Mario Diaz-Balart

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just want to highlight what the gentlelady from Texas already said. I think it is worth repeating. We know about his career, but I want to highlight the fact that he did serve in the United States Navy as a patrol pilot during World War II. I think that we all need to thank our veterans for their patriotism. I thank the gentleman from Colorado for bringing this up. He is someone I have great admiration and respect for. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I think the gentlelady from Texas explained this bill very well. Obviously Judge Bogue had a very distinguished career, and I want to highlight the fact that he also served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II and later in the JAG Corps. I think it is important when somebody does that, when they have done so much, to highlight that. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I think the issue has been adequately explained. This is something that has to be done. Who better to do it? Who is more qualified and who is more deserving? Who is better to do it than our veterans, than our troops and our soldiers?

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Serving our country in uniform is, frankly, probably the most noble thing that any human being can do, and it is such incredible sacrifice that our troops do, and their families as well. And they are the ones who allow everything that we take for granted on a daily basis--to live in freedom, to live in democracy. They are the ones who allow us to do that. So today we have the opportunity to help transition our soldiers and our veterans into civilian life much more easily. H.R. 5282 will help to make opportunities available to the brave men and women who are returning from the fight on the global war on terror. And so this legislation will continue our commitment to our veterans through education and employment opportunities. As part of the civil works mission, the Corps of Engineers uncovers countless historic artifacts continuously. However, a lot of these historic artifacts which are very important items are, frankly, just uncataloged and just semi-abandoned, and they need curation. This is such a commonsense bill. It helps preserve our history and preserve our past, while also making sure that we give opportunities to the most noble, to the best and the brightest of our country, to our troops and to our veterans. I urge all Members to support our veterans and support this real commonsense, noble legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Brigadier General Hector E. Pagan, United States Army, who on Friday, September 17th will retire and relinquish command of Special Operations Command South, SOCS, to Rear Admiral Thomas L. Brown II. Since the summer of 2008, Brigadier General Pagan has exemplified unparalleled leadership through his command of Special Operations Command South in Florida. A New York native, he grew up in Puerto Rico and was commissioned as an infantry officer from the ROTC program at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. In 1980 he attended the Infantry Officers Basic Course and Ranger School and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 51st Infantry, in Germany, as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer and Scout Platoon Leader. In 1983, he attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course and remained at Fort Benning, Georgia, with the Infantry Training Group and the 29th Infantry Regiment, where he served as chief, Special Weapons Committee, operations officer, and commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 29th Infantry Regiment from 1984 to1986. Brigadier General Pagan served in Panama with the 3rd Bn., 7th Special Forces, SF Group, Airborne, 1988-1990, as an A-Detachment commander and Battalion S1. He served in Operation JUST CAUSE and deployed to El Salvador in 1989. From 1990 to 1992, he served in SF Branch, Total Army Personnel Command as a future readiness officer and captains assignments officer. He attended the Army Command and General Staff Course and then served as the executive officer, 1st Bn., 7th SF Group (Airborne). From 1994-1995, he served in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command as the chief, officer management, office of the deputy chief of staff for personnel. He returned to the 7th SF Group, Airborne, in 1995, where he served as group operations officer, executive officer and deputy commander. From 1998-2000, Brigadier General Pagan commanded the 2nd Battalion, 1st SF Group, Airborne, at Fort Lewis, Washington. After his tour with the 1st SF Group, he was assigned to the Special Operations Command South, Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, where he served as the director of operations, J3, from 2000 to 2002. Upon completion of the U.S. Army War College in 2003, Brigadier General Pagan took command of the 5th SF Group, Airborne, in Baghdad, Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom. He led the 5th SF Group, Airborne, in combat as the commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force--Arabian Peninsula for two combat tours in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, Brigadier General Pagan served as the special assistant to the commander of the United States Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. In 2006, he assumed duties as the deputy director of the Operations Support Group in the Center for Special Operations in the U.S. Special Operations Command. Brigadier General Pagan served as the deputy commander, U.S. Army Special Operations Command in November 2006 and in May 2007 assumed duties as deputy commander, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, NC until July, 2008. His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf, Bronze Star Medal with bronze oak leaf, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal with one silver oak leaf and one bronze oak leaf, the Army Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf, the Army and Joint Service Achievement Medals, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star device, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, 2nd oak leaf cluster, the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Special Forces and Ranger Tabs, the Combat Infantryman Badge, second award, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and Master Parachutist Badge. He earned a master's degree in management from Troy State University and a master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. Brigadier General Pagan has served our nation honorably. He has dedicated his life to defending freedom, ensuring that our democratic principles remain intact and that Americans can continue to live in liberty. His patriotism, courage and leadership are unparalleled, as is his commitment to the ideals of democracy. For me it has been a privilege getting to know Brigadier General Pagan and I am honored to call him a friend. I ask that you join me in thanking Brigadier General Hector E. Pagan for his years of service to our country, and his family for supporting him throughout his military career. I wish them well in their future endeavors and will be eternally grateful for their sacrifices and commitment to our Nation's safety and freedom.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany), the sponsor of this resolution and a leader on these issues.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, in the subcommittee that I am ranking member of, I've had the privilege of working with this next gentleman from Louisiana. He is, frankly, almost single- handedly responsible for releasing billions of dollars that were stuck in the Federal bureaucracy that should have gone, and now are moving because of his efforts, to rebuild parts of Louisiana. And so at this moment, it is a privilege to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cao).

