Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite) who is a cosponsor of this legislation and who has also worked in the past on similar legislation.

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I'm proud to join my colleague, Mr. Murphy, in supporting and sponsoring H.R. 3695, the ``Help Find the Missing Act'' or ``Billy's Law,'' as we call it. It's my pleasure today to speak in support of a commonsense piece of legislation that probably should have been passed years ago. I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Murphy, for taking this worthy cause and asking me to work with him on it. I'd also like to thank a citizen of our Nation, Janice Smolinski, the mother of Billy Smolinski, for whom this bill is named. Without her devotion and the time that she spent on this issue, Billy's Law never would have happened. Her work, along with the response of her representative, Congressman Murphy, to create this legislation is an example of Congress working the way our Founders intended it to. Janice Smolinski talked to her congressman, Mr. Murphy. He listened. He responded. He moved quickly, and thus this piece of legislation is brought to the House to solve this problem. In the years since her son's disappearance, Janice Smolinski has worked to improve our Nation's reporting system for the missing so that other families do not have to suffer as she did. As we vote today on Billy's Law, it is imperative for us to remember how important this bill is to people like Janice Smolinski all over the country. There is a great need to improve our Nation's tracking of missing persons and identification of unknown and unidentified remains. This bill is a big step in fulfilling both of these goals. Every year, tens of thousands of Americans disappear. They go missing, never to be seen by their loved ones again. In 2009, there were more than 100,000 missing persons records active in the FBI's National Crime Information Center. Simultaneously, medical examiners and coroners across the country are holding tens of thousands of unidentified remains. There are an estimated 40,000 sets of unidentified remains being held by coroners throughout the country. But as of January 2009, the NCIC database contains only 7,000 records of unidentified remains. This means that medical examiners and coroners offices are not recording in the NCIC database many of the unidentified remains they hold. Consequently, it is likely that many missing person cases remain open for failure to connect missing person profiles with unidentified remains that are being held. There are many Federal, State, local, and nonprofit databases designed to help, but these databases are not sufficiently accessible to the public, and they do not do a good job of sharing information with each other. Billy's Law addresses all of these concerns by increasing funding for a national, online repository and reporting system called NamUs, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Billy's Law provides that the FBI's NCIC database share information on missing and unidentified persons with the NamUs database system. The goal is to have corners, medical examiners, law enforcement agents, and the public all reporting information to and getting information from one centralized Web site, NamUs. Billy's Law also requires the Attorney General to establish a program to provide grants to qualifying medical examiners, coroners and law enforcement agencies for the purpose of facilitating better reporting of missing persons and unidentified remains to the NCIC and NamUs databases. Having served as a prosecutor in Texas for over 8 years and a felony court judge for 22 years, I know firsthand the toll that violent crime puts on communities, but specifically on families. This pain is made even worse when a family of a victim is not able to determine what exactly happened to their missing loved one. Often, families have to wait for months or years until they can find closure. Some families, like the Smolinskis, never find out what happened to their loved one. Shortly after I was elected to Congress, I started the Victims' Rights Caucus. This Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of Congress, cochaired by myself and Mr. Costa from California, that supports legislation and advocates for policies that will help victims of crime in the United States and the families of victims. H.R. 3695 is one of these bills. Billy's Law is supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Organization of Police Associations, and the National Association of Medical Examiners. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, where, oh where, have the jobs gone? Where, oh where, can they be? With the people so mad and the economy so bad Where, oh where, can the jobs be? Well, the administration is planning on killing the Constellation space program at NASA. This will cost about 7,000 scientists and engineers their jobs at NASA in Houston. About 30,000 people nationwide in related work will be looking for jobs. NASA has led the United States into being the world's greatest exploration country, and now the shuttle program is also ending. So in the future, if Americans wish to travel in space, they will need to hitch a ride with the Russians because we won't have the vehicles to travel in space. And of course China intends on being the number one space exploration country in the future as well. It looks like we are giving away our leadership and our dominance in space. So where, oh where, have the jobs gone? Where, oh where, can they be? They are going overseas to the Russians and Chinese That's where they shall be. