Ted Poe

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.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it was raining as the English Channel churned and tossed the Americans in the landing craft. The sun was coming up over the horizon, but no one could see it through the gray clouds. Thousands of teenage liberators stared into the distance to see the high cliffs of Normandy, France. It was D-Day, June 6, 1944--70 years ago. Expecting to land on Omaha Beach at 6:30 a.m. ahead of other Allied Forces, Texan Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder led the United States Army Rangers' 2nd Ranger Battalion into what seemed like an impossible feat. As the treacherous weather conjured crashing waves five to six feet tall, a shifting wind tossed the Rangers off course. The mist, clouds and smoke obscured the navigation, making it hard to locate Pointe-du- Hoc from a mile out at sea. Their landing was delayed by forty minutes. Already, the mission seemed doomed. This navigational error meant two things: They would have to sail parallel to the coast facing intense enemy fire. It gave the enemy time to recover and prepare for the next assault. For almost half an hour, the Rangers rode along the coast as bullets were flying all around them. Some Rangers were hit by enemy fire. But bleeding or not, still they pushed forward. They battled the wind as the pelting rain blurred their vision and soaked their climbing equipment. They were exhausted and tense. The landing crafts that brought the GIs to shore were beginning to take on water, presenting yet another obstacle for Rudder's Rangers. Water began to leak in through the front ramp of the landing crafts, so the Rangers ripped up the floorboards and used their helmets to bail out the alarming amount of water rushing in all while the Nazis fired down at them atop the cliffs. One of the landing crafts sunk from the weather and enemy fire. The brutal conditions of the sea caused others in the landing crafts to become violently seasick. Finally, the Rangers reached the eastern side of the Pointe, their new designated landing spot. It was now 7:10 a.m. The battle had just begun, and the odds were stacking up against Rudder's success. The Rangers were miserable, cold, wet and seasick; some bleeding from injury but none wavered. Their mission: to conquer the cliffs at Pointe-du-Hoc and find the big German guns. The guns could reap havoc on later landings. No longer was the weather their only enemy. As the first shoe print was made in the wet sand of Normandy, the Rangers came under brutal fire from atop the cliffs as the enemy chunked grenades down at them. The men had to resist the urge to take out the machine guns because the primary mission was to climb. Fifteen men were already lost in the crossing of the beach. Divided into three units, Lt. Col. Rudder prepared to lead the Provisional Rangers, task force A of 250 men up the cliffs. They moved quickly with precision and expertise. They shifted through the chaos that ensued around them all while operating soaking wet equipment. (The ropes attached to the grappling hooks were heavy with water and thus could not reach the top of the cliffs when launched from a mortar.) The Rangers used rope ladders, a few dry grappling hooks and steel ladders to scale the cliffs. Their machine guns were clogged with mud. Amidst enemy fire and malfunctioning equipment, the Rangers were flung back and forth climbing the wet ropes. While some Rangers provided cover on the beach, amazingly, the first ones to the top, conquered the cliff in 10 minutes. They in turn provided covering fire for the ones still on the beach. As soon as the Rangers pulled themselves over the cliff, snipers immediately fired. Fortunately, the heaving bombing the Americans had done to the island in the days beforehand had created large craters in earth. This allowed the Rangers to hide themselves from the enemy fire. Within half an hour, the remaining task forces had made it up the tall cliffs. Rudder, bleeding from two gunshot wounds, never let his focus waver or his determination grow weary. He discovered quickly that the Germans had left wooden decoys in the gun casements. Exhausted, wounded and bewildered, Rudder kept pushing the Rangers inland. They had to find the big guns. Around 8:00 a.m. small patrols were sent south to locate the missing guns. By 9:00 a.m., their second goal completed. Now, they had to take them out. The Rangers had located the missing guns 600 yards south of the Pointe. The Nazis had hidden the guns back from the beach to protect them from Allied air strikes and naval bombardment. Rudders' Rangers took out the emplacements using thermite grenades and eliminated the enemy protecting them. The mission though completed in spite of the horrific obstacles was not without cost. Rudder's Rangers had over 50 percent casualties. Some Rangers gave their lives that summer morning conquering the cliffs. As American blood was shed on the French beaches and cliffs, General Rudder had secured the beachhead for later Allied Forces coming ashore. This paved the way to eventual victory. In the months leading up to the Normandy Invasion, Rudder's elite group of Army Rangers underwent rigorous training in preparation for the part that they would play for the invasion named Overlord at Normandy. Colonel Rudder put his 2nd Ranger Battalion through hell in order to prepare them for their mission at Pointe du Hoc. He made them march in full gear for over 20 miles. He had them train in hand to hand combat, climb rope ladders without safety harnesses and endure difficult amphibious training. The success that the Rangers had on D-Day was a direct result of Rudder's intense personal involvement with their training. The amount of effort and dedication he put forth into the training is why the troops were able to manage the chaos and complete their mission. Rudder made sure that every man was prepared to do the impossible. James Earl Rudder was born in the small Texas town of Eden, about 45 miles southeast of San Angelo, in 1910. After graduating from high school, he played football for two years at Tarleton State. He then transferred to Texas A&M in 1930. He graduated in 1932 with a degree in education. After graduation he joined the U.S. Army Reserves as a second lieutenant. In 1937, he married Margaret Williamson (who graduated from the University of Texas), and together