Michael McCaul

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. I thank my good friend and colleague from Texas (Mr. Farenthold) for his support of my legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of our Nation's veterans and in support of this legislation, which would designate the post office located at 122 North Holderrieth Boulevard in Tomball, Texas, as the ``Tomball Veterans Post Office.'' It is appropriate, Mr. Speaker, that on the first legislative day after Veterans Day that this House would honor its veterans for their sacrifice and fidelity to our country. I cannot think of a more deserving community than Tomball, Texas, in my district. Mr. Speaker, I just returned this weekend from visiting our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and meeting with the President of Pakistan. I also visited our wounded warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany on Veterans Day. I'm pleased to report that our men and women in uniform are doing tremendous work and have made extraordinary progress in the war on terror. I was also humbled by our troops' sacrifice and unwavering commitment to our mission. In Afghanistan, I witnessed the fruits of our soldiers' labor. For the first time, women are being educated and Afghans are enjoying freedoms, the likes of which they could only dream about under the Taliban's brutal regime. In Iraq, where Saddam Hussein and his henchmen once brutalized the Iraqi people and silenced their voices, democracy is beginning to take shape. Today the Iraqi people are free to express their diverse points of view and engage in the same kind of political discourse that we are engaged in here right now in this very Chamber. It is because of our soldiers that this is possible; that the American people can be safe from terror and tyranny; and that others around the world, for the first time in their lives, experience the freedoms which we so often take for granted. I am so proud of our soldiers and what they have accomplished-- soldiers like Marine Corporal Jeffrey Johnson of Tomball, who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2010 defending America and what our country stands for in the world. Last year I attended Jeffrey's funeral in the small town of Tomball, where over 30,000 people--30,000 grateful Americans--lined up in the streets to show their respect for a true American hero. This unbelievable outpouring of support demonstrated that patriotism and love of country are still alive and well in America. It's thanks to veterans like Jeffrey Johnson and so many others from Texas and across this great country that this is possible; and, for that, we must honor our men and women who have served in uniform. That is also why I'm active with the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress, which preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. My father, a World War II veteran who flew bombing missions over Nazi Germany, always reminded me that his generation, often called the Greatest Generation, handed down a better America to my generation. That same can be said for today's veterans, such as Tomball heroes like Jeffery Johnson, whose sacrifices are building a better America today. And so to all of America's veterans, let me say on behalf of this distinguished body, thank you for your service, and I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in recognition and support of Republic of South Sudan which will tomorrow become Africa's 54th country. As a co-chair of the House Sudan Caucus, I am grateful for the accomplishment of this successful milestone in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement process that has ended Sudan's 22-year civil war. In the past two decades, this civil war and famine took the lives of approximately two million people in Sudan. The ability for South Sudan to declare for itself its own country is a testament to what can be achieved when a unified international community made of nation states, international organizations, and non- governmental organizations all come together to foster peace and assist in the resolution of difference between peoples. Yet, the people of South Sudan still face many challenges. There is more infrastructure to be built, governmental processes to be developed, and a new currency to be established. There are also unsettled issues with its neighbor, the Republic of Sudan, such as ending violence and suffering in Darfur, a long-term oil revenue sharing agreement, border demarcation, fair distribution of debts, and establishing the qualifications for citizenship. Tomorrow, we will celebrate the birth of a new nation. However, with this tremendous event should come a renewed commitment from the world to preserve peace and cultivate a bright and stable future for the South Sudanese people.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding time and I commend him for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill and in defense of the Constitution. The Founding Fathers clearly intended for Congress to have the power to commit this Nation into armed conflict. Article I, section 8 of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the power to declare war. Our first Commander in Chief, George Washington, knew that when he said, ``The Constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore, no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure.'' That is exactly what this bill is about, and President Obama, when he was a Senator, knew this when he said that, ``The President does not have power under the Constitution to authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the Nation.'' He went on further to say that, ``No law can give Congress a backbone if it refuses to stand up as the co-equal branch the Constitution made it.'' I couldn't agree more with him, but, unfortunately, as President, Mr. Obama appears to no longer agree with his prior interpretation of the Constitution, and in reviewing the War Powers Act, we can argue that it is unconstitutional, but that is for the Supreme Court to decide. In applying the War Powers Act to the facts here in this case, it is clear that the President failed to comply with the requirements to get congressional approval; and when we