Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, like most Americans, I store a lot on my computer and on my phone: family photographs, personal calendars, emails, schedules, and even weekend to-do lists or, as my wife calls them, honey-do lists. But this information stored on a phone, like the one I have here in my hand, is not private from the prying, spying eyes of government--our government. Most Americans have no idea that Big Brother can snoop on tweets, Gchats, texts, Instagrams, and even emails. Anything that is stored in the cloud for over 6 months is available to be spied on by government as long as it is older than 180 days. Now, why is that? Well, it goes all the way back to the outdated Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. That act protects privacy of emails that are less than 6 months old. In 1986, those were the days before the World Wide Web even existed. Many of us have staff that weren't even born before 1986. We stored letters in folders, filing cabinets, and desk drawers. No one knew what the cloud was because the cloud did not exist. There was not any broadband, no social media, no tablets, or no smartphones. So, in 1986, lawmakers tried to protect emails but only did so for 180 days. Under current law, every email, every text, every Google doc and Facebook message, every photograph of our vacation is subject to government inspection without a warrant, without probable cause, and without our knowledge if it is older than 6 months. This is an invasion of privacy. Constitutional protection for 6 months only? That is nonsense, Mr. Speaker. What is worse, some government agencies don't want the law changed. The Securities and Exchange Commission is lobbying to keep the same law on the books so they can snoop around in emails after 6 months without a warrant. The SEC is not even a law enforcement agency, but yet they want to keep the ability to look at emails. I suspect they want to be able to read personal financial records and communications without a warrant. Spying on citizens by government sounds like conduct reminiscent of the old Soviet Union. The SEC is not the only government agency that has access to emails over 6 months old. Any government agency can go in, confiscate emails that are older than 6 months without a warrant, without probable cause, and without knowledge of the person that they are snooping on. To me, this is a clear violation of the spirit of the United States Constitution. Mr. Speaker, if we go back to the days of snail mail and you write a letter and you put it in an envelope and you put it in a mailbox and it floats around the country from place to place and finally ends up in somebody else's mailbox, government cannot go and grab that letter and search it without a warrant under most circumstances, no matter where it goes in the U.S., because it is protected. It is the privacy of the person who wrote the letter and the person who is receiving the letter. Why should government have the ability to snoop around in our personal emails? They don't have that right, even though they have the ability to do so. Mr. Speaker, the Fourth Amendment makes us, the U.S., different than any nation on Earth to protect the privacy of American citizens. Government agencies can't raid homes or tap into phones or read mail without showing a judge they have probable cause that a crime was committed. They must obtain a search warrant. Mr. Speaker, I was a judge in Texas for 22 years, a criminal court judge, and saw 20,000 cases or more. Police officers would come to me at all times, day or night, with a search warrant. If it stated probable cause, I would sign the warrant, and then they would be instructed to go search whatever it was that they had probable cause to search. That is what the Constitution requires before you can snoop around and spy on Americans. If you want to search, get a warrant. That is the rule under our law. Why should our possessions and communications be less private because they are online? Well, they shouldn't be. That is why I have teamed up with Representative Zoe Lofgren on the other side and lots of other Members of Congress in both parties to introduce legislation to update the outdated ECPA law. There are several bills pending. In fact, these bills have over 300 sponsors right now, bipartisan, to restore ECPA's original purpose to protect the privacy of American citizens. This legislation would protect the sacred right of privacy from ever- increasing spying government trolls on Americans. Our mission is simple: extend constitutional protections to communications and records that Americans store online for any amount of time. Mr. Speaker, technology may change, but the Constitution remains the same. Thomas Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence, government is created to ensure our rights, not violate those rights. It is about time we make government protect the right of privacy rather than violate the right of privacy. We need to pass this ECPA law and get privacy back in America. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, ISIS has vowed to takes its murderous Islamic jihad to America. There are ISIS fighters already here and more on the way. Meanwhile, the President wants to add thousands more unvetted Syrian refugees to the mix, this when his own FBI Director says the Federal Government cannot effectively conduct proper security checks on these Syrian nationals. Over half of the State Governors have refused to take refugees because of the inability to fully vet them. But the administration says States have to take the refugees, whether they like it or not. The law says the Federal Government must ``consult'' with States regarding refugee resettlement, but it is unclear if they can be rejected by the States. That is why I have introduced the States' Right of Refugee Refusal Act. This bill gives State Governors the choice to accept refugees or not. Let's resolve this now with legislation, not lawsuits. We don't have years to wait for the courts to decide. Meanwhile, let's ramp up aid to Syrian refugee camps overseas and encourage our Middle Eastern allies like the Saudi Arabians to step up and help. The ISIS threat is not a myth. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for the time. Mr. Speaker, ISIS is at war with the United States. The question is: Is America at war with ISIS? I am not so sure, since we don't have a strategy to defeat ISIS, other than if we are attacked, shelter in place, hunker down, get more security guards around the Capitol, use the tunnels rather than walk outside. That is what we were told after the Paris attacks, Mr. Speaker. This legislation is really simple. It has at its core the idea to protect American citizens. It has nothing to do with refugees as far as whether we accept refugees. Our country accepts refugees. We always have. That is clear. It is not the issue of refugees. It is the issue of letting ISIS terrorists get into the country to kill us, Mr. Speaker. Our own security that the gentleman from Mississippi kept talking about tells us we cannot vet Syrian refugees. The FBI Director says that. We can't do it. We are not capable of doing it. One of the reasons is many of these folks have no identity. So we can't do a background check on somebody who has no identity. This legislation says let's take some safeguards. Before we bring in these specific refugees, let's make sure that the people in charge of security certify that this person is not a threat. They can't do it right now. Even the FBI Director says they can't certify. We owe that to the American public. This legislation does that. The gentleman from Mississippi is correct that 31 Governors of the States say: Wait a minute. Not so fast. Find out who these people are. I think the Governors of the States get it right. They ought to have the ability, I think, to decide whether people should come to their State or not only after a security check. So this legislation is a step to protect America, one of the things we are supposed to do. The legislation is coming up quickly. Why? Because it is an immediate threat. We have got refugees being bombed over in Syria. If we are going to take them in, let's at least have a plan to protect not only us, but those refugees. That plan is in this legislation. It seems to me it would be irresponsible not to pass the legislation to require a certification of everybody that comes into America so that America could be safe because that is our responsibility, Mr. Speaker. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Friday morning President Obama boastfully declared to the world that ISIS was contained. Hours later, Paris was burning. ISIS fighters unleashed coordinated attacks all over the City of Lights, murdering 130 people and injuring hundreds of others. This, just weeks after ISIS blew up an airplane, killing over 200 people. The President is wrong. ISIS is not contained. ISIS' homicidal aggression has spread from the Middle East to the sleeping West. This morning, the radical killers released a video threatening an attack on Washington, D.C. Shall we dither until this Capital is bombed? I think not. This is our fight, but it is not our fight alone. We should immediately invoke article 5 of the NATO agreement. This says an attack on one NATO nation--such as France is an attack on all NATO nations. This paves the way for a truly joint and international response to ISIS. The U.S. invoked this provision after the 9/11 attack. All 28 NATO nations need to join the war against our common enemy because containment is not a strategy. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, November 4th marks the anniversary of an important date in U.S.-Iranian relations. On this date in 1979, only a few months after the Shah was deposed and the radical, anti-American, Islamist Ayatollah Khomeini was placed in power, a group of young Islamic revolutionaries made their anger with the United States known to the world. The group stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took over 60 American hostages. The revolutionaries were angry about President Carter's decision to allow the recently ousted Shah into the U.S. for cancer treatment and general American interference in their affairs. Hostages were blindfolded, bound, beaten, sometimes tortured, subjected to solitary confinement and unsanitary conditions, and even underwent mock executions. Richard Morefield, the Consul General of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran recounted that he was subjected to three mock executions, the first being on his second night in captivity. He was awakened in the middle of the night, herded into a van with other hostages, driven somewhere, dragged into a shower room, seated on a bench, and made to think he would die there and then. Al Golacinski, John Limbert, and Rick Kupke were also subjected to mock executions. They too were awakened in the middle of the night, forced to remove their clothing, blindfolded and marched into a basement where the callous guards made it seem they were about to be executed by firing squad. The guards pulled their triggers to their unloaded weapons and laughed. These hostages lived in emotional and physical turmoil for 444 days. Though 13 of the hostages were released after a short time, diplomatic means to free the rest of the hostages failed. President Carter tried to build pressure through economic sanctions and frozen assets. Then, Ronald Reagan was elected president. Minutes after his inauguration, the Iranians freed the remaining hostages. This event left a lasting impression on American foreign policy. Sanctions that began as a result of the Iranian hostage crisis increased over 36 years as Iran built up its illegal nuclear weapons program, conducted terrorist attacks against innocent civilians around the world, and violated the human rights of its own people. That is until President Obama decided to ease sanctions on this enemy nation as part of a disastrous new ``deal.'' On this November 4, 36 years after the start of the hostage crisis, we have not forgotten. And, we have not forgiven. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, recently a Hollywood filmmaker joined protesters and marched in an antipolice rally in New York City. He referred to peace officers as murderers. His hateful rhetoric called for violence against law enforcement, saying: ``I have to call a murderer a murderer, and I have to call a murder a murder,'' adding that he is on the side of the ones who confront and are confronted by police. His comments encourage mischief and crimes against peace officers. For the haters to justify lawlessness in response to perceived lawless acts by the police is idiotic. Bad cops, like bad citizens, should face a judge in a court of law. However, communities cannot be burned, looted, or destroyed by cop haters because some police officer allegedly committed a crime. Nor can crimes against police be encouraged, tolerated, or justified because some other officer is accused of doing something improper. Otherwise, there is mob rule. The filmmaker, whose occupation is dedicated to the fake, the false, and to fiction, made comments 1 week after New York City lost one of its finest. Officer Randolph Holder was gunned down--really, he was assassinated by a ruthless outlaw--and he was recently buried. The filmmaker's self-righteous indignation toward law enforcement only fuels the fire and the war on police. It promotes anarchy, chaos, and lawlessness. The war on police has resulted in the death of 31 police officers killed in the line of duty this year, 31 officers who gave their life and their blood to protect and serve the rest of us. Cop haters ought to be ashamed. The New York police union has called for a boycott of the Hollywood filmmaker's films which, interestingly enough, are riddled with extreme violence, racist remarks, and more hate toward police. It is ironic, Mr. Speaker, that society expects police officers to protect them, but they will be the first to criticize officers for doing their job. Officers defend the thin blue line between law and the lawless. Their job is dangerous. Every day peace officers run toward chaos that everyone else is running away from. Mr. Speaker, in my past life I was a criminal court judge and a prosecutor in Houston, Texas. For 30 years I met peace officers from all over the country. Some of those officers I met were later killed. I know peace officers from