Will Hurd

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Police Department of the City of Socorro for their selfless and dedicated service to the City of Socorro. The extraordinary efforts of the 28 uniformed officers and their civilian counterparts have helped ensure that Socorro remains a safe city for residents and businesses and for the third time in three years, led to Socorro being named one of the 50 safest cities in the State of Texas. I am proud to represent a community as closely-knit and dedicated to service and safety as Socorro, TX. I would also like to acknowledge the extraordinary leadership of Police Chief Carlos R. Maldonado, who has used his leadership skills and intimate knowledge of community-focused law enforcement to keep Socorro safe. Chief Maldonado's work in bringing a new training facility to Socorro, his role in ensuring upper-level training for his officers, and his influence in bringing a canine unit to Socorro have benefited the City tremendously. On behalf of the 23rd Congressional District of Texas, congratulations to the entire Socorro Police Department for their excellent work.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, our nation was founded by and built upon the blood, sweat, and tears of immigrants. Today, I want to honor one particular immigrant, U.S. Army Private Marcelino Serna, the most decorated World War I Veteran from Texas. The heroic story of Private Serna, an immigrant from Mexico, began when he volunteered for the U.S. Army during World War I. After a brief training, Serna was sent overseas to join the Allied Powers in Europe. Upon arrival, it came to light that he was not a U.S. citizen. Serna had the option of withdrawing from the fight. Instead, he decided to stay and fight together with his fellow soldiers. During his time abroad, Serna's dedication and bravery stood out with acts worthy of a Medal of Honor. While he did not receive the Medal of Honor during his lifetime, he is currently being reviewed to receive it now. During the war, Serna was injured in a confrontation that left twelve of his companions dead. He continued to fight, chasing those who had attacked them, managing to capture eight German soldiers. In another confrontation, Serna managed to capture twenty-four enemy soldiers alone. Upon discovering a sniper's position, Serna shot and wounded him. As the soldier fled to his base, Serna decided to follow him. After discovering the base, Serna attacked, killed 26 enemy soldiers, and forced another 24 to surrender. Without a doubt, these two examples of heroism demonstrated his dedication and commitment to the fight, but there is more to Serna's story. As he led the prisoners back to the Allied base, some of his fellow soldiers suggested that they should be executed. Serna refused to allow this. Alongside his courage, he possessed a remarkable sense of honor. For his extraordinary acts of valor, Serna was awarded two Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military honor after the Medal of Honor. This bill serves to commend his bravery by renaming the Tornillo Port of Entry in honor of Pvt. Marcelino Serna, who lived in the area and is buried with full military honors at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso. The Tornillo-Marcelino Serna Port of Entry will not only honor this extraordinary man's service to our nation, it will serve as a reminder of the countless Mexican-American immigrants who have fought valiantly to keep our nation safe. Their contributions and sacrifices will not be ignored or forgotten. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2133) to improve Federal agency financial and administrative controls and procedures to assess and mitigate fraud risks, and to improve Federal agencies' development and use of data analytics for the purpose of identifying, preventing, and responding to fraud, including improper payments.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2133, the Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act of 2015, introduced by Senator Thomas Carper of Delaware. S. 2133 is a bipartisan bill that will strengthen and enhance the antifraud prevention and detection measures used by Federal agencies. Current antifraud prevention and detection measures are reliant on after-the-fact reviews of transactions. This system is not perfect. A significant portion of the Federal Government's $124 billion in overpayments in fiscal year 2014--$19 billion more than fiscal year 2013--were fraud-related. The current reactive antifraud measures require agencies to spend time and resources on efforts to track and recover these fraud-related overpayments. S. 2133 will help to prevent these fraudulent payments from being made in the first place. The Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act of 2015 will help protect taxpayer dollars by requiring the Office of Management and Budget, OMB, and Federal agencies to adopt proactive fraud detection controls and preventative measures. The bill will require the OMB to create a set of guidelines for antifraud measures, which agencies must utilize when establishing their proactive antifraud control and detection procedures. The bill will also require agencies to better collaborate on developing best practices for combating fraud. S. 2133 also requires that agencies create an interagency working group in order to share best practices and crucial fraud prevention data, such as the Social Security Administration's data to prevent payments to deceased individuals. Mr. Speaker, passing S. 2133 and requiring agencies to adopt a proactive antifraud