Ted Poe

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Saturday, June 6, 2009, will mark the 65th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. Operation Overlord was the code name, but most folks know the massive invasion by its military term. We call it D-day. We honor the amazing men who stormed the beaches at Normandy on that historic day. Utah, Sword, Gold, Juno and Omaha beaches were the names of the invasion sites. June 6, 1944, was a wicked day of weather. The seas were high and the rain came in hard. The sky only broke occasionally for the Allied air cover to protect the landings. Our boys laid claim to the beachheads inch by bloody inch. The Rangers climbed the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc under heavy, brutal German fire. The sand was stained red with the blood of young American warriors and that of our friends, our allies. Felix Branham went ashore at the second wave of Omaha Beach as a demolition man. Felix had joined the National Guard in 1938. Branham said of his landing: ``The water was so rough. The guys were getting seasick. I saw water spilling up over the sides of our landing crafts. ``The seawater was splashing in on us from shells bursting and rifles hitting our boat. But I never raised up and looked over to the side of that boat. None of us did. ``When we got off the landing craft, the water was up to my knees. Of course, the tide was rising a foot every 10 minutes and we had to get in quick, because high tide would cover up the obstacles in the water that we used for cover and we would be blown out of the water. They were firing at us from everywhere. ``When we got to the beach, there were Rangers who were separated from their units piling in with us at the same time. ``My team was the first one to go over the sea wall; and I saw some of my friends die. ``In my team of 30 men, we had lost only about five or six of those men. We were lucky. God knows how lucky we were. We went up the hill and then we crossed over Omaha Beach and eventually made it to a little French town. ``The day after D-day, I walked up to the beach, went up and down the beach and saw guys lying on the beach who were dead. They were there with their eyes open, their rifles ready. They were solid in their death.'' Mr. Speaker, these brave men who cracked the Nazi grip on Europe began with the liberation of France 65 years ago. And then from there they went on to Germany. Nothing like it had ever been done before in history. Over 150,000 Allied soldiers hit the beaches during the assault landings on the 6th of June. By the 4th of July, over 1 million joined the invasion force through Normandy. It was a miraculous feat for 1944. These young men were from every State and territory of the United States. They were young and hailed from places in the rural farmlands to the big cities. Many had never been but a few miles from home until they went ashore and overseas. They have been called the Greatest Generation. Growing up, I learned that my dad, a farm boy, served in the great World War II as a soldier in Europe. He was only 18. That's all I knew. Neither he nor my mom, a war bride, ever said anything about my dad's service until they went to a certain place. Here is that place, Mr. Speaker, a place called Normandy. They went on the 50th anniversary of the D-day landing. When he came back to Texas after this grave-site visit here in this photograph, he started talking about his buddies, those that had lived, and those that had died. He talked about the concentration camps he saw like at Dachau, and how he nearly froze in the Battle of the Bulge, and much, much more. But he claims to be no hero, even though he is my hero. He says the real heroes are buried right here in this cemetery at Normandy, his fellow warriors who gave up their youth so our country could have our future. Mr. Speaker, some today forget the feats of these warriors of World War II. Those World War II troops went to liberate but not to conquer. They fought for a people they didn't even know in a land they had never seen. They freed an entire continent of Europeans from tyranny and wanted absolutely nothing in return. Mr. Speaker, here are some of those Americans that never came home: 9,387, to be exact, still buried in graves in Normandy. Buried on the cliffs, their white crosses and their Stars of David shine and glisten in the morning sunshine over Omaha and Utah beaches. Mr. Speaker, others are buried in unmarked graves all over Europe, known only to God. They were great Americans and we should always remember them. We will always be proud, and we will always be free because of them. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there is no such thing as a former marine. Once marines leave the military, they are still marines at heart, soul, and patriotic zeal. One such marine is Frank Larison, who served in Vietnam--14 years in the military. The 58-year-old combat veteran lives in Lake Highlands in Dallas, Texas. Like many marines, he has Marine bumper stickers and decals on his vehicle. But the homeowners' association claims the stickers are advertising, which is prohibited under deed restrictions. Marine Larison has been told to remove the stickers or face fines or towing. Larison is not retreating from this battle. Marine Larison has, in the unique Marine vocabulary, ``politely'' refused to peel off any of the red and gold Marine decals. Larison told a Dallas reporter, ``I'm not advertising. I'm just proud to have served my country.'' Marine Larison will win his fight with the association because freedom of speech is still sacred in America whether the association likes it or not. There is nothing like a U.S. Marine. They are a breed of their own. They are truly unique, proud Americans. The association picked the wrong person to do battle with, a U.S. Marine. Semper fi, Frank Larison. Semper fi. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, recently, in Texas, we actually had a woman ordered to remove her American flag from her work space. Debbie McLucas works at Kindred Hospital in Mansfield, Texas. She comes from a very patriotic family. Her husband and both of her sons served in the United States military. Her daughter is a combat medic and is currently deployed on her second tour of duty in Iraq. When Debbie arrived at work the Friday before Memorial Day, her American flag was gone from her hospital work space. She had displayed it in honor of Memorial Day and in honor of our troops. Debbie was met by her supervisor and was told that there had been complaints about the American flag. An immigrant coworker had complained that the American flag was offensive, so the flag was taken down by management. Debbie found her flag wrapped around the pole and laying on the floor in the corner of her supervisor's office. Debbie McLucas said in an interview that one of her colleagues who had migrated to the United States from Africa 14 years ago had complained to the supervisor. Debbie was then told by management that it only took one complaint, and the so-called ``offensive'' flag had to come down immediately. Debbie told her supervisor that she was offended that somebody removed the flag. She said she could not fathom that anyone in America would find the American flag objectionable. As soon as this episode hit the news wires, there was outrage from sea to shining sea and rightfully so. After all, Debbie's freedom of speech to display the flag was stolen by the hospital elites because one person whined and griped. Let me tell you about how some Americans appreciate the flag as Debbie McLucas does. Several years ago during the Vietnam War, a university student in Houston, Texas, had desecrated the American flag. He was charged under Texas law with the felony of flag desecration. That was before the Supreme Court gave peaceniks the right to burn the flag, saying it was free speech. Anyway, two young prosecutors--Vic Pecorino and Andy Horn, a recent returning Vietnam veteran--had to prove to the jury that the flag was, in legal terms, a venerated object, or one that deserves special treatment. After proving the case, except for this one requirement, the State called Chris Cole, a judge, to prove that the flag had to be treated in a respectful manner. He came in to testify, accompanied by his seeing eye dog. Judge Cole was a marine in World War II. He was involved in the bloody island hopping of the South Pacific. During the flag trial, he was asked by the prosecutors when the last time was he saw the U.S. flag. He paused, and with a tearful response, he said, The last time I saw the flag it was raised on Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima Island in 1945. You see, several days later, Judge Chris Cole had a Japanese hand grenade explode near him, and he permanently lost the sight in both eyes. He never saw Old Glory again. In the flag trial, the defendant was convicted by the jury because they thought, as Judge Cole testified, that the flag holds special significance to Americans; but the law was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. There are a lot of Americans, especially those who serve in the military, who hold the view that the flag represents everything that is good and right about our Nation and that it is their right to display the flag. Mr. Speaker, the flag is displayed here on the wall behind me. Each morning, Members of Congress pledge allegiance to the flag as do schoolchildren across the vast plains of America. Obviously, Debbie McLucas is another one of those Americans who respects the values that the flag represents, and she wishes to proudly display it. Debbie McLucas should be praised for exercising her constitutional right of freedom of speech by displaying America's flag. So, in her honor and to honor her military family, I have requested that an American flag be flown over the United States Capitol on Saturday, June 6, on the 65th anniversary of the D-day landing of Normandy during World War II. The flag will be sent to this American lady in appreciation of her patriotic spirit, of her loyalty to American warriors and to the American flag. May she display it proudly. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the State of Texas is caught in the crosshairs of a green movement hostile and detrimental to our energy industries. Texas produces 1 million barrels of oil every day, or 20 percent of the U.S. production. We're also home to refineries that produce one-quarter of the country's gasoline and also produce oil byproducts for plastics. The new cap-and-trade tax will destroy thousands of Texas jobs, and the Congressional Budget Office says that the tax on energy won't even help the climate. No matter, the taxacrats in Washington want to punish red energy State voters by nailing them with the new disastrous tax on energy consumption. In the name of saving planet Earth, the government barons are trying to push us to so-called ``green'' energy sources that don't even exist yet. Green energy that will support this country's needs is at least 10 years away. The immediate solution right in front of us is expanding our own oil and gas production while we develop these new technologies. That will create jobs, keep money in America, and make us less dependent on foreign oil. But that logic is lost in the hazy political climate of Washington. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, ``We shall not flinch or fail. We shall go on to the end. . . . We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing strength in the air. We shall defend . . . whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight everywhere. We shall never surrender.'' Winston Churchill said this showing the dedication of our armed forces. They never give up; and, of course, they never give in. Churchill was right, Madam Speaker. In WWII, American troops did not flinch--they fought wherever and whenever they were. needed--to the very end. For many young Americans, 31,000, to be specific, that courage took them to the beaches of Normandy, France. And for more than 6,000 Americans that meant giving everything they had for the cause of liberty and freedom. This July 6th marks the 65th anniversary of the infamous D-day. I am a proud cosponsor of the resolution before the House today which expresses the gratitude and appreciation of the House of Representatives for the acts of heroism and military achievement of all the Members of the Armed Forces who participated in the D-day landings on Normandy beach. These brave warriors went to war to liberate Europe for the cause of freedom. The average age of the brave young warriors representing the United States on those shores was just 20 years old. They might have been young Madam Speaker, but their leadership and their commitment to freedom marked the beginning of the liberation of France and ultimately culminated in the destruction of the Nazi Empire and the triumph of the Allied Forces. I am pleased to speak in support of the resolution today and urge all my colleagues to support this important legislation. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield back.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, in 1992, I had the opportunity to go to Tiananmen Square. I was there by myself, but the square was packed. Once again, it was packed with a lot of people, with a lot of students. I was well- received by those students. They wanted to talk to me. They were very friendly, and they were friendly to me for the sole reason that I was an American. Otherwise, they did not know me at all. While talking to some of the students who weren't afraid to talk to me because of the authorities that were nearby, one of them whispered to me in perfect English that we want what you have in America. Of course, he was speaking of that word ``liberty.'' Down in the soul of every person on Earth, I believe, is that spirit that the good Lord gives us for freedom. I think we are made that way. We are made that way in this country, but we are made that way throughout the world, and those students in China are made that way as well for they seek and hope to obtain the word ``liberty.'' The rulers in China need to release the Tiananmen Square students. China should show the world that they are no longer going to continue to murder their own people who peaceably disagree with the government. In Beijing, not only is there Tiananmen Square, but also nearby is the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City got its name because it was a walled fortress where the emperors for thousands of years would live and rule the massive country of China, but they forbade the people to come into the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City still exists in a mentality way in China for the City of Beijing still forbids its own people the freedom to speak as they wish, the freedom to assemble, and it forbids the freedom of the people to disagree with their government in a peaceful way. In the name of liberty and in the name of freedom in which we believe, we have an obligation here in the United States to speak out against the acts of terror that the Chinese Government imposes on their own people. We need to remember the dark nights of June 1989. We need to light a candle to bring openness and transparency to the acts that the Chinese Government committed on its own students. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

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

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. Wolf), the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, and also, he's the co- chair of the Tom Lantos Congressional Human Rights Commission.

