Charlie Gonzalez

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer a personal explanation of the reason I missed rollcall votes 19 through 38. Due to an emergency appendectomy I was unable to be present for votes the week of March 6th. I respectfully request that it be entered into the Congressional Record that if present, I would have voted on rollcall 19 (H.R. 4054 Designating the Dewey Bartlett Post Office), ``aye''; rollcall 20 (S. 2771--Reauthorization of the Patriot Act), ``no''; rollcall 21 (Previous Question to H.R. Res 710 Providing for Consideration of the Food Uniformity Bill), ``no''; rollcall 22 (Motion to Instruct Conferees to H.R. 2830), ``aye''; rollcall 23 (H.R. 4192 designating Hope Arkansas as the President Clinton Birthplace), ``yea''; rollcall 24 (H.R. 1053 Extending Normal Trade Relations to the Ukraine), ``aye''; rollcall 25 (H. Res. 673 Expressing Support for the People of Belarus to Establish a Full Democracy), ``aye''; rollcall 26 (H.R. 3505 to Provide Regulatory Relief for Insured Depository Institutions), `` aye''; rollcall 27 (Cardoza Amendment to H.R. 4167--To Amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to Provide for Uniform Food Safety Warnings), ``aye''; rollcall 28 (Waxman Amendment to H.R. 4167), ``aye'; rollcall 29 (Capps Amendment to H.R. 4167), ``aye''; rollcall 30 (Wasserman Shultz Amendment to H.R. 4167), ``aye''; rollcall 31 (Stupak Motion to Recommit to H.R. 4167), ``aye''; rollcall 32 (Final Passage of H.R. 4167), ``no''; rollcall 33 (Previous Question of H.R. 2829 Reauthorize the National Drug Control Policy Act), ``no''; rollcall 34 (Chabot Amendment to H.R. 2829), ``aye''; rollcall 35 (Hooley Amendment to H.R. 2829), ``aye''; rollcall 36 (Paul Amendment to H.R. 2829), ``no''; rollcall 37 (Rehberg Amendment to H.R. 2829), ``aye''; rollcall 38 (Final Passage of H.R. 2829), ``aye''.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 5, 6, 7, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 668 to give recognition where recognition is long overdue. With this resolution, Congress applauds the groundbreaking significance of the 1966 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship in which Texas Western upset the heavily favored University of Kentucky. That year, the Miners had an all-Black starting line-up, a first in a national championship competition that helped change the perception of Black athletes. Texas Western Coach Don Haskins and his players may not have set out to change history, but they did. The 1966 championship game helped pave the way for integration of athletics, opening sports to the civil rights movement, often being dubbed, the Brown v. Board of Education of sports. The next season, the Southwest Conference was integrated, and in 1967-68, Vanderbilt broke the Southeast Conference color barrier. Unfortunately, it has taken decades before Coach Haskins and his players' achievements have been recognized. In 1966 there were no trips to the White House or appearances on the Ed Sullivan show, both customary for national champions. The team did not even receive national championship rings until their 20-year reunion in 1986. It is time to recognize the profound contribution to the civil rights movement that this game spurred, and to recognize the 1966 NCAA Division I men's basketball champions, the Texas Western Miners. I urge my colleagues in joining me in supporting this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dear friend who left us far too soon. On January 27, 2006, Bonnie Terry lost her long struggle with breast cancer despite drawing on the same determination she had used to change the lives of many others. I miss her laugh and her belief that any problem was solvable so long as we worked together. Bonnie Terry was a community activist, a pillar of faith for the United Methodist Church, and a shining example of the power of people to make the world a better place. This is a loss not only for her family, friends, and colleagues but also for San Antonio. We lost a relentless yet optimistic advocate for a range of causes. The causes she fought for reads like a master list of different organizations to help the disadvantaged. Bonnie worked with Habitat for Humanity, United Way, American Red Cross and Network Power/Texas, which promotes women's issues. During and after the 1998 floods, Bonnie served as executive director of the San Antonio Interfaith Flood Recovery Alliance. Our community is now poorer for her absence. So relentless was her drive, not even illness stopped Bonnie from working. While fighting breast cancer, she visited my office during the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation's annual visit last May. She told her story to me and to other lawmakers. Like so many other Americans, she had fallen into the widening fissures of our health care system and found herself in need of the type of help she had spent her life providing to others. Bonnie testified for the need for insurance support for cancer treatment at a National Breast Cancer Coalition meeting in Washington seeking legislative policy for access for quality care. Moreover, Bonnie made a point of attending the coalition's meeting with Senator Hillary Clinton. Like many in our city, Bonnie hailed from elsewhere, but there should be no doubt that she made San Antonio her home. Born in Germany, Bonnie was the child of a military family that eventually settled in San Antonio. She graduated from Jefferson High School, San Antonio College, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. However, even while working on her bachelor's degree, it was apparent that Bonnie would match her education to her faith in making her life's work. People will always seek a higher purpose in life. Bonnie found hers in serving others and in doing so making their lives better. If Bonnie's determination was the vessel for her actions, faith was her North Star. Steeped in the United Methodist Church, Bonnie sought to implement the teachings of the Lord. She served as an urban missionary at Travis Park United Methodist Church where she energized a food bank and outreach program, which the Reverend Bert Clayton, a long-time friend, said this was one of her greatest feats. Her next project focused on the downtown's homeless community. The Reverend John Flowers, pastor at Travis Park, said Bonnie helped envision a day center for homeless or transitional people there that opened in 2004. My prayers and thoughts go out to her sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews. I hope it comforts them in their time of grief that Bonnie was a beloved figure in San Antonio. We will miss her.