approach will not only serve to protect taxpayer dollars, but increase public confidence in the administration of government programs, especially benefit programs. I would like to thank Senator Carper and Senator Thom Tillis for introducing this good government legislation, and I would like to thank the Subcommittee on Government Operations chairman Mark Meadows for championing this bill in the House. I urge Members to support this bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4902) to amend title 5, United States Code, to expand law enforcement availability pay to employees of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4902. Those who serve along our Nation's borders make countless sacrifices protecting the homeland in the most literal of ways by stopping bad guys from entering our country and harming Americans. The Customs and Border Protection officers and agents who serve in my district, which covers over 800 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, have an increasingly challenging job. Not only do they keep us safe from terrorists and drug cartels, but they also apprehend illegal contraband and rescue victims of human trafficking. CBP's Air and Marine Operations, or AMO, patrols our Nation's borders by aircraft and vessels, specifically. AMO is made up of over 1,200 Federal agents, 250 aircraft, and over 280 marine vessels, operating from 91 locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. These brave agents are often required to work long, unpredictable hours and are compensated through various confusing and inconsistent pay systems, causing an administrative nightmare for the folks who work overtime protecting our Nation. Because of the number of overtime systems applicable to AMO agents, in many cases, even those working side by side on a mission were often compensated differently. The confusion and inconsistency not only makes it harder for the agency to plan shifts for agents and to prepare a budget, but the uncertainty impacts those who serve. H.R. 4902 addresses these problems by standardizing premium pay for AMO. Under the provisions of this bill, all law enforcement agents at AMO will be covered under the Law Enforcement Availability Pay, otherwise known as LEAP, the LEAP premium pay system. To ensure pay is standardized quickly, the legislation would require this change to come into force on the first day of the pay period that begins at least 14 days after the date of enactment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing a uniform pay system for all CBP officers would result in a cost savings of approximately $2 million annually. More importantly, it would save many hardworking AMO officers from unfair and aggravating overtime pay discrepancies. This will save Customs and Border Protection valuable time and operational bandwidth, while ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. I include in the Record a letter from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association in support of this bill. Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Washington, DC, June 20, 2016. Hon. Jason Chaffetz, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Washington, DC. Hon. Elijah Cummings, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings: On behalf of membership of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA)--the nation's largest professional, non- profit association representing 26,000 federal law enforcement officers from 65 agencies--I am writing to advise you of our continued strong support for H.R. 4902, legislation to expand Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) to the law enforcement officers of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations division. FLEOA greatly appreciates the Committee's efforts to expeditiously approve this important legislation, and we urge its passage by the House of Representatives this week. Currently, within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), law enforcement officers of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Air and Maritime Operation (AMO) division are compensated through multiple premium pay mechanisms for their overtime: Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) and Title 5 overtime (FEPA). This proposal would harmonize premium pay across the organization by making all AMO law enforcement officers eligible for LEAP. CBP estimates that shifting overtime compensation to LEAP will help the agency save approximately $1.6 million in premium pay in the first year alone. Prior to the creation of the DHS, all U.S. Customs Service air personnel were included in the LEAP statute. Legacy U.S. Customs Service responsibilities have been retained, but today's AMO functions encompass a broader scope of authorities. Implementing LEAP for all AMO law enforcement officers would enhance CBP operational efficiencies and monetary savings by providing an efficient, effective, and uniform system of compensation for the unique work conditions and substantial hours commonly required of AMO agents. FLEOA appreciates your efforts to advance this legislation. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide any additional information or assistance. Respectfully, Dominick L. Stokes, FLEOA Vice President for Legislative Affairs.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge the immediate adoption of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2607) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7802 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, New York, as the ``Jeanne and Jules Manford Post Office Building.''