New York City, and after we get through the communication barrier--as Churchill said, we are separated by a common language--I have found them generally to be remarkable people who do society's dirty work. Those peace officers in New York are constantly on the job, rooting out the evil in New York City, while protecting and serving New Yorkers. They go into the dark dens where crime dwells and arrest those who would do harm to others. They have a thankless job that most people in America would never do. Mr. Speaker, this isn't Hollywood. This is real life, where situations can turn violent in an instant. There is no fake blood, makeup, or actors. These lives are real. Antipolice comments, like these from Hollywood, should be looked at for really what they are. It is a commercial by the Hollywood film crowd to make money off of films that preach hate and violence by pandering to police haters. Mr. Speaker, peace officers wear the badge or shield or star over their heart. It is symbolic by where it is placed. As a protector from the evils that are committed in our society by protecting the rest of us, they stand between us and those who would do us harm. When I was a kid back in Texas, my dad and I went to a parade in a small town called Temple. As the parade was going by, my dad noticed that I was looking at a person who was standing on the corner. He wasn't in the parade. He was just watching what was taking place. It was a local Temple police officer. Back in those days they didn't really have uniforms. They wore a white shirt, a star, and a cowboy hat, and jeans. My dad commented at that time, he said: ``If you are ever in trouble, if you ever need help, go to the man or woman who wears the badge because they are a cut above the rest of us.'' That statement was true then, and it is still true today. Mr. Speaker, peace officers are a cut above the rest of us. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Memorial Park is to Houston what Central Park is to New York City. It is our haven in the woods in the heart of Houston, Texas. Many joggers, runners and walkers hit the park's trail daily to make the three mile loop. I know this park well. In my past life as a criminal court judge, I took to the gravel trail for my daily run, as later did my kids. But what people may not know is the rich history that lies beneath their feet. Much of Memorial Park is located on the grounds of a historical WWI military facility--Camp Logan. Camp Logan was an emergency training center that was established when the U.S. entered WWI. After declaring war on Germany, The War Department, now known as the Department of Defense, sought out Harris County, Texas for its moderate climate and Houston's newly opened ship channel. These elements made it a prime spot to train young American ``doughboys'' to go ``over there'' to fight in the Great WWI in Europe. Two military installations were built: Camp Logan for the Army and Ellington Field for the Army Air Service. The camp provided shelter and training to thousands of soldiers from all over America from1917-1919. Set up like many other army camps in the United States, Camp Logan's primary function was turning young American boys into fighting men. Tens of thousands of National Guard soldiers were trained for duty in France. The soldiers that trained at Camp Logan entered camp straight out of civilian life and found themselves in intense combat preparation. Tear gas and explosives were used to simulate the conditions on the front lines. But a new type of warfare was harder for the soldiers to imagine--trench warfare. The trenches were bloody, muddy, cruel and under constant attack. History shows how brutal and costly the trench war was. Even with all the training at Camp Logan, soldiers were not fully prepared for life in the trenches. To help the soldiers cope with the wounds and harsh reality of war, the commission on Training Camp Activities enlisted the help of several nationwide service organizations like the YMCA, Red Cross, American Library Association, Knights of Columbus, Jewish Board of Welfare and others. Through these private organizations the soldiers had entertainment, counseling, religious services, athletic programs and more. The kindness of the local Houston community surrounding the camp did a lot to support the men of Camp Logan as well. With the thousands of men at Camp Logan, the Camp was not without its problems. A conflict by soldiers with local police in 1917 resulted in the death of four police officers, three African American soldiers and ten local civilians after a riot. After the war, the Camp continued to serve vital functions. In 1919, it was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers coming back from Europe. It also served as a unit of the City of Houston's health care system until 1923. After that, the Camp remained deserted until 1942. Catherine Mary Emmott wrote to the Houston Chronicle advising the city to ``buy some of the land and turn it into a park in memory of the boys.'' Her efforts led the way in turning the land into a park. Thus Memorial Park--a memorial to the ones who were trained in Texas to fight in Europe. Emmott's efforts did not fall upon deaf ears. William C. Hogg, son of Texas Governor Jim Hogg, bought two tracts of the former Camp Logan site and sold it to the City of Houston. That May, the City of Houston officially established a park in remembrance of the WWI soldiers who trained there. Today, Memorial Park includes a golf course, bike paths, tennis courts, baseball fields and a nature center. It is an attraction for runners, walkers and joggers of all ages. The grounds are now a training area for athletes rather than a training area for soldiers. It is estimated that almost 1,000 Camp Logan soldiers gave their lives during the Great WWI and over 6,200 were wounded. The Logan soldiers served with distinction in combat in the forest and trenches of Europe. Seventy-five of the African American soldiers trained at Camp Logan from the 370th Infantry were awarded the French Croix de Guerre and 12 received the U.S. Army's Distinguished Service Crosses for their acts of valor. Memorial Park, as it is appropriately named, has begun a project to commemorate the doughboys who trained at Camp Logan by planting trees in their honor. The series of trees will be lined up like columns of soldiers in an area called ``Memorial Groves.'' This section of the park contains the highest number of Camp Logan remnants, artifacts and WWI memorabilia. It is vital that communities know their history. The work being done for ``Memorial Groves'' at the park is an appropriate way to see that history and honor the memory of Camp Logan and the young warriors it produced. Texas has had a long history of supporting and uplifting America's military. The history of Camp Logan is our own. Camp Logan should be remembered just as it is--a memorial for the soldiers who trained on Texas soil before they fought on foreign soil 100 years ago. Of the Logan soldiers, some served and returned, some served and returned with the wounds of war and some served and did not return. Memorial Park is a memorial for them all. As we approach November 11th--Armistice Day, now Veterans Day--the end of WWI, it is with deep gratitude that we honor the men of Camp Logan, Texas. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Doughnuts to Go is a small, family- owned shop in California managed by Lee Ky. Like any small business, its success depends on the hard work and grit of the folks who own it. Lee's success was threatened in 2012 when Doughnuts to Go was sued by ADA trolls for alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit alleged minute violations, including--get this--a mislabeled table, door handles that were off by a few centimeters, and the trash can in the bathroom was in the wrong place. Lee was surprised by this lawsuit, especially because she is disabled herself. Lee is confined to a wheelchair and runs her store that she believes is ADA compliant. Lee was targeted by a serial plaintiff who never set foot in the store and who also sued nearly 80 other businesses in the area. Unfortunately, Lee's not alone. Mr. Speaker, there is a whole industry made up of people who prey on and strong-arm small businesses in order to make money off of ADA lawsuits. To these trolls, it is about making money, not helping the disabled get access to businesses. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. Now, after 25 years of progress and advancement, the integrity of this landmark legislation is being threatened by a handful of lawyers and plaintiffs. The vast majority of businesses strive to serve their customers to the best of their ability, relying on the ADA as another tool to help ensure that customers with disabilities can enjoy the services they provide. Most of these businessowners believe they are compliant with the ADA. Their businesses have even passed local and State inspections. However, despite their best attempts, certain attorneys and their pool of serial plaintiffs look for minor, easily correctible ADA infractions so they can file a lawsuit and make some cash off, I believe, the disabled. Faced with the threat of a lawsuit for minor infractions, small- business owners find themselves in a dilemma. They have few choices: settle out of court or spend time and money to go through the legal process. This becomes a lose-lose situation. At face value, these drive-by lawsuits are an easy way for both greedy plaintiffs and attorneys to make a quick buck. In many cases, a single plaintiff signs onto multiple cases, alleging violations at businesses and properties where the plaintiff has never set foot. In California, for example, one serial plaintiff filed over 250 separate lawsuits. Another individual filed more than 800, and a third nearly 1,000. Some of these lawsuits are filed by plaintiffs that never have been in the business or even live in the State. The abuse is obvious. Unfortunately, these lawsuits are on the rise nationwide. In 2014 alone, there was a 63 percent increase in ADA lawsuits for businesses open to the public, with more than 4,000 individual cases making their way to Federal courts. What's more is that local and State courts across the country are finding themselves inundated by these drive-by lawsuits, and some have created special rules to deal with the sheer volume of these cases. Because of this, State legislatures have begun to take action. The Texas State Legislature has already filed steps to curtail these practices. The ADA, however, is Federal law, and as such, Congress must remedy this harmful practice of drive-by lawsuits targeting small businesses. This is why I am introducing the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015, H.R. 3765. This legislation will provide businessowners with an opportunity to remedy the alleged ADA infractions before being saddled with legal fees. Businessowners will have a 120-day window when given notice by the plaintiff to make any necessary public accommodation corrections and update their business. If the businessowner fails to correct the infractions, the plaintiff retains all of their rights to pursue legal action under ADA. This legislation restores the purpose of the ADA, which is to provide access and accommodation to disabled Americans, not to fatten the wallets of ADA trolls. So I recommend to the House of Representatives that they sign onto this legislation, because the goal of this legislation is to make all businesses comply with the ADA, Mr. Speaker, not to be a cash cow for litigants that have never set foot in a Doughnuts to Go. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the chairman for yielding. I also thank the chairman and ranking member for their work on this very important piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, around the world, big game like elephant and rhinos are getting slaughtered. Ivory-seeking poachers have killed 100,000 elephants in 3 years. The black rhino population has dropped 95 percent since the early 20th century. In 2007, there were 12 rhinos killed in South Africa; but in 2013 and 2014, over 1,000 were killed each year. Regarding elephants, this is a photograph of one of the oldest elephants in existence. Satao was his name. He was in his forties. He was killed for his tusks. They were so long, they drug on the ground. That is what is happening to the elephant population in Africa. They are killed not for their meat; they are killed for their tusks. Most of the people doing the poaching are really not the locals who poach for an animal to eat. That is not most of the poaching, although that does occur. Most of those doing the poaching are transnational criminal organizations. The criminal groups come from places like China and Vietnam. China is the number one destination for elephant tusks. Vietnam is the number one world destination for rhino horns. Criminal cartels that are involved in this trafficking don't just traffic wildlife. They traffic drugs, weapons, and people. It is all the same group of criminals that are trafficking. They traffic anything for money. The wildlife trafficking trade has exploded in recent years because the criminals understand that profits they get from trafficking wildlife are bigger than what they get for trafficking drugs. Also, the chances of getting caught are less and, if caught, the punishment is less. So that is why wildlife trafficking is on the increase. A rhino horn is now worth about $27,000 per pound. That is twice the value of gold and platinum and more than cocaine and diamonds. It should come as no surprise that terrorist groups are involved in this as well. I held a hearing in my subcommittee in February on the connection between wildlife trafficking and terrorist groups. The witnesses testified that terrorists are one of several groups involved in wildlife trafficking. And, of course, they do it all for the money. They use the money, as Mr. Engel said, to buy bullets and guns to cause terror in Africa and other places in the world. Just over the weekend, al Qaeda's Somali affiliate, Al-Shabaab, released photographs of its fighters hunting and killing a giraffe. Here is a photograph of that giraffe that was killed in Africa. It is a recruiting poster for jihad. Al-Shabaab put this on its recruiting poster. This recent video says: Terrorism is in my nation, and we do it for tourism. Therefore, come and help us in jihad. That is a recruiting poster, the killing of wildlife in Africa. Killing of elephants is a main revenue source for the Lord's Resistance Army, led by the infamous Joseph Kony. By going after wildlife traffickers, we are going after transnational criminal organizations and terrorists. But we also must call out, as this legislation does, corrupt government officials that give a wink and a nod for allowing the poaching, in their countries, of rhinos, elephants, and others. This isn't just a wildlife problem. It is a national security problem. This bill will give our law enforcement the authority it needs to be able to go after criminals and terrorists and help foreign governments save rhinos and elephants from extinction.