Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the circus parade hit the United Nations yesterday. Libya's Omar Qaddafi treated everyone to a 100- minute rambling rant. It seems he thinks President Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was a spy and working for Israel. He says capitalism is the cause of all the world's problems and the U.N. was founded by terrorist nations like the United States. The little fella from the desert of Iran, Ahmadinejad, gave a speech that cleared the room. The United States and other diplomats walked out. The tiny tyrant accused Israel of genocide and denies the Holocaust. The dictator praised his own glorious election this summer. You know, that's the one when his government murdered Iranian protestors. These twin tyrants rant about death, destruction and doom to America and Israel. They preach hate and murder in the name of religion. These two twin threats to world peace cannot be brushed aside as laughable clowns. The United States must take their hate speech and intimidation seriously. Our Nation must be prepared to defend America from their arrogant, aggressive threats. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, September 25th is the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims. On this day, it is important for all of us to reflect on the terrible toll that violence takes on our communities, and for us to reflect on ways to reduce this violence. One type of homicide that is particularly disturbing is when the perpetrator is a partner of the victim. According to the Centers for Disease Control, on average, three women a day are murdered by their current or former husbands. That is three women a day who are killed by the very same man who took an oath to honor and protect them. This number should be disturbing to all of us. We are not doing enough to keep women safe in their own homes, the very place where we should all find safety and comfort. Too many American women are finding danger, violence, and even death in their own homes. One-third--yes, that's right--one-third, of all murdered females are killed by somebody they were in a relationship with. That is a staggering statistic. These women are not being killed by a stranger in a dark alley, they are being killed by people they trust, often in their own homes. To bring attention to this issue, Congresswoman Edwards and I have introduced H. Res. 757, to support the goals and ideals of the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims. It is my hope that this resolution can help raise awareness about this epidemic of violence, and encourage all of us to realize just how prevalent this is in our communities. The time has come for us all to work together to end this violence.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I want to discuss an issue that is important to border counties along the Texas-Mexico border. One of those particular areas is in Del Rio, Texas. It's a border town that borders Mexico. Every day, students from Mexico cross from Mexico into the United States to go to American schools. Some of those individuals have visas to go to private schools. But the vast majority of them, it appears, do not have any type of visas to go to American schools. And they come in and go to our public schools. On the first day of school this year, the superintendent of the San Felipe Del Rio School District had counted the people that came across into the United States and told those individuals, through other people, that they had to have visas or they could not go to public schools or private schools. 550 students crossed into the United States, and only 150 of them had visas, presumably, to go to private schools. The rest of those went to public schools. Now this is not an issue of citizenship, because the Supreme Court has stated--and I think incorrectly so--that if a person is in the United States, they can go to the public schools in this country, regardless of whether they're a citizen or not. This is an issue of living in the district, the school district where these kids go to school. Under Texas law, you must live in the district to be allowed to go to public school. Now this applies to everybody, citizens and noncitizens. For example, if somebody is from Oklahoma, they can't go to a public school in Texas because they don't live in the district. The same is true of foreign students, whether they are legal or illegal. And so the reason for this is because in Texas most of the money that goes to support public schools comes from property taxes. That's where people who live in that school district, they pay the money for people to go to the school. It's an increasing problem along the Texas-Mexico border because more and more schools are being built, and the reason they are being built is there are people who live in other districts and many of them in foreign countries that cross the border every day, go to public school in the United States, do not live in the district, and, of course, they don't help pay for those schools that are being built to serve them. Well, I was down on the Texas-Mexico border not too long ago. I stood on the bridge between El Paso and Mexico. One morning, hundreds of kids came across the border. I'm standing on the international border, turning around and looking at the kids coming into the United States. These are a bunch of high school students going to our public schools. Down here are a bunch of elementary going to our schools. And some of them are going to private schools as well. What happens is the cost for supporting people who don't live in these districts, many of them foreign nationals, many of them illegally in the United States, goes to the people who live in those districts. And it seems to me that it's only fair that people should not be going to public schools in the United States if they don't live in the districts that have to support their education, free to them but not free to the other people who live in those districts, through property taxes. So I commend those border counties, those small school districts, those areas of the State of Texas that are poor to begin with for having to continually raise property taxes--taxes that have to be paid by legal immigrants, paid by American citizens--to pay for the education of people that don't even live in the United States. I think the time has come for us to enforce the border, enforce the rule of law in the United States, and to prevent people who, every day--not at their expense--cross the border, go to the schools in the United States, to public school, don't live here, don't pay for that education, but expect and make somebody else pay for that. That's just not right. And I commend those school districts that are trying to get a grasp on the cost of education for people who live in those small rural areas and those counties along the border of the United States and Mexico, because those people who live in those areas foot the bill for the expense of public education. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the tiny tyrant from Iran, President Ahmadinejad, is speaking at the United Nations today, continuing to spread his hate against Israel and the United States. He's taunting the world with his nuclear program--by intimidation. He wants a nuclear bomb. And recent leaked reports say he's got all the elements to build a nuclear weapon. The administration has abandoned the American missile defense shield based in Poland that was to protect us from Iranian missiles. Just a few days ago, one popular Polish newspaper had the front page headline that said, ``Betrayed! The United States has sold us to the Russians and stabbed us in the back.'' We have left our allies vulnerable--like Poland--who stand with us fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. The little fella in the desert has challenged the United States of America. He's called us out, and we backed off. We have succumbed to the Desert Rat's demands. Truman, Kennedy, Reagan. None of these historical giants ever backed down from a gunslinger's threats. They knew that it was their responsibility to protect this Nation. To stand with our allies. When they were called out by tyrants, they stood their ground and did not flinch. Has America lost its nerve? We shall see. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the little fellow in the desert has been at it again. Iran's usurper President Ahmadinejad that calls the Holocaust a myth has made it clear he wants nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles to destroy Israel and the United States. And now the tiny tyrant is in New York City spreading hate at the U.N. A leaked document says that Iran has all the elements they need to build a nuclear weapon. They have been working with North Korea on missiles, missiles with more distance and more accuracy. The unstable situation demands that we put a complete missile defense system in place. We are leaving ourselves and our allies vulnerable, but the administration last week scrapped our missile defense system that's based in Poland, and they also cut our radar systems in the Czech Republic. Believe it or not, this country cannot stop a missile fired at us. One would think that would be a priority. Why are the American people left vulnerable to any tin pot totalitarian with an itchy trigger finger? The government's main job is to defend the American people, even from gun-toting little thugs who are determined to have an international shoot-out with the United States. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, every President has the right to get advice from anybody he wants to get advice from. That's a good thing. United States Presidents have a tough job. They should have as many advisers as they wish. My dad, in fact, would like to be one of those advisers to this President and wishes he was an adviser to all the past Presidents. These czars, as they are now called, are not new to the executive branch. But when a person crosses the line from being an adviser to being a policymaker and decision-maker for the government, that person needs to be held accountable to the people of the United States. Someone who gives advice to the President is one thing, but there's a difference between an adviser and someone who sets a policy and implements that policy. Then that person has direct control over the American people. If this occurs, our Constitution requires that person be subject to the oversight of Congress to be legitimate. The big questions become: are these czars advisers or are they policymakers? If they become policymakers, then transparency is important, accountability is important, and confirmation by the United States Senate is mandatory. Our Constitution requires it. Without the confirmation process, we don't know who these people are. And are these czars nothing more than a shadow government? We don't know. The Constitution mandates visibility and oversight by Congress. That's how our government works within the bounds of our law. We don't know how many czars we have or who they are. How much do they get paid, and where does that money come from? What do they do? Who do they report to? Are they in control of the executive branch and its duties? Well, we don't know. What are the Cabinet secretaries doing? Who reports to whom? Do the czars report to the Cabinet members? Or do the Cabinet members report to these folks? The American public does not know. We don't know because there's no oversight and no accountability, and it doesn't seem like anybody's talking. Czars haven't gone through the Senate confirmation process. Are they a national security risk? We don't know. No one knows. Now the FBI tells us they go through a background check. But it's the same background check that the FBI does for a White House intern. These czars do not get a security clearance. That's a much more detailed background check for people with more responsibility than a White House intern. The FBI gives the information from the czar-intern background check over to the White House--that's it. And once the FBI hands the information over, they have nothing else to do with the czars. If these czars are decision-makers and policymakers, that's not acceptable. Just like Cabinet secretaries, they need to be vetted. We have to know who the people are that are in control and who controls the levers of our government. This is just common sense. The American people don't want a shadow government controlling America. Just who are the czars? We have the right to know, and Congress has the responsibility to find out. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, LouAnne is an elementary student in Texas. In the mornings, she eagerly awaits to be picked up by the school bus. After school, she rides the bus home, but sometimes she hesitates and slowly gets off that bus. Once, she just sat on the bus when it pulled in front of her house. The bus driver walked to her seat and told her, ``LouAnne, this is where you get off.'' LouAnne would not leave her seat, and replied, ``Daddy hurts me and Momma.'' We should realize, Mr. Speaker, that behind the closed doors of many houses in America, violence is a way of life. It's a bad life, a sad way of life. It affects spouses and children. It affects the physical and mental health of American families. Domestic violence is a public health issue. One group that helps victims of home violence is the National Network to End Domestic Violence. These crusaders are the leading voice for domestic violence victims and advocates. They are helping to expose violence, support survivors, and change the culture of our communities. I commend them for their wonderful work. Of all the places on Earth where a person should be safe, it's at home. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, America needs to do a better job of protecting our borders. It is the job of the Federal Government to do so. And the Federal Government must do a better job of keeping criminals out in the first place. The Federal Government needs to make sure we deport foreign nationals after they have served their time and after they've been convicted in American prisons. But there is a problem and let me explain. Right now foreign nationals who commit serious crimes in our country and are convicted and go to our prisons, while they are in prison, they are lawfully deported by our immigration judges. That's a good thing. And after they have served their time, of course, it's time for them to go back to where they came from. But right now there are several countries that won't take back lawfully convicted foreign nationals. Those countries are Vietnam, Jamaica, China, India, Ethiopia, Laos, and Iran. These countries won't take back their convicted criminals. These individuals are really people without a country. So what happens to them? Because they have served their time in our Federal and State prisons for felonies, they are actually released back into our communities. They are people without a country. Right now there are over 160,000 of these criminal aliens roaming our Nation and our streets. These people have been lawfully deported after they've served their prison time, but their home nation refuses to take them back. So I am introducing legislation that will plug up this loophole. My bill will make it a lot more likely they will go back where they came from. This bill says that any country who won't take back lawfully convicted foreign nationals who have been deported will lose foreign aid. But China, for example, doesn't receive foreign aid; so what will happen to China is they will not receive legal visas for their citizens to come into the United States. No more student visas for China if they won't take back their convicted criminals that have been deported. None whatsoever. The current law says the State Department may deny visas under these circumstances, but the State Department seems to refuse to send individuals back to their lawfully deported countries because, I guess, China, for example, is a trading partner and they don't want to hurt the feelings of China. My bill won't allow the State Department to ignore that portion of the law. Therefore, it will be mandatory. If they refuse to take back convicted foreign nationals, that nation will lose the right to come here legally. We need to make sure that these individuals don't come here in the first place, especially the criminal element. All sorts of dangerous things are coming across our wide-open borders. The possibilities are endless for what could be just walking across our southern border. We know about the human and sex trafficking, the drugs, the guns, the dirty money and the like. But what about chemical and biological or nuclear materials? Do we know? Well, we really don't know. We live in a dangerous world, and the criminal cartels that run loose on the southern border to me are just as dangerous to this Nation as the Taliban, and they are just as ruthless. Right now, they are in our own backyard. In Texas, we are doing what we can on our own. Last week, the Governor of the State sent the Texas Rangers down to the southern border. They are being deployed in high traffic, high crime areas. The Governor has asked the National Guard to support the Texas Rangers. The Highway Patrol, the Department of Public Safety, aviation resources, and the Texas sheriffs are all part of this team to prevent the criminal element from coming into the United States. But our local law enforcement is overwhelmed, so the Federal Government needs to get its priorities straight. Recently, at one of my town halls in August, talking about health care, an individual showed up and people in that town hall recognized who he was. His name was Ignacio Ramos. He and his wife, Monica, came just to appear at that town hall. When individuals in that town hall saw who he was, they stood, Mr. Speaker, for over 5 minutes and applauded the work of Ignacio Ramos and his partner and the work that they had done on the southern border of Texas. He and his partner, Jose Compean, were U.S. Border Patrol officers jailed for shooting a Mexican drug dealer. Their sentences were commuted, and properly so, by the prior administration. But it shows, Mr. Speaker, that our Federal Government doesn't have its priorities in order. They have them backwards. One of the few things that our Constitution actually requires the Federal Government to do is to protect the national security of this Nation. Border security is a national security issue, and foreign criminals that have committed crimes in this Nation and been lawfully deported should be sent back home. We should do the obvious things first when it comes to national security. If a foreign national commits a felony in the United States and is deported but the home nation refuses to take back its outlaw, that country should lose foreign aid and the legal right to have its citizens come into the United States under our visa program. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the American resistance movement has begun. It was seen in D.C. this weekend when over a million people came to show their displeasure with government. Their grievances: too much government spending, borrowing and taxing, too much bloated government, too much waste and irresponsibility in government. This is not the 1960s violent antiwar protests led by radical draft- dodging college elites. These are families, working people, business owners, veterans, seniors and the backbone of the American spirit. These people have a stake in America and a concern about the future of a Nation they treasure and love. Government beware, these people have engaged in that political fight and are not about to give their country away to those who want to run roughshod over their lives and force more government intrusion upon them. These people don't like the atmosphere that disagreement with government is frowned upon. This American resistance is not going away. People will not be dismissed and intimidated by those whose only answer to their valid concerns is to say they are ``un-American.'' These Americans want government to listen, and we ignore them at our own peril. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Patrick Swayze, actor and advocate. Swayze died at the age of 57--yesterday-- September 14, 2009 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Houston, Texas, on August 18, 1952 to parents, dancer and choreographer Patsy Swayze, and the late engineer draftsman, Jesse Swayze. A great actor, singer and dancer and an outstanding native Texan, Swayze had a long and distinguished career that made him an American icon. Known for his work in many films including ``The Outsiders'', ``Dirty Dancing'', and ``Roadhouse,'' Swayze has been gracing the big screen for over four decades. He received four Golden Globe nominations for his performances in ``Ghost'' and ``To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar''. Patrick Swayze had been suffering from pancreatic cancer since January 2008. Despite his own illness, Swayze's unwavering dedication to bring awareness and fight cancer remained clear until his final days. He recently wrote a letter to Congress asking for support and funding towards the National Institutes of Health for treating cancer as well as other life threatening illnesses. Swayze brought necessary attention to pancreatic cancer by making fellow Americans aware that ``more than 1.4 million will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes,'' and reminding them ``that they are not alone.'' Patrick's rise to fame began at Waltrip High School in Houston. After graduation, he enrolled in San Jacinto College, located in the second district of Texas, to focus on gymnastics. His training allowed him to take his first step toward stardom as Snow White's Prince Charming with the Disney's Parade Ice Show. Shortly after, he traveled to New York City in order to pursue his first love, dancing. However, an old football injury ended his ballet career, directing Swayze towards acting. Swayze starred in over 33 movies, 7 theatre productions, and had numerous television roles and appearances throughout his accomplished career. Swayze leaves behind his wife of over thirty years, Lisa Niemi. Together they weathered a journey of both success and disappointment. Swayze and Niemi's love and commitment for one another was unwavering until the very end. On behalf of the second congressional district of Texas, I rise to remember a true native Texan, Patrick Swayze for his outstanding achievements in the entertainment business and in the fight against cancer. His life is truly an example to all. He will be remembered as a role model and a shining example of hard work, determination, and the spirit of Texas.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, there was a townhall meeting not too far from here in Reston, Virginia. Over 3,000 people were inside and about that many outside who could not get into the school. Now this townhall event was held at South Lakes High School, and one of the security officers there, a Wesley Cheeks, Jr., did not like one of the signs that the protesters were carrying and holding up. The sign apparently was not to the officer's political liking. So the security officer demanded that out of the thousands of signs at the event, the one he didn't like was going to come down, and he ordered the person to take it down because it was obviously critical of the administration. Note, Mr. Speaker, there was nothing illegal about the sign. This officer told the man with the sign to put his sign away or he would be arrested. Yes, arrested for freedom of speech and the right to protest. The protester said, This used to be America. Officer Weeks said in response, Well, it isn't any more, okay. Well, Mr. Speaker, it's not ``okay.'' Not by a long shot. This is still America, the land of the free--the land where we can disagree with government, whether government likes it or not--the land paid for in blood by bold men of noble character and heart and noble action, who understood that free speech undergirds liberty and freedom. They understood that the right to speak the truth to authoritarian power is granted by the Almighty to those bold enough to stand and claim that right. No king, no government, no dictator, and no high school security officer has the right to abuse their authority and suppress freedom of speech. One of the founding principles of this Nation is freedom of speech. It is so fundamentally important that our Founding Fathers put it first in our Constitution's Bill of Rights, made it the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights, because it is the most important. Without the First Amendment, the rest are meaningless. The First Amendment simply says, Congress--that's us, folks--shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances. It is the tendency of all governments to encroach upon the rights of people in this Nation, and other nations. And while many Americans are going about their daily business of work, taking their kids to school, to football practice, to Boy Scouts, grocery shopping, and going to dinner, mowing the grass, and living their lives, don't underestimate that these people are paying attention to what government is doing to them. Freedom of speech is crucial for folks to get the attention of fellow Americans when the size of government no longer fits the Constitution. Freedom of speech is sacrosanct, and not just for those who agree with government, but it is a holy right, especially for those who disagree with government oppression. It is the right of a free people to speak truth when the government is wrong. It is the right of the people to gather and stand in the face of their elected officials and speak what they see--tyranny of a government gone amok. It is the right of a self-governing people to come together in cities around the Nation to speak out and to hold the government accountable when those who seek to rule over us have stepped out of their constitutional bounds. There can be no more fundamental display of our God-given right to freedom of speech than what we're seeing from the American Resistance Movement today. From townhalls to city streets, the right of free speech is one of the very guardians of the freedom and liberty that make this Nation the greatest in history. And it is the government that would do well to listen, be silent, and then act in the interest of the American people. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, freedom's bell has sounded across this Nation. It is loud; it is clear. The people's resistance to big, bloated government has begun in the hearts and minds of the American people. It was shown in their actions over the weekend. Over a million Americans took time off from work, gathered up their families, made their signs, brought their flags and came to D.C. with the cry for government to listen. Their message to Congress and the administration: We have had enough. They have watched in stunned horror as this Congress has made government bigger and less accountable. Congress has lavishly spent trillions of their tax dollars, money that does not belong to the government, but to the people. Now the threat of a government takeover of their health care has made it personal to them. It doesn't matter how many times it's said otherwise, the American people understand what government-run health care looks like, and they don't like it. Thomas Jefferson once said: ``The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.'' But the tide is turning, Mr. Speaker. The American resistance is awake and on its feet and on the move. People are not happy, and we ignore them at our own risk. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it was a clear, cool morning in America 8 years ago on September 11. The sun had risen, and people of the Nation went to work. I was driving my Jeep to the courthouse in Texas, where I served as a judge at the time. KILT Radio, in Houston, interrupted a Willie Nelson song and reported that a plane had crashed into a tower at the World Trade Center. Then a second plane had hit the other tower in New York City. I, like many others on the road that day, pulled over to the side and listened intensely to the radio, and heard about a third plane crashing somewhere in Pennsylvania and yet a fourth plane deliberately hitting the Pentagon. They were from every State in the United States, from 115 foreign countries and were of all races and nationalities. They were men and women and America's young people. At the end of the day, 2,819 people did not return home to the people they loved; 343 were firefighters and paramedics; 23 were New York City police officers; 37 were Port Authority officers; 125 were working for the military at the Pentagon; and 266 others were passengers on airlines. These were the victims of the attack on America on September 11, 2001. The enemy we faced and still face killed in the name of religion the innocence of this Nation. America is great because of people like the passengers on Flight 93, who called their loved ones and said goodbye and then said, ``Let's roll.'' They knew it was up to them to stop the terrorists on that plane. They were unarmed and already had seen others murdered before their eyes, but they did what it took to stop the terrorists from doing whatever the terrorists had planned to do to our Nation. It didn't matter whether they were flying into the Capitol or into the White House or exactly what they were going to do. The passengers of flight 93 were not going to let them do it no matter what it was. They saved innocent lives on the ground when they forced that plane down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. What makes America great is her people--ordinary Americans who strap on hundreds of pounds of gear and who run into a building that's on fire to help people who are scared and injured and who don't know where to go to be safe. They are paramedics and police officers and firemen and Port Authority officers who climbed hundreds of flights of steps, climbing up while everyone else was trying to get out of a building that was on fire. They went into those darkened stairwells even after one building had collapsed, even after they knew that hundreds of their friends and family members and coworkers had just likely been killed when that first building came down. They kept on trying to save people whose lives they had been trained to save and to be responsible for. They took an oath and stood for that oath, and we would hope that we would all do the same. That's what makes America the rare breed. Through the smoke, the fire, the dust, and the debris, these extraordinary people showed the world exactly what an American hero looks like. What sets Americans apart is the bravery of the people who face challenges. We are continuing to be underestimated because no other country in the world can understand what an American feels when confronted with the type of evil that confronted us on September 11, 2001. At the end of the day on September 11, 2001, I, like most Americans, was mesmerized in front of the TV, watching video of the attack on our Nation. I noticed that, when the planes hit the World Trade Center, thousands of people--good people--sought safety from the terror in the skies, but there was another group, a handful of people--that rare breed--who, when the planes hit those buildings, ran as hard as they could to confront that terror. Who were they? Well, they were the emergency medical technicians; they were firefighters; they were police officers; and they were just regular Americans. Their first inclination was not to run and hide. Their first inclination was to fight back, and that's exactly what they did. They showed the pride that we feel in our country when we see the flag waving and say, These colors don't run. We mean it. So, Mr. Speaker, while it's important to remember those who died that day 8 years ago, it's just as important to remember those who got to live and who had another chance at life because America's first responders were there and answered the call to defend America. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Congress is spending money we don't have on things we cannot afford. We spent billions on the so-called stimulus that hasn't worked. The government took over the car industry and gave money to the fat cats on Wall Street. Congress gave money, America's money, to the banking industry, and this House passed a national energy tax. The government is out of control. Nearly 10 percent of the people are unemployed. With these hard economic times, now we are told we have to spend $1 trillion on a health care bill that is still confusing to most Americans. Where are we supposed to get the money? We cannot continue to spend money we don't have and borrow it from our ``friends'' like China. This spending will cause inflation, and eventually somebody is going to get a massive tax increase to pay for a government gone wild. Some taxacrats wish to tax small businesses into oblivion, the backbone of our country. Even if this were the greatest health care bill in the world, we can't afford to tax more Americans to pay for it. The American people deserve a break from all the spending, borrowing and taxation. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

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

Mr. POE of Texas. We have no other speakers, Mr. Speaker. I will close by saying that this is a bipartisan piece of legislation. This body here contains many former law enforcement officers, peace officers, sheriffs, prosecutors, former judges, and victims of crime as well. Crime knows no boundaries in this country, and it affects all of us. This legislation is a stand for the volunteers who support National Night Out and the good work that they do. I strongly urge the adoption of this resolution.

Mr. POE of Texas. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) for sponsorship of this legislation. On August 4, 2009, communities, businesses, local law enforcement officials and other individuals from all 50 States got together for what we call National Night Out. National Night Out, an annual event created to bring attention to the importance of community involvement in preventing crime and community awareness efforts throughout the country. It has successfully reached millions of people and thousands of communities in every State in our Nation. Not only has the event grown in participation and size, but in production as well. The traditional ``lights on,'' in which neighborhood families coordinate in turning on their porch lights, has grown to include block parties, neighborhood walks, police meetings, cookouts and even parades. Mr. Speaker, this is the only time of the year that many neighbors see each other. My grandfather used to say that people quit being as neighborly when builders quit building front porches on their homes. Anyway, National Night Out gives people the chance to visit with each other and be neighborly. House Resolution 623 calls on the administration not only to highlight and urge participation in this nationwide campaign, but also to coordinate Federal efforts in other community crime-prevention initiatives. The resolution reminds us that crime is local. Crime affects all Americans, regardless of where they live or who they are. In my 30 years as a prosecutor and a former judge, I saw for myself the terrible toll that crime puts on neighborhoods and on families and individuals. We all suffer. Crime, especially violent crime, is a national health concern. Volunteer organizations such as neighborhood crime watch groups have proven to be invaluable, not just in awareness and prevention, but also in their coordination with local law enforcement. National Night Out was created in 1984 to help bring members of our communities together to fight the scourge of crime in local neighborhoods. Since then, it has been the mission of Association of Town Watch and National Night Out to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods and communities are united in their fight against criminal conduct. Through the participation in local crime fighting programs and organizations, every American can make a difference in the safety of their community. Strong communities are safer communities. In today's world, crime and violence can be found everywhere we look. Urban communities, rural communities, parks and even our schools. And while Federal coordination with local law enforcement plays a tremendous role in curbing criminal activity, the coordination of local law enforcement officials, volunteer groups and community leaders and neighbors is, without a doubt, the most effective way of attacking crime and protecting America's families. So I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my grandmother used to say ``If you have your health, you have everything.'' Health is a personal and private matter with people. Individuals want to control who their doctor is. Now we are embarked upon a new philosophy regarding health care. The government thinks it knows better how to take care of Americans than individuals do. Kind of like the sarcastic statement, ``We're from the government, we're here to help you.'' More government intrusion into personal lives alarms and scares people, especially seniors. They are afraid that additional government control of health care will take their personal choices away and give decisions and power to unelected, unaccountable 23-year-old bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Frankly, many of my neighbors in Texas don't have the confidence that big government can provide better quality of health for this Nation. People are also worried about the billions of dollars to pay for this utopian illusion: money that will have to be borrowed, then paid back in more taxes. The people I represent think this new plan will make matters worse. Sort of like what my grandmother also said, ``If you think the problems government creates are bad, just wait until you see government solutions.'' And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Congress will gladly welcome the President tomorrow night to speak to a joint session of Congress about health care. All of us here have been asked hundreds of questions by our constituents over the past month. The President is an innovator in communications. He tries new ideas and is a trend-setter when it comes to new ways to be in touch with the American