Ted Poe

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. I want to thank the ranking member for yielding and thank the chairman for bringing this legislation to the floor, and also my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lungren) who has been helping relentlessly to get some legislation passed to stop this criminal endeavor into the United States. Mr. Speaker, the drug dealers find new ways to bring this cancer, cocaine, into the United States. And now what they're doing in the hills and jungles of Colombia is they build these fiberglass boats, submarines, that are about 100-foot long that can bring in several hundred million dollars worth of cocaine into the United States. They float them down the river into the Pacific Ocean. Here is one of these vessels here. It is about 100 feet long. It's fiberglass. These vessels can go all the way from Colombia to the United States without refueling. They are built with stealth technology so they're very difficult to find by our Navy and our Coast Guard. They go very slowly so they can't create a wake. And they bring this stuff into the United States. The problem is that when our Navy and our Coast Guard find one of these ships on the high seas, these ships have no flag, they're not under any flag of any nation, the crew members on the ship, usually five to six members, will scuttle the submarine. It will sink to the bottom of the ocean, taking with it the cocaine. Then the five or six crew members that are on this submarine have to be rescued by our Navy and then taken back where they came from, usually Colombia or Guatemala or whatever nation they came from. And they can't be prosecuted because there is no crime of the high seas to have one of these in your possession. And what this legislation does is basically says ``no more.'' You cannot be a crew member of one of these submersible subs and if you are captured, whether the boat is captured or not, you have committed a criminal offense, and now a civil penalty can be imposed on you as well. The Coast Guard tells us that at any given time, Mr. Speaker, there are 100 of these on the high seas working their way to the United States. And it doesn't take much common sense to realize that these same vessels that use and bring in cocaine can bring in other material into this country, things that will do us harm, like explosive devices. And they're so shallow they can go up our ports and our seaways and cause damage. So this legislation is important for two reasons. It is a national security issue. And second, it's a way of keeping that cancer, cocaine, out of the United States. I applaud this legislation to make it a criminal offense and a civil offense to be in possession of one of these subs on the high seas.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, today, I am proud to recognize the Trinity Valley Exposition on its 100th anniversary this October. The TVE has been a fixture in southeast Texas that brings fun and culture together for a great yearly event. Additionally, outside of the celebration in the autumn, TVE is active in the community and invests in the youth of our great State. The TVE is a charitable organization located in Liberty, Texas. The main groups benefitting from the works of the TVE are the young people residing in the counties of Liberty and Chambers. Over the past few years, the TVE has contributed thousands of dollars in scholarships to those students who are going to be attending post-secondary institutions. For example, in 2004, the TVE gave $30,000 in scholarships to students in the area. The TVE owns 60 acres of land, a covered arena, an exposition hall, and a pavilion. Various functions occur in these places throughout the year. People are allowed to rent these facilities, giving members of the community a chance to convene and offering anyone a great place to have ceremonies, celebrations, and get-togethers. The TVE is a volunteer organization that relies on its helpers to be effective, especially, every fall when the TVE hosts a county fair. This is a tradition that attracts people from many places, near and far, to gather for the festivities. There is no gate charge, all events are free, and the entire public is invited. This time, for the 100-year anniversary, the event is extra special with numerous contests engaging participants in kind-spirited competition. The contests include: quilting, baking, scarecrow, kiddie tractor pull, and salsa. Also, this year, favorite TVE memory is a contest, calling people to recollect special experiences of times past. In addition to these events, the TVE asks the children to participate in a coloring contest or in playing one of many games available. There will be live family entertainment, a magician, hotdogs, and rice. The grand event closes with a fireworks display to usher out a truly meaningful milestone. The TVE is a tradition that brings the community together and calls to mind many of the things that identify us as Texans. Therefore, I am happy to draw attention to the Trinity Valley Exposition on its 100th year of operation.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that on August 14, seventeen of Republic of China's diplomatic allies requested that the United Nations General Assembly include a supplementary item in the agenda of the 63rd session to ``examine the fundamental rights of the 23 million people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to participate meaningfully in the activities of the United Nations specialized agencies.'' I join my colleagues on the Hill in voicing my support for Taiwan's request. Taiwan has been denied participation in the conferences, mechanisms and conventions of the United Nations and the specialized agencies since 1971, thereby creating a major breach in the operations of the United Nations system. This has been a gross injustice that needs to be corrected. Taiwanese people deserve a voice in the UN specialized agencies for a number of reasons. Taiwan's population is larger than two thirds of the UN member states. Taiwan has a vibrant economy. Taiwan is a democracy. Taiwan wants to provide a positive feedback to the international community. Taiwan's meaningful participation in the specialized agencies would help promote peace and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Madam Speaker, the tension cross the Taiwan straits has been eased since May 2008, and leaders of Taiwan and the People's Republic have shown a willingness to settle their dispute. This thawing of relations has been warmly welcomed by the international community. It is my hope that the PRC will favorably respond to Taiwan's request with goodwill and flexibility. Only by allowing Taiwan to participate meaningfully in the specialized agencies can the UN principle of universality be fulfilled and regional peace and prosperity be ensured.