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Paisano, the student newspaper at the University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA. The Paisano is the oldest independent student newspaper in the State of Texas. In January 1981, the first issues of the Paisano were distributed to the UTSA community. A quarter of a century later, the Paisano often publishes 7,000 to 10,000 issues a week for the downtown and 1604 campuses. Because UTSA is a young school, student enterprises like the Paisano were important in creating a sense of community. Other schools have longer histories but few have more school pride. Students know that the Paisano is their forum to celebrate their college years and examine their community and world. Put simply, students run the paper. They write the stories, sell the advertising, and create budgets for the paper. But they receive neither college credit nor compensation from the university for their efforts. Yet, the invaluable experience of running a business has compensated them far more than a paycheck ever could. Through the Paisano Educational Trust, dedicated students, faculty, and staff publish the Paisano. All overhead for the paper's publication, including rent, equipment, utilities, and printing costs are funded through advertising revenues. Countless hours of student work have kept this paper operating. Many of the former student staff now serve San Antonio and south Texas in numerous capacities. They are school teachers, writers, journalists, editors, accountants, lawyers, website creators, hotel managers, and environmental researchers. Over these last 25 years, they have helped transform San Antonio into the vibrant city poised for greater things on the verge of the 21st century. The Founders knew that a free press was essential to democracy as a medium for free expression. The Paisano allows students to voice their concerns and to articulate their disparate experiences. This newspaper has provided a forum for students to participate in the give-and-take exchange of ideas vital to an academic institution and our society. As UTSA continues its transformation into a flagship university, I expect that the Paisano will continue to reflect the richness and diversity of the student body and South Texas. Today, I celebrate their first 25 years and wish them many more.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 638, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, let us start off with the basic fact, and that is illegal hiring of undocumented workers is a Federal problem calling for a Federal solution. But the cost of the illegal hiring of the undocumented worker falls on the States, the counties, and our cities. This is what my amendment attempts to accomplish: first of all, the vital aspect of where the costs fall. The fines that are collected from the law-breaking employers will be equally apportioned among the Federal Government, the State, the county, and the city governments. The 25 percent that will go to the State, the county and the city in which the illegal act occurred and for which they are incurring costs, those moneys are really reimbursements. Those moneys will be limited when they are received by those entities to be spent directly for the costs incurred, for those public services being provided for the undocumented worker who has been illegally hired by the employer. Secondly, my amendment increases the base fine to $50,000 per incident. This amendment follows on the heels of Mr. Westmoreland's amendment, so we are polar opposites when it comes to what a fine represents. Historically, a fine has a purpose. First, it is a penalty, no doubt, for wrongdoing. But it is also a deterrent. The greater value is really the deterrence to keep others from following that same type of prohibited behavior. You are not going to accomplish that under the present scheme of the underlying bill, and you surely will not do it if the other amendment that preceded this one is adopted by this House. You say, $50,000? Keep in mind that that is never going to be levied unless, what happens? My understanding, first of all, is if an employer completely ignores the prevailing rule of law, ignores the verification system that we are attempting to implement, and then upon being notified that legal status cannot be established, ignores it, only then. Now, you are telling me we should not have a significant fine for such outrageous and blatant disregard for our laws? How else are you going to ever get anyone's attention? There are two component parts to immigration reform which we are not going to touch on, and, of course, that is comprehensive in nature. But if we are looking at enforcement only, let us be honest then. It is the illegal alien worker coming over, but at the behest and the request and the availability of a ready, willing employer, ready, willing and able to disobey the very laws of this country. A $50,000 fine would get your attention, a $50,000 fine per incident will teach you a lesson, and a $50,000 fine will be a deterrent. And the beauty of what I do in this amendment is that an equal proportion will go to those governmental entities that are bearing the cost for the ineffectual governmental regulation by the Federal authorities. It is a Federal problem, and it should be a Federal solution that addresses these particular concerns. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, if a company places an unauthorized call to your household and you are on the do-not-call list, it is $11,000 for that call. DirecTV will be paying $5.3 million in fines for basically calling 484 households. Under the present scheme of the underlying bill, an employer could hire 1,066 undocumented workers illegally employed by that employer and pay that amount of money. As you increase the fine schedule, you could still hire 533 at the next level. Even at your highest level of $25,000, after you have a cease and desist order, you can still hire 213. This is not about fund-raising either. These municipalities, when you go back home and talk to your Governor, your mayor or county judge, they tell you they are paying those moneys. You get the same mail I do. This is not going to encourage some sort of irresponsible behavior at the local level. What it does is meet a Federal obligation we have to localities. It is Federal policy. It is Federal enforcement of that policy that has resulted in these additional costs. I think it is disingenuous for us. If we are going to do enforcement, and that is all we are going to do here, let us be honest about it. Let us move forward. Let us be aggressive. Let us get the wrongdoer on both sides of this illegal transaction, the worker and the employer. If you cut off demand, you will not have supply.

