Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. The purpose of H. Con. Res. 328 is to express the sense of Congress regarding the successful and substantial contributions of the Bayh-Dole Act on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its enactment. The Act establishes the rules of the road governing patent rights when the Federal Government and private entities participate in joint research that produces patentable inventions. Article I, section 8, clause 8 of the United States Constitution provides Congress with the authority ``to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.'' The drafters of the Constitution, however, couldn't have predicted that the Federal Government would one day become a catalyst for the development of advanced technologies. Prior to Bayh-Dole, the Federal Government permitted the private sector to commercialize less than 5 percent of the government's patent portfolio. As former Senator Robert Dole stated in 2005, the government's track record on promoting university-born technologies during the 1960s and 1970s was ``dismal.'' The failure to capitalize on this important research delayed innovations that could have improved the quality of life for millions of Americans. What was the government doing wrong before 1980? Simply put, the government was focused on something else. At the time, at least 26 distinct Federal agency policies controlled how the federally funded research and development could be used. Bayh-Dole fundamentally changed the government's patent policy by replacing helter-skelter licensing practices with a single uniform policy. This shift created the incentives that private industry, including small businesses, nonprofits, and universities, needed to risk their capital and develop patented inventions. Bayh-Dole has created a culture of cooperation and collaboration among government, university, and private-sector researchers. The act contributed to the commercial development of new industries such as biotechnology and nanotechnology. In 2003, the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology affirmed the importance of Bayh-Dole by reporting that it dramatically improved the Nation's ability to move ideas from research and development to the marketplace and into commerce. This same organization determined that the system for transferring technology from nonprofit institutions, which includes universities, hospitals and government laboratories, to the private sector has worked very well. H. Con. Res. 328 reaffirms Congress' commitment to the policies and objectives of Bayh-Dole. This Act has sparked 30 years of enhanced research and development within the United States, leading to dramatic improvements in public health and safety, a strengthened higher education system in the United States, and the development of new domestic industries that have created tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs for America's citizens. Mr. Speaker, Bayh-Dole illustrates how the government and private industry can work together for the good of the American people. I salute the authors of Bayh-Dole and reaffirm my commitment to this Act. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

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

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of this bill, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cao), who not only is from Louisiana, he is from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides for consideration of legislation to prohibit the creation and sale of so-called ``animal crush videos.'' These videos depict small animals being slowly crushed to death by women using their bare feet or while wearing high heels. The FBI, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Justice consider animal cruelty to be one of the early warning signs of potential violence by youths. All 50 States and the District of Columbia have laws banning acts of animal cruelty such as these portrayed in those videos. However, animal crush videos often do not reveal the identity of those involved, making it difficult for States to prosecute the perpetrators for the underlying animal cruelty. Federal legislation is necessary to address the interstate sale and distribution of these videos, which is often beyond the reach of many States. Federal penalties will serve as an additional deterrent to those who engage in this behavior. H.R. 5566, the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010, responds to the Supreme Court's recent decision in U.S. v. Stevens, which invalidated the Federal animal cruelty statute codified at 18 U.S.C., Section 48. Originally enacted in 1999, with broad bipartisan support, the statute attempted to address animal cruelty, including crush videos. The law was successful in virtually eliminating the market for those videos. In light of the Supreme Court's decision, however, the animal crush video industry has reemerged. H.R. 5566, sponsored by Mr. Gallegly and Mr. Peters, responds to the Stevens decision by specifically criminalizing only animal crush videos. The bill limits this new criminal offense to only obscene material. The Supreme Court has recognized Congress' authority to regulate obscene material as a category of unprotected speech under the First Amendment. The legislation also specifically omits customary and normal veterinary videos, and any depiction of slaughtering, hunting, trapping of animals for food. With this added safeguard for hunters, I support this legislation. The House of Representatives passed this bipartisan legislation by a vote of 416-3 on July 31 of this year. In September, the Senate approved a revised bill to expand the prohibition to include the creation and noncommercial distribution of animal crush videos, including those videos created overseas but distributed in the United States. Today we have the opportunity to send the bill to the President's desk and put an end to the revived animal crush industry. Unfortunately, this resolution does not do that; instead, it removes any culpability for those who attempt to make these videos and reduces penalty for coconspirators. By sending the bill back to the Senate today, we guarantee the animal crush legislation probably will not be completed by this Congress and that the animal crush market will continue to grow with little fear of prosecution. It is my hope this outstanding issue can be resolved quickly, however, so that our efforts to curb the proliferation of animal crush videos in this Congress will be successful. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, America honors Hispanic Heritage this month. I would like to recognize some of Texas' heroes who served their country in body and deed, held up the torch of bravery and, in turn, were awarded Medals of Honor for their actions. Born in San Marcos, Texas, Cleto Rodriguez enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944, where he served as a Private in Company B, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division. On February 9, 1945 in Manila, while crossing a railroad station, Cleto's platoon was stopped by intense Japanese gunfire. Without being ordered to do so, Rodriguez and a fellow soldier, Private First Class John N. Reese, Jr., left the platoon and marched straight into the enemy volley. For two and a half hours, charged on conquest, Rodriguez and Reese killed over 82 Japanese soldiers and paved the way for an American victory at the railroad station that day. Sadly, Reese was killed in action defending his friends and country. For his ``determination to destroy the enemy and courage in the face of tremendous odds,'' Rodriguez was awarded the Medal of Honor. He became the first Mexican American GI to be given this award in the South Pacific. Private First Class Silvestre Herrera, drafted to the U.S. Army in 1944, was a seasoned veteran. He had been stationed on the front lines in Germany for several months. A part of the 36th ``Texas'' Division, Herrera had experienced the most violent fighting in the Central Europe campaign when the Allies closed in to deliver the finishing blow on Nazi Germany. As Americans advanced toward the border, German resistance mounted. That day, Herrera's division, the 142nd Regiment, neared the French-German border town of Mertzwiller. When orders were given to advance the town, Herrera, being a scout, was 400 yards ahead of his company. The regiment was suddenly overwhelmed by machine gun nest fire from the enemy. Armed with only a bayonet and an M1 hand rifle, Herrera single-handedly captured eight German soldiers and sent them to American lines. However, upon gearing up for a second attempt to end the gunfire, he stepped on an anti-personnel mine that blew off both his feet. Despite the intense pain and loss of blood, Herrera continued to fight and kill two more German soldiers. His presence enabled his comrades to lead a full frontal attack on the enemy position. For his heroism that day Silvestre Herrera was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. And last, but certainly not least--a hero from Congressional District 2. One of twelve children from a large Mexican American family, Lucian Adams was born in Port Arthur, Texas in 1922. The summer of 1944, Adams was stationed near the town of Saint-Die in the Mortagne forest of France. With supply lines cut off by the Germans, Adams was sent out as a scout for his company and alerted the commander of three enemy machine gun nests. He was given orders to ``go on out there and make a breakthrough to get those GIs.'' Armed with a borrowed Browning automatic rifle, Adams and his men started walking in a heavily wooded area of the forest. Having only walked 10 yards, enemy machine guns killed three men and wounded six others almost instantaneously. The company ran to take cover. However, Adams charged forward. He killed nine Germans, shot lobbying grenades, eliminated three enemy machine guns and forced two German infantrymen to surrender. In a matter of 10 minutes, Adams had successfully cleared the woods of enemy soldiers and reopened the severed supply line. Adams was dubbed ``The Texas Tornado'' by his company men and received the Medal of Honor in 1945. The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest award for gallantry in action and is only given to the bravest of the brave. It is the American symbol of knighthood. Men like Rodriguez, Herrera and Adams deserve only the utmost respect from their countrymen. They are statues of strength--true visions of valor. With a thankful heart, I tip my hat to the Texas heroes who fought and are fighting for liberty. America salutes you. And, that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 20th anniversary of the annual September celebration of the harvest of rice in the United States. For centuries, rice has been the primary food staple for over half of the world's population. Today, the United States and countries around the world still enjoy rice as a dietary staple, but also as the foundation for many dishes and side dishes. Rice is enjoyed as part of cereal, flour, bran, cooking oil, rice cakes and many other snacks. Rice production has and continues to be a significant source of revenue for the American economy. In fact, rice production in the United States dates back to 1685 and is one of the oldest agribusinesses in the United States. Rice continues to be produced in force by 10,500 rice farmers in the States of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and in my home State of Texas. In fact, I am proud to have 45 active rice farmers working on 20,000 acres of rice fields in the district that I represent--the most of any Congressional district in Texas. In Texas alone, the rice industry has created 2,700 jobs and $1.6 billion in total economic activity. Rice farming is of critical importance to the economy of my district and to the southern United States. In 2009, rice farmers in the U.S. produced nearly 22 billion pounds of rice that had a farm gate value of more than $3 billion. Subsequent sales of rice generated $17.5 billion in total value added to the U.S economy. This activity contributed 127,000 jobs to the U.S. labor force in 2009. Additionally, the U.S. is one of the largest exporters of rice and produces more than two percent of the world's rice supply, feeding millions around the world. I am proud to represent the rice farmers of the second district of Texas, and to recognize their achievements during National Rice Month. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true American Hero, Charles Milton Young, who recently passed away at the age of 91. I am honored to recognize Charlie's brave and commendable service to the United States of America. Charlie Young proudly served our Nation in World War II as a United States Marine in 1944-1945. During his service, he sustained a severe injury during the battle of Okinawa, leading to a 9-month hospitalization. In fact, he distinguished himself in combat so greatly that he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Excellence in Service medals. There is nothing nobler than answering the call to serve your country. His actions are a true testament to his patriotism. It is always sad when we lose a hero; however, it also brings us hope when we remember men of the Greatest Generation, like Charlie, who have walked among us. Charlie was a dedicated family man, having been married to his wife Hazel for 72 years. He was also the proud father of four children, 17 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren. Charlie and Hazel met and married in Beeville, Texas and later moved to Corpus Christi to raise their family. In 1960 they moved permanently to their lake home in Mathis, Texas. It is an honor to remember Charlie as a courageous soldier who risked his life for the American dream but it is also an even greater honor to recognize him as an honorable Texan, dedicated citizen, and a loving father, grandfather and husband. There is no such thing as former Marine; once Marines leave the military they are still Marines in heart and soul and patriotic zeal. It is true that once a Marine always a Marine. Charlie was proud to be a Marine, so much so that as he said his final goodbyes to family members, his last words to his son-in-law, Maj. Joseph R. Ellis (retired USMC) was ``Semper Fi, my son, Semper Fi'' as he shook his fist with all the strength he could muster. There is nothing like a U.S. Marine. They are a breed of their own. On September 28, 2010 PFC Milton Young, USMC was laid to rest with Full Marine Honor Guard detail with a 21-gun salute and taps. I am honored to remember the life and memory of a Texas hero. He will forever remain a hero in the eyes of his family, his friends, his community, and his country. Semper Fi, Charlie Young. Semper Fi. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, on October 10, 2010, the Republic of China will celebrate its 99th anniversary. The government now in Taiwan was founded in mainland China before it was pushed out by a brutal, communist regime. The differences between the two governments today is stark. While Taiwan flourishes as a democracy marked by passionate elections, China suppresses all political opposition, torturing and imprisoning anyone who dares to disagree. And yet we let China into regional and world bodies but keep the ROC out. For example, Taiwan is not a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization. That means that when world leaders get together to talk about aviation regulation, Taiwan and the 35 million people that fly in and out of it each year are completely unrepresented. So I urge my colleagues, on this 99th anniversary of the Republic of China, to call on the leaders in Beijing to allow Taiwan to participate in ICAO and other key international organizations like it. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today the House considers S. 1132, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010. This bill was introduced as the Senate companion to H.R. 3752, a bill of the same name introduced by Mr. Forbes of Virginia, a distinguished member of the Judiciary Committee. S. 1132 makes improvements to the Federal law that authorizes law enforcement officers who are currently serving, who are retired, or who are separated in good standing to carry a concealed weapon anywhere in the country, notwithstanding State or local laws to the contrary. This bill reduces the period an officer must serve before gaining eligibility to carry firearms as a retiree. Under current law, only officers with 15 years of service are ``qualified.'' This requirement prevents some officers who entered into law enforcement as a second career, for example, those that have served nobly in our military, from realizing the law's benefits. Today's legislation reduces the service requirement from 15 years to 10 years. S. 1132 also clarifies firearms training requirements and makes them a lot more flexible. This bill enables a retiree to meet the mandatory firearms re-qualification standard, either through the agency he or she formerly served with, or through the State where he or she currently resides. Most importantly, this legislation provides additional current and retired officers the means to defend themselves and their families from the hardened, often vengeful criminals they have previously arrested somewhere in this country. The legislation is supported by law enforcement associations, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Rifle Association. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes), a member of the Judiciary Committee who has introduced a similar bill in the House.

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

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, some things do not need to be elaborated on. Rudy Giuliani, a great American, recently spoke at a rally in New York City where 20,000 people showed up to protest the dictator Ahmadinejad and his corrupt regime. Ahmadinejad was in town to spew more of his hateful deology. This time, he interlaced his anti- Semitic rhetoric with conspiracy theories on 9/11. This man does not speak for the Iranian people, who only want freedom to live their lives without the shackles of a regime bent on preserving its power at all costs. The courageous opposition group MEK, who organized the rally, is fighting for this very freedom. The State Department has got them wrong--they are not a terrorist organization and should not be listed as one. Mayor Giuliani agreed with me and I'd like to submit his comments for the record. God bless you and thank you very much for being here. I come here today for a very simple reason, to stand with you in support of the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States and also the basic rights guaranteed by the preamble to the United Nations Charter. We need to remind the United Nations of what it stands for. According to the preamble of the United Nitions, it exists to reaffirm faith in fundamental rights in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small. The people of Iran are as entitled as all of us to make a claim on the nations of the United Nations to reaffirm these goals for them; and that is what you are here to do. For too long the world has acquiesced in a regime in Iran that through mass murder, violence and intimidation has denied basic rights of your brothers and sisters and friends and relatives and has been a consistent supporter of terrorism and of terrorist organizations beyond its borders. All of you are here today to cry out for the world to stand with you and your brothers and sisters who are oppressed by the brutal regime in Iran. They desire freedom! I desire freedom! We all desire freedom! No one can deny you your desire for freedom! I believe that desire is placed in your heart and soul by the Creator! It comes from above. Not from here, not from below, but from above. It is a basic