Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 163, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendments Offered by Mr. Poe

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, May is Older Americans Month. Let us celebrate Older Americans Month by passing a budget that will promote their dignity and health. The once-per-decade White House Conference on Aging put reauthorization of the Older Americans Act at the top of its list of national priorities. I am proud that we are working in a bipartisan manner to pass a consensus bill to reauthorize this essential law that has built the foundation for our aging network. However, we must couple reauthorization with real resources. We know that every dollar spent providing a meal or supporting seniors so that they can remain at home and in their communities not only improves their quality of life, but saves entitlement spending on long-term care. That is the genius of the Older Americans Act. Yet we know that the Older Americans Act's purchasing power per individual has dropped by 50 percent since 1980. It is incumbent upon all of us to step up and invest in these programs. It is one sure way to help control the cost of our growing entitlement programs. It is the right thing to do.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 153, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, this week, the business periodical INC.com named the McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr region in my congressional district in Texas as its second hottest mid-size metropolitan area in the country. When I first came to Congress nearly 10 years ago, this area was one of the poorest, economically deprived and most neglected regions of the country. It was plagued with three decades of double digit unemployment rates. I made it one of my primary goals to help curb these trends, and I am thankful to have seen that dream come true in 2006. Today, the area is booming. The population has increased by 48 percent in 10 years. Creation of new jobs is up substantially, and the unemployment rate is now below 8 percent. Children are graduating from high school and accessing higher education, and more students are seeking advanced college degrees. I have seen the increase in Federal resources, investments in human capital and infrastructure. Thanks to business investment, job training programs and open markets, McAllen, Edinburg, and Pharr are models of achievement for the rest of the country. The successes experienced in this region are the results of a collaborative effort by community leaders and a tremendous amount of hard work. I congratulate all those involved in so many of the projects, conversations and planning that we had along the way. We must continue our collaborative efforts to improve the quality of life in South Texas.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the staff, the administration, and the students and families of the Science Academy of South Texas and the South Texas High School For Health Professions in my hometown of Mercedes, Texas. I congratulate them on being named among the Newsweek magazine's ``Best High Schools in America for 2006.'' This year, our science academy ranked 11th and our health professions high school ranked 91st. As you can tell, my heart swells with pride for our magnet schools. Both these schools are located in a community that possesses some of the highest rates of poverty and the lowest levels of education attainment in the Nation. These schools serve as a shining example to our Nation that when students are provided with the right opportunities they can and they will excel despite whatever socioeconomic challenges they must overcome. I congratulate these institutions and their students for their successful efforts and commend their parents, faculty, administration and staff. I hope that their story will provide our Nation with added inspiration to continue to forge the best educational system possible for our youth. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the staff, administration, students, and families of the Science Academy of South Texas and the South Texas High School for Health Professions in my hometown of Mercedes, TX on being named among Newsweek magazine's ``Best High Schools in America for 2006.'' This year, our Science Academy ranked 11th and our Health Professions High School ranked 91st. As you can tell, my heart swells with pride for our magnet schools. Both these schools are located in a community that possesses some of the highest rates of poverty and lowest levels of education attainment in the Nation. These schools serve as a shining example to our Nation that when students are provided with the right opportunities they can excel despite whatever socioeconomic challenges they must overcome. A quality, comprehensive and challenging education is the most valuable gift we can give to our children. This is the third time schools from the South Texas Independent School District have received this prestigious recognition, and it solidifies their standing as a model of excellence and a community that crafts exemplary institutions. The teachers and administrators of this district are truly committed to educating and encouraging our future leaders. As the country continues to move forward into the 21st century, the need for mathematicians, doctors, scientists, nurses, engineers and the leaders of tomorrow continues to be of the utmost importance, and a high school diploma is the first step to becoming a successful contributor to society. The programs of study at these high schools ensure that students graduate ready to succeed in college, and more importantly they help students secure the building blocks that lead to successful lives and careers. Their story is truly inspiring. I would also like to congratulate Superintendent Marla Guerra, as well as the members of the school board of trustees, the faculty, students, parents and