Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, wildfires have raged in Texas because of a long drought this year. The town of Possum Kingdom, Texas, population 5,500, has burned up. This is one of the many photographs showing the raging fires throughout the State. Statewide, two firefighters have been killed; 400 homes have been destroyed. The 9,000 fires have covered over 2,200,000 acres--this is the size of Rhode Island and Connecticut put together--and the costs of the devastating destruction are enormous. The Governor has asked FEMA for a Federal disaster declaration because of the extensive fires, but the Governor has been turned down by the White House--no more additional help for Texas. Too bad Texas isn't a foreign country like Pakistan. The Federal Government has shelled out over $500 million for disaster aid to Pakistan citizens for the flooding in their country. When Washington considers aid, if any, for disaster relief, it should at least consider Americans in Texas just as important as Pakistanis, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Meanwhile, the fires continue to burn in Texas. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Osama bin Laden has met his maker, and we appreciate the Navy SEALs for arranging the meeting, but Pakistan gives us some concern. It seems like Pakistan might be playing both sides, and they have a lot of explaining to do. For all these years, we believed that Osama bin Laden was on the run, living in a cave; but, apparently, Satan's Pawn has been living for years in a million-dollar compound just yards away from a Pakistani military base, but Pakistan claims no knowledge of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts. I just don't buy it. I've introduced a bill that would require Congress and the American people to get a full understanding of what Pakistan knew about bin Laden's whereabouts and when they knew it, before we give them any more American money. Congress has already appropriated $3 billion in aid to Pakistan for this year; and unless Pakistan can prove that they were not providing sanctuary for America's number one enemy, they should not receive any American aid. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the long arm of American justice has found the pawn of Satan. The father of al Qaeda, the leader of terrorists, has met his maker, and May 1, 2011, was judgment day. Osama bin Laden was the emblem of all the evil and hatred that exists in this world. The men and women of our military and intelligence community are to be commended for their persistent, relentless dedication to finding and eliminating this monster from the Earth. This news brings some comfort to the families of the thousands of people who died in the attacks on September 11 and those who have died in the war on terror. Bin Laden's death is a decisive victory for America. While this momentous event brings us a sense of satisfaction, we must remember that there are more evildoers in the world who want to continue a crusade of hate and murder. Those people have heard our message loud and clear today: If you attack America, justice will be done, because justice is what we do in the U.S.A. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, our House Chaplain, Father Daniel Coughlin, is retiring from his duties after 11 years of serving the United States House of Representatives. Since our forefathers established this tradition in Congress in 1789, the House Chaplain has provided spiritual guidance, hope, and heavenly blessings through prayer every day. Each new day, Father Coughlin enters the House Chamber with his happy Irish spirit and a twinkle in his eyes, and prays to the Almighty so that Members will walk humbly and wise in the Lord's sight. Father Coughlin has been here during the troubling days of 9/11, during good times, and times that aren't so good. Father Coughlin, from Chicago, has been ordained for 50 years, and has found time to be an angel to the poor in Calcutta, India, where he lived with members of Mother Teresa's community. Over the years, this House has needed Father Coughlin's guidance, for, after all, you have to be in good with the Lord to pray for politicians every day. My prayer for Father Coughlin is that he continues to be a blessing to our Nation and to the people he encounters who need spiritual help-- and as he often says when ending his prayers--``both now and forever.'' And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Crime Victims' Rights Week. And the month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. These two occasions remind us of the importance of educating our fellow citizens about how we can help victims of this terrible crime and how we can stop sexual assault before it happens. According to the National Institute for Justice and the CDC, every two minutes someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. And one out of every six women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. As both a prosecutor and a judge back in Texas, I dealt with rape cases for 30 years. I learned firsthand the devastation sexual assault victims experience. Sexual Assault does not just physically harm the victim but is an assault on their entire being. We need to promote justice for sexual assault victims here in Congress and throughout this great nation because justice is what we do in America.