they had five children. In 1941, he was doing what he loved, coaching football, when duty called. These brave men who cracked the Nazi grip on Europe began with the liberation of France 70 years ago. From there, the Rangers went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge and U.S. forces on to Germany. Nothing like it had ever been done before in history. Over 150,000 Allied soldiers hit the beaches during the assault landings on the 6th of June. By the 4th of July, over 1 million joined in the invasion force through Normandy. It was a miraculous feat for 1944. Colonel Rudder received many military honors including the second highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross. He was a full Colonel by the end of the war and was promoted to Brigadier General of the U.S. Army Reserves in 1954 and Major General in 1957. After the war, Rudder returned to Texas. He remained a highly successful and distinguished Texan until his death. He served as Mayor of Brady for 6 years, visited the White House frequently--advising Lyndon Baines Johnson on many military issues and was hired to clean up the corruption going on in the General Land Office. Col. Rudder became president of Texas A&M University in 1959 and president of the entire A&M system in 1965, holding both positions until his death in 1970. The boys of D-Day came; they liberated; and some went home. Over 9,000 other GIs are buried at the top of the cliffs of Normandy, France. As we reflect on those Rangers on D-Day, 70 years ago, and the Texan who led them into battle, Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder, we once again marvel at the lives of those we call the Greatest Generation of Americans. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Francis Scott Key is best known for being the author of our National Anthem, ``The Star Spangled Banner.'' During the second American revolution, the War of 1812, the British reinvaded the United States, captured Washington, DC, burned this building, the White House and most of this city. The English Fleet then set sail for nearby Baltimore and were determined to take the city, but Fort McHenry was blocking and protecting Baltimore Harbor. Key, a lawyer, had boldly gone on board a British ship to seek release of a captured United States citizen. The Royal Navy held both Key and his client and refused to release either until after the British naval attack on the fort was completed. During the night, the British bombarded the fort with hundreds of shells and rockets, but at ``dawn's early light,'' the outnumbered American defenders still held the fort, refusing to surrender, and a massive 30 foot by 40 foot American flag still flew defiantly over Fort McHenry. The unsuccessful British sailed away for good. Francis Scott Key, upon seeing the flag, wrote our national anthem that is sung on the 4th of July throughout the prairies and plains of America. But, Key also has a Texas connection. Before Sam Houston made his way to Texas, he served with Andrew Jackson in the Indian wars and was elected United States Congressman for Tennessee for two terms and served as Governor of Tennessee. After his governorship, Houston spent time in Washington, DC, during the 1830s advocating on behalf of the Cherokee Indians and denouncing the corruption in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1832, Congressman William Stanbery from Ohio made slanderous accusations about Houston and the Cherokees on the floor of Congress. One morning, Houston was leaving a boarding house on Pennsylvania Avenue and saw Stanbery walking down the street. A confrontation occurred between the two men over Stanbery's statement. A street brawl resulted. Sam Houston thrashed and viciously beat Congressman Stanbery with his hickory walking cane for Stanbery's derogatory remarks on this House floor. Stanbery then pulled a pistol and put it to the chest of Houston, but the pistol misfired. Houston, now really mad, continued the trashing of Stanbery. Fate saved Sam Houston's life. The United States Congress ordered the arrest of Sam Houston, charging him with assault and demeaning a Member of Congress. Houston was tried before Congress. The trial lasted a month. Houston spent one full day on this House floor in boisterous oratory stating his positions, that he was defending his honor; Stanbery was the aggressor; and anyway, Stanbery deserved the severe caning. So what does Francis Scott Key have to do with any of this? Francis Scott Key was Sam Houston's defense lawyer. He did an admirable job in the defense of this later Texas hero, but after the trial was over, Houston was found guilty, publically reprimanded and ordered to pay a $500 fine. Houston refused to pay the fine and, rather than face more problems with Congress, left Washington that same year and began a new life and political career in--Texas. After defeating Dictator Santa Anna on the marshy plains of San Jacinto, Houston became the first president of the Republic of Texas. After Texas was admitted to the United States in 1845, he was a United States Senator and then Governor of the State. Houston is the only person to serve as Governor and Member of Congress from two different States. Sam Houston's troubles with the legislative bodies continued, however. When Texas voted to leave the Union in 1861, the Governor, Houston, refused to take the oath to support the Confederacy. So the Texas legislature removed General Sam from the office of Governor. Too bad. Maybe if Francis Scott Key had been Sam Houston's lawyer before the Texas legislature, the outcome might have been different. And the rest, they say, is Texas history. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this weekend there will be a great gathering in Philadelphia to commemorate 200 years of Serbians in the United States. As co-chair of the Congressional Serbian Caucus, we make sure that the voices of Serbian-Americans and our allies in the Serbian people are heard in Congress. Serbians are a lot like Texans. There's a certain spunk in us. It makes perfect sense that the first Serbian in the U.S., Dorde SSagicc or George Fisher, spent time in Texas, and Houston at that, serving as a justice of the peace and in the Texas militia. For more than 130 years, we have had a close relationship with the Serbian people. Our friendship with the Serbians is based on our shared belief in democracy and standing up for liberty. During both World War I and World War II, our two countries fought on the same battlefield and our people shared and shed blood together. Because of that brotherhood, we have a special relationship. Serbians that have immigrated to the United States have brought so much to our country. George Dudich was a Serbian who immigrated to the U.S. in 1947 after World War II. He and his family fled communism under Tito. His daughter was my Chief of Staff when I was in Judge in Texas. During World War II, George worked with the Serbian resistance and rescued downed American flyers. When he came to the U.S. he spent much of his life locating those downed flyers. I am proud to chair the Serbian Caucus with Representative Emanuel Cleaver from Missouri. And am grateful for recognition of the Caucus with the Ruth Mitchell Friendship Award. Serbian-Americans should be proud of their heritage and contribution to both of our great countries. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, growing up, Darryn Andrews was known as one of the most selfless and patriotic kids in the neighborhood. Not surprisingly, he joined the United States Army to serve America. 2nd Lieutenant Darryn Andrews was the platoon leader for the 3rd Blackfoot Company, 1st Battalion, 501st infantry (Airborne) in Afghanistan. On September 4, 2009, 2nd Lieutenant Andrews' platoon was on a mission and was traveling along a walled road in Afghanistan when an IED exploded and disabled the lead vehicle in the convoy. Lieutenant Andrews quickly jumped out of his vehicle and was assessing the damage of the vehicle that had hit the IED, and he saw through the glint in his eye an RPG coming straight for him and his fellow troops. So, in an instant, he jumped on top of his fellow soldiers and took the brunt of the RPG. He sacrificed himself so that his buddies would live. Recently, it was learned that Lieutenant Andrews and his patrol were searching for a missing soldier by the name of Bowe Bergdahl. Second Lieutenant Andrews was awarded the Silver Star in honor of his service and the sacrifice he made for his fellow soldiers. At his death, Darryn left behind his 2-year-old son, his pregnant wife, his twin brother, and both of his parents, Andy and Sondra. Both of his parents, Andy and Sondra, were here last week and testified before my Terrorism Subcommittee. Sondra still wears Darryn's dog tags. The family lives in Cameron, Texas. Mr. Speaker, General George Patton said it best about warriors such as Lieutenant Darryn Andrews who die in battle. He said: While we continue to mourn the loss of such soldiers, we should thank God that such men ever lived. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman for sponsoring this legislation. Mr. Chairman, 5 years ago, companies were building terminals to import natural gas at the cost of billions of dollars because analysts agreed that the United States economy was going to need natural gas from overseas. Today that scenario has flipped on its head, and import terminals are dormant. The Department of Energy has 19 applications waiting to get permission to export U.S. natural gas. Thanks to technology breakthroughs, U.S. natural gas reserves have climbed 72 percent since 2000. We have more gas than we can use here in the United States. Mr. Chairman, we have the best ice cream company in the world in Brenham, Texas, and their motto is: ``We eat all we can, and we sell the rest.'' That is what our motto should be with natural gas. We should use all we can and sell the rest everywhere in the world that wants to buy it. As chairman of the Trade Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs, I did a hearing on more LNG exports in April. Every witness at the hearing, from the union representatives to a professor, agreed that we should export natural gas. We have too much gas and our allies have too little. And then there is Russia. Russia has an energy stranglehold over Europe, including Ukraine. Just this past week, Russia announced it was going to require payments up front from Ukraine. Russia has already increased the price of natural gas and even stopped sending natural gas to Ukraine. Isn't that lovely? Ukraine needs access to natural gas down the road, and that could be the United States. We need to compete with Gazprom. That could be the United States. That is how we can help thwart Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Technically, the United States can export natural gas, but the approval process is slow as molasses. It is the government. The government takes too long to make a decision, and the Department of Energy wraps companies in red tape. Many times we can lose these natural gas contracts to our competitors. So I support this legislation. I thank the gentleman for bringing it to the floor. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the NSA has shown they will always interpret the law to the extent that allows them to seize the information. That is why the law has to be much more clear to the NSA. We all must remember that the NSA was violating the PATRIOT Act, as written. This amendment does something that is very concrete. It tells the NSA: Get a warrant. Get a warrant through the front door. You get a warrant through the backdoor. You can't spy on Americans unless you get a warrant. That is what this amendment does, and I support this amendment.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, crisis: IRS emails have vaporized. Where, oh, where have the emails gone? Where, oh, where can they be? In another Friday evening news dump, the administration announced that 2 years of Lois Lerner's emails have vanished. Poof, gone. That is not all. Today, we learned that the emails of six other prominent IRS officials involved in targeting conservatives have disappeared. Poof, gone. Isn't that an oddly convenient disappearance? Have they gone to the same place the missing 18 minutes of Nixon's Watergate tapes went? The IRS blames the well-timed fiasco on a computer glitch. Mr. Speaker, what do you suppose would happen if the IRS came to a citizen's home to audit their taxes and the citizen said, sorry, the records were lost in a computer crash? The tax collector would laugh. It is time for a special prosecutor to investigate the IRS and find out where, oh, where have those emails gone. This yarn by the IRS requires a willing suspension of disbelief. Mr. Speaker, that dog just won't hunt. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, since our founding, Americans have always had to fight for the liberty and freedom that we have. Throughout our history, we have had allies from other parts of the world on our side ready to help us, and we have been ready to help them stand together for freedom over tyranny. Today, I want to commemorate one of our most important allies: the people of Serbia. For more than 130 years, we have had a close relationship with the Serbian people. I have on my staff here in Washington a Serbian American, Blair Bjellos, who is my victim's advocate. When I was in Texas as a judge, my chief of staff, Elaine Dudich Stolte, who now runs the best children's assessment center in the world, worked for me. Both are of Serbian descent. Our friendship with the Serbians is based on our shared belief in democracy and standing up for liberty. During both World War I and World War II, our two countries fought on the same battlefield and our people shared and shed blood together. Because of that brotherhood, we have a special relationship. During World War I, Austria-Hungary tried to pick a fight with Serbia, through the July Ultimatum. Of course, the Ultimatum wasn't a deal at all, and it was purposely unacceptable and meant to provoke a war with the two nations. Despite being 10 times smaller than Austria- Hungary, Serbia, an independent, freedom-loving nation, refused to back down to the aggressor. Like a true David versus Goliath, the Serbian people fought valiantly with us against the central powers in World War I. In the end, 25 percent of the Serbian population was killed during that war. Despite the toll World War I took on Serbia, when World War II started, they were allies again. There are numerous accounts of bravery that the Serbs conducted during World War II, and a lot of that was not known to the world until recently. I just want to talk about one of those. Perhaps the most inspiring report of bravery and brotherhood was shown during the Halyard Mission, when Serbian General Draza Mihailovich and Serbian American George Vujnovich led a mission to save American pilots that had been shot down by Nazi planes behind the lines in Serbia. In 1944, hundreds of B-17 and B-24 fighter pilots and their crews were shot down by the Nazi Luftwaffe over what we now know as Serbia. General Mihailovich immediately began finding those pilots and members of the crew and hid them in barns and farmhouses throughout Serbia, wherever he could find them shelter. He and his men and local Serbian civilians hid our troops. They risked their lives in doing so, and many of them later paid the consequences when the Nazis found out about it. When Mihailovich radioed Washington to alert them of his actions, here in the United States, Vujnovich, an OSS agent of Serbian descent, found out and planned a daring rescue mission. Vujnovich would train Allied Forces on how to act like Serbs and sneak them into Nazi territory to save the downed pilots and their crews. Once in, they would help guide U.S. planes into the country to pick up the downed pilots. With the help of local Serbs, the undercover U.S. soldiers and General Mihailovich built a makeshift runway in just 9 days. They had no sophisticated tools or machinery. They just used oxen, wagons, brute strength, and the tools that they could find. Over the next 6 months, Allied planes flew right under Nazi noses to land on that crude airstrip. I was most fortunate to have known one of those brave men. Serbian George Dudich was among those who risked his life to save those American downed pilots. When Mr. Dudich and his family later came to the United States after Communist Tito took over, he took time to find many of those downed pilots and crew members to meet with them once again. In total, the Halyard Mission saved 512 U.S. airmen. Not one American was lost, although many Serbs died in those rescues. Unfortunately, the United States took the wrong side after the war and we supported Tito, a communist, rather than Mihailovich, to lead Serbia. We did not recognize Mihailovich's deeds until recently, and now he has been awarded the Legion of Merit; and Vujnovich, at 95 years old, received a Bronze Star from the United States. Many Americans and many American Serbs served together then, and I want to congratulate the relationship and commemorate the relationship between the United States and Serbia during the wars and the relationship the two countries have today. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 295 on H.R. 4745, I voted ``yes.'' My recorded vote should reflect my intention to vote ``no.''

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, today, I rise to introduce an amendment to strike section 165 from the underlying bill. Section 165 states that no funds ``in this or any other act'' may be available for a light or heavy rail project in Houston, Texas, if the route goes through Richmond or down Post Oak Boulevard. This language is contrary to the will of the voters of Harris County, Texas, and should not be included in this Federal Government appropriations bill. Houstonians voted in support of new transportation options for the Houston area in a local referendum in 2003. Now some disagree with the results of that referendum, but local voters have made their decision, and I rise to support their right to make these decisions in Houston, Texas, and in local elections without the interference of Congress. If the Federal Government has the right to overrule a local election and referendum, then what is next? Blocking Federal funds via obscure riders in appropriations bills in order to try and steer routing decisions is wrong. It is inappropriate overreach by the Federal Government. It violates the will of the voters of Harris County, and, ultimately, it hurts the City of Houston, Texas. For Members outside of Texas who may be unfamiliar with this debate, the precedent that this language will set, if allowed to remain in the bill, is far-reaching, and it will affect more than just Texas. The passage of this language as is means that local votes just don't matter to Congress and that local officials don't really decide transportation matters in each State and city because these decisions can be toyed with and overruled by Congress. This language is also bad policy. It is a throwback to the old Houston when our only transportation plan was to build more