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, Lois Gibson has made the Guinness Book of World Records as ``The World's Most Successful Forensic Artist.'' Her sketches of perpetrators have been instrumental in assisting the police to catch over 1,062 criminals. She has recently written a book with renowned author, Deanie Francis Mills, about her experience being a criminal sketch artist and the profession's value to society. This Houston resident has made a name for herself in law enforcement all across the country and has done so for twenty-five years. An alumna of the University of Texas at Austin, Gibson has put her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to great use. A naturally artistic person, she decided to take the FBI Academy Forensic Artist Course to become a qualified criminal sketch artist. When Gibson was younger, she was sexually assaulted by a serial rapist and murderer. Perhaps it was this experience that most inspired Gibson to enter into the service of catching criminals and helping those in need. The memory of her traumatic incident definitely stays with Gibson but rather than letting it get her down, she uses it to inspire her work every single day. Ms. Gibson's status as a past victim, allows her to truly and deeply sympathize with those that she works with. After an upsetting situation, those affected often have issues rehashing the situation and having to again envision the assailant's face, but Ms. Gibson allows them to get past this. Gibson can communicate well with these people because she understands where they are coming from, being a victim herself. Thus, victims are more likely to open up to Gibson and she makes it easier for them to focus and give her an accurate depiction of their attacker. Despite the profession of criminal sketching having many talented and trained artists, there is a limited amount of full-time sketch artists in the country. It took Ms. Gibson, herself, some time to persuade the Houston Police Department of her merit. The HPD had never used an artist before and they believed the role Gibson proposed seemed superfluous. When the department finally agreed to let her work, Gibson was soon identified as a valuable asset to the law enforcement team and some police officers began to wonder how they had ever operated efficiently without her. About thirty percent of Gibson's sketches catch their intended offenders when finger prints are around ten percent effective. It is findings like these that make the question of, why more police departments do not embrace the importance of having a full-time sketch artist, more profound. Still, Gibson's work has not gone unnoticed, as she has won numerous awards for stopping ruthless criminals and bringing justice to the blameless victims. I commend this remarkable American on her twenty-five year devotion to public service, and thank her for doing work that has made our country a safer place to live in. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act for FY09. Account: Army, RDT&E, Army Missile Defense Systems Integration (Non- Space). Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lamar University. Address of Requesting Entity: 4400 MLK Blvd., P.O. Box 10009, Beaumont, TX 77710. Description of Request: The Advanced Fuel Cell Research Program (AFC) at Lamar University is currently operating fuel cell test beds on behalf of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) that simulates power requirements and characterizes alternative power and storage capabilities for a wide variety of USASMDC systems. Critical need continues to exist for an efficient and clean advanced renewable energy source to meet urgent U.S. Army space and missile defense battlefield requirements. AFC continues to develop, test and validate advanced fuel cell technologies necessary to enable lightweight, power efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective renewable energy technology and products for Army space and missile defense systems including: sensors, radars, weapons, and communications. The FY09 request will leverage fuel cell technology achievements funded through previous DoD Appropriations bills by transitioning prototype lightweight fuel cells into Army renewable power products. UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) prototypes integrated with the AFC-developed fuel cells will be flight-tested and demonstrated under field conditions to validate reliable, long duration, and quality power for missile defense situational awareness missions. The AFC's advanced hydride fuel cell will validate the UAV's unique long loitering time and stealth capabilities for critical extended endurance surveillance missions. Amount Received: $3,000,000. These funds will be used to pay labor costs for 22 full time personnel, lab and test bed equipment and supplies, and facilities improvement. Account: Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard Bridge Replacement. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association. Address of Requesting Entity: 2010 Butler Drive, Friendswood, TX 77546. Description of Request: Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge Replacement. Today, 21 thousand barges move 29 million tons of cargo worth $10 billion through the Galveston Bridge each year. In 2001, after a lengthy review process, the bridge was declared a hazard to navigation by the Coast Guard under the Truman Hobbs Act. The current estimated cost of replacement is almost $68 million. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, under the Truman Hobbs Act. Amount Received: $4,000,000. Under the Truman Hobbs Act, the federal government pays 90 percent of replacement cost and the bridge owner, Galveston County pays 10 percent.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, most of us are aware of the bus accidents that have been occurring around the country. Two years ago there was a fatal bus accident involving the Westbrook High School girls' soccer team in Beaumont, Texas. Just this year, there was an accident in Sherman, Texas, which involved several Vietnamese community members. Similar incidents occurred in Liberty, Missouri, Arlington, Virginia, New York City, and New Orleans, to name a few. These tragic bus accidents demonstrate that school bus safety reform is an urgent issue. While school buses are among the safest mode of transportation, these re-occurring accidents are unacceptable. School buses need to be safer. The widespread bus crashes have sparked a comeback in the idea of seatbelts in buses. Seatbelts raise the issue of whether they would increase bus safety. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas safety belt use has topped 90 percent, this being the third year in a row. The majority of people in Texas are wearing their seatbelts in cars and trucks. But few to no passengers are wearing their seatbelts in school buses. Currently, there is no Federal mandate on seatbelts in buses. Every State, except New Hampshire, requires by law that car and truck drivers and passengers wear seatbelts. This is because seatbelts work-- they increase a passenger's chance of survival in a crash. In short, seatbelts save lives. If laws require passengers of cars and trucks to wear seatbelts, why are there no requirements for buses to even include seatbelts? In many States there are variations of ``Click it or Ticket'' policies that threaten motorists who don't wear seatbelts, yet no such laws apply to the buses that carry our children and community members on a daily basis. Certainly, buses are made very different from cars and trucks. For one, buses can carry many more passengers than any car. Some of these differences might lead one to believe that there should not be a mandate on seatbelts in buses. These differences have not stopped bus drivers from being required to wear seatbelts. So why not for school bus passengers as well? Some claim that seatbelts may not be properly worn by passengers or cause injury. If anything, it shows that seatbelts should be made better. However, to completely disregard seatbelts as a safety precaution is absurd. The answer appears to be that of common sense. While seatbelts are in no way a quick fix and there are many questions surrounding seatbelts in buses, they should be looked into as one of the very many necessary measures taken to ensure school bus safety.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, Jesus told the well-known parable of a shepherd who owned 100 sheep, Luke 15:3-7. When the shepherd discovered that one of his sheep was missing, he left the 99 secure and went back to find the lost one. The point is that every sheep is important. ``The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish'', 2 Peter 3:9. Today, I am proud to honor long time shepherd, Dr. Ed Young, and his ministry as he celebrates 30 years with Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Dr. Young became the pastor of Second Baptist Church in 1978 and continues to minister today. Under Dr. Young's leadership in 1979, Second Baptist started its weekly broadcast of the church's worship services on local television station, Channel 39. The purpose of the weekly broadcast was to create interest in local residents and minister inside and outside of the church network. Dr. Young was elected President of The Southern Baptist Convention in both 1992 and 1993. He has also authored a number of books, including The Winning Walk: Outfitting for the Christian Adventure, The 10 Commandments of Parenting, and Total Heart Health. Dr. Young is host of the broadcast radio show, The Winning Walk, named after his first book. The Winning Walk television broadcast has also emerged. Both programs and the Internet outreach have produced national and international exposure. Since his start, Second Baptist has grown from 2,000 members to more than 48,000 members in five different campuses. Dr. Young and Second Baptist's ministry has not only spread throughout Houston, but has reached people worldwide. Dr. Ed Young was born on August 11, 1936 in Laurel Mississippi. He was inspired by his pastor's wife, Mrs. Gates, who led him to faith at the age of 12. Dr. Young attended University of Alabama for half a semester before leaving. After being challenged about his faith by a dorm-mate at the University, Dr. Young decided to seek out God's purpose in his life. He transferred to Christian University, Mississippi College, where he continued his education and prepared himself for his future ministry. He later attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina and remained in the area, where he got his first pastoral experience. After ministering in North and South Carolina for a while, he and his wife, Jo Beth, moved to Houston, Texas. On behalf of the Second Congressional District of Texas, I want to congratulate my long time friend Dr. Ed Young for his 30 years at Second Baptist Church and honor his ministries that have touched numbers of people worldwide. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, today I recognize Port Arthur police officer, Rickey Antoine for his commitment to law enforcement and traffic safety. On August 21, 2008, Officer Antoine was awarded 2008 Traffic Officer of the Year by Texas Department of Transportation's Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program (STEP) that offers grants for police officers to target a specific area of enforcement during overtime. The Texas Department of Transportation acknowledged Officer Antoine for his ``outstanding achievements and extraordinary efforts to save lives on Texas streets and highways.'' Being the first time a police department east of Houston has been recognized for its efforts, this is a great accomplishment for Officer Antoine and the Port Arthur Police Department. Despite issuing traffic tickets not being pleasant for him and hearing many complaints, Officer Antoine has dedicated his service to enforcing the law. He has issued hundreds of traffic tickets in the two years he has served on the Department's traffic unit. He has even ticketed motorists driving 5 miles over the speed limit, which appears to be absurd to violators, but Officer Antoine sticks by the law to ensure traffic safety. While Officer Antoine would rather not write traffic tickets, he follows the principle that drivers must take responsibility for their actions. Driving over the speed limit increases the risk of death in an automobile accident. Officer Antoine has devoted his career to limiting that risk for drivers by enforcing the speed limit to as many people possible. Before Officer Antoine came onto the area stretching across Ninth Avenue, speed limits were almost always violated. On behalf of the Second Congressional District of Texas, I congratulate Officer Rickey Antoine for his accomplishments and applaud his dedication to traffic safety and making Southeast Texas a better place to drive. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, they tell us that we are facing financial Armageddon. They tell us we must buy our way out of this. They tell us we must act now or the country will fall into the abyss. The plan? A $700 billion bailout will be given to the very people who are responsible for this financial mess: Wall Street money grabbers. And to top it off, the idea for this bailout is from the same financial schemers who themselves are responsible for this chaos. We in Congress have to resolve three issues first: What is the problem? What caused the problem? And what is the solution? We are still debating what the problem is and what caused it. Until we figure that out, we should not come up with a shoot-from-the-hip, quick-draw decision on what to do. We have spent more time in congressional hearings on steroids in baseball than we have in discussing this $700 billion ripoff of the American people. Before we strong-arm American citizens into paying for the sins of New York City financial markets, we need to do more investigation. Then we can come up with the right thing to do and make sound judgments-- sound judgments that the so-called experts from Wall Street don't make. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, the lessons learned through the advice of a mentor or coach are often invaluable. For those involved in athletics, a coach's guidance reaches far beyond game time. The leadership of a coach not only improves an athlete's performance but works to instill values of hard work and discipline. Texas native Kevin Mazeika continues this tradition as an internationally recognized gymnastics coach. I would like to honor Kevin for representing the state of Texas and our country, with honor and dignity during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China as the head coach of the USA men's Olympic Gymnastic Team. Since 1988 Kevin Mazeika has been on the USA National Gymnastics coaching staff. His own personal coach and mentor Bill Meade inspired him to also pursue coaching. Following his own stint as a Saluki gymnast at Southern Illinois University, Kevin's personal understanding of the sport is unique. Representing the U.S. in over 40 international competitions, he is America's most successful Olympic and World Championship coach. His twenty-four year coaching career has resulted in his being awarded numerous awards from his noteworthy positions. He has achieved his great success through much hard work, determination and perseverance. He has established himself as an outstanding coach and community leader. Athlete, leader, father-figure, competitor, a credit to his community, to Texas, and to our nation; Kevin Mazeika has earned his place among the elite of his profession. At this year's 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing, China, Coach Mazeika led the USA team to a bronze medal in gymnastics. His stalwart victory follows his previous coaching success at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens where the team received a silver medal. His friends, family and team mates should all be proud of his accomplishments, as we look forward to his coaching future. Currently, he owns and operates Mazeika's Elite Gymnastics where aspiring gymnasts continue to benefit from his guidance. For his exemplary contributions to the sport of gymnastics and the athletes he coaches, I commend Kevin Mazeika. I applaud his remarkable career as he continues to represent our nation on the international stage. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, they tell us that we're going to have financial Armageddon and the answer is to bail it out. You know, the phrase ``bailout'' is an interesting term. Having spent most of my life as a judge and a prosecutor in the criminal justice system, we used that term to bail somebody out of jail. Bail them out of a mess that they have created and somebody else pays the price. Appropriate term I think for the situation we're in now. We want to bail somebody out of making mistakes, the rest of us are going to have to pay for. And the bailout now we're talking about is bailing out the financial institutions, financial institutions that are incompetent, that made bad judgment calls, mismanagement, bad risk, and maybe a little corruption to boot. But yet those people, those fat cats on Wall Street, New York City, expect America to pick up the pieces, and they pay for the mistakes that these people made. That is not, Mr. Speaker, the American way. In this country and where I come from, we are all responsible for the decisions we make, and we're held accountable. We cannot expect somebody else to be held accountable for the mistakes we made, and Mr. Speaker, the same ought to apply to Wall Street and New York City. Now, bailout's been a term we've been using in Congress the whole year. I have this poster over here. Mr. Speaker, it's entitled, ``It's a sad time to be an American