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from California, and I rise today in opposition to the legislation. First of all, let us get it straight, this is not about border protection, and it is not about antiterterrorism. If it was, we would be debating the bill that was voted out of Homeland Security. But instead, that bill has been hijacked and now is a vehicle used to promote ineffective and hypocritical so-called illegal immigration control. Let us start with the obvious. When it comes to the hiring of the undocumented worker, and that is simple: Demand will always determine supply. If you were serious about limiting the number of undocumented workers coming into this country, then significantly increase the fines levied against the employers. This bill does not do that. Make it as easy to criminalize the act of hiring as you do the act of entry into this country; this bill does not do that. Exclude employers that hire undocumented workers from government contracts and foreign subsidies and make sure that is a fact; this bill does not do that. Overall, we need to stop the hypocrisy, and we need to deal with the reality. It is the hypocrisy of failing to acknowledge that the undocumented worker comes to this country at our behest and that they make this economy work. We should be discussing the legal framework that addresses these realities, that encourages assimilation, becoming one people and one Nation. I believe many supporters of this bill are concerned with the changing face of this country when what they are doing today and tomorrow will be changing the heart and soul of this country, which matters much more. The nature of those concerns happens to be superficial, just as this legislation is superficial. If this legislation does not fail now before it becomes law, it will fail later after it becomes law. I ask my colleagues, do not vote for failure.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, my distinguished colleagues; it is a special honor that I pay tribute today to a great American and civil rights activist since the 1950's, Gail Joyce Beagle, who celebrates her 70th birthday on November 25th. Gail, who I have known and counted as a friend for at least 46 years, had a long and distinguished career in appointive public service, but since her retirement, continues to work for the public good in a variety of capacities. Born in Beaumont, Texas on November 25, 1935, she was reared at Nederland on land her maternal grandfather, Martin Block, had earlier farmed for many years. Upon graduation from high school, she entered Texas Woman's University at Denton where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1958. At TWU she held various positions, including Day Editor, on the campus newspaper, the Daily Lass-O. Her academic standing in journalism resulted in her selection for membership in the honorary fraternity for women in journalism called Theta Sigma Phi (now called Association of Women in Communications). (At the turn of the last century women were not allowed in the then all-male journalism societies so it was necessary to establish a separate journalism fraternity for women--with its beginnings at the University of Washington at Seattle. ) When Gail's journalism professors in 1957 told her she could not editorialize in the campus newspaper as to why TWU accepted young women as students from all over the world, but no black women were at the State institution of higher learning, she, in turn, posed this question in an editorial in the Methodist Student Movement's newsletter as to why there were no black women at TWU. During that time she was president of the Methodist college group for both TWU and North Texas State University. As the result of this effort, the TWU president and a few of his advisory committee faculty members were not happy with her, but she weathered the storm, and continued her integration effort. While working in 1959 for my father, the late Henry B. Gonzalez, then a State senator, who represented San Antonio at Austin, she got a nice telegram from a TWU history professor, congratulating her and telling her that TWU was to accept its first black female students in the fall of 1959. During the summer of 1957, she was a Texas Daily Newspaper Association intern on the San Antonio Light newspaper, but after college graduation, she did not immediately return to San Antonio, but landed her first job in Austin in late summer 1958. Earlier that summer, working out of her parents' home, she had a brief stint as Jefferson County volunteer campaign manager for my father's unsuccessful bid to be Governor of Texas. In the Fall of 1961, she returned to San Antonio as a permanent resident and campaigned in my father's bid to be the first Hispanic from Texas to be elected to Congress where he served in the House for 37 years, and for the most part of those years, Gail served him and the 20th Congressional District of Texas as the Chief of Staff and Press Secretary in Washington, returning home to San Antonio from time to time. Among many achievements for the people, as well as for my father, she was instrumental in his decision to be the first Member of Congress, south of the Mason Dixon line, to hire the first black congressional staff member. The staff member was the late Cora Faye Clayton, a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, who served for 30 years, first in Washington and then in San Antonio, with honor and distinction. Additional milestones for Gail included completion of a Master of Arts degree in Legislative Affairs (MALA) from George Washington University. Earlier in Austin, Gail had served on the State Executive Committee of the Young Democrats of Texas and was involved in many civil rights demonstrations in 1959-61, including several at a University of Texas campus area movie house which would not sell tickets to blacks, even if they were students at UT. Further, the restaurants there would not serve blacks unless they had a UT student ID card. Gail says a State senator one time got out of his car, walked down the line observing the young demonstrators at the movie house, and then harassed them, as he walked away denouncing them, under his breath, as a ``bunch of communists.'' When Gail came to Washington with my father in late 1961, she, as well as other women, was denied membership in several organizations, including the Texas Breakfast Club, a Washington discussion group. It took years for those barriers for women to come down! Currently, Gail is president of the Henry B. Gonzalez Foundation for Inspiring Public Service which seeks to establish, at the downtown campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio, a center, named for my father, for Public Service, Integrity and Courage. She is also the Democratic chair for my precinct, and is active in many social, religious, and public service endeavors. For a few months she was the interim director of the Guadalupe Community Center that serves a poor neighborhood in my district. Gail, your record of service and achievements could fill a book. I congratulate you and wish you a happy and healthy 70th birthday, with many more to come!

