Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, one of the best things about Texas is the fact that Texas towns each have their own unique history. There are hundreds of stories about towns and their colorful past and the settlers who founded them. However, the most interesting part of their unique history is how each town received its name. A notable example is Gun Barrel City that picked up its name in the 1920s prohibition era. The secluded area in North Texas was also one of the hideouts for Bonnie and Clyde. Apparently, a moonshiner living on the main road to the remote area sat in his front room with a shotgun barrel sticking out of the window, watching for Federal Revenuers and Texas lawmen. Thus, came the name Gun Barrel City. Dime Box was first called Brown's Mill in the 1860s. Since there was no Postal Service, settlers would leave mail in a wooden box at the mill with a dime. Old Man Brown would then take the letters (and dimes) then go 15 miles away to the official post office in Giddings and pick up mail for the community. When the Post Office eventually appeared, it made the community change its name. The concern was that Brown's Mill sounded too much like Brownsville; naturally they could not have that. So, they decided on Dime Box. Not to be outdone, by the ``10 cent town,'' there is a Nickel, Texas. Notrees, which you can guess by its literal name, is obviously in barren west Texas. It received the name when the only tree in the area was cut down for an oil and gas drilling boom in the 1940s. There are many more such places in Texas with odd names, such as Hoop and Holler in nearby Liberty County. The list goes on, including towns like: Salty, Oatmeal, Earth, Moscow, Turkey, Tarzan, Ding Dong, Happy, Paris, Bigfoot, Muleshoe, and Hogeye. My all-time favorite is Cut and Shoot, Texas, close to Conroe. There are several versions of how it got its name, but the one that seems the most credible comes from The History of Montgomery County, by William Harley Gandy, whose family members witnessed this story firsthand. According to Gandy, the following happened 112 years ago: The homesteaders in this area were a God-fearing community of a couple hundred. They erected a community church/school for almost all denominations to use, including the Methodists, Missionary Baptists, and Hard Shell Baptists. However, they prohibited the Mormons and Apostolics from using the building. All went well with the different religious groups until an out-of- towner of the Apostolic faith showed up ready to preach to the local sinners at the church house. Pastor Stamps was welcomed by some, but not by others. Soon the community was divided into two groups: the ``Let him Preach'' group and the ``He Aint Preaching'' group. The two groups agreed to vote on it and set a meeting for Sunday morning, July 21, 1912. Someone locked the door of the meeting house, likely to keep the Preacher from preaching. Word got around that the door to the church was locked. Those who sided with Stamps vowed to break the doors down. So, both sides sent ``Paul Revere riders'' throughout the town, telling them to bring their firearms to the scheduled Sunday church meeting. On Sunday morning, both sides showed up at the locked church building. Many had not only packed a lunch, but they also put their knives and pistols in their wagons just in case there was trouble. The obvious argument between the two sides erupted, and guns and knives were brandished. Unkind words may have been uttered as well. Eventually, the ``Let him preach'' (in the building) crowd backed off. So preacher Stamps had to preach under a nearby tree. Later, a makeshift structure was erected for Stamps to preach all summer long under some shade--but he could not enter the church building. However, the churchgoers headed off to court the next day. Both sides filed assault and disorderly conduct charges on the other with a nearby local Justice of the Peace (JP). Obscene language charges were alleged as well. (I guess unkind words were actually spoken at the church house by the church goers.) When the JP inquired of a witness where the altercation took place in the County, a witness not knowing the actual location replied that it happened at the place of the cutting and shooting fight. The name Cut and Shoot stuck, and the rest is Texas history. Let it be known that the names of Texas towns are not random, but a living symbol of what once was. They give us Texans a peak into how life used to be. The names of these towns represent vivid stories about culture and community with just a couple of words, all adding to the rich history of our great state. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, turn off the ovens; the school bake sales are over. Bake sales in schools are as American as apple pie and the flag. Parents like Janet Huberty in Atascocita, Texas, and other parents and PTAs and PTOs use bake sales to raise money for the school band, cheerleader uniforms, and iPads for students. But now the almighty Federal Government has cooked up new rules controlling public school bake sales. No more cupcakes, oatmeal raisin cookies, popcorn, or pizza can be sold for playground equipment or student trips. The Washington regulators, many of whom have their kids go to private schools that are not covered by the new rules, say kale chips and quinoa are to replace snow cones and Valentine candy. Isn't that lovely. Local parents and educators should control bake sales, not the Federal Government. So today I am introducing legislation to keep the Feds from interfering with bake sales by local schools. What is sold in bake sales to help schoolkids in Texas or anyplace across America is, frankly, none of the business of the Federal Government food police. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, ISIS is continuing its murderous rampage on Christians, Jews, and Muslims in Syria and Iraq. America needs to go dismantle, disrupt, and defeat ISIS. Victory should be the goal. ISIS has arrogantly beheaded two Americans and sent the murder videos all over the world, and now they say they are coming to America to kill us. Once a small band of bandit thugs fighting the Syrian civil war, these cutthroat terrorists have fighters from many nations, including the United States. When Americans go and take up arms with foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS, when they go and give aid and comfort to America's enemies, their passports should be revoked. So tonight I introduced legislation that would prohibit the Benedict Arnold ISIS fighters from the United States from reentering our country. The bill is called the FTO Passport Revocation Act. American traitors who go to war against America are not welcome back in our land. Their passports should be revoked. Further, ISIS fighters must be held accountable for their terror, and we should track them down and make the consequences of their terror unpleasant. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to yield to the chairman.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am one of those who comes from the State of Texas, and like many in this House, I have been down on the Texas-Mexico border. I was there last weekend. You have to be there to know what is going on. I went up and down the Rio Grande River with law enforcement officers from the State of Texas. We see the people on the Mexican side--and I think the Mexican Government is complicit--just waiting for us to pass, and then they start coming across. And the other side talks about it just being one group of people-- children. Well, that is just not true, because the people who are being apprehended are not just children. A lot of them are teenagers. A lot of them are older. The chief of Border Patrol of the McAllen sector said there are 144 nations that came across the border this year represented. Just a week ago before I got there, there were three Ukrainians. Why, Mr. Speaker? Why is everybody coming to America through south Texas? Because they believe wherever they start out, whether it is kids in Honduras looking for a better life, or terrorists, or Ukrainians, or someone else, they believe that this President, this administration, said: You get to America, we are going to let you stay. We have all kinds of different legal reasons. Some of it is called DACA, and there are other reasons. But the bottom line is you are going to get to stay in America, and Americans will take care of your needs. That is what they believe. And the reason they believe that is because the rule of law is not being enforced in America. Third World countries protect their borders better than the United States. And who is benefiting from all of this? Well, it is not the kids. As pointed out, many of them are dying or getting hurt. It is not America. It is not legal immigrants. Who is benefiting? It is the drug cartels, the criminal gangs, the MS-13 gang. They are making money off the fact that the rule of law in this country is not being enforced.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield to the chairman.

Mr. POE of Texas. The rule of law is not enforced when it comes to the sovereignty and security of the Nation. And that is all we are asking. Let's have some rules and follow them so people all over the world who want to come to America, let them know there is a right way to come. And the wrong way is they shouldn't believe that you get here, you are going to get to stay because the administration is not going to enforce the law. That is why we have the chaos. That is why we have the 50,000 to 60,000 people crossing in south Texas. So all we are trying to do with this little piece of legislation is get back to let's enforce the rule of law. Let's not grant amnesty and let's not treat people from different countries differently. Let's treat them all the same way. That is why I support this legislation, because it will send the message that even in America the rule of law will be enforced. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Tony Geldens is known locally in Kingwood, Texas for being a community and political activist and strong patriot. There is much more of a heroic story to tell. It gives me great honor to tell you about Tony Geldens' courageous account of resistance under Nazi Germany's control of the Netherlands. Throughout World War Two, Tony courageously fought Hitler's Nazis as a member of the Dutch Underground. He helped to feed, hide, and protect Dutch Jews. Born in the 1920s, Tony grew up in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands where his dad owned a brick factory. Like most of the world in the 1930s, the Netherlands, suffered from a Depression. Tony grew up belonging to the Boy Scouts, like most Dutch teenagers, camping with fellow Scouts, riding bicycles along canals and by old brick buildings. Tony remembers a close circle of friends consisting of both Christians and Jews. After school, like most young boys, they all enjoyed hanging out together. However, on May 10, 1940, most of Tony's world suddenly changed. Sixteen year old Tony was camping in the woods, close to his dad's factory, when without warning the German Army invaded the Netherlands. His dad came and retrieved Tony from his camping site, and the family quickly evacuated to their home ahead of the invading forces. The Dutch resistance held out for three days before surrendering; marking the beginning of the Nazi Germany's occupation of the Netherlands. The Nazi occupiers soon imposed anti-Jewish measures on all Dutch Jews. As was throughout Nazi Germany, Dutch Jews were required to wear a yellow Star of David at all times. Strict curfews were enforced, Jews could not own businesses, and students were forced to transfer to segregated Jewish schools. In January 1941, Hitler required all Jews to register themselves as Jews. A total of nearly 160,000 Jews in the Netherlands registered. They were issued ID cards stamped with the letter ``J'' for Jew. Unlike many, Tony remained in the Netherlands during World War Two, even after having the opportunity to leave. Remaining because he felt compelled to stay and fight against the injustices occurring in his country. After Germany invaded, he withdrew from high school due to the war, and then much later attended Architecture school in Tilburg, Netherlands. It was there he met his wife, Anna. As time went on, the harshness of the Nazi occupation grew. Notice was sent to all Dutch Jews that they would have shipped to work in Germany--forced labor. Tony was outraged towards the Nazi's treatment of Jews, he and fellow Scouts decided to join the Dutch Resistance effort. Although, the Nazis had immediately disbanded the Boy Scouts, Tony and his friends would always remember the Scout promise, to do their best to do their duty to God and Country; and to other people. Under Nazi control, resistance was forbidden and often quite dangerous. All resistance happened illegally and occupiers were ruthless. Captured members of The Dutch Underground were usually shot, imprisoned, or sent to concentration camps. Nonetheless, Tony and his loyal band of Scouts were not deterred from joining the resistance movement. Without an organized leader, Tony began a covert four year fight against the Nazis, saving Jews from starvation, torture, imprisonment, and death. Like a war time Robin Hood, Tony fed hundreds of Jews by holding up German food stamp offices to obtaining food ration books. Drawing from his hobby building radios, he also operated a radio transmitter which transmitted to England information about downed British pilots and Nazi movements. He would also help downed allied pilots by hiding them among different homes of Dutch citizens until they were able to reach safety in France. As a result of his actions, he was arrested and imprisoned numerous times. When imprisoned, the Nazis beat and tortured him for information concerning the Dutch resistance cells, or