human desire that the people of Iran are entitled to and it is a basic human desire that all good people should support. And if this institution that stands behind us, the United Nations, wants to reclaim its lofty goal of protecting human rights; which is a goal that has alluded it for many many years, then it must stand with you against the regime in Iran, against the brutalization that goes on in Iran, and against the supporting of terrorism. And it is time here in America to right a wrong that has been done to you and your cause out of a misguided notion that the violent and tyrannical regime of Iran could be mollified. It is about time that we change the listing of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran as a terrorist organization. I've studied terrorism for much longer that I'd like to admit. For over 35 years. I have investigated terrorism, and I've seen firsthand, in my city, the devastation that terrorism can bring about. This is not a terrorist organization. This is an organization dedicated to achieving freedom and dignity for its people. It is time for the rest of our Congress to join 823 members--Democrats and Republicans--who have supported House Resolution 1431 which calls for the lifting of this unjust, unfair and inaccurate designation. It has been lifted by the British government; it has been lifted by the European Union; it should be lifted by the United States Congress and President Obama should support it as a defender of freedom. Just as this great country of America is described as the last best hope for humanity, you and your cause are truly the best hope for Iran. Your quest is as legitimate as solidarity was for Poland. And it took lovers of freedom and leaders of historical consequence like Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul, to stand with Solidarity no matter the consequences. Your goals are our goals, they are the goals of a decent people; you want to guarantee equal rights for men and women; you want to see freedom of religion and speech and press; freedom of assembly in Iran, you want Iran that does not threaten the existence of other nations; and you want an Iran that is under no circustances a nuclear power. It is your members and associates who have consistently drawn open the secret curtain that Iran tries to draw on its plans to develop nuclear weapons. It is your members who have risked their lives and lost their lives revealing the plans and steps of Ahmadinejad and the regime to acquire nuclear weapons. Without your brave investigations and revelations, America and the world would still be laboring under the inaccurate information that was contained in the National Intelligence Estimate of 2007 that said Iran had appeared to abandon its plans to build nuclear weapons. Your members, your associates, revealed that to be incorrect, inaccurate, and dangerously wrong. If the history of the 20th century has taught us anything, it is that we must confront tyrants, oppressors, bullies and terrorists as early as possible. Acquiescence only leads to increasing loss of human life and human liberty. For too long the world has stood still as the people of Iran, particularly those of you desiring freedom, have been oppressed, imprisoned and slaughtered by a regime that has no right to exist. It's time to make common cause with you in your noble quest. It is a risk that is worth taking. It is a cause that is worth the risk. If the forebears of this country didn't take the risk for freedom, then this great nation would not exist. Your people, the people of Iran, are willing to fight for freedom; you are willing to speak out against horrible atrocities to human dignity. And when they do, this country, America, should strongly stand with them, and speak out for them. No more silence! Where is our Ronald Reagan when we need him? Ronald Reagan would have stood with the people of Iran, strongly, bravely, and forthrightly. When they sought to protest the inaccuracies and illegitimacy of the elections in Iran, Ronald Reagan would have America standing with them toe to toe, body to body and person to person, as he did with Solidarity. Where is our Ronald Reagan when we need him? One of the most monumental celebrations of freedom was on Christmas Day, 1989 in Berlin. It was in the city of Berlin that severs years earlier Ronald Reagan standing by the wall that then divided the free from the oppressed and stood in front of that wall and he was not afraid to stand up and said, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.'' Now, in our time, we need a Ronald Reagan to cry out to the oppressors of your people to tear down the wall of tyranny, tear down the wall of oppression, tear down the wall of terrorism, and of slaughter. On that Christmas Day of 1989 in Berlin the wall had been torn down because brave people like Ronald Reagan and many others were willing to stand with protesters and the oppressed in those communist countries. They weren't afraid to speak out and they weren't afraid to confront. Leonard Bernstein conducted a performance of Beethoven's ninth symphony that day and he called it a ``celebration of human freedom.'' I hope and I pray that you and I will go to Iran together; I hope we can have a celebration of freedom for the people of Iran because a celebration of freedom for Iran will be the celebration of freedom for all of us. But that day is not going to come about by begging Ahmadinejad to negotiate. It is not going to come about from weakness. Bullies thrive from weakness. Tyrants are encouraged by weakness. They know only one thing: Strength. They must be confronted with America's strength, not America's weakness. America, the world, all of us must make it plain that under no set of circumstances will Ahmadinejad be allowed to have nuclear weapons. That is not negotiable. No discussion. No argument. No debate. No! No! No, to nuclear weapons! And instead, I say Yes to freedom, Yes to democracy, Yes to a free press, Yes to freedom for women, Yes to human dignity for Iran and for all of us. God bless you in your noble pursuit! I stand with you and all freedom loving people stand with you. God bless you.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in spite of objections to the contrary, a fence is still being built along the southern border. Illegals objected to this but the President is resilient. He is standing firm on his commitment to build the fence to keep illegals out. You see, over 500,000 illegals cross the border every year into Mexico, and the fence is being built at the southern end of Mexico to keep people like Guatemalans out. It's the Mexican southern border that they're protecting. You know, Calderon demands that the United States not build a fence. He arrogantly demands the Arizona law not be enforced, but when Mexico has problems with illegals coming to ``take jobs that Mexicans won't do,'' Calderon says he's building a fence on his southern border, whether illegals like it or not. Every country has the right to defend its border. We should stop listening to anything President Calderon says and do what's right for our country. Secure our borders by sending immediately the National Guard to our southern border. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, it is September and back home in Texas that can only mean one thing--football season is in full swing. Each week helmets are buckled and cleats are tied as hundreds of teams line up to compete across the state, from the Pop Warner leagues up to the professionals. I was honored to be a part of history as the Lamar University Cardinals played and won its first home game in over twenty years against the Weber International University Warriors. Lamar University began playing football in 1923, when it was known as South Park Junior College. The team was a Southland Conference power in the late 1960s, notching four championships in seven years. In 1989, the program was discontinued, forcing alumni and football fans in the area to choose a new favorite college team. Now, after several years of hard work, the Cardinals are back on the gridiron with all of Southeast Texas supporting them. The first steps towards bringing football back to Lamar were taken in January 2008, as the student body voted for a tuition increase to help fund the program. That tells you all you need to know about the hunger for football in Southeast Texas. Lamar University President Dr. James Simmons and Athletic Director Billy Tubbs searched long and hard for the coach who could oversee the rebirth of the football program from the ground up. The right man for the job was 20-year coaching veteran and former NFL player Ray Woodard. He assembled a staff of experienced coaches and developed an offensive and defensive scheme without a single player recruited. When it came time to recruit players, Coach Woodard made good on his promise to attract local talent. Nine of his starters come from the area and he has eleven additional local back-ups. Leading the offense is Quarterback Andre Bevil, who played high school football a short drive down the road at West Orange-Stark. The defense is headed by former West Brook High School standout Jacody Coleman. Lamar is a young team with no senior starters, leaving the Cardinals with a bright future. The Cardinals opened their returning season in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with a nail-biting 30-27 loss to longtime rival and nationally ranked McNeese State University. There was little time to lament, as the following week was sure to be one of the biggest events in Southeast Texas sports history--the return of football to Lamar University. As I made my way through the Lamar campus on September 11, the sights I saw amazed me. Fans wearing red and white were lined up as far as the eye can see, enjoying the spirit of community that only college football can bring. I met some alumni who had been there battling the intense Texas heat since noon, others who flew in from across the Nation to witness the first home game in 21 years. By kickoff time, the standing room only crowd of 16,600 was as loud and excited as I have ever seen. Less than two minutes into the game, Quarterback Bevil hit wide receiver J.J. Hayes for a 25-yard touchdown pass that had the newly remodeled Provost Umphrey stadium rocking. The Warriors evened the score at 7-7 in the first quarter. Then, both defenses stood strong, not allowing a score until Bevil threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to receiver Kendrick Prejean towards the end of the third quarter. In the end, the Cardinals prevailed 21-14, lead by Bevil and another local talent, former Lumberton running back Cody Hussey on the offense. Linebacker Asim Hick led the defense with 8 tackles and a sack. Madam Speaker, after years of rumors and false starts, football has returned to Lamar University in grand fashion. The team is loaded with local, talented players. They have beautiful new facilities that help bring in the ``big game'' college experience. I am proud to celebrate the hard work that numerous people put in to bring college football back to Lamar University. I wish them the best of luck in the future. Finally, GO BIG RED!! And that's the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is an honor to once again sponsor this Domestic Violence Awareness Month resolution. I want to commend Judge Green for working with me on this issue. He did make one mistake, however. He said we have known each other for 20 years. I'm sorry; it has been 30 years since we were young buck lawyers in the courthouse doing battle in Houston, Texas. So it has been a long time. But he is correct, this is an issue that must continue to come to the awareness of the American people, that domestic violence is something that is, unfortunately, continuing in this country. Thirty-five percent of the murder victims that were killed in 2008 were killed at the hands of people they knew. Intimate partners, 35 percent of them, murdered by people that were close to them. In 2007, crimes by intimate partners accounted for 23 percent of all crimes against women. In a single day in 2009, 65,000 victims were treated by domestic violence programs; but, due to lack of resources and funding, almost 10,000 were turned away because there were no resources to take care of them. We have a growing need and presence of domestic violence shelters throughout the country, and they have fewer and fewer resources to take care of these women who seek refuge from someone that they knew who has been trying to assault them or has succeeded in assaulting them. Congress must, of course, pass the reauthorization of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. Victim service providers are on the front lines of defense against domestic violence, and this funding is vital to the treatment and reduction of domestic violence. I spent all of my legal career before coming here as a prosecutor and a criminal court judge, so I was always in the courthouse doing criminal cases, and I saw the result of what happens when people in family situations commit crimes against other family members. It is something that has to cease in this country, and it is also something that we, as a community, need to be aware of. Unfortunately, many times courts don't take these