Solomon Ortiz

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 101, a resolution commemorating the 225th Birthday of the United States Army. I thank the Chairman and Ranking Democrat for bringing this resolution to the floor today. I know that all Americans share an appreciation for the United States Army, but few know the Army actually predates the existence of this Congress. In mid-June of 1775, the Continental Congress, the predecessor of the U.S. Congress, authorized the establishment of the Continental Army. The Continental Army became the United States Army after the adoption of the United States Constitution, giving Congress the responsibility ``to raise and support Armies'' in Section 8, clause 12 of Article I. Through this resolution we consider today, Congress notes the valor, commitment and sacrifice made by American soldiers during the course of our history; we commend the United States Army and American soldiers for 225 years of selfless service; and we call upon the people of the United States to observe this important anniversary with the appropriate ceremonies and activities. Many have observed that the freedoms and liberty we enjoyed in the 20th Century were a result of the wars fought by the United States military, which has the Army as its backbone. As a former soldier in the Army, I have a unique appreciation for the work it does. As a member of the House Armed Service Committee which now writes policy to guide the same Army in which I served, I also have a unique appreciation for the job we ask the Army to do today. We ask them to do a dangerous and difficult job. They bleed and die for the cause of liberty and democracy. There is no way those who have not served can understand the everyday life of a ground or airborne soldier. Let me speak to why it is important that Congress commends the Army so publicly today. As our overall force has drawn down, I find there is more and more of a disconnect between those who fight our wars and the civilians whose interests they protect. It is civilian command and control that is one of the most meaningful aspects of democracy. It is also the closeness of the citizenry and the military that is, in and of itself, representative of a free society. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, but I urge them to do more than just that. I implore them, and the American people, to seek a greater understanding of today's military and the mission we expect them to do; appreciation of the job they do will follow.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a South Texas educator, Anita Hinojosa, who will retire in July after 31 years in vocational and adult education. Anita helped make Corpus Christi a better place by virtue of her lifetime commitment to education. After working as a home economics teacher after graduating from Texas A&I University at Kingsville, and as a consultant, Anita became the Vocational Education Coordinator while also working as an adjunct Professor of Occupational Education at Corpus Christi State University. In 1990, she became the Career and Technology Education Director for the Corpus Christi Independent School District, the position she will soon leave to enjoy retirement. During the course of her work here, she has supervised some of the most important programs available at CCISD, those programs that work with those who need special training because of their age or special circumstances. Anita currently oversees the following programs: Adult Basic Education; Alternative High School Center; Summer Training and Education Program (STEP); Pregnancy, Education, and Parenting; Guidance and Counseling; Instructional Technology; and several at-risk programs. I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending a special patriot, one who spent a lifetime in pursuit of education and teaching, Anita Hinojosa.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a South Texas educator, Bob Chapman, who will retire on July 1, 2000, after 29 years in vocational and adult education. Bob helped make Corpus Christi a better place by virtue of his lifetime commitment to education. After completing his military experience, his education and a stint in business, Bob worked as a training instructor at a Texas high school, then went to work for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in 1983. He served there as an area specialist, providing assistance to teachers, schools and administrators in a 26-county area in South Texas. From there, he went to Austin as a specialist in vocational education. In 1986, he came to Corpus Christi as a vocational education consultant in the Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD). It was at CCISD that Bob spent the better part of his professional life and in 1993 he became coordinator of the Adult Learning Center for CCISD, the position he will soon leave to seek another career in private industry. I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending a special patriot, one who spent a lifetime in pursuit of education and teaching, Bob Chapman.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4241, to rename the Janesville, Wisconsin, Post Office the Les Aspin Post Office Building. I served with Les from 1985 until 1993, when he left to serve the Clinton Administration as Secretary of Defense. Les was an incredibly talented public servant with a mind that worked quickly and saw the complexity of problems, both near-term and long-term. He was an amazing man who never lost touch with the people he represented. He could talk to farmers and mechanics as easily as he talked to presidents and prime ministers, a trait I greatly admire. He never lost a political race and worked his entire life to make this country a better place to live. I think he surprised us all when he challenged Mel Price for the Chairmanship of the House Armed Services Committee, but for the face of the House Representatives, it was indeed a good thing. Les brought a new mind-set and new way of thinking