Dutch Jews. Several times they administered ``truth serum''--it never worked! Sometimes they let him go and sometimes he escaped--just to be rearrested again. The last few days before the war ended were the hardest for Tony. One day, Tony came home and discovered an empty house. He ran next door to his priest to find answers. After investigating, the priest informed Tony that the Nazis were holding his family and they would give him three days to turn himself in. After the third day, Nazis shot his mother first, then his sisters and then his father. Wanted posters with Tony's picture began to be circulated on trees around Hertogenbosch. In order to save his family, Tony resolved to turn himself in to the authorities. He said his goodbyes to his priest, friends and family. He hid at a bombed out rail road station; sleeping between the railroad ties. On his way to turn himself in, he saw the Canadian Red Cross working the area. According to Tony the hardest moment throughout everything, was to see liberators but knew he had to turn himself into the Nazis. Halfway during his trial, shooting broke out between the Canadian soldiers and the Nazi police. Once again, Tony was able to escape. However, while Tony was at his trial, German Nazis had evacuated his family along with hundreds of Dutch Resistance citizens thirty miles away. With the intentions of murdering the resistance fighters, the Nazis put them in five different buildings and subsequently blew up the buildings, including city hall. Miraculously, his family was at the end of the line going into the building and unbeknownst to the Nazi's they hadn't entered before it was demolished. Unlike so many others, they survived. Soon after, the Netherlands was liberated. At this point however, they thought Tony was dead. Imagine the Geldens reunion when they learned they all had survived. During World War II, the Nazis deported 107,000 Dutch Jews to concentration camps. Only 5,200 survived. The Dutch Underground helped hide 25,000 to 30,000 Jews. Two-thirds of Dutch Jews in hiding survived the war. Less than 25 percent of Dutch Jews survived the Holocaust. Tony and thousands like him put his life on the line for freedom. He saw the concentration camps and the victims of the Nazis. He saw friends murdered. He saw incredible numbers of new graves throughout Holland. But like so many of his generation, he never discusses the details. He does not see himself as a hero; oftentimes the greatest acts of heroism and courage are the ones that go most unnoticed. After the liberation of the Netherlands, Tony became a successful architect. He stayed and helped rebuild his hometown and his country. Eventually, in 1967 he found his way to Texas, and became a United States citizen in 2000. He and his wife, Anna, raised five children in their home in Kingwood. He now loves this adopted country; and he loves Texas. Tony is a true patriot. He fought the good fight up until his death, July 29th, 2014. He was 90 years old. It is with great pleasure that I recognize and honor my friend, Tony Geldens, for his part in saving Dutch Jews in World War Two. He was a person of great courage, dignity and compassion and his actions were truly heroic. The city of Kingwood lost a tremendous man. Tony's selfless service truly made the world a better place. He leaves behind an amazing story, wonderful legacy and a grateful local and national community. I am proud to say I knew Mr. Gelden. He was one of Texas's best. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Cummings Foundation, the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project, Child Justice, and the Courageous Kids Network should be commended for their work combatting child abuse and ensuring justice for abuse victims. Earlier this year they recognized Members of Congress who work on child abuse issues, but I think these groups are the ones who should really be recognized. Child abuse is a horrific crime. And it's made even worse when justice is not served. Only a monster would harm a child. It is an inexcusable injustice when a child is ordered by our own legal system back into an unsafe situation. As a former judge and prosecutor and as co-chair of the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus with my good friend Jim Costa of California, I know how important groups like these are in advocating for victims and helping them through court proceedings. Not only do these organizations serve children and their protective parents, who many times are also victims of abuse, but work to fix the family court system, when justice is not served. They counsel protective parents and help children who have been wrongly placed with an abusive parent. These groups work with the parent and courts to bring the child back into a safe situation, some providing pro bono legal assistance. They work to educate the public on these issues and fight for a justice system that works, striving to bring real change to our society by ending domestic violence and child abuse. Those that work with children and their families through some of the hardest situations are true heroes. Our country was founded on the principles of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The Cummings Foundation, the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project, Child Justice, and the Courageous Kids Network want to make sure that victims are able to live that American ideal. Our country cannot tolerate abuse. Justice demands that we fight back. Because justice is what we do. A society will be judged by how it treats the most vulnerable. I hope that because of the work these groups are doing, our society will be judged well. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Tony Geldens was a Dutch boy when on May 10, 1940, the Nazis invaded and occupied the Netherlands. Persecution of the Jews began immediately by the occupiers. Jews were required to wear yellow Stars of David on their clothing. Jews were shot, beaten, and sent to concentration camps. Tony and a few of his Boy Scout friends joined the Dutch resistance. Tony began a 4-year career of being the Robin Hood of the Netherlands. He would steal supplies and food from the Nazis and give them to local Jews and citizens, much to the risk of his own safety. He hid Jews and helped rescue American and Allied pilots that had been shot down over the Netherlands. He would help the pilots through the Dutch underground and help get them safely to England. Tony was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned numerous times by the Nazis, only to escape. He was on trial by the Nazis when the Canadians liberated his hometown. Numerous Jews and Allied pilots lived because of Tony Geldens. Tony moved to America in 1967, married Anna, had five kids, and finally became a U.S. citizen in 2000. He wore the American flag lapel pin every day of his life. He was an architect and political and community activist. My very good and personal friend Tony Geldens died yesterday in Kingwood, Texas, at the age of 90. Tony will be missed deeply. He was quite an individual. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I was down on the Texas-Mexico border this weekend. I met with Federal officials, and I met with State officials as well. I want to commend the work that the State of Texas is doing to protect and secure the sovereignty of the United States, including the Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement, Parks and Wildlife law enforcement, the Texas Rangers, and soon to be the National Guard. It is obvious to me that they are on the border and they are protecting the sovereignty of our country for all Americans. While meeting with the Border Patrol, I asked them where are these people coming from that are so quickly coming to the United States. They told me they are coming from 144 countries. Most recently, 2 weeks ago, there were three Ukrainians who crossed into the United States. The reason why is because the word is out to the world that if you can cross into the United States through Texas, you are going to get to stay. That is too bad. That is tragic. It is the first duty of government to secure the national borders of any country. That is the obligation of our country, and it is the obligation of this administration. We protect the borders of other nations. It is about time we protect the border of the United States of America. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, abuse is never okay. It can never be justified, defended or explained. However, the message that the NFL sent last week says otherwise. Recently, a video emerged of Baltimore Ravens' running back, Ray Rice, dragging his unconscious then-fiancee out of an elevator after allegedly punching her in the face several times. Rice was charged with third-degree aggravated assault. However, prosecutors later dropped the charge after a plea deal was reached. But what is equally as troubling and disturbing is how the NFL chose to handle the situation. The league suspended Rice for two games. This pathetic punishment is just a mere slap on the wrist. The NFL has issued harsher punishments for ``offenses'' such as eating unapproved foods or taking fertility drugs without approval. For better or for worse, our society idolizes its athletes. In 2013, over 108 million Americans watched Rice help the Ravens win the Super Bowl. Thousands of young Americans wore Rice's jersey with pride. After this decision, would a high school athlete think twice before pushing around his girlfriend? Would the abused girlfriend even bother to come forward? Sadly, the NFL seems to be more concerned with protecting its image than taking a stand and sending a strong message that violence against women will not be tolerated. Ravens' head coach, John Harbaugh, called the attack, a ``mistake.'' Mr. Speaker, a mistake implies an accident. Punching your fiancee until she becomes unconscious is no accident nor should it be treated that way. Our society has come a long way; domestic violence was once seen as a ``family issue,'' not spoken of outside of the home. We have made some progress, but the NFL's actions show we still have a long way to go. Those who commit violence against women--yes, even star football players--cannot get away with it. With the NFL's decision, another one just did. Abuse is never okay. NFL greed, stardom and fame scores points over justice. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it was called the ``war to end all wars.'' It began on July 28, 1914, 100 years ago today. It concluded in 1918, only after millions had died. It was just the first of many wars in the last century. It was at a stalemate in the bloody, deadly trenches of Europe in 1917 when tenacious American Doughboys entered the battle. It was World War I. Over 100,000 young American warriors never returned. One was President Teddy Roosevelt's son, Quentin. Thousands more died from the Spanish flu that they contracted. The last American survivor was Frank Buckles, Jr., who lived to be 110. I got to know Buckles, as did many other Members of Congress. His dying wish was that a memorial be erected on the Mall to honor all the Americans who fought in the Great War: those that returned, those that returned with the wounds of war, and those that did not return. It is unfortunate and tragic that a memorial has not been erected because, as it has been said, the worst casualty of war is to be forgotten. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the border crisis continues with the influx of migrants, mostly Honduran teenagers. Rather than quickly reuniting recent migrants with their homeland, the President is considering giving them refugee status. The amnesty President again is going to go his own way. Obviously, he doesn't understand the consequences of his newly proposed executive mandate made from behind the White House fences. The migrants are coming to the United States illegally because the President has sent the word out far and wide that he will not enforce the border security laws. The President of Honduras, whom I met with in January, said as much again yesterday. He said the minors are coming because the drug cartels, who smuggle the minors for a hefty fee, tell them that this President will let them stay in the United States. So now Americans who are struggling to take care of their own families will be expected to permanently pay for the housing, education, and health care of these individuals. The rule of law seems to be a mere suggestion to the amnesty President. This crisis--that is the President's doing--will just continue. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, when danger occurs, when disaster happens, when 911 is called, it is the first responders who heed the emergencies. While most of us flee danger, the men and women who are the thin blue line head toward danger. They are America's finest. They are the peace officers. Officer Melvin Santiago was just 23 when he was gunned down and assassinated for sport by a fugitive, an outlaw. Santiago was going about his duties as a Jersey City, New Jersey police officer responding to a disturbance at a local drugstore. When he arrived he was shot multiple times before even exiting his patrol car. The name of the cold blooded killer who murdered rookie Jersey City police officer, Melvin Santiago shall not be mentioned. This cowardly murderer thought he would become famous by killing a cop. The gunman was lying in wait to murder a peace officer. The criminal was killed by police. He has gone to meet his Maker. I doubt the meeting will be pleasant. Officer Santiago wanted to fight crime and protect the citizens in the toughest neighborhoods. He wanted to make a difference. The west section of the city was where he thought he could do that best. This was not just a job for Officer Santiago; it was a goal he had worked toward. He excelled in his entrance exam with a score of 98. This first responder wanted