cases seriously. One of my favorite people is Yvette Cade from Baltimore, Maryland. Yvette Cade was a real person, still is a real person. And all these cases are about real people, Mr. Speaker. On October 10, 2005, Yvette Cade's estranged husband--Roger Hargrave is his name. He and his wife were not getting along, so he sought her out. He went to the business where she worked, a video store, walked inside with a bottle full of gasoline, came up to her, and he poured that gasoline over her head and he set her on fire. Yvette Cade, a victim of domestic violence. She survived that brutal assault, and, thanks to a passerby that saw this happen, the fire was put out in the parking lot. The judge involved in this case, Prince George's County Judge Richard Palumbo, had already lifted a protective order against Hargrave. If he had not lifted that protective order to keep him away from his estranged wife, she may not have had this brutal assault committed against her. Now, Hargrave is serving life in prison for the assault, setting his wife on fire, but Mrs. Yvette Cade has third-degree burns over 60 percent of her body. She has had 19 surgeries. She survived this brutal attack. She is a remarkable woman. She has a spirit that it surprises me she has the spirit that she does. But she is just one of thousands of people, Mr. Speaker, that are assaulted in the family, and it continues. We, in this society, must make sure that it is socially unacceptable to hurt somebody in the family. My grandmother, who was the most influential person in my life, lived to be the age of 99. Judge Green would like this: She never forgave me for being a Republican. That is a different issue. But she always said, You never hurt somebody you claim you love. And that is a true statement, and it always has been. You never hurt somebody you claim you love. We need to send that message out throughout the Nation, especially in these family situations. And young males need to understand that if they get in a relationship with a young woman that they never hurt them if they claim they love them. So it is an honor for me to support this. I honor also and recognize the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, all those wonderful organizations that are out there taking care mainly of women who find themselves in desperate situations because someone that supposedly loved them treated them so badly.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my district is in Hurricane Alley. Since I've been elected to Congress, we have had five hurricanes: Katrina, Rita, Humbert, Gustav, and Ike. Hurricane season is about over in southeast Texas, but hurricane season is coming late this year to Washington. The weather report for Washington, D.C., is just in. Gale force winds are expected in November. There is a hurricane coming, and it's going to hit D.C., and it's not going to have just one name. It's going to have the names of millions of Americans. The voice of citizens will be here and clear the air. We the people proclaim, hold elites and taxacrats accountable who have stopped being responsive to the will of the people. And just as hurricane force winds hit Washington in 1814 to drive the British out of town, this American hurricane will drive the irresponsible arrogant from having the rule over the people. The American hurricane is on a direct path to the Potomac. And because of the abusive spending, borrowing, and taxing by government, the elites will have sown the wind, and now they're going to reap the whirlwind. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the proposed administration tax hikes are the largest tax increases in American history. The government spends money that we don't have; 42 cents of every dollar spent is borrowed money. Now the plan is to hike taxes sky high and how is that going to create those jobs? It has been said ``you can't legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. When the government gives money to one person, the government first has to take that money from somebody else.'' ``When half the people get the idea that they do not have to work because they think the other half is going to take care of them, and when the working people get the idea it does no good to work because the government is going to take away what they worked for, that discourages all citizens to work.'' Obama-nomics is the failed philosophy of more government, more spending, more borrowing and more taxes; and it's a failed philosophy. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise to commemorate and celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of a fellow Texan, Ed Lindsay. Ed Lindsay is a native Houstonian that will celebrate his 91st birthday next November. He served in World War II and Korea, and has practiced law for more than 50 years. He is the epitome of what I like to call a warrior lawyer. In looking at Mr. Lindsay's past one can understand the work ethic and ambition that he embodies. As a boy growing up in Houston, at the age of five, he pushed his lawn mower down Pecore Street to North Hollywood Cemetery, where he mowed cemetery lots for neighbors. Mr. Lindsay attended Texas A&M after high school. He worked his way through college by sweeping out a veterinarian amphitheater during his time there. Half a year after the tragic attack on Pearl Harbor, Ed Lindsay reported for military duty on May 29, 1942. It was around this time that American victories at Midway and the Coral Sea marked a positive turning point in the War in the Pacific. He followed orders as he was moved all around the country for training, and completed Ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia. On Christmas Day in 1943, while most Americans were at home with friends and family, Mr. Lindsay landed in Scotland with about 11,000 other troops ready for action. Mr. Lindsay and his unit trained exceptionally hard for several months prior to D-Day. Then at 7:00 a.m. on that historic morning of June 6, 1944, he and his men landed on Normandy Beach to carry out Operation Overlord. He was given a top secret clearance, meaning he had access to a broad range of restricted information. Top secret clearance is only given to the most honest and honorable military men and women. Mr. Lindsay saw France, fought in Germany during the famous Battle of the Bulge, Austria, and eventually Hungary until the war in Europe was declared over. At the conclusion of the fighting in Europe, he was awarded two Bronze Star Medals in heroism in ground combat. A Bronze Star Medal for heroism is the fourth-highest combat award in the military. Mr. Lindsay was also awarded five Bronze Battle Stars