Beto O’Rourke

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. O'ROURKE. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to speak on behalf of this amendment No. 18, which we are referring to as the Ask a Veteran amendment to the underlying bill. This essentially builds on some of the pioneering work taking place in the community I have the privilege to represent in El Paso, Texas. Before the wait-time scandal broke in Phoenix, we were hearing alarming discrepancies between what the VA was telling us that a veteran was waiting in our community and what we were hearing at our townhalls from veterans themselves. In order to try to resolve this issue, we conducted a scientific survey by an independent third-party with a margin of error under 4 percent to ask veterans from their own experience and in their own words what they had experienced in terms of care at the VA. We found that instead of meeting the 14-day standard then in place by the VA for access to care, veterans, on average, were waiting over 70 days to see a primary care physician and over 60 days to see a mental health care provider. Most alarmingly, 37 percent of the veterans who were surveyed who sought mental health care were not able to get an appointment in 14 days or 60 days or 1 year. They never got in at all. It is important that we remember that in the context of the VHA's recent admission that after a scientific survey of veterans in all 50 States, an average of 20 veterans a day are taking their lives in this country, and 14 of those 20 veterans who will take their lives today have not had a chance to see someone at the VA. We have learned that we cannot depend on the VA to tell us how the VA is doing. We must ask veterans directly. This amendment will do just that. It will, in every community that we serve, ask the veterans themselves how long they are waiting, when they first requested care and when that was received, the continuity of that care, the quality of that care, and the customer service. If we are to create a culture of accountability in the VA, as the chairman has said over and over again, and which I agree with wholeheartedly, we need to ask the veterans directly about their experience. We can no longer make the same mistake of trusting the VA to tell us how the VA is doing. Mr. Chairman, I ask for this body's full support of this measure that will help us hold the VA in check, keep them accountable, and ensure that veterans always have a voice in oversight of this most important institution. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano), the ranking member.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss our national lands and monuments and explore both our accomplishments and some of our future opportunities. As you know, the Antiquities Act was passed 110 years ago. Ten years later, in 1916, the National Park System was created. And since then, there have been 151 national monuments created, 84 of them by Republican Presidents--the majority of those by Republican Presidents-- showing that this act and its impact is truly bipartisan and American in every sense. I would also like to call your attention to the accomplishments of our current President, Barack Obama, whom historian Douglas Brinkley calls a Theodore Roosevelt for the 21st century, owing to his commitment to preserving our national heritage, protecting our public places, and ensuring that, whether it is of importance because of its value for wilderness, cultural, or historical impact, we are ensuring all Americans have a chance to enjoy and appreciate our heritage. I also rise today, Mr. Speaker, to suggest a way that the President can continue this legacy and set the stage for the next 100 years. Castner Range, pictured behind me, in El Paso, Texas, is 7,000 acres in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert rising into Rocky Mountain peaks that start at the southern end of that national mountain chain and has rare plant and animal species that distinguish it as a place worthy of preservation. Ending in 1966, Castner Range was used as a bombing range, but in the 50 years since then, it has been preserved in its natural state. This is an incredible opportunity to ensure that we pass on Castner Range and all that it means to us as a country to not just this generation, but the generations that follow. Castner Range, beyond the rare plant and animal species, has 10,000 years of recorded human history. There are petroglyphs dating back to 8,000 years ago, literally showing the impressions that this land made on the first Americans who were neither U.S. citizens, Mexican citizens, or really had any citizenship at all. That is particularly poignant, given the fact that Castner Range is part of the world's largest binational community. El Paso, with its sister city, Ciudad Juarez in southern New Mexico, join 3 million people of two countries, two cultures, two traditions, two languages and become one at this point. Furthermore, El Paso, Texas, is 85 percent Mexican American and happens to be one of the poorest communities in our country. This is a chance for this President to open up public lands to ensure that we have access and participation by everyone in this country and to ensure that our national monument visitors reflect the communities and the growing, changing demographics in this country. I also think that it is important to know that this community is unified in ensuring that we protect, preserve, and pass on Castner Range to future generations. Twenty-seven thousand El Pasoans have signed letters to the President. Despite its relative poverty, $1.5 million has been raised by individual donors to complement whatever Federal investment is necessary. The largest school district has made a commitment to ensure that every fourth grader has access to Castner Range, should it be preserved, that it is part of their curriculum, and that they travel to Castner Range to explore and appreciate its wonder. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, here are some larger themes that the preservation of Castner Range could tie into. It is a cold war relic. It is also a former artillery site. Following the President's recent travel to Laos, which saw more armaments rain down on it than any other part of the world, we have a chance to develop the model of how to turn former conflict sites into places of public use, into examples of peace, and into standards for preservation. That could happen in the United States, where we can set the world standard, and it can happen here at Castner Range. There are a few national monument ideas that I think make a lot of sense. There is the expansion of the Grand Canyon, Bears Ears, and Gold Butte. And then there is Castner Range. I think the President's attention to these areas and the ability to offer access to more Americans to ensure everyone has a chance to access our national parks and national monuments and to set the standard for preservation and the future of American cities is too good of an opportunity for this President to pass up.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Colonel Lawrence E. Crozier on his retirement from the United States Army after 30 years of service to our country. An esteemed and respected member of the Army Nurse Corps, Colonel Crozier most recently served as the Deputy Commander for Patient Service and Nursing at Fort Bliss' William Beaumont Medical Center in my district of El Paso, Texas. In this capacity, Colonel Crozier was instrumental in day-to-day operations of the Department of Defense's largest medical treatment facility, comprised of more than 3,700 staff members and 72,000 beneficiaries. He also played an integral role in strengthening the relationship between Fort Bliss and the El Paso community. Colonel Crozier's distinguished career began in 1986 at Fort Gordon, Georgia and included time in Germany; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Stewart, Georgia; and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. During this time, Colonel Crozier deployed to both Kyrgyzstan and Saudi Arabia in support of humanitarian missions and to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his time in Iraq, Colonel Crozier served as the Chief Operating Room Nurse at Baghdad's 86th Combat Support Hospital, where he led a team of nurses and medics in performing hundreds of lifesaving surgeries for our service members. As Colonel Crozier embarks on a new chapter in life, it is my hope that he and his family may recall, with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment, the outstanding contributions he has made to the William Beaumont Army Medical Center and to the United States Army. I would like to send him my best wishes for continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, during the roll call votes on Thursday, July 7, 2016, I missed a vote on an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations. Had I been present, on roll call number 394, I would have voted Yea.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Florida. I will just ask my colleagues to support a commonsense, bipartisan amendment that moves beyond parochialism, that moves beyond partisanship, that ensures that we have fiscal responsibility and effective and efficient support of our servicemember and our warfighter. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Jolly).