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 2607, introduced by Representative Joseph Crowley of New York. The bill designates a post office in Jackson Heights, New York, as the Jeanne and Jules Manford Post Office Building. Jeanne and Jules Manford were activists in the community and loving parents. I look forward to hearing more about Mr. and Mrs. Manford from my colleague and the sponsor of this bill, Representative Crowley. For now, I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have spent most of my adult life chasing down terrorists. I have gathered intelligence on their tactics and their plans. I know how they think. I understand their motivations, and I know what it takes to stop them. Our Nation just experienced the worst terrorist attack on our homeland since 9/11. While we mourn for our losses, we must also determine to do what is necessary to keep ISIS and other terrorists from ever doing this again. Let me first say that some of the suggestions coming from both sides of the aisle on how to stop terrorists are the wrong solutions. Banning guns is not going to stop terrorists. Banning Muslims from entering our country is not going to stop terrorists. So what will work to keep these murderers away from our shores? How do we keep terrorists out of our country? How do we stop ISIS from radicalizing Americans they have never met and are thousands of miles away? The House has already taken several steps to do what is needed when we passed the ALERT Act, by my colleague, Representative Loudermilk of Georgia; the Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act, by my colleague, Representative Fleischmann of Tennessee; and the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act, by my colleague, John Katko of New York. The House has led in counterterrorism efforts, spearheaded by one of the most effective committees in the House, the Committee on Homeland Security, led by my colleague from Texas, Chairman Michael McCaul, and I am proud to serve on that committee. These three bills are before the House today in Chairman McCaul's Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act. These bills will ensure greater coordination between Federal and local government agencies when it comes to seeing radicalization and stopping it before an attack happens. Our first responders are the tip of the spear when it comes to attacks like Orlando and San Bernardino. We need to do more to ensure they have the intelligence necessary to detect and stop these kinds of attacks. These bills will require DHS to use effective countermessaging tactics to help keep Americans from falling prey to the propaganda spread by ISIS on social media. I have said it many times, but I am going to say it one more time. If we get the right information to the right people at the right time, we will keep terrorists off our shores and on the run. I speak from the experience of running successful counterterrorism operations during my time in the CIA. These bills are part of the solution to keeping terrorists from attacking the homeland. Let's take the fight to them, and I encourage my colleagues to vote for the passage of the Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. H. Joaquin Jackson of Alpine, Texas. It saddens me to share that Mr. Jackson passed away in the early morning of June 16th, 2016, leaving behind family, friends, and all those who had the fortune to cross paths with him. I extend my condolences to the loved ones who will mourn his passing, but also would like to take the time to recognize the life of this extraordinary Texan. Mr. Jackson was born in 1935 in the Panhandle on his grandfather's farm, was married for nearly 50 years, and was a proud father to two sons. He led an extraordinary life, most notably serving as a Texas Ranger for 27 years, with postings across the West Texas desert, including 21 years at his first post in Uvalde, Texas. Mr. Jackson personified the Texas spirit of rugged resilience. As a Texas Ranger, Mr. Jackson was tasked with protecting citizens from serial killers, drug smugglers, international gangs, prison revolts, and thieves. Mr. Jackson became a legend among law enforcement officials due to his exceptional investigative abilities, innovative approaches to law enforcement, and tremendous commitment to enforcing the law. Mr. Jackson served for 27 years as a Texas Ranger, served on the Board of Directors for the National Rifle Association, served his community as a private investigator, and even acted in several movies. Mr. Jackson leaves behind two sons, Don Joaquin and Lance, and grandchildren. While Mr. Jackson is no longer with us, his spirit will live on in West Texas.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government spends more than $80 billion a year on IT procurement, and 80 percent of that is on legacy systems, old and outdated systems that all of us would think should be gone. Every time I hear this stat, I get upset because it is outrageous. This is a waste of Americans' hard-earned tax dollars. In 2015, the Office of Management and Budget noted that Federal agencies spent about $9 billion on software licenses alone. But guess what? Many agencies are not managing these software licenses properly. I know--nobody is surprised. The Government Accountability Office did a report last year that explained agencies could achieve hundreds of millions of dollars in governmentwide savings if they managed their software licenses better. Agencies should already have a comprehensive inventory of what software they use. Agencies should already be utilizing their spending power to get good deals on software licenses. Agencies should already be getting rid of old software they don't use. But this isn't happening, so Congress is acting. In 2015, Congress passed landmark IT reform legislation called FITARA, which gave agency CIOs greater authority over IT decisions and changed the way that the Federal Government procures technology. The MEGABYTE Act, H.R. 4904, builds upon the important work that FITARA started. When enacted, this bill would require CIOs to develop comprehensive inventories on their software license agreements. Additionally, this measure would require agency CIOs to provide OMB with annual reports on any realized savings, which OMB must make publicly available. It is simple, it is straightforward, and it makes sense. IT procurement is not a sexy topic. Nobody goes to a rally for IT procurement. But getting this right will save money, and when we cut waste, we allow hardworking Americans to keep more of their money in their own pockets. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue, and I look forward to continuing our work together. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4904.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue and for yielding me some time. I would like to also thank the ranking member and my colleague from San Antonio on this piece of legislation that is so important to our hometown. It is no secret that cyber attacks are on the rise, and the unfortunate reality is that everyone is vulnerable. The costs of protecting your network and properly training communities on best practices in a digital world can be burdensome. As we all know, State and local communities, in many instances, do not possess the same digital resources as the Federal Government. States and communities need the ability to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber events just as they would any other disaster or emergency situation. That is why I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 4743, which will allow DHS to coordinate with a handful of universities that have been leading the way in cyber preparedness. One of these universities, the University of Texas at San Antonio, is located in my hometown and serves many of my constituents. Another leader in this field is none other than my alma mater, Texas A&M University. Building upon their great work and the breakthroughs of others across the country will be crucial to protecting our digital infrastructure at all levels. This will help us ensure that our first responders and government entities are adequately prepared for a significant cyber event. I thank my colleague from Texas for his attention to this issue. I fully support H.R. 4743, the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act of 2016. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary bravery of Matthew Quiroz. In September of 2012, Matthew, who is now 9 years old, was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor stage II. After more than 2 years of remission, Matthew was diagnosed with a metastic Wilms Tumor last April. He has been fighting bravely for the past 4 years, spending his time between Lubbock, Texas, and his hometown of Fort Stockton, Texas, which lies squarely in my district. Yesterday, Matthew received a warm homecoming with friends and family as he returned to Fort Stockton. Matthew's bravery and determination has been an inspiration to me and many others in Fort Stockton and I am truly honored to represent such a courageous young man. The warmth that the community of Fort Stockton has shown Matthew has been tremendous and serves as a testament to the close knit communities that can be found in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. I have no doubt that Matthew's extraordinary fortitude of character and incredible demonstration of bravery in the face of overwhelming adversity will continue to serve as an inspiration to anyone who learns of his story.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary career of Dr. Diana Natalicio. One of our Nation's foremost experts on higher education, Dr. Natalicio has transformed the University of Texas at El Paso into a premier institution and a national success story. For her distinguished career, Dr. Natalicio was recently recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 1988, she was named president of the university and has since increased enrollment from 15,000 to 23,000 students who reflect the demographics of the Texas-Mexico border region. UTEP is the only research institution in the United States that serves a predominantly Mexican American student body. UTEP's continued success under Dr. Natalicio's leadership serves as a model to universities across the country, and I am truly proud to congratulate her for the remarkable achievement to be named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Mr. HURD of Texas

Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Mr. Wallace Watson. Wallace was born in Alpine, Texas and joined the U.S. Army in March 1943 at the age of 19. He was chosen to be a member of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, recognized today as the ``Ghost Army''. The Ghost Army's World War II operations consisted of deceiving German reconnaissance aircraft and radio interceptors by using only their creativity and a handful of props. The heroic actions of Wallace Watson and his fellow soldiers afforded the U.S. Military invaluable positioning throughout the war and saved countless American lives. Upon the conclusion of the war, Wallace moved to Monahans, Texas, where he continued to serve his community by taking on leadership roles on the local school board and in his church. On behalf of the 23rd Congressional District of Texas, I want to thank Wallace for his contributions to the United States and for his dedication to service. May he rest in peace.