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, after more than fifty years of working for The Beaumont Enterprise newspaper, Marie Richard has decided to retire. She is the longtime assistant to the editor and very well known throughout the company and the community. She began her newspaper career in 1959. At the age of twenty, she started working for the Beaumont Enterprise newspaper, and now at the age of seventy, she is ending her wonderful career. She is recognized for fortifying relationships with the newspaper's customers; an aspect of her job she has enjoyed the most. She is also recognized for her work with the newspaper's annual holiday fund drive. Her dedication to the people of the Second District of Texas is truly heartfelt. Madam Speaker, the Second District of Texas is proud to have such a wonderful individual in its community. We have no doubt that the newspaper will miss Marie Richard and her dedication to the people of Beaumont, Texas.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 49 and 50 I was prevented from voting due to official business in the district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on both.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, recently our Environmental Protection Agency announced a major milestone in saving electricity and avoiding greenhouse gases. One million Energy Star qualified homes have been built since the start of the program in 1992. $1.2 billion has been saved on energy bills and we have been able to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 22 billion pounds. In 2009, Americans have saved more than $270 million on utility bills. I am proud to say that Houston, a portion of the second district of Texas, leads the nation, with 144,000 Energy Star qualified homes since 1995, Altogether, Texas cities hold 4 spots in the top 20 geographical areas. Thousands of Texans are saving millions of dollars by being aware of their energy consumption, making smart energy choices, and getting the most bang for their energy buck. The guidelines to getting a house Energy Star labeled are strict, but using common sense when trying to save energy can prevent greenhouse gases. Homes must have effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, tight construction and ductwork, efficient heating and cooling, and high-efficiency lighting. Houston has the most of these homes, in a state where one-third of all electricity is used for air conditioning. That is almost three times the national average. Studies have shown that if Texas embraces conservation and comprehensive sets of energy technology, our state could avoid building any new electric generating plants for at least 15 years. Right now in 2009, Texans have the highest average spending on residential electricity in the South. That is changing, and rapidly. The Energy Star program has paved the way for a new, energy efficient America. Houston, Texas is at the helm and our nation's advances in efficiency and awareness show no signs of slowing. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, today we are voting on whether or not to raise the debt limit so the government can borrow more money. Borrowing and spending is out of control. This is one of my kid's old credit cards. When it reached the spending limit, it meant there was no more room on the credit card for one of my four kids to spend more money. So when it reached the limit, they begged Daddy to raise the limit so they could spend more money. And if I raised the limit, spending always increased until that new limit was reached. Today we're voting on whether or not to add $1.9 trillion more to the national credit card limit. So what happens if we say ``no'' to all the borrowing? We might have to quit spending money. Do the American people really want their government spending and borrowing less money? I think they do. This is my congressional voting card. I will be using this card to vote against more debt on the American people. When you find yourself in a financial hole, stop digging. Don't borrow more money and buy a backhoe and dig a deeper hole of debt. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, as I mentioned yesterday, Corporal Frank Buckles is the last surviving doughboy that served in World War I. He is 109 years old this week. To put things in perspective, he has lived half of America's history since the signing of the Constitution. At the age of 16, he enlisted to serve in World War I. He lied to be able to serve his country. He was a corporal in the U.S. Army in Europe. After the war was over he later found himself in the Philippines at the start of WWII. The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor Frank Buckles was captured by the Japanese and became a prisoner of war. He was a POW for 39 months. After WWII was over he went to West Virginia where he lives on his farm to this day. The United States has memorials, museums, and tributes to the Americans who have served in all of our wars. There are even WWI memorials in other places in the country such as the one in Kansas City. However, there is not one on the National Mall in the Nation's Capitol for all WWI Veterans. On the National Mall there are memorials that pay tribute to 3 of the great wars in the past century. They were built in reverse order to honor those who sacrificed to protect America's freedom and liberty. They are the Vietnam Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and WWII memorial. I do not believe we can build too many monuments in honor of our Veterans. We need to build a memorial on the National Mall commemorating the World War I Veterans and thus complete the tribute to those who have served in all 4 of the major wars of the last century. This memorial will be built using private donations not taxpayer's money. We owe it to all those who gave their lives to protect ours; we owe it to those who served in WWI and to the last surviving doughboy of that war, Corporal Frank Buckles, to build this memorial on the national mall. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. They called it the ``war to end all wars''; 4.7 million Americans went over there to Europe in the great World War I, and 116,000 of them never came home. When they arrived back in the United States in 1918, thousands of them died from the flu that they had contracted in France. They called them ``doughboys'' because of the look of their uniform. One such person was an individual by the name of Frank Buckles. Frank Buckles lied to get into the United States Army. He was 16. And he went from recruiter to recruiter to recruiter and finally convinced somebody he was 21. He got into the United States Army and went over there with the doughboys to end the war to end all wars. He drove an ambulance and rescued other Americans who were fighting that great war. He said, We were typical cocky Americans. No one wanted us around until the French and the British needed some help winning that war. And just 19 months after the first Yanks arrived, the guns fell silent. Yes, that war ended on November 11, 1918. But that wasn't all for Frank Buckles. After he was discharged from the United States Army in 1918, he found himself in a place called Manila in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, when the Japanese attacked--the day after Pearl Harbor--and Frank Buckles was captured by the Japanese. For the next 39 months he was held as a prisoner of war in a Japanese concentration camp. He was finally freed on February 23, 1945, the day the Japanese had ordered his execution. Frank Buckles is the last surviving doughboy from World War I. On Monday, he was 109 years old. He lives not far from here. Until he was 101, he drove his tractor on his farm in West Virginia. At this time I would like to insert into the Record a letter he wrote to the American people on Memorial Day of last year. Last World War I Vet Frank Buckles' Memorial Day Letter to Americans (The following is a letter from Frank Buckles to the American Veterans Center and National Memorial Day Parade on Memorial Day, 2009.) Dear Americans: Though I am unable to be in our great nation's capitol today to pay honor to the many men and women who have fought and died protecting our freedom, I want you to know the depth of my gratitude to our service members and the deep personal significance Memorial Day has to me. In 1918, I was sure there would never be another world war. But just 23 years later--the day after Pearl Harbor--I became one of 2,000 civilians who would spend the next 3 and a half years in a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines. I was born in 1901 during the McKinley Administration in the heartland of America. I was thirteen when World War I broke out in Europe. For me the decision to join the service was an easy one. The hard part was finding someone who'd let me join. I was just 16 and didn't look a day older. I confess to you that I lied to more than one recruiter. I gave them my solemn word that I was 18, but I'd left my birth certificate back home in the family Bible. They'd take one look at me and laugh and tell me to home before my mother noticed I was gone. Somehow I got the idea that telling an even bigger whopper was the way to go. So I told the next recruiter that I was 21 and darned if he didn't sign me up on the spot! I enlisted in the Army on the 14th of August 1917. As a 16-year-old boy, you think you're invincible and I wanted to go where the action was. One of the older sergeants told me the fastest way to get to France was to go into the Ambulance Corps. So that's what I did. There was never a shortage of blown-up bodies that needed to be rushed to the nearest medical care. The British and French troops were in bad shape--even guys about my age looked old and tired. After three years of living and dying inside a dirt trench, you know the Brits and French were happy to see us ``doughboys.'' Every last one of us Yanks believed we'd wrap this thing up in a month or two and head back home before harvest. In other words, we were the typical, cocky Americans no one wants around, until they need help winning a war. But that's what makes America special--as much as we want to avoid war, we're ready to sacrifice everything if that's what it takes to make sure the bad guys don't win. America's entry into the war was decisive. Just 19 months after the first Yanks arrived, the guns fell silent. The Armistice commenced on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the llth month and battered troops on both sides crawled out of their trenches for the last time. When the armistice came, I thought the Europeans would be dancing in the streets. After the Armistice, I was assigned to deliver German POWs back to their homeland. Looking at their war-weary faces, I never dreamed that one day I'd find myself in the same position--but in much worse circumstances. On December 7, 1941, the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor. Even before Congress declared war on Japan, young American men were lining up to enlist. At the time, I was working in the Manila office for a shipping firm called the White Star Line. White Star was the line that had owned the Titanic. White Star also owned the Carpathian--the ship that had rescued the Titanic's survivors . . . and the Carpathian was also the ship that had taken me to the battlefields of France in 1917. You know, looking back I think I should have seen all those White Star connections as an omen of things to come. But I didn't. The Axis war in Europe and Asia had been going on for the last several years. But General MacArthur had assured us that Manila was the safest city in the Orient. MacArthur was a great general, but this time he guessed wrong. On December 8th, just one day after Pearl Harbor, a Japanese invasion took control of Manila. The Japanese took thousands of us foreigners to Los Banos, a prison camp 40 miles southeast of Manila. Along with 2,000 other foreign civilians, I was designated a prisoner of war. For the next 3 and a half years, my fellow POW's and I had only two things on our minds. We wondered when MacArthur was going to return and how we were going to find something to fill our stomachs. The starvation at Los Banos was so bad, it is surprising that any of us survived. When The 11th Airborne finally