Joaquin Castro

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today, the House of Representatives will consider H. Con. Res. 112--Expressing the sense of Congress opposing the President's proposed $10 tax on every barrel of oil. This unserious, nonbinding resolution is simply nothing more than a cynical Republican political messaging bill. Indeed, the resolution purposely fails to include that the proposal was a serious attempt by the President to finance the critical infrastructure needs our country most certainly requires. The energy industry is critical to the global economy. Unfortunately, the manner in which the majority has decided to have this discussion leaves little room for thought or earnest debate. For these reasons, I will vote Present, and will encourage my colleagues to continue to work in earnest to find a long-term, sustainable solution to move forward with putting Americans to work in building out our transportation needs.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in 1922, the only grandparent I would come to know came from Mexico to the United States. She was not a rapist or a murderer or an alien. She was a 6-year-old girl whose parents had died around the time of the Mexican Revolution, and the closest relatives who could take her and her sister in were in Texas. I bet if we went around this Chamber, I know there would be beautiful stories, similar stories, of ancestors who came from Italy, Germany, Ireland, Africa, Asia, and every corner of the world. They are the immigrants to this country. They are the strength of this country. Language matters. Recently, the Library of Congress decided to retire the term ``illegal alien'' because it is dehumanizing. For the first time in American history, today, the Congress is ready to interfere with the business of the Library of Congress. In the years of the Congress and the Library, language has evolved. That is why we have done away with terms like ``Negro,'' ``Oriental,'' ``lunatic,'' and ``retarded,'' because we understand that even words that start off as neutral descriptors can, over time, become used as verbal weapons and knives to inflict pain and disrespect and sow division. That is the case today. There are times in our country's history where our politics have also been a race to the bottom. Those Irish ancestors were greeted by signs that read ``no Irish need apply'' in cities like New York and Boston. The Japanese, German, and Italian Americans even were interned during World War II. Chinese were excluded from this country for decades. During the Eisenhower administration, many Hispanics in this country were rounded up and deported to Mexico even if they were American. What I am asking is for us not to fuel the flames of this season and for us to take a better course and do the right thing. I am asking you to support this motion to recommit because the words ``illegal alien'' will be retired. This will change, whether it is now or 6 months from now or 10 years from now. The question for all of us is whether we, today, will do the right thing or whether a few years from now we apologize for doing the wrong thing. Please support this motion to recommit and do the right thing. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. I am opposed to it in its current form.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, can I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would make two points. The first is that this is an unfunded mandate because the Library of Congress was already well on its way to changing this term. Now, Congress is instructing it that it cannot do that. There is no way that money is not spent in following the instruction of Congress. So I disagree with the gentleman. This is an unfunded mandate. To the issue itself, there was no argument from the other side that these words are pejorative, that this word is an anachronism. And, by the way, Mr. Speaker, this word is used in Federal code and applies to people who are here who are undocumented and also people who are here legally who are residents. So this is not only an issue of the undocumented. This is an issue of immigrants generally. I know that, over the years, ours has been a very devout nation, a nation of faith, and that includes many of the people in this body. I, for example, have had an opportunity to visit with the faith study group that meets once a week that talks about the issues of their own personal faith, their own journeys, and the work that they do for their constituents. As I think about my own district, which is 64 percent Hispanic in San Antonio, it is a town whose creativity, entrepreneurism, and spirit has been infused by the immigrant spirit. These are hardworking, often humble people who don't ask for much from their government, who work hard to provide for their families and who hardly ever will be heard to complain. Most of them, obviously, are documented; some are not. But those people who are not and those who are considered resident aliens are human beings, and I believe that our faith would tell us that God considers those folks human beings, not illegals. I don't imagine that God thinks of those people as illegal. They are fundamentally human beings, and they should be respected. They are not American citizens. We understand that, and there has been much debate over the last few years about passing comprehensive immigration reform or at least considering it here on the House floor. That hasn't happened yet. But I do think that each of us can at least extend some modicum of respect to these people. Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to join me in voting for the CHANGE Act. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this year's appropriations process has been rocky to say the least. That trend is poised to continue this evening and tomorrow as the House considers the fiscal year '17 Legislative appropriations bill. Buried in this bill's committee report is controversial language that forces the Library of Congress to continue using the derogatory term ``illegal alien'' in its subject headings. Mr. Speaker, I will explain the background on this issue. Last month, the Library of Congress announced proposed changes to its subject headings that would replace the term ``aliens'' with ``noncitizens'' and replace the term ``illegal aliens'' with ``noncitizens'' and ``unauthorized immigration.'' It is not unusual for the Library of Congress to make changes to its subject headings. In fact, each year it makes thousands of such changes. In 2015 alone, there were 4,934 new subject headings that were added. An example of one such change that the Library has made in the past was to replace the word ``Negro'' with a less offensive word. This sort of evolution of the Library's subject headings is not unprecedented by any stretch of the imagination. However, what is unprecedented is Congress' weighing in on these changes. In fact, the Library has confirmed that this is the first time that Congress will have legislated on any of its subject headings in the history of the Library of Congress. So never before in history has Congress so much as communicated with the Library of Congress about its subject headings, let alone introduced legislation concerning them. With this bill, that is all about to change. House Republicans are poised to make history by--for the first time ever--interfering in the Library of Congress' subject headings process to preserve a prejudicial term. Now, I am not going to lump everybody on the other side of the aisle together on this issue. When this bill was marked up in the Appropriations Committee, Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz introduced an amendment that would remove the ``alien''-related language from the legislation's committee report. In fact, four Republicans in the committee joined Democrats to vote in favor of that measure, and the amendment only failed by one vote. So there is bipartisan consensus on this matter, and it deserves debate and a vote in the full House of Representatives so that all of us can take a vote where, for the first time--again, this is the first time in its history--where the Congress is legislating on a subject heading of the Library of Congress, and it is to force the Library of Congress to continue using the word ``illegal alien'' rather than allowing them to do their job and, as they were considering doing, retiring that term. Yesterday, three amendments were presented to the Rules Committee that would allow this to occur. Astoundingly, the Rules Committee rejected all three of those amendments. In other words, they would have allowed us to debate this and take a vote on it, but the Rules Committee rejected all three of these amendments, preventing a vote on this issue on the House floor. As I mentioned before, Mr. Speaker, the language in the committee report that has sparked this debate refers to a portion of U.S. Code that contains the term ``alien.'' I have introduced legislation that would remove ``alien'' from U.S. Code in instances where it refers to immigrants to this Nation. My bill, which is H.R. 3785, the CHANGE Act, would replace the terms ``alien'' and ``illegal alien'' in Federal law with the terms ``foreign national'' and ``undocumented foreign national.'' Let me be clear about why I am doing that. First, these folks may not be American citizens, but they are human beings. They are not people from outer space. When we think of the term ``alien,'' we don't think of human beings; we think of people that are from somewhere else. The word ``illegal alien'' has also been used oftentimes--although not by everyone--in a pejorative way, in a way that is meant to be pejorative and offensive. It stigmatizes immigrants in this Nation and diminishes the quality of discussion around immigration issues in the United States. When ugly, belittling names are used to describe groups of people, those terms can make discrimination seem okay. There is precedent for changing language in our laws as words' meanings evolve over time. For example, our Federal code previously used the terms ``lunatic'' and ``mentally retarded.'' Those words have since been taken out. Just last month, President Obama signed into law a bill that I believe we can all be proud of, which was introduced by my colleague, Congresswoman Grace Meng of New York, that removes the terms ``Oriental'' and ``Negro'' from Federal code. It is also time for ``alien'' to be added to the list of words we remove from Federal code. So I urge my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, to stand up for the dignity of all people who call America home and vote in favor of the CHANGE Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I raise a point of order against House Resolution 771 because the resolution violates section 426(a) of the Congressional Budget Act. The resolution, in waiving all points of order against consideration of the bill, waives section 425 of the Congressional Budget Act, thereby causing a violation of section 426(a).