alumni on 40 years of achievement. This school district demonstrates a regional commitment to excellence. The recognition that these two high schools have received is just one of many accolades earned by the South Texas Independent School District. My involvement in establishing the magnet high school system for South Texas is one of my proudest achievements. Over 20 years ago, as a member of the Texas State Board of Education, I led a delegation from South Texas to Houston to visit that city's highly regarded magnet schools. We knew that we wanted that caliber of opportunity for our students. However, we were told that such a program could not work in South Texas. We were told that we did not have the financial resources and that we could not find the students. But we did not believe the nay- sayers. We knew it could be done. Today, two South Texas magnet high schools, with student populations that are almost 80 percent Hispanic and over 50 percent eligible for free or reduced priced lunches, are among the most elite high schools in the Nation. Every day, they bring students and observers closer to realizing the vast potential of our community. They are a model of what is possible when we invest in our children and demand the very best. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Science Academy of South Texas and the South Texas High School for Health Professions on a job well done.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 121 and rollcall No. 122, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on 121 and ``yea'' on 122.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record the National Council on Economic Education's letter in support of H. Res. 737, a bill Recognizing the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month that falls in April of each year. Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R- IL) and I introduced the bill earlier this year. The House Committee on Government Reform reported the bill out favorably to the House floor, and it passed the House on April 6, 2006 by a recorded vote of 423-1. I would like to submit for the Record the Final Results of the 2006 Stock Market Game Capitol Hill Challenge as it pertains to my district. During the Challenge, 78 schools from across the country, and one school in Germany, invested 100,000 hypothetical dollars into the U.S. markets. Ten teams from La Feria High School in my district participated in the Challenge. I want to personally commend them for their valiant efforts to learn the ins and outs of the stock market and congratulate all of them for their excellent performance. I look forward to more high schools in my district participating in this Challenge next year. Finally, I would like to submit for the Record an article by Brigitte Yuille of Bankrate.com entitled ``10 tips to make your children money- wise.'' I believe that it provides some excellent recommendations for parents to improve their children's financial literacy. National Council on Economic Education, April 5, 2006. Hon. Judy Biggert, House of Representatives, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. Hon. Ruben Hinojosa, House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Representatives Biggert and Hinojosa: On behalf of the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE), I am writing to express my support for H. Res. 737, a Resolution Supporting the Goals of Financial Literacy Month. I understand that the House is scheduled to vote on H. Res. 737 today, and I want to commend you and your colleagues for highlighting the importance of financial and economic education. The NCEE is a nonprofit organization that has worked to enhance elementary and secondary economic and financial literacy education since 1949. Since that time, our organization has established comprehensive programs that equip teachers with tools to get economics and personal finance into the classroom, and to help students apply in their lives what they learn in school. The NCEE operates through a network of state councils and university-affiliated centers for economic education, which allows us to reach teachers, and through them students, across the country. H. Res. 737 provides a timely ``call to action'' to leaders in government and education, as well as parents and students, to improve financial and economic literacy. This national priority begins with providing students with the solid grounding in the fundamentals of economics and personal finance that will lead to sound decisions through life. H. Res. 737 correctly recognizes that school education is the beginning of this process, and that it is also important to ``improve financial literacy rates for Americans of all ages and walks of life.'' We look forward to continuing to work with both of you, along with the House Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, and all Members of the House and Senate, to achieve the goals reflected in H. Res. 737. Thank you again for your leadership on this critical issue. Sincerely, Robert F. Duvall, President & CEO.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, personal financial literacy is essential to ensure that individuals are prepared to manage money, credit, and debt, and become responsible workers, heads of households, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and citizens. Financial literacy has been linked to lower delinquency rates for mortgage borrowers, higher participation and contribution rates in retirement plans, improved spending and saving habits, higher net worth, and positive knowledge, attitude, and behavior changes. Expanding access to the mainstream financial system provides individuals with lower-cost and safer options for managing finances and building wealth and is likely to lead to increased economic activity and growth. A March 2005 GAG report entitled Credit Reporting Literacy found that educational efforts could potentially increase consumers' understanding