Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it has been the honor of my life to serve in Congress. Today, I am reminded of why I came here in the first place. Thomas Jefferson said it quite well: ``We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness . . . Governments''--that would be us--``are instituted among Men'' to secure those rights. Mr. Speaker, that is our mission statement: Congress is the protector of freedom and liberty. Congress must make sure that the bell of Liberty rings loudly and strongly, for the American bright star is the beaming beacon of hope: the hope that all oppressed peoples yearn to possess. So, in my final words as a Member of Congress in this House of Representatives, Congress must hold fast to these truths: that in God we must trust and be faithful servants of the sacred constitutional principles of freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly, for this is our eternal duty. Happy trails. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the long war on terrorism is not over. From North Africa to Southeast Asia, radical jihadism fights on from the shadows, waiting for us to grow complacent once again. We have claimed victory and lowered our guard too many times before only to have terrorist groups grow resurgent and deadly again. The scourge of violent Islamism is a multigeneration challenge as the battle against communism was decades ago. While we have had many successes, the threat remains and must be confronted. Looking at where extremism still lives today we see many familiar battlefields. In the Philippines, a ISIS affiliate was handed a major defeat last year at the city of Marawi. But remnants of this group live on, recruiting and scheming in the jungle. Only by denying them an opportunity to regroup and gain ground again can we prevent them from attracting new supporters and new momentum. Moving to Pakistan, we still find a state that claims to be an American ally but allows terrorist leaders to operate freely in the open. For too long we have provided billions of dollars to the Pakistani government as they betrayed us. The Taliban, al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and other violent groups continue to find safe haven in Pakistan. They have injected their violent ideology into mainstream Pakistani politics, causing minorities to be routinely persecuted through despotic blasphemy laws. Pakistan's partnership with terrorism has led to continued violence within its neighbors India and Afghanistan. If Pakistan had truly been our ally, the Taliban would never had a place to run to after our intervention in Afghanistan. Yet, more than 17 years later, the Taliban is resurgent, retaking Afghan districts that we had long ago secured through American blood and treasure. We must not abandon this fight, but instead find a solution that ensures that al-Qaeda is never able to return and that the Taliban lay down their weapons and respect Afghanistan's young democracy. Nonetheless, Pakistan is not the only terrorist sponsoring state fueling instability in the region. Iran is also playing its part in arming and assisting terrorists fighting our forces in Afghanistan and across the Middle East. After signing the nuclear deal with the Obama administration, the Mullahs in Iran received billions of dollars in sanctions relief that was diverted directly to their legion of terrorist proxies. Now the Middle East is engulfed in chaos as Iran's militias march against our allies. Proxies like Hezbollah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Hezbollah, the Houthis, and others are operating with impunity, massacring thousands in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. They have targeted Americans in Iraq and Syria and have plans to attack our friends in Israel. This gathering storm will lead to inevitable conflict if we do nothing. Meanwhile ISIS has gone underground. While we have destroyed the socalled caliphate that inspired dozens of attacks in the U.S. and Europe, the deadly terror group has reverted to its insurgent roots. When President Obama foolishly withdrew our troops from Iraq in 2011, there were no more than 700 fighters remaining in ISIS's predecessor. The State Department even reduced the bounty for ISIS's eventual leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, believing the group was a shell of its former self. But those assumptions proved wrong. Without U.S. forces to stop their advance and local societies plagued with Iranian-backed sectarianism, ISIS rose from the ashes to dominate an area the size of Britain. ISIS still has thousands of fighters dispersed throughout Iraq and Syria. We must not repeat Obama's mistake. A committed strategy to ensure ISIS's enduring defeat is required moving forward. We must send a signal to friends and adversaries alike that America is not turning its back on the region again. No ally knows the persistent struggle against terrorism more than Israel. Today, terrorists from Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and ISIS in Sinai are seeking Israel's destruction. Just recently Israel discover attack tunnels crossing from Lebanon into its territory which Hezbollah had built for the sole purpose of causing murder and mayhem in the Jewish State. America continues to stand firmly with Israel, providing the needed aid to keep our shared enemies at bay. But as instability continues throughout the region, Iran and other extremists will plot and recruit to wage war on our Israeli friends. Our duty as allies requires us to be vigilant in addressing these emerging threats before they become major obstacles for peace. Lastly, looking at North Africa and the Sahel new challenges have risen. Where there were once only about 100 al-Qaeda-linked terrorists, there is now a multitude of extremist networks with as many as 10,000 fighters. Groups like Boko Haram, al-Shabab, ISIS, and Ansar al-Sharia have sowed chaos in places like Nigeria, Libya, Tunisia, and Somalia, preventing poor nations from reaching their full potential. These fragile states need a steady ally to help build their capabilities and lead a joint campaign to seek out and destroy the transnational terrorist threat in the region. Rather than pour endless taxpayer dollars into development efforts that are undone by local extremists, we need to formulate a strategy that addresses the lasting security vacuum terrorists have exploited. The violent ideology that has motived thousands to wage a life or death struggle against the United States and its allies is not gone. This ideology has long been present, but it was not until the September 11th attacks that we woke up to its lethal ability and reach. Since then we have learned that this cancerous radical belief is adaptive and will not be defeated in one decisive battle. This is a long war we have no choice but to fight. We must also adapt our thinking and find committed partners who we can stand with us in this global struggle. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, December 21, 1826 marks the beginning of the Fredonian Rebellion.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this year has been another important year in pushing back on the tyrannical Iranian regime. The passion and determination of the Iranian people in the face of a corrupt and despotic regime provides much needed inspiration to us all. We are witnessing historic times in Iran. The Iranian people are still fighting for their rights in the streets. As much as the regime tries to hide it, or use violence to suppress it, change is coming to Iran. The world is more aware that the Supreme Leader and his thugs are not moderates that should be welcome among other responsible nations. Instead, through the bravery of the Iranian people, the world knows they are murderers and thieves. There is a reason why Iran has earned the title of the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism. It sends millions of dollars to fuel wars in Syria and Yemen and enriches its proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Gaza. A few weeks ago, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism Bureau at the State Department told my subcommittee that Iran spends $1 billion dollars a year to support its terrorist proxies. It steals this money from the Iranian people and responds with brutality if they dare speak out. But they continue to speak out. I have always been proud to stand with them. The cause of freedom in Iran is just and righteous, and it will never be silenced. Together we are having an impact. The people of Iran, including the MEK, have sacrificed so much for the cause of liberty. They have spoken the truth and have exposed this regime for the evil it is: a state run by terrorist thugs. Iranians have been imprisoned, tortured, and murdered fighting for the cause of freedom. Iranian dissidents have been forced to flee their homes, refugee camps in Iraq, and the wider region to escape the Mullahs reach. Fortunately, many Iranians have found safety in the West and we are working tireless to make sure Iran's evil intentions can no longer hurt them. Throughout all of it, these Iranians have stood firm with remarkable courage. But the fight is not over, because the fight for freedom in Iran is not over. The regime continues to find ways to evade sanctions, and so we must continue to pursue them. With the help of the Iranian people, we will find how they cheat and expose them. The Mullahs are relentless, so we must be too. In the end democracy and justice will prevail as it always has. The American people stand with the people of Iran, because we believe in freedom, liberty, and the American way. They must keep their heads high, and remember they are on the right side of history. The tide is turning. Iran will be free. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, after speaking on the House floor more than 2,000 times since joining Congress some fourteen years ago, I can promise you the majority of the many hours spent in this chamber were focused on history. This comes as no surprise. You could say I am a history buff of sorts. Heck, everyone knows it. My walls at home in Texas and here in Washington have been filled with memories from the past. Texas history in particular is what I love most. Well, Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about a little piece of Houston, Texas history that many Houstonians may not know about, the Majestic Metro. The Majestic Metro is the last remaining in-tact theater in Houston built before 1930. It is safe to say that parking garages have taken the place of many former historical theaters. But, not for the Majestic Metro. It still stands strong in the vibrant heart of downtown Houston. Originally owned by sisters Stella and Lillian Scanlan, and opened April 15, 1926 under its maiden name, the Ritz, the primary role of this theater was to entertain the masses. Its grand opening showcase was the Buck Jones feature, ``The Fighting Buckaroo.'' What better way to start off its tenure than with a country-western film. But, there is one unique aspect about this movie and others during its time, there was no sound, except for that of the live music in the background. That's right, no fancy high tech sound systems, just a pipe organ. So, the only thing movie-goers were hearing was the chuckles, sniffles, and gasps of their neighbors with the organ in the background. With tickets ranging from 5 cents and 15 cents during the beginning of the Ritz, many Houstonians found their way to Preston Street in downtown Houston for a night out. The history of the Ritz is so rich because of the many stories its walls can tell. From different owners and styles such as silent country-western films to Spanish films, the Ritz became the Cine Ritz during the 1940's. Decades later, in the 60's and 70's, the name that Houston now knows, the Majestic Metro, was born. The Majestic Metro at this time saw a transition from the old fashion silent country-western and Spanish films to exploitation and kung fu films, then to more mature films, a little too explicit for the Record I'm afraid. Well Mr. Speaker, times were tough, and the theater came to a close. However, like every good feature film, or at least the ones I like, there was light at the end of the tunnel for this Houston landmark. Local businessman, Gary Warwick, and history buff like me, had a vision for this unique piece of the past. Instead of allowing the theater to be demolished or showing those old westerns the theater had once known, Gary turned this historical landmark into a place where history would continue living. Today, the Majestic Metro captures the beauty of the past by maintaining many stylistic features of the original architecture. The Majestic Metro wasn't Gary's only historical contribution to Houston. He was also a pivotal player in the project to restore the Market Square Clock in Houston's Market Square, just a few feet from the Majestic Metro. The Market Square Clock which is a part of the Louis and Annie Friedman Clock Tower is on the corners of Travis and Congress in downtown. For Gary's efforts in the restoration project, he was able to be the first person to hand wind the clock upon its completion in the restoration. Mr. Speaker, this is exactly why I love history. The Majestic Metro saw the best of times and the worst of times, but it has withstood time as one of Houston's most authentic historical landmarks. The walls of the Majestic Metro have quite a few stories to tell, and thanks to Houstonian Gary Warwick, they can continue to share their history and beauty for years to come. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Communist China is a growing threat to the United States and global peace. Its values and interests do not match our own. This is evident by recent reports of a atheist China imprisoning thousands of Muslim Uighurs in reeducation camps and the ongoing persecution of Tibetans and Chinese Christians. China's interests completely conflict with our democratic principles and the international order that has kept the peace since the end of the Second World War. China is cheating, stealing, and bullying its way towards great power status. It is our duty to stand up to Beijing's bad behavior. Two decades ago, America, as the leader of the free world and the largest economy on Earth, gave the People's Republic of China a chance to prove itself as member of the global economy. We believed they were making free market reforms and potentially ending their communist system which had kept millions in poverty. By granting Beijing permanent normal trade relations, many in Congress hope that opening the global market to China would encourage further liberalization within the repressive state. But instead of the world changing China, China has been working to change the world to get ahead. While it did embrace some elements of capitalism, it bent the rules using state- owned enterprises and corruption to cheat. It made investments in innovative American companies so it could steal technology. It forced American companies wanting to do business in China to surrender certain rights, including intellectual property. And Beijing instituted a widespread cyber theft campaign to steal trade secrets and cutting-edge research. Beijing made the decision to cheat the international system it was invited into so that it could gain strategic dominance. Until now, China's deception worked. It even tried to export its unfair business practices through the Belt and Road Initiative. But this too proved to be a giant debt trap that Beijing sold to developing nations. Countries like Sri Lanka and Malaysia have ended their participation in China's ambitious plan because they realized that all of the projects the People's Republic was building in their countries benefited only China. Even the workers employed to construct Belt and Road infrastructure in these countries were Chinese rather than local workers. Instead they were left with were roads to nowhere and crushing debt to China. Fortunately, the world is waking up to Beijing's modern colonialism. But China's ambition to pull ahead at others expense did not end there. Within all of Beijing's economic malpractice, it has aimed to seize technology and strategic positioning that would also give it a military edge over the United States. By stealing American technology, China has been able field advance weapon systems before our own forces. Meanwhile through Belt and Road, China acquired ports and airports around the globe that can be used as military bases that then enable them to control strategic chokepoints and resources without firing a shot. We have most evidently seen this in illegal island building in the South China Sea. Combined with its rapid military build-up, which will give China a fleet that outnumbers the U.S. Navy by 2020, we are quickly losing our military supremacy to China. The ramifications of such a dramatic shift in power from the U.S. to China will be devastating to our way of life. Against an authoritarian China that can overmatch our own forces, American will be severally limited in how it protects its interests abroad and respond to Chinese aggression. Principles such as freedom of the seas and free flow of trade will be in jeopardy, having a direct impact on the daily lives of Americans. We must also remember that throughout history such major shifts in geopolitical power rarely came peacefully. In humanity's enduring battle between tyranny and democracy, America has played a decisive role in creating world where freedom preserved over evil. That world is now again in danger. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it has been an honor and a privilege to represent the great City of Humble and the best folks in Texas. I live right outside the city line, over in Atascocita. But I have always considered Humble my home. If folks ask me where I live, I reply Humble. There are two ways to pronounce Humble--the right way and the wrong way. The right way is Umble (the H is silent). Towns like Humble, Texas are why so many new folks and businesses continue to move to Texas. It is only fitting that Humble was founded by a little-known hero, Joseph Dunman, who some believe is the true father of Humble. In 1836, William Barret Travis penned his famous letter from the Alamo, ``The Travis Letter.'' Travis pledged he would ``never surrender or retreat,'' swearing ``victory or death.'' Travis's letter requesting reinforcements at the Alamo was delivered by Joseph Dunman. The most famous letter in Texas history was delivered by horseback from the Alamo to Liberty, Texas by a volunteer. Dunman not only volunteered but he survived. Dunman like Travis believed in these words that the cause for independence was his life. Dunman was a true freedom fighter that understood America is worth fighting for and that defeat is not an option. Unfortunately, Travis' call for help was not answered in time. Commander Travis and 187 volunteers sacrificed their lives after 13 glorious days at the Alamo. After delivering the letter to Liberty, Texas, Dunman rode on to Anahuac to spread the message to the colonist. Now the rest is as they say--Texas history. The Battle of San Jacinto was fought. General Sam Houston and his men defeated Santa Anna winning Texas' Independence. In the 1840s Dunman received a land grant that would later become the city of Humble. In 1844, he acquired over 177 acres on the banks of the San Jacinto River. He also raised cattle. By 1854, more than sixteen families settled around what was known as the Joseph Dunman settlement. After the war, Dunman continued working for the Republic of Texas by driving and fencing cattle for Fort Galveston. Because of men like Joseph Dunman, Texas is the great State that it is today. His legacy embodies the passion and loyalty that make Texans stand out around the world. The backbone of our nation was formed from hardworking citizens like Joseph Dunman. He is an example not only to those from Humble, but to all citizens of our great Nation. The Dunman family always found a way to give back to their beloved Humble. They used their home as a polling location for the Republic of Texas and Harris County elections. Joseph Dunman's son, Joseph W. Dunman, opened the very first school in 1873. The school was called Joe Dunman's Schoolhouse. It was the only school in the district. The district is now called the Humble Independent School District. Beginning as a small sawmill town, Humble was home to rugged Texas ranchers, farmers, and loggers. In 1869, a Civil War veteran named Pleasant Humble moved to Harris County. He purchased prime land from the Dunman family along the south side of the San Jacinto River. Humble opened a grocery store and ran the existing ferry. He soon took over the responsibility of the mail. One of the best things about Texas is the fact that Texas towns each have their own unique history. There are hundreds of stories about towns and their colorful past and the settlers who founded them. However, the most interesting part of their unique history is how each town received its name. According to local historian Dr. Robert Meaux, ``legend states that mail carriers from other towns were instructed to ``deliver to Humble'' meaning Pleasant Humble. Through continued use of this phrase, ``Humble'' eventually became the name of the town.'' In 1886, Pleasant Humble became the first postmaster of Humble. He was also Commissioner of Harris County and elected to Justice of the Peace for Harris County Precinct 4 in 1887 to 1895. The name Bender should sound familiar to Humble folks. Bender Avenue, Aldine-Bender Road, and Charles Bender High School were all named after Charles Bender Sr. In 1889, Bender purchased a sawmill and moved it to Humble. The sale included thousands of acres of timberland. C. Bender and Sons became a very successful lumber company. They shipped wood all over the world. Bender was a very generous man. He built houses for his employees and allowed them to purchase them from his company. In 1904 Bender filed an official street plan for the town of Humble, which is still in use today. The four main streets in town were named after four oil pioneers drilling in Humble: Higgins, Barrett, Granberry, and Staiti. The Bender family were hardworking, well- educated, God fearing Americans who emigrated from Germany believing the impossible. Recently the City of Humble renovated the abandoned Charles Bender High School and converted it into the Charles Bender Performing Arts Center. Hung over the top of one of the doors at Charles Bender High School read ``Impossible Is Un-American.'' This motto was true of the Bender family. Modern amenities were brought to Humble at the turn of the 20th century. They opened a bank, a theater and skating rink known as the Opera House, utility companies, a hardware store and saloons. Influential leader and citizen, Ross Sterling, moved to Humble in 1904. After completing a fourth grade level education, he began working as a clerk at the age of 12. The experience led him at the age of 21 to launch his own feed store. Sterling could have taught a course about the hardworking man--Work Ethic 101. In 1910, Sterling's big break came when he purchased two oil wells, leading to the charter of The Humble Oil and Refining Company, which later became Exxon. Sterling went to open many banks, one of which is Humble State Bank. He also was a newspaper publisher after buying the Houston Post, and owned KPRC radio station. He went on to become the governor of Texas from 1931 to 1933. In all of his endeavors, he always found a way to give back to his community. He left a legacy long after his death. Ross Sterling Middle School in Humble is named in his honor. The 10s and 20s roared in with the founding of oil. Oil derricks made of wood covered Moonshine Hill and Humble. The first oil boom in Humble was made up of shallow wells that formed lakes of oil around the derricks. What a sight. As a result, Humble grew along with the refinery when oil roughnecks began purchasing homes in and around the town. They weathered the depression better than most in the 30s and the 40s. And they solidified the Greatest Generation in our Nation's history. Humble is home to many heroes who served in the military during this time. One such hero who lives in Humble is Tom Morgan. Tom volunteered to serve his country during WW2. He joined the Marines in 1942 and was deployed and assigned to island hopping along Southeast Asia. Despite contracting malaria, he continued to serve our country. He then served as a reservist, and again deployed for his country in the Korean War. But he was not done serving. He worked the pipelines for 30 years and raised 3 kids in Humble. He retired, but felt lazy, so he answered an ad in the paper for positions with the Harris County Sheriff Office as a reserve officer. At the age of 72, he was the oldest cadet to ever graduate from the academy. For 26 years, he has put on a badge and a gun to protect and serve the people and communities that he loves. At the age of 98, Tom Morgan is retiring as the oldest active lawman in the state of Texas. He still lives in Humble. The McKay family name is well-known in Humble. Dr. Haden Edwards McKay II brought his family to Humble in 1919. He practiced medicine and served on the Humble ISD School Board. His son, Haden Edwards McKay III, followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a physician, too. He became known as Dr. McKay Jr. He started practicing medicine in 1938 in Humble. He met his wife, Lillian, a nurse at St. Joseph's hospital and they were married in 1941. That same year, Dr. McKay built a white limestone house for his new bride, in Humble. This home is considered a piece of local history. Another Humble landmark is the McKay Clinic, which is now a museum thanks to the efforts of Mrs. McKay. Dr. McKay saw patients at that clinic until his death in 1996. I cannot imagine what Humble would be like today, had it not been for the McKay's. The city thrives because of their work and tireless efforts. Dr. McKay served as the mayor of Humble for 24 years and Lillian was the First Lady. Bringing in air conditioning, the baby boom, and the Vietnam War the 50s and 60s presented many more changes to the small town. The 50s was the beginning of an economic boom in Humble. Population of Humble increased as many families moved to the suburbs to escape the City of Houston. In 1969, Houston's largest airport, now called George Bush Intercontinetal Airport, was built on the west side of Humble. The 70s saw the biggest rise in fame and fortune with the oil boom, but was followed by the biggest fall from grace in the 80s. Nonetheless, Humble emerged unscathed in the 90s and continued to thrive. Not to say there were not hard times over the years. They had their share of hurricanes and fires--the latest was Hurricane Harvey. And we all know the damage Harvey poured onto Humble. But Humble proved Texas Strong. It is truly a city rich in history, pride, and perseverance. Humble's fire and police departments are among the best in Texas. As a prosecutor and Judge for over 30 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside some of America's best, the men and women in blue. Each day they wake up, place the badge--the shield--over their heart and head out into our communities to protect us. It has been and honor to call many first responders in Humble, my friend. It has been an honor to represent the citizens of Humble, Texas in the United States House of Representatives. I am proud to have worked with Retired Humble Mayor McMannes, Humble Mayor Merle Aarons, and the city council on numerous projects concerning the city. I commend them for their leadership in helping Humble grow. I look forward to seeing Humble continue to prosper in the future. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Megan Rondini was a student at the University of Alabama. She originally was from Austin, Texas, but chose the University of Alabama as her school of choice. Megan went to school there. While she was a student, she came in contact with a former student whose nickname was ``Sweet T.'' He took her to his residence, which was literally a plantation home, and sexually assaulted her. Megan then jumped out of the second-story window of his residence and went to the hospital. That is where her nightmare continued. While Megan was at the hospital, the people in charge there didn't know how to deal with a sexual assault victim, and the sexual assault exam was botched. She left the hospital and went to the sheriff's department. They started interviewing her and found out that the alleged perpetrator was from an important family in the area. All of a sudden, they backed off, according to her. They didn't prosecute Sweet T. In fact, they read Megan a Miranda warning. Megan went to the University of Alabama and sought a counselor. The counselor found out who the alleged perpetrator was and said: ``I can't help you. This is a conflict of interest. I know this person.'' The University of Alabama didn't provide her another counselor. Megan then went into a depression. She left the University of Alabama and transferred to SMU in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after she transferred to SMU, Megan Rondini took her own life. You see, Mr. Speaker, she got the death penalty for being a victim of crime. Nothing ever happened to the alleged perpetrator. There are a lot of problems and issues that came up with the way Megan was treated at the hospital and how she was treated at the sheriff's department and by the university. There was no sexual assault forensic examiner or sexual assault forensic nurse at the hospital to take care of her. And who are these people? These are wonderful people who are trained to deal with sexual assault victims. The hospital didn't have one of those for her. It turns out there are many hospitals in the country that don't have these individuals to help sexual assault victims. They are trained to deal with victims exclusively. I have talked and met with Megan's parents, Cindi and Mike, who still live in Austin, and we have talked and met with a lot of Members of Congress on what we can do about this. We have filed H.R. 7292, a bipartisan bill. Issues regarding victims of crime are bipartisan. The Megan Rondini and Leah Griffin Sexual Assault Victims Protection Act provides for a task force and a multitude of other things so we can get this problem solved and have hospitals get it together so we treat sexual assault victims the way they should be treated. I am not going to go into all the details, but it is great, and bipartisan. It is cosponsored by Congresswoman Jayapal. We have many Members on both sides working on this issue to bring it to the House floor under suspension of the rules or unanimous consent to get this legislation passed. It is my understanding, as of high noon today, that this legislation is not going to come to the floor of this Congress. It is my hope and desire that it comes next year when I am not here but other people take up the mantle to protect people like Megan Rondini and Leah Griffin. Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of lobbyists in Washington, D.C. I understand there are 5,000 lobbying groups. That is 10 for every Member of Congress up here, advocating on all kinds of things. Victims of crimes do not have high-dollar lobbyists. We are their voice. We are their only voice, Mr. Speaker. We ought to start acting like it and bring legislation to the floor on a bipartisan basis and not find excuses not to do it, because we are it. People like Megan Rondini are protected by the same Constitution that protects defendants of crime. It is important that we help those people and their families make sure that they don't continue to be victims of crime after the crime is committed. The system should not continue to make them victims of crime, whether it is the hospital, whether it is the sheriff's department or the university. I do want to say, Mr. Speaker, the University of Alabama has made some changes. Texas A&M has made changes due to the 12th Woman group and a group of victims at Texas A&M that are talking to Members of Congress, too. I hope that Congress will see this legislation as a priority and pass it, because it is the right thing to do, even if we have to wait until next year. And that is just the way it is, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it's been a year since North Korea tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile. After successive years of increasing missile and nuclear weapon testing, the fact that none occurred in 2018 is remarkable progress. Even more so when we recall that talk of imminent war on the Korean Peninsula was echoing throughout the media just a year ago. This retreat from the nuclear brink would not be possible without President Trump's bold diplomatic efforts. However, with negotiations to achieve verifiable denuclearization still ongoing, the maximum pressure campaign that brought Kim Jong-Un to the table must continue. Unfortunately, it appears at risk due to South Korea's dovish president. The current talks with North Korea are a game of nuclear chicken. President Trump's approach ties intense international sanctions with diplomatic engagement that, if successful, provide the North Korean regime an economic life-line if it commits to irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program. But success hinges on comprehensive sanctions remaining in place until Kim Jong-Un formally makes that pledge and demonstrates verifiable steps towards denuclearization. Until now, Kim has only agreed to further talks and taken minor steps to show good faith, such as halting weapon tests, closing the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, and releasing American hostages. While encouraging, negotiations continue with the hope of achieving more substantive action, including a declared inventory of its full nuclear program. Here, intelligence reports seem to indicate that the North's nuclear and missile programs may actually be continuing to develop in secret. President Trump, therefore, has kept sanctions in place as negotiations continue. Withdrawing some sanctions too early would disincentivize the regime from agreeing to complete dismantlement--a mistake that was made in past negotiations. The President has also permitted talks to continue so long as the North Koreans engage in constructive dialogue. In August, when Kim's regime appeared to be stalling, he canceled a planned meeting between the regime and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. This action sent a clear signal that we won't be gamed and that the regime risks losing its only opportunity towards having sanctions removed. Negotiations have since resumed, with the North agreeing in October to allow inspectors to visit the Punggye- ri nuclear site. Conditioning talks and standing firm on sanctions ultimately is the only way this process will work. Kim, on the other hand likely believes that he can wait-out the negotiations by alternating between stalling and piecemeal concessions until the U.S. and its allies tire or agree to a softer deal that removes sanctions. The regime will then quietly cheat, as they have before. This time, however, it appears that South Korea's President Moon Jae- in will be the first to blink. In October--just a week after negotiations produced approval for inspections at Punggye-ri--President Moon conducted a tour of Europe where he urged allies to loosen sanctions on the Kim regime. Luckily, our European friends denied Moon's request, knowing that North Korea still has a ways to go before verifiable denuclearization is achieved. Mr. Moon's attempts to break the maximum pressure campaign, as well as the unity between the U.S. and its European allies, suggests that Little Kim may have found his mark and is exploiting Moon's naive sensibilities. For months, President Moon has sought to court Little Kim hoping to reduce tensions between the two Koreas. In September, he approved reconciliation deals with the Kim regime that pledged the withdrawal of guard posts along the de-militarized zone and restoration of some economic ties between the two countries. The South has since reversed its willingness to reopen Kaesong, a joint industrial center where South Korean companies employ workers from the North, citing a lack of progress on denuclearization. Had Moon's plan to restore economic ties through Kaesong gone forward, South Korea may have found itself in violation on United Nations sanctions. But Moon has moved forward with other projects, including a program to improve North Korea's rail network and link it with the South. An initial study of the North's rail system was approved last week by the U.N. Security Council following pressure from the White House to seek approval. Nonetheless, Moon's separate diplomatic maneuvers and premature offers of economic opportunities are likely encouraging the Kim regime to slow negotiations and steps towards denuclearization. With so much still at stake, the U.S. and its allies must present a united and stern front to pressure North Korea into accepting complete denuclearization. Little Kim has to see that maintaining any aspect of his nuclear weapons program is a no-win situation because crippling sanctions will ultimately dismantle his regime. However, if Kim sees weakness in our South Korean allies that he can use to chip-away at the current sanctions on his regime, he will continue to stall negotiations and our leverage will begin to collapse. President Moon must not be deceived by Kim's small gestures of goodwill and prematurely fold. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, across the Middle East today, armed thugs backed by Iran are entrenching themselves in local communities, undermining democratic aspirations, and stockpiling weapons in preparation for war against America's allies. Sadly, it's nothing new. For more than a decade, Iran has constructed a formidable array of foreign legions that exploit corruption and instability to subjugate millions to Tehran's will. In response, the President has rightly restored sanctions on the Islamic Republic and prioritized confronting its regional activity. But to reverse the gains Iran and its proxies have made over recent years, America and its allies must go beyond sanctions. Sanctions are designed to deny resources to Iran that are used to support terrorism, develop nuclear weapons, and conduct human rights abuses at home. We know this strategy has had some success in the past stalling Iran's efforts and forcing Tehran to come to the bargaining table. The Obama Administration, however, gave away the farm to the Mullahs, removing many of the sanctions that brought Tehran to heel and opening the door for Russia, China, and the Europeans to do business in Iran. Obama also ceded physical territory to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxies by not contesting their growing activity in Syria and Yemen and withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq. The resulting instability led to ISIS's rise and a secure land route from Tehran to Beirut from which the IRGC could move recruits and weapons to Israel's borders. These policies of appeasement have created a powder keg that could erupt into regional war. At a recent hearing before my subcommittee, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the State Department, Amb. Nathan Sales, testified that Iran spends $1 billion-per-year funding its various terrorist proxies in the Middle East. This sum pales in comparison to how much we spend to deploy forces to the region, assist allies, conduct diplomacy, and gather intelligence. Yet, Iran is gaining ground. How is this possible? For one reason, Iran's march of terror is cheap and adaptive, using low-cost arms, violent coercion, disinformation, and crime to operate. Meanwhile, we chose to play by the rules and attempt to rebuild what Iran and other terrorists destroy. It's far cheaper and easier to destroy than to build. And unlike our efforts during the early Cold War, in the Middle East we are attempting to build or reinforce institutions that either never existed or are plagued with corruption. But this doesn't mean American taxpayer dollars are spent in vain. For example, few would argue that the U.S.'s largest foreign assistance program, $3.8 billion-per-year in military financing to Israel, is money wasted. Rather, that money ensures Israel holds a military edge over Iran and its terrorist allies thus preventing the Mullahs from ever achieving one of their core objectives: the extermination of Israel. Just weeks ago, Palestinian terrorists backed by Iran, fired dozens of rockets into Israel. 