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Charles Reed, RN, BSN, CNRN, Patient Care Coordinator for the University Health System in San Antonio. Every year, thousands of nurses across the country are nominated for the 2005 Nursing Excellence Awards. The RNs are nominated by their colleagues, peers, and managers and selected by a panel of nurse leaders. The Nursing Excellence Awards exemplify the best that professional nursing has to offer. They bring initiative, ingenuity, and inspiration to their workplaces and communities, setting the standards for accomplishment in communities, setting the standards for accomplishment in nursing. In addition, the Nursing Excellence Awards recognize extraordinary nurses who represent the countless other dedicated nurses who play a crucial role in the nation's health care system. Mr. Reed's outstanding performance earned him a finalist position in this year's competition. Mr. Reed rose through the ranks from student nurse to patient care coordinator in the health system and now has duties ranging from meeting staffing needs and coaching, counseling, and mentoring nurses to managing patient care. He ensures clinical practice is kept to the highest standard, frequently by working one-one with nurses, and he often meets with families of ICU patients, once staying over an additional 4 hours to be sure a family's concerns were addressed. I commend Mr. Reed for all the hard work and dedication he gives to his patients at University Health System and I wish him the best of luck next year.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues. I think I bring a different perspective to the comments and the remarks regarding the extraordinary life of Congressman Ed Roybal, and that is that I followed in my father's footsteps just as Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard does today, so I think we have shared experiences. I know that about 4 years ago Lucille and I were interviewed about our experiences as children being raised in a political family and then following in their parent's footsteps. We had so much to share. So I think that some of my remarks I would hope do bring what I consider a very special view. The first thing is that our fathers started their careers here in this Congress in 1961 and 1962 respectively and, combined, I think served about 67 wonderful, productive, very successful and historical years in so many different ways. But I think we need to go to the very beginning. They both started their political years in the late 1940s, and they both lost their first races. So I think they always would rise to the challenge, of course, over tremendous adversity in their entire lives. I think both of our fathers were always referred to as ``the first,'' the first Hispanic to be elected to the House of Representatives from California, the first Hispanic to be elected from the State of Texas, and so on. People forget what that truly signifies. Being the first at anything means that you are surviving in a very hostile environment; and where we find ourselves today, even when we complain about the challenges and the obstacles that are before us, there is no comparison. It pales to the situation in the 1940s, the 1950s, and the 1960s; and there is no doubt, even today, the barriers are there for people of color. They had to succeed where no one else had ever succeeded before, and they had to maintain and sustain that position, because much more was expected of them, being that representative of a minority. Yet I do not want to restrict Ed Roybal's contributions and define him simply by his ethnicity, because that is not true. It went way beyond that. He understood until there was justice for all, there would be justice for none; and that is what his life was all about. I am hoping that tonight it is a celebration. I think my colleague, Congressman Reyes, has aptly pointed that out. On the personal side, I ventured a guess that my colleague, Lucille Roybal-Allard, did not see much of her father after 1962, that he was way over here on the east coast and the family was way over there on the west coast for the most part, and I know that feeling. There was tremendous sacrifice on the part of the Roybal family. Tonight I know that my colleagues join me in saying thank you to your mother, to your brother, to your sister and to you, for sharing your father, because he gave much more to us than he probably did individually to you as far as the time that was allowed him to spend with the family. That was a great sacrifice, which then leads you to the eventual question, and one that we all ask ourselves, and that is the careers that we choose, have we made a difference to sacrifice for our families, because there is no doubt that your father could have been very successful at other enterprises that materially and financially would have been much more rewarding, and he would have been right there at home, but he chose to do something for so many others, and that is a very special calling. Your mother, your brother, your sister, yourself will probably ask but was it worth it, was it worth that sacrifice. It is a resounding ``yes.'' It is a resounding ``yes'' if you look at all the city halls, if you look at all our State legislatures, if you look at the United States Congress. If we go back to 1961 and 1962, I think if we had a congressional Spanish Caucus, the total membership would have been two, Lucille's father and my father. The legacy lives on. Tangible and living proof of that is that tomorrow morning there will be 27 Members of this House that will come through these doors that are either Hispanic or Portuguese in descent. All Americans, of course, first and foremost, because I think that is what your father's message was. It was then and it is today and his legacy lives tomorrow.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cora Faye Dixon Clayton, a San Antonio native and civil servant for the 20th Congressional District of Texas. She worked for my father, Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, for 30 years and truly epitomized public service. Dad trusted her as one of his most able employees, and knew she would do everything possible to help those who came to his office in dire need of help. Sadly, Ms. Clayton who had battled cancer with the same vigor she fought for the people of San Antonio passed away in September. Born and raised in San Antonio, Ms. Clayton graduated from Phyllis Wheatley High School and later earned a business degree at Our Lady of The Lake University. She began her career at the Fort Sam Houston library, and after Dad won a special election in 1961, he honored a promise he had made to the NAACP to hire an African American for his staff, so he brought Ms. Clayton to Washington, DC for his first term. Dad knew well the barriers people of color faced before the enactment of Civil Rights legislation and was more than willing to hire a person others shunned because of the color of her skin. So, at the height of the Civil Rights movement, she became the first African American Congressional staffer for a Southern Member. She pulled double duty as his personal secretary and handled constituent casework for 30 years. Dad never could find anyone who could transcribe his dictation as accurately, and what truly amazed him is that she did so with very few errors. After a few years on Dad's Washington staff, she returned to San Antonio yet would often