Joaquin Castro

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the patriotic service of Manuel Troy Coronado, who recently retired from a distinguished career in the Army National Guard. Troy was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1962. The son of a career military officer, he attended elementary school in Germany and Panama, and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in San Antonio in 1980. He attended the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany and later graduated from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. In 1986, Troy enlisted in the U.S. Army and shortly after gained acceptance into the Army's Officer Candidate School. He attended the Armor Officer Basic Course in Fort Knox, Kentucky and served a tour in Germany before taking time to pursue a civilian career, including jobs as a teacher and guidance counselor for troubled teens. Drawn back to military service, Troy eventually reenlisted in the Army. Through his work, he lived in several places in the United States, including Arlington, Virginia; Houston, Texas; and Fort Benning, Georgia. Troy was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 to serve as an embedded team trainer. Ultimately, Troy rose to the rank of Branch Chief in the National Guard Bureau's SOUTHCOM Joint Staff. Troy's loving wife, Lisa, and their three daughters, Raquel, Jaqueline, and Mindy, have provided him with a great deal of support throughout his various deployments and assignments. I join my fellow Texans and all Americans in thanking Troy for his years of admirable, selfless service to our nation.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Engel for yielding me this time. I rise in support of H.R. 1644, the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act, legislation that would more effectively cut off the Kim regime's access to hard currency and equipment for its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. This legislation updates and expands the range of sanctions available for the United States to use against persons or entities that violate existing U.S. sanction laws and United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding North Korea. The bill also requires the President to report to Congress on foreign countries' compliance with those Security Council resolutions. The United States is determined to preserve the stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Our Nation will uphold its treaty commitments to Japan and South Korea and will defend their security in the face of the North Korean threat. I urge my colleagues to join me and vote in favor of this legislation, which makes clear that the United States will target individuals, companies, and banks that continue to do business with North Korea.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. The gentleman mentioned the Northern Triangle countries of Central America. Especially over the last few years, thousands of women and children who are fleeing very desperate situations there, not only extreme poverty, but the threats of violence by drug gangs, for example, have come to the Texas-Mexico border seeking asylum. Congress did, over the last few years, essentially, pass assistance for these nations. And we understood that, look, if you allocate $600 million to three countries, that is not going to solve all of their problems. Nobody is under that illusion. But it can go a long way in being the seed funds to start to turn these things around and these nations around.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Engel for all of his years of work on behalf of the Nation on the Foreign Affairs Committee. I know you may have a busy schedule this evening. We have got about 12 minutes left, so I thought we would just have a discussion on some of these issues. Stick with us if you can.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Absolutely. I will give Mr. Sires the last word. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am here this evening joined by colleagues from the Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss President Trump's extreme, proposed cuts to the International Affairs Budget. The President's budget proposal would reduce funding for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, what we know as USAID, by nearly a third. The proposal would reduce overall funding for the International Affairs Budget by $17.4 billion, or 31 percent. This would be a devastating reduction. U.S. diplomats and development experts work to shape a freer, more secure, and more prosperous world while advancing U.S. interests abroad. They build relationships with foreign counterparts and resolve disputes to preserve peace and reduce the need for military action. They also provide critical services to U.S. citizens living and working overseas and screen people seeking visas to visit the United States. This work would all be compromised by the administration's funding cuts. These cuts could also undercut President Trump's purported priorities. For example, these reductions could interrupt the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism and U.S. efforts to disrupt money laundering and terror financing. Funding could be slashed for nonproliferation, counternarcotics, and consular affairs--efforts specifically focused on protecting Americans from foreign threats. This work overseas is always important, but it is especially necessary now in this tumultuous time, when the United States faces complex challenges around the world: In Asia, we see increased tensions in the South China Sea and an increasingly hostile North Korea. In Africa, there is a devastating famine in