Michael Cloud

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding. This debate over securing our border has become a debate over the morality of our efforts, and I welcome that debate. But if we are to debate this issue of border security on the basis of morality, it is fair for us not only to ask how this issue affects our own Nation, but to look across our border and see how our national policy affects those beyond our borders. For those of us who live near our southern border, we understand all too well the effects of the criminal cartels who profit from abusing our Nation's generous immigration laws. When I visited the Rio Grande Valley just recently, a rancher with land on the border described the situation, saying that he finds dead migrants on his land all the time. In my hometown of Victoria, Texas, 19 migrants died of suffocation and overheating after being trapped in the back of a trailer abandoned by a smuggler with a callous disregard for human life. But beyond our borders, these cartels carry an outsized influence in Mexico and in developing nations in Central America. We know that cartels profit from smuggling drugs and humans across the border. They siphon oil from pipelines. They extort families and businesses and kidnap for profit. The barbarism of these criminal cartels has led to 150,000 homicides in Mexico, alone, since 2006. They have worked their corrupting influence into the halls of government and law enforcement, hindering the people of these nations from developing and realizing the blessings of liberty for themselves. Our Federal Government's unwillingness to control our border allows cartels to amass profits of tens of billions of dollars each year smuggling drugs and humans into our country, with a devastating toll on the most vulnerable in our Nation. Our lack of border security allows these criminal cartels to wield their corrupting influence in a way that makes positive change so difficult in these developing countries. Unfortunately, like too many issues these days, border security has become a divisive and a partisan issue when, historically, this has had broad support. But there should be nothing partisan about ending a humanitarian and criminal crisis that is driven by cartels and enabled by our Federal Government's failure to act. Congress has a responsibility to protect the citizens of our country and to end the humanitarian crisis on our southern border, and it is past time to reform our broken asylum system and secure the border.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for recognizing me tonight. Mr. Speaker, tonight I speak to the humanitarian and criminal crisis at our southern border. This crisis has been permitted to exist because of Congress' failure to act. For over 30 years, the American people have been promised results, but they have received empty promises. We know from history that our southern border wall works. This is not a new concept. Where we have implemented a wall, we have seen great success in curbing illicit activity. Our Nation is a generous nation, one of the most diverse in the world, and our generosity is being taken advantage of by illegal cartels across our southern border. These cartels have created a humanitarian and criminal crisis that abuses the rule of law and costs innocent lives. Cartels recruit and send migrants across our border, making thousands of dollars a person, in a strategy to tax our human resources and distract from our enforcement against drug trafficking. As the Representative of the 27th District of Texas, the southern part of my district is just 2 hours from the border. I know the good men and women who serve on our southern border, and they always prioritize life. Cartels know this and take advantage of it. Failure to complete a southern border wall and loopholes in our asylum laws have created a magnet for illegal immigration. According to DHS, around 80 percent of asylum cases that go to a hearing are rejected by the judge as illegitimate. DHS spokesman Tyler Houlton pointed out earlier this year that smugglers and traffickers understand our broken immigration laws better than most. The catch-and-release process, whereby migrants come into the country and are issued a date to appear in court, often years away, are released into the interior, and it is driving this humanitarian crisis. ICE reports that the number of migrants, including many women and children seeking entry, has increased dramatically in recent years. They often find themselves at risk for assault and abuse, such as rape, beatings, kidnapping, and robbery.