help him as a personal secretary until the end of her service some 30 years later. Her heart made her an indispensable and loved member of my Dad's team. Co-workers recall the compassion with which she helped constituents resolve their claims. She would bring her years of experience to each and every case and could untangle the toughest red tape so someone's life could be just a little better. I often think casework is the most important function we have as members of Congress. Of course, passing laws that improve the lives of Americans is very important, but making sure someone gets the benefits they deserve is just as important, if not more so. And, of course, her commitment to bettering the lives of others did not end when she left work as she was also very active in her community through volunteer programs. I am proud to have known such a remarkable woman, one of the countless public servants who make our government work. My colleagues and I would readily admit that we could accomplish little without our staffs and Dad owed much to people like Ms. Clayton. Our community is poorer and sadder for her leaving it. I would like to extend my condolences to her two daughters, Michelle ``Toni'' Clayton Collier and Tina Marie Clayton, two brothers Jessy and Ralph Dixon, and sister Mariam Dixon.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my thoughts on perhaps the worst natural catastrophe to occur in America in my lifetime. Hurricane Katrina wreaked devastation beyond any we've seen and we will feel its wrath for years to come. As a Nation, we will continue to grapple with the destruction and the task of rebuilding. In the days and weeks to come, we will keep the survivors and victims in our thoughts and prayers while we begin the arduous process of surveying the damage. As of yet, we still do not know how many lost their lives during the onslaught of the storm or in the aftermath. The early estimates place the lives lost in the thousands, and the coming days may push that tally higher. We will also pray for the survivors many of whom have been evacuated to the surrounding states. I am proud that San Antonio, my hometown, is opening its doors for thousands of Americans who have nowhere else to go. In some ways, this is America's finest hour as strangers have opened their homes and communities to people who departed from New Orleans on buses or planes often with just the clothes on their backs. Of course, we cannot praise enough the brave men and women of the Gulf region's police departments, rescue teams, the National Guard, and the Armed Services. Time and again, they risked their lives to rescue the thousands of stranded people in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. When their Nation called, they answered. This week, we will fill the Congressional Record recounting their bravery and selflessness in the face of horrors and danger rarely seen in this country. They did better than could be expected with the resources and supplies they had. Inexcusably, the administration failed both these heroes and those in need of aid. In the days after the hurricane had passed, the slow and inadequate response created another crisis that compounded the initial damage. Who was not angered and frustrated as the images from New Orleans washed over us like the floodwaters that engulfed the city after the levees were breached? How is it possible that we could not transport food, water, and medicine to the thousands trapped in the city? How could the conditions in the Superdome and the Convention center grow so dire? We could assemble one of the world's most formidable military forces to invade Iraq which is halfway across the globe, yet we could not transport the essentials to a major American city. This simply boggles the mind and moves the conscience to anger and shame. Because the various governmental agencies lacked direction, thousands may have died days after the storm subsided. Will the administration continue to blame the State and local governments for being unable to coordinate a relief effort too big for any one entity save the Federal government? This is unacceptable, and clearly Congress will need to investigate and remedy the shameful shortcomings of the current Federal emergency management system. Some of my colleagues say that the race and the poverty of the victims dictated the speed of the relief effort. Some would also condemn the fiscal priorities of an administration that has pursued reckless tax cuts during a time of war and while our national infrastructure literally crumbles. Early reports indicate the administration cut funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the levee system in New Orleans. Yet, until all the facts are in, I urge my colleagues to reserve judgment, yet failing to fully investigate this calamity no matter how painful or embarrassing it may prove would breach our duty to the American people. We owe this to those the administration failed.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, as we consider the conference report for H.R. 3, I would like to express my appreciation to the Chairman and Ranking Member for their work on this important piece of legislation, and in particular, I would like to recognize the inclusion of measures that will reauthorize the U.S. Department of Transportation's disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) program. The DBE program ensures equal contracting opportunities for women- and minority-owned firms. It is an innovative program that expressly prohibits quotas, and instead seeks to enhance contracting opportunities whenever possible through race and gender neutral means. The constitutionality of the DBE program has been upheld in every court that has considered its constitutionality, including three federal circuit courts. The DBE program has helped change the construction industry since it was first established over two decades ago. However, it continues to be a necessary tool for combating the continuing effects of discrimination in the highway construction industry and for creating a level playing field among highway construction contractors. MGT of America, Inc., a consulting company, produced a disparity report of the North Texas Tollway Authority. This 2002 report finds underutilization of minority and women owned business entities in four of the North Texas Tollway Authority's contracting markets. It reports that minority and women owned business entities are available to supply 33 percent of the construction market; 14.3 percent of the professional services market; 9.7 percent of the consulting services market; and 6.4 percent of the goods and services procurement market for the North Texas Tollway Authority. However, in the construction market, there was substantial underutilization in prime contracts and subcontracts. With the exception of two contracts awarded in 1998, minority and women owned firms are underutilized for professional services. The disparity indices for firms providing consulting services show overall underutilization of minority and women owned firms, and the level of utilization is substantially less than the number of firms available to do business. In the analysis of goods and services procurement, the study reveals underutilization of all women and minority owned firms except for contracts awarded to one Asian-American owned firm. It is entirely appropriate, indeed necessary, that the reauthorization of the DBE program be included in H.R. 3. I support H.R. 3 and the DBE program, and intend to vote for its passage.