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for his comments, and I also thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his and for mentioning the cost of these BRAC rounds. Yes, there is a significant, one-time cost, but if we look at the combined return that we see from all BRACs in all previous years, we realize $13.6 billion annually to the positive. Just from the 2005 BRAC alone, it is $3.8 billion that we can place in support of our servicemembers, in reducing waste, and ensuring that those precious tax dollars go to where they will be most effective. Mr. Chairman, may I ask how much time I have remaining?

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I can think of no more important, awesome responsibility for us, as Representatives of our various districts across the country, than to ensure that the servicemembers whom we place in harm's way in over 140 countries around the world in the longest conflicts we have ever fought in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere are resourced, that they are trained, that they have everything that they need to complete the missions to which we have assigned them and to return home from the battlefield safely. And yet, despite authorizing a record amount this year in defense authorizations--over $600 billion--we have stretched our military thin. We are approaching a crisis in readiness, and what that means is that we are approaching a point where we are going to send men and women into harm's way without the resources and training and support they need to ensure they come back safely. This is at a time, Mr. Chairman, when we learn that the Army has 33 percent over capacity in terms of resources that it has that it does not need to perform its functions. The Air Force is 32 percent over capacity, and the Department of Defense, as a whole, is 22 percent over capacity. Just one example, in the Department of the Army, if we were to reduce that overcapacity and move those resources where they can be more effectively placed, we would save $500 million a year. If we want to better serve our servicemembers, I ask my colleagues to join me in this amendment, which strikes language from the underlying bill that prohibits the Department of Defense from planning, proposing, or implementing a base realignment and closure round. Now, to be clear, by striking that language, this would not authorize a BRAC. It would simply allow the Department of Defense to begin discussions around this, to begin planning it, and if it thinks it is the best way to serve our servicemembers and pursue our missions overseas, the Department of Defense could then propose a base realignment and closure round. Mr. Chairman, I think this is the best way that we can serve both our servicemembers and the taxpayer and place resources where they can be most efficiently and effectively used. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 110th anniversary of the Antiquities Act. From the first national monument, Devils Tower in Wyoming that was designated in 1906, to the Statue of Liberty in New York, and Glacier Bay in Alaska, over 148 designations have been made by 16 Presidents, most of them Republicans. While the last 110 years have arguably been successful for this country, we can do better. Today's national monuments and the people who visit them do not reflect the great diversity of this country. That is why I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the Castner Range National Monument Act. The Castner Range is in El Paso, Texas. It is 7,000 acres of pristine Chihuahuan desert, Rocky Mountain wilderness surrounded by a community that is 85 percent Mexican American. The last 110 years have been great. I ask my colleagues to support me and join me in ensuring that the next 110 years are even better.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, during the roll call votes on Monday, May 23, 2016 through Thursday, May 27, 2016, I was absent due to an invitation from the President to join him on his trip to Vietnam. Had I been present, on roll call number 229, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 230, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 231, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 232, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 233, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 234, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 235, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 236, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 237, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 238, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 239, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 240, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 241, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 242, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 243, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 244, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 245, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 246, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 247, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 248, 1 would have voted Nay. On roll call number 249, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 250, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 251, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 252, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 253, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 254, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 255, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 256, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 257, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 258, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 259, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 260, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 261, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 262, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 263, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 264, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 265, I would have voted Yea. On roll call number 266, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 267, I would have voted Nay. On roll call number 268, I would have voted Nay.