to be like his Uncle Frank, a retired detective. Santiago looked up to his uncle and often sought his advice. Officer Santiago graduated from the police academy in December, patrolling the area that he knew he could help turn around, when his life was stolen from him by a worthless criminal. Law enforcement officers are a special kind. They put their lives on the line every single day to ensure the safety of their communities. There aren't many other professions where a person willingly puts themselves at risk on a daily basis in order to protect others. Mr. Speaker, as a former prosecutor and criminal court judge in Texas for over 25 years, I have known a lot of men and women who have worn the badge--the shield--or the star over their heart. These are symbols of their willingness to put our safety above theirs. Unfortunately, I have known and attended funerals of first responders like Santiago who gave their lives in an effort to make our communities safer. We as a society should never forget the true sacrifice first responders and their families make for our nation. Officer Santiago went above and beyond to make his hometown of Jersey City, the state of New Jersey, and his country a better place. Over a thousand officers joined Officer Santiago's family and friends to honor his life and lay him to rest on July 18th, where he was posthumously promoted to detective and given the Jersey City Police Department Medal of Honor. In his short time on the squad, he quickly gained the respect of many. We remember his hard work and commitment to family and community. I commend Detective Melvin Santiago for his service to the people of New Jersey. Our thoughts and prayer are with Jersey City Detective Melvin Santiago's family, the local peace officers, and the community of Jersey City. Peace officers stand between the law and the lawless. Peace officers are the last strand of wire in the fence between the fox and the chickens. Mr. Speaker, peace officers are a rare breed. Melvin Santiago was one of those individuals. General George Patton said it quite appropriately when talking about his young troops killed in battle: While we mourn the loss of these men. We should thank the Good Lord that such men ever lived. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, we have a saying in Texas that one should ``practice what they preach.'' But the IRS has released a video that states the importance of keeping good records. Now, isn't that lovely? Maybe they should save the lecture for Lois Lerner and the IRS ``Taxocrats.'' In the video, ``Helen'' from the IRS says: Whether you are an individual or a business owner, you can avoid headaches at tax time by keeping good records during the year. Keeping well-organized records helps you answer questions if your return is selected for examination by the

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Nevada for yielding. I also want to thank my friend from California (Ms. Bass) for introducing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, you are going to find tonight that there are eight bills dealing with sex trafficking in the United States. You will also find that these are bipartisan bills, and a lot of different Members are involved in this legislation, which goes to say that on this issue of modern-day slavery--the human sex trafficking that is taking place-- Members of Congress are working together in many different ways to come to the same conclusion to present legislation to the House floor. I would just encourage the Speaker in his role to get the Senate to bring up this legislation as soon as it all passes, either tonight or tomorrow. We have already had some good pieces of legislation pass, a piece of legislation called the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, sponsored by Carolyn Maloney from New York, a Democrat, and myself, a Republican from Texas. That is about as bipartisan as you can get, Mr. Speaker. We don't even speak the same language, but it passed the House 2 weeks ago, 409-0. The House of Representatives is moving as fast as we can and as carefully as we can to deal with this scourge of modern-day slavery. You don't get much talk about it in the national media. It is just not one of those controversial issues, but it is being done, and that is a good thing. Mr. Speaker, there are two types of minor sex trafficking that are taking place. There are children from foreign countries that are being sold and delivered to the United States for sex trafficking, and then there are Americans, kids that live in the United States, that are being sold and delivered throughout the United States for domestic sex trafficking. It is increasing for a lot of reasons, but awareness is one of those reasons--or lack of awareness is a reason that we want to hopefully stop--and the awareness needs to go to parents and children about what can take place. Also, when sex trafficking with minor children takes place, as my friend Ms. Bass from California has said, when that child is rescued by law enforcement, they don't have anyplace to take them. There is no housing for those individuals, so they put them in the juvenile justice system for their safety. But, yes, they are labeled. They are given that stigma of a criminal. Even though it is juvenile criminal, they are still a criminal. They are not a criminal, Mr. Speaker. They are victims of crime, victims of slavery. For example, in the United States, there are 5,000 animal shelters, and they are great. I have got three dalmatians--I call them the weapons of mass destruction--and two of them came from dalmatian rescue. But, Mr. Speaker, there are only 300 beds for minor sex- trafficked children in the United States. That is it. There aren't any more. So we need to have the ability to take those children when rescued by law enforcement or by child protective services or whoever to a shelter where they have a place that they can stay other than the jailhouse. That is one of the most important things that we can do. As the gentleman from Nevada has said, this scourge is a multimillion dollar business. It is second only to the illicit drug trade. The reason is because children can be sold more than once each day--some up to 20 times. Drugs are sold one time. Plus, the risk of apprehension and the consequences for drugs is a whole lot more than that of sex trafficking, and therefore that is why it is the second, will soon be the highest, income for illicit activity, criminal activity, because there is no risk involved. So those are some things that are being addressed by these eight pieces of legislation tonight. They are all good, and they are all bipartisan. They are supported by most Members. There are a lot of cosponsors on all of that legislation. Hopefully, we can get all eight of those pieces of legislation passed and sent down the hallway to the Senate and get their attention and vote on these. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, in the sky above eastern Ukraine, a surface-to-air missile was launched, and it destroyed a Malaysian civilian airliner. The dastardly deed killed--rather, murdered--298 people. It appears the missile and launcher were Russian. The individuals shooting down the plane were so-called ``Russian-backed separatists'' in Ukraine. Apparently, the crash, which is a crime scene on the ground, is controlled by pro-Russian sympathizers, and it has been compromised by unknown malcontents. It seems to me the Russian emperor, Putin--the Napoleon of Siberia-- has his pitiful, complicit fingerprints all over this Lusitania-type incident. This is the latest in a series of aggressive acts by the Russian bear. In 2008, the Russians invaded the sovereign nation of Georgia. The bear gobbled up one-third of the nation. The world leaders protested loudly, but they were glad it wasn't their homelands. Then the world moved on. Madam Speaker, the Russian tanks are still in Georgia. I have seen them. Then the bear hibernated and woke up hungry in 2013 and invaded Crimea--a part of the country of Ukraine--to satisfy its appetite for more aggression. Now the Russians unlawfully occupy Crimea. The world leaders, once again, voiced opposition but went back to their policy of appeasement. But Crimea did not fill the belly of the bear. So, still hungry, the bear of the north moved into eastern Ukraine and looked for more prey. It subversively has supported insurrection against the Ukrainian Government to gain more territory. Reports indicate Russian special forces are playing the role of pro-Russian separatists. Battles are being fought. People are dying. Russian imperialism persists in its aggression. Then, recently, the Malaysian airplane was shot down over Ukraine. Also, in the last 24 hours, two Ukrainian military jets were shot down by Russian-backed rebels. The world leaders are self-righteously outraged. However, nothing has stopped the Russian bear. What will the heads of state do? Will the leaders continue to take the position that, since the bear hasn't eaten them, they will do little but pontificate and hope the bear's appetite is satisfied? Maybe the bear will hibernate again, Madam Speaker, but when it wakes up, like it always does, it will wake up hungry. Then, when it roars, who will be devoured next, the rest of Ukraine?--or maybe Moldova or Latvia or Estonia or Poland?--or just another innocent group of men, women, and children on a civilian airline? Only Putin knows what the awakening roar of the Russian bear will bring to the rest of humanity. Appeasement certainly doesn't seem to be working, and it is not the answer to stopping aggression. Madam Speaker, is there not one bold Churchill to be found amidst the overpopulated, boastful Chamberlains among us? And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4411. My amendment to the bill that passed in committee encourages the State Department to go after Hezbollah's money. It does this by pushing the State Department to use its Rewards Program is an old-fashioned idea. It's like putting out a reward on a wanted poster. If we get good information that can be used for an arrest or conviction of a Hezbollah member, we're willing to pay a reward. This is a strategy that works. The Rewards Program paid $2 million to a source who helped reveal the location of Ramzi Yousef [YOU-sef], the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Yousef [YOU-sef] was arrested in 1995. All too often, the challenge with going after the finances of terrorist groups is knowing where they get their money and how they move it. This bill will help bring more of that important information to light so we can seize Hezbollah's money and stop their evildoing ways. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan) for sponsoring this leadership hour and bringing the issue of energy to the attention of the House and the American public. Yes, Mr. Speaker, we consider where I live, Houston, Texas, the energy capital of the world because it is the energy capital of the world. And it is because of our location. Fifty percent of the Houston ship channel exports exports are energy-related, not just energy itself, but everything that is used in the development of energy throughout the world. Fifty percent of the economy of Houston is based upon the Houston ship channel. We are experiencing a phenomenon in this country that nobody thought would happen 5 or 6 years ago, and that is the abundance and surplus of natural gas and what we call Texas sweet crude, or light crude, an abundance of it in this Nation. There is so much natural gas being produced in this country that in south Texas, in the Dakotas, they are flaring gas wells. They are capping wells in west Texas. What does that mean? That means that when they flare wells, there are over 1,500 wells that are being flared. That is enough energy to take care of a million homes. We are talking about a lot of energy. We are talking about a lot of natural gas. So what do we do with that? Well, we should sell it. There is an ice cream company down in Texas. It is a little creamery in Brenham, Texas, a German community, called Blue Bell Ice Cream. It is the best ice cream in the world, Mr. Speaker, by the way. Their motto is simple about their ice cream: We eat all we can and we sell the rest. Well, that should be the American motto for our natural gas: use all we can, then sell the rest throughout the world. And yes, there are a lot of buyers who want to buy American energy, natural gas. When I was in India, I talked to the Prime Minister, and all the Prime Minister wanted to talk about was getting natural gas from the United States to India. Mr. Speaker, there are a billion more people in India than there are in the United States. They can take it all. They will buy it all if we will just make it happen. When I was in the Ukraine, right before the Russians invaded the place, that is all that the Ukrainians wanted to talk about: getting natural gas from the United States, mainly from Texas, to offset being held hostage by the Russians where they get gas from. You know, the Russians turn off the gas in the Ukraine when they don't like the politics in Ukraine. Give them an alternative. Give them a free market alternative. Sell them American natural gas. The same with other Eastern European countries. Same with Western Europe. Give them an alternative to Russia. It is not only an energy independence thing for those countries, but it takes them politically away from the stranglehold of Russia. That is one thing we can do to offset Russian aggression: sell American natural gas throughout the world. Then why aren't we doing it? Well, we are, but it is slow. It is very slow. It takes forever to get the Department of Energy now to grant those permits. Here is the way it works. Since we are now permitting to sell natural gas or exporting that product, it not only takes FERC to have a permit, but then the company has to get the Department of