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, if we don't stop wildlife trafficking of rhinos, elephants, and other animals by terrorist groups, for organized criminal activities, the only places our kids and grandkids are going to see rhinos and elephants are at the zoo or in a Disney cartoon. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding on this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians has reached new levels of terror. Over the past month, Palestinians have stabbed, shot, or run over innocent Israelis almost every day. The cause of these tragedies is simple: the incitement by Palestinian leaders. Of course, our government is on the wrong side of this issue. Our government stands by while Palestinian Authority President Abbas praises violent riots on the Temple Mount. But the problem is bigger than speeches. Palestinian leaders have turned their schools into terrorist breeding grounds that teach hate. Israel reacted to this violence how any other country should react; but the United States State Department callously calls Israel's self- defense executive force. Like I said, the State Department has got it wrong. The Palestinians should be called out for what they are doing: inciting violence and committing violence. They are responsible for their criminal acts, not the Israelis. We can stand side by side with Israel by condemning these terrorist acts, and the Palestinian leaders should be held personally accountable for inciting violence in the Palestinian community. The State Department and the world need to quit making excuses for Palestinian terrorists and hold them accountable for the crimes that they commit. I am glad to be an original cosponsor of House Resolution 293. I urge its passage so that America and the rest of the world understand that we stand by Israel and not by the terrorists. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, thanks to the American taxpayers, what might be the world's most expensive gas station was built in Afghanistan. A mysterious Department of Defense special task force spent $43 million on a gas station in Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, that must be a humdinger of a truck stop. What should have only cost $500,000 cost 140 times that amount, charged to the taxpayers' credit card. Yet, there are no answers or explanations. Mr. Speaker, it has now since been reported that Afghans don't even use the gas station because of the cost of the gas. No one has been held accountable for such wasteful government spending, not surprisingly. This is getting to be normal for government ``spendocrats.'' Time for no more Washington spending-sprees on the taxpayers' dime. People need to be held personally responsible for such wasteful spending. The American people deserve an explanation. After all, it is their money that is funding $43 million gas stations in other countries. Mr. Speaker, why are we building a five-star gas station in Afghanistan anyway? And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Thomas J. Parr's story should be taught and known. This man reflects what is good and right about our country. In 1967, Thomas Parr graduated from the United States Military Academy. While studying and training at West Point, he completed Ranger School. This earned him the coveted Ranger Tab. After graduation, he served in two tours to Germany and Vietnam. In Germany, he commanded an Armored Cavalry Troop during the Soviet Union's invasion of Czechoslovakia. In Vietnam, he served as Commander of a Mechanized Infantry Company. The training he endured in Ranger School provided him with the tools to soldier as a combat leader. He commanded his troop to root out the Viet Cong underground organization. He did this by moving his troop quickly through the search areas in order to barricade villages harboring Viet Cong. This provided the village with protection and ultimately drove out the enemy. For his service and leadership in Vietnam, he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge and three Bronze Stars for Valor and Merit. After serving time in combat, he soon realized his calling was medicine. Parr stayed enlisted and got his degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in 1975. He traded his officer's uniform for scrubs and became an Orthopedic Surgeon. He interned and did his residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. By the late 80s, he relocated to Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington to become the Assistant Chief of Orthopedics. There, he set up the surgery department and trained physicians. He was among the first Army surgeons to start performing arthroscopic surgery. He served our country over 20 years and retired as United States Army Medical Corps Colonel. Following his military retirement in 1987, Dr. Parr and his wife, Joannie, came back to Texas--of course. Once back in the Lone Star State, Dr. Parr started a private practice in Sugar Land. And the rest they say is history. His achievements as an orthopedic surgeon have made him well known and well respected. He is recognized nationally as a leader in Orthopedic and Sports Injury Medicine and today, he continues to make remarkable strides in the medical field. He's the first in the nation to perform MAKOplasty--a robotic arm procedure used in knee replacement surgery. As a staunch defender of America and her values, Dr. Parr has translated his service from the battlefield to the operating room and now into our community. Today, he serves on the Board of Directors for the West Point Society of Greater Houston, helping deserving youth to apply and obtain acceptance into any of our nation's military academies. With his twenty years of military service and medical expertise, Dr. Parr helps future military cadets work their way through the medical requirements of eligibility. Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Parr always has time to help those with ties to the military service. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Dr. Parr's life journey is one of honor, duty, God, country and helping his fellow man. From the United States Military Academy at West Point to the jungles of Vietnam, to the operating rooms of Washington and now in the surgical rooms in Houston, Texas, Dr. Parr has made, and is still making, a difference to our nation. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a former judge and prosecutor, I saw the impact of domestic violence firsthand. As co-founders of the Victims' Rights Caucus, with my friend Jim Costa from California, we believe that it is important to recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. My grandmother used to always say, ``You never hurt someone you claim you love.'' Yet, in 2014 alone, 132 women were killed in domestic violence-related incidents in Texas. After a history of spousal abuse, 27-year-old Candace Williams Deckard of Houston, Texas, was murdered by her husband on July 17, 2014. She had three children. Her toddler was in the room when she was murdered. Another one of her children, a 7-year-old, ran down the street for help. All of these children will grow up without their mother. Domestic violence, Mr. Speaker, is not a family issue; it is a national health issue, and it is a criminal justice issue. Domestic violence is a scourge on our national culture. We must not tolerate those who would destroy a family by abuse and murder. We must protect victims. After all, Mr. Speaker, you never hurt someone you claim you love. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice has closed its investigation into Lois Lerner and her band of bungling bureaucrats at the IRS. Choosing political expediency, it won't prosecute the actors. But according to news reports today, not only did officials at the IRS abuse their power by targeting the administration's political enemies, now they possess spy equipment to do it. Now the IRS will have ``sophisticated cellphone dragnet equipment known as Stingray.'' These devices ``work by pretending to be cellphone towers in order to strip metadata and in some cases even content from phones which connect to them.'' Mr. Speaker, why does the IRS want to spy on Americans? It sounds like the old Soviet Union to me. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from this type of widespread, abusive government spying. It is time for Congress to make sure that the constitutional right of privacy applies to the IRS and to this new technology. Technology may change, but the Constitution does not. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Gary Warman, my friend who has served 35 years with the Humble Police Department, is retiring as a Texas lawman. Gary should be recognized for his fine career and his outstanding public service to the community of Humble and the great State of Texas. After graduating from Sam Houston High School in Houston, Texas, Gary joined the United States Marines Corps in 1968. He served a tour in South Vietnam at Marble Mountain near Da Nang Air Base. Gary is an honorable defender of liberty and freedom and I thank him for his service to our country. Following his service in the Marines, Gary moved back to Houston and began working as a millwright. His father was a millwright, so he naturally learned the trade. He worked in several power plants around the Houston area for the next five years. It wasn't long before Gary decided to fulfill his childhood dream of being a policeman. In 1975, he made that dream come true by joining Harris County Constable Precinct 1 where he trained at the Texas A&M Police Academy. He worked for Constable Walter Rankin for two years, before joining Harris County Precinct 4 under Constable C.R. Davis. In 1979, he was offered a job as a patrol officer and thus began his long career fighting crime with the Humble Police Department. He quickly rose through the ranks as patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, lieutenant of detective division, and lieutenant of patrol division. His personality and professionalism quickly gained him respect from the law enforcement community. He was promoted to Chief of Police in 2002. His 13 years of faithful service as Chief of Police makes him the longest sitting Chief in the history of the City of Humble. Gary obtained additional police training along the way. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy 174th session and Leadership Command College at Sam Houston State University. He also holds a Master Peace Officer Certificate. He is a member of the Texas Police Chief's Association, North Harris County Criminal Justice Association, Arabia Shrine Temple, International Association of Police Chiefs and a life member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. On behalf of the Second Congressional District of Texas, this remarkable Texan should be commended for his exemplary service and dedication to the City of Humble. He will be dearly missed by his fellow officers, City of Humble employees, citizens of Humble, Texas and me. We wish him happy hunting, fishing, and golfing. Thank you, Gary, for dedicating your life to public service and making our community a fine place to live and raise a family. Job well done. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday night, right after dark, Officer Randolph Holder of the NYPD heard on his radio, ``Shots fired.'' He immediately rushed toward the gunfire in East Harlem. He arrived, but was gunned down by an outlaw. Holder was assassinated with a shot to the head. Just 33 years old, Randolph Holder was an immigrant from Guyana. According to his aunt, his job was first in his life. He cherished the opportunity to become a policeman here in America. He was a third-generation police officer, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who served as peace officers in Guyana. Randolph was proud to be the first in his family to serve in that capacity in America. His killer was a hardened, violent criminal who shouldn't have been on our streets, according to the mayor. Mr. Speaker, the war on police officers has resulted in 31 officers being killed in the line of duty just this year. The badge that represents safety for most is a target for some. Those in blue do a job that many of us would never do. So we owe them all, like Officer Holder, our extreme appreciation for taking care of the rest of us. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, at least nine Israelis have been killed and many wounded in the latest wave of Palestinian terror. Nearly every day in the past few weeks, Palestinians have stabbed, shot, or run over innocent Israeli Jews. These terrorists do not care who their victims are. They want to kill as many Jews as possible. Earlier this month, Palestinian terrorists murdered an Israeli couple driving in the West Bank right in front of their terrified children. This level of hate violence has not been seen in this region since the suicide bombings in the 2000s. Why is this happening? What has caused this sudden outbreak of terror? The answer is really pretty simple: incitement by Palestinian leaders. Just last month, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised violent riots on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; yet, the world press ignores his doctrine of murdering Jews. He called Palestinians killed in the clashes ``martyrs, fighting to keep the dirty feet of Jews out of the holy site.'' The Temple Mount is the holiest place in the world for Jews, but according to Israeli law, only Muslims are able to pray there. Israel has no intention of changing the status quo on Temple Mount, but Abbas simply wants to create a charged atmosphere of violence. This incitement doesn't just come from his speeches. Get this, Mr. Speaker: Palestinian leaders have