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the pioneers of Spanish-language television and a tireless advocate for Latinos throughout the United States, Mr. Emilio Nicolas, Sr. He was instrumental in establishing KWEX, Ch. 41 as San Antonio's Spanish- language station and as the United States' first Spanish-language station. KWEX became the cornerstone of the network that would become Univision, and brought Spanish-language television to millions of Latinos. His life is a testament to the ethic of hard work and striving to reach seemingly impossible goals. Born in Frontera, Coahuila, Mexico in 1930, Emilio Nicolas, Sr. came to the United States to learn English and attend St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. Graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor's in biology and chemistry and a minor in math, Mr. Nicolas then turned his considerable focus to earning a Master's at Trinity University in San Antonio in 1952 before going to work for the Southwest Foundation as a researcher on arteriosclerosis and the polio vaccine. In 1955, he left the field of science to enter the burgeoning world of television when he joined KCOR TV, America's first fulltime Spanish- language station, as a producer and director of news. By day, he oversaw the news department, and by night, he produced the live programming the station beamed into the homes across San Antonio. I find this career change remarkable since television was just beginning to earn its now dominant role in our society and he encountered a world of naysayers who told him a Spanish language station could never be as profitable or viable as English stations. Mr. Nicolas proved both Wall Street and Madison Avenue wrong. In 1961, Emilio Nicolas, Sr. and his group of partners bought KCOR, renamed it KWEX, and used the station as one of the first building blocks of the Spanish International Network which was eventually sold and became Univision. As the station's president and general manager, Mr. Nicolas ensured that the station served the needs and interests of the local Mexican-American community. Through his leadership, he made Spanish-language broadcasting viable throughout the country by demonstrating it could be profitable. Mr. Nicolas took corporate responsibility seriously, using the broadcasting platform he built as a tool to champion the needs of the Hispanic community. His success in lobbying Congress in the 1960s to mandate that all television sets be equipped to receive both VHF and UHF signals, was an indispensable part of that effort. Mr. Nicolas, who became president of SICC, the station group for the network, provided a cultural venue to Latinos at a time when images of our community were scarce and often negative. The big three networks dominated the airwaves and the inclusion promised to minorities during the 1960's had yet to occur. So, if television can be said to be a mirror for our nation, then the reflection Latinos saw at that time was distorted and unrepresentative. Mr. Emilio Nicolas, Sr. changed all that with KWEX. Moreover, he served the community at large in a number of other ways. In 1975, Emilio Nicolas, Sr. started the Teleton Navideno, a televised drive to raise money for the less fortunate in San Antonio during the holidays, in which Archbishop Patrick Flores would eventually participate. He was Chairman of the National Association of Spanish Broadcasters and served on the boards of the University of the Incarnate Word, Southwest Foundation, the University of Texas College of Communications, the University of Texas Health Science Center, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. As should be obvious, Mr. Nicolas's considerable time and energy affected numerous facets of life for Latinos in our community and throughout the United States. Moreover, his efforts and influence were crucial in the amnesty legislation of 1986 which made United States citizenship a reality for hardworking people from all over the world. In this age of mass communication, some say if you can't see an event on television, it does not actually happen, so a pioneer like Mr. Emilio Nicolas, Sr. was crucial for Latinos. His years of service to the Latino community have changed our lot for the better and we owe him a debt of gratitude.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to one of the giants of this institution and the State of Texas, a man who recently passed away, former Congressman J.J. ``Jake'' Pickle. Cancer finally beat him on June 18, 2005 and anyone who knew Congressman Pickle knew he did not quit on anything and fought until the end. His relentless approach to politics and life earned him the respect and admiration of the 10th Congressional District he served so well and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. First elected in a special election in 1963, Congressman Pickle served 16 terms until stepping down in 1995. During his service in Washington, he chaired the House Subcommittee on Social Security and was instrumental in implementing improvements that ensured the trust fund's long term solvency for decades to come. Too often, the term public servant is casually used for any person who worked in the public sector, but Congressman Pickle personified every facet of the phrase. Congressman Pickle distinguished himself in a variety of service positions, beginning as the University of Texas student body president, as a member of the National Youth Administration, and as organizational secretary for the State Democratic Executive Committee. After being elected to Congress, he relished returning to his district whenever possible and upon boarding the plane would walk up and down the aisles as if he were working a campaign rally and shake everyone's hand and talk to them. Learned at the knee of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, Congressman Pickle's politics hailed from an era still shaped by the Great Depression and small-town America, a time in which connecting with constituents was a must. Campaigning was a full contact sport in the best sense of the phrase, and every 2 years, he would outwork much younger campaign aides and sought to meet every voter in his district. For Congressman Pickle, politics was a person-to-person enterprise, and he would talk to his constituents and find out their cares and concerns. Full of stories and a smile for everyone, he would engage every person in his path no matter if he happened upon them in the halls of the Capitol or in the streets of Austin. Of course, his influence here in Washington greatly benefited Austin and Central Texas as he was crucial in ensuring funding for the University of Texas, his alma mater, and helped it become the world class facility it is today. Congressman Pickle fought to make sure his district and his state received their fair share. The university benefited in the millions of dollars he steered into its research, technological, and educational programs, and this was pivotal in making Austin one of our Nation's centers for high-tech enterprises such as Dell computers. However, the vote Congressman Pickle was proudest of was the one he cast in favor of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill, which he thought would end his career. As one of six southern Representatives who voted for that landmark piece of legislation, he thought voting his conscience and his principles would make him a one term Congressman. Thankfully that was not the case as he was given the opportunity to work tirelessly and use his unique set of skills in service of his district and Nation. We have truly lost a great American, and we are the poorer for it. Tonight, my prayers and thoughts are with the thousands of lives he touched and his family.