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the service of a truly extraordinary individual that served his community through decades of commitment to the people, bettering it through his efforts: Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal. Judge Neal was elected Nueces County Judge in November 2006, taking office January 2, 2007, as the first Republican elected to this office in over 140 years. In November 2010, Judge Neal was re-elected to his second term starting January 2011. Loyd Neal was born in Henderson, Texas and graduated from Paris High School in 1955. He received his BBA in Marketing from Texas A&M University College Station in 1959 and his MBA from Texas A&M in 1973. While attending A&M, Neal served as a member of the Corps of Cadet. Neal is married to the former Thetis Ann King and they have two children. The first is Loyd Neal III, a 1984 graduate of Texas A&M University College Station and St. Mary's University Law School who is currently practicing law in Houston, Texas. The second, daughter Ann Margaret, a 1986 graduate of Texas A&M University College Station who earned a master's degree from Southwest Texas University. She is currently teaching school in Boerne, Texas. In 1989, Neal retired as a Colonel from the Army Reserve, after serving more than thirty years in the active Army and Army Reserve. During this time, he commanded several units in South Texas, including the U.S. Army Reserve Battalion, Corpus Christi; U.S. Army Reserve Support Group in San Marcos; with his terminal assignment as Chief of Staff, 377th Theater Army Area Command, New Orleans, Louisiana. While on active duty, Judge Neal attended both Airborne and Ranger School, graduating from both the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College. In 1992, Loyd was named a Distinguished Alumnus by Texas A&M University for his service to his City, his State, and his Country. He served as Chairman of the South Texas Military Facilities Task Force, was appointed by Governor George W. Bush to the Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission in 1997 and was re-appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission in 2005. Judge Neal has also served in numerous volunteer leadership positions in the Corpus Christi area including serving as the Chairman for the Corpus Christi Economic Development Corp, the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, the Art Museum of South Texas, South Texas Homeport Committee, the Leadership Corpus Christi Alumni, and President of the Corpus Christi Navy League, to name a few. It is with the utmost honor and respect that I wish Judge Neal, and his family, a very joyful retirement and thank him for his service. I urge my fellow members of Congress to applaud him for his dedication to serving our communities and for his commitment to ensuring a better life for all.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the service of a truly extraordinary individual that ensured the safety of his community through years of dedication to the people: Sheriff Jim Kaelin. Sheriff Kaelin, of Corpus Christi Texas, has dedicated his life law enforcement, and has served his Nation and community for more than 50 years. Sheriff Kaelin is a Vietnam combat veteran who served with the 9th Infantry Division in the Mekong Delta in 1968. He was elected Sheriff of Nueces County in 2006, 2008, 2012, and again in 2016. Sheriff Kaelin holds a Master Peace Officer license and is a Certified Law Enforcement Instructor and a Certified Firearms Instructor. Sheriff Kaelin holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Police Science from Del Mar College in addition to having graduated from Northwestern University's prestigious School of Police Staff and Command. Before his election as Sheriff, he served with the Texas Department of Public Safety for 29 years, retiring in 2001. He also served as a deputy sheriff for two years, then a deputy constable. At his retirement from the DPS, he was the Region 3 Safety Education Service Commander and holds the rank of Eagle Scout. His community involvement includes Past Potentate Al Amin Shriners, former Board Member for Shriners Hospitals for Children, Emeritus Board Member Goodwill Industries, Past President of Southside Rotary Club, Past President Coastal Bend Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, former Board Member American Diabetes Association, and a member of the CC Mustangs. In 2010, Sheriff Kaelin was honored as one of Del Mar College's 75 Distinguished Graduates in recognition of the College's 75th anniversary. Sheriff Kaelin has been married to his ``partner in crime,'' the former Sharon Bryzelak, for 42 years, and together they have five children, nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Currently, their two sons serve in law enforcement. Jerry, a retired DPS officer, is now a Detective Investigator with the Crockett County Sheriffs Office, and Jim Jr., a retired Texas Ranger, is now serving as the Director of Public Safety with the Lavaca Navidad River Authority. It is an honor to recognize such a remarkable individual. I urge my fellow members of Congress to applaud Sheriff Kaelin for his dedication to serving our communities and enforcing the law.