East Africa, brutal civil wars, as well as terrorist organizations like Boko Haram and al- Shabaab. The refugee crisis stemming from unrest in the Middle East continues, and we have just seen reports of more gas attacks on the Syrian people. In South America, the people of Colombia have experienced devastating floods that claimed more than 270 lives, a breakdown in the rule of law in the Northern Triangle, and a government in Venezuela that has become an oppressive dictatorship. Even in Western Europe, we continue to combat terrorist threats from organizations like ISIS, who 2 weeks ago inspired the attack in London. These are challenging times for our world that require a fully funded International Affairs Budget. But America's unilateral diplomatic and development work is just one piece of our engagement overseas. Following World War II, the United States helped lead the creation of several multilateral organizations to foster peace and stability in the world like the United Nations, NATO, and the World Bank. With its budget proposal and heated rhetoric, the Trump administration is threatening that architecture of peace and stability. For example, the President recommends cutting funding for multilateral development banks by $650 million over 3 years and capping United Nations peacekeeping contributions to 25 percent of total funding. These decisions will have a significant destabilizing impact on the global order. If America retreats from the international stage, other powers, like China, will step in to fill that void and exert their influence. We cannot afford for that to happen. That is why my colleagues and I are here tonight, to speak out against the shortsighted, dangerous budget proposal and emphasize the importance of the United States' diplomatic and development work. And with that, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires).

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. It has been a very thorny issue, as you can imagine, especially in Texas. Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed deep concern about building a wall and spending $20 billion to $30 billion to do it, and that concern, I think, has reached the U.S. Congress. I think that is part of why you see a reluctance on the part of the Senate, for example, to move forward with this in their appropriations bill, in their budget. I yield to our ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I should have mentioned, of course, that Congressman Sires is the ranking member on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee on the Foreign Affairs Committee. His experience in that region in particular is vast. I am glad that you mentioned that this is really part of a larger theme and a larger concern, because President Trump, in addition to proposing to cut a lot of funds for diplomacy and development around the world, has also shown a real hostility towards other nations, including some of our best allies and friends around the world, and that is of great concern. For example, this issue with Mexico which you brought up, forcing Mexico to pay for the wall and constructing this wall along the 2,000- mile border that we have between the United States and Mexico and cutting aid if necessary, which he has threatened to do if Mexico won't pay for it, I have said very clearly that that creates an opportunity for China to step in or the Chinese President Xi Jinping to go into Latin America, go into Mexico and offer to give Mexico whatever Donald Trump takes away. That would strengthen China's hand in yet another region of the world. Of course, China is a big economic competitor of the United States, and I relate to my Texas folks because Texas does an incredible amount of trade with Mexico, and we have been very fortunate over the years that Mexico buys a lot of our stuff. They buy a lot of our goods. But they don't have to just buy that stuff from Texas or the United States, generally. They could go buy it from Brazil. They could buy it from China or somewhere else. So thank you for mentioning that.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Engel mentioned maintaining the United States' position as a leader in the world and not ceding that to another country, whether it is China or Russia, who has been very aggressive, and it is not just maintaining a strong defense. I represent what is known as Military City, USA: San Antonio, Texas. Once upon a time we had five military bases in San Antonio. We still have Joint Base San Antonio, which is a large operation. So it is not just about a strong defense, which we all support, but also about the hard work of diplomacy and development. The United States, who has been a leader for so long, if we back away from our commitments, then we not only cede it to somebody else, but there is a good chance that a lot of that work is not going to get done, that the peoples in many nations around the world are going to become poorer, more desperate; and from that, only bad things can happen both for those peoples, but also for the neighboring countries, for the United States, and for the world. Thank you for lending your strong voice to support for the diplomatic budget. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. No, absolutely. And Congressman Sires, you recall that during those months, then-Candidate Trump talked about backing away from NATO; about allowing Germany, for example, to handle the issues between Russia and the Baltic States; about allowing or really forcing Japan and South Korea to go it alone or to develop even their own nuclear weapons to combat the threat of North Korea, to deal with China's aggressiveness in the South China Sea. So the more we go down that road, not only do we abandon those nations who have been friends for so long and allies and supporters for so long in keeping the peace, but we also, in the long run, threaten our own security. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Congressman Engel, you mentioned Ebola, for example. Dallas, Texas, was the first American city to confront the challenge and the problem of Ebola. So I couldn't agree with you more. It should also be said that if you take away this aid and you have people becoming more desperate in nations around the world, they do become more susceptible to being employed by, for example, drug cartels, or being lured by terrorist organizations because these folks are desperate and need to survive. So these rogue alternatives become more attractive to them. So it is important to point out that a lot of this development and a lot of this aid also prevents some of these things from happening. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I come from the State, Texas, that has the highest percentage of people who have absolutely no healthcare coverage, who use the emergency room as their health provider, and who also have serious health challenges. For Texans, if this bill passes, it means that the following things will no longer be in their insurance policy or they will be charged jacked-up fees for them: outpatient care; emergency room trips; in- hospital care; pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care; mental health and substance abuse disorder services; prescription drugs; rehabilitative services and habilitative services; lab tests; preventative services; and pediatric services. It should also be noted that, with this bill, about 660,000 Texans would lose their healthcare coverage.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my serious concern regarding President Trump's respect for, and adherence to, the United States Constitution. In short, something is not right at the White House. His behavior suggests that he has little regard for the judicial branch of our government. If the President has purposely acted in contradiction of a court's order, he would be in violation of the Constitution, and this Congress would be required to act. Today, I am filing a resolution calling for the Department of Justice to appoint an independent counsel to investigate whether the President or his staff directed, or knowingly allowed, Customs and Border Protection to violate court orders designed to freeze the implementation of the January 27 Muslim travel ban executive order. I strongly disagree with the contents of the executive order in question. It targets people based on their religion, and it instilled fear across the country. It violates our Nation's values and the idea that, in America, people aren't judged by the color of their skin or by the religion they practice but, instead, by their character. This plays right into the hands of terrorists who would use it as a recruiting tool around the world to inflame those who seek to do Americans harm at home and abroad. Let me be clear, though. My disapproval of the President's unfair executive order did not motivate the introduction of this resolution. This resolution concerns only the President's adherence to a judicial order. The question is whether he knowingly allowed Customs and Border Patrol to violate that order. I hope the investigation will find that the President and his administration fully complied with court orders concerning his executive order. However, if President Trump overstepped and purposely violated the judiciary, the Congress should censure him. If, after censure, the President again disregards our Nation's systems of checks and balances and separation of powers, the Congress should take steps to remove him from office. During his campaign and in the time since his election, President Trump has promised to be a law-and-order President. Well, the court system is central to upholding the law and ensuring order in our Nation. It represents the way that we, as Americans, peacefully and civilly resolve disputes. Respect for the judiciary isn't just a constitutional requirement for the President, it is a requirement for all of us. President Trump is no stranger to our judicial system. He spent his career using the courts to sue his foes and settle his broken promises. Now it is time for him to keep the promise he made to the American people when he took the oath of office last month. He must follow the law and abide by our Constitution. Defending our democracy requires vigilance and stern action. Our Founders wisely designed our government so that no court, no Congress, and no President could gain a dangerous amount of power. If we in Congress cede our responsibility to keep the executive in check, we risk being complicit in creating a constitutional crisis. My resolution seeks to defend our Republic and our precious founding documents. Each of us in Congress swore to support the Constitution. I urge all Members of this body to put country before party and vote in favor of this measure.