of the credit reporting process and those efforts should target those areas in which consumers' knowledge was weakest and those subpopulations that did not score as well on GAG's survey, including those with less education, lower incomes, and less experience obtaining credit. Public, consumer, community-based, and private sector organizations throughout the United States are working to increase financial literacy rates for Americans of all ages and walks of life through a range of outreach efforts, including media campaigns, websites, and one-on-one counseling for individuals. In February 2005, Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) and I co-founded, and currently co- chair, the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, FELC, to (1) provide a forum for interested Members of Congress to work in collaboration with the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, (2) highlight public and private sector best practices, and (3) organize and promote financial literacy legislation, seminars, and events, such as Financial Literacy Month in April 2006 and the annual Financial Literacy Day fair on April 25, 2006. The Caucus has been a success. I would like to submit for the Record the following letters in support of a bill Congresswoman Biggert and I co-sponsored and that passed the House: H. Res. 737, a bill Recognizing the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month that falls in April of each year. The bill was reported to the House favorably by the Committee on Government Reform and passed the House on April 6, 2006 by a recorded vote of 423- 1. The documents I am submitting today include letters of support for H. Res. 737 from the Federal Trade Commission and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. I am also submitting for the Record three letters in support of Financial Literacy Month. They include a letter from the President, George W. Bush, Rick Perry, Governor of the State of Texas, and the Southeast Regional Financial Education Center. Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC Dear Member of Congress: Thank you for co-sponsoring House Resolution 737, designating April 2006 as ``Financial Literacy Month'' to raise public awareness about the importance of financial education in the United States, and calling on various public and private entities to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities. Measures such as this help boost consumer education programs the Federal Trade Commission has developed for fostering a national ``culture of financial smarts,'' where all individuals can take steps towards personal financial stability and contribute to a healthy national economy. Along these lines, the FTC's Office of Congressional Relations wanted to share with you new resources launched for Financial Literacy Month that are available for supporting your outreach programs. Enclosed please find the FTC's ``Focus on Finances'' booklet, which we have modified from a newspaper supplement that ran in The Washington Times. As you will see, the booklet serves as a guide for young adults, entering a new phase in their lives in facing new financial challenges and opportunities. From new college students to graduates entering the work force, this guide focuses on issues that all consumers are faced with: credit, budgeting, debt, and identity theft. We hope you will agree this booklet will be a valuable tool for distribution via district offices or as handouts at community events. The publication can be printed out via the FTC's Web site at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/misc/ nie0406.pdf, or you can contact me, Derick Rill, at my e-mail address_drill@ftc.gov, or via phone at 202-326-3007. Beyond the FTC's Focus on Finances booklet, the FTC has a wide range of consumer education resources we think you will agree can serve to help your constituents, and we are happy to discuss with your staff ideas for newsletter items, Web site assistance areas, town hall events and more. See the reverse side of this document for details. Thank you again for being a part of Financial Literacy Month and please let us know how we can best help your office reach the goals that your resolution set stressing the importance of financial education for all Americans. We look forward to working with you in the future. Please call us at FTC anytime we can be of service. Sincerely, Derick Rill, Congressional Outreach Specialist.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record the following letters in support of H. Res. 737, a bill ``Recognizing the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month'' that falls in April of each year. The bill was reported to the House favorably by the Committee on Government Reform and passed the House on April 6, 2006 by a recorded vote of 423-1. The documents I am submitting include letters of support for the bill from the Texas Credit Union League, the Texas State Securities Board, the Credit Union National Association, and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. Texas Credit Union League, Dallas, TX, April 10, 2006. Hon. Ruben Hinojosa, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Hinojosa: On behalf of the Texas Credit Union League, I would like to thank you for your work to pass H. Res. 737 and your commitment to improving financial literacy in our country. Credit Unions see financial education as a cornerstone of financial independence. Knowledge of financial products, with their benefits along with their disadvantages, allows consumers to make better decisions and improve their lives and the lives of their families. Recognizing Financial Literacy month helps in the effort to educate our citizens about financial products and services. We look forward to working with you on this important issue in the future and applaud your leadership in bringing it to the forefront of the Congressional agenda. Respectfully, Dick Ensweiler President and CEO, Texas Credit Union League.