freed us on February 23, 1945, we all looked pretty much like skeletons with skin on. America goes to war to free, to liberate, to protect, and to bring justice to bear. I hope this Memorial Day, you take the time to thank the veterans you meet for their service to this country--the sacrifices that they have made to preserve your freedom. May God bless you and God bless America! Frank Buckles, Corporal, World War I, U.S. Army (Retired). After World War I was over with, that generation went into the Roaring Twenties, then the Great Depression, and then they were the fathers of the Greatest Generation that went off to the great World War II. I mention Frank Buckles for several reasons. He's the last surviving doughboy. This is a picture of him that was taken not too long ago in front of the D.C. World War Memorial that's on the Mall. Now Frank Buckles is spending the rest of his life trying to do something for those doughboys in World War I. You see, on the great National Mall we have a memorial for the veterans of Vietnam, for the veterans of Korea, and for the veterans of the Greatest Generation, the World War II Memorial. But there is no memorial for the doughboys of World War I who served in these United States. In fact, this monument, this memorial for D.C. World War I veterans, is in the weeds. It's not taken care of by the Park Service. And so what we are planning and what Frank Buckles desires is to have an expansion of this memorial and expand it to include all of those who served in the great World War I. He says, I feel as the last survivor a responsibility to bring recognition to all of the millions who fought in that war and are gone. I intend to give all my efforts and time I have left to see that a national memorial of World War I joins the other memorials on the National Mall. I am dismayed that this country has erected memorials for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, yet there is no memorial for the war to end all wars. So what we should do, Members of Congress and Mr. Speaker, we should erect a memorial for that war that occurred in the last century. We should erect it for the doughboys of that generation; for Frank Buckles, who is 109 years old, the last surviving doughboy. We owe it to them. There are no lobbyists for the World War I Memorial. Everybody's died. The only lobbyists are Members of Congress and schoolchildren throughout this country, like Creekwood Middle School in Kingwood, Texas, that's raising money to pay for the memorial on the National Mall. And so what we as Members of Congress do and need to do is to honor these great Americans that served in that great war--that war that we don't even talk much about in our history books anymore. We owe it to them. We owe it to Frank Buckles. We owe it to those doughboys. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a very prominent, prestigious dignitary is visiting the United States from Canada this week--the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Danny Williams is here. But there was no pomp and circumstance for Premier Williams. No red carpets, no dinners in his honor. You see, this isn't a state visit. It's a sneak visit. The Canadian Premier came to America to have heart surgery at an undisclosed hospital in an undisclosed location. According to officials, the premier couldn't have the heart surgery under Canada's government-run health care. I wonder why? Williams has loudly proclaimed the benefits of Canadian socialized medicine. Was it the long waiting lines or the rationing that sent him to the United States? Maybe the Premier realized he couldn't receive competent treatment with Canadian state-controlled health care and came to America to, well--get well. It seems the elites have one standard for the masses and another standard for themselves. As one writer put it, ``State-controlled access for thee, but not for me.'' Government-run health care is unhealthy for Canadian Premiers and Americans as well. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the city of Liberty in the Second District of Texas is proud to honor one of its oldest and bravest Veterans of WWII. Andy Kyle has lived an adventurous life full of courage, honor, and spirit all throughout his 95 years. In East Texas he is known as an arrowhead collector, donating the majority of his finds to the Sam Houston Regional Library. He and his late wife Kay were married for nearly 50 years with two daughters, Andrea and Libby. Andy holds a very distinguished wartime record for his service during WWII. Because he was over the age for pilot school he went to the Army Air Corps for mechanic training completing a 2\1/2\ and a half year program in only 6 months. Soon thereafter he became the Crew Chief on a C-47 Dakota transport plane. He served as Crew Chief for 2 years during combat operations in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, England, and France. As a member of the 50th Troop Carrier Squadron, Andy took on the role of dropping paratroopers and supplies into the war zone. Oftentimes this meant carrying flammable gasoline. One of Andy's great feats was flying 55-gallon drums of gasoline to the East coast of Italy to resupply African American pilots. The 50th Troop also participated in the infamous invasion of Normandy on D-Day where his plane dropped fully geared paratroopers to the drop zone in France. It was during the Battle of the Bulge that Andy's squadron received the most hits. Of the 13 planes, 6 were lost in trying to aid the Allied Forces. It was a costly victory for the Allies as well as a personal loss for Andy who lost his brother-in-law JG and his other friend Junior Price. Andy still carries pictures of the monument erected in their honor, showing what a caring and honorable soul he is. Madam Speaker, Andy is one of our many veterans who gave so much to honor our country by serving in a time of war. It is because of his courage and dedication to the United States that we, the Second District of Texas, honor him today.