people. So as the President addresses Congress on his health care ideas tomorrow night, why doesn't he take some health care questions from Members of Congress, questions that have been asked by the people we represent? After all, we call this the People's House, so why not address questions the American people have? The questions could be submitted before the President speaks and he can choose the ones he wants to address. This could be a congressional townhall hosted by the President. Here are just some of the questions I have been asked by the people of Texas. One: The health care bill seems to cost too much. How are we going to pay for it? This question brought much concern to the people in my district. The Congressional Budget Office says that the pending House bill will cost anywhere from billions to even $1 trillion to just implement. Tax increases are in the current plan to pay for this bill, more spending of what we don't have. I made a pledge to my constituents not to vote for a bill that will raise taxes, and I haven't. So how do we pay for this without a force-fed tax increase on the American people? Two: Why is this bill so confusing? It is written in a way that even the most reasonable people from even the same political party can honestly disagree on its meaning. The 1,017-page bill, if it passes, will then allow the bureaucrats to determine the meaning of the bill. Also, Texans don't want unelected bureaucrats in this city making their medical decisions on what services they get and don't get. Can we get a clearly written bill that everyone can understand? Three: Why shouldn't Congress, the czars and members of the Cabinet be required to sign up for the public option? If it is going to be so good for the American people, shouldn't everyone supporting this plan be required to be under the public option, like government officials? Four: People on Medicare are scared and afraid they are not going to receive any medical treatment. What is in the plan to make sure there is no rationing of medical care for the elderly? Five: Why not eliminate the hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and waste in our current Medicare system before we tackle anything else? Six: All of the amendments offered in committee that would specifically require proof of citizenship to sign up for this new government-run health care were defeated. Americans and legal residents should not be required to pay for the health care of illegals. The bill is confusing on this issue since it doesn't require proof of citizenship. Seven: Small business owners are afraid they will have to lay off people or shut their doors altogether if they are hit with more new taxes. What is the plan to protect small business from bearing the brunt of new taxes for this health care idea? Madam Speaker, these are seven of the questions I have been asked by the people I represent, and I would hope the President could address some them and questions by other Members of Congress. Madam Speaker, does anyone really believe that big government can do a better job of running health care? It is a glittering illusion to think our health care problems can be solved by more expensive, big- bureaucratic government. We do need reform, but a government takeover will only add to the problems we have now. We need to fix what is broken, not break what already works. So, Madam Speaker, since our President is an innovator of new communication ideas, I respectfully submit that a townhall meeting between the President and Congress might just be the way to cut to the chase in this health care debate and allow the President time to answer the questions of the American people. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, one of the things I heard most from my neighbors at recent town hall health care meetings is they don't want the government in charge of their health. They believe government-run health care means rationing and substandard treatment. And the people in southeast Texas don't want the additional $800 billion tax increases to pay for what is yet more government intrusion into their lives. This massive 1,017-page bill requires heavyhanded tax increases to pay for all the new government programs that don't treat one patient, nor will they provide for a healthier America. In this time of economic hardship, no one in America should be force-fed tax increases to pay for this glittering illusion that Big Government is the answer. America has the best health care in the world. There are problems, such as affordability and access, but complete government takeover is not the answer. Fix these problems rather than destroy American health care. Does anyone really think the government can do a better job of running the entire medical health of this Nation? This government-run health care plan will have the competence of FEMA, the efficiency of the Post Office, and the compassion of the IRS. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a year ago today, when we recessed for the August break, there were some of us who stayed here on the House floor and continued to talk about energy and American independence in energy. Eventually, the powers that be turned out most of the lights, turned off the microphone, turned off the cameras, but we talked on that Friday, and then we continued to talk through most of the month of August, even though a formal session did not occur. And we talked about the need to be energy independent. Now we've gone a year from that, and what has happened in that 1 year? Well, things have only gotten worse as far as energy independence has gone. Let me give you one example. In 2008 at this time, in the United States proper we had 1,808 rigs drilling for crude oil and natural gas. A year later, we only have 1,128, so that means 680 rigs fewer now than we did a year ago producing oil and natural gas. What has happened? Well, things have only gotten worse. We have, or this body passed, barely, legislation to punish energy consumption by the cap-and-tax bill, which means that if you use energy in this country, natural gas, electricity, you use gasoline, you're going to have to pay more down the road. Hopefully, the Senate will not pass this legislation. And we have fewer rigs and we are not more independent. We're more dependent. And who are we dependent on? We're dependent on the countries who hate us, some countries in the Middle East, some countries that we know