120 of those rockets were incepted by Iron Dome, a missile defense system paid for and jointly developed through American assistance. Moreover, the Israelis are not sitting idly by as Iran masses forces on its northern borders. Since 2013, Israeli warplanes and missiles, subsidized by U.S. taxpayers, have struck dozens of Iranian and Hezbollah convoys transporting weapons to Lebanon or the Golan Heights. Action by Israel is effective but limited. For example, recent reports indicate the IRGC is utilizing the territory it controls in Iraq and Syria to position ballistic missiles that can target Israel, Saudi Arabia, and our forces in the region. Finding and striking these missiles is an enormous challenge for Israel and could have ramifications for Americans stationed in those countries. Instead, it is up to America to contest Iran's grip on these arenas by empowering local actors and demonstrating American resolve. So far, however, the State Department has done the opposite by resisting Congressional efforts to designate Iran's most lethal Iraqi proxies, such as Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and shutting the American consulate in Basra, Iraq. Such action demonstrates to Iran that it need only threaten an American diplomatic post and the U.S. will retreat, ceding more space for them and their proxies. Tragically in the case of Basra, we are abandoning Iraqis who courageously took to the streets to protest Iran's meddling in their country. Simultaneously U.S. forces in Syria are trying to prevent a war between our Kurdish and Turkish allies that has allowed ISIS to survive and Iranian weapon shipments to pass by unmolested. Only when we tackle these local challenges can we dislodge Iran. To do so requires us to make hard choices and strategies with potentially more costs. But if countering Iran's expansionism is truly our objective, we must show commitment to partners on the ground that we are willing to confront Iran alongside them. Until then a storm is gathering that will inevitably pull Americans back into a long and difficult war. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the people of Iran have taken to the streets and continue to protest against the illegitimate regime of the Ayatollah and the mullahs. These protests have taken place in numerous cities now for 1 year. The people protest the war-mongering dictatorship, the tyranny of the Iranian Government and its terrorist activities. The people want freedom. However, the mullahs are reacting with crackdowns on the people. Arrests, beatings, and jailing continues to occur. It is interesting that the majority of these protests are led by women and the young. Even truck drivers have gone on strike in the protest. Groups such as the MEK have spoken out against the corrupt Iranian Government and oppression of the people. Further, the Government of Iran has sworn to destroy the United States. The United States should stand with the Iranian people in their quest for freedom from the tyrants of Iran. As President Kennedy once said: ``Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.'' And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Republic of Georgia is a beacon of democracy in a part of the world which has struggled to break the legacy of Soviet oppression. While Georgia successfully achieved independence in 1991, Moscow is still attempting to bully the small nation back into its orbit. In 2008, Russian troops invaded the country, seizing nearly a third of Georgia's territory that is still occupied today. Despite Russia's persistent human rights abuses and aggressive tactics, the Georgian people remain defiant. They continue to express a clear desire to determine their own futures and integrate with the Euro-Atlantic community. Putin hates Georgia's path to liberty because successful democracies positioned on Russia's border are a threat to his despotic rule. To deter Russia's continued belligerence, we must boost Georgia's ability to defend itself and make an ironclad commitment to our Georgian friends. For peace and freedom to preserve in the Caucasus, it must become clear to Putin that undermining Georgia's independence will be a costly endeavor. To help Georgia repel future Russian aggression, Rep. Connolly and I have introduced H.R. 6219, the Georgia Support Act. This important bill calls on the State Department to provide a strategy to Congress to help bolster Georgia's defenses. Specifically, it calls for efforts to strengthen Georgia's cyber security capabilities and resiliency to Russian disinformation campaigns that undermine its fragile democracy. The bill also requests the President to impose sanctions on Russian individuals who commit human rights abuses on Georgia territory. For more than two decades, Georgia has been a steadfast ally of the United States and the Euro-Atlantic community. We must not abandon our Georgian friends in the face of continued Russian aggression. To do so only invites Putin to further pursue his goal of rebuilding the Soviet Empire. America must stand with Georgia and demand complete respect for our ally's territorial integrity and sovereignty. This bill must pass to send a clear message of defiance to Putin and a message of hope to our Georgian friends. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in November of 1528, Conquistador Alvar Nuncz Cabeza de Vaca and his crew of 90 Spaniards crashed on Galveston Island. He was the first European to set foot on the land that would become the Lone Star State and is considered to have undertaken one of the most remarkable journeys in the history of American exploration. From 1528 to 1532, the crew steadily died off from illness, accidents, and attacks until only Cabeza de Vaca and three others remained. During those four years, Cabeza de Vaca became a merchant, and traded seas shells and ``beads of sea'' (though now called pearls) for bison skins and red ochre. He also gained a reputation as a healer, which gave him freedom to travel between different tribes. The Karankawa Indians, a group of Coahuiltecans known to be cannibals, enslaved these men until, in September of 1534, the four men snuck away from the Karankawas and fled south towards the Rio Grande River. The following spring, they finally crossed the Rio Grande and made it to Mexico. To avoid hostile tribes, the men turned west towards the Pacific and crossed northern Mexico. Cabeza de Vaca and his companions eventually arrived in Mexico City in 1536. They had traveled nearly 2400 miles over eight years in Texas and the Mexican borderlands. Cabeza de Vaca spent years interacting with Native Americans and learning their language. This allowed him to write and publish in 1542 the first book about Texas, the Relacion, which contained information about the region's geography, landscape, and Coahuiltecan tribes. This account of his journey inspired other conquistadors and Spaniards to cotne and explore Texas. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have learned--and had reinforced repeatedly--the lesson about the importance of a strategic asset that is both the decisive advantage and critical success element in American engagement around the globe. Whether it involves prosecuting conventional war, combating terrorism, conducting intelligence operations, or fighting transnational crime, we can never underestimate the significance and necessity of the human factor. Not only do men and women make a difference, they are the difference between success and failure in these endeavors. We spend billions of dollars on advanced weapons systems, equipment, technology, and more to defend and protect our nation and help it execute and achieve manifold missions. Yet these are only tools--albeit expensive and effective tools--but tools nonetheless. They exist to serve the talented, dedicated men and women in our federal government who drive and deliver the critical results daily that ensure American leadership, influence, and power worldwide. It is this recognition of the importance and impact of people and reliance on people power, engagement, and tools that prompt me today to bring Crime Stoppers Global Solutions (CSGS) to the attention of my colleagues. This 501(c)(3) organization proactively and aggressively combats serious transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism, illicit trade, illegal arms dealing, narcotics smuggling, corruption, and cybercrime. Terrorist organizations and criminal enterprises engage in these activities to finance their campaigns of death and destruction and earn their illicit profits. From my vantage point as chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade of the Foreign Affairs Committee and as a member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations of the Judiciary Committee, I see firsthand the growing threat of global terrorism and transnational crime to U.S. national security. Throughout my service in Congress, I have been committed to and engaged in combating both. We are in a prolonged war that threatens America's existence, challenges our leadership and power, and tests our national will and resolve at every turn. To defeat these twin global enemies, I remain convinced that we must declare all-out war and withhold nothing. It is absolutely imperative that we marshal and commit all human resources and tools available, whether government or private, to the aim of destroying global terrorism and transnational crime. Crime Stoppers Global Solutions is a natural and ideal ally to the federal government in our must-win campaign. It combines the dual strengths of engaged citizens and advanced wireless technology into an effective weapon. This powerful weapon helps trusted law enforcement, media, and government not only to disrupt and disable transnational criminal enterprises, but also to take down their members and bring them to justice. The organization's crime-fighting initiative turns concerned citizens into committed transnational crime warriors. It arms this mighty citizen force with new, innovative wireless tip technology. Using a free, secure, downloadable phone application, citizens can report crimes they see, hear, or know about with the guarantee of absolute anonymity and without the fear of revenge from apprehended criminal suspects. Crime Stoppers Global Solutions is built upon the successful foundation of Crime Stoppers USA that has operated in the United States for 40 years and relied on a simple anonymous telephone tip reporting model. But Crime Stoppers Global Solutions has innovated its own proprietary reporting application and model using new technological advancements. Its solution is designed for a global mission. This new application is several generations in technological innovation, sophistication, and function beyond the now primitive and outmoded technology that once served the cause of domestic citizen- engaged crime-fighting so ably and faithfully nearly a half century ago. Crime Stoppers Global Solutions has developed an application that is at home and functions well today in our connected world of hand-held mobile devices. It is a commendable and valuable effort on the part of the CSGS leadership and its team of distinguished experts to support, through its own initiative and independent efforts, the federal government, as well as foreign governments in the global fight against terrorism and transnational crime. Especially important are the vision and leadership CSGS is exhibiting in targeting global transnational crime at its source or in transit to protect us here at home. This is why I am especially pleased to report that the CSGS team has identified a vital region to bring their mission to: the Balkan Peninsula. This region is of immense geopolitical relevance and strategic and security interest to the United States. The ``Balkan route,'' as it is known, is a major gateway and transit route for transnational crime between the Middle East and other regions and the West. We continue to see crime surging in this area. As the co-chairman of the Congressional Serbian Caucus, I am delighted that the first country in the Balkans to open its doors to the mission and the team of CSGS is the Republic of Serbia. I commend President Aleksandar Vucic and his government, Minister of Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic, and