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there's a grim update coming out of the nation of Iran. Last week, the Government of Iran executed two of the 11 people who had been arrested and sentenced to death for peacefully protesting the government. They were hanged. Iran announced yesterday that nine more people sentenced to death will be hanged in the public square. On Saturday, 16 more protestors went on trial for their lives. Hundreds of people were arrested in December when liberty advocates again protested in the streets of Iran by the thousands and at least eight people were murdered by the government. What was their crime? Speaking out against the rigged presidential election last June, speaking out against a dictator who murders his own people, Ahmadinejad. The people reject the Tiny Tyrant of the Desert, Ahmadinejad, and they're killed in the streets and sentenced by the government- controlled courtrooms to die for peacefully objecting to fraudulent elections. So death by hanging from the Liberty Tree was their fate, but their silent voices are still heard proclaiming freedom throughout the land of Iran. They died martyrs for their country; they died for human dignity; they died alone but not for themselves alone but for every Iranian that believes in the human right of freedom. Next week on February 11, Iran will mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The revolution promised the people of Iran liberty, but it has imposed tyranny. The occasion is usually marked by government-run rallies throughout the country, but the leaders of the freedom movement are asking the people to once again risk their lives and stand in opposition to government tyranny and government-controlled rallies. The government is accused by opposition leaders of executing two protestors to scare the people into silence on the anniversary of the revolution. Now, the Tiny Tyrant in the Desert, Ahmadinejad, says, The Islamic Revolution opened a window to liberty for the human race. What a lie. The Iranian Government doesn't know what the word ``liberty'' even means. The head of the Islamic Revolution Guards in Tehran, Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani, warned in the media that the opposition movement would be barred from making an appearance on February 11. He said, ``Any voice, color, or gesture which is different from that of the Islamic Revolution and from the Iranians' voice should be driven out of people's marches,'' saying violators would be ``severely dealt with.'' So much for freedom of speech. So much for freedom to peaceably assemble and protest the government. Plus, those in the media are being controlled as to what they can report, allowing only government propaganda to be preached to the people. Is this what the Iranian Government calls liberty? This is tyranny by Dictator Ahmadinejad. The United States should not remain silent about the oppressions of the Iranian people. The next great hope for the world and world peace is that the people of Iran remove their illegitimate regime and put in a government that is duly and legally authorized by the people. The United States should stand with the Iranian people with their request for freedom and let them know we support their voice for freedom over tyranny, liberty over oppression. And while the dictator may kill the body of those freedom fighters, he will not succeed in killing the spirit of freedom that they have proclaimed when they lived. The Tiny Tyrant of the Desert, Ahmadinejad, is trying to intimidate his people and intimidate the world. He is trying to divert attention away from his unpopular government. He is threatening the world again saying Iran will ``deliver a telling blow to global powers on February 11.'' Could this be a threat? Another advance in Iran's quest for nuclear weapons? Our quarrel is not with the people of Iran. Our quarrel, the world's quarrel, is with the Government of Iran. The legitimate government of Iran is the world threat to peace. Ahmadinejad and his henchmen are waging internal war against the Iranian people, and he desires to rage war against other nations. We should join hands with the sons of liberty and the daughters of Iran in protest of tyranny, oppression, and murder in that country. Iran needs a regime change because a nuclear Iran is not a nuclear option. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Auschwitz was one of several if not many concentration camps that were established by the Nazis. In 1945, a young, 18-year old teenager who'd never been more than 50 miles from home showed up, along with other members of the Seventh Army, at a place called Dachau in Germany, and he helped liberate that concentration camp. That camp had been open from 1933 to 1945, where scientific experiments were done on people, ordered by the Nazis. This was the first concentration camp in Germany. That 18-year old that helped liberate that camp was my father. And he never talked much about World War II. But from time to time, even to this day, he mentions the word Dachau because that had such a tremendous impact on him. I have had the opportunity, along with my son Kurt, to go to Germany to see this place where people were tortured, humiliated, and murdered by the Nazis. Auschwitz was one. There are many others. And yet we should remember all the places where people were tortured in the name of hate, and we should remember the survivors of these concentration camps, and we should remember them forever.