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in very strong support of this resolution ``recognizing the 20th anniversary of the suppression of protesters and citizens in and around Tiananmen Square in Beijing, People's Republic of China, on June 3 and 4, 1989.'' The words ``Tiananmen'' mean ``Gate of Heavenly Peace.'' Sadly, however, the events of that dark night 20 years ago were anything but heavenly or peaceful. It was during that dark night that the hopes of a generation for a new and democratic China were cruelly smashed along with the papier- mache and wire statue of the Goddess of Democracy, built with youthful idealism by art students in Tiananmen Square. It was during that dark night that a single, brave figure in the picture seen around the world stood in silent defiance of army tanks as they rolled toward the square. It was during that dark night that the people of China watched in horror as their own so-called ``People's Army'' turned assault weapons and bayonets on their own people, who reportedly ranged in age from 9 years old to 61 years old, all of whom were participating in a peaceful demonstration. It was during that dark night that the blood of student martyrs stained a square where a previous generation of students had petitioned the rulers of China for democracy during the May 4 movement in 1919. It was during that dark night that the pain began for the Tiananmen Mothers who, through two decades of harassment and intimidation, have displayed the courage to keep their dead children's hopes alive and their dreams alive of liberty. It would be easy to forget that night of the long knives. It would be easy to look at the glittering business towers rising above an increasingly prosperous China and say that is in the past and that it is over. That would be the easy thing to do, Madam Speaker. But that would not be the right thing to do. A rising China is increasingly taking its place on the international stage. But it is a rising China that has no moral compass. That compass was lost in that dark night in Tiananmen Square when they murdered their own people, mostly students. Now, two decades later, a time for truth and a time for truth telling is overdue. That is why this resolution calls on the Chinese authorities to invite full and independent investigations into the Tiananmen Square crackdown, assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross. A famous saying goes that ``Those who forget their past are destined to repeat it.'' Neither China nor the world could stand a repeat of that horrific tragedy of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. It is time to honor the dead, express profound sympathy to the surviving family members, and to seek a full and honest accounting of the shocking events that occurred two decades ago this week before that gate which is meant to symbolize heavenly peace. I urge my colleagues to strongly support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, just south of Houston, there is a town called Alvin, Texas, where a Chrysler dealership called Rogers Dodge is making a lot of money selling Chryslers; but on June 9, they are going to close down because the auto task force gang has notified them that they have to close. Rogers Dodge is on the list of 789 Chrysler dealerships around the country that are being closed down under questionable circumstances. There are five in the Houston area alone. The question remains: What are the criteria for closing down these dealerships? The auto task force gang picks winners and losers, but they refuse to tell America how those decisions are made. Well, neither they nor the administration is talking. The blissful silence makes us wonder what's going on. Some of these Chrysler dealerships being ordered to close are profitable--others are not--but according to some news reports, there's one thing they all have in common except for one single exception found so far: they all have connections in some manner to making campaign contributions to Republicans. Chrysler, an American institution, is no longer being run as a private-sector company. It has been taken over by the auto task force tyrants appointed personally by the administration. These individuals tell Chrysler what to do, and they have to do it because Chrysler took all that bailout money before they went into bankruptcy. Now the auto task force gang gets to run the company. By the way, Mr. Speaker, we still don't know where that wasted bailout money went. According to the Federal Election Commission Web site, there are reporters and bloggers around the country who have been digging through lists of donations. They have been comparing donor names on the lists with the names of owners of the Chrysler dealerships that have been forced to close. Some of these reports say that campaign contributions went to GOP candidates or to political action committees from the Chrysler dealerships that are being forcibly shut down. Did this group of auto task force individuals discriminate against Republican dealerships in Chrysler-style or in Chicago-style paybacks? We don't know. How in the world can we square that with the reports that only one dealership being ordered to close down so far contributed to the administration's campaign--and that was only for $200? Campaign contributions appear to be the common thread in all of these ordered closures. That's some coincidence. Rogers Dodge in Alvin, Texas, is one of the more profitable dealerships. Newspaper reports say they have increased their new car sales by 50 percent in just the last 4 months. That's a big accomplishment in this economy. They paid cash for