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, next month the United States celebrates the 90th anniversary of women's suffrage. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment gave women in the United States the right to vote, and for 90 years, women have been actively participating in the democratic process. The battle for women's suffrage was not an easy one. It took the courage and steadfast leadership of trailblazers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and all the women who gathered at Seneca Falls so many decades ago and began advocating for the right to express their views and let their voices be heard at the ballot box. As we celebrate this important anniversary, I urge women across our great nation to continue taking an active role in the democratic process and politics, and to exercise their right to vote, as they have for so many years. In March, the House celebrated Women's History Month and remembered the accomplishments of women in our nation and around the world. August 26th allows us yet another opportunity to celebrate the history of American women and their accomplishments. Today women everywhere are breaking barriers and reaching new heights not only in the political arena, but also the business world, the fields of medicine and journalism, and in advocacy and human rights. Their contributions shape our society and make a difference every day. It is unfortunate that in some areas of the world, women continue to struggle for equality and for their right to vote. It is my hope that the lives and work of American women can serve as inspiration to those who continue their struggle for basic rights around the world. Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me in celebrating the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, and thanking women across the United States for their activism and commitment to keeping the democratic process alive.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, this week Colombia celebrates 200 years as a sovereign nation. As we congratulate our democratic ally and friend on its Bicentennial, it is fitting that we also honor some of Colombia's finest, and among them is Ricardo Tribin. As former President of the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce and current Board Member, Ricardo continues to be a leader for small businesses in South Florida. He has created opportunities for Colombian Americans to become successful business men and women, immerse themselves in the world of trade and commerce, and expand their businesses. As a consultant and businessman himself, Ricardo has been able to use his knowledge and experience to help others, and does so with humility and professionalism. He has successfully authored and published a number of self-help books in the United States and Colombia, encouraging others to move past life's most difficult challenges and find strength to achieve success in both personal and professional settings. Ricardo is also fully engaged in ensuring that the needs of his community are met and actively participates in the democratic process. He understands the need for a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Colombia and the positive impact it would have on the South Florida economy by creating jobs. As such, he has been a leading voice in urging passage of the deal. Ricardo is also a firm believer in the principles of liberty and freedom and works to ensure that his native Colombia continues to be Latin America's leading democracy. I ask that you join me in honoring and thanking my good friend Ricardo Tribin for his hard work, service and dedication to free enterprise, empowering others, and seeing his community flourish.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, this week Colombia celebrates 200 years as a sovereign nation. As we congratulate our democratic ally and friend on its Bicentennial, it is fitting that we also honor some of Colombia's finest, and among them, is Alvaro Botero. Alvaro is a respected journalist, author and writer. He is a strong advocate for freedom of the press. He knows that many around the world are censored and prohibited from speaking the truth, so he values his ability to write and report in a free and democratic society. Alvaro is committed to keeping the connection between his native Colombia and his home of 23 years, South Florida. He works hard to ensure that the Colombian American community in the United States is informed and in tune with what is happening in Colombia, South Florida and around the world. For more than 16 years, Alvaro has published ``El Notiloco de Botero'' a satirical news magazine and in recent years launched a corresponding news site. He started his career in Colombia studying journalism and public relations. His work has appeared in publications throughout Latin America and the United States and he has published several books, earning recognitions at the Feria Internacional de Libro, International Book Fair. Alvaro has served as a correspondent for Colombian news network RCN, RCN Radio and RCN Miami, and was instrumental in the creation of Radio Caracol, South Florida's Colombian Radio Station, with daily programming in the United States and Colombia. Alvaro works to promote democracy and speak out for those who cannot express themselves freely as he can, and he continues to humor us each day through his writing. After 23 years of living in Miami, he is still as passionate about his native Colombia as he is about his home, the United States. I ask that you join me in honoring Alvaro Botero, a fine journalist, friend and the voice of South Florida's Colombian American community.