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Child Safety Pilot Program, originally created in 2003 as part of the PROTECT Act, has proven to be a valuable resource for groups that work with children, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the National Mentoring Partnership, and the National Council of Youth Sports. Using this pilot program, nonprofit organizations that provide youth-focused care, as defined in the National Child Protection Act of 1993, may request criminal history background checks from the FBI on applicants for volunteer or employee positions that involve working with children. Currently, nearly 68,000 background checks have been administered through the Child Safety Pilot Program. Of those checks, over 6 percent of all workers screened had criminal records of concern, including serious crimes such as murder, rape, and child assault cases. More than 41 percent of applicants with a criminal record committed crimes in other States other than the one in which they were applying to work as a volunteer. Only a nationwide check, such as the Child Safety Pilot Program, could have provided this information to employers. A nationwide check is vital to these organization since many of these applicants are looking for work in other States specifically to escape their criminal pasts. That's why I support S. 2950, the Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2009, which extends this program for 14 more months. Unfortunately, organizations that work with children are often the targets of those with criminal backgrounds and less than honest intentions. We need to equip these organizations so they can spot individuals with criminal records before it's too late, allowing them to only hire professional and responsible people. S. 2950 extends the Child Safety Pilot Program that has successfully helped these groups and their missions to provide a safe learning environment for children. This is a commonsense piece of legislation that should enjoy widespread support, so I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am ready to yield but I did want to make comments regarding my colleague Mr. Johnson. I appreciate his comments about his family and how stalking violence can happen anywhere in the United States to anybody. We, as a body, must be aware that victims throughout the country go through terrible tragedies in their lives. This legislation brings awareness of stalking to the national front. Stalking laws are imposed to protect the right to be left alone, and that's a right that all people have in this country, to be left alone. I want to thank the victims groups that have supported this legislation and, as chairman of the Victims' Rights Caucus, all of the numerous members of the caucus who also support this. I urge its adoption.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield to the gentleman for 1 additional minute.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield 5 minutes to the original author of the national stalking criminal legislation some years ago, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to be the sponsor of this legislation. Stalking is described as repeated harassment or threatening behavior toward somebody else. The stalker can be a stranger or someone the victim knows very well--an ex-partner, a family member. Laws vary from State to State, but stalking is usually considered under the law to be any unwanted contact between the stalker and the victim, that he or she either directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places fear in the victim. Some examples include, but are not limited to, unwanted phone calls; letters; emails; instant messages; following the victim; showing up at the location where the victim is without any reason; leaving unwanted items or presents; and spreading false information or rumors about the victim. Stalking can turn any ordinary day and any ordinary activity, like walking to your car, into a terrifying experience for the victim. Victims of stalking will never really know if they are safe whether they are at home, in their cars, at their work, or even just walking down the street. Stalkers show up at the oddest places. They will be sitting out in front of someone's home; they'll be there when the lady drops her child off at school; when she picks him up in the afternoon; when she goes to church. The stalker is everywhere. One example is a wonderful young lady from Maryland by the name of Yvette Cade. Yvette Cade was severely burned by her husband shortly after a restraining order against him was removed by the judge. Just 3 weeks before, she begged a judge to reinstate a restraining order that had been ordered against her husband. And she told him, the judge, that she feared for her life. But the judge, in his incompetence, refused to reinstate the restraining order. The judge has been reprimanded for that conduct--for refusing to listen to Mrs. Cade's case--which could have prevented the horrible tragedy. Let me make it clear: when the judge refused to reinstate the restraining order, her husband followed her to the store that she worked in. He walked in the store. He had a bottle of gasoline. He poured it over the top of her head and he set Yvette Cade on fire, all because he had been stalking her, but also a judge had the ability to intervene and prevent that activity--and he did not do so. Yvette Cade survived those injuries, and she is an advocate for victims' rights to this day. This case is a reminder why we must educate law enforcement and others, including judges, about stalking and domestic violence in order to help them recognize situations as happened to Mrs. Yvette Cade. During a 12-month period, an estimated 3.4 million people ages 18 and older are victims of stalking. There's a similar story of a woman named Peggy Klinke. She lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and broke up with her boyfriend, named Patrick Kennedy, after dating him for 3 years. He couldn't handle not being with Peggy and stalked her outside of her work. He waited for her outside of her gym. He followed her everywhere she went. And she could always find his truck wherever she showed up. She filed stalking charges against him and had a protective order put out against him. Eventually, Peggy started dating someone else and tried to move on with her life. Patrick set her boyfriend's house on fire and flew to Peggy's mother's house in Ohio and spray painted