their brand-new $3.7 million building 3 years ago. Along with many other dealerships, they bought millions of dollars of inventory after being pressured by Chrysler to help the company's financial situation so that Chrysler wouldn't go bankrupt. Now all of these assets paid for by these dealerships will be worth mere pennies on the dollar. One report in the Houston Chronicle said this inventory of cars that the dealerships were pressured to buy now will have to be sold as used cars. Some of these dealerships are fighting back against the Auto Task Force with a lawsuit of their own. According to the Houston Chronicle article, Nicholas Parks, the president of Rogers Dodge and a lawyer, says he's fighting the closure because he doesn't think the bankruptcy court should be used to close these vendors, especially those that are making money. How can you use the bankruptcy laws to shut down a vendor who is making a profit for Chrysler? This is very interesting. The American people are starting to ask a few questions on their own. Are these Auto Task Force tyrants picking the winners and losers based on campaign contributions? Does the administration have a Nixon- style enemies list? All these questions because the Auto Task Force guys aren't talking and aren't telling us why they closed down certain dealerships and why they let others remain open. We are now living in a time where the government controls both Chrysler and GM, which we should call Government Motors. And the government alone, not the free market, decides who wins, who loses, who stays in business and who must be forcibly closed down. Meanwhile, 100,000-plus Chrysler workers at auto dealerships who did nothing wrong will be out of work on June 9 thanks to government control. So much for the promise of new jobs. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the new carbon energy tax is about to nail all Americans who use energy. It's about old-fashioned, central planning control that would make the now-defunct Soviet Union green with envy. In the name of saving Planet Earth, the taxacrats want to control every dollar spent on energy in America. They also want control over who can use it and how. So they came up with the mother of all mandates: The cap-and-trade national tax on energy consumption. This scheme will bankrupt manufacturing businesses and cost American families thousands of dollars a year in new taxes. If you use electricity or natural gas in your home, you've got another tax. If you drive your car, the gasoline tax will go up. It's all about government control over our lives. And the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the cap-and- trade boondoggle will be a major tax increase or a massive expansion of government, or both. And they also told the Senate last week that it won't have any impact on the Earth's temperature. Now isn't that lovely. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, it's been solemnly said that ``the story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots.'' Those comments were made by Randy Vader. America was born of war and has always had to fight to keep liberty's light shining very bright. Monday is Memorial Day. We honor those of the military family who went somewhere in the world, fighting for America's ideals and protecting the rest of us, but did not return home. Their blood has stained and sanctified the lands of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific Islands, the soil of America and places known only by God. One of those warriors was Frank Luke. Madam Speaker, you may have never heard of him, but he is just one of the 4.4 million doughboys that went over there in World War I. He's an example of the young, tenacious American warrior. This is a photograph of him taken shortly before his death in 1918. In World War I, in September of 1918, in just 9 days of combat flying, 10 missions, and only 30 hours of flight time, Second Lieutenant Frank Luke shot down 18 enemy aircraft. Let me repeat. Eighteen enemy aircraft. On his last patrol, though pursued by eight German planes, without hesitation he attacked and shot down in flames three German aircraft, being himself under heavy fire from ground batteries and hostile planes. Severely wounded, he descended within 50 meters of the ground and, flying at this low altitude in France, opened fire on enemy troops, killing six and wounding many more. Forced to make a landing, and surrounded on all sides by the enemy, he drew his automatic pistol, defended himself gallantly until he fell dead with a wound in the chest. Frank Luke was 20 years of age. He had been in Europe less than 30 days. He won the Congressional Medal of Honor, and he was the first aviator in United States history to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was one of the 116,000 doughboys who died in the War to End All Wars that did not return home. Author Blaine Pardoe referred to him as the ``terror of the autumn skies.'' That was 90 years ago. It has always been the young that give their youth so we can have a future. And we should always remember every one of them, every one that died in all of America's wars. Now we are engaged in a war in the valley of the sun and the deserts of the gun, in Iraq, and the rugged, cruel, rough mountains of Afghanistan. My congressional district area of southeast Texas has lost 26 warriors since I have been in Congress. Here they are, Madam Speaker. You notice they represent a cross section of the United States. They are all races. They're of both sexes. They are of all ages, and they're from all branches of the service. They're from big cities like Houston, Texas, and