikely to have the necessary expertise in treating the injuries and psychological trauma sustained by combat veterans; and Whereas, In recent years, local veterans organizations have formed the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley to help raise awareness of this issue; and Whereas, Veterans who live in the Valley, veterans from out of state who make their home in the Valley during the winter months, and U.S. veterans who reside in Mexico all sorely need and clearly deserve a fully staffed, full-service veterans hospital in far South Texas; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby affirm its support for the establishment of a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande Valley; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to the Congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering Senate Concurrent Resolution 73, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. Senate Concurrent Resolution Whereas, In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Higher Education Act establishing the Guaranteed Student Loan Program; although this program has undergone many changes through the years, including the adoption of a new name, the Federal Family Education Loan Program, it has consistently served the State of Texas as the most important method of delivering financial aid to students and families; and Whereas, The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, established as the state's guarantor in 1979, has delivered nearly 14 million loans to students and families at no cost to the state; these loans, exceeding $63 billion, represent approximately two-thirds of the direct financial aid awarded to Texas students pursuing their educational goals; the Federal Family Education Loan Program has not only provided loans but also created many jobs in the state, and it has become a significant economic engine through its focus on education completion and job creation; as the need for an educated workforce has increased in Texas, this public- private partnership has been at the forefront of education financing; and Whereas, The not-for-profit and for-profit lenders in the Federal Family Education Loan Program have led in educational outreach efforts to the state's most disadvantaged populations through programs that seek to encourage academic achievement, promote financial literacy, and provide information on making college affordable; such assistance has enabled more Texans to fulfill their goals of achieving a better life, while enriching the state in the process; and Whereas, The Federal Family Education Loan Program ranks as the most successful and popular education loan program in the state and nation; in Texas, more than 94 percent of student loan dollars are delivered through the program and over 85 percent of secondary education institutions have chosen to participate in the program; nationally, more than 81 percent of student loan dollars are delivered through the program; and Whereas, For over four decades, the Federal Family Education Loan Program has promoted local participation in the education of our citizens, and this successful partnership between government and the private sector serves a vital function in delivering financial aid to Texas citizens and making significant contributions to our economy; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to maintain the Federal Family Education Loan Program and continue to refine and improve this crucial public-private partnership; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. David Dewhurst, President of the Senate. Joe Straus, Speaker of the House. Patsy Spaw, Secretary of the Senate. Robert Haney, Chief Clerk of the House. Approved: Rick Perry, Governor.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering Senate Concurrent Resolution 22, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 22 Whereas, The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest decoration for valor in combat awarded to members of the United States armed forces; generally presented to recipients by the president of the United States on congress's behalf, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor; and Whereas, First authorized in 1861 for United States Navy and Marine Corps personnel and for United States Army soldiers the following year, Medals of Honor are awarded sparingly and bestowed only on those individuals performing documented acts of gallant heroism against an enemy force; and Whereas, Since congress authorized the award, 70 Medals of Honor have been accredited to the State of Texas, yet other Texans have similarly distinguished themselves by acts of courageous gallantry in combat no less deserving of such recognition; one such individual is Marcelino Serna, a native of Mexico whose unflinching and selfless bravery and acts of uncommon valor on the battlefields of World War I made him one of Texas' most decorated heroes; and Whereas, Born in the Mexican state of Chihuahua in 1896, he came to the United States as a young man in search of a better life, working various jobs in Texas, Kansas, and Colorado; and Whereas, In 1917, Mr. Serna was working in Colorado when the United States, unable to remain neutral any longer while war raged in Europe, declared war on Germany; later that year, federal officials in Denver, Colorado, gathered a group of men and held them until their draft status could be verified; and Whereas, Included in this group, Mr. Serna chose not to wait for such verification and instead volunteered for service in the United States Army; after only three weeks of training, 20-year-old Private Serna was shipped to England, where he was assigned to the 355th Infantry of the 89th Division, a unit that was to see action in some of the most arduous campaigns of the war; and Whereas, By the time the unit arrived in France, Private Serna's status as a noncitizen had come to light, and he was consequently offered a discharge from the army; given the opportunity to return home, Private Serna refused the discharge, choosing to stay with his unit as it began its advance toward the Meuse River and Argonne Forest in northeastern France; and Whereas, At Saint Mihiel, Private Serna's unit was moving through thick brush when a German machine gunner opened fire, killing 12 American soldiers; with his lieutenant's permission, Private Serna, a scout, continued forward, dodging machine-gun fire until he reached the gunner's left flank; and Whereas, Having come through a hail of bullets unscathed, despite being hit twice in the helmet, Private Serna got close enough to lob four grenades into the machine-gun nest, killing six enemy soldiers and taking into custody the eight survivors, who quickly surrendered to the lone American soldier; and Whereas, This encounter was followed shortly by an even more astounding feat when, during his second scouting mission in the Meuse-Argonne campaign, Private Serna captured 24 German soldiers with his Enfield rifle and grenades, an episode that began when he spied a sniper walking on a trench bank; and Whereas, Although the sniper was about 200 yards away, Private