examine the merits of the case for involvement in Libya, this administration has wholly failed to define a clear national interest, mission, or goal. Why are we there? Are we there to kill Qadhafi or to provide humanitarian aid? And since when does humanitarian aid come from a missile launched from a Predator drone? And who are these rebels that we are supporting? The administration has failed to provide Congress with a clear answer to this question, but we do know that some of them are tied to terrorist organizations. The bill introduced by my good friend from Florida (Mr. Rooney) reasserts Congress' role as a coequal branch of government, and it sends a clear message to the President that he must get congressional approval before he commits this Nation to war, as he stated when he was in the United States Senate. With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, this is just a question for my good friend from Alabama. It's my understanding that these moneys are actually offset by the Under Secretary of Management's office. There is not an increased outlay.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, my amendment will increase spending by $50 million for Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine operations. It will include funding for at least 2 UAV systems, as well as much needed helicopters and marine vessels to assist CBP operations along the border. This amendment will provide the resources to increase the number of flight crews, training, and ground operations needed to support the mounting requests for aerial surveillance missions and boat crews to patrol the rivers and lakes along our border. CBP air marine support supplements our agents on the ground, allowing CBP to deploy fewer agents in a specific area. CBP air marine currently operates 7 UAVs and intends to grow the fleet to a total of 18 to 24 by 2016. I have seen the benefits of these missions personally, along with my good friend and colleague from the Homeland Security Committee, Mr. Cuellar, to whom I yield at this time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will increase funding for Operation Stonegarden by $10 million. And while the underlying bill increases funding from $50 million to $55 million, it is not enough. Operation Stonegarden is a grant program that provides funding to county-level governments along the border to prevent, protect against, and respond to border security issues as well as enhance cooperation and coordination between Federal, State, and local agencies. At the last House Homeland Security Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response Subcommittee hearing, Sheriff Gonzalez of Zapata County and Sheriff Larry Dever of Arizona explained the need for drastic increases in this funding. While $55 million is woefully inadequate when spread around, I believe an additional $10 million would advance the cause. With that, I yield again to my good friend from Texas.

Mr. McCAUL. I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will increase funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the salaries and expenses in order to increase the number of Border Enforcement Security Task Force teams. I, along with Mr. Cuellar, have been down to the border and seen the direct benefits of the BEST teams in terms of interdicting the southbound flow of cash and weapons. It's my sincere hope that with additional resources we could stop the flow of weapons going south into Mexico, but also seize the cash and asset forfeiture money that could then, in turn, help pay for our border security operations. With that, I yield to my good friend from Texas.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The backbone of the new proposed system, integrated fixed towers, will not be in place until January 2013. In place of SBInet, a new border surveillance technology plan has been developed that abandons the fixed sensor tower nature of the original SBInet plan and replaces it with multiple technologies. As a result, the new plan consists of a reduced number of sensor towers envisioned in the SBInet plan, and in their place, lower cost technologies such as mounted radar and camera systems, portable and imaging systems, and thermal imaging devices. The Secretary said that technology will not be deployed to cover the entire southern border until the year 2025. I believe that is unacceptable. This amendment provides funding for readily available technology that we can deploy quickly to secure the border before that timeframe. With that, I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL. This amendment will increase funding for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Detention and Removal. While the underlying bill does increase funding by $26 million, we need more. DRO is the primary enforcement arm within ICE for the identification, apprehension and removal of illegal aliens from the United States. DRO is severely underresourced. It is overwhelmed and does not have the resources to do its job. ICE has stated repeatedly that they simply don't have the manpower and resources to deport illegal aliens, even criminal aliens identified through the 287(g) program. The Federal Government has its responsibility, and it needs to step up to the plate. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL. This amendment will nearly triple the amount of funding for the popular 287(g) program, which authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to permit specially trained State and local law enforcement officers to apprehend, investigate or detain aliens during a predetermined time frame and under Federal supervision by ICE. It is an important force multiplier for ICE in allowing for enhanced capabilities to detain and remove illegal aliens identified by local law enforcement during the course of their duties. With that, I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will increase funding by $10 million for border security fencing, infrastructure and technology. Secretary Napolitano's cancellation of the Secure Border Initiative delays the deployment of technology to secure the border.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably delayed and was unable to vote on H.R. 1473, rollcall vote No. 268. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Chair, on rollcall No. 92 I mistakenly voted ``no.'' Please let the Record reflect that I intended to vote ``aye.'' Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Pence