turned their schools into virtual incubators to raise children as terrorists. School textbooks in Palestinian schools routinely teach students that Jews are evil and have no right to live in Israel. They are not just taught to hate; they are even instructed specifically how to stab Jews in these school textbooks. As all of this incitement translates into real violence that kills Jews and injures Israelis, what has Israel done in response? Israel has reacted how any democratic country would react to defend its people. The policy is simple: if a terrorist is wielding a knife and is spotted, Israeli security is ordered to shoot that terrorist. Israel has also increased its arrests of terrorists in the West Bank, including the cofounder of Hamas, a terrorist group. To deter more murderous attacks, Israel has destroyed the homes of terrorists who have attacked its citizens. Perhaps these terrorists will think twice about killing people: women, children, and men. What exactly has our government said about this huge wave of Palestinian terrorism? When Israel is up against the wall, fending off daily attacks, the State Department says that Israel may be using excessive force. Is killing someone who tries to kill you considered excessive force? When did self-defense become excessive force? Secretary Kerry went as far as to blame the current Palestinian violence on Israeli construction in the West Bank. Mr. Kerry is totally uninformed about what the facts are on the ground. Does Secretary Kerry mean to say that Israeli civilians deserve to be murdered? That is tantamount to saying that 9/11 occurred because of America's foreign policy in the Middle East. This dangerous logic by the State Department only encourages more terrorist attacks. It does not stop the terrorism. Nothing can justify the killing of innocents. Instead of our government supporting our Israeli allies, we are turning our backs on them. Instead, we should be standing side by side with Israel, condemning the terrorists. We should be pointing our fingers at the Palestinian leadership who have instigated all of this violence; hold those who preach hate and violence accountable, not give them a pass. Instead of calling out Israel, the State Department should be highlighting the incitement to hatred and violence in the Palestinian curriculum, in their textbooks. We must stop making excuses for terrorists and stand up for the victims. We must stand up for all of our values and our friends and not betray them. That includes standing with Israel. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, the administration has worked very hard to make sure the export ban on crude oil from Iran is lifted. But the administration has threatened to veto this bill that would lift the crude oil sanction ban on American oil. That doesn't make any sense to me--help the Iranians sell their excess crude oil abroad, but prevent America from selling our excess crude oil abroad. That is nutty. Why does the President prefer the Iranians over Americans? It doesn't make any sense. The President should at least give us the same deal that he gave the Iranians: lift sanctions on them, lift the sanctions on American oil. We have a surplus. We need to sell it. ``Use all we can and sell the rest.'' That is the motto. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Houston Dynamos have brought a new energy to Houston. The soccer team has drawn fans from across the country and given Houstonians another reason to embrace the color orange--besides the Houston Astros. Houston's Major League soccer team will celebrate its 10 year anniversary this month on October 18th at BBVA Compass Stadium against the Seattle Sounders. During this game the team will honor its past and present players and they will recognize our local veterans. Included in the team's recognition is one particular veteran who has given so much of his energy and all of his heart to helping our local veterans transition back home: John ``Spike'' Garcia. Spike will call in the flyover and be honored by the Dynamos during halftime If there is any area veteran that embodies the best of our nation, state and community it is Spike Garcia. Spike began his military career with the U.S. Army in 1983 and later served for 27 years with the Texas Air National Guard, retiring at the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He volunteered for two combat tours to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Each day, after performing his military duties, he volunteered at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad. He previously served as the Airfield Manager for the 147th Reconnaissance Wing Joint Reserve Base at Ellington, and for his service, he has received numerous honors, including the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Commander's Award and an Air Force One support presentation by President George W. Bush. Not only is Spike an honorable defender of liberty and freedom, he has a heart for supporting others, which is why the Dynamos' recognition of him is even more fitting. He is a dedicated father of two who spends his free time helping out his fellow man. He is a member of the Lone Star Veterans Association, the Armed Forces Appreciation Committee for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Houston Military Affairs Committee and he serves on my Service Academy Nomination Board for the Second Congressional District--just to name a few. The Houston Dynamos have selected a very deserving member of our community to be recognized. As Spike humbly put it, they could have selected anyone and they chose him. Spike has helped out the Dynamos' program since the beginning, and they consider him family. The name dynamo describes someone of great energy, a tenacious individual who never gives up. I can't think of anyone who exemplifies this more than Spike Garcia. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the chairman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, religious liberty is the first right in our Bill of Rights, and it is in the First Amendment. There are five rights in the First Amendment. Religious liberty is the first of those five rights. That is not by accident. Our ancestors believed in the right of religious liberty. In fact, throughout the world today, religious freedom is the most important personal right for many, many people of all religious faiths--the right to practice one's religion free of persecution regardless of what that religion is. Mr. Speaker, Saddique Azam was promoted as the headmaster of an elementary school in Pakistan a few months ago. Three Muslim teachers didn't like the fact that they had a Christian as their boss. So, yesterday, about 7:45 in the morning, they stormed his office and demanded that he resign because he was a Christian. He refused. They beat him up until he was rescued by some other staff members. Curricula in schools throughout the world are teaching religious intolerance. The Saudi school curriculum openly vilifies other faiths, including Jews and Christians. Not too long ago, there was a 14-year- old boy by the name of Ayman Nabil Labib, a Christian in Egypt, a Coptic Christian. He went to school. The teacher of his class, a non- Christian, saw that he had a cross on his wrist. Coptic Christians I understand have a tattoo of a cross. He was told to cover up the cross. He did not. In fact, he pulled out a cross from underneath his shirt and displayed it as well. The teacher grabbed him around the neck and started choking him and asked the other students: What are you going to do about this? And they beat him to death--a 14-year-old Coptic Christian in Egypt. Persecution happens to all faiths throughout the world. It is the most important, in my opinion, human right, natural right, to practice one's faith, religion, and belief freely without persecution by government especially. This legislation helps protect that right worldwide. It is an important right here, but, as I said, it is a natural right, and it should be protected. I support this legislation because it protects the basic right of religious freedom. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, barbecue is among the great traditions of Texas. Texans are passionate about their favorite barbecue as they are about football and politics. I've heard barbeque, football, and politics should not be brought up in mixed company. All three are contact sports here. We take our barbecue seriously, and we know we smoke it the best way. Folks are known to plan road trips across the state to remedy a hankering for barbecue at legendary joints, like Louie Miller Barbecue in Taylor, Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, or City Market in Luling. Let's not forget one of the world's best barbecue cook-offs is held every year at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Folks ask me all the time, ``Where do you go for good Texas barbecue?'' My choice, hands down, is located practically in my backyard--Tin Roof BBQ in Atascocita. There are few places I would rather be than sidled up to a table at Tin Roof, catching up on local conversations with neighbors and enjoying authentic Texas barbecue. Tin Roof has been a staple in our community for 14 years, and over the years, I've eaten there so often that I consider the owners, Ronnie and Nancy Webber, to be friends. Ronnie and Nancy decided to open Tin Roof soon after Ronnie retired from the Houston Police Department. Not content with retirement, they purchased a historic home, located close to Memorial Park, which was used during World War II to house military personnel at Camp Logan. A developer was going to tear it down until the Webbers saved it. They moved the structure to Atascocita and outfitted it in Texas-themed decor. The restaurant has grown from the original house with several additions, including a Texas-sized covered deck. On a typical Saturday night, folks fill the place to sample delicious, homemade cooking, from Texas' best barbecue to side dishes made from scratch. Of course, there's Ronnie's delicious homemade sauce, sweet tea, and live music. Family-owned restaurants, like Tin Roof, are the heart of our community. Ronnie and Nancy are deeply rooted here, and it shows. They give back whenever they can. They provide food, friendship, and support for a number of neighborhood organizations, area schools, and our local law enforcement officers. Recently, they participated in a charity cook-off to help the Banded Brigade Outdoors, an organization that provides morale-boosting events, such as hunting, fishing, and target shooting, for those who have served our great country. Many love barbecue for its taste. Aficionados love it for its craft. Texans love it for its tradition, steeped in community with friends and family gathered around a picnic table, making memories. This weekend grab the family and head to the nearest Texas barbecue joint. Just be careful if you mix it with football and politics. And that's just the way it is--y'all.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in this digital age it is becoming more challenging to ensure our children have a strong connection to history, community and the great outdoors. Well, the Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center right in the heart of Harris County provides the kids and families of my district exactly that. For the past three decades the park has been a place where the local community can gather and form important bonds of citizenship. But the space also serves an educational purpose. Home to the Akokisa Indian Village and Redbud Hill Homestead, the park preserves elements of life in Native American and pioneer communities, including demonstrations of traditional customs and crafts. It also provides an important green space, with a wide range of local flora and fauna including ancient bogs, white sand beaches and wildflower meadows, in addition to play equipment, hiking trails, and sports and recreation amenities, giving local residents an opportunity to escape the trappings of modernity, engage with their local heritage, and developing greater physical well-being. In the month of October alone, the park will host boat tours on Spring Creek, a workshop for local science teachers, an astronomy class, a tree-planting session, Halloween events and a settlers' soap- making demonstration. The Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center brings out the best in one of America's best communities. The park has a dedicated team of staff and volunteers that exemplify the charitable and community-minded spirit Texas is famous for. Harris County Commissioner Jack Cagle and his staff should be commended for their leadership in the community. The nature center will be long valued and maintained as a resource of cultural and environmental heritage.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Meehan for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the Iranian ayatollah has preached and practiced ``Death to America'' since the 1970s. Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran has been sued in Federal courts by the families of the murdered victims. Iran is guilty of the murder of 421 Americans in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983. Iran is guilty of the murder of 19 servicemembers and injuring 372 others in Saudi Arabia in 1996. Iran is guilty of murdering a thousand other Americans, including some in Iraq and Afghanistan. Federal courts have awarded the victim and families over $40 billion for these crimes, but Iran will not pay. It laughs at the death of the innocent it has murdered. It laughs at American justice. Well, Mr. Speaker, it is about time for the long arm of American justice to hold Iran accountable for its sins--make them pay. I don't understand why some appeasers are more concerned about the murderous Iranian regime than they are about justice, justice for the victims that were murdered by this regime. Let the ayatollah know he cannot get a diplomatic pass or sanctions relief until he pays for his crimes. The ayatollah has sown the seeds of murder, and now it is time for Iran to reap the consequences of their crimes. It seems to me that the voices of the murdered cry out for us to do something for justice, justice for them that has been too long waiting. This bill, in my opinion, will do it. It is about time we have justice because justice is what we are supposed to do in this country. And that is just the way it is.