Ted Poe

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to encourage all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 228, recognizing the 186th anniversary of the independence of Greece, celebrating Greek and American democracy and recognizing Greece as a very staunch ally and friend of our United States. Greece was the birthplace of the principles of democracy on which our Nation was founded. Our Founders studied Greek culture and Greek politics, and their influence is still with us today. Over the centuries, Greece has demonstrated its commitment to what it and our Nation prize among our highest ideals, and that word is ``liberty,'' ``eleftheria'' to the Greek people. Indeed, many of our Nation's respective ideas are shared and, therefore, our relationship holds a special significance. Both the United States and Greece share much in common. Both are outward-looking trading nations that have enriched the world through commercial and cultural exchanges. Over the decades the U.S.-Greek relationship has developed quite dynamically, bolstered by common ideas and cooperation. Moreover, the Greek people have strived to protect freedom and democracy, allying itself with the United States in every major conflict of the 20th century, notably sacrificing for and contributing to the victory of the Allied forces over the Axis powers during World War II. Today, our common destinies are threatened by other enemies who scorn our commitment to freedom, eleftheria, and aggression from Islamic extremism looms large and threatens western civilization that was born in that country of Greece. We are grateful that the Greek people have stood against this aggression throughout the years. Indeed, Greece should be praised for its contributions in the global war on terror. In the war in Iraq, Greece has been responsive to U.S. requests for access to its air space and in fueling U.S. ships that supply cargo ships headed to Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to further cooperation between our two nations and expanding the friendship that exists between Greek and American people. I therefore ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the nation of Greece on the 186th anniversary of its independence and to express their acknowledgment of the great friendship that exists between our two countries. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Wexler of the European Subcommittee for leading the discussion, and also Representative McCarthy from New York for sponsoring this legislation. We have no further speakers.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, there is a new candidate for the ``Villains Hall of Shame.'' What began as a Sunday morning journey to church for Rose Morat of Queens, New York, ended up in ambush, robbery, and 4 days in the hospital. Ms. Morat is 101 years old. She was leaving her apartment complex when a shameless woman-beater pretended to help her out the door, but smashed her three times in the face, breaking a cheekbone. He stole her purse; then he threw her to the ground and hit her again. And after making his getaway, this dastardly menace struck again 30 minutes later. This time he beat up an 85-year-old lady and stole her purse. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has made it a priority to capture this outlaw. Angry New Yorkers are already flooding the airwaves with suggestions for punishment for this criminal that would make the hanging of Saddam Hussein look mild. Madam Speaker, even in our current culture of tolerance, there are some things you just don't do, some things we just don't tolerate. No one beats up elderly grandmothers, or they will face the wrath of the public and the long arm of the law. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Thank you, Judge Carter. Thank you for an opportunity to make some comments on this important issue. It has taken less than a week for the American public and this Congress to find out what was taking place at Walter Reed Hospital. It is one of the premier hospitals in the world for treating the injured. But yet there were some problems and those problems, rather than being overlooked, are being dealt with, and that is very, very good. A couple of observations that I would like to make about this whole episode. As you mentioned, Judge Carter, American troops if they are found after an injury within a few minutes, the likelihood of their survival is in the 90 percent range. That is a tremendous percentage of recovery for these individuals to live if they are wounded. And they live from wounds that just years ago, even back in Vietnam days, they would have died from. But because of medical science, expanding as it has, they will recover from those wounds, although they will have, many of them, lifetime recovery periods. And that is where we must make sure that we take care of our military, that the recovery for many of these individuals is going to be a long, long time. Sometimes the rest of their lives. An observation I would like to make about this situation at Walter Reed is that the American public expects us to take care of our soldiers. I think this is good. I think it is good that the American public is upset about the fact that some of our troops are not being taken care of the way they should be because our people in this Nation, regardless of how they feel about Iraq or Afghanistan, the issue of taking care of the wounded is not a political issue. It is an American issue, and Americans expect the best care for our troops. And that is important that the American public support our military in the recovery process. To try to illustrate how the American public supports our wounded warriors, I had the opportunity to go to Landstuhl Military Base in Germany where wounded Americans come from Afghanistan and Iraq, many of them with severe injuries, and they are treated there before they are even brought back to the United States because of the critical care facilities they have at Landstuhl. And when I found out I was going to be able to go over for this short trip with about 3 days' notice, I notified my two district directors in Texas to see if we could get some kids from local schools to make some cards to take over and give to the wounded. They met me at the airport with two suitcases full of handmade cards from third, fourth, and fifth graders of the Second Congressional District of Texas, and a little over 6,000 cards. I checked one of the suitcases. The smaller one I took on the plane with me, and I started reading them as I was flying over. The person next to me wanted to know what I was doing and I told him. And so he wanted to see them. He started reading the cards. Next thing I knew, the whole plane was reading. The cards were going up and down the aisle, and there were a few tears in the background. But the point being that the American public supports our military, supports our military even when they are wounded, and cares a great deal about them, to the tune of 6,000 handmade cards from a bunch of kids in Texas. Of course the