the office of Prime Minister Ana Brnabic for their interest in learning about Crime Stoppers Global Solutions and exploring a possible partnership. I am happy to report that since this initial outreach and dialogue, two Serbian non-governmental organizations have signed partnership agreements with Crime Stoppers Global Solutions, joining the global fight against terrorism and transnational crime. I encourage President Aleksandar Vucic to continue demonstrating the leadership and courage he has shown thus far not only to lead his nation in this area but also to be an example for other Balkan nations to emulate. I have spent many years serving and believing in the longstanding friendship and alliance that exist between the United States and Serbia and our peoples. One of the most important pillars of this relationship is the many Americans of Serbian ancestry who have helped contribute to, build, and enrich this country. Nikola Tesla, Mihajlo Pupin, Helen Delic Bentley, and countless more American Serbians in science, business, sports, the arts, public service, and other fields have achieved much and added much to America's greatness. The support of the American Serbian community, including the American Serbian Association, the largest and most influential membership organization of its kind nationwide, is of vital significance. It is not only out of genuine affinity and affection for the Serbian people that I wish to see Crime Stoppers Global Solutions engage in and succeed in Serbia, but also out of sincere interest in and concern for their welfare and protection from global terrorism and transnational crime. The United States has strategic interests in Serbia and the Balkan region. Increasingly, what happens there--especially transnational crime such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, terrorism, and more-- impacts us here at home. This is because crime is no longer localized in a neighborhood or community or city or country. It is global in presence, scope, reach, and impact. So, when we are engaged in combating terrorism and transnational crime in the Balkan region, we are not only protecting citizens there, we are also protecting citizens here. Our federal government is a fierce and determined combatant in the war on global terrorism and transnational crime. But its ferocity and determination are every bit as matched by terrorists and transnational criminals. No one entity--be it a government, non-governmental organization, or other group, even one with considerable human resources and tools--can singlehandedly take on these enemies and prevail against them in the long run. But by joining forces with and making common cause with organizations like Crime Stoppers Global Solutions, the federal government is stronger and more capable of dismantling terrorist organizations and transnational criminal enterprises and bringing their leaders and foot soldiers to justice. Crime Stoppers Global Solutions offers the powerful twin assets of people and technology to enhance the efforts and effectiveness of the federal government in its global mission of combating terrorism and transnational crime. These are true and proven force multipliers in crime fighting. For these reasons, I strongly encourage Secretary of State Pompeo and the secretaries of the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the Treasury, as well as the heads of relevant federal agencies to partner with Crime Stoppers Global Solutions. The war on global terrorism and transnational crime is winnable. It takes a team approach. By partnering with Crime Stoppers Global Solutions, the federal government can pool, share, and leverage powerful human resources--engaged citizens--and new tools--advanced wireless technology--that far exceed the capabilities of our enemies and their ability to respond in kind. This joint forces approach has the greatest potential for defeating our enemies and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Americans and Serbians alike for the long term. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, between October and early December 1835, an army of Texian volunteers laid siege to a Mexican army in San Antonio de Bexar. The Mexican General Santa Anna knew of the growing resistance against him in Texas, and so he set his brother-in-law General Martin Perfecto de Cos to San Antonio de Bexar and 600 men to quell the rebellion. In October 1835, a group of Texians volunteered to serve under Stephen F. Austin and Edward Burleson and lay siege to San Antonio de Bexar. Before dawn on December 5th of that same year, James Neill distracted the Mexican forces with artillery fire on the Alamo. At this same time, Ben Milam and Francis W. Johnson led two divisions in a surprise attack on the city. After four days of fighting, Cos sought to consolidate his troops at the Alamo, but a large part of his cavalry decided not to continue fighting and deserted. Mexican General Cos surrendered that same day, December 9, 1835. Cos promised to return to Mexico. When the fighting ended, Texas has between 30 and 35 casualties, while Mexican losses totaled about 150; the difference reflected the greater accuracy of the Texans' rifles. Most of the Texas volunteers went home after the battle, but Texas troops remained in town, which left San Antonio and all of Texas under the Texans' control. This battle was one of the first significant campaigns of the Texas Revolution. Within a few weeks, Texas would declare independence from Mexico. However, after the Mexican Army was defeated, in 1835 Santa Anna was intent on recapturing the mission. In February 1836, he returned to San Antonio de Bexar with several thousand soldiers. This led to the famous Battle of the Alamo where the Texians held out for 13 days before the Alamo fell on March 6, 1836. The Mexican Army killed and/or executed all the 189 defenders. On April 21, General Sam Houston faced off with the numerically superior army of Santa Anna and defeated it, leading to Texas independence from Mexico. Texas remained a country for nine years before joining the United States. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee. My district stretches--or used to stretch--all the way to the Texas-Louisiana border, where the Speaker is from. Some say that is why I was on the Foreign Affairs Committee, because the Texas border has that other international border with Louisiana. Be that as it may, I am glad that I have been able to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee. But during that service, I have been able to see our men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Europe, the Philippines, and other places throughout the world, and I am impressed with their duty of service. As we know, they are all volunteers. Every one of them is a volunteer. When men and women join our military now, they know that they are probably going to be in combat somewhere in the world, but yet they continue to volunteer. I can always spot the Texans, though. When I was in Fallujah right after the Marines went in and eliminated Fallujah, I saw a Texas flag flying on the back of a Humvee as it was speeding down one of those streets. Somebody had written on the side of a bombed-out building: ``Don't mess with Texas.'' I don't know who did that, but we do have that proud attitude of Texans who serve in the military. The enemy we fight today is not the enemy of the Greatest Generation. Our country is under threat from volatile, nuclear-armed rogue nations like we have never seen. We have leaders of foreign nations who are not only untrustworthy, they are outright treacherous, and they want to cause harm in the world. We have little Kim of North Korea, and we have the little man in the sand in Iran. These rulers pose an increasing threat to not only our security, but to everybody throughout the world. They are determined to cause trouble. They are determined to cause terror in the world. As the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee, it has been my goal to bring attention to some of the most pressing international threats to our country and global stability. Many of my bills, including legislation that targeted Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's proxies--the North Korean regime and incitement taught to kids in Saudi Arabia through Saudi Arabian textbooks--have all been shared security interests of the United States and our besieged Israeli allies. I have authored lots of pieces of legislation, and I am glad to see that many of them have been passed and signed into law. I do believe in America, Mr. Speaker, and I don't apologize for it. It is the beacon of light for other peoples everywhere. I do believe that all Members of Congress on both sides want what is best for the country. We just disagree sometimes on how to get there. I am convinced of that. One of my greatest honors in being in the House of Representatives is to serve with people from all over the country who are passionate about making sure we make the right decisions on all types of legislation. We do have the freedom to disagree. People ask me what I am going to do when I retire. I don't know what I am going to do. I haven't decided. I just know that I am leaving Washington. I have often joked that D.C. stands for the Devil's city. But I will miss being here, Mr. Speaker. I will miss representing Texas. Since I was elected in 2004, our four kids, Kim, Kara, Kurt, and Kellee, were all single or just recently married. Now, in those 14 years, I have 12 grandkids: Barrett Houston, Shaelyn, Elizabeth, Jackson, Brooklyn, Payton, Hallie, Olivia, Levi, Presley, Rosalyn, and Ivy. Of course, they all have names, Mr. Speaker, but I call them by their birth number, 1 through 12. I just say, ``Twelve or Three, get over here. Six, leave Seven alone.''

Mr. POE of Texas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are in the midst of a situation in the United States, and throughout the world, where slavery has crept back into our environment and into our communities, and it is the slave trade of women and children for sexual assault. People don't want to talk about it, but it is taking place. Unfortunately, my hometown of Houston used to be one of the hubs in the United States. What I am talking about is the buying and selling of people, primarily women and children, on the marketplace of sex slavery. A lot of Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle worked on this very issue to try to get a grip on what is taking place in our country. We had 11 bills in the House that had to do with helping stop this scourge. I was glad to work with Carolyn Maloney from New York. I mean, that is about as bipartisan as you can get, Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat, and Ted Poe, a Texas Republican. We are separated by common language, but I worked with her, and that is about as bipartisan as you can get. We passed those 11 pieces of legislation. Members of Congress had sponsored several pieces of those. It passed the House overwhelmingly. It went to the Senate, and they combined those 11 pieces into two, sent it back. We passed it, and it became law. President Obama signed it. What it does, this legislation goes after the trafficker, the person who buys and sells women and children, and makes sure that our law punishes those people to the fullest extent. That is why we build prisons, our Federal prisons and our State prisons, for people like that. But what it also does, it takes the victims and treats them like victims instead of treating them like criminals. Children are not prostitutes when they are forced into sex slavery. Children can't be prostitutes. They are victims of crime. So it rescues them and treats them with the dignity they deserve. But it also goes after the buyers, the people who buy those women and children on the marketplace of sex slavery. We make sure that the law goes after those people and punishes them to almost the extent of the trafficker as well. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the progress we have made as a Nation to support victims of crime and crack down on those outlaws that run our streets. There is one piece of legislation that I hope we see passed before I leave Congress on January 2. Megan Rondini was a student. She was from Austin, Texas, and she went off to the University of Alabama. She met a person there at a bar, and they went to his place. He lived in a big mansion, and he sexually assaulted her. She jumped out the window to get away, and she went to the hospital. She wasn't treated right at the hospital. They botched the sexual exam. The sexual assault kit was botched. She went to the police department--the sheriff's department, to be specific--and when they found out who the alleged perpetrator was, they backed off and told her that they weren't going to prosecute him, file charges on him. She went to the university, and the university offered her counseling, but the counselor knew the people involved, the defendant's family, so the counselor said: I can't help you. It is a conflict of interest. But no other counselor was provided. She went into deep depression. She withdrew from the University of Alabama, and she went back to Texas and went to SMU for the next semester. She wasn't at SMU very long at all before she took her own life because the criminal justice system wasn't justice for her. It failed her. As a result, we have offered bipartisan legislation, Representative Jayapal and others, Representative Sewell. We have offered legislation, the Megan Rondini Sexual Assault Victims Protection Act, which is to make sure that a sexual assault forensic examiner or a sexual assault forensic nurse is available for people like Megan when they show up at a hospital, that universities make sure that they have the right medical exam. Otherwise, we end up with people like Megan who take their own life. That piece of legislation is pending, and I know the Ways and Means Committee and Energy and Commerce Committee are working on that. Hopefully, we can get it to the House floor next week before we recess. Topics like human trafficking, sexual abuse, and domestic violence are topics that we need to discuss to make sure that we can get a grip on it and stop that. Counseling, resources, and shelters are much more readily available to victims of crime than ever before in our history. Human traffickers and those caught buying human trafficking victims can no longer escape the long arm of the law, and that is one of the things I like about the long arm of the law. It can go after those individuals. Of course, our system is not perfect because it is run by people, but it is still the best that we have. The men and women who pledge to protect and serve as our first responders overwhelmingly do so with honor throughout our country. Those who pin the badge over their heart and go out there every day to protect and serve the rest of us always deserve our utmost recognition and respect. As a prosecutor and a judge, I worked with some of Houston's finest police, as I call them. During my time in Congress, I had the privilege of getting to know the Texas sheriffs along the Texas-Mexico border. They are a special breed of law officers. I have visited every county along the southern border, from El Paso to the mouth of the Boca Chica at the Gulf of Mexico. It is 1,254 miles from New Orleans to Washington, D.C. That is about the distance of the Texas-Mexico border. I have held field hearings, flown the Rio Grande with the Texas Air National Guard. I think I may have walked all of those 1,254 miles, including much of it that goes to California from El Paso. I have made several dozen trips down there, and I have traveled the Rio Grande River with our peace officers, in particular, the Texas Department of Public Safety in their fast boats. Down on the border, I have seen the good; I have seen the bad; and I have seen a lot of the ugly. I have met a lot of people on both sides of the border. No matter what our position is on the issue of immigration, our total disregard for border enforcement has cost our State and our Nation tremendously, from the lives lost to the communities on both sides of the border. It has been destroyed by the cartel violence. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the cartels control the southern border. They control the border with Mexico on the southern side. They control what takes place. And they control the violence. We cannot turn a blind eye to the real issues because it is eroding our national security. Border towns on both sides of the border are unique, and the Texas border towns have their own personalities like no others. For some people, they are the lyrics in country songs and stories of college days. Long before a Houston billionaire added the Cadillac Bar to his restaurant empire, it was an institution in Nuevo Laredo that generations of Texans and Mexican families enjoyed together. But now, Nuevo Laredo, across the river from Laredo, is a ghost town, like many other border towns that we share, because the drug cartels control the environment. It seems to me that we haven't done enough, and border security and immigration must go hand in hand. We must do both, but they are not the same. It is not, nor will it ever be, an either-or option. We have tried to do all we can in my office to cut the red tape and send more money and boots to the border, and tell the hard, unpopular truth about what is going on in our southern border. Obviously, our Nation needs to secure the border. We are debating that very issue these last 2 weeks we are in session, about whether or not to secure the border. Well, I would think that we should. We cannot afford anything less. A country without borders will cease to be a country at all. Mr. Speaker, I don't understand why we secure the borders of other countries but we don't secure our own. I have been to Afghanistan, and we are protecting their border against the bad guys coming in from Pakistan. We have American troops protecting the border of the Koreas and all over the world. We are protecting the borders of a lot of countries, but we don't protect our own, and I don't understand why. As a veteran and a son of a World War II veteran, as I mentioned, I think the United States has the greatest military that has ever existed. I have been in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other places to see our military. They are the best in the world, no question about it. Second place isn't even close. We must recognize our military's contributions, both during service and after our troops come back home. I am proud to represent southeast Texas. I think that is the most patriotic place on the planet. People where I come from, we love the military. We even have parades when the military is on Active Duty and the National Guard or the Reserves come back home. They march down the street. Can you believe that? It is still happening in parts of the country down in southeast Texas. I host a lot of veteran events. My staff, of course, does all the work. One of my favorite events is our annual honor-our-heroes event. We pick a day that nothing else is going to go on, and it is usually in the summer. We invite veterans and Active Duty military to come to the event. It is a pep rally for our military. We let each one of them come up to the microphone and tell us about their career in the military and try to do it in 60 seconds or less. It is a great honor for them to tell other people about what they did, whether it is World War II or Korea or last week when they got off Active Duty in Afghanistan. The final event that we had just a few months ago was marked by a surprise visitor. Vice President Pence just showed up, walked into the room. Everybody was whooping and hollering when he showed up, showing support for our military. I say all of that to say that we have to continue to support the military, those on Active Duty and those who have served in the past. Some of the legislation I am proud that we have accomplished: Emanuel Cleaver and I worked on bipartisan legislation to establish a commission to build a memorial in Washington, D.C., for all the World War I veterans. There is no memorial for all of the World War I veterans. Here we are, 100 years after the war was over, and there is no memorial. We have one for World War II, as we should. We have one for Vietnam. We have one for Korea. But we don't have one for the Great War of World War I. We have been working on that for several years. We finally got that passed, and groundbreaking has taken place, and they will build it. It will not take another 100 years before we see it, Mr. Speaker. It will be done soon. My only regret was that my friend, and the last American doughboy, Frank Buckles, Jr., didn't get to see that happen. Corporal Buckles came up to Washington and went around the House and the Senate, talking about getting that memorial built. He died before the legislation passed. He died at the age of 110. He lied to get into the Army in World War I. He said he was 15. He was probably 14 when he got in and served in World War I. In World War II, he was captured by the Japanese, because he was in the Philippines and he spent 3 years in a prisoner-of-war camp. He was a great American. So we owe it to people like that. All of them have died and gone away. Get that memorial built. I thanked Mr. Cleaver, Congressman Cleaver--preacher, as I call him-- for his support in getting that legislation passed. We have to remember him, Mr. Speaker, because the greatest casualty of war is to be forgotten. I could fill hours talking about the tremendous men and women who serve our country, but I know that you are watching the clock, Mr. Speaker, and I won't do that. I have also spoken about the Greatest Generation as much as any other topic. I have lamented for those who fought in Vietnam--that is the war of my generation--because of the way they were treated when they came back home. Finally, America is getting to understand that we should honor those men and women who served and welcome them back home as well. There are no words that can come close to express how we should change our opinion of those individuals. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is the final showdown scene, and while there are no swinging doors or clicking of spurs, eerie signs and sounds of silence or dust swirling behind me, I stand here today in the people's House to speak probably for the last time. If they would let me cue the soundtrack, the king of country, George Strait, would sing: ``Oh, the last good-bye's the hardest one to say. This is where the cowboy rides away.'' I gave my very first speech as a Member of Congress from Texas on February 1, 2005, after I had come back from Iraq to see their first free elections ever. I went to Iraq, along with Chris Shays, a Congressman from Connecticut. Since that first speech, some might say I haven't shut up, and, well, they are probably right, Mr. Speaker. I spoke, I understand according to the Congressional Record, over 2,000 times in my 14 years serving the good people of the Second Congressional District of the State of Texas--some very well received, I might add. My staff might say, however, some not so much. They have gotten a few calls over the years asking, ``Did your boss really say that?''--more often than not, ``What in the world was he talking about?'' I have probably spoken more about Texas and the way we do things there than anyplace else. You, Mr. Speaker, being from Louisiana, understand how important it is to love where we are from. And I say things a little bit different than folks up here in ``Warshington.'' And, yes, that is ``Warshington'' with an R. I am not going to relive every moment in a sad song good-bye, but there are a few things that I came here to say and do in my 14 years, and I would like to say some of those again. First of all, thank you, thank you to the people of the State of Texas for trusting me to be their voice, their advocate here in this amazing place, the United States House of Representatives. It has been an honor of a lifetime. I came here to advocate for issues that are important, important back home to the folks in Texas. And through the mud and the blood and the beer, I fought day and night to make sure that the interests of Texas came first. And there are a lot of them, Mr. Speaker. I vowed that crime victims would have a voice; that those who serve and have served our great Nation in the military would receive the honors that they earn and deserve; to protect our privacy and make sure our most important right to freedom of speech was fiercely protected, protected by us in the House of Representatives. If I look back, my order of priorities came about at an early age. I owe my career in public service to my grandmother, my mother's mother, and I can probably credit her with my outspoken opinions. She instilled in me the nonnegotiable duty to serve. That is what life is all about: to serve, to serve others. So I have. I have always been in public service. I was in the United States Air Force Reserves. Then I taught school. That was too hard, so I went to law school, and I became a lawyer and a prosecutor in the district attorney's office in Houston, where I was the chief felony prosecutor. I spent 22 years on the district court bench in Houston, Texas, trying criminal cases, and now I am here in the United States Congress. My grandmother educated me in the ways of the world more than anyone in my life, but unfortunately, to her dismay, I broke her staunchest Southern belief: being a Democrat. I don't know that she ever forgave me for being a Republican. Probably, she hasn't. She is still rolling over in her grave wondering where she went wrong all those years. I was a Reagan Republican from the first time I saw Reagan speak at the 1968 Republican Convention in Miami Beach, when I was a representative from the College Students for Reagan. My dyed-in-the-wool Democrat grandmother couldn't stand it, and she let me know, but that is one of the things I admired most about her. Well, to put it nicely, she was bluntly truthful. I never doubted what she said. And if she had told me that it was raining in my house, I would have run home and started putting plastic over the furniture. She taught me to say: ``And that is just the way it is.'' I think we can all agree I took that lesson pretty well. Another person in my life who taught me a lesson or two--some hard ones growing up, I might add--was my dad, Virgil Poe. Now 