taxpayer,'' and here's the reason. This Congress and the government has authorized bailouts already this year for troubled financial institutions and expected somebody else to pay. First, it was Bear Stearns' bailout. Oh, that was just $28 billion. Right after Bear Stearns came the old Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailout, another situation of financial mismanagement, incompetence, maybe corruption. That was only $200 billion. Taxpayers paid. The responsible people did not pay. And then the AIG bailout just a couple of weeks ago. That was $85 billion to bail out that financial giant from making bad decisions, mismanagement, maybe corruption. And today, today, lo and behold we bailed out the automobile industry in the United States to the tune of $25 billion. But we're not through, Mr. Speaker. Now they tell us, because of a financial crisis on Wall Street, we need to pay $700 billion to fix the system. Now, what does all that mean? That means it's $1 trillion of money belonging to people in the United States to have to pay for all of this mismanagement. What does that mean? Well, if you take every man, woman, child and even illegal in the United States, that means they've got to pay $3,000 apiece for this mess somebody else created. Mr. Speaker, that ought not to be. That certainly is not the American way. But yet we're expected to do it, and why, Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure. It seems to me that maybe these folks have a little more political clout than the average American citizen. The district I represent down in southeast Texas, it's about 60, 70 percent blue collar. City councilman from Bay Town, Texas, is a friend of mine. He's named Sammy Mahon. His real job, he runs a wrecker service in southeast Texas. Yes, city councilmen in southeast Texas are wrecker drivers. And he has a hard time making ends meet because of the cost of diesel fuel, which is another issue. But he looks at it kind of the way I think most Americans. He says, Congressman, if I go out of business for whatever reason, I shouldn't expect my neighbor to pay for my business. And he's right, because he's just a little guy. But these big guys, they expect us to pay for mismanagement. Hold us ransom. Pay this $700 billion in ransom, and it's all because of incompetence and mismanagement. Responsible Americans have to pay for irresponsible conduct by the others. That ought not to be. And this didn't happen universally to all banks. Some banks, small banks, community banks, they didn't make these mistakes. They didn't take those risky loans, give loans and money to people who had no business borrowing money in the first place. Why should we bail out those people that took those loans knowing they couldn't pay them back? Why should we bail out the banks who didn't take that risk but passed it on to the rest of us? They tell us, Mr. Speaker, that we must act now or the sky will fall or we'll have financial Armageddon. I think not. The politics of fear is certainly not the answer. You know, we have spent more time as a Congress studying steroids in baseball than we have been studying the financial crisis this week. And why is that? Political clout. This ought not to be. We have a problem. We have a cause. We have to figure out the solution. We don't know the answer to those three, and Mr. Speaker, it's time we get busy and solve this problem but not expect somebody else to pay for the conduct and misconduct of others. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad that this package includes disaster assistance. Eleven days ago Hurricane Ike came blasting through the Southeast Texas area. To give some magnitude of how large this hurricane was, if you take the State of New York and superimpose it in Southeast Texas, that's the mass of land affected by this disastrous hurricane, causing power outages even to 2 million still to this day, most of my Congressional district. Most of my Congressional district was affected, and the area affected most was the areas that refine gasoline for the United States. Twenty percent of the Nation's gasoline that is refined east of the Rockies is refined in my congressional district. All of those refineries shut down. They had damage because of the surge that came into that area; not to mention the people as well that are still suffering today. So I'm glad to see that both sides came together on this issue to offer disaster assistance to the individuals that were affected by not only Ike but by Gustav and all the other natural disasters that occurred this year.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, because Wall Street has made bad judgment calls, the American taxpayer has been forced to bail them out at $700 billion. Seven hundred billion, what does that mean? That means every man, woman, child and illegal in the United States will have to fork over $2,000 apiece to bail out the money grabber barons on Wall Street. And that's just wrong. Why is it, Mr. Speaker, the bigger the business, the more the Federal Government thinks it should swoop in save these incompetent business people? Small businesses, mom and pop stores, don't get this break. When they make bad financial decisions, they go out of business. But the rich and famous Wall Street New York City fat cats expect ``Joe Six-Pack'' to buck it up and pay for all this nonsense. Reward people for being irresponsible and expect responsible people to pay for the sins of the financial industry? I don't think so. Putting a financial gun to the head of America is not the answer. The government has no authority to force Americans to ante up a $700 billion ransom to save the hides of the rich robber barons on Wall Street. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, due to preparations for and recovery from Hurricane Ike, which impacted my Congressional district, I unfortunately missed the following votes on the House floor on Thursday, September 11, Monday, September 15, Tuesday, September 16, Wednesday, September 17, Thursday, September 18, and Monday, September 22. I ask that the Record reflect that had I been able to vote those days, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 586, 587, 589, 590, 591, 602, 603, 604, 607, 613, 615, 617, and 618, and ``no'' on rollcall Nos. 585, 588, 592, 593, 594, 605, 606, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 614, and 616.