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, this month Colombia celebrates 200 years as a sovereign nation. As we congratulate our democratic ally and friend on its bicentennial, it is fitting that we also honor some of Colombia's finest, and among them, is Eucario Bermudez. This distinguished journalist got his start as a broadcaster, radio host and General Director of Radio Caracol Colombia. While in Colombia, he also produced and directed various TV programs, earning him the ``Premio Ondas de Espana'' a prestigious award for journalism given by Spain. In 1981, he moved to Miami, expanding the radio station to the United States. He established Radio Klaridad, which later became Radio Calidad and is now a days the very popular Radio Caracol in South Florida. He has since been director of the station, which together with its sister station Radio Caracol Colombia, broadcasts news in both the United States and Colombia. Don Eucario also oversees community relations for Radio Caracol, leads the news department, and continues to broadcast daily on his show ``The Voice of the Community,'' as well as the noon news cast. He does so with true professionalism, honesty and a commitment to reporting the truth, always maintaining a fair and balanced approach. What stands out most about Don Eucario is his activism and service to the community. He has been president of the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce, founded the Association of Colombian News Outlets and Journalists in the United States, the Colombian American Association, known as CASA, and the first ever Colombian Political Action Committee, COLPAC. He has published several works about the economy, small businesses, entrepreneurship and immigration, and has been recognized by various local governments and the Florida State Legislature for his service to the development of the Colombian American community in South Florida as well as his contributions in the field of journalism. Although he has called South Florida home for nearly three decades, Don Eucario is still as passionate about his native Colombia as he is about the United States and works to ensure that the Colombian American community has a voice and that its needs are represented. Above all, he is committed to promoting democracy and speaking out for those who cannot express themselves as freely as he can. I ask that you join me in thanking and honoring Eucario Bermudez, a fine journalist and friend, for his service to the community and his commitment to always speaking the truth.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ana Sotorrio for her years of service to the residents of Miami-Dade County, as she retires this month. During the last three decades, Ana has demonstrated extreme professionalism, loyalty and commitment to her work. She has proven to be an exceptional leader with the ability to work in a team, develop and maintain working relationships at the local, state, and federal levels and ensure that the goals and priorities of Miami-Dade County are met. Ana joined the County Manager's office in 1974 and later moved on to Miami-Dade Aviation, where she has served with six Aviation Directors and has been instrumental in the growth and expansion of Miami International Airport. For 22 years, Ana has been critical to the ongoing operation of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. Through her leadership in developing the government and regulatory agenda she was successful in securing funding for vital projects at Miami International Airport, including $100 million for a runway project, $74 million for the federally mandated explosive detection systems, and approval of the ongoing $6.3 billion Capital Improvement Program. Ana is not just a leader at the Airport, but also an activist in the community, serving on numerous boards and associations including the Florida Airports Council, of which she recently served as President, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Jay Malina International Trade Consortium and Leadership Miami. Ana's work and dedication have directly impacted her colleagues, the residents of Miami-Dade County and the thousands who travel through South Florida each day, as well as those involved in the aviation community across the nation. She has been a steadfast leader with qualities that many, including myself, admire. She will be missed at the County, the Airport and even in Washington, DC, but I know that the positive impact left behind through her work will be felt for years. I ask that you join me in recognizing Ana Sotorrio for her service, her activism and her commitment to working towards improving Miami-Dade County and the lives of others. I wish Ana the best in her future endeavors and on behalf of our community, I thank her for her years of service.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, this week Colombia celebrates 200 years as a sovereign nation. As we congratulate our democratic ally and friend on its Bicentennial, it is fitting that we also honor some of Colombia's finest, and among them, is Fabio Andrade. Fabio is one of South Florida's most dedicated, selfless and tireless community activists. He leads the Colombian American community with conviction and commitment. He is a leading voice in urging the passage of a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Colombia and is an advocate of strengthening the partnership between the two countries. Fabio understands that as the hemisphere's leading democracies, Colombia and the United States are positioned to make an impact through trade, the creation of jobs and a steadfast commitment to spreading democracy throughout Latin America. Fabio is committed to ensuring that the needs of our diverse community are met, the voice of South Florida is heard throughout the various levels of government and that Hispanics have opportunity for growth and success. He has set forth to empower individuals, strengthen families, create networks, and bring within reach opportunities for others. For more than 20 years, Fabio has been instrumental in the creation of work training centers across South Florida, providing support for small businesses and assisting new business owners. As a founder and the CEO of The Americas Community Center, a non-profit organization, he has created a network of support and guidance for immigrants and minorities as they enter the workforce. Fabio himself was able to achieve his success through hard work and dedication, and it is those values which he strives to instill in others. Fabio's work and his love of service embody the true spirit of prosperity and freedom. He is committed to defending our nation's principles, while at the same time working to ensure that his native Colombia remains the strongest democracy in Latin America. I ask that you join me in honoring and thanking my good friend Fabio Andrade, a true leader who loves and values freedom and works so that others may enjoy it.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, as I said before, this is a commonsense bill. As the ranking member of the subcommittee that deals with emergency management and other issues, it would have been nice to have this go through the committee process through regular order. It didn't. It came straight to the floor. But it is a good bill. It's a very good bill. It's a commonsense bill and obviously I do support it.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Obviously, we've heard it before. I'm disappointed that, frankly, none of the bills that we are considering today are from any Republicans, and I know that's something we need to continue to work on, but I want to refer to this specific legislation. It would direct the administrator of FEMA to review and revise the current the regulations, as we just heard, related to eligibility under its Individuals and Households Program. Again, specifically, it would require FEMA to consider whether a county in one State is adjacent to a State that has been designated in a major disaster or emergency. In other words, there may be a county in a different State that may be affected, and that's got to be considered as well because, again, the impact of disasters are obviously not contained or limited to just manmade geographic boundaries. In many cases, the destruction is significant enough that all States involved are designated in a major disaster emergency, but in some cases that's not the case. So there could be a State right next door that has one county that's been significantly hit but the rest of the State has not, and this would hopefully remedy that, and this would allow FEMA to look at that and remedy that. I think this is a commonsense bill. It's also taking place now while we're already in the hurricane season, so I think it's important that we're doing this now. For those of us who are living in States that are too often--more often than we would like, because obviously once is too often--affected by storms and the like, this could not come soon enough. So I want to thank the chairman and thank all of you for bringing this forward. It's a commonsense piece of legislation. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the unconscionable 36 years of Turkish military occupation of the Republic of Cyprus. On July 20, 1974, tens of thousands of Turkish military troops invaded Cyprus, in a blatant and deliberate violation of international law. This caused the forcible expulsion of approximately 200,000 Greek Cypriots from their homes, which at the time amounted to almost one- third of the total population on the island. Nearly 5,000 Cypriots were also killed. Three decades after the initial invasion, Turkey still has over 40,000 troops illegally occupying about 37 percent of Cypriot territory. During the occupation, the Turks expelled thousands of Greek Cypriots from their own homes who were then forced to flee to other parts of the island leaving behind their property and other belongings. These seized properties, many of them belonging to American citizens of Cypriot descent, were unlawfully distributed to and are currently being occupied by thousands of illegal settlers from Turkey. The European Court of Human Rights has stated again and again that displaced Greek Cypriots have not lost the title to their properties and thus remain the only legal and lawful owners of the properties in question. Unfortunately, Turkey has repeatedly ignored countless UN Resolutions calling for an end to the occupation. Cypriots want a unified island and continue to demonstrate their commitment toward a genuine reunification of their country. However, no realistic solution can occur without Ankara's complete and constructive cooperation. I strongly urge Turkey to show a commitment to international law and basic human rights by ending its military occupation, withdrawing its thousands of troops, and removing the illegal settlers. I am encouraged that both sides continue their negotiations toward reaching a long-lasting comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation. This solution must be made by the Cypriots and for the Cypriots. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in standing up for human rights and freedom, and urge Turkey to negotiate an end to this occupation in good faith and cooperation.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today is Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet's 49th birthday. This physician and peaceful advocate of freedom has dedicated his life to defending human rights and advancing democracy in Cuba, and for that he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. So while Dr. Biscet and thousands of political prisons sit in Castro's gulags, the Castro regime is using political prisoners as a bargaining chip in a calculated attempt to gain concessions from the United States and the European Union. Even more troubling, however, is the evident collaboration between the Cuban Catholic Church and the Castro regime. The church is cooperating with the regime and reaching out to only those families of political prisoners that the regime asks them to talk to, while Dr. Biscet and others don't even get a call from the church. Mr. Speaker, we must continue to stand tall, to stand with the Cuban people, and to demand the release of every single political prisoner in the Cuban gulags. Until every single one is released, we cannot shut up, we cannot stop speaking. The United States should not be fooled. We will continue to stand with the political prisoners.