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 737 that the gentlewoman from Illinois, Congresswoman Biggert, and I introduced earlier this year. The legislation supports the ideals and goals of Financial Literacy Month, which falls in April of each year. Before I proceed, I want to take this opportunity to thank my good friend and colleague, Congressman Danny Davis, the ranking member on the Government Reform Federal Workforce Subcommittee, and especially Tania Shand of the minority staff for helping expedite committee consideration of our bill. I also want to thank Congressman Westmoreland for managing time on this bill. My colleague and friend from Illinois, Congressman Davis, has always been a strong supporter of economic education and financial literacy, and I want to thank him for managing the bill today for our side of the aisle. Mrs. Biggert and I have also worked closely on financial literacy issues with House Rules Chairman David Dreier over the years. I think all of us owe him and Vince Erse, on his staff, a great deal of gratitude for being one of the first Members of Congress to bring attention to the need to improve financial literacy rates here in the United States. Every day consumers deal with money, from balancing a checking account to shopping for a mortgage or auto loan, researching ways to pay for a college education, checking credit card statements, saving money for retirement, understanding a credit report, or simply deciding whether to pay cash or charge a purchase. The list goes on and on. But many consumers do not really understand their finances. In 2004 reports from Jump$tart and the National Counsel on Economic Education, the Schwab Foundation and others indicated that almost 66 percent of high school students failed a basic financial literacy exam. The numbers are not much better for adults. High bankruptcy rates, increased credit card debt, data security breaches, and identity theft make it imperative that all of us take an active role in providing financial and economic education during all stages of one's life. On February 15, 2005, I co-founded, and currently co-chair, the Congressional Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus with Congresswoman Biggert. The caucus seeks to address these issues head on by increasing public awareness of poor financial literacy rates and will work to improve those rates. The caucus has provided a forum for my colleagues to promote policies that advance financial literacy and economic education. It is my hope that through the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus we can continue to further educate Americans about financial and economic topics ranging from the importance of saving, reducing credit card debt, obtaining a free annual credit report, and taking care of your finances to lead you down the path to the American dream of homeownership. At this point, Mr. Speaker, I will insert into the Record letters in support of this resolution. They include a letter from the Financial Planning Association, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, the Credit Union National Association, from MasterCard, from the Networks Financial Institute, as well as from the North American Securities Administrators Association. And then it includes a press release from the Independent Community Bankers of America. North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., Washington, DC, April 5, 2006. Hon. Judy Biggert, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Ruben Hinojosa, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congresswoman Biggert and Congressman Hinojosa: On behalf of NASAA I thank you for introducing H. Res. 737, which supports the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month. As the Resolution details, the need for financial education in the United States has never been greater. With a majority of Americans investing in our capital markets, there is a growing obligation to ensure our citizens are equipped with a basic understanding of the principles of savings and investing and the ability to recognize and avoid financial fraud. State securities regulators have a long tradition of protecting investors through education, and many have established an investor education department within their regulatory agency. Several years ago, recognizing the importance of financial literacy to the prevention of fraud and abuse, the NASAA Board of Directors created an Investor Education Section to develop and support financial literacy and education programs to be delivered at the state level. As part of the effort to educate our nation's youth, in April, state securities division staffs will join in celebrating ``Financial Literacy Month'' by visiting schools throughout their state to teach students about personal finance, the capital markets, investment choices and fraud. Reaching out to our young citizens is just one component of the ongoing financial education effort undertaken by state securities regulators. We are dedicated to improving financial literacy for our constituents of all ages, recognizing that financial education has a direct impact on the economic health of our families, communities, states and this country overall. We commend you for your continued efforts to draw attention to the importance of financial literacy programs. Please contact Daphne Smith, Tennessee Securities Commissioner and Chair of NASAA's Investor Education Section, or Deborah House in NASAA's corporate office if we may be of further assistance to you. We look forward to continuing our work with you and your offices on this particular issue. Sincerely, Patricia D. Struck, NASAA President, Wisconsin Securities Administrator.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 46, let the permanent Record reflect I intended to vote ``aye.