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, due to preparations for and recovery from Hurricane Ike, which impacted my district, I unfortunately missed the following votes on the House floor on Thursday, September 11th and Monday, September 15th. I ask that the Record reflect that had I been able to vote that day, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 586, 587, 589, 590, and 591.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, on that bright sunny day in September 2001, when America was attacked, there were many heroic responses. Next to the Pentagon is Arlington National Cemetery, where America buries its war dead. In sight of the Pentagon is the Tomb of the Unknown. This tribute to our warriors has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a day since 1930, by the oldest active duty infantry unit in the Army, the 3rd U.S. Infantry, known as the Old Guard. These soldiers that guarded the tomb on 9/11 already knew about the suicide attacks against America in New York. And when that third plane roared low and fast near Arlington Cemetery and crashed into the Pentagon killing 189 people, these remarkable soldiers did not seek cover or safety before or after the assault on the Pentagon. They continued to do their duty, and stayed on vigilant guard at their post, not forsaking their dedication to the Tomb of the Unknown or to America. In fact, after the news of the New York attack, the Old Guard brought in reinforcements to protect and guard the tomb. Amazing soldiers, these people of the Old Guard that never leave their post. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, recently this country has been very concerned about something that's taking place in lands far, far away. It seems as though that the Russians have decided to invade the Republic of Georgia. Many Americans didn't even know where the Republic of Georgia was. Now, most of us know where it is and where it's located. In fact, the government has been doing much lately, talking about this invasion of another country and very concerned about the people of South Ossetia that have now occupied or have their country or territory occupied by the Russians. In fact, the country is so upset about this, our country, we have sent $1 billion to Georgia to help Georgia, supposedly for humanitarian aid. But we seem to be somewhat concerned--and our rhetoric as a Nation is that one sovereign country has invaded the sovereign country of another, concerned about the borders of the Republic of Georgia. It's interesting to me that we are concerned about the sanctity and sovereignty of other Nations and their borders, but yet back here at home we seem not to care about the sovereignty and sanctity of our own borders. We protect the borders of other Nations throughout the world. We're concerned about the border of Georgia, but yet this country still has no policy about being concerned and enforcing border security of our own Nation. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I'm talking about the southern border with Mexico, and I'm talking about the northern border of Canada. Yet every day we still have hundreds of people crossing into the United States illegally. It's an invasion into our country. Without permission people are coming into this country, and they're here for all purposes. Sure we hear about those who are over here trying to look for jobs, that supposedly Americans won't take. But there are also other people coming over here. We get the good, the bad and the ugly because we don't secure our borders, and right now we're getting a lot of bad and ugly. Mr. Speaker, if you don't believe me, I will take you down to the Texas-Mexico border and show you how the violence has gotten worse and worse because this Nation refuses to protect its own border from people coming in without permission. That's very unfortunate. We are in a Presidential campaign. We hear a lot of talk about all kinds of issues, but yet I have not heard from either Presidential candidate about a plan to secure our borders. They're talking about everything else. I'd be glad to take either one or both of them down to the Texas-Mexico border and show them what it's like, the porous border, because we don't protect the sovereignty of our own Nation. But yet we're concerned about the Republic of Georgia halfway around the world and their border. Doesn't make much sense to me. We should be just as concerned about our own borders as we are about borders of other people and give the money to our own people on our own border to secure it. We send $1 billion quickly to the Republic of Georgia. What could our border patrol agents do with $1 billion on the Texas-Mexico border? They could do a whole lot more. And they're not getting it. They're not getting the support that they need. They're doing the best job they can. The sheriffs all along the border, from San Diego all the way to Brownsville, they're doing the best they can. But let me tell you something, Mr. Speaker, the drug cartels have more money, they outgun our border security officials, and they're more tenacious and they're doing everything they can to come into the United States illegally. Yes, we're getting all of them, we're getting everybody because we refuse to secure our border. And we don't need to do a whole lot except enforce the laws we already have. It's already illegal to come into the United States without permission. Why don't we enforce that law? We are trying to enforce the border security of Georgia. Let's enforce the border security of our own Nation. That's the public duty our government has. We can work out the issues of what to do with people that are here illegally down the road. America will do the right thing, but we can never deal with that issue until we secure the border. One of the things we ought to do is enforce the rule of law, and if businesses choose to hire folks that are illegally in the country and they know they're illegal, those business owners need to be prosecuted under current law. We see a few of those CEOs be carted off to jail in handcuffs, maybe they'll quit hiring folks that are illegally in the country. That's just one answer, but it's already the law. So I encourage our government: enforce the law, protect our borders, secure our Nation first. That is the duty, obligation, and moral duty of our government. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, our country takes pride in the first amendment right of free speech and free press, but it seems that philosophy is no longer applicable when it comes to criticizing certain religions. Random House Publishing has decided not to print the novel ``The Jewel of Medina'' because Islamic radicals are a bit upset. Apparently, American author Sherry Jones hurt some feelings by writing a fiction book about Muhammad's child bride Aisha. Now Random House has been intimidated into not publishing the book because a small radical group of Islamic individuals object. Random House has given in to the threats of the religious speech and press police. Author Salman Rushdie, who was threatened by these same type of individuals years ago because of his book, ``The Satanic Verses,'' said that, ``This is censorship by fear.'' These Islamic radicals go throughout the world and denounce free speech and free press if the content is critical of Islam. Further, they demand censorship of the offensive material. Radicals cannot control and suppress the first amendment because they don't agree with what people say or print. Too bad book publishers have given up their right to a free press because now a novel offends some religious group. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, it was 90 years ago this November that World War I was over; the 11th month, 11th day, 11th hour, it ended. Frank Buckles was in that war and is the last of his generation. Of the 4.7 million Americans that were mobilized during the First World War, Frank Buckles is the very last doughboy. His remarkable life began in Bethany, Missouri, where he was born in 1901, during the administration of President McKinley. At the tender age of 16, Buckles lied his way into the United States Army when he enlisted to fight in the First World War. He was rejected by several recruiters, but he was not deterred until he finally found a recruiter that would take him. He joined the United States Army, and he drove an ambulance in Europe during World War I. Mr. Buckles served in the First World War, and was held then as a prisoner of war by the Japanese for 3 years during World War II. At the incredible age of 107, Frank Buckles has lived through 46 percent of our Nation's history. Today, he resides on the family farm he purchased near Charlestown, West Virginia, purchased after the first war. Mr. Buckles is one of the forgotten veterans of a forgotten war. He is the lone survivor of World War I. During World War I, nearly 116,000 United States warriors gave their lives for this country. 4.7 million served, and they changed the tide of that stalemate war and ensured victory for the Allies. When the doughboys landed in France, our allies were impressed with their fighting spirit, and their tenacity stunned our enemies. When they returned to the United States, there were no parades or major memorials established in honor of them. They returned to the Roaring '20s, and America didn't want to talk about the war because America had decided to move on. Then the depressions of the 1930's hit, and the service of the veterans became a distant memory. Then World War II came, and America never got around to honoring the World War I vets. Today, we have three memorials to our major wars on modern history on the National Mall. They were built in order: Vietnam Memorial, then the Korean Memorial, and then the World War II Memorial. They were built in reverse order. But there is no national memorial, Mr. Speaker, for the World War I veterans. This was the war that was supposed to be the war to end all world wars. World War I marked the beginning of the history of modern war. It was the war that brought America into the forefront as a world power. It was the first war to be fought on three continents. And World War I was the first industrialized war with the introduction of major technology in weaponry like machine guns, tanks, artillery guns, and airplanes. In the 3-week long Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest U.S. engagement, 18,000 Americans were killed. Approximately 1,000 doughboys a day were killed. Some are still buried in Europe in graves known only by God. Many of the servicemembers who survived the tolls of war and came back home to the United States had already contracted a deadly flu virus while they were in France, and many of them died in the United States after the war from that flu. World War I should not be forgotten. In World War I there were no photographs taken, and after the war no blockbuster movies were made to tell the story. So today, I was honored to be with Frank Buckles at a press conference at the D.C. World War I Memorial on the National Mall. Since 1918, the men and women who served in World War I have gone without a national memorial to recognize their service to our country, and it is time that this changed. That is why I have introduced the Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act. This bill would restore the District of Columbia's World War I Memorial and expand it so it serves a location on our mall for all those that served in World War I. After 90 years of no national recognition, it is time these doughboys were given the thanks that they are due. After all, Mr. Speaker, they were the ``fathers of the greatest generation.'' When they went off to war in World War I, they sang the song of George M. Cohen, ``Over There,'' and it went something like this: ``Over there. Over there. Tell the world that the Yanks are coming. The Yanks are coming, and we won't be back until it is over, over there.'' Mr. Speaker, it is time to honor the lone survivor of World War I and the other doughboys that went to war over there in the forgotten war, World War I, and build them that national monument on the mall. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I'm pleased to rise in support of House Resolution 1254 and join my colleagues in supporting the views and goals of the Joint Action Plan signed between the United States and Brazil to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimination and promote equality. I would like to thank the gentleman from New York, Congressman Engel, for introducing this important measure and appreciate the efforts by his office to ensure that it was a bipartisan effort. On March 13, 2008, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Brazilian Minister of Racial Integration Edson Santos signed the ``Joint Action Plan Between the Government of the Federated Republic of Brazil and the Government of the United States of America to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality.'' This plan recognizes the commitments of our governments to promote equality and opportunity. It underscores the importance of cooperating in the promotion of human rights in order to maintain an environment of peace, democracy, and prosperity. And it also strengthens the ongoing and vital partnership we share with the country of Brazil. Furthermore, the Joint Action Plan provides for the creation of a Steering Group to advance the understanding and exchange of information between the United States and Brazil and places a special emphasis on the role that education plays in both of our countries. House Resolution 1254 recognizes the importance of the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan and highlights the commitment of our two nations to strengthen cooperation in the pursuit of these noble goals. It also serves to underscore and further advance our commitments to democracy in that region of the world. This increased partnership will work to further enhance our longstanding relationship with Brazil, a key partner in the Western Hemisphere, and deepen the types of friendship between our two peoples. I applaud the proactive efforts taken by both countries in confronting the ongoing challenges of inequity, and I'm confident that the U.S.-Brazilian Joint Action Plan will only work to further strengthen the historic bonds between our two nations. I support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. We have no other speakers. I support this legislation, and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H. Res. 1159, which recognizes the USS Constellation as a surviving witness to the horrors of the Transatlantic slave trade and a significant figure in United States efforts to end that practice. In this bicentennial year of the abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade, this body has considered a number of resolutions condemning the horrors of slavery and recognizing the efforts of those who sought to combat it. Each of these resolutions has been important, not only for the purpose of preserving our history, but also for calling attention to the fact that today, 200 years after the formal abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade, slavery still continues. It endures in those areas where traffickers are enabled to engage in their inhumane and cruel trade. It thrives where human rights are abused and tyrants rule the day. I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for introducing this later effort to renew the charge of the United States to confront slavery in its various forms around the world while, at the same time, showing the historical significance of the USS Constellation. On January 1, 1808, the act to ``prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or territory within the jurisdiction of the United States'' took effect. Eleven years later, the United States Congress authorized the Navy to cruise the coast of the African continent and take effective measures to suppress the slave trade. The USS Constellation served as the flagship in this effort from 1859 through 1861, leading the United States African Squadron, as it was called, as it captured 14 slave ships and liberated an estimated 4,000 Africans destined to be enslaved. Today the USS Constellation continues to serve as a museum and a tribute to the efforts of those who sought to end the horrors of the slave trade. As such, this resolution specifically recognizes the historical and educational significance of the Constellation, and recommends it as an appropriate site for this Nation to commemorate the bicentennial of the abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade. I urge all my colleagues to support this important resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I strongly support House Resolution 1069, which addresses and condemns the spread of encouragement to violence against America and Americans by Middle East-based media outlets. This is not a problem in theory, Mr. Speaker. When TV channels broadcast attacks by insurgents on U.S. soldiers in Iraq or newspapers publish repeated calls for the destruction of the United States, they further endanger the security of American civilians and military personnel in the Middle East. These channels are then broadcast on satellite providers that transmit not only to the region, but as far away as Europe, Asia, Africa and even North America. We must do everything we can to prevent our enemies from recruiting potential insurgents and homicidal bombers. They must be prevented, from Beirut to London to New York, who seek to shed American blood wherever and whenever they wish. Media outlets that provide financial, material, or technological support to violent Islamic groups should be held accountable for their hate speech that incites murder of American civilians and military. Given that recipients of U.S. aid, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, control many of the satellite providers that transmit such incitement, we should use our leverage to urge these nations to act responsibly and stop putting these calls for murder on the air of their television stations. I again rise in very strong support of H. Res. 1069, and I urge my fellow members to do as well. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.