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize and honor Michael P. Reese for his extraordinary contributions to the community of El Paso and honorable service to our nation. Mr. Reese stands apart for his distinguished service as a teacher in the El Paso community and soldier for the United States Army. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1979, Michael P. Reese has dedicated both his life and career to the service of others. After graduating from the Texas Lutheran University in 2001, Mr. Reese worked as a counselor to troubled youth at a therapeutic wilderness camp in Lockhart, Texas. In 2003, he joined the United States Army, where he served honorably through 2005. During his service, Mr. Reese was stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas and deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005 with the First Brigade Combat Team of the First Cavalry Division. While deployed, Mr. Reese earned the Combat Medical Badge for satisfactorily performing medical duties while his unit was engaged in ground combat. After completing his term of enlistment, Michael Reese moved to El Paso when he was accepted into the University of Texas at El Paso's History Graduate Program. Since graduating in 2009, Mr. Reese has worked as a high school teacher in El Paso and earned several awards for his refusal to dumb down challenging issues and ability to bring out the best in his students, including Campus Teacher of the Year at Andress High School. Michael P. Reese's creative use of technology to inspire his students and encourage discussion, exemplifies the vision required to educate the youth of El Paso in the 21st century. This year, the El Paso Independent School District named Mr. Reese Secondary Teacher of the Year for his work as a Social Studies and Broadcast Journalism teacher at El Paso High School. Michael P. Reese's commitment to helping others is an inspiration to the El Paso community. I am honored to recognize him for his service to our country both in the military and classroom.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Jill McGee for her dedication and service to the El Paso community. As an elementary school teacher, Ms. McGee has stood out among her peers for her innovative teaching methods that empower and challenge her students. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Jill McGee earned her Spanish undergraduate degree from North Park University in Chicago, Illinois and her Master's degree in Bilingual Education from the University of Texas at El Paso. After graduating, Ms. McGee began her career as a teacher in the colonias of our sister city Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Through her work in Ciudad Juarez, Ms. McGee has become fluent in Spanish and realized the importance of dual-language education. To this day, Ms. McGee often finds herself back in Ciudad Juarez where she continues to work several days a week with students from areas of extreme poverty. More recently, Ms. McGee has worked over the past five years as a second grade elementary school teacher at Mesita Elementary, a dual- language elementary school in El Paso, Texas. At Mesita, she has incorporated the use of cutting edge technology in the classroom, such as computer coding and live broadcasting of her classes online, while also crafting a syllabus that challenges her students through problem- based learning. To honor Jill McGee's decade-plus teaching career and dedication to dual-language learning, the El Paso Independent School District recently recognized her as the 2016 Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Jill McGee is an inspiration to the El Paso community, and I am honored to represent her.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today in recognition of the 23rd Anniversary of the El Paso Youth Symphony Orchestra (EPYSO), presided over by Maestro Phillip Gabriel Garcia of my district in El Paso, Texas. I am pleased to recognize EPYSO as an innovative youth group dedicated to serving the El Paso community through their hard work and musical talents. Since 1993, EPYSO has provided young El Pasoans who are passionate about music an opportunity to perform in El Paso and communities throughout the United States with the intention of raising awareness about social justice issues. EPYSO has performed at various El Paso venues, including the Child Crisis Center, the Battered Women Shelter, Fort Bliss, and the La Fe Community Health Center. Most recently, EPYSO performed at the University of Texas at El Paso's Sun Bowl stadium during Pope Francis' historic February 2016 visit to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. This summer, EPYSO will embark on the ``America United Tour'', where they will perform in New York City and in Washington, D.C. With over 250 concerts performed and 3,500 musicians hosted, EPYSO instills a sense of pride and confidence in young individuals through their personal achievements as musicians. I am proud that programs such as EPYSO exist in my district, and I am confident that EPYSO will serve as a positive role model in helping to inspire youth to serve their communities.

Mr. O'ROURKE

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Himes).

Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings).