Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Linda Roberts from Kingwood, Texas, is one of my constituents. She received the American Community Survey and filled out only the information required by the Census Bureau and mailed it back to the Census Bureau. Let me make this clear. The census every ten years counts the population with the census forms. But the Census Bureau also sends out a longer, larger, more intensive document called the American Community Survey to many Americans throughout the 10 years of the census. Linda Roberts received this long form, the American Community Survey, and she did not fill out the survey. Later, she began to receive weekly calls from the Census Bureau telling her to complete the entire survey. When she refused to complete the survey, the calls increased from every week to multiple times each day. Now, this is a single mother working, trying to support her family, and she's being harassed by the Federal Government. Finally, a Census Bureau employee showed up at her house, ringing her doorbell, and peeking through her windows to see if she was inside, trying to get her to come to the door to fill out this long survey by the Census Bureau. The harassment didn't stop. On many occasions, Linda would come home from work and there would be a car from the Federal Government parked out there in front of her house trying to catch her as she went into her home to get her to fill out the American Community Survey. These are people from the Federal Government. Mrs. Roberts explained that she not only felt uncomfortable providing the detailed information to the Federal Government, but she was afraid. No kidding. Now, where, Madam Speaker, in the Constitution does it give the Federal Government the authority to do this? The Constitution does not authorize Peeking TomCrats to come from the Federal Government to snoop around our homes and get information from citizens. Here's what she said: Please do something about getting the Census Bureau to stop the harassment phone calls concerning the American Community Survey. I've also received calls from other people. George from Baytown, Texas, says he refused to fill out the American Community Survey so he started getting phone calls from all over the country from different area codes. He just regarded them as identity theft phishing scams, and so he didn't answer any of those calls. Madam Speaker, George and Linda are just two of the many people who have contacted my office about the intrusive American Community Survey from the Federal Government demanding people fill this out. Once again, this is not the census questionnaire; this is the Census Bureau giving another questionnaire to the American public and expecting them, by law, to fill this out. The questions are about 48 questions long. Here are some of the questions: Do you have a flush toilet in your house? What time do you go to work in the morning? What time do you come home in the afternoon? How much money do you make? How much money does your spouse make? Do you have a second mortgage on another home? Where is that home? Here is a good one: Because of a physical mental, or emotional condition, does someone in the household have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions? Now, isn't that lovely. The survey wants us to comment on the mental health of people that live in the house. I'm glad my wife didn't get this survey and fill it out talking about me. Madam Speaker, the government has no business asking these personal questions. It infringes on the right of privacy of the American public. People are upset about this because they are forced to provide this information to Uncle Sam or pay a sanction of a $5,000 fine. Government intimidation at its worst. Yes, there may be some benefits. The government says we use this information so we can help businesses plan whether to put a store on this corner or that corner. That's fine, but the Constitution doesn't authorize this, in my opinion. So if the businesses want that information, let them pay for it. Go to a polling system. So I think what we should do, Madam Speaker, is make this form voluntary. If people want to fill it out and give the Federal Government all this information, great, but they shouldn't be required to. I've introduced legislation and Rand Paul in the Senate has introduced legislation to make the American Community Survey voluntary. People shouldn't be required to fill it out. What's next? Is the government going to start asking us how many guns we've got in our home? what kind of cars we drive, whether they're green cars or whether we're driving pickup trucks? Where's it going to stop? The American Community Survey should be voluntary. Americans should not be required to fill it out, and we need to change the law to make it voluntary for the American public because freedom still means something in America. Keep the snoopers from Uncle Sam out of our lives. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in a beat up old Spanish mission 177 years ago today, the sun rose in the mist for the last time on a small band of soldiers. The fiery group of 187 Texas volunteers stood defiant against Dictator Santa Anna and his invading Mexican Army of several thousand on this, the 13-day siege of the Alamo. They came from many States and many foreign countries. There were 11 Tejanos--Texans of Spanish descent. Their names were Jim Bowie, Jim Bonham, David Crockett, and William Barret Travis. They were all killed on March 6, 1836, fighting for liberty over tyranny. Col. Travis was correct when he said that ``victory would be more costly for Santa Anna than defeat.'' Mexican losses were so huge that General Sam Houston had time to rally a Texas army and defeat the dictator, Santa Anna, on the plains of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836. Texas became a free and independent nation, a republic. The guns and bugles are silent at the Alamo, but all freedom-loving people should thank the Good Lord that in history there are those who are willing to face overwhelming odds and die for freedom rather than to live under oppression and tyranny. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, proud Texans naturally believe everything is bigger and better in Texas--because it is. Texas has the nation's biggest and longest highway system with nearly 80,000 miles of Texas highways. It is 880 miles from the Louisiana border to the New Mexico border and 500 miles from the Oklahoma border to the Mexican border. As Texas travelers are packing up and headed out across the great Lone Star State, odds are, they will make a pit stop at a Texas phenomenon--a convenience store called Buc-ee's. In 1982, Arch ``Beaver'' Aplin, founder and CEO of Buc-ee's, along with his business partner, Don Wasek, opened their first store in Lake Jackson, Texas. Super size dreams, determination and hard work proved successful for this duo; they now own 27 stores and employee over 1,000 Texans. At a Buc-ee's, you can always spot an Aggie, either from their personalized license plate, their maroon pick-ups adorned with A&M stickers, or the ring--don't forget the ring! Aplin himself is a proud Aggie. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1980 with a degree in construction science. At the age of 22, newly graduated Aplin began working for the family-owned construction business. Two months later, he got the idea to open the Lake Jackson convenience store. The rich heritage of tradition that sets Texas A&M apart from all the rest is evident in Aplin's approach to owning a convenience store. Like camels in a caravan, motorists follow the famous billboards to find their own road trip oasis. Buc-ee's are well known for their large and very clean restroom facilities, which earned them the ``2012 Cleanest Restroom in America'' Award--no wonder the women folk fancy stopping at Buc-ee's. There is something for the entire brood to enjoy from Beaver Nuggets, breakfast tacos, Bar-B-Que, beef jerky and fudge to T-shirts and Texas proud merchandise--even deer feeders and deer stands for sportsmen. Nowhere else on earth, but Texas, can you find a gas station bigger than a football field! I am not making this up. They have 5 flagship stores open 24 hours a day located in New Braunfels, Luling, Madisonville, Bastrop and Wharton. These stores are bigger than the average Buc-ee's--maybe we should nickname them the 8th Wonder of the World. It is truly an honor to recognize this Texas-owned business; not only for its standing as one of the top convenience stores in the State of Texas, but for the great services that it provides to the citizens of our great State. The employees are happy, Texas friendly, and helpful. On behalf of the Second Congressional District of Texas, I commend all Buc-ee's employees on a job well done, not only in our community, but throughout Texas. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the following is the names of the Defenders of the Alamo. Buchanan, James, Alabama; Fishbaugh, William, Alabama; Fuqua, Galba, Alabama; White, Isaac, Alabama; Baker, Isaac G., Arkansas; Thompson, Jesse G., Arkansas; Warnell, Henry, Arkansas; Jennings, Gordon C., Connecticut; Grimes, Albert (Alfred) Calvin, Georgia; Melton, Eliel, Georgia; Shied, Manson, Georgia; Wells, William, Georgia; Wills, William, Georgia; Lindley, Jonathan L., Illinois. Bailey, Peter James III, Kentucky; Bowie, James, Kentucky; Cloud, Daniel William, Kentucky; Darst, Jacob C., Kentucky; Davis, John, Kentucky; Fauntleroy, William H., Kentucky; Gaston, John E., Kentucky; Harris, John, Kentucky; Jackson, William Daniel, Kentucky; Jameson, Green B., Kentucky; Kellogg, John Benjamin, Kentucky; Kent, Andrew, Kentucky; Rutherford, Joseph, Kentucky; Thomas, B. Archer M., Kentucky; Washington, Joseph G., Kentucky; Despallier, Charles, Louisiana; Kerr, Joseph, Louisiana; Ryan, Isaac, Louisiana; Garrand, James W., Louisiana; Smith, Charles S., Maryland. Flanders, John, Massachusetts; Howell, William D., Massachusetts; Linn, William, Massachusetts; Pollard, Amos, Massachusetts; Clark, M.B., Mississippi; Millsaps, Isaac, Mississippi; Moore, Willis A., Mississippi; Pagan, George, Mississippi; Parker, Christopher Adams, Mississippi; Baker, William Charles M., Missouri; Butler, George D., Missouri; Clark, Charles Henry, Missouri; Cottle, George Washington, Missouri; Day, Jerry C., Missouri; Tumlinson, George W., Missouri; Cochran, Robert E., New Hampshire; Stockton, Richard Lucius, New Jersey; Cunningham, Robert W., New York; Dewall, Lewis, New York; Evans, Samuel B., New York; Forsyth, John Hubbard, New York; Jones, John, New York; Tylee, James, New York. Autry, Micajah, North Carolina; Floyd, Dolphin Ward, North Carolina; Parks, William, North Carolina; Scurlock, Mial, North Carolina; Smith, Joshua G., North Carolina; Thomson, John W., North Carolina; Wright, Claiborne, North Carolina; Harrison, William B., Ohio; Holland, Tapely, Ohio; Musselman, Robert, Ohio; Rose, James M., Ohio; Ballentine, John J., Pennsylvania; Brown, James Murry, Pennsylvania; Cain (Cane), John, Pennsylvania; Crossman, Robert, Pennsylvania; Cummings, David P., Pennsylvania; Hannum, James, Pennsylvania; Holloway, Samuel, Pennsylvania; Johnson, William, Pennsylvania; Kimble (Kimbell), George C., Pennsylvania; McDowell, William, Pennsylvania; Reynolds, John Purdy, Pennsylvania; Thurston, John M., Pennsylvania; Williamson, Hiram James, Pennsylvania; Wilson, John, Pennsylvania. Martin, Albert, Rhode Island; Bonham, James Butler, South Carolina; Crawford, Lemuel, South Carolina; Neggan, George, South Carolina; Nelson, Edward, South Carolina; Nelson, George, South Carolina; Simmons, Cleveland Kinloch, South Carolina; Travis, William Barret, South Carolina; Bayliss, Joseph, Tennessee; Blair, John, Tennessee; Blair, Samuel C., Tennessee; Bowman, Jesse B., Tennessee; Campbell, James (Robert), Tennessee; Crockett, David, Tennessee; Daymon, Squire, Tennessee; Dearduff, William, Tennessee; Dickinson, Almeron, Tennessee; Dillard, John Henry, Tennessee; Ewing, James L., Tennessee; Garrett, James Girard, Tennessee; Harrison, Andrew Jackson, Tennessee; Haskell, Charles, M., Tennessee; Hays, John M., Tennessee; Marshall, William, Tennessee; McCoy, Jesse, Tennessee; McKinney, Robert, Tennessee; Miller, Thomas R., Tennessee; Mills, William, Tennessee; Nelson, Andrew M., Tennessee; Robertson, James Waters, Tennessee; Smith, Andrew H., Tennessee; Summerlin, A. Spain, Tennessee; Summers, William E., Tennessee; Taylor, Edward, Tennessee; Taylor, George, Tennessee; Taylor, James, Tennessee; Taylor, William, Tennessee; Walker, Asa, Tennessee; Walker, Jacob, Tennessee. Abamillo, Juan, Texas; Badillo, Juan Antonio, Texas; Espalier, Carlos, Texas; Esparza, Gregorio (Jose Maria), Texas; Fuentes, Antonio, Texas; Jimenez, Damacio, Texas; King, William Phillip, Texas; Lewis, William Irvine, Texas; Lightfoot, William J., Texas; Losoya, Jose Toribio, Texas; Nava, Andres, Texas; Perry, Richardson, Texas; Andross, Miles Deforest, Vermont; Allen, Robert, Virginia; Baugh, John J., Virginia; Carey, William R., Virginia; Garnett, William, Virginia; Goodrich, John Camp, Virginia; Herndon, Patrick Henry, Virginia; Kenny, James, Virginia; Main, George Washington, Virginia; Malone, William T., Virginia; Mitchasson, Edward F., Virginia; Moore, Robert B., Virginia; Northcross, James, Virginia. Zanco, Charles, Denmark; Blazeby, William, England; Bourne, Daniel, England; Brown, George, England; Dennison, Stephen (or Ireland), England; Dimpkins, James R., England; Gwynne, James C., England; Hersee, William Daniel, England; Nowlan, James, England; Sewell, Marcus L., England; Starr, Richard, England; Stewart, James E., England; Waters, Thomas, England; Wolfe, Anthony (Avram), England; Wolfe, son age 12, England; Wolfe, son age 11, England; Burns, Samuel E., Ireland; Duvalt, Andrew, Ireland; Evans, Robert, Ireland; Hawkins, Joseph M., Ireland; Jackson, Thomas, Ireland; McGee, James, Ireland; Rusk, Jackson J., Ireland; Rusk, Jackson J., Ireland; Ward, William B., Ireland; Courtman, Henry, Germany; Thomas, Henry Germany; Ballentine, Richard W., Scotland; McGregor, John, Scotland; Robinson, Isaac, Scotland; Wilson, David L., Scotland; Johnson, Lewis, Wales. Brown, Robert, Unknown; Day, Freeman H.K., Unknown; Garvin, John E., Unknown; George, James, Unknown; McCafferty, Edward, Unknown; Mitchell, William T., Unknown; Mitchell, Napoleon B., Unknown; Roberts, Thomas H., Unknown; Smith, William H., Unknown; Sutherland, William Depriest, Unknown; White Robert, Unknown; John (Free Black), Unknown; Joe, Travis' slave.