small towns like Hull, Sabine Pass, Beach City, Humble, Groves; yet, they're all American warriors who gave their lives in combat for the United States. I will place the names and backgrounds of these 26 from the Second Congressional District of Texas who have been killed in Iraq into the Congressional Record. Rollcall of the Dead Russell Slay, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Humble, TX. Russell played the guitar and he and his buddies started a band while in Iraq called the Texas Trio. Wesley J. Canning, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Friendswood, TX. Wesley had a quick smile, a captivating personality, and loved wearing his Marine Corps T-shirt to class his senior year of high school. Fred Lee Maciel, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Spring, TX. He is remembered as an athlete, a leader in the school's Naval Junior ROTC, and a role model for other students. Wesley R. Riggs, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Beach City, TX. Wesley liked four-wheeling and camping. He was also a member of the Houston Olympic weight lifting team. William B. Meeuwsen, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Kingwood, TX. Bill strongly believed that we all share a responsibility to serve on behalf of God and country, to protect freedoms we all cherish so deeply. Robert A. Martinez, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Cleveland, TX. Robert was a baseball pitcher at Cleveland High and dreamed of getting his degree in education and becoming a baseball coach. Jerry Michael Durbin, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Spring, TX. He was a gifted artist with a special talent for original cartoon characters and superheroes. He actually designed his platoon's boot camp T-shirt when he entered the Army. Walter M. Moss Jr., a Tech. Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, from Houston, TX. After 16 years of military service, Walter had a reputation for excellence. Even though he was in the Air Force, the Navy and Marines honored him with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and he was also awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart. Kristian Menchaca, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Houston, TX. Kristian joined the United States Army with the goal of using his military experience to become a Border Patrol agent. Benjamin D. Williams, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Orange, TX. Benjamin played football in high school and as soon as he graduated, he joined the United States Marine Corps. Ryan A. Miller, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Pearland, TX. Ryan was so committed to a future defending others, he graduated from high school early just so he could enlist into the United States Marine Corps and follow in the footsteps of Dad and Granddad. Edward Reynolds, Jr., a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Groves, TX. Friends knew Edward as the man that kept them out of trouble, pushing them to succeed in life. West Point Graduate Michael Fraser, a Captain in the U.S. Army, from Houston, TX. Twice, Michael led his high school cross-country team to qualify for the Texas State cross- country meet. Luke Yepsen, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Kingwood, TX. He was a graduate of Kingwood High School, and he was known for his big heart and ability to live life to its fullest. Dustin R. Donica, a Specialist in the U.S. Army, from Spring, TX. Dustin loved to joke around with his family and his friends, and he was known by many for his unique sense of humor. Ryan R. Berg, a Specialist in the U.S. Army, from Sabine Pass, TX. Ryan knew his calling after high school was to join the United States Army. He wanted to protect his country, like he had protected those he knew and loved all his life. Terrance D. Dunn, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Houston, TX. Terrance was known as ``Dunnaman'' to his fellow soldiers. If something needed to be done, Dunnaman did it, and it was given to him to do because they could always count on him to get the job done. Anthony Aguirre, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Houston, TX. During Anthony's senior year in high school, he achieved the rank of cadet captain. Even after graduation, Anthony stopped by the high school often to proudly talk with the Junior ROTC cadets about the Marines. Brandon Bobb, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Port Arthur, TX. Brandon thought that being a military police officer in the Army was the best job in the world. Zachary Endsley, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Spring, TX. Zachery enjoyed drawing and playing his guitar. He was so good at drawing he won several competitions while in high school. Kamisha Block, a Specialist in the U.S. Army, from Vidor, TX. Friends say that Kamisha always knew where she was headed in life, that she had a big heart and genuinely wanted to help make other people's lives better. Donald E. Valentine III, a Corporal in the U.S. Army, born in Houston, TX. Valentine joined the United States Army because of the 9/11 attack on this country proudly following in the footsteps of his father. Jeremy W. Burris, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, from Liberty, TX. Jeremy survived the initial blast of an IED explosive and heroically helped save the lives of two other wounded Marines before a second bomb was detonated-- taking his life. Eric Duckworth, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Plano, TX. Eric's only two wishes growing up were that he serve in the military