to the different problems that we faced as a country in the aftermath of the Cold War. He served in the Army for 2 years and understood the nature of the animal. As the Secretary of Defense, he led the efforts to address the Quadrennial Defense Review to assess the needs of our military on a regular basis. From this effort came the philosophy that the United States may well need to fight two wars in the not-too-distant future and in the course of that scenario, a rogue state could easily attack the United States or exercise acts of terrorism against us. Les dubbed the U.S. strategy scenario in this instance as ``win-hold-win.'' If the U.S. was indeed in the two-war scenario, Les devised a strategy that would win one war, hold our ground on a second war, and win the third. Thankfully, we have not seen this worst-case scenario, fighting on two fronts and holding a third, but we have seen terrorism against the U.S. interests around the world, and despotism in Europe (again) required our military response there. Les Aspin's ideas changed the way the House Armed Services Committee operated and changed the way the United States assessed threats and disposed of resources. Les Aspin made this a better country and was wholly dedicated to public service. I am proud that we will be naming the Janesville Post Office after this great American. I hope Les Aspin's name on the building will inspire pride in the young people in his community who did not have the opportunity to know this politically savvy, academically gifted creative thinker.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4444. Establishing permanent trade relations with the largest market on the face of the planet is the right thing for the American people and it is the right direction to support the United States economy. I have traveled in China and several other Pacific Rim countries. I understand the wealth of opportunity that is available to the countries who take the step of moving aggressively into the markets of Asia without barriers, beginning in the largest market in the world, China. Establishing normal trade relations with this market so our businesses have a level playing field has enormous positive economic consequences for this country that will last throughout the course of this century. Not so long ago, China was a poor country. Now their coastal cities are the new, churning economies of the Pacific Rim. The enormous changes that are occurring on the coast are spreading rapidly to the interior of China, and touching the lives of people there. The economic advantages of supporting trade with China may well be enough reason to support this resolution, but that is only the beginning. Possibly the most important reason the U.S. needs a permanent trading relationship with china is the national security implications it provides to us. I have seen first hand the relationship China has with the other nations of the Pacific Rim. These nations have hundreds of centuries of history between themselves and China. When China stands closer to the United States, it is possible for the other countries of the Pacific Rim to work with the United States on trade and make the world safer and more democratic. While we have an utterly different philosophy of government than does China, during the course of our history it has been the inherent responsibility of the American people, especially entrepreneurs, to spread the spirit of democracy and freedom throughout the world. This may be our most unique opportunity to reach the largest number of people yet with the message that the principles of work and responsibility are the foundation of freedom and self-determination. There is no better way to spread the message of democracy than to engage the world's largest nation in a trade agreement that will benefit the United States and China for decades and probably centuries to come. When we engage a country of 1.3 billion people, we take a positive step in demonstrating how freedom works. This vote will soon take its place alongside the pivotal votes of the past decade which have played a large role in redefining economic success and budgetary policy: the 1993 Budget Deficit Reduction Act; the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). We have been enjoying tremendous economic opportunities for the past few years and I hope it continues for a very long time. Remember, we can best provide for people and communities in the United States when our economy is strong, and PNTR will go a long way towards keeping our economy strong.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Veterans' Affairs Committee for bringing this important resolution before the House of Representatives this week. The committed service of the veterans of World War II, especially that of minority veterans, can never be noted too often. For minority veterans, their desire to serve this country was a monumental movement in democracy and social change. While many people pinpoint the 1960s, and the civil rights movement in that decade, with moving the nation closer to social progress, it was WWII and the minority veterans who distinguished themselves so often and so valiantly who gave us the opportunity to move forward as a community and a nation. Let me tell you a little bit about one of the most important and influential members of the WWII generation. Those Hispanics who fought against the Nazis and Imperial Japan showed their bravery and courage time and time again. They came home from the war that equalized the rich and poor, educated and uneducated, to a country which still openly discriminated against them because of their ethnicity. Probably the best-known WWII veteran Hispanic descent in South Texas was Dr. Hector P. Garcia. Dr. Garcia came back to South Texas and was, with many Hispanic veterans, treated with familiar contempt by people in the country for which they had shed blood in a great war and a just cause. What crystallized the cause of civil rights for so many Hispanic veterans