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this week we've seen that the Castro dictatorship has released a handful of political prisoners in an attempt to try to win concessions from the European Union and the United States. It's not the first time they've done that to try to win concessions. At the same time, the Obama administration recognizes that there are about 5,000 Cubans that are held in the gulags of that nation for the charge of dangerousness. Those are 5,000 additional political prisoners that languish in prison. We've got to remember who the Castro regime, that terrorist regime, who they are. This week alone they've blamed the United States for sinking the South Korean ship that killed 46 sailors early this year. They blamed the United States. This is the same regime that holds an American hostage, Mr. Alan Gross, a Jewish American contractor who was providing humanitarian aid to Cuban Jews within that island nation. This is the same regime that, last month, Fidel Castro himself compared Israel to Nazi Germany. And yet some want to give concessions to that regime. Some want to help that regime with billions of dollars. Let's stay firm. Let's demand elections. Let's demand freedom for the Cuban people.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, on July 5th, just one day after we celebrate our country's birth, Venezuela will celebrate its independence from Spain. The Venezuelan people know and love freedom, but that land of heroes has been hijacked by a crazy, corrupt dictator, Hugo Chavez. His government has limited freedom of the press by forcing independent TV stations and newspapers to shut down, has silenced its critics by jailing opposition party members and even members of the judiciary, and continues to put millions of dollars in the hands of terrorists and narco-traffickers around the world. Chavez has also deepened ties with Iran, through training exercises with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Qods Force. Chavez is leading his nation down the road to tyranny and that, Madame Speaker, is unacceptable. Venezuela is the land of Simon Bolivar, home to his decedents, freedom-loving people who value liberty, justice and the rule of law. As Chavez furthers his corrupt and anti-democratic activities in our hemisphere, the United States must stand firm on the side of freedom and support our democratic allies in the region and all the people who value democratic principles, both inside and outside of Venezuela. I want to thank and commend all Venezuelans living in exile in the United States for their dedication and commitment to preserving their culture and ensuring that freedom, democracy and justice once again ring true in Venezuela. South Florida is home to the largest Venezuelan and Venezuelan American community in the United States. They have embraced the values and ideals that we as Americans hold true. They make valuable contributions to our Nation, serve in our military, and take an active part in the democratic process. At the same time, they hold tight to their traditions, culture and language, work tirelessly to support and promote democracy in Venezuela and hope to one day soon be a part of a democratic Venezuela. On their day of Independence, I urge the United States to stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people in their struggle to preserve freedom and restore democracy.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Navy Seaman William Ortega. This fallen American hero gave his life on June 18 after a bomb exploded while he was in a patrol vehicle and while he was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan. Seaman Ortega, 23 years old, was a hospital corpsman to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton. His battalion is nicknamed the ``Thundering Third.'' His family stated that Seaman Ortega cherished becoming an American citizen. He enjoyed being named ``student of the month'' at school and winning first place at the local youth fair. Throughout middle school and high school, he made the Honor Roll. He was involved in clubs, and he excelled in every sport that he played. After graduating from South Dade High School in 2005, Seaman Ortega went on to study at Florida Career College where he obtained a degree in Web site design. Then Seaman Ortega joined the military because of the core values military life has to offer. He wanted to give back to a nation that had given him and his family so much opportunity. So, as a hospital corpsman, he was a Navy medic who treated those who were injured in combat. His sister Aracely Ortega described him as an ``awesome brother and an awesome friend.'' She also said, ``He had a lot of respect for this Nation, and he paid the ultimate sacrifice, unfortunately.'' For his brave service and sacrifice, Seaman Ortega was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Non Article V Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. He is survived by his parents--William and Marianela Ortega--and by his five sisters, and hundreds gathered, over the weekend in Miami, to pay respect and to pay tribute to this American fallen hero. Our grateful Nation grieves with his family during this difficult time, and our grateful Nation will never forget William Ortega, a true American hero.