troops were very grateful for those cards. But it is a sign and observation that the American public will always support our troops when they are wounded and expect us in the Congress to make sure they have the care that they deserve. The President acted very decisively and quickly, and I congratulate him for that because when things go bad at a hospital like it did at Walter Reed, the person in charge of the hospital needs to be removed. They need to get somebody over there that will take care of business and make sure that we don't have problems with our military. How we treat our warriors in aftercare really defines us as who we are as a Nation. One other comment I would like to make is it goes back to something that is tradition with our United States military, has been for a long time through many wars. The American fighting man always has the role, the obligation, the duty to never leave anyone behind on the battlefield. People in other cultures do not understand why Americans are so relentless in making sure we take care of not only our wounded but those that have fallen on the battlefield. They don't understand why we do that. We do that because we are Americans. One way that we leave no one behind is to make sure we don't leave them behind in the hospitals, we don't leave them behind in aftercare. We take care of them for as long as necessary, and if it means taking care of them the rest of their lives, so be it, because that is what we do in this country: we leave no one behind. So I commend you, Judge Carter, for this Special Order and bringing awareness of this whole plight of hospital care and the care of our warriors to the American public.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, recently I had the unique opportunity to attend an event in New York City with more than 650 people honoring a life giving operation for young women. In today's cold vast world it is very easy to feel isolated, alone, and forgotten especially if you are a pregnant teen or an expectant teen father. To many, Inwood House is a safe haven in their endless storm. The Inwood House offers housing, medical treatment, resources, and hope to today's otherwise lost teenagers. The Inwood House was established as a Residence in 1830, to help pregnant girls in New York City rebuild their lives. The young girls were immigrants, alone, and some were exploited. And in those days single pregnant females were often just put in jail. The Inwood House became their savior by giving the girls a safe home, an encouraging community, and most importantly an education. With their newly acquired education the once outcasts of society were able to rejoin the working world with their employable skills. Since the early 1800's, the founders were vocal advocates for the lost youth. When the world wanted to send young unmarried pregnant teens to the penitentiary, the Inwood House stood up and fought for their freedom. They won Court approval to have the girls referred to the Inwood House, rather than being sent away only to be once again shunned by society. The founders believed that each girl was a gift and as a gift each had their own destiny, they simply needed someone to stand strong for them. The Inwood House has continued its innovated vision. In the early 1900's, when the medical community was desperately trying to get the public aware of sexually transmitted diseases, the Inwood House tackled the issue head on. They conducted community outreach education on how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. While providing on-going family support services to unwed mothers, the founders helped fund the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. By accepting young women of all races and religions, the Inwood House defied the segregation of social services that was customary at the time. Inwood House believes that the root of any solid society is a strong family. To enable young unwed mothers keep their babies, Inwood House raised private funds to create Mother/Baby foster family homes while creating the first City-sponsored program. The program showed great success in achieving self-sufficiency for the young mothers as well as avoiding repeat out-of-wedlock births. Inwood founders also believed in holding everyone responsible for their actions, including male teens. Teen Choice, created by Inwood House, was the first comprehensive school-based education and counseling program to include boys. By dealing with both sides of the teenage pregnancy epidemic, it allowed awareness to be brought into an educational environment. Being the first to recognize the young unwed father as a potential resource for both the unwed mother and their unborn child, Fathers Count was created. Fathers Count is an educational program aimed to teach young fathers how to manage their parental responsibilities. When children have strong male role models in their lives, the cycle of abandonment is broken, leading both the children and the parents to lead a healthier life. It was my pleasure, along with Governor Tom Ridge and others, to honor and hear positive successes for this outstanding program, its hard working staff, and the board members of the Inwood House. By providing supportive 24-hour care, support and guidance, including pre- natal care, education, parenting and life skills training, Inwood House is able to give hope for a better life. Wonderful board members such as Barbara Abadi and Linda Lausell Bryant, to just name a few, help to ensure that even today the Residence cares for homeless, pregnant teens in foster care, and continues to ensure that the Inwood House is internationally recognized as a leader and innovator in youth development, teen pregnancy prevention, and family support. Serving over 8,000 young people, Inwood House is able to be a beacon for the lost. It is my pleasure to honor and support such a life giving operation, and wish it continued success as it reaches and addresses the desperate needs of society's forgotten children. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, more news from the second front: the border war with Mexico continues. According to Reuters and NewsMax, illegals and drug cartels are increasing the tax on U.S. border protectors by the use of rocks, firearms, and even Molotov cocktails. Here is what Webb County, Texas Sheriff Rick Flores in Laredo says: ``The attacks against us are becoming more brazen. Drug cartels are telling their people to go down fighting and do whatever is necessary to get those drugs through.'' He says, ``Mexicans fire weapons from across the border at our law enforcement agents.'' In Arizona, illegals injure border agents by pelting them with large rocks and Molotov cocktails almost on a daily basis, according to one border agent. And where are the two governments? Well, it seems Mexico could care less what happens to American border agents since it encourages illegal entry, and our own U.S. Government takes the side of drug smugglers and illegals if border protectors allegedly use force to stop this invasion. Meanwhile, some in Washington fiddle the silly song of tolerance, amnesty and ignorance. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, if the prosecution negligently or intentionally or by incompetence fails to give beneficial information to the defense, then our law says a new trial should be ordered. In the Ramos and Compean border agents trial, the prosecution based its whole case on the testimony of a drug smuggler who not only brought in $1 million worth of marijuana to the United States but was given immunity for it. He was portrayed as just a mule trying to get some money for his poor sick mama. Well, now it seems that after he got immunity for his crimes and while waiting to testify against Ramos and Compean, he brought in another large load of marijuana. Here is the DEA report on the second case. I have read it. This case is simple enough that a third-year law student could prosecute it. But the U.S. Attorney's Office refused to prosecute the drug smuggler in the second case, and the jury never heard about this matter. The jury should have known about the second case to judge the credibility of the drug smuggler's testimony. The border agent should receive a new trial. Let the jury hear the truth about the star witness the Federal Government made a backroom deal with. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, ``I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of officers appointed over me according to the regulations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.'' Each day, new Marines take this oath to serve and protect the United States and freedom-loving people. They live their lives by it, and they die by it. LCpl Anthony Aguirre dreamed his whole life of taking this oath and becoming a member of this elite fighting force. Anthony was from Channelview, Texas. At a young age, he knew he wanted to be a Marine. He felt so compelled to serve our country that he took every opportunity to become involved in any military program that he could find, like the Junior ROTC at Channelview High School. When he was in the Junior ROTC, Anthony was the company commander. During his senior year in high school, he achieved the rank of cadet captain. Many of those who were involved with the ROTC with Anthony remember him as a patriot. He always had a sense of duty to this country. Even after graduation, Anthony often stopped by the high school to proudly talk with the Junior ROTC cadets about the Marines. According to the ROTC instructor, Anthony wanted to be a Marine because he thought it was the toughest of military U.S. services. Lance Corporal Aguirre joined the United States Marine Corps 1 year after graduating from Channelview High School and became a member of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force in Hawaii. His sister, Christine, said that Anthony thought of doing nothing else with his life but being in the Marine Corps. So Anthony Aguirre joined the United States Marine Corps. He served our country in Iraq, but he met a warrior's fate a few days ago. This is a photograph of Anthony Aguirre. Anthony was killed in Iraq, and the funeral for him was today. Let me tell you a little bit about the funeral, Mr. Speaker. As the funeral procession passed through the streets of Channelview, estimates were that over 8,000 people were there from the schools, the local refineries, the fire department and the neighborhoods. They stood on the side of the road for miles waving American flags for this Marine. Anthony Aguirre was buried today in Highland, Texas. The high school flag was flown at half mast in his honor, and later the flag was given to his sister, Christine Castillo, and his brother, Earnesto Salinas. Tony had numerous other siblings and cousins. Now I want to tell you how he died, Mr. Speaker. On February 26, 2007, at the age of 20, in an act of fearless courage, LCpl Aguirre put his life on the line for his brothers in arms. And while fighting the forces of evil in Al Anbar Province in Iraq, Anthony stepped on an improvised explosive device. IEDs, as they are called, are a coward's way of killing U.S. soldiers, women, children and the elderly. But he didn't immediately jump, as would be a reflection or a reaction for most of us. He kept his foot on the IED and he told the other 20 Marines standing around him to clear the area and take cover. When he saw that they were out of harm's way, he took his foot off the device. He gave his life so that other Marines could live. When this group of Marines reported back to their commander, they told him that Tony had just saved their lives. The commander immediately knew they were referring to LCpl Anthony Aguirre. Amazing men, these young guns of the Marine Corps of today. On a road called Crosby-Lynchburg in my district, there are flags mounted along this rural road in honor of the brave life of Lance Corporal Aguirre. And as the community laid another one of America's sons to rest today, the catalog of history is etched with another name of an extraordinary Texas hero and Marine. Lance Corporal Aguirre died as he lived, for the Marines, for his brothers in arms. Shakespeare put it best in Henry V when he echoes Aguirre's commitment to fellow warriors. He says, From this day to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. We shall remember Lance Corporal Aguirre. Semper Fi, Lance Corporal Aguirre. Semper Fi. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government is helping and encouraging illegals in this country to send money south of the border. Here is how it works. The Federal Reserve, in a program called Directo a Mexico, allows illegals that have no Social Security numbers and no American IDs to send billions of dollars through U.S. banks to Mexico. The Federal Reserve, also at taxpayer expense, provides banks with promotional marketing propaganda in Spanish so as to appeal to the ever-growing illegal population. This untaxed money to Mexico is about $23 billion a year and a drain on the United States economy. The banks make a profit off the illegals and their transfers. It is all about banking greed. These transactions should be taxed, and the banks should be required to collect the taxes. Keep some of that money in the United States to pay for all the social services that illegals obtain and don't pay for. Banks should not be in the business of helping illegals in the United States send money anywhere, and neither should our Federal Government, for that matter. But banking greed seems to rule the day. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. In the southern part of Texas In the town of San Antone There's a fortress all in ruins That the weeds have overgrown. You may look in vain for crosses And you'll never see a one. But sometime between the setting And the rising of the sun You can hear a ghostly bugle As the men go marching by. You can hear them as they answer To that roll call in the sky. Colonel William Barrett Travis, Davy Crockett And 180 more. Captain Dickinson, Jim Bowie They're all present and accounted for. Mr. Speaker, these are the lyrics to Marty Robbins' ``Ballad of the Alamo.'' It was there in an old beat up Spanish mission in south Texas called the Alamo on March 6, 1836, 171 years ago today, that 187 men stood defiant against oppression and tyranny. They were an odd looking bunch. They were dressed in buckskin. They had large knives, tomahawks and long rifles. They were of all races, of all States, and 13 foreign countries, including Mexico. They were facing a professional army over 20 times their size. They were there because of the new dictator of Mexico, Santa Anna. He had abolished the democratic Mexican constitution and made himself dictator of all of Mexico. Hispanics and Anglos living in the Texas part of Mexico wanted the Mexican constitution restored, or independence from Mexico. Santa Anna then invaded Texas with three armies to put down the dissenters. The men at the Alamo were led by a 27-year-old lawyer from South Carolina and Alabama named William Barrett Travis. There is a lot of legend, lore and tradition about the defense of the Alamo. But what is true, Mr. Speaker, is that the Alamo defenders believed that some things were worth living for and dying for. One of those being the word, liberty. Being surrounded, Travis knew he could not hold off Santa Anna's army and he sent out numerous dispatches for help. I have a copy of one of those letters on my office wall. It reads, ``Fellow citizens and compatriots, I am besieged by 1,000 or more of the enemy under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual bombardment and cannon fire for over 24 hours, but I have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at its discretion, otherwise this fort will be put to the sword. I have answered that demand with a cannon shot and the flag still waves proudly over the north wall. I shall never surrender or retreat. I call upon you in the name of liberty and patriotism and everything dear to our character to come to my aid with all dispatch. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself for as long as possible and die like a soldier that never forgets what is due his honor and that of his country. Victory or death, William Barrett Travis, commander of the Alamo.'' Travis held out for 5 days and 6 days and up to 13 days. But no troops ever came to help the Alamo defenders except the 32 men from Gonzales, Texas. Eventually Travis and the boys were overwhelmed, and not one was spared by Santa Anna. But victory was expensive for the dictator Santa Anna. Travis, in his last letter from the Alamo said, ``Victory will be more costly for Santa Anna than defeat.'' He was right. Santa Anna's losses were staggering. He also had a crippled army and lost the moral victory to the Texas war of independence. Then on April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston routed Santa Anna's larger army at the marshes of San Jacinto. Texas became an independent nation and was so for 9 years. And Mr. Speaker, the rest, they say, is Texas history. William Barrett Travis is my favorite person in all of history. My grandson is named Barrett Houston in his honor. I conclude these remarks about the Alamo with Marty Robbins' closing lines: The bugles are silent. There's rust on every sword. There's a small band of soldiers That lie asleep in the arms of the Lord. And like a statue on his pinto Rides a cowboy all alone. And he sees the cattle grazing Where just a century before Santa Anna's guns were blazing And the cannons used to roar. His eyes turn sort of misty And his heart begins to glow And then he takes his hat off slowly To the men of that Alamo. To the 13 days of glory At the siege of the Alamo. Mr. Speaker, that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, being a lawman in the vastness of west Texas has always been a rough task. Now it is more difficult because the Federal Government has taken the side of the lawbreaker over the lawman. Deputy Gilmer Hernandez of Edwards County, Texas, was recently on patrol in the darkness of the night in Rocksprings, Texas, when he spotted a van violating Texas traffic laws. He pulls the van over and notices numerous people lying down on the floor. Then without warning, the driver suddenly drives off and tries to run over Deputy Hernandez. Hernandez shoots out the tires of the van in self-defense. The other illegals jump out and take off. The Texas Rangers do a thorough investigation and clear Deputy Hernandez of any wrongdoing, but the Mexican Government arrogantly demands the Federal Government prosecute Hernandez for using his gun, and the Feds do exactly that. Hernandez is convicted, and now he is in jail awaiting sentencing by a Federal judge, all because he did his job. Our government ought to support the border protectors like Hernandez and prosecute the border violators. Why is our Federal Government taking the wrong side in the border war? And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, incompetence seems to be running loose in a couple of Federal foreign aid programs. The United States dumps millions of American dollars for programs all over the world. Some of these may be worthwhile, but I want to mention some that defy common sense. According to the Washington Times, the United States has been giving millions of dollars to two Palestinian universities with links to the terrorist organization Hamas. The money is sent through the United States Agency for International Development and through a sister group called the American Near East Refugee Aid. The Islamic University, which is controlled by Hamas, has received money for student scholarships and money to build a state-of-the-art facility. Al Quds University also got millions of dollars for scholarships for 2,000 students. This is the same university that held a week-long celebration honoring the founder of the suicide belt that kills Americans and innocents. So it seems the good ole U.S. taxpayer is paying for both sides of the war on terror. No American money should be given to any university that preaches and teaches hate and terror. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, in the rainy season in central Texas at a place called Washington on the Brazos, Texas decided they had had enough of the new dictator of Mexico and declared themselves to be a free nation on March 2, 1836. Spain had control of what is Texas and Mexico for centuries. Mexico revolted and set up a constitutional government in 1824. But in 1825, Santa Anna, the Saddam Hussein of the 19th century, became dictator of Mexico and used military force to subject all of Mexico, including Texas. Hispanic and Anglo Texans resisted, and wanting a return to constitutional government declared independence, stating that Santa Anna had forced a new government upon them at the point of a bayonet. Santa Anna massacred freedom fighters at Goliad and the Alamo, but independence was gained at the swampy marshes at the Battle of San Jacinto, when Sam Houston and his boys routed and defeated the invaders. Texas was an independent nation for 9 years. Some say we are still an independent nation. Then later Texas joined the Union. And, Madam Speaker, the rest, they say, is Texas history. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, as the USS Cole patrolled the seas around Yemen, a boat piloted by al-Qaeda international criminals drew near to the Navy destroyer and bombed the ship. On that day in the year 2000, 17 American soldiers were murdered. The families of these 17 soldiers are now suing the Sudanese Government for damages. Why? Because the Sudan funded and provided training for these terrorists. The Sudanese Government is outraged that they should be held financially responsible. However, a U.S. Federal court judge disagrees and is allowing the victims' families to continue their pursuit. Sudan is now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss this unique lawsuit. But the Supreme Court must allow this case to proceed and the victims to obtain justice. Sudan fed the terrorist cells that attacked the Cole. They gave them safe harbor and let them exist. U.S. citizens murdered by international terrorists overseas must be able to seek damages from the country responsible for the crime. The message to these nations that sponsor terror, you too will pay for your sins when you sponsor international outlaws. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the next sound you hear will be the rumble of thousands of Mexican trucks streaming across our southern border. The U.S. Government has agreed to allow 100 Mexican trucking companies to send trucks on the highways and byways of America. Presently, Mexican trucks may only go 20 miles inside the U.S. border. The U.S. Government says they will inspect the trucks for safety and inspect the drivers as well. Yeah, right. There are already 6,000 trucks a day crossing in each direction just between Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; and only a fraction of these are inspected. This country has no way of inspecting each and every Mexican truck for safety, and there is no telling what could be in them, whether it is legitimate cargo, narcotics or contaminated food. Not to mention, Mexican trucks are not up to the standards of the U.S. trucking industry. Overweight, polluting Mexican trucks driven by low paid, unqualified drivers that may not even be able to read highway signs is a dangerous policy for the citizens of this country. Once again, our government seems to be more concerned about Mexico than it is about our Nation, our highways or our people. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. I want to thank the gentleman from New York for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, the narrow issue is: More troops to the front, or not? Many here say ``no more troops,'' but what are the consequences for the troops on the ground without more aid? What will happen in and around Baghdad where those troops are supposed to be sent? Their mission there will be more difficult without more troops. Does this Congress want to tell our troops on the ground, do your job with less, even though we have it in our power to send you aid? Mr. Speaker, 171 years ago this month, a somewhat similar call for aid was made; and it, too, was refused. In an old, beat-up Spanish mission in central Texas, Bexar, Texas, to be exact, 187 men from every State in the United States, 13 foreign countries, including Mexico, found themselves in a precarious situation. They were behind the walls facing an enemy. They needed help. Texas politicians, even so-called military experts, had it within their power to send more troops. And for all the similar reasons that are mentioned here, including the troops shouldn't even be in the mission and the plan was a bad idea from its inception, this plan is not working, your troops there should even leave, similar reasons we hear today, no help was sent. The place, Mr. Speaker, was the Alamo, and the time was February 24, 1836. And behind the cold, damp walls of the Alamo, by candlelight, a 27-year-old lawyer, commander by the name of William Barrett Travis, wrote this letter. I read it today: ``To the people of Texas and all Americans in the world, fellow citizens and compatriots, I am besieged by a thousand or more of the enemy under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual bombardment and cannon fire for over 24 hours, but I have not lost a man. ``The flag still waves proudly over the north wall. The enemy has demanded surrender at its discretion. Otherwise, this fort will be put to the sword. I have answered that demand with a cannon shot. I shall never surrender or retreat. ``I call upon you, in the name of liberty and patriotism and everything dear to the American character, to come to my aid with all dispatch. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself for as long as possible, die like a soldier who never forgets what is due his honor and that of his country. Victory or death.'' William Barrett Travis, Commander of the Alamo. Mr. Speaker, we know what happened at the Alamo. Those 187 men died because no help was sent. Later, Texans did provide troops and rallied and won independence from Mexico. But the answer then, as it has been in many wars in the past, is the answer now: More troops are necessary. We need to finish what we started. We need to do what it takes. Now, Baghdad will be no Alamo. We cannot lose in Baghdad. But this body has it in its power to prevent a victory in Baghdad and Iraq. So, Mr. Speaker, heed the warnings of the past, heed the history, and send aid with all dispatch. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, ABC Nightly News named Bert Brady Citizen of the Week. Here is why. Bert Brady is a 69-year-old veteran. He gets up nearly every day for the last year and heads over to the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. He is there to do something that was not done for him. He is there to welcome soldiers coming home. Bert organizes folks to go down with him to the airport and greet the soldiers coming home from the war. Sometimes these greeters number in the hundreds. Most of the citizens are veterans of Korea or Vietnam, but they also include Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, all to say ``thank you'' to the troops. As Bert pointed out, there was no one there when our soldiers came home from Korea or from Vietnam. These dedicated individuals are making sure no soldier feels they are forgotten when they are returning from this war. People line up along the paths. They cheer the soldiers as they come through the path, shaking their hands, giving them hugs, telling them thank you, and waving American flags. For our troops that moment is powerful. When asked why he is so driven, Bert spoke of one soldier who shook his hand and said, ``Mister, I will never forget you. It's the greatest thing that ever happened to me, this homecoming reception.'' So we Americans thank you, Bert Brady. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the band continues to play today while Congress argues the ``Resolution of Retreat'' from Iraq. This illness of defeatism is spreading. Self-proclaimed military experts are saying the war cannot be won, even with more troops. Wars have always had homegrown critics and doomsayers, even in the military. Those in and out of the military who say we cannot win should never be placed in a position to allow us to lose. Those critics are thorns in the battlefield of hope. This resolution, this policy of ``No More Troops for the Troops'' leaves our volunteers in Iraq in a precarious, vulnerable situation. Since no help is coming to their aid, what shall our troops now in Iraq do with less manpower? Fight a containment war? Fight not to lose? Or win? Not fight? Retreat to the hills? This resolution is good news to the terrorists, bad news for the troops. We should find the moral will to finish our mission in Iraq and protect American interests with whatever number of troops is necessary. Duty requires such, and safety and honor demand it. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, journalism has taken a plunge into the depth of disturbing depravity at Central Connecticut University. A writer for the college newspaper wrote a slam piece against sexual assault victims. His article was entitled, ``Rape Only Hurts if You Fight It.'' He claims rape is a magical experience and a blessing for unattractive women. He and his Third-World college newspaper now say the piece was satire and humor. This mean-spirited article shows no humor, but vile and vicious and abusive words about women. Journalistic attacks on rape victims dehumanize them and show a total lack of understanding of this crime. Rape is a physical and emotional crime that tries to destroy the inner soul of the victim. Almost one-fourth of the women on college campuses are rape victims. Journalists who are out of touch with the real world do a disservice to this field, and tragically, like physical abusers, heap journalistic abuse on rape victims. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Thank you, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. I appreciate your leadership and the time you have given me to talk about this really important resolution, the resolution of retreat from combat. You know, we in this House, in this warm House tonight at 5 minutes after the hour of 10 o'clock, we view this resolution from our own personal opinions. But maybe we should view something, and this resolution in particular, from a historical standpoint, for history has no opinion but is a teacher of hard facts of retrospect. You know, this debate is not new to Congress. Years ago, after 5 long years of war, this Nation found itself at war with the greatest empire on Earth, Great Britain. The war of independence was not going well in 1781 and 1782. It looked bleak. The Commander in Chief, George Washington, had lost most of the battles he was engaged in. Public opinion was at an all-time low during the war. There were even mutinies in the Army from the Pennsylvania volunteers and the New Jersey volunteers. There was talk in the press of even reuniting with Great Britain, of all things, forming a truce and going back to be with the British. There were preachers of gloom, doom, despair and defeatism. There were generals on the battlefield that didn't like the way George Washington was handling himself as Commander in Chief and preaching to the public and their troops, We can't beat the British. The debate was not new to this House, Mr. Speaker. Congress wanted to cut funding. The Continental Congress wanted to cut funding for the American Army and they not only wanted to do so, they did slash funds. Congress even in this time of bleak war reduced the size of the Continental Army. For the first and only time during the long war, George Washington left the field of battle and came to Congress and made the case for winning the war and not giving up, not surrendering, not reuniting with Great Britain. And he made the comments. He said, ``We should never despair. Our situation before has been very unpromising. But it has changed for the better. So it will be again.'' It's a good thing the Commander in Chief did not listen to the gloom, doom and despair of the Continental Congress in 1781. Then, as now, victory was the only option. Victory is simple. You defeat the enemy wherever they are. So George Washington and a handful of barefoot soldiers at Yorktown defeated who the skeptics and cynics said could never be defeated--the British. The consequences of loss in 1782 would have been somewhat staggering. Mr. Speaker, the flag that flies behind you now would have been the Union Jack instead of the Stars and Stripes, and this country, this people, this free people, would have been much different had we not won the war and stayed the course. The consequences of abandoning our troops in the field by not giving them more troops would be joy to the terrorists that hate us and want to kill us. I am sure the terrorists throughout the world would vote ``yes'' for this resolution of retreat and surrender, and those of us who want to defeat the terrorists should vote ``no.'' Our troops on the battlefield need to know help is coming. Like most Members of Congress in this House, they know people and they know people in their congressional districts that have died for this country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, I carry with me the names of the fallen in my congressional district. The first one that fell was Sergeant Russell Slay, 1 day after I was elected in 2004. There are 17 names on these sheets of paper, all of them volunteers from southeast Texas, who went to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight terrorists, as they say in southeast Texas. Their names, Mr. Speaker, are more than names. They are real people. Sergeant Slay died November 9, 2004, from Humble, Texas. Lance Corporal Wesley Canning, November 10, 2004. He was from Friendswood, Texas. Lance Corporal Fred Maciel, January 26, 2005, from Spring, Texas. Private First Class Wesley Riggs, May of 2005 from Beach City, Texas. Lance Corporal Robert Martinez, Splendora, Texas. He died December 1, 2005, at the age of 21. Staff Sergeant Michael Durbin, January 25, 2006, from Spring, Texas. Walter Moss, Jr. He was a tech sergeant from Houston, Texas. March 30, 2006. Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, June 16, 2006, at the age of 23, from Houston, Texas. Staff Sergeant Benjamin Williams, June 20, 2006, from Orange, Texas. He was 30. Staff Sergeant Alberto Sanchez, Jr., at the age of 33, he was killed in Iraq on June 24, 2006, and from Houston. Lance Corporal Ryan Miller, September 14, 2006, from Pearland, Texas. He was 20. Staff Sergeant Edward Reynolds at the age of 28 was killed September 26, 2006, from Houston, Texas. Captain David Fraser, killed in Iraq on November 26, 2006, at the age of 25, and he was from Houston. Lance Corporal Luke Yepsen, December 14, 2006, at the age of 20, from Kingwood, Texas. Specialist Dustin Donica, December 28, 2006, from Spring, Texas, at the age of 22. Specialist Ryan Berg, January 9, 2007, at the age of 18 from Sabine Pass, Texas. Ryan Berg enlisted on his 18th birthday to join the United States Marine Corps. And Staff Sergeant Terrence Dunn just a few days ago, February 7, 2007, from Houston, Texas. Seventeen names from one congressional district, Mr. Speaker. There are names of over 3,000. And it seems to me that we owe it to these individuals, these American patriots, to send them the help that they need so that their lives meant more than just dying while the rest of the country decided to run away. We should finish what we have started. We should win this battle. We should fight the terrorists. We should look them in the eye and tell them, We're not going away until our job is done. This resolution does not promote American unity to finish the job. This resolution does not hold in honor the names on this list, these real people, killed for this country and all volunteers. And they, like the ones that died in the Continental Army 200 years ago, died for a reason. The families that I have talked to believe in what their sons and daughters died for, and that was for fighting these evil people. We call them terrorists, these extremists, that hate us and will kill us if they have the chance. So, I think history has taught us a lesson, that this Congress 200 years ago was faced with a choice and decided to take the funds away from George Washington. Fortunately, he was able to reunite the country and win that independence. And I hope that we reunite this country and finish the job and win this battle that we are fighting in a land far, far away for the same reason, and that are fighting people that are terrorists and hate us and people that are extreme in their beliefs in their hatred for America. Because like I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, the flag that flies behind you is important. It is important that it is not the Union Jack or some other flag, and we owe it all to the military, the volunteers, the young men and women that have served recently and have served in our past for this country.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, as we begin the debate on Iraq today, I have received input from Brian in Humble, Texas. He says, ``I am a veteran of Vietnam. My father is a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. I have four brothers that are veterans, and my oldest son is serving his fourth tour of duty in Iraq. If winning in Iraq takes more resources, it is far better than the alternatives. You owe the young men and women, and yes, my son in harm's way, your total support.'' The cost of our security does not come without a price. The alternatives, the loss of American freedoms and security and leaving Iraq before our duty is done, is not the option. If more troops are needed, then it is our duty to supply them. What message does this Nation send its heroes deep within the belly of combat to tell them no troops are coming to their aid? This leaves those left behind stranded without the resources in front of a deadly enemy. Mr. Speaker, the words of this veteran, whose family holds a proud history of service to America, are wise words. This Nation owes its gratitude and support to its U.S. soldiers fighting to protect our interests; otherwise, we will be judged to be the ungrateful Nation. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. ``This Is America. When Ordering, Please Speak English.'' This sign is located in the window of Geno's Restaurant, tourist landmark for the famous Philly cheese steak. Philadelphia's Commission on Human Relations has been ordering its owner, Joe Vento, to take down the sign, however. They have even suggested that he hire Spanish-speaking employees to help communicate. But Joe is not giving in to the bureaucrats. Vento says that Geno's will serve and his staff will help out customers who don't speak English, but the sign is staying. Joe Vento is of Italian descent. His grandparents came from Italy. They were proud of their American citizenship and quickly learned English. But now the Commission on Human Relations is taking legal action against Vento, charging him with discrimination simply for asking his customers to speak English. No business owner should be forced to hire a whole gauntlet of foreign-speaking translators because of individuals who feel they won't learn our language. Individuals who come here need to understand that this country is not Mexico, France, Korea or the Middle East. This is America, and English is spoken here. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I too support the efforts of the men and women who work in Homeland Security. As a former judge in Texas for over 20 years, I appreciate all of those in our country who are in law enforcement. But I was disappointed and concerned to hear that this department who is tasked with protecting our Nation's borders, ports, and other critical infrastructure is ranked dead last in employee attitude and morale of all 36 Federal departments surveyed. To me it reflects the poor and often ambiguous leadership and policies at the top of the department, and I hope Congress can work together to correct this and correct it soon before someone does harm to our Nation. Mr. Speaker, let me provide a couple of absurd examples of maybe the reason why those who are working at the Department of Homeland Security are so frustrated. Three years ago this Saturday, a couple of our border agents witnessed a drug smuggler illegally entering our country, bringing a million dollars worth of drugs. They order the perpetrator to stop, he doesn't, the agents pursue the suspect, a scuffle ensues and shots are fired. Mr. Speaker, a different kind of environment exists on our Nation's border in the fight against drug smugglers, human traffickers, and terrorists. These two border agents, Ramos and Compean entered the Border Patrol and were trained with the sole duty of protecting Americans, you and me, and the sovereignty of this country. Well, Mr. Speaker, these agents were not commended for their actions in preventing what turned out to be 700 pounds of marijuana from reaching the streets of America. No, they were prosecuted for it, convicted, and now sit in Federal prison for a decade for doing what they felt like was the right thing to do. Our Federal Government made a deal with the drug smuggler, a back- room deal and let him loose to go after the border agents. No wonder there is low morale. You see, it is a violation of Border Patrol regulations to go after someone who is fleeing. The Border Patrol pursuit policy is unrealistic by prohibiting the pursuit of someone. This is ridiculous. Also border agents cannot fire their weapon unless they are fired upon first. This is absurd. Now, some old Texas Ranger once said, No lawman should have to take a bullet before he can use his weapon. When border agents are approached by illegals carrying automatic weapons, they should not have to run away and retreat or be fired at before they stop the intrusion. I guess this rule was conjured up by some bureaucrat up here in Washington, DC that has never been to the southern border, maybe conjured up for some political reasons. Mr. Speaker, when we ask the border agents to protect the lawless and violent southern border, we need to give them clear rules of engagement to prevent the invasion into our Nation. We need to support them, and we need to let them know that Congress will support their actions.