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I plan to withdraw my amendment after I give a summary of the serious condition of the floodway levee system near the Rio Grande River in Texas. My friend and colleague, Mr. Lloyd Doggett, has brought some charts and shown what he understands to be the problem. I was born and raised there. I remember 1967 when six brothers were told by my dad that we were going to stop and shut down our business to go and help control what was happening on our levees that just could not stand the over 28 feet of water that was coming down the Rio Grande River and that our levee system was unable to stand up to that pressure. So I am here to say that we today are appropriating billions of dollars to help New Orleans recover because we did not spend the millions necessary to maintain our levee system. Because of our shortsightedness, the residents of New Orleans are displaced and many died trying to escape the flood waters. I am here today to plead with you to not let this tragedy happen in my part of the country. The International Boundary Water Commission is charged with maintaining over 500 miles of levees along the U.S.-Mexico border. A recent study by the U.S. Corps of Engineers shows that numerous sections of these levees are too weak, they are too low to hold back flood waters from the devastating Rio Grande River. More than a million people call the Rio Grande Valley home, and 2.5 million people live on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River. This region is the poorest in the Nation, and I am sure we do not want to see more images on television of the poorest of the poor losing what little they have. My colleagues in Congress need to know that the Rio Grande Valley is also the gateway through which much of our Nation's commerce flows. Should a devastating flood hit the valley, factories and small businesses in Indiana, Illinois, New York, and throughout the Nation will shut down because of their inability to get just-in-time deliveries of the parts and supplies from maquiladoras that come through the valley's international border ports. My constituents are not only afraid of the effects of a category 4 or category 5 hurricane, such as we experienced with Hurricane Beulah in 1967, but we are worried that even a slow-moving tropical storm could make them homeless like their neighbors in New Orleans. Heavy rains in the mountains of northern Mexico could cause a catastrophe because those flood waters empty into the Rio Grande River in areas from El Paso to Laredo to Roma and to Brownsville, Texas. The IBWC estimates that $125 million would fix all of our inadequate floodway levees in South Texas. My border colleagues and I, in a bipartisan collaboration with other members of the Texas delegation, will be asking the appropriators for most of this funding over a 5-year period or sooner through the regular appropriations process. This evening, I spoke with Chairman Wolf and have agreed to work with him on ways to resolve these concerns. I welcome that opportunity. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

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

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to another good friend and colleague from the great State of Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee of Houston.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise in support of H. Res. 668, a resolution to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Texas Western's 1966 NCAA basketball championship. I am proud to join my colleague and very good friend, the resolution's author, Congressman Silvestre Reyes from El Paso, in commemorating the 40th anniversary of this watershed event in our struggle for racial equality. On March 19, 1966, Texas Western College's Coach Don Haskins led an all-black starting lineup to a 72-65 win over an all-white team from the basketball powerhouse, University of Kentucky. For Coach Haskins, he was simply putting his best players on the floor. For the Nation, he delivered the message that in competition, talent and ability mattered more than race. This is a lesson that we are still learning today. The young men who took Texas Western College to a 28-1 championship season braved racism and hostile crowds to carry their team and their college to victory. I invite you to see this 1966 team photo in front of Memorial Gym, courtesy of the University of Texas El Paso. These champions were Bobby Joe Hill, Orsten Artis, Togo Railey, Willie Worsley, David Palacio, Dick Meyers, Harry Flournoy, Louis Baudoin, Nevil Shed, Jerry Armstrong, Willie Cager, and David Lattin. It is fitting that on this 40th anniversary of the 1966 Miners breaking the color barrier in the NCAA championship game, that we reflect on how far we have come and how far we have yet to go. College enrollments are at an all-time high; and yet black, Hispanic, and low- income students are not enrolling and graduating at the rates we need for our Nation to put its best players on the floor. Texas Western College is now the University of Texas El Paso. As an institution, it continues to lead the charge in developing our best talents without regard to race, ethnicity, or family income. The University of Texas El Paso is one of our Nation's leading Hispanic- serving institutions: 72 percent of its students are Hispanic. It is third in the Nation for producing Hispanic undergraduates, and is also rated the top engineering school for Hispanics. Since 1988, it has been led by a Latina, Dr. Diana Natalicio, a top administrator and a trailblazer by anyone's measure. The University of Texas El Paso, in the spirit of the 1966 championship Miners, continues to break barriers and continues to refuse to let race, ethnicity, or family income trump talent and hard work. I hope that all my colleagues will join me in celebrating this milestone in college athletics and racial equality. Please join me in saluting the Miners on the 40th anniversary of their NCAA championship, and I urge you to vote for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague from El Paso, Texas (Mr. Reyes), the author of this legislation.