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida

Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Let me first thank you for bringing us together tonight to talk about such an important issue. The news recently has been full of pictures of the G-20 meeting, where the leaders from around the world got together to speak about the economic situation in the world. And it was rather, I thought, ironic that you had on one side the Canadian leader, plus many European Union leaders, talking about how we have to control spending, we have to control debt and how the world economies are going, frankly, are on a path towards not being sustainable. And on the other side, pretty much alone, you have the President of the United States, who continues to insist that we need to spend more money and borrow more money in order to have the economy prosper. Now, we know how well that has worked so far. Think about it. We had the TARP bailout of Wall Street. We had then the so-called ``stimulus.'' And the gentlewoman from Wyoming just spoke about the results of that almost trillion-dollar borrowed money that the Federal Government took from the American people, from small businesses, from families, to spend it because they said they promised that it was going to fix the employment situation and that unemployment would be capped at 8 percent and 3-plus million jobs will be created. And we know that the only place where jobs have been created, as the gentlewoman just said and showed so eloquently, was government jobs. Yet, private sector jobs have not been created. But wealth has been taken away from families and small businesses in order to spend and misspend and to waste that money. And then we had the second part of TARP, the second expenditure of TARP, and then we had the Son of Stimulus. We're continuously told that, Well, yes, that's really helping, and it's worked. You know, how do you know if what you're being told isn't quite accurate? Well, just listen to what they're telling you. The President himself stated that if the so-called stimulus were to pass that unemployment would be capped at 8 percent, would not reach 8 percent. Those are his numbers. That was his benchmark--not mine, not yours, not the gentleman from Pennsylvania's benchmark. That benchmark was established by the President. He established what he said was going to happen, and yet we all know what has happened. Unemployment is way above that. Job creation has been dismal. We've actually lost millions of jobs after the stimulus passed, and yet we see our President in front of the world saying, number one, it's worked and that we need to do more of it, as if we're living in some weird time warp. Does he and does the leadership in the House not understand what's going on in Europe right now with Greece, for example, where Greece has had to get bailed out by the European Union because, frankly, their debt is so high and their expenditures are so out of control that they've had to bail them out? Do they not understand what's going on in Spain now where everybody says that they are the next one to, frankly, implode economically because their debt is so high, because their expenditures are so high? It is my understanding that the President of the United States even called Spain and said, Hey, you have to cut back on expenses. And yet here he pretends as if we live in Disney World, that you can continue to spend people's money--let me restate that. It's not people's money anymore. It's borrowed money--and that there are no consequences, that it's fake, that the words of just about every economist that says this is unsustainable are just, frankly, not true. So, by the way, if that were not bad enough, where have they spent this hard-earned money? Where has it gone? Now, if I were to tell you all that--I don't know. Pick your government. Pick a government, a neighboring government. I don't know, Guatemala, Argentina, wherever you want. If we said, Hey, you know, the administration there just established a Web page, and the Web page cost $5 million. We would all go, Oh, my gosh. What have they done? There's a word for that. It's not ``waste.'' I mean, if that happened someplace else, we don't call it waste. We call it corruption. If we see that some government, some President has created a Web page for $5 million, we'd look at it and we'd say, Something strange is happening here. The Web page that was created by this administration to track the failed stimulus didn't cost $1 million. No, it didn't cost $5 million. The Web page cost $18 million. Now, you know, I ask the American people, Have you ever heard of an $18 million Web page? Does that sound like efficient use of your money? Does that make any sense? So you are wondering why it hasn't created jobs. Well, because the money has been wasted. And I am not going to use another word for it, a word that we would use if it happened someplace else. I'm not going to use the word ``corruption'' for an $18 million Web page. But it sure smells funny, and it sure shows you that the money is wasted, and it sure demonstrates why it has not created jobs. And we could go on and on and on and on about