Serna shot and wounded him, then followed the wounded German's trail into a trench, where he discovered several more enemy soldiers; opening fire, Private Serna killed three of the enemy and scattered the others in that initial burst; and Whereas, Frequently changing positions, Private Serna fooled the enemy into thinking they were under fire from several Americans, keeping up the ruse until he was close enough to lob three grenades into the German dugout; in about 45 minutes of furious action, Private Serna managed to kill 26 German soldiers and capture another 24, whom he held captive by himself until his unit arrived; and Whereas, Enduring several months of combat action largely unharmed, Private Serna was shot in both legs by a sniper four days before the Armistice; while he was convalescing in an army hospital in France, General John J. Pershing, commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, decorated Private Serna with the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest American combat medal; and Whereas, Private Serna also received two French Croix de Guerre with Palm medals, the French Medaille Militaire, the French Commemorative Medal, the Italian Cross of Merit, the World War I Victory Medal, the Victory Medal with three campaign bars, the Saint Mihiel Medal, the Verdun Medal, and two Purple Hearts; and Whereas, Discharged from the army in 1919, Marcelino Serna settled in El Paso, where he became a United States citizen, entered the civil service, and lived out his retirement years until his death in 1992; although he lived the most ordinary of lives after the war, Mr. Serna was, for a brief moment in time, an extraordinary hero whose remarkable feats of bravery under fire elevated him into the pantheon of American heroes; and Whereas, In 1993, Texas Congressman Ronald D. Coleman introduced a measure in the 103rd Congress to waive certain statutory time limits on awarding the Medal of Honor and thus bestow on Marcelino Serna the proper recognition he so richly deserves; unfortunately, the measure did not receive a proper hearing, thereby denying the legacy of Mr. Serna its proper place in history; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to reopen consideration of this case to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to World War I hero Marcelino Serna; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering House Joint Resolution 39, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. A Joint Resolution post-ratifying Amendment XXIV to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the denial or abridgment of the right to vote for failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Mr. CONAWAY

Mr. CONAWAY. Madam Speaker, at the request of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, I am officially entering Senate Concurrent Resolution 38, as passed by the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009 of the State of Texas, into the Congressional Record. Senate Concurrent Resolution Whereas, During the Vietnam War, the United States military sprayed more than 19 million gallons of Agent Orange and other herbicides over Vietnam to reduce forest cover and crops used by the enemy; these herbicides contained dioxin, which has since been identified as carcinogenic and has been linked with a number of serious and disabling illnesses now affecting thousands of veterans; and Whereas, The United States Congress passed the Agent Orange Act of 1991 to address the plight of veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in the Republic of Vietnam; the Act amended Title 38 of the United States Code to presumptively recognize as service-connected certain diseases among military personnel who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975; this presumption has provided access to appropriate disability compensation and medical care for Vietnam veterans diagnosed with such illness as Type II diabetes, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, respiratory cancers, and soft-tissue sarcomas; and Whereas, Pursuant to a 2001 directive, United States Department of Veterans Affairs policy has denied the presumption of a service connection for herbicide-related illnesses to Vietnam veterans who could not furnish written documentation that they had ``boots on the ground'' in-country, making it virtually impossible for countless United States Navy and United States Air Force veterans to pursue their claims for benefits; many who had landed on Vietnamese soil could not produce proof due to incomplete or missing military records; moreover, personnel who had served on ships in the ``Blue Water Navy'' in Vietnamese territorial waters were, in fact, exposed to dangerous airborne toxins, which not only drifted offshore but also washed into streams and rivers draining into the South China Sea; and Whereas, Warships positioned off the Vietnamese shore routinely distilled seawater to obtain potable water; a 2002 Australian study found that the distillation process, rather than removing toxins, in fact concentrated dioxin in water used for drinking, cooking, and washing; this study was conducted by the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs after it found that Vietnam veterans of the Royal Australian Navy had a higher rate of mortality from Agent Orange- associated diseases than did Vietnam veterans from other branches of the military; when the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied specific cancers among Vietnam veterans, it found a higher risk of cancer among United States Navy veterans; and Whereas, Agent Orange did not discriminate between soldiers on the ground and sailors on ships offshore, and legislation to recognize this tragic fact and restore eligibility for compensation and medical care to United States Navy and United States Air Force veterans who sacrificed their health for their country is critical; and Whereas, When the Agent Orange Act passed in 1991 with no dissenting votes, congressional leaders stressed the importance of responding to the health concerns of Vietnam veterans and ending the bitterness and anxiety that had surrounded the issue of herbicide exposure; the United States Congress should reaffirm the nation's commitment to the well- being of all of its veterans and direct the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to administer the Agent Orange Act under the presumption that herbicide exposure in the Republic of Vietnam includes the country's inland waterways, offshore waters, and airspace; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to restore the presumption of a service connection for Agent Orange exposure to United States Navy and United States Air Force veterans who served on the inland waterways, in the territorial waters, and in the airspace of the Republic of Vietnam; and, be it further Resolved, That the Texas secretary of state forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. David Dewhurst, President of the Senate. Joe Straus, Speaker of the House. Patsy Spaw, Secretary of the Senate. Robert Haney, Chief Clerk of the House. Approved: Rick Perry, Governor.