and Hispanic Americans was the treatment of Army Private Felix Longoria, a soldier lost in WWII. Longoria's family wanted to bury him at Three Rivers near their home, but the cemetery was for whites only. Dr. Garcia, and all veterans who were coming home were shocked by the blatant racism that was still so prevalent in their home. They believed in fighting for the cause of democracy and for the United States. They also believed that their service would bring them the respect that had elluded them in everyday life before the war. Dr. Garcia called the funeral home and asked them to reconsider. The funeral home owner refused. Dr. Garcia and other South Texas veterans were not deterred. They took their case to the federal level via telegrams and correspondence. Longoria was buried two months later in Arlington National Cemetery with the help of then-Senator Lyndon Johnson. Out of all this came the American GI Forum, the first Hispanic civil rights organization. Hispanics in the United States have proudly served their country from the American Revolution to our NATO activity in Kosovo. In the course of that service, 38 Hispanics have been awarded the Medal of Honor, our country's highest award for military bravery and service. That is the highest number of Medals of Honor among ethnic minorities. I appreciate the efforts of the House of Representatives today in honoring these minority veterans.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I pay homage to an outstanding diplomat who is leaving Washington with two years of distinguished service in the United States Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Stephen Chen. Ambassador Chen has been a wealth of information for me and my staff about the intriguing diplomacy of the Pacific Rim. He leaves Washington with the satisfaction of having represented the interests of his country well while in the United States, and he strengthened the all- important relationship between the United States and Taiwan. Ambassador Chen is a career officer, serving Taiwan's foreign ministry for nearly 50 years now. He is the consummate diplomat, with a rare gift of persuasion without the appearance of appearing to be inflexible. He has charmed many Washington officials, guests and other diplomats during his time here with insightful knowledge about trade, international relations, and a variety of other topics. At Twin Oaks, a historic landmark in central Washington, Ambassador Stephen Chen and his lovely wife Rosa have hosted many gatherings. Ambassador Chen is always generous in regaling his guests with self- deprecating jokes, as well as stories about Taiwan and her people. He brought all of us closer to Taiwan and to his native culture. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Stephen and Rosa Chen well as they retire from the foreign service and return to their beloved Taiwan.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a school in Brownsville, Texas, that is beating the odds in today's public education system. At a time when our resources are terribly over- burdened, Oliviera Middle School won one of three national first-place awards in the ``Set A Good Example'' competition that is sponsored by the Concerned Businessmen of America. These awards, launched in 1982, recognize schools which have a student-oriented program to influence their peers in a positive way by forwarding the simple human moral values such as honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility, competence and fairness. The Concerned Businessmen of America is a not-for- profit charitable education organization which incorporates successful business strategies to combat social ills and problems that face young people. At a time when parents and community leaders are watching our young people with new eyes, wondering what is going on inside their minds and what motivates them, this recognition is concrete proof that the community surrounding Oliviera Middle School--educators, counselors, parents, business people, and most importantly, students themselves--is working together to ward off the problems that have plagued other schools and other young people. The winning ingredient here is the active involvement of the students. The best messenger for young people is other young people. We have enormous challenges before us in education, and with regard to the public policy in our public schools. There will never be one single answer to preparing young people to withstand the complex social issues that our children encounter each day. But the best way to prepare our children to deal with the society in which we live is to teach them, from very early on, simple moral guidelines to apply to their lives. The ``Set a Good Example'' program follows up as encouragement and reinforcement to these lessons. I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Oliviera Middle School for their efforts to be part of a solution, which is the first step to solving the problem. I thank the young people there for leading the way to better grades and healthier attitudes.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Skelton amendment, reinstating a critical element of the Directives issued by President Clinton regarding the Navy's presence in Vieques, Puerto Rico. We are harming our national security by modifying the carefully crafted agreement between President Clinton and Puerto Rico's Governor to resolve the impasse over United States armed forces training in Vieques. The President made a promise to millions of Puerto Ricans--both here on the mainland and in Puerto Rico--which calls for a referendum by the voters of Vieques to determine the future of Navy training on the island. The people of Vieques will have a referendum regardless of the actions taken in Congress. But this is a commitment of the President of the United States of America, our commander in chief, to a group of U.S. citizens. The House Armed Services Committee included language disrupting President Clinton's and Governor