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, and 368, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on 363, 364, and 368, and ``no'' on 365, 366 and 367.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 322 and 323, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 339, which honors the newly crowned champions of the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have just won their third title in seven years. In a hard fought victory, the Spurs eventually triumphed over the defending NBA champions the Detroit Pistons in a back and forth series that culminated in a decisive seventh game. I must also honor the spirit of the Detroit Pistons who did not quit after the Spurs routed them in the first two games nor when the Spurs won the crucial game five. Even though the Pistons very reluctantly surrendered the title, they pushed the series to the full seven games, the first NBA finals to go the distance in 11 years. Every significant structure must have a sound and strong foundation, and the Spurs are the model of stability in professional sports as the principal owners, Peter and Julianna Holt, allow the people they hire to run the team without interference. Coach Greg Popovich and General Manager R.C. Buford have created an atmosphere that fosters the spirit of winning basketball and epitomizes the ideals of teamwork, cooperation, and the axiom that the whole is more than the sum of the parts. It is a style that demands sharing the ball, team defense, relentless effort and, above all, selfless play. Moreover, the international composition of the team reflects the increasingly diversified, more tightly knit world in which we live. General Manager, R.C. Buford, spends a great deal of his time in gyms all over the world looking for the next Manu Ginobili, the Argentine swingman whose acrobatic drives into the lane electrified fans and dazzled the opposition. Given the range of languages and cultures of the Spurs, Coach Popovich has done an amazing job of integrating his players into a formidable and cohesive whole. Mr. Speaker, I agree with San Antonio native Dean Aguillen, a die- hard Spurs fan and one of my constituents, when he says that ``The greatness of the Spurs players who hail from Argentina, the Virgin Islands, France, Slovenia, New Zealand, and from across the U.S. have made San Antonio the capital of the international basketball world.'' Naturally, the city of San Antonio has longed embraced the Spurs and considers them family. Spurs basketball suits the Alamo City as a place where substance matters much more than style and people hold others to their words. When the Spurs say they will give their all, they do. So, it is never a surprise when the colors of silver and black sweep the city come springtime as the Spurs work deeper and deeper into the playoffs. So, I would like to honor Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Nazr Mohammed, Rasho Nesterovic, Robert Horry, Devin Brown, Beno Udrih, Brent Barry, and Tony Massenburg. I would also like to recognize Greg Popovich who has now moved into elite coaching company with his third title. The Spurs truly embody our national motto, e pluribus unum, which of course means out of the many come one. All of San Antonio is very proud of the Spurs and of this momentous accomplishment.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a jurist of distinction and a good friend, Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. on the occasion of his 90th birthday. He has been a pillar of the Texas legal community for over half a century and God willing will continue to wield his expertise and knowledge in the years to come for the betterment of our State. This San Antonio native has been pivotal in the affairs of our city but also throughout South Texas. During his long and distinguished career, Judge Casseb has served as judge of the 57th District Court in Bexar County for two terms, as Presiding Judge for the Fourth Administrative District and he now serves as a Senior District Judge of Texas. He presided over a critical phase of the Pennzoil versus Texaco case which led to the largest jury award in American judicial history. Judge Casseb's hard work and dedication have been recognized and honored by a variety of organizations. In 1961, St. Mary's University named him the Outstanding Ex-Student and in 1968 he was given the St. Thomas More Award which St. Mary's Law School annually awards to a ``judge, lawyer, law teacher or layperson who has made exceptional contributions to legal education, the legal profession, or government.'' Judge Casseb's dedication to jurisprudence and service has earned him his place alongside other luminaries such as Archibald Cox, Alexander Haig, and Leon Jaworski. The Texas Trial Lawyers Association named him the Outstanding Judge in 1985, and two years later he won the Texas Bar Foundation's Outstanding Jurist Award. In 1991, the University of the Incarnate Word gave Judge Casseb the Insigne Verbum Award and the University of Texas Law School named a Professorship in his honor, the Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. Research Professorship in Law. Finally, the first Joe Frazier Brown Award for Excellence, the San Antonio Bar Association's highest honor was bestowed on Judge Casseb on Law Day in 1994. In fact, this list of awards contains representation from nearly every legal association, society or school in Texas which should convey an idea of the breadth and depth of his contribution to the field of law in our State. In addition to his myriad legal contributions, Judge Casseb has sought to help those less fortunate than him. He has been pivotal in the administration of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, an organization that has improved the lives of many in Laredo. The Trust he co- administers with JC Martin III supports a wide range of organizations and institutions dedicated to helping the youth of Laredo. The Trust gave the largest philanthropic gift in Laredo history to Texas A&M International University in the form of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center and Planetarium. On the wondrous occasion of his 90th birthday, I wish many more years of health and good fortune for him and his family and may he continue his service to San Antonio and Texas.