Sam Johnson

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Renacci).

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, having no other speakers, I am prepared to close my remarks. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge all Members of the House to vote ``yes'' and pass the Social Security MAIL Act today so the Senate can take action soon and the President can sign it into law without delay. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following with regard to missed votes on the week of September 4, 2016. On Roll Call number 479, had I been present I would have voted Yes. On Roll Call number 480, had I been present I would have voted Yes. On Roll Call number 488, had I been present I would have voted Yes. On Roll Call number 491, had I been present I would have voted Yes. On Roll Call number 493, had I been present I would have voted Yes. On Roll Call number 495, had I been present I would have voted Yes.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the city of Dallas and all who call north Texas home. Last week our community experienced a horrific tragedy when five police officers were murdered in cold blood, and they were gunned down while safeguarding a peaceful rally. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers of the five brave men we lost. I also pray for peace, comfort, and for hearts to be healed. The memorial service in Dallas yesterday reminds us of what many Texans already know: we are a family. While we may not always agree, all Americans should have mutual respect for one another, and we must have an ultimate, mutual respect for our constitutional rights, first and foremost being life and liberty. God bless Dallas. God bless America.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5252) to designate the United States Customs and Border Protection Port of Entry located at 1400 Lower Island Road in Tornillo, Texas, as the ``Marcelino Serna Port of Entry.''

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5252, currently under consideration.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5252, to designate the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port of Entry located at 1400 Lower Island Road in Tornillo, Texas, as the Marcelino Serna Port of Entry. Private Serna was a brave veteran who selflessly honored his country. He demonstrated courage, bravery, and heroism in battle, risking his life to save his fellow soldiers, and became the most decorated World War I veteran from the State of Texas. I am honored to stand here today, as a veteran and a fellow Texan, to pay tribute to this brave American. I congratulate my colleague, Mr. Hurd of Texas, for his leadership in introducing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill to honor this great American. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, less than a month ago, an American of Afghan descent shot and killed 49 people in Orlando. He did so while pledging allegiance to ISIS. In the words of the actual gunman, this was a terrorist attack. What is worse is that many of my colleagues across the aisle have attempted to hijack facts and muddy the conversation. Why? Because this attack further disproves the President's narrative that ISIS is contained. Don't even get me started on the fact that the President won't say the words ``radical Islamic terrorist.'' The administration even attempted to remove mention of ISIS in the 9/11 transcription. Folks, ISIS has declared war against our American way of life, and we need to work together to protect all Americans from future attacks, and our Commander in Chief finally needs to come up with a strategy to defeat ISIS.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in honor of Flag Day, a special day when we reflect on what our American flag stands for and how blessed we are to live in this great Nation that celebrates freedom. I believe this reflection is particularly important given this weekend's ISIS-inspired terrorist attack. There are those who seek to destroy our way of life, and we must actively defend our freedom. So, as our American flag waives proudly today and we reflect on its symbol of hope, I invite Collin County folks to join me this Saturday for a special event that I will be hosting--the inaugural ``Honor our Stars and Stripes'' flag retirement ceremony. I hope you will join me for this unique program that honors our flag and our country's unique founding. God bless America. I salute you.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise in support of the Third District's Allen Americans hockey team. Tonight, our stellar team defends its championship title in game six of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. I want to congratulate the whole team on an outstanding season. You all have accomplished so much to get where you are today, and you are just one victory away from your fourth straight championship. To all of our fine Allen American athletes, I want you to know that your hometown is proud of you and that we believe in you. I will probably be ``rocking the red'' to cheer you on. Go beat the Wheeling Nailers.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I missed several votes on Wednesday, May 18, and Thursday, May 19. On Wednesday, May 18, had I been present, I would have voted No on the Nadler Amendment (Roll Call 204); Aye on the Poe of Texas Amendment (Roll Call 205); Yea on final passage of H.R. 5243, the Zika Response Control Act, 2016 (Roll Call 207); Aye on the Buck Amendment (Roll Call 208); Aye on the Fleming Amendment (Roll Call 209); No on the Lee Amendment (Roll Call 210); No on the Polis Amendment (Roll Call 211); and Aye on final passage of H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Roll Call 216). On Thursday, May 19, had I been present, I would have voted No on the Blumenauer Amendment (Roll Call 221); Aye on the Fleming Amendment (Roll Call 222); No on the Sean Patrick Maloney of New York Amendment (Roll Call 226); and Yea on final passage of H.R. 4974, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017 (Roll Call 228).