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, childhood cancer is a horrific illness plaguing not only our nation, but all nations of the world. In 2017, despite childhood cancer being the No. 1 cause of death by disease in the U.S., research funding specifically for childhood cancer was less than 4 percent of all national cancer funding. Earlier this year, Congress passed legislation that would provide more funding for research and development to combat childhood cancer. Yet more must be done in our communities. For this reason, I rise today to commend the actions of a family dedicated to raising awareness of childhood cancer, pushing for more involvement from the community, and highlighting the troubling effects this epidemic has on those diagnosed and their families. This is a family that has gone through the process of diagnosis, treatment, and--in this case--remission themselves. Lt. Richard Jankovsky III, a DPS patrol officer and President of the Department of Public Safety Officers Association (DPSOA), has worked tirelessly to protect those on our highways and enforce the law. Yet his biggest challenge came when he experienced the effects of childhood cancer firsthand as his daughter Kaitlyn grappled with the disease for years. Kaitlyn was diagnosed with leukemia in August of 2014 when she was only 13 years old. Kaitlyn underwent chemo, countless transfusions, and multiple surgeries, including a complete hip replacement, on her path to remission. Her last chemo treatment was on November 10, 2016. Now a senior at Woodsboro High School, Kaitlyn has challenged high schools across the state to wear gold ribbons this month, following Governor Greg Abbott's proclamation recognizing September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. A major issue many children like Kaitlyn face is access to blood for treatments. Cancer patients often need to replenish the blood lost during treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation, which requires blood from healthy donors. In fact, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center reports there is less than a two-day supply on shelves, which is why the Jankovsky family has helped the DPSOA host blood drives for the past few years. They know the importance of having clean blood for treatments and have strived to bring their community together to help solve this problem. The Jankovsky family has exhibited perseverance and selflessness, and it is an honor to recognize this extraordinary family and their commitment to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join the Boy Scouts of America South Texas Council in commending Claud and Mary Virginia Jacobs, a married couple who have dedicated their lives to community service and charitable efforts. Throughout their 54 years of marriage, they have served as role models for countless members of the Victoria and Yoakum communities through their faith, work ethic, and dedication to serving their community. Claud Jacobs is a partner at Lodestone Financial Services with an Associate's degree from Victoria College, a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin, and a chartered life underwriter designation from the American College of Life Underwriters. Mr. Jacobs has been the recipient of numerous awards during his career, including the Paul Gustwick Community Service Award from the Yoakum Chamber of Commerce, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Victoria College, the University of Houston-Victoria's People Who Make A Difference Award, and Citizen of the Year from the Victoria Rotary Club. Mary Virginia Jacobs holds a Bachelor's in Nursing from Incarnate Word College, a family nurse practitioner degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and a master's degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Austin. Mrs. Jacobs is the recipient of various awards, including the ``Who's Who of Nursing'' in 1990 and 1991, the Texas Nurses Association District 20 Distinguished Nurse Award, 2000's Volunteer of the Year award from the Hospice of South Texas, Volunteer of the Decade in 1999 from the Hospice of South Texas, and the University of Houston-Victoria's People Who Make A Difference Award in 2015, to name a few. The couple has a mission statement of sorts that they use to inspire other members of the community to volunteer: ``Volunteer an hour a week in your school, church. Just an hour, you'd make a difference in somebody's life.'' It is an honor to recognize this extraordinary couple who have worked valiantly to make a difference in everyone's lives, one hour at a time.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of William Wood Elementary School, an educational mainstay in the Victoria community. The school's namesake, Mr. William Wood, was born in 1861 and died of pneumonia in 1900 at the age of 39. He married Nellie Borland on June 17, 1890. They owned and operated a ranch east of Telferner, Texas where they were prominent residents of the community. Their 5 children were Nellie, Frank P., Margaret, Corine, and Jessie. Upon his passing, his wife donated ten acres of land for the site of William A. Wood Memorial High School. It's assumed that being a former teacher herself had something to do with her choice of commemoration. Construction began in 1918 and took two years to complete. On September 13, 1918, The Victoria Daily Advocate wrote: ``The schoolhouse is beginning to go undercover as Mr. Gruy is putting up the framework of the roof''. The building consisted of four classrooms with two rooms on either side of a large hallway. Construction of the school