her house with profanity. The police then thought they had enough evidence to take him to court. Six months before the trial began, Peggy moved to California to hide from Patrick. He hired a private investigator to find her, and he did so in California. Two weeks before the trial, he located her and then killed her and then killed himself. The most effective way of preventing stalking is making people aware it exists and how dangerous it can be. While not every instance of stalking ends in violence, many do. Stalking must be taken seriously and decisive measures must be taken by law enforcement officials as soon as the behavior begins in order to prevent the escalation into a violent situation. House Res. 960 expresses support for the designation of January 2010 as National Stalking Awareness Month to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of stalking. I support this bill and urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I support House Resolution 1022. This resolution honors the life and sacrifice of Medgar Evers, and also it congratulates the United States Navy for naming a supply ship after Mr. Evers in 2009. Known today for his struggles in the civil rights movement in Mississippi and his untimely death at the hands of an assassin, Medgar Evers left behind an impressive record of achievement. He was born in 1925 near Decatur, Mississippi, and he entered the United States Army in 1943 and served in Normandy in World War II. He received a B.A. degree in 1952, and began to establish local chapters of the NAACP. He organized boycotts of gasoline stations that refused to allow blacks to use the restrooms there. In 1954, he applied to the then-segregated University of Mississippi School of Law. And when his application was rejected, he filed a lawsuit against the university. He became the focus of the NAACP effort to desegregate the school, a case aided by the United States Supreme Court in a ruling of Brown v. Board of Education that segregation was unconstitutional. Evers and his wife eventually moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where they worked together to set up an NAACP office. Evers began investigating violent crimes committed against African Americans, and sought ways to prevent them in the future. His boycott of Jackson, Mississippi merchants in the early 1960s attracted national media attention. And his efforts to have James Meredith admitted to the University of Mississippi in 1962 led to much needed Federal help. Due in part to Mr. Evers' work, Meredith was admitted to the University of Mississippi. On June 12, 1963, Evers returned home just after midnight from a series of NAACP functions, and he was leaving his car with a handful of T-shirts that read, ``Jim Crow Must Go.'' When he was leaving his vehicle, he was shot in the back by an assassin. His wife and children, who had been waiting for him, found him bleeding to death on the doorstep some 30 feet from where he was gunned down. Shortly thereafter, he died. The death of Mr. Evers helped prompt President John F. Kennedy and others to ask Congress to pass a comprehensive civil rights bill. And in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law. In the years following his death, a number of songs, books, and movies paid tribute to Mr. Evers' sacrifice and his peaceful pursuit of justice and equality for all Americans. Mr. Evers is quoted as saying, ``When you hate, the only one that suffers is you, because most of the people you hate don't know it, and the rest don't care.'' He also continually advised that violence is not the way. His life serves as an inspiration to all Americans on how citizens can use peaceful and democratic means to effect a positive change within our democracy. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the attack on the Constitution continues. In spite of the will of the people, there are those who still want to force-feed us with government-run health care. The Constitution gives no power to the Feds to nationalize health care. The Feds plan to force Americans to buy health insurance or pay a fine or go to jail, or both. And that plan is unconstitutional. So 34 States are fighting back with legislation to block unconstitutional Federal insurance mandates. Also, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and other AGs are ready to fight the Feds in court over the unconstitutional ``Corn Husker Kickback.'' The Kickback and the ``Louisiana Purchase'' were secret backroom deals, payoffs, paybacks, and rip-offs that gave special health care favors to these States while discriminating against other States who must pay for these corrupt sweetheart deals. It seems that business as usual is going on in D.C., and it's hazardous to our health. President Reagan said there are two ways to do some things: ``The right way and the way they do things in Washington.'' And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, government's view of the economy could be summed up this way: ``If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.'' The American people are uneasy about their financial future. Taxing and borrowing and spending are out of control. Government is the problem. The people are frustrated. We in Washington should listen to the people of America. They talked to us at town hall meetings. They got louder with their marches on Washington. The American people say stop the spending, cut up the credit cards. We should listen to America. America is a representative Republic. That means the people talk, we listen. We implement their ideas. That is the way it works. Lately, the government dictates, the people comply. That is backwards, and it is arrogant. In America, the people are the sovereign, not the government. We in Congress should make the government work for the people, work with them, not over them; stand by their side, not ride their backs. The people are talking, and their voices cannot continue to fall on a deaf government asleep in denial. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, freedom and liberty have always been the American ideal. Core American values have not changed over the centuries. Take a look at the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, and America's values are written down for us. The Declaration acknowledges that our rights come from God, not from government. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are manifested in the Constitution, not granted by the Constitution. The government doesn't give us our rights, and they can't take them away. Government has no rights. People have rights. Government has power. Government gets power when we give up our rights to government. The American people have made it plain they don't want the government taking over health care. That's not compatible with liberty. America does believe in freedom, that includes freedom of religion and the freedom to exercise our religion. They believe in freedom of the press and the right to peaceably assemble and speak their minds to a government that is not allowed to stop them, especially if the government doesn't like what the people are saying. Americans believe in the God-given right to defend themselves, their families, their homes and their property. We have a right to be free from illegal search and seizure. And the American people believe in fair trials, fair courts and fair play. These are all core American values. They are in the Constitution. Most Americans believe these rights don't change with time. And most of the Americans I represent in Texas believe all these values are fairly well set in stone. Now, some of these Americans drive trucks, or pickups as we call them. Recently, there have been some derogatory, disrespectful statements made by those who arrogantly dismiss truck owners. However, there are a lot of vocal truck owners in America. The Ford F-150 pickup is the most popular vehicle sold in the United States for the last 28 years; 25 percent of all vehicles sold in America are pickups. And if you add SUVs to the mix, 40 percent of all truck sales, including pickups, are sold to women. Over 40 percent consider their truck more important than their home. As one truck owner told me, ``You can sleep in your truck, but you can't drive your house.'' Not surprisingly, Texas is America's biggest pickup market, and you don't see too many Volvo station wagons where I come from. These Americans who drive trucks, in my opinion, are fiercely independent, outspoken and will tell you they don't belong to a party but they vote for the person. These drivers are of every race and age, and 64 percent say their truck is a manifestation of their character, their personality and their politics. Truck owners are one voice in America that government would do well to listen to. Contrary to current Washington wisdom, the Americans I know and represent, like truck drivers and others, do not look forward to a day when government, in the name of progressive politics, makes all our decisions for us. This is not a country of weak, timid souls who think government is the answer to every problem and has a better solution than the individuals it rules over. This is not a people of sheep who are afraid to control their own lives and believe government knows best. This is a country of high-spirited individuals that want to be left alone. Many people I represent believe government is a wolf seeking what liberties it can devour from the people. Americans don't believe our health should be turned over to the Federal Government and made a budget item. We don't want some government bureaucrat deciding we can't have the pacemaker surgery, just take pain killers. That will not work for America. After all, we're not some nanny state, European-style. Truck owners and other Americans believe in transparent government, not smoky back-room deals that have an odor of corruption, payoffs, and paybacks. The Americans I know believe in hard work and a private economy that rewards hard work with jobs open to every citizen. They believe in enjoying the fruits of their own labor, and they know how better to spend their money than Big Government. Americans believe in giving people a helping hand when they need it, but don't believe in creating a dependent class of people. Truck owners don't believe in an elite ruling class of D.C. insiders making decisions for the rest of us. Mr. Speaker, I think most Americans believe in the American Dream which is simply this: freedom. This Nation was founded on freedom, and we don't want the government micromanaging our lives. The Americans I know, especially those that drive trucks, want government to remember the beginning of the Constitution, which says, ``We, the people.'' After all, it doesn't say, we the subjects. And as one bumper sticker on a pickup stated, ``I love America. It's government I continue to worry about.'' And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the United States Constitution is a document to limit the Federal Government. Thomas Jefferson said, ``Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence, which (requires) limited constitutions to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power.'' As the all-seeing eye of the government tries to take care of us, and since it believes we are subjects incapable of taking care of our own health, nowhere in the Constitution is the Federal Government given the enumerated privilege to make a power grab and control the Nation's health. The Constitution sets limits on what dictates of pain the Federal Government is allowed to inflict on the rest of us. George Washington didn't fight the Redcoats so people would be the subjects of a new oppressive, untrustworthy Federal bureaucracy, and the Colonists didn't die in the War of Independence so a health care czar could have the rule over us. It is an unconstitutional abuse of power to nationalize American health care and trust the government with our health. And that's just the way it is.