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Social Security has made no bones about how important it is for Americans to safeguard their Social Security numbers. Beneficiaries are warned time and again to protect their cards in order to avoid identity theft. But commonsense safety measures should also be taken by Social Security. Unfortunately, the inspector general's recent report found that this agency is failing Americans in a very dangerous way. How so? The Social Security Administration is including your Social Security number on the documents it mails. That means any lost or stolen letter from Social Security endangers the security of a beneficiary's identity. This bad practice needs to stop now, and as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security, I am working to fix it. In fact, this week I will introduce the Social Security MAIL Act. It is a commonsense solution to a problem that shouldn't exist. Let's get it done.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, yesterday President Obama announced his plan to close Guantanamo. As a 29-year Air Force veteran and POW, I speak from experience when I say that the President's decision is wrong and it will endanger our homeland. As a Congressman who helped pass the law to protect American citizens by ensuring Obama doesn't release terrorists from GTMO, I would like to remind the President that his decision goes against the will of the American people. Furthermore, it is illegal. Radical Islamic terrorists who are hell-bent on the destruction of our democracy and way of life belong in only one place, Guantanamo. The President is clearly in denial about these terrorists, but Americans can rest assured we will do everything in our power to keep our country safe.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off by thanking my fellow Korean war veterans, Congressman Charlie Rangel and Congressman John Conyers, for their support. I also want to thank Chairman Rob Bishop, the Natural Resources Committee, and the House leadership for bringing the bill to the floor. Additionally, I want to thank my fellow Korean war veterans who have tirelessly advocated for this bill. It has been a long time coming. Mr. Speaker, sadly, the Korean war is often referred to as the forgotten war; yet, the magnitude of sacrifice made by Americans during this conflict was enormous. More than 36,000 Americans gave their lives. My fellow Korean war veterans and I believe that the magnitude of this enormous sacrifice is not yet fully conveyed by the memorial in Washington, D.C. That is where this bill, H.R. 1475, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act, comes into play. This bill, which already has the support of over 300 of my colleagues, would allow for the creation of a Wall of Remembrance at the site of the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. Similar to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance would eternally honor the brave Americans who gave their lives in defense of freedom during the Korean war. It would list their names as a visual record of their sacrifice. Furthermore, the Wall would also list the total number of all of America's wounded, missing in action, and prisoners of war. As a veteran and POW, I can tell you that these memorials are a special place for servicemembers and their families to pay their respect to fallen comrades and loved ones. As a constitutional conservative who values our great Nation's history, I believe these memorials also serve as a unique and physical reminder that freedom is not free. Future generations need to know and appreciate the sacrifices made by the servicemembers who fought and died to protect freedom. These memorials can physically convey what oftentimes our words fail to do. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, as a fiscal conservative, I am proud to say this project will not cost taxpayers one dime. In fact, the cost has been 100 percent privately fund-raised, and this bill prohibits any Federal funding for this project. Mr. Speaker, as we remember the service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the Korean war, we can only humbly acknowledge that we are the land of the free because of our brave men and women. These heroes are shining examples of everything great that America stands for. I can't think of a better way to individually honor each man and woman who gave their life in Korea than through this Wall of Remembrance. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, new reports from the Department of Homeland Security show a surge in illegal immigration, 30 percent, actually. Last Friday I returned to McAllen, Texas, to tour the Rio Grande River by boat and see our security challenges firsthand, something President Obama has refused to do. Let me be clear. Our border is not secure. Obama's amnesty is devastating for Texas, particularly its border cities, but the problems far exceed our border. This affects the whole country. It undermines the safety of all Americans and hurts law-abiding taxpayers. My most sacred duty is to protect our homeland and every citizen in it. I spent 29 years as a fighter pilot and 7 as a POW doing just that. Rest assured, I will continue to fight to keep America safe.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, most of America's Guard and Reserve forces also hold civilian jobs in addition to their military service; but, unfortunately, the IRS doesn't treat these heroes fairly when it comes to their retirement savings. Right now, if a Guard or a Reserve servicemember decides to benefit from a Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP, match, then the IRS may limit the member's ability to save for retirement simply because he also has a civilian career. This is wrong, which is why I will be introducing the Servicemembers Retirement Improvement Act. I am pleased that the bill is supported by a wide range of military and veteran advocacy groups. Just because they happen to be serving our country, our servicemembers shouldn't be penalized when it comes to saving for their retirements. We are working hard to right this wrong.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since September 11, made it clear that our homeland is vulnerable to terrorists. The terrorist couple's attack also made it clear that there are serious screening problems associated with the K-1 fiance(e) visa program. That is exactly how the wife involved in these attacks came to the United States to begin with. Mr. Speaker, protecting our homeland is my most sacred duty, which is why I want the American people to know that right now, I will be introducing legislation to put a halt on the K-1 visa program until the Congress votes to resume it. In the meantime, my legislation would require the GAO to review the national security risks associated with this program and to submit findings to the Congress. This is the right and commonsense thing to do. We must protect our homeland.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 693 I was unable to vote due to the death of my wife Shirley. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' personal explanation