93, he hasn't stopped giving me advice, and he doesn't mind giving anybody advice whether they ask for it or not. He really is the greatest man I know. A charter member of the Greatest Generation, he went off to the great World War II when he was 18. He represents everything that is good and right about our country. He and my mom, who is also 93, have been married for 73 years. She gives me quite a bunch of advice as well. They still live in Houston, not far from where I grew up. They still go to the same church, and they set examples for our family on how to do things the right way. They are from a generation that believed in God, country, and family, and good old-fashioned American hard work. Although they both grew up very poor in the Depression, they never thought they were victims, but they believed that here, only here in America, could they and would they have a good life. It was from them that I learned how important it was to be an American. We are unusual people in an unusual country, and we should be proud of that fact. Never should we apologize for who we are. We must never forget that what sets us apart from the rest of the world--it is a basic word. We use it a lot, but it has great meaning. And that word is ``freedom.'' The most important right we have as Americans is, really, the freedom of speech. It is first because it is the most important. It is the very core of who we are as people. Without the First Amendment, freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, the right to petition government, and the rest of the amendments really don't make a lot of sense. Of course, the Second was written to protect the First. Some of my friends in Texas believe that the Second Amendment is more important than the First, but it is not. It is the Second Amendment because it is to protect the First. Nowhere in the Constitution is the word ``fair'' mentioned. Speech is to be free, not necessarily fair. Fair means different things to different folks. Fair means to some folks in Texas where you take the chickens and cattle to on the weekends, to the fair. We have an obligation to uphold the laws as they were intended. And our forefathers didn't scribble out these amendments in a tavern in Philadelphia after drinking some demon rum many years ago. They were carefully crafted to stand the test of time and make sure that all people--all people--had the power, and not government had the power. We have seen government grow more and more powerful and intrusive in our lives, in our businesses every year. With more and more control over our speech being handed down by the self-appointed, self-righteous speech police, they are running neck and neck with Big Brother that is digging deeper and deeper into our private lives. The Fourth Amendment, unique to America, is sacred, and it is sacred to this country and the Founders who drafted it. Privacy, the right of privacy in the Fourth Amendment should not be forsaken on the false altar of national security. Yes, we can have both: the right of privacy and also national security. As a former judge, I am very concerned about the loss of our Fourth Amendment right of privacy in the United States based on, in my opinion, the unconstitutional actions of the NSA. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government authorized a once secret program by the NSA to collect information on the bad actors, primarily terrorists and foreign agents who wished to create mayhem. They were terrorists overseas. We fought to go after them and get them. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was written to go after terrorists, but it is being used to go after Americans, Mr. Speaker. When I was a judge, I signed lots of warrants when peace officers would bring me a warrant. They would swear out an affidavit of truthfulness, so I would give them a piece of paper, a warrant, to allow them to go arrest or search a premises. That is all based upon the Fourth Amendment in the Constitution. And peace officers did exactly that. But that is not the case for many American citizens anymore. You might ask, well, who is doing this? Is it a criminal organization? Is it a private investigator? Is it Google? No. It is not a nefarious organization operating behind closed doors, and it is not even the Russians, Mr. Speaker. It is the spying eyes of the United States Federal Government. As the chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, I agree; we should go after the terrorists with everything we have got, and our government should use techniques they have on those people who wish to destroy America and find out what those terrorists are doing. But despite the overall intention of the law, the program has been corrupted. Not only does NSA collect information on terrorists, which they should do, but it collects data on ordinary American citizens. What I mean by ``data'' is not just emails and text messages, but communications and conversations. This, I believe, is in violation of the Constitution. The government does not use a specific Fourth Amendment warrant, a warrant based upon probable cause for a person--law enforcement--to go and search or arrest someone, but it uses it anyway under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a lesser requirement, and still issues warrants to go and search and seize information. The Fourth Amendment says the warrantless search and seizure is unconstitutional without a probable cause warrant. I don't see any exceptions there, Mr. Speaker. Our constitutional rights are not selected. They were written to keep big brother--government--in check. The government really doesn't get to pick and choose which ones they want to follow and which ones they don't. It sounds like a page out of George Orwell's novel ``1984'' where it says: Always eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. Asleep or awake, indoors or out of doors, in the bath or bed, no escape. We read ``1984'' years ago, Mr. Speaker, and we all thought that would never happen. But the government's ability to seize information, based upon information that is less reliable than the Fourth Amendment requires, and does so in secret I think is a violation of our rights. It is hard to believe this is happening, but we need to wake up and remember this. Remember, Mr. Speaker, the Bill of Rights was intended to protect us from government. People have rights. Government has power. Government has no rights. It has power that they take or we give it to them. But it is the individuals in this country who have rights, including the right of privacy to be secure in our persons and our places and our homes from unlawful searches and seizures. I think government has gotten out of the box because of this Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows secret courts to issue secret warrants to law enforcement to go and do things that the person who is having their information seized may know nothing about. It was intended to be used against terrorists, but now it is being used against Americans and seizing that information against Americans. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and I co-founded The Fourth Amendment Caucus to protect our privacy. When I was first elected to Congress, they gave me a BlackBerry. That was new technology back then, Mr. Speaker. We could get emails on our phones. I called it a Strawberry. And I can't tell you how many of those things I have lost all over the world. Now we have smartphones that are smarter than most of us most of the time. While technology continues to change, the Constitution does not change. The rights we have in the Constitution still apply to us today, even with technology. It is the duty of government to balance the interest of protecting Americans, while respecting constitutional rights. So the caucus has fought to protect Americans against warrantless searches and seizures, closing privacy violating surveillance loopholes, and champion reform efforts to protect and restore Fourth Amendment rights. The FISA abuse--the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act--allowing secret courts to operate in secret and issue secret warrants against people who never know about it reminds me of the Star Chamber back in merry ole England, that operated in secret and issued secret warrants, all in the name of protecting the Crown, and that is what it seems like we have gotten to. Mr. Speaker, the First Amendment also talks about the right to practice the religion that we wish. The First Amendment states in part that ``Congress''--of course that is us--``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'' You notice, Mr. Speaker, the First Amendment doesn't just give us the right to believe any religion we want to, it gives us the right to practice the religion that we have: the free exercise. And Congress can make no law to prevent that. The freedom to practice one's own religion is the reason why many of the colonists settled and founded in this great country. Modern revisionist historians don't want to talk about that, but it is true. One of the primary reasons why people left England and Europe was to seek religious freedom. That is why it is in the First Amendment along with freedom of speech. When Thomas Jefferson, who is the author of the Declaration of Independence, wrote it, he proclaimed that God gives us our rights. He wrote ``that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;'' and that governments are instituted among men to secure those rights. We get our rights from the almighty. We don't get our rights from government or the king. Jefferson's reference to God is echoed throughout this Nation: our currency mentions God; our government buildings have religious scenes and words on them; we pledge allegiance every day in this House Chamber to one Nation under God; we even have the great lawgiver Moses on the far wall looking down directly on the Speaker; and above the flag is the phrase, ``In God We Trust.'' Those who argue we cannot mention God or religion in public government places are looking to destroy the very freedom that our country was founded on. The mention of God in our culture is not an establishment of religion; it is a freedom. Note that the right to practice one's religion, Mr. Speaker, is a right that we have, as well as the right to believe whatever we wish when it comes to religion. We have this concept in the Declaration of Independence that we are worth something as individuals; that we are worth something as individuals not because government gives us rights, or politicians, or the king, but the Declaration of Independence says that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. The truth is our Constitution says that we are guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. I believe, as many Americans do, that America is a special place, a chosen place, an exceptional place, and America is more than just another country on the globe. Throughout our history, we have served as a beacon of light in an often dark world, and one reason is because we say and believe ``In God We Trust.'' We cannot follow this fundamental principle that sets us apart to be taken away by those who want government to be the highest power of the land. In the end, I do not believe I will ever answer to my government for my time on this Earth, but I do believe I will answer to my God, and the freedom of that choice is what America stands for. Mr. Speaker, as a judge, I saw every imaginable crime. In 22 years on the felony court bench, about 25,000 felony cases worked their way through the courtroom--or the palace of perjury, as I referred to it in those days--everything from stealing to killing and everything in between. One of my first actions in Congress was to establish the bipartisan Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus, along with Congressman Jim Costa from California, to advocate on behalf of victims in our Nation's Capital. I am very proud of the work we have done for victims of crime. The consequences of devastating crimes stay with victims for the rest of their lives. I saw victims every day at the courthouse come down there, their lives shattered because of some person committing a crime against them. Many of those victims recover and many do not recover, and they spend the last days of their lives in hopeless despair. So we started that caucus to promote the rights of victims. One such story that affected me personally, and has made its way through my career as a prosecutor and as a judge, was a case I prosecuted a long time ago. Kevin Wanstrath was his name. He was a 14- month-old adopted baby. It was his murder, along with the murder of his mother and his father and his grandmother. Four outlaws had plotted to kill all four of them so they could collect the estate and the inheritance. I still have that picture of Kevin Wanstrath that I had on my desk as a prosecutor, on my desk as a judge, and on my desk here in the Rayburn building. I keep it with me to remind me really kind of why we are here: to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Kevin was assassinated, shot in the back of the head, sacrificed on the alter of greed. Fortunately, after a long duration of finding out who committed the crime, the four killers were brought to