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, we gather here today in this House and as a Nation to mourn the tragic events in Tucson, Arizona; to honor those who lost their lives and those still fighting for them; to honor the heroic acts on that dark day; and to condemn the perpetrator for this senseless act of violence. The last few days have been surreal. When I first heard the news, I was shocked and disturbed that one of our own had been shot--someone I am privileged to call a friend and a colleague. As the Speaker said, when one of us is attacked, all of us are attacked. This experience has been painful to all of us and hits too close to home. Professionally, I was fortunate to have worked with Gabrielle Giffords, or Gabby, as she is affectionately called. We both serve on the Science and Technology and Foreign Affairs Committees. She is passionate, bright, and a delight to be around. Gabby is a talented lawmaker who always works effectively across the aisle to get things done for the American people. I am honored to have been one of those she chose to work with. She always told me Arizona and Texas are sunshine States and we need to harness that energy. I agreed with her, and together we introduced and passed the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. She often talked about being from border States and that we needed security to protect our way of life. We passed a $600 million appropriation for more resources on the border. As everybody knows, she is a staunch advocate for NASA, and she is married to an astronaut. She passionately defended the space program; and we worked together, with many others, to save the Human Spaceflight Program. In fact, the last time I saw Gabby, a week ago, we were getting off the elevator over there to vote on the floor here, and we talked about NASA. She said in her classic way, Yeah, but we can always do better. That was her spirit--we can always do better. We often talked about putting together a delegation of Members to witness the last shuttle flight, the one that her husband, Mark, is commanding. I hope we will still have that opportunity. So when I received the news that she had been shot, it had a profound and personal impact upon me--for, above all, she is my friend. She is a bright ray of sunshine in what is too often a dark world. Coming out of a tough election, she often talked about moderation and of toning down the partisan rhetoric to get things done for the American people. I know that it is her sincere hope that, as her wounds heal, so, too, will the wound inflicted upon this Nation and that the political discourse in this country will be restored to one of civility. I pray for her and all those affected by this horrible tragedy. I pray that one day she will return to this floor and join her colleagues, and I am confident that she will. For above all, she is a passionate fighter and an eternal optimist. So keep fighting, Gabby, for we need you and more people like you in this world. May God bless you, and may He hold you in the palm of His hand.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. And while I sincerely feel for Mr. Rangel as a human being, I feel more strongly that a public office is a public trust. And Mr. Rangel violated that trust. The Speaker challenged us to enter into a new era of transparency and accountability. Let us begin today. Let justice be served. Let us begin to enter into a new era of ethics to restore the credibility and integrity of this House, the people's House.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from Alabama for his leadership on this solemn occasion. This is an important day for Mr. Rangel, for the Congress, but most importantly, for the American people. As the ranking member during the Rangel adjudicatory proceedings and as a former Federal prosecutor in the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice, I take this responsibility very seriously. And let me be clear, no Member asked for this assignment. But we accept our responsibility here today for no other reason than to protect the honor, integrity, and credibility of this great institution. The America's people confidence in us is at historic lows. They want their elected representatives held accountable for their actions, just as they are held accountable as private citizens. And today, we have an opportunity to begin a new era restoring the trust of the American people. The committee agreed on 12 of the 13 counts, finding that he violated multiple rules of the House and Federal statutes, including the most fundamental code of conduct, which states ``a Member . . . of the House shall conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect credibility on the House.'' And credibility is exactly what is at stake here; the very credibility of the House of Representatives itself before the American people. Most egregiously, the committee found that Mr. Rangel failed to pay his income taxes for 17 years. And this, while serving as chairman of the committee that writes the tax laws for the Nation. What kind of message does this send to the average working man or woman who plays by the rules and struggles every day to pay their own taxes? Mr. Rangel also solicited contributions from corporations, foundations, and lobbyists who had business before his committee to build a school bearing his name. I have consistently opposed Members of Congress naming monuments after themselves. The committee recommended the most severe punishment available based upon the facts and the precedents. This sanction is both rare and historic. Founding Father John Adams said that ``moral authority and character increases as the importance of the position increases.'' In his letter to the Speaker, Mr. Rangel stated that as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he is to be held to a higher standard of propriety. I agree. Mr. Rangel failed to hold himself to this higher standard. And the American people deserve better. And I sincerely feel for Mr. Rangel as a human being.