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Theresa Rangel. A beloved San Antonian, Theresa grew up on the West Side of the city where she attended Blessed Sacrament High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Ernest A. Rangel, with whom she traveled the world, had two children, and enjoyed 48 years of marriage. Throughout her career, Theresa served the San Antonio community and strove to help the people of our city excel. She worked at the University of the Incarnate Word in career development, and later became a caseworker in the office of Congressman Albert G. Bustamante. She went on to work in the Small Business Administration before joining the office of legendary Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez where she was a caseworker. She remained in that position when Charles Gonzalez won the congressional seat in 1999, and eventually retired in 2013 after 28 years of dignified civil service. After her retirement, Theresa remained active. She was a member of several Bible study groups, spent time scrapbooking, and was a devoted grandmother to five grandchildren whom she loved dearly. Theresa touched the lives of so many in our city, and I join her family and those whom she helped in mourning her loss. She was an exemplary civil servant and American whose contributions to our community and Nation will not be forgotten.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Choco Gonzalez Meza, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, who changed the face of Texas politics. Her recent passing is a tremendous loss not only for her family, but for so many throughout Texas and the Nation whose lives she touched. Born in Coahuila, Mexico, Choco and her family immigrated to the United States when she was just 3 years old. She graduated from St. Mary's University in San Antonio and went on to hold a number of leadership positions throughout her career. Whether at nonprofits like the YWCA, through public service as deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or in politics as Bexar County Democratic chair, Choco tirelessly fought for social justice and strove to create opportunity for marginalized groups. Choco was truly a historic figure in Texas politics and a compassionate, selfless soul. We mourn her passing and are grateful for all she gave to our community in San Antonio and to our Nation's democracy.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. I thank Congressman O'Rourke. I thank the gentleman for all of his work on behalf of these DREAMers, these young students who were brought to the United States through no fault of their own. They have grown up here, many of them knowing no other life except an American life. President Obama, during his term, was so good to issue an executive action known as DACA to give these folks who were in a legal limbo a chance to participate in American society. So many of them have gone on and are doing great things. DACA allows them to work, to go to school, and, most of all, to not have to live in fear, not have to live in fear of deportation. As you mentioned, many of these folks are people who were brought here at the age of 3 or 5 or 9 and had no choice about coming. Some of them didn't even realize that they were not American citizens until they had to apply to college or try to get a driver's license or in some other way interact with the government. There has been a lot of rhetoric over the past few years about immigrants. They have been called rapists, murderers, and criminals. There is so much of that kind of rhetoric that is used when people talk about the border, for example, and even the people that live in our border cities, whether it is El Paso or San Diego or McAllen, Texas. My wife is from the Rio Grande Valley, where you have a high concentration of DREAMers, for example. Sometimes, in all of that rhetoric and ugliness, there is a profound misunderstanding about who these people are. So I thank the gentleman for helping to highlight their stories and, really, for the country, to put a human face to these folks who are good people. I will tell you, because I know other Members have stories of DREAMers in their districts, just a quick story about somebody from San Antonio, a young man named Eric Balderas. His story was in the news in the last few years. Eric was the valedictorian in 2009 of Highlands High School. He was number one in his class at Highlands High School, and he was on the academic decathlon team, student council, and even played varsity soccer. He also received a full scholarship to Harvard University. While returning to Harvard in 2010 to complete summer research in molecular biology, Eric was detained at the San Antonio International Airport for traveling without acceptable identification. After efforts from Senator Durbin and the Harvard University president, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was able to grant him deferred action status. Eric's story, so far, has had a happy ending. He graduated from Harvard in 2013. There have been other folks who have achieved just as much, who are productive members of our country and our society, but oftentimes they are maligned, and they are often misunderstood. Right now, we are at a critical moment in our country's history. There is a question hanging over the Nation about how we will treat these DREAMers, these young students, these young people, again, who find themselves in legal limbo, who are as American as we are, and who have only known America as their homeland. There is a big question about what will happen with them. The President-elect has talked about getting rid of DACA early on, perhaps on the first day in office. So, as I am sure you found, there is a lot of anxiety from these young people and also their families about what is going to happen to them. They have played by the rules; they are being productive; they are working hard; they are going to school; they are paying their taxes; and they are living as Americans. This will be a real test for the Congress, for the President-elect, who, on January 20, will be the new President, and, really, for the Nation about what kind of nation we are. This really tugs at our conscience. When we think about some of the rhetoric that has been used--some