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford was a bright, talented and energetic little girl. She lived with her father, Mark, who was a single parent, trying to raise three children. He also lived with her grandparents, Mark's parents, who loved her as much. Jessica was a great kid. Everybody thought the world of her, and she took care of the family just like they took care of her. Mark even moved to Florida to protect his children, thinking they would be safer in south Florida than they were where they lived. That is when the tragedy began. Almost 2 years ago, on the evening of February 23, 2005, the Lunsfords lives were changed forever. Among the shadows of a warm Florida night, there was a perpetrator running loose. He was stalking the Lunsford home, and he was watching 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford for several days. He waited till everyone in the house was asleep, and the outlaw in the middle of the night snuck into the Lunsford home, crept down a darkened hallway, and kidnapped Jessica Lunsford from the safety of her open home in the middle of the night. The search for Jessica, 9-year-old happy girl, went on for several weeks. Hundreds of volunteers were involved. Finally, a neighbor, and repeat sex offender, John Couey, was arrested for her murder. Couey was a registered sex offender, but, of course, he was on the lam. He had run. He had disappeared. Couey confirmed what the police had already suspected against him, and he had kidnapped Jessica. He sexually assaulted her numerous times, and he held her captive for several days. Mr. Speaker, when he was not abusing this little girl, he stuffed her in a closet. Then when he was ready to abuse her again, he would pull her out and have his way with her. When he realized that the sheriff's department was out to get him, knew that he was the culprit, he decided he had to remove the evidence, this little girl. So he tied Jessica Lunsford's hands and feet together with stereo wire. He went out into the yard, he dug a hole, he came back into the house, his own home, put two trash bags over Jessica Lunsford, picked her up and threw her in the hole. Yes, he buried that 9-year-old girl alive. When she was found several days later, she had poked her fingers through the plastic bags seeking the air of freedom, freedom that never came. Couey admitted everything that I just told you to the police, in every detail. But while he was confessing to these horrors he inflicted on Jessica, he asked for a lawyer. Unfortunately, the police ignored his request, and this would cause Couey's confession to be inadmissible as evidence against him. You see, when a defendant asks for a lawyer, he must be given one right away or the statements he makes will not be admissible in court. However, even without this confession, there is a lot of evidence against Couey to prove his guilt. After 2 years and several delays, Couey is standing trial for his evil deeds. Today, John Couey is sitting in a Miami courthouse as jury selection begins. Twelve men and women are being asked to decide his guilt in his crime against this little girl. Jessica has been needing justice for 2 years. Her family has been waiting for 2 years for this justice. As a father of three girls and three granddaughters, I know how important little girls are to a father like Mark Lunsford, and he has lost his little girl. You know, as a society, as a culture, as a Nation, we are never going to be judged by the way we treat the rich, the famous, the powerful, the important folks. We will be judged by the way we treat the weak, the innocent, the elderly, and, yes, the children, the Jessicas of the world. So the State of Florida and this jury need to give John Couey, sex offender, child killer, his day in court. When the evidence is in, hopefully the words of this country song will ring true when it says: ``A man had to answer for the wicked that he done,'' because ``justice is the one thing you should always find. You got to draw a hard line'' in the sand. ``We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds. We've got too much corruption, too much crime in the streets. It's time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground,'' because justice is the one thing you should always find. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, today I take pride in sharing with you a grand and historic milestone for the State of Texas, specifically the Second Congressional District. Today, Madam Speaker, Lamar University's Mary and John Gray Library commemorates its fiftieth year as a federal depository. Lamar University, as well as I take great pleasure in celebrating and honoring the Mary and John Gray Library's steadfast dedication to providing and safeguarding the citizens' of Texas right to know. The Federal Library Depository Program was created over one hundred and forty years ago with the sole purpose of keeping America informed by treasuring, producing, and distributing the Federal government information. The Mary and John Gray Library carries on this very valid and noble duty by being the only Federal depository within the region. The library plays a vital link between the government and Texas citizens. With its dedicated staff readily available to help students and Southeast Texans obtain governmental information, the Mary and John Gray Library collects, maintains, and preserves over sixty-four percent of the documents made available by the Federal government. Ground was broken for the library in 1973. The eight story structure was constructed to be a visible monument for Lamar University. With the two main goals of expressing deserved appreciation for past services and that the name be inspirational for the future greatness of Lamar University, the library was officially dedicated in honor of Mary and John Gray on April 26, 1976. To this day it continues to be a fount of scholarly information. The library teaches information gathering skills to promote and foster academic success, along with adding essential information for those wishing to continue their educational learning. By developing appropriate learning collections, it is able to provide efficient services within a friendly, relaxed, and educational environment. It continues to provide leadership for campus information policy. Madam Speaker, I join the citizens of the Second Congressional District in extolling Lamar University and the Mary and John Gray Library on realizing its goal of creating a depository that fosters, preserves, and maintains the American public's right to know. Lamar University is appreciated by the good citizens of the South East Texas. That is just the way it is.