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 12, and ``no'' on rollcall No. 13.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this ill- conceived and harmful legislation, H.R. 4437. Our immigration laws are in need of a complete overhaul. There are bipartisan proposals on the table, but the majority is not interested in solutions. It is interested in finding its next wedge issue for this 2006 campaign season. Our Nation will suffer as a result. For the past 20 years we have taken a get-tough enforcement-only approach to this immigration problem, and the result has been the situation we find ourselves in today. Those of us who represent border districts live on the front lines on the immigration issue. Let me give you a view from where we live. Our schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and social services are being stretched to the limit. At the same time, we have experienced a surge in economic activity and growth. My area has one of the fastest rates of job growth in the Nation. Immigration is both a challenge and an engine for growth. We need laws that are up to the challenge. For a perspective from the front lines, listen to the words of John McClung, the president of the Texas Produce Association: ``Attempting to solve our border problems by passing draconian `enforcement' legislation, absent a credible guest worker program, would be enormously destructive to the economy, unfair to employers, ruinous to our relations with Mexico, and, yes, that really does matter.'' Mr. Chairman, I will submit the full text of this letter into the Record. This bill will not help families. In my district, our caseworkers and our advocacy organizations, on a daily basis, work with families who have been waiting 10 years or more to be re-united with loved ones--a spouse, a sister, a child, a grandparent. The backlogs are enormous, and the system is capricious and error-ridden. Call for information on your immigration case, and the temporary contract worker at the call center with little to no training in immigration rules will give you a different answer every time. This bill does nothing to fix our immigration system. It is not reality-based. It should be rejected. Texas Produce Association, Mission, TX, December 13, 2005 Hon. Ruben E. Hinojosa, Washington, DC. Dear Rep. Hinojosa: I am writing the Texas Congressional delegation in the belief that the Congress is perilously close to passing ill conceived immigration reform legislation that will do grave injury to this country, and fail in its objectives. My office is about five miles from the U.S./Mexico border. My home is about a third of a mile from that border. I am as mindful as any American--more than most--of the surge of illegals into this country, and I certainly understand, and sympathize with, the need most of us feel to return to the rule of law. From the front yard of my house in the rural Rio Grande Valley, I often see groups of illegals trudging down the road. Many times I've watched the Border Patrol agents chase them down, cuff them, and haul them away. I can tell you that there's no satisfaction in it, no sense of the good guys prevailing. Only a sad recognition that this country's immigration laws are a dismal failure by any measure: economic, humanitarian, political. The saving grace is that enough illegals, get through to do most of the jobs that need doing, as disgraceful, flawed and inefficient as our nonsystem may be. At least, they get through for now. I represent an industry that employs thousands of semi-skilled laborers, and increasingly is unable to find anywhere near an adequate supply of willing workers. Most people don't want to do stoop labor in the fields, no matter the pay scale. They certainly don't want their kids doing it. So we truly need guest workers from Mexico or Central America or wherever. So does the restaurant industry, and the construction industry, and every other industry that requires numbers of semiskilled workers. And what is the U.S. Congress doing about this mess? Preparing, it appears, to make a very bad situation a lot worse. Most of us get it down here in rural Texas. Why can't more members of Congress get it? Is the need to act tough for the media so compelling? Is the ideologue mantra of no amnesty (adjustment of status?) for lawbreakers going to be allowed to jeopardize American agriculture, and conceivably the national economy? Is the fact that these illegals want essential jobs in this country that none of our own citizens will take at any realistic pay rate of no consequence at all because they're ``illegal'' or ``undocumented''? Attempting to solve our border problems by passing draconian ``enforcement'' legislation, absent a credible guest worker program, would be enormously destructive to the economy, unfair to employers, ruinous to our relations with Mexico (and yes, that really does matter), and ultimately unenforceable. The Sensenbrenner bill just passed out by the Judiciary Committee (H.R. 4437)--the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005-- is a grand example. It relies on bludgeoning U.S. employers into submission with fines and administrative procedures, but only after denying them the only source of labor they might realistically have hoped for. As I hope you recognize, it's just one of several one-sided bills designed to appease the ``broken borders'' crowd. Here's what we're asking. The Sensenbrenner bill needs to be shelved, as do all proposals that do not include a practical alien worker provision. To require electronic verification of employment eligibility without a smart guest laborer program, and without some form of ``amnesty,'' won't succeed. For those who gag on the idea of amnesty, the real question isn't determining how to avoid rewarding scofflaws-- the real issue is deciding to avoid punishing this country. The produce industry has long supported the Craig-Kennedy AgJOBS bill (Flake-Kolbe on the House side), and continues to do so. If you and your colleagues can engineer a better bill than Flake-Kolbe, that would be great. If you can't, pass AgJOBS. Either way, please help lead the nation away from a politically expedient catastrophe. Thank you for your consideration. John M. McClung, President and CEO.