highways as far as the eye could see and block attempts to do anything else. Houston has one of the most expansive and efficient highway systems in the world, and, with the soon-to-be-completed Grand Parkway, the system will be even better, but we can only build so many roads. We can only build so many concrete monstrosities like the I-10 West corridor. Over 130,000 people moved to Harris County last year. That is as many as in Charleston, South Carolina, and another estimated 150,000 will move to Harris County next year. Houston will soon be the third largest city in the country, overtaking Chicago. With this increase in population, we need solutions for transportation, not attempts to stonewall all options from Washington. The debate that we are having on the floor is not about whether or not METRO is doing a good job, nor is it even about METRO. We know that METRO has had its fair share of problems over the years. It must get its financial house in order, and it must become efficient. It also must get the credibility it needs from the voters once again, but it is not our job to debate that local issue in Congress. The voters in a local referendum made that decision 11 years ago. It is an inappropriate misuse of authority to divert money away from Houston because the Federal Government disagrees with the outcome of a local election. As the saying goes, we need to let Texans run Texas. These decisions should be made at the local level. Supporters of this language may try to argue that this is an attempt at fiscal responsibility. That is nonsense. This money is already appropriated for Houston. If Houston doesn't use it, it is not going back into the coffers, and it is not going to pay down the national debt. The money is going to some other city that will take the money. The idea that we will not take available transportation money for Houston sets a bad precedent for Houston because the next time Houston wants some Federal money, which is taxpayer money, we may not be so fortunate to get that money, because the folks up here said: Well, we offered you money once before, and you didn't take it. No more money for transportation. Houston is a donor State. Of the funds we send up here, 91 percent is all we get back. We don't get the other 9 percent. This is about the availability of transportation money to Houston, Texas. The underlying bill prohibits that money because of certain factors in the Houston area that don't like the outcome of this election and that don't like light rail. Debate that issue in the city. Let city officials make that decision. Let METRO make that decision. Let there be a lively debate among the citizens who are affected by light rail, but don't let Congress come in and overrule the will of the people of Houston, Texas, in an election that they had 11 years ago to accept Federal funding when it is appropriate for us to take it. And that's just the way it is. Mr. Chairman, I submit for the Record letters from the North Montrose Civic Association, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Upper Kirby Management District, the Transportation Advocacy Group Houston Region, the Women in Transportation, letters from the mayor's office, the Washington Avenue Improvement Committee, Houston Tomorrow, and other letters that I have received in support of my amendment. Greater Houston Partnership, Houston, Texas, June 6, 2014. Subject: Federal funding is crucial for Houston Hon. Ted Poe, House of Representatives, Rayburn Building, Washington, DC Dear Congressman Poe: On behalf of the 2,100 members of the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), we thank you for your leadership in Congress. In particular, we thank you for your efforts to ensure that every dollar of federal funding that is available to the greater Houston region continues to flow to our region. As an economic development organization we have been successful in attracting new businesses and development to our region since our establishment in 1989. In 2013, we estimate that our region brought in more than 300 projects, totaling more than $20 billion in capital investment, more than 20,000 new employees, and more than 30 million square feet in development. Since 2009, the businesses that GHP attracted to our region equates to $22.9 billion in economic development. A significant reason for our success has been our ability to leverage federal dollars in order to guarantee that our infrastructure is highly functional and our business climate is attractive. When relocating, businesses are attracted to cities that are progressing and planning for the future. At GHP, we continuously analyze issues of regional significance. Importantly, we also survey the Houston business community as well as business leaders across the nation and around the world to gauge perceptions about how Houston compares to other major metropolitan areas. One challenge for our region is the need to improve the attractiveness and quality of life aspects of Houston. Without improvements we will not be able to attract global talent and address local socioeconomic gaps that can hinder our region. Houston simply cannot afford to have limitations on federal funding or turn away money that can be utilized to make our region a better place to live, work and build a business. We are setting a bad precedent. As the largest business organization in the greater Houston region we encourage you to continue to stand up for your constituents. We share your commitment and dedication to the betterment of our region, and we thank you for your leadership on this issue. We stand ready to assist. Regards, Bob Harvey, President & CEO.