justice. All were convicted by juries in Texas. Two of them have received the death penalty and have been executed. Kevin was born the same year my son Kurt was born. It is about people. We are in the business here, as Members of Congress, to really help people, help other people in our country. Since that case changed my life, that is one reason why I have been so passionate, as others-- Jim Costa, for example--in protecting victims of crime. We are not judged by the way we treat the rich folks or important folks. We are judged by the way we treat innocent people: the weak, the unfortunate, the elderly, and the young. Since its inception in 2005, the Victims' Rights Caucus has taken the lead to protect programs that provide critical support for victim services throughout the Nation, including the Victims of Crime Act. It is called VOCA. What a great concept this was. President Reagan had the idea, Congress passed it, and the VOCA, Victims of Crime Act, does this. When criminals commit crimes, judges have the ability to fine those criminals, along with sending them to the Federal penitentiary, and that money goes into a fund that helps victims of crime. It is called the Victims of Crime Act, and it is a marvelous idea. It is not taxpayer money. Criminals are paying the rent on the courthouse, they are paying for the crimes that they have committed and putting that money into a fund. But every year, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Costa and I have to fight the bureaucrats in government to let go of that money. Right now, there is about $12 billion in the Victims of Crime Act fund and only about $800,000 of that was used this year to help victims. What happens to the rest of that money? Well, I don't understand the math, but they use that money as an offset for other government programs, and, therefore, they don't spend it on crime victims, and I think that is wrong. Enough of the offsets. If the money goes to victims, it ought to be given to the victims. The government ought to keep its hands off of it because it doesn't belong to the government, and it doesn't belong to the taxpayers. I hope in the future we will let go of that and that that money goes into a lockbox and it remains always for victims of crimes. Because those Federal judges, God bless them, they are nailing people who violate the law with large fines and fees, and that fund continues to grow every year. Besides the VOCA funds, we have worked on the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA as it is called, and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. The caucus was also instrumental in the enactment of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act in 2006. That bill had to do with the abduction of children and then those children were sexually assaulted throughout the United States. It protects them and makes sure that we keep up with those child predators who roam the streets and byways of our Nation. So we have reauthorized that act this year. We have also passed the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act, the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act, the SAFER Act of 2013, and the Victims of Child Abuse Reauthorization Act. All this was bipartisan, Mr. Speaker. All of it was bipartisan. May I ask of the Speaker how much time I have left.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Nord Stream II is energy blackmail. If completed, it will make our European allies more dependent on Russian gas to meet their energy needs. For three decades, Russia has used its abundant energy supplies to coerce European neighbors into doing its bidding. Europe, lacking natural gas reserves of its own, once had little choice in energy providers, allowing the Kremlin to block the flow of gas if Europe was opposing its interests. In fact, I was in Ukraine in 2009 when the Russians turned off the gas in Ukraine, and it was cold. People died. It is blackmail since they are a monopoly on European natural gas. This includes forcing Europe's silence over Russia's illegal aggression in not only Ukraine, but Georgia and Crimea as well. Today, Europe has other options, however. American natural gas is increasingly available on the global market thanks to the advances in technology. In 2019, the United States' LNG exports are expected to surge by almost 80 percent. In Texas, Mr. Speaker, we have more natural gas than we ever had and more than we need. We should use all we can, and then we should sell the rest to the Europeans. Across Europe, more LNG terminals are coming online and allowing more American natural gas to reach the European market. Even Germany has pledged to build a new LNG terminal as a result of President Trump's push to renew the transatlantic trade relationship. With the expanding availability of U.S. natural gas, Europe can and should say ``no'' to Nord Stream II. Vladimir Putin, the Napoleon of Siberia, cannot be trusted to be a fair trading partner. His recent aggression in Ukraine demonstrates Russia is a threat and not a friend. We must pass this resolution and send a message to our European allies that Nord Stream II is a bad idea. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Mr. Conaway, for bringing this resolution, and I also want to thank the ranking member and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee for their support. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, for more than 7 years, the butcher of Syria has been slaughtering his own people. This relentless mass murderer has left half a million dead and millions others displaced. He has bombed, gassed, gunned down, and executed the Syrian people. He is, obviously, the Satan of Syria. After the horrors of World War II, we were supposed to have rid the world of such evil, but, for years, we have shamefully watched it unfold. Mr. Speaker, it has always been crystal-clear who is responsible. The criminal butcher, the barbarian, Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian outlaws have turned the cradle of civilization into ashes. Russian and Syrian warplanes have laid waste to Syrian towns, hospitals, and aid convoys from the air. On the ground, thousands of Iranian-backed militiamen have waged a campaign of outright sectarian cleansing. These militias are the wicked arm of the IRGC and the Ayatollah of Iran. These militias are one of the most dangerous aspects of this chaotic war. They not only kill innocents today, but they kill any hope for a future Syria by sowing deep divisions along sectarian lines. The time is well past that they are all called to be accountable. That is why I introduced legislation more than a year ago calling on the State Department to designate some of these Iranian-supported militias as terrorists. I am pleased this resolution also calls for these groups to be designated as such. These killers must meet justice for the crimes they have committed against the people of the world. I congratulate Mr. Mast on bringing this to the House floor. I also thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their tenacious efforts in making sure the American people understand what is taking place throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the terrorist group Hezbollah and their Iranian patrons are preparing for war against our Israeli allies. We know this because Israel discovered at least two tunnels crossing into their territory from Lebanon. These tunnels are not for smuggling or any other purpose. They are for the sole purpose of enabling terrorists to sneak into Israel for attacks. This is just more evidence that Hezbollah and Iran are committed to Israel's destruction. We, as Israel's strongest allies, must act to prevent this. For more than two decades Hezbollah and Iran have been building an arsenal of weapons tailored specifically for eradicating the Jewish State. The attack tunnels recently unearthed are just the latest addition to this growing arsenal. But like many of Hezbollah's weapons, these tunnels are not to challenge Israel's military but to kill its civilians. Despite this fact, no Lebanese leaders have condemned these tunnels or called for their destruction. This is unacceptable. One of the fundamental responsibilities of a state is to live at peace with its neighbors. Lebanon, however, allows terrorists to stockpile weapons and build attack tunnels in order to wage war on its southern neighbor. If the war that Hezbollah and Iran want comes, it will be the Lebanese people who suffer. During the last war, only twelve years ago, over a thousand Lebanese civilians were killed in the crossfire. Today, with Hezbollah building attack tunnels and weapon stockpiles under homes and civilian structures, it is inevitable that this will happen again. It is time that the international community and Lebanese government act. For too long they have bullied our friends in Israel while terrorists like Hezbollah prepare to commit mass murder. The warning signs are clear. These tunnels show that it is Hezbollah and Iran who are the aggressors. All who stay silent now must accept that the blood will be on their hands when war erupts. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Texas was its own republic from 1836 to 1845. Just like any other republic, the young country had a legislature, outlined in the Constitution of the Republic of Texas. The Congress of the Republic of Texas was based on the United States Congress. Both were bicameral and had a similar committee structure and age requirements to be elected. Throughout its short history, the Nation of Texas had nine congresses. The first Congress gaveled in on October 3, 1836 in Columbia, Texas. In November of 1839, the Texas Congress met for the first and only time in Austin. However, Austin was considered too dangerous of a meeting place because it was on the western frontier and more exposed to Native Americans, so the Republic's Congress would meet in Houston and Washington-on-the-Brazos between 1842 and 1845. After Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845, Austin was reaffirmed as the capitol of Texas. The first capitol building in Austin was completed in 1855 but burnt down in 1881. The next capitol building, which is still where the state legislature meets, was dedicated in 1888. Texans are quick to point out that the Texas Capitol is 15 feet taller than the United States Capitol. To belabor the point, the San Jacinto Monument that honors the victory and independence of Texas from Mexico, is taller than the similar Washington Monument. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, when most Americans think about the federal government, they tend to think about the political gridlock and bureaucratic red tape that has increasingly made good governance difficult. But once in a blue moon, a unique and effective idea can emerge out of the Washington swamp, and the creation of the Crime Victims' Fund is a perfect example of one of those rare occurrences. Prior to being elected to Congress, I served as a prosecutor and Judge in Houston, Texas for 30 years. During that time, I learned firsthand how important it is to protect and help restore the most vulnerable in our society. Upon arriving in Washington after my election and learning about the Crime Victims' Fund, I knew how special the idea was, and I was determined to protect and expand it. In 1984, President Reagan signed the Victims of Crime Act or VOCA into law, thus creating the Crime Victims' Fund. Back then, this Fund was a novel idea. Convicted federal felons pay fees and fines into the Fund, which then helps pay for services to restore victims of crime. The Fund helps pay restitution to victims; it allows domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and other organizations to keep their doors open; and it pays for a wide array of services that crime victims need, from rape kits to beds in a shelter. I want to be clear: this is not taxpayer money. This Fund allows criminals to pay for the harm that they've caused. In other words, it's like criminals paying rent on the courthouse. At the end of FY2016, the Crime Victims Fund had a balance of more than $12 billion. Unfortunately, this money--billions of dollars--has been used as an offset for other unrelated programs. I understand the attraction of using a program of this size to help offset other items under the budget, but it is still completely inappropriate. These are non-tax dollars. To ensure that the Fund is protected and used correctly, every year Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) and I have introduced the Crime Victims' Fund Preservation Act. This bill creates a ``lockbox'' to ensure that money in the Fund cannot be used for any purpose other than crime victims' programs authorized under the VOCA statute. Since its creation, the Fund has been a lifeline for victims, offering them the resources and assistance they need to recover and rebuild their lives. This money should never be subject to the politics or gridlock that often derails or hampers other federal programs. The Fund is a rare Washington D.C. gem, a program that serves victims of crime while not being a burden on the American tax-payer. We must work to preserve this Fund and ensure it is protected for the future. And that's just the way it is.