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the President's sequester has gone into effect and, according to the White House, the sky is falling. The administration is on a tour de fear with the American people, yet it has the power to prioritize spending. Who made the priority list? Pakistan. That's right, Madam Speaker. In the midst of doom and gloom of sequestration, the administration is quietly shelling out an additional $37 million to Pakistan. That's over half of the $67 million being cut from public education in Texas. Pakistan is the Benedict Arnold nation in the list of countries we call allies. Pakistani leaders are continuing to vilify the United States on one hand and, with the sleight of hand, take our money--money I believe ends up in the hands of radical extremists. Pakistan plays the game of dangerous, dishonest deceit by pretending to be our ally in the war on terror while simultaneously giving a wink and a nod to extremism. Mr. President, fund our schools, not a disloyal ally. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the talk around town is the paranoid gun control crowd that want more gun restrictions and more government control over guns. If they had their way, some of them would actually outlaw the Second Amendment, and the result would be that the people would have no guns. The only ones that would have guns would be the government and, of course, criminals who ignore gun laws. I call it the ``Mexico model.'' Guns are outlawed in Mexico. The citizens cannot possess guns. There is no Second Amendment and so the government has guns and criminals have guns. Some of those criminals have guns thanks in part to the United States Government sending 2,000 assault weapons to them in Fast and Furious. But that's another story. U.S. cities are moving toward the Mexico model. Chicago and Washington, D.C., have laws that make it very difficult for a citizen to exercise the Second Amendment. These cities make it difficult to even own a firearm. But all three places--Mexico, Chicago, Washington, D.C.--all have a reputation of being violent, unsafe places. Why? Because they are. If D.C. was so safe, why are government guards everywhere in the city? Even here in this Capitol building, there are armed guards on the roof, at the doors, at the back doors, at the doors over to the east and to the west. It's hypocritical of the gun control crowd in this Chamber to say ``more guns for me, but not for thee.'' If these cities were safe, gun control laws would work, but they don't work. But there is a Federal law that the city of Richmond, Virginia, took advantage of, and it goes back to 1997. Richmond, Virginia, was one of the top five U.S. cities with the highest per capita murder rate in the United States. So the city used a Federal law to help them control the crime problem. Project Exile is the name. The local and State government voluntarily cooperated with the United States Attorney's Office in gun prosecutions. Here's how it works: if a local or State law enforcement official arrested some criminal for a felony offense but the person also had a gun, the State official could voluntarily transfer the case to Federal court because in Federal court the person could be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office and get an additional 5 years in the Federal penitentiary because the criminal, the drug dealer, had a firearm in their possession. It's a simple plan that worked quite well. In fact, it worked so well that in the first year Richmond, Virginia's homicide rate was down 33 percent. By 1999, homicides in Richmond, Virginia, were down 97 percent--all because the criminal was prosecuted for unlawfully possessing a firearm and the government put their resources where they should: prosecuting criminals that use guns in the commission of their offense. The law held the criminal accountable and exiled him out of the community. That's where the phrase ``Project Exile'' comes from. He was exiled from the community to the Federal penitentiary where other criminals were. Lock the gun-toting crooks up and send them away. What a novel idea: a law that's already on the books. Maybe violent cities like Chicago and Washington, D.C., should look at Project Exile and hold criminals accountable for the violence that they commit and not be misguided by some who continue to assault the Second Amendment and not punish criminals. Maybe our system should focus on the person who commits the crime with the weapon as opposed to trying to punish really good folks that own firearms and exercise their right under the Second Amendment to bear arms. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. ``Thank a Teacher.'' Mr. Speaker, we have all seen that bumper sticker. I come from a family of teachers. My mother, mother-in-law, wife, and three of my four kids are teachers by profession. When a special little girl, Kara, was in the third grade, she and her parents noticed her difficulty in processing words. Her speech pattern affected her self-esteem, her self-worth, and even her weight. Some kids made fun of her. Mrs. Morgan, the third grade teacher, was determined to help the little girl speak better. With hard work, the little girl and teacher overcame the word problem. The student graduated as high school valedictorian. She obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees. She also obtained a Ph.D. There is more. Today, that little girl received notice that she is tenured as an associate professor at Baylor University in the department of, yes, English. For you see, Kara Poe Alexander, our daughter, the little girl that had trouble talking, has a Ph.D. in English rhetoric, the study of words. Congratulations, Kara, on being tenured faculty. And thank you, Mrs. Morgan, a teacher. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Violence against women is awful. I think we can all agree with that. Behind the scenes in homes throughout America, behind closed doors bad things are happening in those families. It is violent. It affects the spouse, the children, and the quality of life of our community. Today, the House of Representatives can do something about that to make America safer for women, primarily, and their children. We have two choices before us today: the House bill, the Senate bill. But there's another thing going on behind closed doors in America as well, and that's sexual assault that is occurring in America. I spent time on the bench as a judge in criminal cases in Texas for 22 years; and one of the greatest scientific, forensic discoveries was DNA. It's helped prosecute sexual assault cases. DNA: when those outlaws commit sexual assault crimes against primarily women and children, they leave DNA evidence, it's examined, and we find out who the criminal was. But here's the problem: there are 400,000 DNA rape kits that have not been tested, some going back 20 and 25 years. They're so old that when it's determined who the outlaw is, they can't be prosecuted because the statute of limitations has run; 400,000 cases where rape victims are waiting for us to just analyze those sexual assault cases. That concept is called the SAFER bill, sponsored by Carolyn Maloney and myself to try to fix that issue by taking money in one legislation and putting it in the SAFER legislation to analyze those 400,000 cases so victims know who committed the crime, and also outlaws go to prison and not get a free ride because there's not money to test those cases. That SAFER bill is in the Senate version. I encourage the House of Representatives to vote for the SAFER bill because it is in the Senate legislation. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove all cosponsors from H. Res. 88.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there was once a man who wouldn't take no for an answer when told he was too young to join the United States Army. He looked for ways to join, even if it meant telling a recruiter a whopper about his age. In the recruiter's eyes he was 21 when he was just 16. And the only way he could land foot in the action of World War I was to drive an ambulance. It was the quickest way he could get to the battlefield. He desperately wanted to help other Americans that were already fighting the war to end all wars. During the war, not only did he rescue Americans, but he rescued the other wounded allies and took them back behind enemy lines. This brave man was Frank Buckles. Even after being told ``no,'' he became the last surviving doughboy from America. This week marks 2 years since his death. He was 110 years old, and a true fighter, Mr. Speaker. Today, I remember my friend and patriot, Mr. Buckles. We celebrate the remarkable life that he lived. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on March 2, 1836, Texas declared her independence from Mexico, and on April 21, 1836 at the Battle of San Jacinto--the most important military victory in Texas history--Texas actually became a Republic all unto herself and remained so for nine glorious years. On the marshy plains of San Jacinto, the victory over Santa Anna and the Mexican Army under General Sam Houston and the Boys can be credited not only to the Texas Army on land but also to the forces patrolling the Gulf of Mexico--the first Texas Navy. The Texas Navy was established on November 25, 1835 to protect supply lines between Texas and New Orleans from Mexican naval ships. A tiny fleet of four schooners, named the Independence, Brutus, Invincible and Liberty, were purchased to protect and supply the new Republic. The Navy had its own Commodore, Captain Charles Hawkins, appointed by the Republic's own president, David G. Burnet. Commodore Hawkins was born in New York in 1802. At the age of 16, Hawkins enlisted in the United States Navy as a midshipman and began his military career in the Atlantic before transferring to the West Indies. On board a ship in the West Indies, Hawkins met Commodore David Porter, a hero of the War of 1812. Commodore Porter got himself into some mischief after invading a town in Puerto Rico in 1825 and was court-martialed. He resigned, chose to go command the Mexican Navy fleet and recruited the feisty, young sailor Hawkins to join him in the Mexican Navy. Hawkins spent the next several years as a Mexican naval commander, fighting against Spaniard ships opposing Mexico's Independence in the Gulf of Mexico. The Mexican Navy soon began to have doubts about American officers serving aboard their ships; these worries caused Hawkins to resign and move to Texas in 1828. Once in Texas, Hawkins worked as a river captain on the Chattahoochee. Hawkins' path to the Texas Navy started when he met General Sam Houston in San Felipe. Houston was impressed with Hawkins' experience and his desire to serve as navy captain to the new Texas Republic. Houston referred Hawkins to Governor Henry Smith, who then sent Hawkins to New Orleans to begin command over the Independence. At the age of 34, as Commander of the Texas Navy, Hawkins sailed the Independence to the Gulf of Mexico to patrol the coast between Galveston and New Orleans. Meanwhile, General Sam Houston was busy building the Texas Army to defeat Santa Anna near the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou at Lynch's Ferry. On the afternoon of April 21st, General Sam and the Boys, 700 Texas Freedom fighters, marched double time, in a single line of independence--taking on a professional army over twice their size. Santa Anna's army, caught napping, was routed. Most of the enemy was killed or wounded. The rest were captured or disappeared. The victory was stunning. The rest, as they say, is Texas history. But one of the most important factors in that Texas victory, mentioned briefly by some historians, was the maritime activity and success of the first Texas Navy. Commodore Hawkins and his brave crew of gutsy, scrappy sailors changed the course of Texas history on April 21, 1836. The Texas Navy helped win Texas independence by preventing Mexican ships from supplying Santa Anna, seizing gunpowder on Mexican ships and delivering aid to General Sam Houston's army. The heroic acts of the first Texas Navy resulted in one of the largest land transfers in world history and gave way to a new independent nation--the Republic of Texas. Texas still has an ``Honorary'' Texas Navy. In the 1980s, the Governor of Texas appointed me as an Admiral in the Texas Navy. (Everyone in the Navy is an Admiral.) During my tenure as a judge, I ordered offenders to be ``enlisted'' in the ``Texas Navy.'' The probationers were skilled welders, painters, plumbers and electricians. They were required to help in the restoration efforts of the Battleship Texas. This became another effective tool that both served the public and the probationer--a few went on to be hired by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The probationers became a part of the history of the great ship ``Texas''. After being dry docked in Galveston in the 80's, many much needed repairs were made by different organizations and thousands of volunteers--all to help preserve the Battleship Texas. The Texas Navy is one of the unique historical traditions of our great State. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the sequester was a bad idea. I voted ``no.'' It actually came from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, however. The House has voted twice to replace the President's sequester with other spending cuts. However, the ``siesta'' Senate ignored the House bills and did what it does best--nothing. Now, in the 11th hour, the President has disowned his sequester and instead has launched the taxpayer-funded tour de blame. He has also dispatched his Cabinet on a tour de fear. The White House ``sky is falling'' crowd says flights will be delayed and undocumented immigrants in custody will be freed. That is a Madison Avenue-style campaign to instill fear into Americans. The President holds the power to determine what bills will be paid, not Congress--but he does not have the will to prioritize spending or manage the people's money. He only knows one way to lead: tax more, spend more, and continue the tour de blame. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, sequestration is a bad idea. I voted ``no.'' The idea for the sequester came from White House advisers. The President quickly signed the sequester and made it the law of the land. Now he has buyer's remorse. The House, in seeing the error of its ways, repented, and two times replaced the sequestration with rational cuts. The President's siesta Senate, however, ignored the House legislation and went missing in action. Rather than administer with a smidge less taxpayer money, the President blames others for his fate. This is in spite of his power to determine priorities in spending, so he says the sky is falling because his government cannot operate without more money. He does not have the ability to produce a balanced budget or cut back waste, duplication, inefficiency, or fluff. As the sequester is upon us, it is time for the President to lead America and govern with less money, but the President only knows one way to rule--tax more, spend more, and scare the people more. This is the inability to govern. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Sugar Land, Texas, for his insightful words. You pointed out, Mr. Olson, that he spent 4 years in a prisoner-of-war camp. During those 4 years, he didn't talk to another American for 4 years. He could tap on the wall to contact them in codes that they'd developed over the numerous years they'd all been in confinement. They tapped out the names of the other prisoners, the 374 other prisoners that had been in the Hanoi Hilton at one time. They all memorized the 11, the Alcatraz Gang, as they called themselves. They memorized those names because they all expected that they were going to escape and get back and be able to tell those families who had come into the camp. A remarkable story. I now yield to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roger Williams.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman for his wise words. I now yield to the gentlewoman from Fort Worth, Texas, Ms. Kay Granger.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman for his comments. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Steve Stockman.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman. I would ask the Speaker how much time I have remaining.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize another aviator, although he wasn't in the Air Force--he was in the Navy, which still counts. He served our country as a naval aviator before coming to the House of Representatives, Mr. Pete Olson of Sugar Land, Texas.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman. I now yield to the gentleman from Lubbock, Texas, Mr. Randy Neugebauer.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Texas. I now yield to the gentleman from Round Rock, Texas, Judge John Carter.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, Judge Carter points out something that happened to Sam Johnson during that 7 years that a lot of people don't realize. When he was in that little cell, 3-foot by 9-foot, he was so obstinate, the North Vietnamese Army would take him out of the cell; they would beat him up. He would never break. They would get so mad at that, that he wouldn't break, that they would line him up against the wall and they would tell him they're going to shoot him. They would blindfold him. They would get their AK-47s ready and, as Judge Carter mentioned, they would pull the trigger--click, click, click--then they would laugh at him. Sam Johnson would say, ``Is that the best you got? Is that the best you got?'' He didn't take anything from the Vietnamese, even though they tried to do everything they could to break him down. That's what makes him so remarkable. You may notice, Mr. Speaker, he's sitting back here on our scriptural row. All the Texans sit on the same row. He sits in the middle. One reason we sit back there is because that's the row he picks. So we all sit next to him. And you'll see every day when the House is in session, the Texans, we're all together sitting around Sam Johnson. We kind of stick together for a lot of reasons. I now yield to the gentleman from Texas, Dr. Michael Burgess.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I now recognize the gentleman from Tyler, Texas, Judge Gohmert.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the Speaker. I yield to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Blake Farenthold.

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Tyler, Texas. I now recognize a gentleman from Texas, Mr. Lamar Smith.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Michael Conaway.