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, during National Crime Victims' Rights Week, to congratulate the winner of the Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus Awards. Congressman Jim Costa of California and I are the co-founders and co- chairs of the Victims' Rights Caucus, a bi-partisan group of 60 members who work to be a voice for victims' rights in Congress and before the administration. Last week, we honored six incredible individuals who have made a real difference in the lives of victims and have greatly influenced the victims' rights movement. Some of the award recipients, including my nominee, Jess Smochek, were victims themselves and are now fighting for other victims' rights and changes in the system. Jess was terribly beaten, raped, and left for dead while volunteering for the Peace Corps in Bangladesh. The Peace Corps basically ignored Jess and did nothing to aid her in a time of great need. Jess found out that other volunteers in the Peace Corps, who were victimized during their service, were treated the same way. Instead of letting this go on, Jess took her awful experience and decided to advocate for a change in the Peace Corps policy toward victims. Because of her bravery in speaking out about this tough issue, the national media and Congress are aware of this unacceptable matter and are working with her to push for changes in the Peace Corps. We honored her with the Suzanne McDaniel Public Awareness Award because of her hard work to ensure no other selfless volunteer in the Peace Corps has to endure this treatment. Helga Luest is another award recipient who chose to seek change in the system after having a traumatic experience as a crime victim. After a brutal attack that almost cost her and her mother's lives, Helga began an organization called Witness Justice that works to help victims seek justice and experience healing. She is able to help countless victims with her first-hand knowledge of trauma and its direct impact on the well being of the individual. Helga received the Eva Murillo Unsung Hero Award because it truly takes a hero to rise up and use lessons from a terrible situation to help others. We also recognized heroes in the victims' rights community that directly aid crime victims through their work at shelters and with programs that assist victims and facilitate healing. Pam Kallsen, nominated by Victims' Rights Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Jim Costa, is the Executive Director of the Marjaree Mason Center in California's Central Valley. Through her leadership, the Center goes above and beyond traditional services providing legal representation, hotline services, and counseling sessions all of which are critical in responding to and preventing domestic and sexual abuse. Another exceptional leader in the field is Mary Ellen Stone, the Executive Director of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) in Washington State, a position in which she has served since 1979. Mary Ellen has not only helped KCSARC grow to be the largest sexual assault victims' service organization in the state but has also been involved in transforming the legal and political landscape of sexual assault violence in Washington and throughout the nation. Without these exemplary individuals, many victims would have nowhere to turn when facing a difficult situation and that is why these two wonderful women received the Ed Stout Memorial Award for Outstanding Victim Advocacy. A leader on the public policy front, receiving the the Lois Haight Award for Excellence and Innovation is Susan Smith Howley, Director of Public Policy for the National Center for Victims of Crime. She has devoted the past 20 years to the development and implementation of major crime victim related public policy initiatives at the local, state and national levels. Not long ago crime victims had few to no rights, and we are still working hard to ensure victims receive all the care and compensation they deserve. People like Susan, who work to ensure that the government protects innocent victims through creating and promoting innovative policies, are invaluable to victims throughout the country. Our last award, the Allied Professional Award was presented to Nilda Valmores who has dedicated her life to helping victims of domestic violence. The shelter where she serves as Executive Director, My Sister's House, focuses on the needs of immigrant Asian/Pacific Islander women and children. Through Nilda's collaborations with organizations throughout her community, My Sister's House and the larger issue of domestic violence facing immigrant women has received much needed attention. Congratulations to these amazing people, who are the reason why the victims' rights movement has made so much progress. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Victims of Crimes Act, or VOCA, as it's called, is a wonderful idea that requires convicted criminals to pay into a fund that is used by crime victims. It is the idea that criminals pay for the system they have created. They pay rent on the courthouse, so to speak, by putting money in a fund that goes to these victims. This VOCA fund is about $6 billion. This is not taxpayer money. It is money that belongs to victims. But Federal bureaucrats seem to want to rob this fund and pay for other Federal programs. We cannot allow this money to be taken from victims of violent crime. This money should be placed in a lockbox so it is only used by crime victims and victim services. During this National Crime Victims Week, our Nation must constantly be sensitive to the needs of people who have been robbed, assaulted, and harmed by criminals. We as a nation are judged not by the way we treat the rich, the powerful, and the famous, but by the way we treat the innocent, the children, the elderly, and victims of crime. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Arizona border ranchers tell me that when illegals enter Arizona with their maps and their lists of churches that give sanctuary, they also know about U.S. courts. When some illegals are actually captured, they oftentimes ask the Border Patrol if their case will be in the ninth court or the 10th court. Illegals want their cases in the ninth circuit court because they believe, based on history, the ninth court is liberal, tolerant and more lenient regarding illegal immigration and border security than the nearby 10th court. The ninth circuit court proved the illegals correct when the liberal court wrongly threw out the Arizona law that allows State law enforcement officers to enforce laws against illegal entry. Arizona had to enact this law because the Federal Government doesn't adequately secure the border. And how can a court possibly say it's unconstitutional for a State to protect its citizens? But there is hope. The ninth court has been reversed more than any other court by the Supreme Court, and hopefully the Supreme Court will rule that Arizona and the Federal Government have constitutional authority to protect the border from illegal entry. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. ``Houston, we have a problem.'' These were the words from space when Apollo 13 was in trouble. The NASA folks in Houston, Texas, helped bring Apollo 13 back to Earth safely. Now, Houston, we have another problem, because for obvious political reasons none of the four shuttles are going to be retired at Space Center USA--Houston, Texas--the home of NASA, the Johnson Space Center, and the home of the astronauts. For nearly 50 years, Houston, Texas, has been the center of world space exploration. Why the apparent shuttle snub to Houston and to history? Well, it's blatantly political. Texas is a red State, and the four winners of the shuttles--one of which has nothing to do with NASA--all are States that voted for the President. When the U.S. won its race to the Moon in 1969, the first word on the Moon was ``Houston,'' not ``New York City.'' Now it should be said, ``Houston, the shuttles have landed, but only in the blue States that voted for the President.'' This ought not to be, but that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last week Iraqi forces unleashed a surprise attack on Camp Ashraf, the home of thousands of Iranian exiles, including innocent men, women and children; 2,500 members of the Iraqi military, armed with military weapons, attacked those 3,000 unarmed Iranian exiles. These Iranian civilians are pro-American. They are exiles from Iran because of their opposition to the evil dictator, the little tyrant of the desert, Ahmadinejad. The Iraqis showed no mercy in their attack. They used live ammunition against these people who could not defend themselves. They ran over these citizens, smashing them with their American-made Humvees. Reports indicate an estimated 300 people were injured and 33 people were murdered in their vicious attack. And it doesn't stop there. Iraqi soldiers still occupy parts of Camp Ashraf. We don't even know if the attackers are all Iraqis. It has been reported that some of these occupiers could be Iranian agents who seek to harm the Iranian dissidents living in this camp. The international community cannot tolerate this unprovoked, violent attack by the Government of Iraq. We have a legal and moral obligation to ensure the safety of Iranian dissidents in Camp Ashraf. The innocent people who live in Camp Ashraf continue to be in danger as we speak. It has been reported that the Government of Iraq blocked the delivery of American humanitarian aid to the wounded until Sunday, 2 days after the attack. And just yesterday the Iraqi Government announced that they plan to close Camp Ashraf and move its residents out of the country. This is exactly what Ahmadinejad wants. If this happens, Mr. Speaker, these people's lives are in total danger. Why? Right now, some citizens of Camp Ashraf are members of the MEK. The MEK is on the United States' list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The FTO organization designation by the United States is still being used by Iran to justify the harsh treatment of its own citizens, of the MEK worldwide. Many nations have already removed the MEK off the FTO list. So the Government of Iran uses our designation as a justification to harm the MEK citizens. That is why the Iranian Government praised the attack in Camp Ashraf on the Iranian dissidents. Mr. Speaker, by not taking the MEK off the FTO list, we are endangering innocent people and empowering the Governments of Iran and Iraq to harm them. They are on our side. They oppose the evil dictator in Iran. This is just another example of the inconsistency the United States presents with our foreign policy. In one breath we say publicly we need to protect Camp Ashraf. Yet in the second breath we won't take MEK off the Foreign Terrorist Organizations list. Fifty-four of my colleagues have joined me on a resolution urging the Secretary of State to immediately remove the MEK from the FTO list. The State Department has yet to give convincing evidence that the MEK is an FTO. It is time they make their case or remove them from the designation. Failure to do this sends mixed signals to both the Iranian and Iraqi Governments. These governments think they have a license to kill these dissidents. This is a matter of life or death for the people in Camp Ashraf. If more Iraqi attacks occur against these people, the blood will be on the hands of the Iraqi Government and the little tyrant of the desert, Ahmadinejad. We must make it clear to the Iraqis that they do not have the right to attack Camp Ashraf just because America is leaving town. We must not tolerate these crimes against innocent civilians that we have legally and morally promised to protect. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, according to a Center of Immigration Studies report cited in the Houston Chronicle, 70 percent of Texas' illegal immigrant families with at least one anchor baby collect welfare from Uncle Sam. People illegally in the United States should not receive welfare. American citizens shouldn't pay for the welfare of people who violate the law to enter this country. Illegals are also draining our health care system. Sixty percent of the births over the last 4 years at a public hospital in Houston, Texas, were by women living here illegally. I was recently in Cochise County, Arizona, where they have been forced to shut down almost all of their maternity wards because they can't financially support all of the illegals coming into the country. Mr. Speaker, illegal immigration is breaking the bank. Let's take care of our citizens and legal immigrants first. Are you in, Mr. President? And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today we are engaged in a debate about out-of-control government spending, but there should never be an issue about fully funding our military. They should never worry that Congress will not provide them the resources to defend this Nation. So this House just passed a CR that fully funds the military and also cuts $12 billion, but the White House has issued a veto threat with no explanation. Why? Does the Commander in Chief intend to command a military with no money? Doesn't he know we are engaged in three wars? I just received an e-mail from one of our troops. He asks, ``How would the citizens of America feel if we, the military, did not defend our Nation one day because we went on strike?--but we won't go on strike. We will live in tents, eat MREs, and hope our families can survive without pay, food and shelter.'' The House has voted to support the military. The Senate needs to pass this bill. The President needs to sign up to support our troops. Are you in, Mr. President? And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the United States is engaged in a new concept of war. No longer will the United States go to war only when it is in our national security interest. The Obama Doctrine is ``war in the name of humanity.'' Secretary Gates said military intervention in Libya is not necessary for our national interest. So now we drop bombs in countries when we self-righteously decide the ruler is mean to his people. Is this a lawful reason, a legal reason for war in Libya? My concern is that the Constitution does not give the President unilateral authority to commit our military to foreign entanglements in the vague philosophy of humanity. There has been no prior consulting and consent of Congress. The War Powers Act only gives the President authority to enter into war without consulting Congress when a national emergency is created by an attack on the United States, its territories or possessions, or its Armed Forces. There is no such national emergency. So what is the legal authority for military intervention in Libya? We need some answers. Are you in, Mr. President? And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, the EPA is on a mission to destroy American industry. Their damaging plan to regulate the so-called carbon emissions will cost every household in America at least $1,600 per year. These unnecessary regulations will strangle the economy by driving up the cost of energy. Gasoline is $4 a gallon, will soon be $5 a gallon. It will put more Americans out of work, especially in the energy industry. Congress must take immediate action to stop the EPA and its out-of- control concepts from ruining American industry. Earlier this year, I introduced similar legislation to what we are considering today. I introduced it during the first CR. It passed this House with bipartisan support. And what it would do is similar to what this legislation is going to do: that would be to prevent the EPA's attempt to regulate so- called greenhouse gases. I support this rule and the underlying legislation. Madam Speaker, in my opinion, when regulators, especially those at the EPA, go to work every day, they go down the street here to one of these marble palaces, they get in a big room with a big oak table, they drink their lattes, and they sit around and say, ``Who can we regulate today?'' because that's what regulators do. Regulators regulate. And they figure out new ways to regulate the entire United States, all on the so-called premise of protecting us from ourselves. In my opinion, it has nothing really to do about protection, but it has to do about power. EPA has a power agenda and they have a political agenda, and they are trying to claim it is an agenda to protect all of us from ourselves. The EPA's regulation of greenhouse gases, in my opinion, lacks proven scientific basis. And the EPA is out of control. You know, the EPA overregulates, and it's driving energy businesses out of this country. It's hammering the American energy industry, and I doubt whether or not it is doing so with scientific basis. The United States is in an energy crisis. It's a national security issue. And what is the administration's energy plan? Let's not drill here. Let's not drill there. We can't drill in ANWR. We can't drill in any new lands in the United States. We are certainly not going to promote permitting in the Gulf of Mexico at a rapid pace so that we can drill there. But our energy plan, sayeth the administration, is to send money down to Brazil and let the Brazilians drill off of their coast so we can buy their crude oil. Now, that doesn't make any sense to me. It's time for us to drill in the United States safely. It's time for America to take care of America. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 235, I voted ``aye'' and I intended to vote ``no.'' (By unanimous consent, Mr. Dingell was allowed to speak out of order.) Rahall Casts 20,000th Vote