Rossello's agreement. By interfering and not honoring the Presidential directives as issued, this Congress is not helping the Navy to build a relationship with the people of Vieques, nor are they helping to keep Navy operations in Vieques beyond 2003. We are simply not helping the Navy at all. Let us stand in support of the agreement reached by the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy and the Governor of Puerto Rico--which illustrates the most effective way to protect our national security--and at the same time responds to the legitimate concerns of the American citizens in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4205, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2001. I want to specifically address the provisions of the bill relating to military readiness. First, I would like to express my personal appreciation to the leadership of the Subcommittee on Military Readiness and my colleagues on both the subcommittee and the full committee for their active participation, support, and cooperation in addressing critical readiness matters during this accelerated session, and also to the staff for doing a great job. Let me say this, that even though the gentleman from South Carolina (Chairman Spence) is not retiring, he will not be the chairman of this Committee on Armed Services any longer but he will be a member of the committee, and we value his leadership and his input as we continue to address matters that pertain to service men and women. My good friend, the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Bateman) is retiring, but we wish him the best and thank him for his leadership. The readiness provisions in the bill reflect some of the steps that I believe are necessary with the dollars available to make some of the improvements needed. But it still does not provide all that is needed. As I have said before, while the readiness of the force has shown some improvements in some areas, we are nowhere close to getting where we should be. Much more needs to be done if we are going to support our forces with the equipment and material they deserve to perform the missions that we require of them. Also, I look forward to continuing to support the committee's effort to address two areas that have been neglected for a number of years, the readiness of our dedicated civilian employees and the modernization of our failing infrastructure. Mr. Chairman, the readiness provisions in this bill represent a step in the right direction. They permit the Department to build upon the improvements that have been started in an area that is crucial to our national security. I encourage my friends, all my colleagues, to vote for this bill. It is a good bill. It will do a lot for our troops.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to oppose the Traficant Amendment. I have been a law enforcement officer, and I served in the Army. These two endeavors simply do not mix, particularly inside the borders of the United States. Putting our forces on the border is a violation of the legal protection of citizens from the military under Posse Comitatus. Our energy should rightly be focused on the need for professional law enforcement officers; we do not have enough INS and Customs personnel to address the need that now exists. Protecting our border is a massive undertaking, one which should be performed by professional, bilingual INS and Customs personnel. As a co-chair of the Congressional Border Caucus, I can tell you that one of our most constant and pressing issues is lobbying and fighting for resources to put the law enforcement we need on the border. Again, that is the appropriate venue for the gentleman from Ohio, and others who share his concern, to focus their efforts. The Department of Defense has spoken to this issue and their views are very instructive for this debate. They note that it is not in the DoD's military interest to require training in search and seizure arrests--or use of force against civilian citizens. They say this will lead to decreased military training, which reduces unit readiness levels and overall combat effectiveness of the Armed Forces. That, my friends, is not the path we want to take. Our soldiers face enough danger. DoD also says that ``the risk of potential confrontation between U.S. citizens and military members far outweigh the benefit.'' Indeed it does, and for one citizen on the border, it is too late. I urge my colleagues to defeat this amendment.

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman, I have fought the drug war. I have served in the military. I, in the same way, want to enforce and obey the Constitution of this United States, but we need to do it in a very responsible manner. How many Members have had a chance to go visit and learn the needs of the border? Just last week, Mr. Chairman, we had five Federal judicial judges from the border States who carried 24 percent, in five districts, carried 24 percent of the workload in the United States. We put soldiers on the border. Where are we going to keep them when we arrest them? What about the judges that are needed? What about the prosecutors that are needed? We have to provide, my friends. The infrastructure is not there. I have fought the war on drugs. I have talked to the judges about the needs that they have. If we do it in a responsible manner, yes, let us do it. Let me say something else, when you are in the military, the training is totally different from the training that people on the Border Patrol, who serve in the Border Patrol, have. We are dealing with human beings. We are dealing with people who are destitute, who are looking for a job. Yes, we need to enforce our borders and strengthen our borders, but let us do it in a responsible way. Mr. Chairman, my friends from Ohio know, both of them, how much respect I have for both of them, but if we do not have the infrastructure, please tell me where we are going to house them? Who is going to try them? Mr. Chairman, I oppose this amendment.