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to work with Congressman Osborne, and I want to say that I think this piece of legislation is one that is going to be very beneficial. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 856, entitled Federal Youth Coordination Act. I would like to commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) for bringing this bill forward. I would also like to add that I admire the gentleman's exemplary work in support of our youth from mentoring and outreach programs to this type of effort to coordinate Federal youth programs. His commitment to young people is genuine, and his leadership is greatly appreciated. His Federal Youth Coordination Act would establish a Federal Youth Development Council consisting of all of the Federal agencies that have youth development programs. With input from the community, this council would be tasked with ensuring communication across Federal agencies serving youth and developing a plan and set of recommendations to improve Federal services to youth. I think that we can all agree that coordination is sorely needed. Today's population of adolescents and young adults is the largest in our Nation's history. High schools and colleges are seeing record enrollments. Tragically, the White House Task Force on Disadvantaged Youth reported that one-quarter of our young people are at serious risk of not achieving productive adulthood. We know from numerous reports that nearly one-third of our high school students fail to earn a diploma with their peers. For African American and Hispanic students, the number is even worse with only 50 percent graduating. Furthermore, many of our young people are not leaving high school ready for college or for work. It is incumbent upon all of us to build communities with the educational opportunities and support system in place to help our youth become successful adults. Our record number of teenagers must become a record number of high school and college graduates, and a record number of teachers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, and unskilled professionals. We must not allow this generation to produce record numbers for the juvenile justice, runaway, and homeless youth or foster care systems. Clearly, success will require strong coordination, schools, families, community-based organizations, employers, health providers, and social service agencies all working together. The Federal Government should lead by example, coordinating its own efforts to support our youth, and H.R. 856 is a step in the right direction. I would note one concern with the legislation as drafted, however. The amended version of the bill requires the council to report using the results from the Office of Management and Budget's program assessment rating tool, often referred to by the acronym PART. This tool is the subject of significant controversy. For example, a recent GAO report highlighted the closed nature of the PART process and its emphasis on short-term budget planning over long-term goal setting. In fact, the administration has used the PART as a means to eliminate programs that are not viewed as priorities. Some of these programs are critical to youth and young families, such as the Even Start Family Literacy program, TRIO program, and the GEAR UP and Dropout Prevention programs. It would be ironic to have the PART tool used to provide a rationalization for eliminating programs to help youth rather than expanding their reach and effectiveness. It is my hope that our focus on accountability for programs will remain with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, our public law that provides for an open public process for developing objective information on the effectiveness and efficiency of Federal programs and spending. In closing, I would like to encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, H.R. 856, to coordinate our Federal youth programs. May it spark an even greater sustained investment in our young people. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed listening to the remarks by our chairman of the Education Committee. I, too, am saddened that the ranking member of our committee, George Miller from California, and the ranking member of one of the other committees that deals with this issue, Lynn Woolsey, was unable to make the hearing so that they could participate and express their own thoughts. But I can say this, that everything that the chairman said is correct, that we have made great strides. But coming from an area that has a great rural community in Texas that I represent, I have met with many parents who have children who need this type of education. Their children are disabled, and they talk about the frustration that they have. They wish that the State government would invest much more, together with our public schools. Unfortunately, throughout the country, States find themselves lacking the wherewithal and the financial ability to put more money into many of our public schools. So it is up to the Federal Government, who has a $2.5 trillion budget, to be able to find the money to increase that investment as we promised 30 years ago and to get to that full funding as we promised then, because I see a lot of potential in those disabled children who, but for the money that the Federal Government could invest, they are not getting the best education possible. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

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