for his five campaigns in Europe, and a Bronze Arrowhead for the D-Day landing. His unit was awarded a Distinguished Military Unit Presidential Citation, which is only given to units for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ed's stay in Europe came to an end in Hungary, thus turning over another page in his life. His legacy has only just begun. After returning to the U.S., Mr. Lindsay became a professor of military tactics and science at Texas Tech University, where he met his future wife, Laneta Bechtol. Two years later in 1948, he resigned from the service and attended the South Texas School of Law for two years before being called back into the Army to triumph communist evil in the Korean War. He was the only officer in his brigade with a top secret clearance besides the general. Two years later, he was discharged and finally able to return home for good. Upon arrival back in Houston, his legal career began to take shape. Mr. Lindsay took the bar exam with no further study or attending his last year of classes. He passed the exam the first time, and was licensed in 1953; A proud moment of many in his lifetime. He put himself through college, fought heroically in World War II, served in the Korean War, then came back and passed the bar exam. Many would be proud to say they've accomplished one of these feats. Ed Lindsay has had many other outstanding moments in his legal career. In 1975 he became board certified to practice family law, and in 1987 civil appellate law. He took two cases to the Texas Supreme Court and won. Nine years after being certified in appellate law, Mr. Lindsay was elected to the board of directions of the State bar in 1996 and then to the North Harris County Bar Association in 1999. In Houston, Ed is still practicing today. Madam Speaker, whether on the historic beaches of Normandy or in the courts of Texas, the patriotism and professionalism Mr. Lindsay exhibits demands recognition and celebration. As residents of Texas, we are proud to call Ed Lindsay a Texan. As citizens of America, we are proud to call him an American.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 413.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, history is the great predictor. To understand today, all you have to do is to look at last Saturday. We all remember where we were when hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center. We remember the billowing clouds of smoke blacking out the New York skyline. Those towers--once pillars of strength and freedom-- became mass graves in the space of a few moments. Firefighters, police officers, innocent men women and children all died in a firestorm of hate. Our country men and women were killed at the hands of radical Muslim extremists. People who believe their religion tells them to be violent in the name of that religion. Now, 9 years later, it's clear that some Americans have forgotten the horror caused by these terrorists, and they expect us to forget as well. However, forgetting is not an option. Even though we don't show the pictures anymore except on the anniversary of September 11. We don't talk about those responsible for plotting and carrying out these deadly terrorist attacks against America. We're told we can't be angry. We are expected to blindly accept the hatred for America in the name of tolerance. Under this guise of ``religious tolerance,'' we're told we must allow a mosque to be built near Ground Zero. No one disagrees with the legal right to build a mosque, but the builder's decision is ill-advised and it's insensitive. This is a building where the landing gear from one of the hijacked planes tore through the roof. The media scolds those of us who disagree with this building. They say to be tolerant, be respectful and accepting of other people's religions. But why is not the same expected of those individuals? Is this really about tolerance? The day the two planes hit the World Trade Center, that piece of land in New York City took on a whole new meaning. Ground Zero is no longer just a location in New York. It is a symbol of America as powerful as the stars and stripes. It is hallowed ground of the victims who were victimized because of hate. Iman Feisal Abdul Rauf--the man behind the Ground Zero mosque--should instead build a memorial to the victims of the radical Muslim extremists instead of a mosque. That would be sensitive. That would be compassionate. The history books show ``victory mosques'' have been built in or near locations of Muslim conquests throughout history. In 1453, Mehmed II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, conquered Constantinople. One of his first acts was to convert a Christian church for more than 900 years-- the Hagia Sophia--into a mosque. Iman Rauf calls his project the Cordoba House. The first great mosque of Cordoba was built by medieval Islamic invaders. They built it on the site of a ransacked Roman Catholic cathedral in Spain. The name Cordoba--is that just a coincidence--the Cordoba mosque initiative at Ground Zero--too many in America thinks this mirrors history too closely. One of our greatest freedoms in America is our right to worship as we please. Our Nation was founded on liberty and freedom for everyone. Do not Muslims, like most religions and cultures, believe in tolerance and respect for other religions? Thousands of sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers at this very moment are stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They're fighting the terrorists in the deserts and in the rough mountain terrain. Thirty- five American warriors from my congressional district area gave their lives in these two wars. They died protecting us from these same radical extremists that murder in the name of religion. It seems to me that the tolerance lesson is being preached to the wrong part of the world. Many Christians, Jews and other non-Muslims are offended by the building of this mosque and believe it is disrespectful and dishonors those who were murdered on 9/11. If building this mosque is meant to truly promote education and understanding of the Muslim religion, I suggest the supporters take a look at history. And rather than repeat history, they should remember history. Ground Zero is off-limits. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Constitution starts out, ``We, the people.'' It's written in really large print right at the beginning of the document. The Constitution is a rock. It's the foundation. It is not some abstract concept that changes depending on the social philosophy of the elites and tyrants of the Judiciary. The Constitution says the things it says in plain, simple language. The Constitution is an agreement between the people and the government. It sets limits on what the government can do, not the other way around. The Constitution upholds the principle that people have God-given rights. Government has no rights. Government has power. And the more power it grabs the less rights we have. Thomas Jefferson warned, ``the natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.'' A government big and powerful enough to control our lives is big and powerful enough to take away everything we have. And that's un-American. After all, the Constitution says, ``We, the people,'' not ``We, the subjects.'' And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, violence continues to seep across the Mexican border. Narco-terrorists continue to take shots at our Border Patrol from across the Rio Grande River. Drugs and human trafficking continue as our outmanned, out-financed and outgunned law enforcement agents continue to struggle against this violence. But how is this for a new wrinkle in the drug cartel threat? Law enforcement officials in Texas indicate that the drug cartels may have opened up a protection racket on the American side of the border. Reports show that Hispanics living on the American side are now paying protection money to the drug cartels. These Mexican cartels are threatening harm to their relatives on the Mexican side of the border. If they have relatives in Mexico, pay up or they will be hurt, or worse. The narco-terrorist extortion racket is just another example of crime coming into America from across the border. People who say that organized crime threats crippling Mexico don't affect Americans are living in Never Neverland. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. In early August, August 7 to be exact, in Houston, Texas, right after the sun had gone down, about 9 o'clock p.m. on a hot summer night, a young girl was walking home. Shatavia Anderson. She went by Ta. And she was walking down the street not far from where she lived in a very modest community; 14-year-old, happy, spirited child.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This resolution marks the ninth anniversary of the unprovoked attack on our Nation by individuals without conscience and on behalf of masters without mercy. Those who witnessed the events of September 11 will always remember the inconceivable images and seemingly impossible events that unfolded before our own eyes. But however painful our own memories may be, they cannot compare with the suffering of the innocents who bore the horror directly, nor with those of their families and friends whose lives were torn apart without any warning. Our purpose here is to honor and remember the victims and the many heroes of that endless day, September 11, 2001. We honor the thousands of innocent men, women and children who were targeted and murdered simply because they were Americans or because they embraced the concept of freedom and democracy. We honor those who, instead of being immobilized by fear, immediately began to search for and rescue survivors at great risk to themselves, many of whom lost their lives in their efforts to save many others. We honor those in our military who have fought our enemies in distant lands and have borne heavy burdens to prevent them from striking us yet again. And even as I speak, men and women of our Armed Forces are fighting for us and for our country far from their homes in far-off lands. And it has affected many people, even here in Washington, D.C. and in the Congress and our staff. My own chief of staff has two sons that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Marine Corps, and there are many others as we speak today. On September 11, we were forced to realize that what we had experienced was not really an isolated blow but instead only the latest assault in a war that radical Islamist militants had been waging against the United States for years. We had already suffered many casualties over the preceding decades, but had not understood that these were in fact from a series of battles in an escalating war against the United States and a war against freedom. These include the taking of our embassy in Iran and the holding of American hostages for 444 days; the destruction of our embassy and marine barracks in Lebanon in the 1980s; the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993; the attacks on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996; and the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole and our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania also in the 1990s. And at this very moment, our enemies are preparing to strike us again and with the same intent of slaughtering as many innocent people as they possibly can. We cannot protect ourselves by hoping that somehow we will be spared new attacks, for these are certain to come unless we take action to prevent them. And we have done so. Over the past 9 years, we have come to know our enemies, their plans, and their methods. We are daily engaged and seeking them out, finding them in their hiding places and in their holes, uncovering their networks and eliminating their ability to harm us again. But our enemies have many allies and have sunk deep roots, roots that will not be easily destroyed. Victory will not be achieved in one decisive battle but through a sustained commitment that will stretch over many years. It will be fought in many different ways using the range of U.S. resources and capabilities and fought in many other places. Some may shrink from that prospect; but, if we are to prevail over this enemy that is relentless in its hatred for us, our commitment to our Nation and the principles that we stand for, we must not only match but exceed their determination, the determination of our adversaries. This is not really a war of choice but one that has been forced upon us by men whose dark vision of the world cannot be realized without first destroying America and our freedoms. Repeatedly throughout its history our country has been challenged by forces that at times seemed impossible to overcome. But however dark the unknowns we faced and however great our fears, we never shrank from our duty as a Nation, and we have always prevailed with the good Lord's help. And on this day, let us remember those that we have lost, the many heroes with which we have been blessed, and those with whom our safety depends, and let us remember that they gave their lives for our country. And we should do our duty as all generations that have preceded us have done. And God bless this country now and always. I reserve the balance of my time.