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Green for yielding me this time and for organizing tonight's discussion on the devastation our State has seen in recent weeks and months. I know that his city of Houston has experienced truly horrific flooding and destruction, and I offer my condolences to him and to the entire Houston community. These storms have been severe and deadly. We all mourn the loss of nine soldiers training at Fort Hood whose lives were taken way too soon in floodwaters last week. Six other people across Texas have also died as a result of the storms as well. My prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those whose lives were claimed by this terrible flooding. Some of the most destructive weather that my hometown, San Antonio, experienced was back in April when three hailstorms struck our city. The Insurance Council of Texas estimates that those storms caused more than $2 billion in damage, and the Council projects $1.93 billion in losses from auto and homeowner claims. It is not unusual for San Antonio to get a foot of rain by early June each year, but rainfall totals are already double that amount so far in 2016. All of this precipitation is a major economic hit to our city, and it poses a real threat to people's well-being. I urge folks in San Antonio and across Texas to educate themselves on storm and flood safety. I also encourage Texans who have questions about what help the Federal Government can provide during this trying time to reach out to their Members of Congress. You see a number of us here on the House floor tonight drawing attention to this issue, specifically the issue of flooding in Texas. We are deeply concerned, and we are here to offer any assistance that we can. I would also say to Congressman Green that in addition to what has been the tragic loss of life and the obvious property destruction wrought by these floods, there is also an untold cost in the flooding. I grew up in a few neighborhoods in San Antonio where we didn't have sidewalks, for example. Often in lower income areas or even in middle-income areas, older parts of the city that don't have sidewalks and don't have the proper infrastructure to deal with even mid-level flooding. People's basements or garages will flood, ruining a lot of property. These are folks who oftentimes are renters or don't have insurance, and so there is really no recourse for them. They end up just paying the price. It really speaks to the importance of the work that we do, the States do, and the local governments do in making sure that infrastructure is properly built, that it is built across cities and counties, and that flooding is prevented everywhere it can be.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded this week. I was absent because I was traveling with President Barack Obama to Vietnam. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Roll Call No. 235: Aye; Roll Call No. 237: Nay; Roll Call No. 238: Aye; Roll Call No. 248: Nay; Roll Call No. 250: Nay; Roll Call No. 266: Nay; and Roll Call No. 268: Nay.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Thompson for yielding me this time and for his support of this legislation. He and his staff have been terrific partners in moving this bill forward. I would also like to thank my fellow Texans, Chairman McCaul, Congressman Hurd, Congressman Ratcliffe, and also Congressman Richmond, who is not a Texan, but is a wonderful person here in our body, for all of their work on this issue. Every day our Nation faces a growing number of potentially debilitating cyber threats. Our retailers, our banks, government agencies, military operations, and everyday private American citizens all face these threats. We must ensure that our defenses are as strong as possible because of that. I represent San Antonio, a national leader in the cybersecurity field. Institutions in San Antonio do cutting-edge cyber work that keeps our Nation safe. For example, the University of Texas at San Antonio leads the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium, which helps communities across the Nation improve their cyber defenses. It is critical that localities understand the impact cyber attacks could have on their ability to function and are prepared to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from harmful cyber incidents. UTSA and its cybersecurity consortium are educating communities about these cyber threats and helping them develop the defenses they need to successfully withstand a cyber emergency. This legislation allows consortiums like UTSAs to work more closely with DHS to address cybersecurity risks and incidents at the State and local level. This collaboration will bolster our cyber preparedness and keep us one step ahead of cyber attackers. Mr. Speaker, again I would like to thank the Homeland Security Committee's leadership for their partnership on this legislation and also all of the staff, both Republican and Democratic, who helped bring this to the floor.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the Communities Organized for Public Service (C.O.P.S.) and the Metro Alliance as they celebrate over 40 years of organizing in San Antonio. COPS/Metro are a coalition of congregations, schools, and unions coming together with the goal of making San Antonio a better place for families. COPS/Metro are part of the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) Network, which traces its roots back to San Antonio. The Industrial Areas Foundation is the oldest and largest organizing and leadership development network in the United States, and includes COPS/Metro in San Antonio, TMO in Houston, Valley Interfaith in the Rio Grande Valley, EPISO & Border Interfaith in El Paso, Austin Interfaith, ACT in Fort Worth, Dallas Area Interfaith, the West Texas Organizing Strategy, and The Border Organization in Del Rio and Eagle Pass. This non-partisan network of community organizations trains leaders to organize a powerful constituency to improve their quality of life and teach ordinary people to do extraordinary work for the common good. The Texas IAF Network has created nationally recognized workforce development, job training, living wage and other economic development strategies. Thanks to the network's efforts over the decades, Texas communities have benefitted from successful educational initiatives and significant investments in colonias, parks, libraries, after school programs, sidewalks and innumerable other local and statewide efforts. I commend COPS/Metro and the Network of Texas Industrial Areas Foundation Organizations on their commitment to helping families, developing leadership of Texas residents, and promoting civic engagement in the public life of our communities and state. On the occasion of this anniversary, I extend to its members best wishes for a memorable celebration of over 40 years of organizing.