people call them criminals. They say that they broke the law. I think when I hear that, as an attorney, I think about the different legal standards that we apply in criminal cases. For example, there is something known as mens rea, state of mind. Often when you are charged with a crime, a jury or a judge asks: Did you intend to do what you did? Did you know what you were doing? Even in our civil cases when we think about the negligence standard, there is still a question about whether somebody was indifferent to what they were doing. Well, in this case, these young people had no idea what was going on. They had no participation in even coming to the United States, but they find themselves here as Americans. I hope that our Nation and this Congress and the next President will be big enough, will be gracious enough, will respect their humanity, do the right thing, and make sure that they are protected under the law. First of all, thank you for holding your town hall, which may have been the first one in this season after the election. We are going to have one in San Antonio on December 11, which is a Sunday, with State Representative Diego Bernal, who really helped organize it and spearhead it; Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who also represents part of San Antonio; State Senator Jose Menendez. There are also other Members who I know are going to hold similar town halls in their cities. I will read off just a few of them because I think it is important to acknowledge that work: Pete Aguilar in San Bernardino, California; Tony Cardenas in Los Angeles, California; Ruben Gallego in Phoenix, Arizona; Raul Grijalva in Tucson, Arizona; Michelle Lujan Grisham in New Mexico; and Raul Ruiz, who has a district in southern California. I know that there are others that are being scheduled. I think all of this work is so important because when we talk about DACA, we are not talking about a piece of legislation that is going to take months to come through the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is something, a decision, that the new President on January 20 can make a decision to do away with it completely and to subject these kids to deportation, often to a country that they have never known, that they have no recollection of being a part of or growing up in. This really is a moral question, as you mentioned, for the country that pulls at our conscience. Thank you for all your work.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise the day after my hometown, San Antonio, laid to rest a hero who was taken from us too soon, Detective Benjamin Marconi. The son of a San Antonio police officer, Detective Marconi was a 20- year veteran of the force whose life was tragically cut short last week while he was in the field serving our city. Known for his big smile, his kindness, and his commitment to doing the right thing, Detective Marconi was a beloved member of our community. He leaves behind a son, a grandson, and an extended family who brought him great joy. Our city mourns the loss of Detective Marconi, an outstanding San Antonian, whom we dearly miss. His passing is a tragic reminder of the risk all of our law enforcement officers take when they go to work each day to keep us safe. We are grateful for his service and theirs.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Choco Gonzalez Meza, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend who changed the face of Texas politics. Choco was a fierce champion for women in public service and a force in the Texas Democratic Party. Her recent passing is a tremendous loss not only for her family, but for so many throughout Texas and the nation whose lives she touched. Born in Coahuila, Mexico, Choco and her family immigrated to the United States when she was just three years old and settled in Eagle Pass, Texas. She came to San Antonio when she attended St. Mary's University. Choco began effecting meaningful change as a student, when she and my mother, Rosie, helped draft the 10-1 single member district plan adopted in 1977. The skill and initiative she showed led to her being recruited by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, where she helped disenfranchised minorities exercise their right to vote. Throughout her career, Choco sought to empower others. As Executive Director of the YWCA, she steered women and girls towards success. She elevated the national conversation around poverty as Executive Director of Partnership for Hope. And she pushed to reform public housing and reduce homelessness when she joined her friend Henry G. Cisneros at the Department of Housing and Urban Development as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Relations and the Liaison to the White House in the Clinton Administration. She continued that work when she returned to San Antonio and became Senior Vice President at the San Antonio Housing Authority. Later, Choco served as President of American Sunrise, a nonprofit that provides educational and economic opportunities for children and families. She founded her own consulting firm, and in 2011, President Barack Obama appointed her to serve as a Commissioner to The Commission on Presidential Scholars. Choco's unparalleled passion for organizing made her an invaluable asset to the Democratic Party. She served on the Democratic National Committee, was chief of staff for District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzalez, and was elected Bexar County Democratic Chair. Most recently, Choco led Hillary Clinton's campaign operations in San Antonio. In all her political work, Choco tirelessly fought for social justice and strove to create opportunity for marginalized groups. Choco's spirit lives on through her family--her beloved husband Daniel, daughter Ivalis, granddaughter Emma, and son Danny, who is a trusted member of my staff. Choco was truly a historic figure in Texas politics and a compassionate, selfless soul. We mourn her passing and are grateful for all she gave to our community in San Antonio and to our nation's democracy.