Energy to permit them as well, and it takes too long. So we don't get to sell the gas, and we lose out on that opportunity to competitors throughout the world who will sell their natural gas, who don't have to deal with the Department of Energy. We need to expedite that, expedite the sale of natural gas. That helps the United States with jobs, as the gentleman from South Carolina has said. It helps us with American jobs. But it also makes us energy- independent. We can make, Mr. Speaker, the Middle East irrelevant, not just their energy and all the turmoil. We can make them politically irrelevant because we can take care of ourselves, not only exporting natural gas but, of course, exporting what we call Texas sweet crude, or light crude, throughout the world. That is what we should do. We should export. We should be willing to use all we can and then sell the rest. We should adopt the motto of the best ice cream company in the world. A couple of other matters, if I may. The Keystone pipeline: How ridiculous is it that we haven't started building it? You have got to get that crude oil to market some way. What do you want to do, put it on ships? We have already found out that is not such a good idea. How about railcars? Well, I think we have had some problems with railcar transportation of crude oil. You want to use thousands and thousands of trucks to move that crude oil around? That is kind of dangerous too. The safest way to move crude oil is through a pipeline. There are thousands of miles of pipeline. The XL pipeline, why it hasn't been done is because of political reasons, not because there is common sense involved in it. We ought to get through the politics and build the Keystone pipeline. It comes from Canada down to southeast Texas to where the refineries are. My former district, Mr. Weber now represents that area where they are waiting. How much crude oil are we talking about? We are talking about as much crude oil, Mr. Speaker, as we get from Saudi Arabia. Now we are talking about a lot of crude oil. Once again, make America energy-independent but energy-secure, and it is a national security issue as well. It is just sense. It is common sense. It also brings in revenue to America, to the American people to be able to sell throughout the world natural gas and crude oil. I want to thank the gentleman for the time. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Amarech Mana is a 28-year old mother living in a small Ethiopian village, hundreds of miles from the capital. She does her best to care for her sick child who is crying out in pain. She knows he needs water to survive, but she worries that the very water she uses to quench his thirst is filled with the very bugs that made him sick in the first place. This story is an all too common one when 884 million people around the world do not have access to clean water. Coordinating and uniting the action of over 180 organizations, InterAction is helping poor people like Amarech around the world. InterAction is working to encourage transparency on foreign aid projects. InterAction's NGO Map collects project-level information to disseminate to donors, businesses, government, and the public. It is also working to push for new laws that require tougher evaluations of foreign aid projects. If we are not evaluating projects than we do not know what is sustainable or even making a difference over the short term. InterAction's mission is to uphold human rights and ensure human dignity for the poor. It knows that the best way to accomplish this mission is to focus on sustainability. For example, InterAction not only helps dig wells to give poor people clean water but then teaches individuals how to fix the well when it breaks. This gives them the skills and opportunity to improve their own standard of living, long after InterAction and its partners are gone. Water, sanitation, and hygiene are just some of the issues that InterAction addresses to improve the quality of life in the world's poorest communities. At the end of the day, InterAction doesn't just improve the social and economic circumstances of the poor. It gives hope. Amarech Mana once feared for her son's life. Now she can hold him and enjoy the clean water supply provided by Concern Worldwide, a partner in the InterAction nonprofit community. The water supply serves 1,000 households in the area. Children no longer have to trek for hours to get water before going to school. And they don't have to miss countless days of school due to dehydration or dysentery. InterAction is a testament to the positive change U.S.-based NGO partnerships are making throughout the world. I look forward to working with InterAction to ensure our foreign aid is transparent and rigorously evaluated so our taxpayer dollars can make a meaningful and lasting difference. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the Hamas terrorists in Gaza keep shooting their rockets into Israel. Israel has used defensive weapons to intercept some. However, Iranian-backed Hamas keeps on reloading its six-shooters and firing into civilian areas. The Israeli Government is shooting back and is headed to Gaza to stop the bandits. Our government wants a cease-fire. Cease-fires in the past have just given Hamas time to obtain more ammo rockets from Iran. Also, Hamas shields its command centers underneath schools and hospitals in Gaza. So it cowers behind women, children, the elderly, and the sick. Hamas wants Israel annihilated. Israel is following the first natural right of a nation--it is protecting its people. Now it has taken the fight to the terrorists, as it has a right and an obligation to do. The United States should be helping Israel eliminate this terrorist group instead of criticizing Israel for protecting its citizens from murder. The only way to stop this war against Israel is for Hamas to be defeated. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a family in Spring, Texas, has been executed. The evil killer, disguised as a FedEx driver, forced his way into the home of the Stay family on Wednesday. He tied up one child, Cassidy, and waited and waited until all five children and their parents--Katie and Stephen--came home. Then he shot them one by one, killing six, and leaving Cassidy for dead. He fled the scene with more malice in his heartless soul, headed to kill the grandparents of the children. Cassidy called 911 to alert the law, and quickly, the murderer was caught before he could kill again. Murdered were Stephen, aged 39; Katie, aged 34; Bryan, aged 13; Emily, aged 9; Rebecca, aged 7; Zach, aged 4--and wounded was Cassidy, aged 15. The killer had come from Utah to Texas to seek revenge against the Stay family. He targeted the Stays because his ex-wife was a family relative. People in the quiet area of Spring, Texas, and Houston are saddened and shocked and are in mourning for their neighbors who had life viciously and violently stolen from them. The killer is charged with capital murder in Texas, and if found guilty, hopefully, a Texas jury will help him meet his Maker very soon. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, when there is a blaze, when there is a fire, when there is an explosion, when someone has an emergency medical problem, the firefighters rush in. While others flee danger, the firefighters, with sirens, red lights, horns, red-and-white trucks, charge into the jaws and midst of danger. Sometimes, the danger is overwhelming and firefighters are injured and killed. Yesterday afternoon, with temperatures approaching 100 degrees outside, in an area called Forest Cove, near the San Jacinto River in Houston, Texas, the fire alarm sounded at the fire station. A house fire then turned into two alarms. The firefighters rushed and battled a fire in the hot, humid Texas summer heat. Firefighter Daniel Groover was on the second floor of the house when he collapsed in the heat. He was pulled from the blaze by other firefighters, but later Daniel died. Mr. Speaker, Daniel, like his dad, was a career firefighter. Groover, a 21-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department, lived in Spring, Texas. He was 46 years old. Daniel was married to Elia and had three sons. Chief Terry Garrison said of Groover: Firefighters risk a lot to save lives, and that's what Daniel was doing. Daniel and his fellow firefighters are a remarkable breed, a rare breed--the American breed. Mr. Speaker, it has been said that all people are created equal, but a few become firefighters. One of those was Daniel Groover. And that's just the way it is. This is a list of the other Houston firefighters who have been killed in the line of duty in the last 12 months: Captain EMT Matthew Renaud, 35, of Station 51; Engineer Operator EMT Robert Bebee, 41, of Station 51; Firefighter EMT Robert Garner, 29, of Station 68; Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan, 24, of Station 68.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, according to a Federal judge in Texas, our government is ``completing the criminal mission'' of human traffickers ``who are violating the border security of the United States'' and assisting a ``criminal conspiracy in achieving its illegal goals.'' Here is how ICE is complicit in aiding and abetting human smuggling: A smuggler is paid to bring children into the United States. The smuggler then is apprehended by ICE and prosecuted, but the criminal act is completed when ICE personally delivers the migrant child to the parent who has instigated the crime. If the parent is also illegally in the United States, ICE neither deports the parent nor the child. The Federal judge chastised the Department of Homeland Security for not enforcing the law and compares this nonenforcement on the border to ``taking illegal drugs or weapons it has seized from smugglers and delivering them to the criminals who solicited their illegal importation'' into the United States. Mr. Speaker, this administration, with its policy of open borders and blatant refusal to enforce the law, is complicit in the crisis at the southern border. The timing is not a coincidence. The surge of foreign nationals illegally entering the United States all began when the President planted the seed for executive amnesty in a 2012 Rose Garden speech. In this speech, he announced his policy of unilateral administrative amnesty for minors. This was an avoidable crisis created to set the stage politically for universal amnesty. The President's policy of nonenforcement has effectively encouraged tens of thousands of people to pay smugglers to bring children from Central America to the United States. Now migrant children just surrender themselves at the border and expect the United States to let them stay, take care of them, or reunite them with their parents who may also illegally be in the U.S. Why? Because the word is out in Central America that America does not enforce its laws. The number of unaccompanied minors who are smuggled into the U.S. illegally has grown tremendously under this administration, as this chart shows, now up to 142,000 a year. This is not only a humanitarian crisis, but this crisis is affecting our national security, our economy, our health, and our sovereignty. Our porous border allows anyone to enter the United States illegally. The influx of thousands of migrants comes with a cost to the tune of billions of dollars, all left to Americans to pay for. The system is overwhelmed. We can't even take care of our veterans. Now there have been disturbing reports of diseases originating in Central America that have traveled with the migrants coming to our country threatening the health of people who are legally here and American citizens. This is not isolated on the border towns. Unaccompanied minor children are being sent all over the country. In fact, I just found out last night that Health and Human Services is looking for a school to house unaccompanied minors in Houston, Texas--my hometown. While the administration acts surprised about the crisis, the paper trail shows they knew that it was coming in January. The Department of Homeland Security in January posted online advertising for transportation contractors needed to help deal with this surge of unaccompanied minors coming into the United States. The administration knew about this, but rather than enforce the rule of law and increase border security, the administration planned to accept the migrants and find places to house them. This current chaos is also an insult to people who come to America the legal way, but the White House has put politics over the law and what is best for the American people. So what now? Well, deploy the National Guard to the southern border to deter future migrants from making the journey to America. It is the first duty of the Federal Government to defend the sovereignty of our Nation. Appropriate money that is still going for nation-building in Iraq to fund the National Guard on our southern border. Surely, protecting our border is just as important as securing the border of Iraq. If the President won't protect the border, let the State Governors do it with the National Guard. Second, those who have already come here should be safely reunited with their families in their native countries. The law should be changed to expedite their removal. Warehousing these children is not a compassionate response to this crisis. It will not solve the crisis; it will only grow. The President of the United States should be the first to say to the world: The rule of law will be enforced in the United States. Do not try to beat the system. Come to the United States the legal way or not at all. But the administration is missing in action in this crisis. It is true the President is going to Texas this week, but he is going down there to raise money for a campaign. He is not going near the border. Maybe it is just too dangerous to go to the Texas-Mexico border. And that's just the way it is.