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman, as I stated before, I am for arresting terrorists and narcotraffickers, but, my friends, the dockets of the judges who border the United States and Mexico are overloaded. They are having to look for places to incarcerate hard-core criminals. All I am saying is let us be responsible, let us come up with a plan. I have five presiding judges, there are 89, 89 judicial Federal districts throughout the United States, my friends, and five of these judicial districts, five carry 24 percent. Yes, I am for arresting traffickers and narcotraffickers. I used to arrest them when I was sheriff, but let us come with a responsible plan. It may be my friend can help me by coming up with a bill that will give these judges help, give the United States marshals help, but this is not the place for the military to be involved in.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a school in San Benito, Texas, that is beating the odds in today's public education system. At a time when our resources are terribly over-burdened, for the second year in a row Landrum Elementary School has been chosen as a winner of the ``Set A Good Example'' competition, sponsored by the Concerned Businessmen of America. These awards, launched in 1982, recognize schools which have a student-oriented program to influence their peers in a positive way by promoting simple human moral values such as honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility, competence and fairness. The Concerned Businessmen of America is a not-for-profit charitable educational organization which incorporates successful business strategies to combat social ills and problems that face young people. At a time when parents and community leaders are watching our young people with new eyes, wondering what is going on inside their minds and what motivates them, this recognition is concrete proof that the community surrounding Landrum Elementary School--educators, counselors, parents, business people, and most importantly, students themselves--is working together to ward off the problems that have plagued other schools and other young people. The winning ingredient here is the active involvement of the students; the best messenger for young people is other young people. We have enormous challenges before us in education, and with regard to public policy in our public schools. There will never be one single answer to preparing young people to withstand the complex social issues that our children encounter each day. But the best way to prepare our children to deal with the society in which we live is to teach them, from very early on, simple moral guidelines to apply to their lives. The ``Set a Good Example'' program follows up as encouragement and reinforcement to these lessons. I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Landrum Elementary School for their efforts to be part of a solution, which is the first step toward solving the problem. I thank the young people there for leading the way to better grades and healthier attitudes.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to an extraordinary patriot and citizen of South Texas, George Ruiz of Corpus Christi, whose support and promotion of the U.S. Armed Forces is unconventional, and which is a wonderful recruiting tool unto itself. Since 1992, after the Persian Gulf War, George Ruiz began gathering up area young people to attend an exhibition he conceived, ``Dare to Dream.'' This exhibition includes flyovers, several Air Force planes, and booths from local law enforcement, NASA and the U.S. Border Patrol. George, a bus driver for the Calallen school district in the Corpus Christi area, does this each year out of the sheer passion he has for the military. George knows, as I do, that if young people are introduced to an organization which demands discipline, they are far more likely to succeed in life . . . to stay in school, to stay clear of gangs, and to remain drug-free. He also knows talking alone will not get it done. The driving force behind George's philosophy is that our only limit is our imagination. The most important thing he does is inspire young people to dream. He uses the mystery and majesty of aircraft to invoke their dreams. He uses the time he has with young people on his bus to talk about the importance of staying in school, and the possibility of the military as a career. It is not quite enough for George to only inspire young people through an air show exhibition; this guy lives it. He plasters recruiting posters inside his bus, he volunteers weekly at Driscoll Children's Hospital, arranges visits by military personnel to area schools, and takes youngsters to area bases to see first-hand the military facilities. Just last year, the United States Air Force showed its formal appreciation to George in the form of an award, the Air Forces Recruiting Service's most prestigious and highest form of recognition, the American Spirit Award. While the military has always been a part of his life, surprisingly enough, George has never served in uniform. His life-long interest in the military began when he was six while his father was stationed at Naval Air Station Kingsville. George's message to young people is clear: dream what you will, then work hard to see it happen, as part of the Armed Services of the United States if possible. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the best non-military recruiter in South Texas, a rare and decent patriot, George Ruiz.