money going to campaign consultants, stimulus money going to campaign consultants. And what is the answer? Is the answer of this administration, of this Congress, ``Let's take a step back. Let's look at what we've done. It hasn't worked. Our debt is unsustainable, and everybody has told us that''? When Europe tells us that our debt is unsustainable, that becomes pretty evident and pretty obvious; right? When they tell you that we're spending too much money, the Europeans, for God's sake, tell the United States that we're spending too much money and we are incurring too much debt, that should make us at least take a step back. Let's take a step back and figure out it hasn't worked. The administration has spent all this money. They said it would keep unemployment at 8 percent. It is now way over that. They said it was going to create 3.5 million jobs. That hasn't happened. The only jobs created were bureaucrats in Washington. So you would think they would take a step back and say, okay, the American people have suffered enough through this irresponsibility. Let's do something different. No. They continue to do more of the same thing. They continue to double up, because it's not their money. It's the American people's money. So they say, Let's just double up on it. We wasted all this money and it hasn't created jobs? We're going to do more. We're going to waste more of the taxpayers' money. It is, frankly, totally unacceptable. I just want to throw out some numbers, and I will yield back. I want to thank the gentlewoman for allowing me to have this time. What's the problem here? Look, in 2010, the President's budget, what he submitted--and, by the way, Congress did--was $3.6 trillion. That's the budget that was submitted. Here's the problem: The revenues for that year were $2.4 trillion. It doesn't require a NASA rocket scientist to understand what the problem is. But that wasn't enough. This year, the President submitted a budget--the President did--and he submitted a budget that's $3.8 trillion. But here lies the problem: The estimated revenues for this year--remember, $3.8 trillion. That's what he submitted after he did it last year again, and all of the reasons why last year was a special year and all the past sins and that's why it had to be done last year. Well, now, this year he submits a budget for $3.8 trillion. But what are the revenue estimates for this year? $2.6 trillion. Now, if that was a company or if someone did that at home, they would be bankrupt. And that's precisely where this is leading the greatest, most prosperous, most generous, most decent nation on this planet. And that's not acceptable. That's why even the Europeans are saying, What are you guys doing? And not only are they doing this, but we have results to show how well it's worked. It has been a dismal failure--not because I say so. Because the President established the benchmark, and under the President's own benchmark it has been a dismal failure. There are consequences of this misspending of money. There are consequences for this debt. I just want to leave you with one last number. Just in the interest payments alone--not the principal--to pay the interest payments by the year 2020, the American people are going to have to pay almost $1 trillion just in interest payments. That's the President's budget. That's what they claim is going to be the expensing, the cost, the numbers that are going to have to be paid by the American people just to pay the debt that they are incurring. You know, I want to thank the gentlewoman for bringing us here today to explain, to talk about, this is not monopoly money. This is real. This is our children's and our grandchildren's future. This is the future of this, the greatest country on Earth. And we can take a step back. We can salvage the situation. We can create jobs. We can stop this path towards bankruptcy. But we need to do so now. And the reason the Democratic Congress is not even going to present, it seems, not even going to try to attempt, it looks like, to pass a budget out of the House is because these numbers--they're not my numbers, they're the official numbers--and they must be embarrassed to show the American people the truth so, therefore, they're not even going to present a budget. I haven't been here that long. But, in the time that I've been here, that's never happened. It's never happened. Not even attempting to present a budget because the numbers are so dismal under their watch. This is not inherited. Under their watch the numbers are so dismal that they don't even want the American people to see those numbers. Well, you know something? The American people are wise. They're not dumb. You can try to hide the facts, but the facts are there. You can try to not show the numbers, but the numbers are there. So, again, I want to thank you for this opportunity to speak to the American people, directly to the American people, as to what their government is doing with their money, with their children's money, with their grandchildren's money and with the future of our Nation. I'm sure that we'll be able to reverse it, but we need to start now. Thank you. I yield back.