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, a treasured son of San Antonio and legendary Latino leader. May 3 of this year marks the 100th anniversary of Congressman Gonzalez's birth, a milestone I look forward to celebrating with his family and the broader San Antonio community. From an early age, Gonzalez took an interest in academics. He was an avid reader, and a graduate of Jefferson High School, San Antonio College, and St. Mary's University Law School. After graduating law school, Gonzalez dedicated his talents to helping his city and its residents. He served as Bexar County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer and worked for the San Antonio Public Housing Authority. In 1953, with a broad base of support, Gonzalez was elected to the San Antonio City Council where he served as mayor pro-tem for part of his first term. He was a courageous fighter for justice, leading the successful effort to desegregate all city facilities, protecting residents from undue utilities rate increases, and inspiring his peers. Some of Gonzalez's most notable stands against injustice occurred during his 1956-1961 tenure in the State Senate. He led the longest filibuster in the history of the Texas Legislature, speaking out against 10 racial segregation bills for 22 hours. Later, he filibustered for 20 hours against a bill seeking to circumvent the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling against segregated schools. Gonzalez's legislation reflected his commitment to the people of San Antonio. He sponsored bills for a state minimum wage, for the establishment of a medical school in San Antonio, for the creation of a domestic relations court for Bexar County, and for authorizing urban renewal in our city. Gonzalez was not just a principled state legislator, he was a prolific one too. A total of 42 of the bills he sponsored, cosponsored, or handled in the Texas Senate became law. Following his time in the state legislature, Gonzalez went on to become the first Hispanic representative from Texas to serve in the United States Congress. For a remarkable 37 years, he was the voice of San Antonians in Washington. His ``20th Century Program for the 20th District'' helped markedly improve life for folks in our city. Gonzalez's tireless efforts bolstered our local universities, supported small businesses, and grew our military installations, bringing thousands of new jobs to San Antonio. He fought poverty, spearheaded projects like HemisFair that spurred our city's tourism industry, expanded San Antonio kids' access to early education, and stood up for our veterans, particularly with the construction of Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital. More broadly, Gonzalez supported and contributed to landmark legislation that fundamentally changed our nation for the better, including the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Equal Opportunities Act. Beyond his work in legislative chambers, Gonzalez took care to connect personally with his constituents. He kept the people of San Antonio well-informed of his work, and he made sure each individual's problem received the time and attention needed to be resolved. In a touching tribute to the dedication Gonzalez showed his city throughout his career, the people of San Antonio lined the streets to view his funeral procession and pay their respects after his death in 2000. Henry B. Gonzalez's legacy has been a guiding light throughout my career, and it is an honor to serve in the seat he once filled as the current representative for Texas' 20th District. I offer my best wishes to his family and to the entire San Antonio community as we take time on this anniversary to celebrate his illustrious life.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, yesterday I had the honor and the privilege of sitting in the Supreme Court chamber while the case of United States v. Texas was argued. It is a case that many of us hope will affirm the President's executive actions known as DACA and DAPA and allow for children who were brought here through no fault of their own as young kids to stay in the country, and also for their parents, the parents of U.S. citizen children, to also remain here so that families are not separated because of our laws. I hope that the President prevails and the administration prevails and these families prevail in their arguments when we find out in June or so what the Supreme Court decides. As all of us sat there and watched the arguments, the elephant in the room was that there was one Justice who was not there. Instead of the Supreme Court being filled with nine Justices, there were only eight, which leaves open the possibility in this case, and many others, that the Court will be deadlocked 4-4. Not only on this issue where both sides, whether you are in favor of the administration's actions or against them, have a right to have the case decided and not be left in limbo. On the issue of immigration in this term, on the issue of abortion, criminal law issues, jury selection issues, these important constitutional questions, many of them could be left in limbo because the Senate Republicans refuse to even start to do their job. The President has nominated somebody for the Supreme Court. The Senate is supposed to take that nomination up, give the person a hearing, and then take a vote. Is it so much to ask that the Senate take a vote on the nomination? They can vote ``no'' if they disagree with it, but they should at least take a vote. Now, I say this in the context of the last few years in this Congress, putting aside this term that we are in right now, the last two terms of Congress before this were the least productive terms in American history, measured by the number of bills sent to the President's desk. What this represents is the fact that the cancer of gridlock is spreading from the Congress to the judiciary because Senate Republicans refuse not only to do their job in their Chamber, but also to allow the Supreme Court to properly do its job. Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate and Senate Republicans to do their job and to take a vote on the nomination of Merrick Garland.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded today. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: Rollcall No. 139: ``Aye''; and rollcall No. 140: ``Aye.''