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I offer my support for this bill, and thank the House of Representatives for hearing this important resolution today. My colleagues and I join Americans across the country today in honoring those officers who have died in the line of duty, keeping our streets safe. I also want to offer my appreciation to those men and women in our community who walk that thin blue line every day. As a former law enforcement officer, I have a unique understanding of the everyday dangers and sense of accomplishment that accompanies each officer every day. What people do not understand very often, is that it is the inherent risk of what we might have to do that makes law enforcement so dangerous. We see the best and worst of our fellow human beings. It is not our job to judge them. That task is reserved for 12 people and someone wearing a robe. Our job is merely to treat everyone alike. Enforcing the law is a hard job. There are detractors everywhere. When people do something wrong, their first instinct is to find fault with the person who catches them. So being the guardian of our laws is never a happy endeavor. But in the end, it is the enormous satisfaction of protecting our neighborhoods and families that makes walking that blue line worth all the danger and criticism. It is the laughter of safe children, or the gratitude of someone whose life or property we protect, that makes doing this job an enormously satisfying endeavor. There are several South Texans who will be honored this week. Officers who made the supreme sacrifice include: Los Fresnos Police Officer Enrique L. Carrizalez; Department of Public Safety Trooper David Rucker; Border Patrol Agents Susan Lynn Rodriguez and Richardo Guillermo Salinas; and Corpus Christi Police Department Officers Joseph Moon, Juan Prieto, Dan Bock, Roy Smith, John Sartain and Ruben Almanza. A National Police Hall of Fame award will go to Officer Hector Gonzalez, who was shot twice at the scene of a family disturbance; Gonzalez still works for the Los Fresnos Police Department. Today, let us not forget the sacrifice made on our behalf right here in this building; our own Capitol Police Officers Chestnut and Gibson died defending Members of Congress and the public who populate this building. The House of Representatives joins families and communities across the nation remember those members of the force who are no longer with us, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. For that sacrifice, they and their family have the eternal gratitude of a grateful community and a grateful nation.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in commending one of the pillars of my South Texas community, Mr. Raul Besteiro, as he is recognized by the University of Texas at the Brownsville (UT-B) Texas Southmost College as a ``Distinguished Alumni'' on Friday, May 12. Mr. B, as Raul Besteiro is affectionately known throughout South Texas, is an educator with the biggest heart I have ever known. We have known each other nearly 20 years. He is a gentle and respected friend who shares my love for all things in South Texas. First as an educator, then in a second career as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Port of Brownsville, Mr. B has energetically served the people in the Rio Grande Valley over the course of his life. His work at the Port brings an enormous volume of trade through the Valley, bringing jobs to our area. It is entirely appropriate that Mr. B be chosen for the honor of Distinguished Alumnus, for he has dedicated his life to the education of young people. He spent the first 33 years of his career in the service of the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD), first as a teacher, then later as Superintendent. He has remained committed to education while in his career as Port Director, offering advice to the school district and employees, and even had a school named after him in 1994. He is a unique educator for the community of Brownsville with the example of his life's work. The community of Brownsville is lucky to have Raul Besteiro in it. He taught us all the meaning of courage and the remarkable nature of human will when he faced down cancer in the early 1990s. His most recent educational legislative interest, the Brownsville Wetlands Center Act, was signed into law in 1994. This important coordination of industry and UT-B teaches students how to protect, restore, and maintain the fragile ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico region. This project--in which Raul Bestiero was a prominent and influential player--combines his love of this community, his dedication to education, and his vision of a future in which the environmental concerns of industry and NAFTA are solved by the people who live in a community inspired ever forward by free trade. Mr. B is a unique patriot, citizen, and family man, respected by so many people because he offers respect to everyone he meets. I ask the colleagues to join me in commending Raul Besteiro for the honor of indeed being a distinguished alumni of the Brownsville (UT-B) Texas Southmost College.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, due to inclement weather and the inability to arrive in Washington DC yesterday, I was unable to vote during the following rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as indicated below. Rollcall No. 131--Yes; rollcall No. 132--Yes.