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 679, I was unable to vote due to the death of my wife Shirley. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I share the concerns of the majority of Americans regarding allowing Syrian refugees into this country. Most important, I am worried that a terrorist could slip through, just like one of the terrorists involved in Paris. But we also can't lose sight of another vulnerability, a geographical vulnerability, our southern border, because our border is not secure. This President refuses to secure it. Yesterday, I spoke with the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Steve McCraw, and he made it very clear that we are seeing another surge at the border. We are seeing folks from Syria come across. This is troubling and wrong. The President must secure our border and protect our national security. If he refuses, we in this Congress must stop him by any means possible.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, President Obama needs to stop immediately any flow of Syrian refugees into America. Top law enforcement officials have made it clear: We don't know who these people are, and we don't have the capability to vet them. With last Friday's ISIS attacks in Paris that did include a Syrian refugee, this halt is imperative. We cannot allow terrorism to slip through the cracks. That is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3314, a bill to stop the admission of refugees into the United States. We must do all we can to protect our homeland. Stopping these people from coming here is the right and commonsense thing to do. Mr. Speaker, the President has a duty to protect America. If he doesn't stop risking our security, then we in Congress must make him stop.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I come to the floor on behalf of all our servicemen and -women. As a 29-year Air Force veteran and POW, I know something about what it takes to achieve mission success. For the military to be successful, troops need adequate funding so they can carry out their mission safely and effectively. Troops also need the support of their President, their Commander in Chief. I speak from experience when I say this. I say it because, in Vietnam, we had neither. You see, due to consolidation at the Defense Department, the planes I flew in Vietnam were really Navy aircraft. They weren't equipped for air-to-air ground combat. The Pentagon hung gun pods on them, but its success rate was about 50 percent. That is just not the type of odds you want going into battle. On my 25th mission in Vietnam, I was hit from ground fire and tried to fight back, but couldn't because the gun jammed. Enemy shots caught my right engine on fire, and I ejected just before the aircraft crashed. The Viet Cong caught me and eventually took me to the infamous Hanoi Hilton, where I spent the next almost 7 years of my life. Sometimes I wonder if things would have turned out differently had the Air Force properly equipped planes and my gun hadn't jammed. But I can tell you this: it is a vital priority of mine to ensure our troops today don't run into the same problem I did. America can't defend its national security if our troops don't have what they need. I urge the President to sign this bill today. It is the right thing to do for our deployed troops who are in harm's way.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as Veterans Day approaches, it is my privilege to announce that, on Saturday, November 14, I will be hosting my annual Congressional Veterans Commendation Ceremony. At this special event, 12 Collin County veterans will be recognized for their wartime sacrifices and peacetime community involvement. These veterans were nominated by their peers and chosen by a selection board. Their stories will be passed on to future generations. The event starts around 1 p.m., and our keynote speaker is Major Heather Penney. She is one of two Air Force pilots who took to the skies on September 11, 2001, on orders to take down Flight 93 with her own aircraft before the terrorism reached Washington, D.C. I encourage folks to come out and show all our veterans how much we care in a tangible and personal way. I hope to see you all there. God bless America.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, our veterans are our protectors and defenders of our democracy. For their faithful service and sacrifice, I believe that, when our veterans return home, as a grateful Nation, we must provide these men and women with good health care. Now, the Third District of Texas, which I represent, is a deeply patriotic community, and it is home to many veterans. To help these folks have better access to care, for several years I have been pushing for a local VA clinic to be established in our neck of the woods. Well, exactly one week ago we got our good news that a location was finally chosen. Our new community-based outpatient clinic will be at 3804 West 15th Street in Plano, Texas. The new Collin County VA Clinic will make a huge difference for veterans because they will finally be able to receive high-quality care closer to home. It is a huge win for north Texas, and I couldn't be happier for our community and our hometown heroes. It was the right thing to do, and our hard work is paying off. We are looking forward to the clinic finally opening its doors in the spring. I want to thank all the folks who have helped make the local VA clinic a reality. I especially want to thank our veterans because they are the reason this is happening. They deserve this clinic. They deserve our support. Rest assured, I will continue to be a champion for our veterans to see that we take good care of them. God bless our veterans. I salute them all.