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. The fact is we are a Nation of immigrants, we have always been a Nation of immigrants, and we will always be a Nation of immigrants. It is what has made us strong, it is what has made us powerful around the world, it is what has earned us friends, and it is what has made us the envy of the world. All of us have to make sure, in governing, that 50 years from now, when somebody in Europe or Latin America or Asia is asked where on Earth they would want to move, if they were going to leaving their home country, that the answer is still the United States of America.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago, even 100 years ago, if you asked somebody who was living in Asia or Latin America or Europe where on Earth they would want to go if they were going to leave their home country, the answer was very clearly the United States of America. We proudly say, as Americans, that we are a Nation of immigrants, yet throughout the generations, immigrants from different corners of the world have encountered resentment and scapegoating here in our land. Today we celebrate St. Patrick's Day for the Irish. When the Irish came in the 1800s, they were greeted by signs that said ``No Irish need apply'' in cities like New York and Boston. The Chinese, for many decades, were excluded from admission into the United States. The Japanese and Germans were interned through World War II. There was an operation called ``Operation Wetback'' in the Eisenhower administration that rounded up and deported thousands, if not over a million, Mexicans and Mexican Americans back to Mexico. The latest iteration of those politics, the latest attempt to relive our worst mistakes started when a man--who may become President--called Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers. There are times in our Nation's history when our politics become a race to the bottom, and it takes people of good faith, of different political stripes and beliefs, to stand up and put the brakes on it. Sometimes we have, and sometimes we have fail to do that. But make no mistake that we are in one of those eras now, and this resolution represents just the beginning. My colleague from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), about 45 minutes ago referenced talk of mass deportations. That is not just talk. That is coming from the leading Republican frontrunners for President. Do you know what that means? That means that you are going to go pull 2- and 3- and 4-year-old kids out of homes, from their parents forcibly, and send them out of here. It means that you are going to take parents and drag them away from their kids, leaving them alone. I know that there are people of very good faith who disagree with Democrats on this issue. In fact, many have spoken today, and I respect their opinions. But I would ask all of us, as Americans, to ask ourselves whether this represents the very best of our Nation.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 35th anniversary of The Paisano, the independent student newspaper at the University of San Antonio (UTSA). For three and a half decades, dedicated, talented students have run every aspect of the paper's publication. From reporting, to editing, to managing the paper's budget, it's the driven young people at UTSA who have made The Paisano's success over the years possible. Each week, 7,000 copies of The Paisano circulate on campus, expanding students' horizons, challenging their thinking, and enriching campus life. Thanks to the Paisano, learning at UTSA doesn't end when students leave the classroom. A vibrant, free press plays a vital role in American society, and The Paisano fosters a welcoming community where the next generation of journalists can cut their teeth and hone their craft. Enthusiasm and a desire to learn are the only prerequisites for joining the paper's staff. Even for alumni of The Paisano's team who pursue careers in fields other than journalism, the lessons in leadership, teamwork, and entrepreneurship learned during their time with the paper serve them well. I applaud the members of The Paisano's staff, past and present. Their legacy lives on at UTSA, and will continue to do so for years to come as future classes take up the torch--and pen--at The Paisano.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded today. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: rollcall No. 103: ``aye''; and rollcall No. 104: ``aye.'' personal explanation

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded on rollcall No. 102. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded on rollcall No. 79 on the McMorris Rodgers Amendment to H.R. 2017--Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. I am not recorded because I was absent due to the birth of my son in San Antonio, Texas. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded on rollcall No. 80 on the Schrader Amendment to H.R. 2017--Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. I am not recorded because I was absent due to the birth of my son in San Antonio, Texas. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye''. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded on rollcall No. 81 on the Final Passage of H.R. 2017--Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. I am not recorded because I was absent due to the birth of my son in San Antonio, Texas. Had I been present I would have voted ``nay''. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded on rollcall No. 82 on Concurring in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 757--North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016. I am not recorded because I was absent due to the birth of my son in San Antonio, Texas. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. CASTRO of Texas

Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my vote was not recorded on rollcall No. 71 on the Kelly of Illinois Amendment to H.R. 3442--Debt Management and Fiscal Responsibility Act. I am not recorded because I was absent due to the birth of my son in San Antonio, Texas. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''