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the House, particularly Chairman Ben Gilman and Ranking Member Sam Gejdenson, for bringing this important resolution to the floor. I join all in this Congress in congratulating the Republic of China for the success of their recent elections. A successful election is one which is fair to all and whose results are respected by everyone. In fact, in a democracy, the most important election is the second election, not the first. The second election is the truest test of commitment to democracy. If a nation can watch the peaceful transfer of power from one party to another, their journey as a democracy is indeed on solid ground. President-elect Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party won the presidential election, replacing President Lee Teng-hui. The Far East is a favorite destination of mine when I lead trade delegations, and I have met and worked with President Lee. He has made immeasurable contributions to the solid foundation of democracy in Taiwan, and he will hold a prominent place in Taiwan's history as the first democratically elected president in Taiwan's history. While the purpose of today's resolution is to congratulate President- elect Chen Shui-bian and Vice President-elect Annette Hsiu-lien Lu on their victory, I am pleased we are also remembering the most important element of this election: the people of the Republic of China. When a democracy freely votes, respects human rights and embraces free markets, they are a democracy among the established democracies of the world. The United States is hopeful that Taiwan will make use of its new power as a growing democracy to lead a substantive dialogue in that part of the world about democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human and religious rights. Again, I thank the Majority Leader and the International Relations Committee for bringing this important resolution to the attention of the House of Representatives.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, on the eve of Taiwan's second presidential election there has been much talk about China's use of force against Taiwan. I am concerned that the voters of Taiwan may be intimidated in this election and their vote may be influenced. We should let the electoral process work itself through. The people of Taiwan deserve the right to exercise their judgment in this democratic election for one of the three candidates. While we all agree that there is one China, reunification talks between Taiwan and Beijing should be conducted freely and the two sides should have equal footing in any negotiations. I urge all involved in this process to let the voters in Taiwan elect their new President on March 18. After all, peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits are in the best interests of everyone.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, because of official business in my District (27th Congressional District of Texas) I was absent for rollcall votes 46-48. If I had been present for these votes, I would have voted as indicated below: Rollcall vote 46--``yea''; rollcall vote 47--``yea''; rollcall vote 48--``yea.''

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today I commending the pioneering Spanish-language radio station in Corpus Christi, Texas, KUNO Radio Station on their 50th anniversary. KUNO Radio has long been a force in my hometown of Robstown and my adopted home of Corpus Christi. KUNO, which first went on the air in May of 1950, has been the political and cultural center of the Hispanic community of South Texas. KUNO was the first radio station in South Texas, and the second in the nation, to offer public affairs, talk radio and editorial programming in Spanish. KUNO takes a democratic approach to talk radio: whoever shows up to comment on programming gets air time. On that note, let me offer a special tribute to Victor Lara Ortegon, one of the great radio personalities of South Texas who essentially grew up with KUNO. victor joined the station in 1953, and he is the one who instituted the wildly popular public affairs show, ``Comentarios.'' If you are a political candidate in South Texas, you go to ``Comentarios'' or you lose. One of the early and great contributions to modern music by KUNO was the access and exposure they gave Tejano music and musicians. KUNO is recognized as one of the venues that launched a thousand Tejano talents, including the late, great Selena, who grew up in Corpus Christi. The Tejano genre grew up in South Texas, fortified by KUNO and other stations that followed their lead, launching Tejano as a strong, multi-million- dollar international industry. KUNO has been a news leader in South Texas; they are often the first news organization to announce election results. Their tireless dedication to news and information is legendary. In 1970, Hurricane Celia knocked all local programming off the air. KUNO was the first radio station back on the air, thanks to an affiliate's generosity with a generator and emergency antenna. Through the years, KUNO has provided for the culture of South Texas by holding large, outdoor concerts, bringing music to the people directly. They have provided for the political sensibilities of South Texas by providing a forum for political debates and treating us all to the best election and candidate coverage available. They have been a part of the journey of the local, state and federal governments in the last half of the 20th Century. I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the contributions made by KUNO to the social and political lives of South Texas.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the bill H.R. 5, The Senior Citizens Freedom to Work act. Under current law, seniors who claim Social Security benefits before they reach 69 are subject to a reduction in benefits if they continue to work. For seniors 65 to 69, benefits are reduced by $1 for every $3 that their earnings exceed the limit, which was $17,000 in 2000, and which rises to $30,000 in 2002 and is indexed after that. This bill would repeal these limits entirely, effective immediately. The earnings limit originated in the 1930's and has remained in effect because Congress never changed it, despite the vast changes in the economy and the lives of senior citizens that have taken place in the last 60 years. Nearly 50,000 senior citizens in Texas are currently being penalized for working, a prospect that does not bode well for the economic circumstances for those in the twilight of their lives. We should not punish senior citizens for participating in the workforce; we should reward that. People remain healthy and vigorous much longer than they did in the 1930's. It makes sense to repeal this obsolete and punitive limit. I have supported raising the limit in past years and support repealing it now. Today's legislation is important to consider as part of a broader plan to use the surplus to extend the life of Social Security and Medicare and pay down the debt. Today, we can take the first step towards strengthening retirement security for all seniors. But this step was just the very beginning of what we must do in order to put Social Security on a firm financial footing well into the 21st century. I hope the House of Representatives, which showed such passion today when talking about removing the earnings limit will show the same kind of passion over the next few months as we debate the proper use of the surplus. We must use the budget surplus to strengthen Social Security and Medicare.