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a true American hero even though that title is far too often overused. Master Sergeant Jose M. Lopez of San Antonio passed away on May 16th of this year at the age of 94 which in and of itself is remarkable but even more so when one learns of this amazing man's story. Sgt. Lopez was the nation's oldest living Hispanic Medal of Honor winner for his valor during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Sgt. Lopez represents the best of us and stands as a shining example of selflessness and sacrifice. Perhaps it should not be a surprise Sgt. Lopez distinguished himself in battle since he often told one of his granddaughters, June Pedraza, ``Fear is the one thing that will hold you back in life.'' Living that credo time and again throughout his life, Sgt. Lopez faced and overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Born in Mexico in 1910, Sgt. Lopez's mother died when he was 8 leaving him an orphan since he never met his father. He then worked a series of hardscrabble jobs and eventually made his way to the Rio Grande Valley where a family took pity on him and let him sleep in their shed. Later, he rode trains across America and in Atlanta, a bigger man antagonized Sgt. Lopez until he fought and thoroughly whipped his larger opponent. Coincidentally, a boxing manager happened to see the incident unfold and realized potential even though it was packaged in a 5'5'', 130 lb. frame and began training Sgt. Lopez. Rechristened Kid Mendoza, he went on to a professional record of 52 wins and 3 losses and later recounted meeting Babe Ruth as the highlight of his career. In 1936, Sgt. Lopez joined the U.S. Merchant Marines and later worked a number of other maritime jobs. Once, he found himself adrift on a cargo ship without food except for bananas. After the start of World War II, Sgt. Lopez enlisted in the Army and was among the troops who hit the beaches at Normandy a day after D-Day commenced. Sgt. Lopez was wounded as a bullet nicked his hip and as he told Bill Moyers in 1990 for a PBS documentary ``I was really very, very afraid. I wanted to cry, and we saw other people laying wounded and screaming and everything, and there's nothing you could do. We could see them groaning in the water, and we had to keep walking.'' And, he kept going despite his fears until he found himself at another of World War II's turning points, the Battle of the Bulge. On December 17th, 1944 shortly after the sun rose, Sgt. Lopez and his troops in Company K were outside Krinkelt, Belgium when the Germans launched their last-ditch offensive which came to be known as the Battle of the Bulge. Patrolling in advance of Company K, Sgt. Lopez heard a tank which he assumed was Allied since a soldier hundreds of yards away failed to alert him otherwise. Carrying a Browning machine gun, he jumped into a shallow hole when he realized the tank was a German Tiger and the troops following it were German. Concerned for his men, he opened fired even though he was exposed from the waist up. First, he killed the 10 soldiers arrayed around the tank. After the tank fired three shell blasts that knocked him over and left him concussed, Sgt. Lopez got to his feet again and cut down 25 more soldiers until he saw that the advancing Germans would soon outflank his position. He lugged his machine gun to a fall back spot and fired again. Officers witnessing the scene stopped counting when the death toll reached 100. After delaying the German onslaught for precious minutes, Sgt. Lopez dashed into the forest while dodging enemy fire until he rejoined the men he had saved. The American forces in Krinke1t burrowed in and forced the Germans to bypass the town. His Medal of Honor citation commended his ``seemingly suicidal missions in which he killed at least 100 of the enemy . . . [and which] were almost solely responsible for allowing Company K to avoid being enveloped, to withdraw successfully and to give other forces coming up in support time to build a line which repelled the enemy drive.'' Despite his obvious valor, Sgt. Lopez remained a modest man who later told the San Antonio Express-News in 2001, ``You learn to protect the line and do the best you can with the ammunition you have, and I did it.'' Later, Sgt. Lopez served during the Korean War, and undertook a variety of jobs within the Army including overseeing a motor pool. He retired in 1973, yet continued to be physically active as he jogged until he was 88 and only gave up seeing a trainer three months ago. He was a committed family man whose beloved wife passed away in February of last year. As his son John Lopez said ``He was a great hero, without being a hero around his family.'' He is survived by five children, 19 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. This quintessential American story reaffirms my belief in our nation as a beacon for those willing to work and sacrifice to improve their lot in life no matter how meager and humble one's beginning may have been.

Mr. GONZALEZ

Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Candy Gardner, a longtime resident of San Antonio, whose family has woven itself into the fabric of our city over their four generations of residence. As leaders of the Temple Beth-El, they have worked tirelessly to improve the lot of the members of their congregation and those throughout the city. And, Candy has been no different as she has volunteered in a number of different capacities at Temple Beth-El and in San Antonio. In recognition of her efforts, on May 18, 2005 the Honors Committee of the Temple Beth-El Sisterhood will name Candy the 2005 Or Tamid for her countless hours of hard work in the Temple and our community. A beautiful tradition stretching from the beginnings of Western civilization, Judaism is a faith built on works. It is the duty of every Jew to make a more perfect world not only for their family and immediate world but the larger community as well, and Candy's actions have been guided by this credo. Candy has devoted countless hours to the Sisterhood as the VP of Advancement of Judaism, VP of Human Relations, and President. She has also served as the committee chair for Publicity, Program, Docents, Oneg Shabbats, Yearbook, and Needlework Group. Moreover, in addition to her responsibilities as the Courtesy Chair and the Women's Torah Study Chair, Candy proofs the Bulletin, the publication of Temple Beth-El, and the Yom Kippur Book of Remembrance, and even leads docent tours of the Temple which is fitting since she rewrote the docent guidebook after the congregation moved back into the finished building. However, I do not want to create the impression Candy limits her efforts to the Temple as she has served as President of the Any Baby Can Alliance, San Antonio Chapter of ORT, and School Class Acts. Also, she has been vital in fostering the arts in our city as a Friend of the McNay Museum, and a member of the San Antonio Symphony League. Of course, Judaism has long advocated for and supported the enrichment of our existence that art can provide, and her efforts have aimed to ensure San Antonio would not be without this vital sustenance. As dedicated as Candy has been to building and strengthening the institution of Temple Beth-El, she has also worked to deepen her own understanding of Judaism and also to help others better know the Tanakh. Her devotion to continuing education embodies another central tenet of Judaism, that of constant investigation and reexamination in order to better understand the tradition as it has developed and progressed through the centuries. I laud this dogged pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment since it can strengthen the impulse to invest one's life in helping others. Candy's life is certainly living proof of this dynamic. Of course, Candy is a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, the latter a job she considers the best of all. I imagine her family is proud that her years of dedication are being recognized as she receives this award. I am also proud to know that San Antonio is home to a person relentless in her mission to make it a better place.