was not finished until 1920. William A. Wood Memorial High School was added to the Shiller-Hood School District, which consisted of several small neighborhood schools. By the late 1940s, however, William A. Wood High School became the Shiller-Hood District's only school. In 1956, the Shiller-Hood School District ceased to exist, and the Victoria Independent School District adopted William A. Wood High School. Eventually, the Victoria Independent School District transformed the high school into an elementary school to address a growing need for elementary education in the community. On April 14, 1944, 21-year-old 2nd Lieutenant Thomas J. Flynn, an instructor at nearby Foster Field (now the Victoria Regional Airport), heroically gave his life to save the children of William Wood. Flynn was flying his plane over the school on a combat training mission when he encountered engine trouble. Knowing that abandoning the aircraft could cause it to hit the school, Lt. Flynn remained in the plane so that he could guide it away from the school. Because of Lt. Flynn's actions, countless lives were saved that day, and the school embraced a new mascot, the ``Aviators'', in Lt. Flynn's honor. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize the 100th anniversary of such a historic institution that has shaped Texas young minds for a century. I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to all the educators that helped make William Wood such an impactful institution.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, human trafficking is a tragic, dehumanizing plague that must end. This year, Congress has taken significant steps to combat this horrible crime. Yet, more must be done both on the national level and in our communities. The victims--children, women, and men--have had their lives forever changed and they will bear the scars, both mental and physical, for years to come. There are over 300,000 victims of human trafficking in the State of Texas alone. To make matters worse, many human trafficking victims are never rescued from their vicious captors. Despite this darkness, there are rays of light across this nation making a difference in the battle against human trafficking. I rise today to highlight one of these remarkable organizations, the New Life Refuge Ministries, which is doing incredible work to combat this scourge by rescuing victims. Organizations, such as New Life Refuge Ministries, serve as a voice for the voiceless, and work to empower the victims so that they can be heard. Their mission is simple: ending child sex trafficking by educating the community, partnering with other organizations in the fight against modern-day slavery, and providing a refuge for adult and child survivors alike. Thank you to New Life Refuge Ministries for the work you are doing to end trafficking by bringing hope and healing to these shattered victims. Since its founding, New Life Refuge Ministries has worked tirelessly to educate more than 11,000 individuals on the dangers and effects of sex trafficking including healthcare workers, Law Enforcement officials, first responders, and even high school students, demonstrating to them the effects this modern-day slavery has on the youth of America. Through their efforts, New Life Refuge Ministries, and many similar organizations have saved countless children from the vicious entrapments and effects of human trafficking. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize New Life Refuge Ministries in their fight to end child sex trafficking and bring healing and hope to the brave children who have suffered under this abuse. Mr. Speaker, please join me in extending my sincerest desire for the success of their mission and may they inspire others to do the same. May God Bless the New Life Refuge Ministries and their mission, may God Bless the victims, and may they find refuge, hope, and-- ultimately--healing.

Mr. CLOUD

Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I do want to extend my sincerest appreciation and gratitude for the generosity and professionalism that you have shown to us as we have made this very quick transition. Thank you very much. All right, there we go. This is Ean over there, my 12-year-old Zoe, and Kent. Kent's birthday is tomorrow. And my sister, Sara. I am also happy to be joined by my wife, Rosel. I have learned to keep this short. You know, there are three words that set us apart from every other nation: ``We, the people.'' It is those three words that set us apart in history and the three words that allow someone like me and people like us to serve in an elected body like this. So to the people of District 27 in Texas who elected me to serve, I take this responsibility seriously, and I ask for your continued prayers in serving well. And to the people of this body, I look forward to working with you as we work toward this more perfect union and continue this experiment in self-government that has been handed to us from our Founders, and I pray that we have the courage and we have the strength to do what is right and to serve the people of this Nation well. God bless you so much. Thank you for being here.