Mr. POE of Texas. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my request for a recorded voted on my amendment to the end that the amendment stand rejected by the earlier voice vote.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it was raining as the English Channel churned and tossed the Americans in the landing craft. The sun was coming up over the horizon, but no one could see it through the gray clouds. Thousands of teenage liberators stared into the distance to see the high cliffs of Normandy, France. It was D-Day, June 6, 1944--70 years ago. Expecting to land on Omaha Beach at 6:30 am ahead of other Allied Forces, Texan Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder led the United States Army Rangers' 2nd Ranger Battalion into what seemed like an impossible feat. As the treacherous weather conjured crashing waves five to six feet tall, a shifting wind tossed the Rangers off course. The mist, clouds and smoke obscured the navigation, making it hard to locate Pointe-du- Hoc from a mile out at sea. Their landing was delayed by forty minutes. Already, the mission seemed doomed. This navigational error meant two things: They would have to sail parallel to the coast facing intense enemy fire. It gave the enemy time to recover and prepare for the next assault. For almost half an hour, the Rangers rode along the coast as bullets were flying all around them. Some Rangers were hit by enemy fire. But bleeding or not, still they pushed forward. They battled the wind as the pelting rain blurred their vision and soaked their climbing equipment. They were exhausted and tense. The landing crafts that brought the GIs to shore were beginning to take on water, presenting yet another obstacle for Rudder's Rangers. Water began to leak in through the front ramp of the landing crafts, so the Rangers ripped up the floorboards and used their helmets to bail out the alarming amount of water rushing in all while the Nazis fired down at them atop the cliffs. One of the landing crafts sunk from the weather and enemy fire. The brutal conditions of the sea caused others in the landing crafts to become violently seasick. Finally, the Rangers reached the eastern side of the Pointe, their new designated landing spot. It was now 7:10 am The battle had just begun, and the odds were stacking up against Rudder's success. The Rangers were miserable, cold, wet and seasick; some bleeding from injury but none wavered. Their mission: to conquer the cliffs at Pointe-du-Hoc and find the big German guns. The guns could reap havoc on later landings. No longer was the weather their only enemy. As the first shoe print was made in the wet sand of Normandy, the Rangers came under brutal fire from atop the cliffs as the enemy chunked grenades down at them. The men had to resist the urge to take out the machine guns because the primary mission was to climb. Fifteen men were already lost in the crossing of the beach. Divided into three units, Lt. Col. Rudder prepared to lead the Provisional Rangers, task force A of 250 men up the cliffs. They moved quickly with precision and expertise. They shifted through the chaos that ensued around them all while operating soaking wet equipment. (The ropes attached to the grappling hooks were heavy with water and thus could not reach the top of the cliffs when launched from a mortar.) The Rangers used rope ladders, a few dry grappling hooks and steel ladders to scale the cliffs. Their machine guns were clogged with mud. Amidst enemy fire and malfunctioning equipment, the Rangers were flung back and forth climbing the wet ropes. While some Rangers provided cover on the beach, amazingly, the first ones to the top, conquered the cliff in 10 minutes. They in turn provided covering fire for the ones still on the beach. As soon as the Rangers pulled themselves over the cliff, snipers immediately fired. Fortunately, the heaving bombing the Americans had done to the island in the days beforehand had created large craters in earth. This allowed the Rangers to hide themselves from the enemy fire. Within half an hour, the remaining task forces had made it up the tall cliffs. Rudder, bleeding from two gunshot wounds, never let his focus waver or his determination grow weary. He discovered quickly that the Germans had left wooden decoys in the gun casements. Exhausted, wounded and bewildered, Rudder kept pushing the Rangers inland. They had to find the big guns. Around 8:00 am small patrols were sent south to locate the missing guns. By 9:00 am, their second goal completed. Now, they had to take them out. The Rangers had located the missing guns 600 yards south of the Pointe. The Nazis had hidden the guns back from the beach to protect them from Allied air strikes and naval bombardment. Rudders' Rangers took out the emplacements using thermite grenades and eliminated the enemy protecting them. The mission though completed in spite of the horrific obstacles was not without cost. Rudder's Rangers had over 50 percent casualties. Some Rangers gave their lives that summer morning conquering the cliffs. As American blood was shed on the French beaches and cliffs, General Rudder had secured the beachhead for later Allied Forces coming ashore. This paved the way to eventual victory. In the months leading up to the Normandy Invasion, Rudder's elite group of Army Rangers underwent rigorous training in preparation for the part that they would play for the invasion named Overlord at Normandy. Colonel Rudder put his 2nd Ranger Battalion through hell in order to prepare them for their mission at Pointe du Hoc. He made them march in full gear for over 20 miles. He had them train in hand to hand combat, climb rope ladders without safety harnesses and endure difficult amphibious training. The success that the Rangers had on D-Day was a direct result of Rudder's intense personal involvement with their training. The amount of effort and dedication he put forth into the training is why the troops were able to manage the chaos and complete their mission. Rudder made sure that every man was prepared to do the impossible. James Earl Rudder was born in the small Texas town of Eden, about 45 miles southeast of San Angelo, in 1910. After graduating from high school, he played football for two years at Tarleton State. He then transferred to Texas A&M in 1930. He graduated in 1932 with a degree in education. After graduation he joined the US Army Reserves as a second lieutenant. In 1937, he married Margaret Williamson (who graduated from the University of Texas), and together they had five children. In 1941, he was doing what he loved, coaching football, when duty called. These brave men who cracked the Nazi grip on Europe began with the liberation of France 70 years ago. From there, the Rangers went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge and U.S. forces on to Germany. Nothing like it had ever been done before in history. Over 150,000 Allied soldiers hit the beaches during the assault landings on the 6th of June. By the 4th of July, over 1 million joined in the invasion force through Normandy. It was a miraculous feat for 1944. Colonel Rudder received many military honors including the second highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross. He was a full Colonel by the end of the war and was promoted to Brigadier General of the U.S. Army Reserves in 1954 and Major General in 1957. After the war, Rudder returned to Texas. He remained a highly successful and distinguished Texan until his death. He served as Mayor of Brady for 6 years, visited the White House frequently--advising Lyndon Baines Johnson on many military issues and was hired to clean up the corruption going on in the General Land Office. Col. Rudder became president of Texas A&M University in 1959 and president of the entire A&M system in 1965, holding both positions until his death in 1970. The boys of D-Day came; they liberated; and some went home. Over 9,000 other GIs are buried at the top of the cliffs of Normandy France. As we reflect on those Rangers on D-Day, 70 years ago, and the Texan who led them into battle, Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder, we once again marvel at the lives of those we call the Greatest Generation of Americans. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Rogers for supporting this amendment but, more importantly, for his work on the Intelligence Committee for so many years and, prior to that, your work with the FBI. As a former judge, I got to see a lot of FBI agents come and testify in Texas, and they have a wonderful reputation. You also have that reputation, and thank you for your service in law enforcement and in the House. I also want to thank the ranking member for his support, generally, for this amendment. This amendment requires the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with relevant agencies, to produce a strategy to defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates. The amendment requires that the President clearly define groups like core al Qaeda and al Qaeda affiliates and other terms the administration uses to define this enemy of America. Al Qaeda continues to threaten the security of the United States and our allies, both here at home and abroad. Our intelligence services and our military have scored some real gains against al Qaeda, but al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is still able to provide technical, tactical, and strategic direction to its affiliates throughout the world. Al Qaeda has gone from on the verge of strategic defeat to a serious and growing threat, depending on who you ask in our intelligence services or even the administration. Today, al Qaeda controls more territory than it ever has. The fight against al Qaeda is far from over, and it will continue to grow. As chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, I have held over a dozen bipartisan hearings focusing on this very topic. Once again, I want to thank the chairman and ranking member for including this TNT Subcommittee in some of the work we have been doing together on the very issue of intelligence. During these 12 hearings in our subcommittee, we have yet to find a witness who can articulate or even agree with the administration's counterterrorism strategy or what it is or describe how the administration really views al Qaeda and its threat. This seems to be a problem. This needs to be clarified, so that all of us know exactly what our strategy is nationwide and worldwide. So this amendment is necessary, so we can all get on the same page in the hymnal with a clear strategy to defeat al Qaeda, so we understand what al Qaeda is really doing today in 2014. This is a constantly changing movement, and al Qaeda today isn't the same as the al Qaeda in 2001. We need to have a clear understanding of who we are fighting and how we are going to defeat the al Qaeda terrorists. Drone strikes and target raids are not a strategy; they are tactics. Therefore, I support this amendment, and I urge support by the committee and the whole House. And that's just the way it is. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it was 70 years ago. The sky was gray, the rain pelted the teenage Americans as they were part of the greatest amphibious attack in world history. It was June 6, 1944--D-Day. The rough seas of the English Channel tossed GIs about in the landing craft as they came under intense brutal fire from the enemy on the French shore. In spite of high casualties on the beaches, they moved forward. They climbed the unbelievable cliffs, and the troops were successful in driving the enemy from the French coast. Their success allowed more Americans to follow in future waves and later days and later weeks. My dad, Sergeant Virgil Poe, was one of them who came later. The GIs--they came, they liberated, and some went home. The others lie in graves atop the cliffs of Normandy, France. Their crosses and Stars of David glisten in the sun where 9,000 Americans are buried. We appreciate and remember all of them for giving up their youth so we could have a future. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the American Community Survey, first of all, is not the Census. What it is is a survey conducted by the Census Bureau of a portion of the American population every year. It has 48 questions, and those questions are intrusive. There is, in my opinion, intimidation by the Community Survey workers to get this information from citizens. A single mother in my district told me one of the workers came by her house and started peeping in the window, knocking on the door, and sat in the street waiting for her to come home from work to get this information from her. The information is intrusive. It violates the right of privacy, in my opinion. It asks questions like: How many times have you been married? Does anyone in your household have a mental problem? What time do you go to work? And: How many toilets do you have? It is 48 very intrusive questions. My amendment is very simple. It prohibits the Federal Government from enforcing a potential fine against a person for failure to fill out this information. Right now, if a person doesn't fill out this information, Community Survey workers tell the citizen that they can be fined $5,000. Do we really want to fine Americans $5,000 for not telling the government how many toilets they have in their home? There are other ways this information can be gathered by the government without being intrusive and without violating the right of privacy. I would ask Members to support my amendment to prohibit a fine being imposed on the