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Engel for yielding me this time and for his support of this legislation. He, Chairman Royce, as well as their staff members have been terrific partners in moving this bill forward. I also want to say a big thank you to my fellow Texan, Representative Mike McCaul, for being the lead Republican cosponsor of this legislation, which aims to make our foreign aid efforts more impactful and cost-efficient. Created in 2014 through the streamlining and merging of two offices, USAID'S Global Development Lab is spearheading a new approach that supports the invention, testing, and utilization of more cost-efficient solutions to development challenges. The Lab collaborates with entrepreneurs, corporations, NGOs, universities, and science and research institutions to solve some of the world's most difficult development challenges faster, more cheaply, and more sustainably. Essentially, the Lab democratizes problem solving by crowdsourcing ideas and applications to find the best solutions from around the world. For example, the Lab has used what it calls Grand Challenges for Development to incentivize problem solvers to develop solutions for specific problems. The Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenge led to the creation of the Pratt Pouch, a small ketchup packet-like pouch filled with medication that women can use in rural areas to prevent birth-related HIV infections. Other Grand Challenges have led to the development of breakthrough products that keep healthcare workers treating Ebola patients safe, desalinate water in an environmentally sustainable manner, and bring electricity to folks living off the electrical grid in Africa. The Lab also partners with outside entities, such as universities, to cultivate solutions to specific development challenges ranging from health and food insecurity to chronic conflict. Participating institutions equally match USAID's funding and leverage additional resources from private foundations. The legislation before us today formally authorizes the U.S. Global Development Lab within USAID and provides new legislative authorities to augment the Lab's current capabilities, allowing the initiative to achieve greater results and maximize its impact. The bill allows the Lab to use a pay-for-success model and tap into good ideas, no matter their source; bring in term-limited technical experts in a more cost-effective manner; and gain the flexibility to use program income more effectively. In conclusion, Congress can be proud of the work that the Lab is currently doing and will continue to pursue once we authorize it and provide proper oversight.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Greater Helotes Little League softball team for their outstanding accomplishment of winning the 2016 Little League Softball World Series. With grit and skill, these fourteen young women became champions and made our city, San Antonio, proud. This is a special group--all of the teammates have been playing together since they were seven or eight years old. They understand how to help one another shine and rally for victory. Those strong bonds were instrumental in their streak of decisive wins to seize the world title: 19-4, 10-0, 4-1, 11-1, 10-0, 6- 0, and 5-1. I applaud the Greater Helotes Little League team for their exciting achievement and for the example they've set for girls who love sports everywhere. I hope the lessons of teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship that they've learned during this experience serve them well throughout their lives.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a San Antonio hero we tragically lost recently. Retired Marine Master Sergeant Rodney Buentello bravely served our nation in both Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the Purple Heart twice. Last month, when he and his family were enjoying a day at Bandera City Park, Buentello unexpectedly had to tap into the courage and selflessness that served him so well overseas. He saw two teenagers in peril, drowning in rushing water by the park's dam. Disregarding his own safety, Master Sergeant Buentello dove in and rescued the teens, saving their lives. Sadly, he was pulled under the water himself and drowned before rescuers could reach him. Master Sergeant Buentello lost his life a hero, sacrificing to help those in need. He is emblematic of the best our military has to offer. I offer my deepest sympathies to his wife, their three sons, and all of his loved ones in this time of grief. I also want to extend my prayers and condolences to the John Jay High School community, where Master Sergeant Buentello most recently served as a teacher's aide. His city and nation will forever be grateful for his life and his service.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded yesterday. I was absent because my flight was delayed by the poor weather in the Washington, D.C. area. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call No. 334: NAY; Roll Call No. 335: AYE; and Roll Call No. 336: AYE.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Mr. Speaker, before I speak on this amendment, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), who has been a strong advocate and leader on this issue, for an opportunity to say a few words.