and we have heard that actually the money that we spend on crude oil that we send them finds its way to people who don't like America and funds their organizations. Why do we continue to do that? Because we don't take care of ourselves. We hear about clean energy, and we all want to go to alternative energy, but we're not there yet, Mr. Speaker. We need to do the simple things. We need to use and drill for our own natural gas and our own crude oil, and we can do that in the United States, in ANWR. We can do that offshore, and that keeps the money in the United States. It produces jobs for Americans, and doesn't send those jobs overseas. It keeps our oil companies and our natural gas companies in the United States. It's a good thing for America. But because of the fear lobby, we're afraid to drill for natural gas and crude oil. And that is a mistake, because it can be done safely, and it should be done safely. The places that we drill offshore, it's been proven that it can be done safely. And we should continue to do that. So, a year from now, hopefully we won't be in a worse situation, depending on foreign countries for our energy. We should do the obvious. Take care of America. Drill safely, drill anywhere that we have natural gas or crude oil and help bring energy back home to America, furnish jobs, keep that money in the United States and quit sending it overseas to people who don't even like the United States. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, government-run health care has been around in England for over 60 years. In those years, the government still hasn't gotten it right. In March, Britain's Health Care Commission, which has ironically been renamed the Care Quality Commission, reported that 1,200 people have died needlessly at two British hospitals over the past 3 years. The government report said that Stafford Hospital and Cannock Chase Hospital have filthy conditions and unhygienic practices. The government report says government-run hospitals don't have enough doctors and nurses and the doctors and nurses are poorly trained. They don't know how to use the cardiac monitors, and the hospitals don't even have enough of the cardiac monitors that they don't know how to operate. The British Government report also says that these two government-run hospitals have left patients with no food, no water and no medicine for up to 4 days. Mr. Speaker, this is just another example that government-run health care has not worked. Doctors and nurses are rationed; care is rationed; medicine, food and water are rationed. The British health care plan is: ``Just don't get sick'' because the government-run system can't help you. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3326, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010: Requesting Member: Congressman Ted Poe Bill Number: H.R. 3326, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 Account: RDTE, A Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lamar University Address of Requesting Entity: 4400 MLK Boulevard, P.O. Box 10119, Beaumont, TX 77710 Description of Request: I have secured $4,000,000 in funding for Lamar University's Advanced Fuel Cell project to continue to develop an efficient and clean advanced renewable energy source to meet urgent U.S. Army space and missile defense battlefield requirements. The Advanced Fuel Cell project continues to develop, test and validate advanced fuel cell technologies necessary to enable lightweight, power efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective renewable energy technology and products for Army space and missile defense systems including: sensors, radars, weapons, and communications. Project could also be used in border, port, and chemical facility surveillance.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, ``Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.'' Madame Speaker, Hellen Keller made this observation about life and today I'd like to share the inspiring story of Taylor Christine Hunt. A little baby who I like to call the Miracle Baby. Her story is a moving reminder that prayer, faith, hope, and love can and do overcome the challenges of life. Born at 27 weeks and weighing just one and a half pounds little Baby Taylor beat the odds. Last fall my staffer, Nicole Hunt and her husband Jeff Hunt shared their excitement with me as they announced they were expecting their first baby at the end of May. In January of this year they found out they were having a girl. We all rejoiced at the news. However, on March 1, 2009, due to pregnancy complications, little Baby Taylor was born three and a half months premature. Taylor was immediately admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and placed on a ventilator to help her breathe. She remained on the ventilator for nearly a week as doctors kept a close watch on her. Nicknamed the ``little spitfire'' by doctors and nurses because of her sassy and stubborn attitude towards all of their poking and prodding, Taylor would not let anything keep her down. Early on doctors detected an irregularity with her heart and took prompt medical action to correct it. Thankfully they were successful. In the first few months of her life doctors also discovered that Taylor had an eye disorder that primarily affects premature babies. Miraculously, it was there one day and gone the next. Today Taylor has perfect vision. Slowly, as Taylor's body matured, she learned to breathe on her own, take food, and maintain her body temperature. While Jeff and Nicole sat by her bedside day and night, they also rallied a huge group of supporters to pray for Taylor. Taylor even had her own website called ``Pray Taylor Home'' and literally thousands of people all over this country and the world prayed for her recovery. On June 2, 2009, after 94 days of hospitalization, hundreds of tests, dozens of specialists, 3 blood transfusions, and one ambulance ride, Taylor was finally well enough to go home. Today Taylor has been home for about two months and is thriving. She is almost 8 pounds and is developing beautifully. It has been a pleasure to see this little Miracle Baby beat the odds and I am proud to share her story with this Chamber today. Edith Wharton, a famous novelist, once wrote: ``There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.'' Taylor is that candle--spreading hope and teaching all of us that we must never give up. And that's just the way it is.