American Community Survey, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I would make this simple comment. This information can be gathered by other means without violating the right of privacy of citizens, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa), my friend, for this amendment and not only this, but his hard work on victims' issues, even before he came to Congress, in California, being the author of the concept of the three strikes and you are out rule that is in California and many other States. I want to congratulate him on this. Madam Chair, the VOCA fund, Victims of Crime Act fund, is a great idea. What it is is, when criminals are convicted in Federal court, Federal judges impose fees and fines on that criminal, and that money goes into a fund that is designed to go to victims of crime. Great idea, let those criminals pay the rent on the courthouse, pay for the system they have created. $10 billion is in that fund, but less than 10 percent of it gets spent every year. Why is that? Because more money keeps coming in; those Federal judges are nailing those criminals, and more money keeps coming into the fund every year. It is $10 billion. Now, we are only spending a little bit of it for victims services. The reason is--this is my opinion--fuzzy math in the accounting procedure. If more money is spent, for some reason, that is counted as an increase in spending, even though it is not taxpayer money. The money belongs to victims, funded by criminals; so, because of the accounting procedure, we are only able to spend a fraction of the money each year. We want to spend more of the money because more keeps coming in. Victims deserve it. As my friend said, it is immoral that this money is not spent for victims that is in this fund. We understand the problem with the point of order. We would like future possibility to have the bill that Mr. Costa and I have sponsored, to get it on the floor. To make it very simple, the money that goes in the fund goes to victims, and it is not used to pay offsets for other government projects. I thank the gentleman. I do want to thank Chairman Wolf for working with us--he understands the problem--working with us to try to spend more of the money that belongs to victims that criminals have donated, maybe unwillingly, to the system.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the National Council of Georgia declared Georgia's independence on May 26, 1918. After 117 years, the statehood of Georgia was finally restored. But Georgia's fight for independence was not over. In February 1921, Georgia was attacked by the Red Army. The Democratic Republic of Georgia was no more. Now the Georgia Soviet Socialist Republic, Georgia was in the midst of World War II. Georgia contributed almost 700,000 fighters, and provided vital textiles and munitions to the Allies. For the next 46 years, the Soviets occupied Georgia but Georgia was not complacent with Soviet rule. After the Soviet Union fell apart, Georgia finally became free again. Since regaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Georgia has been a steadfast U.S. strategic partner in an important and often turbulent part of the world. But a certain country to the north does not like the fact that we are friends. In fact, the Napoleon of Siberia--as I like to call Putin--is set on breaking U.S. apart and restoring the glory days of the Soviet Union. As a country that continues to struggle against Russia's tyranny, Georgia knows better than anyone the threat Putin poses. Mr. Putin cannot be allowed to invade another sovereign country. The best way to stand up to Russia is to stand up together, as we have done so many times before. From the American perspective, there are few NATO strategic partners as capable and committed as Georgia. Georgia has been a key ally in our war on terror. Georgia's soldiers have stood shoulder to shoulder with ours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Georgia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the mission in Afghanistan. It has also served as a key logistical hub bringing troops and supplies in and out of the region. We have in turn, demonstrated our commitment to our relationship with the U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership. Since the signing of the Charter, the United States and Georgia have strengthened their mutual cooperation. Cooperation based on U.S. support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its commitment to further democratic and economic reforms. I would like to see the U.S. be more vocally supportive of Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and provide a clear path to its eventual membership in NATO. In February, Representative Keating and I proudly introduced a bill that affirms the U.S. Government's support for Georgia's eventual membership in NATO. It also calls on the Obama administration and our allies in Europe to formally extend to Georgia a Membership Action Plan at this year's NATO Summit in Wales. We must stand with those who have stood with us. We must honor independence by preserving independence. Together, I believe the United States and Georgia can help all peoples of the world hold on to the sweet taste of freedom. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in a changing world full of danger, the greatest threat to the United States and the rest of the world remains the same--the Iranian regime. This was once again demonstrated through the words of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a speech recently, he said that the Iranians who wish to negotiate with the United States are committing treason. He made it clear that the jihad battle will continue endlessly until they ``get rid of the oppressors'' with ``America at the head of it.'' Mr. Speaker, the Iranian regime believes their battle will not be over until America is destroyed. The blissful, unrealistic, and naive hope to the contrary, Iran has no plans to stop its development of nukes. The Supreme Leader said: ``The accelerated scientific advancement of the last 12 years cannot stop under any circumstances.'' Iran has time and time again lied about its nuclear weapons capability and development. America should realize that the ruler of Iran wants to destroy us in the name of religion by any means necessary. The United States should tighten sanctions against Iran, not relax them. And that's just the way it is.