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the 1999 ``Mr. Amigo,'' Silvia Pinal, chosen recently by the Mr. Amigo Association of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in Mexico. Each year the Mr. Amigo Association honors a Mexican citizen with the title of ``Mr. Amigo,'' and that person acts as a goodwill ambassador between our two countries. Their selection honors a man or woman who has made a lasting contribution to international solidarity and goodwill at the annual Charro Days Festival. The Charro Days Festival is a pre-Lenten event, much like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, held in Brownsville and Matamoros. Charro Days festivities will last for several days; this year they will be February 23-27 and will include parades and appearances by Ms. Pinal. Charro Days is an opportunity to enjoy the unique border culture of the Rio Grande Valley area. During Charro Days, South Texans celebrate the food, music, dances and traditions of both the United States and Mexico. The U.S.-Mexican border has a unique, blended history of cowboys, bandits, lawmen, farmers, fishermen, oil riggers, soldiers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and teachers. The border has its own language and customs. On both sides of the border, there is a deep sense of history, much of which the border has seen from the front row. We have seen war and peace; we have known prosperity and bad times. Charro Days is a time for all of us to reflect on our rich history, to remember our past and to celebrate our future. The Mr. Amigo Award began in 1964 as an annual tribute to an outstanding Mexican citizen. The 1999 Mr. Amigo, Ms. Pinal, has a career in film, television and music, and, recently, in public service, serving as a Senator for District 27 in Mexico City since 1998. She is also a philanthropist and a champion of women's rights. Born in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, she considered her mother her strongest supporter. Her father, who served in the military, was also a journalist in both Mexico and the United States, and Mayor of Tequisquiapan, Quertaro, Mexico. She considers her father her role model based on his political and community work. She studied at the Bellas Artes Academy, beginning with a career in radio and eventually appearing in over 100 feature films. She starred in such international favorites as ``Mame,'' ``Que Tal Dolly,'' and Gypsy.'' I urge my colleagues to join me in commending Silvia Pinal, the 1999 Mr. Amigo, as well as the cities of Brownsville and Matamoros, for their dedication to international goodwill between the United States and Mexico.

Mr. ORTIZ

Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending an outstanding young man from my district in South Texas, Martin Banda, who was the Southwest Region Youth of the Year in 1999 as part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the National Youth of the Year Program. They only choose five winners nationally, so this was an enormous honor. Martin Banda is an 11-year member of the Boys and Girls Club of Harlingen, Texas. The circumstances of Martin's life are the sort that would make many people lose hope. Growing up in the Lemoyne Gardens housing project in Harlingen, Martin could easily have chosen an easy but dangerous life on the streets. But a higher power led Martin to join the Boys and Girls Club. He thanks the Lord for guiding him to the Club because it is a safe sanctuary from the street. But Martin's obstacles were not just on the streets. His father was incarcerated when Martin was just 5 years old, quickly making Martin the man of the house. This responsible young man took care of his mother and two sisters by disciplining himself and focusing his life around positive things. I understand the trauma with losing a father early; my own father died when I was 16, leaving me the oldest male in the house. But young Martin had to face that reality and responsibility much earlier in life than I did, and under different circumstances, so it is hard to see how difficult that event marked his young life. While Martin is grateful to them, the Boys and Girls Club and Harlingen are grateful to Martin as well. Martin is a role model for the other young people in the Boys and Girls Club. He has great athletic ability, having played on several championship football teams. But he is mostly admired for his strong leadership skills, developed first by his participation in the Torch Club and later by his service as vice president of the Keystone Club. At last count, Martin has already won $29,000 in scholarships. This is a very determined young man who will continue his education on his merit. Martin is a senior in high school and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society with a 3.75 GPA. It isn't just a pleasure, it is an honor, for me to represent this young man in Congress. I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending Martin Banda, the Southwest Youth of the Year winner for his triumph over the odds and his dedication to excellence.