and serve in law enforcement. He was blessed to be able to fulfill both of his dreams. Scott A. McIntosh, a Corporal in the U.S. Army, from Humble, TX. Friends say that Scott always had a positive outlook, his mission in life was to meet and make friends with every person he came in contact with--and he did. Shawn Tousha, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Hull, TX. During Shawn's first tour of duty in Iraq he decided to re- enlist in the Army and make the military his career. He ended up serving three tours of duty in Iraq. It has been said that ``wars may be fought by weapons, but they are won by warriors. It is the spirit of the men who follow and the man who leads that gains the victory.'' That was said by General George S. Patton, Jr. near the end of World War II. These noble 26 are just some of the 4,962 that have been killed in the line of duty taking care of America in America's current wars in the Middle East. Madam Speaker, this is a photograph of the cliffs of Normandy. This is in Normandy, France, where 9,347 Americans are buried, most of them young kids. They liberated and saved France and the rest of Europe in the great World War II. They never came home. The guns have long since been silent on Normandy's shores, but the sands are still stained with the blood of the fallen soldiers. On the 40th anniversary of D-day, on June 6, 1984, President Ronald Reagan stood at this cemetery and said ``We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared so we may always be free.'' So, Madam Speaker, when the sun comes up Monday morning, we should fly the Flag, stand outside, look to the heavens and thank those who took care of America in the long, lamentable dark night of the hour of war. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, ``In the situation of this assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth . . . , how has it happened, sir, that we have not once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? ``The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth-- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, how it is probable that an empire can rise without His aid? ``I therefore beg--that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberation, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business.'' Mr. Speaker, with this advice by Benjamin Franklin in 1787, our ancestors knelt in prayer each day before designing and drafting the powerful U.S. Constitution. We continue that wise tradition. Each morning we pray to the Almighty. Then we pledge to the Flag. Then we get on with the people's business. We would do well to remember the words of the Old Book, ``Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.'' ``Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.'' And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the talk around town is universal health care for all Americans. This is a noble ideal and a great goal, but the real question is: Do we want universal health care run by the government or universal health care run by the private sector? That is the question to be asked and answered. Even though every Nation that has tried socialized public health care has proven it's unaffordable, doesn't work and provides inferior health care, those who want the United States Government to run every aspect of our lives still demand public health care. Let's look at a couple of examples of socialized, nationalized health care: Katie Brickell is a young woman who lives in Great Britain where they have government-run health care. When Katie was 19, she tried to get a test for cervical cancer, which is a matter of routine here in the United States. Katie was told that she had to wait until she was 20. When she tried again at 20, she was told that the age was moved to 25 so the government could save some money. While waiting 5 more years because some bureaucrat told her that's what she had to do, Katie got sick and was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Now some bureaucrat is telling this young lady, who is just starting out in her adult life, that her disease is not treatable, all because some bureaucrat said it cost too much. Neither Katie nor her doctor made a medical decision, but this no-named bureaucrat made all of these decisions. This is the British example of government-run, universal public health care. Charlie Wadge lives in Canada where they have long waiting lines and rationed health care because they have a government-run system. Limping badly, Charlie was diagnosed with arthritis in his hip. When he needed his replacement surgery, the bureaucrats told him he'd have to be on a waiting list for between 18 months and 2 years before he could have that surgery. Charlie paid what we call a private medical broker, who negotiated a price for him to have surgery in the United States, in Oklahoma City. He had to pay for the whole thing out of his pocket--and it's a good thing he had the money. At least he can walk. Left up to Canada's system of universal-run, government-rationed health care, he would have probably been permanently crippled by now. Now if we want an example of what health care run by the American bureaucrats looks like, we should examine Medicare, Medicaid, or even the VA. These government programs are now a disaster. They waste so much money, and they will probably completely go bankrupt if they're not overhauled. The Medicare program trustees just a week ago said the program has ``unfunded liability'' of nearly $38 trillion. That's the amount of benefits promised to Americans but not paid by them through taxes. If we don't fix the waste and inefficiency in Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA, millions of people will not be treated properly. Taxes keep going up but these government-run health care services in the United States keep getting worse. The kind of government-run health care that is being considered right now will have the same sort of underpayments to doctors and hospitals that we see in Medicare and Medicaid. Even with the massive taxes that would come up with this government health care program, if people think health care is expensive now, just wait until it's free. The government underpaying for services will force the price of medical insurance so high to make up for the gap in what health care really costs that their employer will no longer be able to afford the health insurance. Studies have shown the kind of government-run health care being worked on by Congress tonight, right now, will end up forcing 120 million Americans on the government plan for this very reason. 120 million Americans who get their health care from their jobs would have to go into the government system because their employer cannot afford to pay for the high cost of insurance. That's half of the Americans in this country today. But the most frightening part of the government plans being considered is the rationing of health care for procedures based on cost, age, and survivability rate. Let me repeat: Health care will be rationed based on cost, age, and survivability rate. Somebody needs to explain to me how it's an improvement in our health care system for somebody in Washington, D.C., to decide that someone can't have a cancer treatment because it's too expensive, like is happening in England right now. Or that people can't have a medical procedure because some bureaucrat thinks it's too expensive because they're too old. The patient and doctor will be completely cut out of the decisionmaking process. And that is wrong. There's an alternative plan to put all Americans on universal coverage even without raising taxes. This idea would leave decisions about people's health care between their doctor and the patient, not the bureaucrats and the taxacrats in D.C. It's a plan to put everyone on private insurance plans. This deserves a close examination by this Congress. We'd better take a long look at the choices we have, Mr. Speaker. If we go down the road of government-run health care in America, we will destroy the best health care structure in the world. Mr. Speaker, the new government, nationalized, impersonal health care system will have the compassion of the IRS, the competence of FEMA, and the efficiency of the post office. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, some taxacrats in D.C. are thinking about taxing health care benefits on people who try to take care of themselves. They want to figure out how to get benefits to people who don't have them. Their solution: Make people who have benefits pay income tax on the value of their health plan. That tax money would come directly out of their pocket. But it will make health care insurance too expensive for a lot of folks, so they will cancel their insurance and then let the government take care of them on this new nationalized health care plan. When you wish to solve a problem, it's probably a better idea to come up with something that doesn't make the problem worse. It reminds me of the statement, ``If you think the problems government creates are bad, just wait until you see government solutions.'' The notion to tax health care benefits punishes people who have planned their lives and their careers with the philosophy that they will be responsible for their own health care and not live off the government. However, to fund the new French health care system, the administration is proposing to tax people who take care of themselves, so there is money for people who can't or won't take care of themselves. There's something wrong with this picture. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it's been said, ``From this day to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.'' Shakespeare penned these words in Henry V, describing the commitment of a soldier to his fellow soldiers. I rise today in support of H. Res. 360 which calls on all Americans to honor our veterans by visiting memorials and national cemeteries on Memorial Day. I am proud to cosponsor this very important legislation. Since 2004, 26 men and women from the Second Congressional District area of Texas have served honorably and given their lives for the cause of freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every time a brave member of America's military from my area dies for this country, I come down to this House floor, and I talk about their lives, their legacy, their family, and those others that they have left behind. Every year, millions of Americans visit the national cemeteries and the memorials and the war markers all over the United States to remember the men and women who have so courageously fought to defend America's freedom. Mr. Speaker, in a land far, far away, there are over 9,000 Americans buried in a place called Normandy in France, most of them young teenage boys that left America and went off to war to defend our country. They shed their blood in 1944 for not only us but for those folks in Europe. My father who served in the great World War II as an 18-year-old never talked about his service in Europe until he and Mom visited Normandy and its cemetery 50 years after that important event. He, like many other veterans, is proud to have served but keeps saying that the heroes are still buried in places throughout the world. Each Memorial Day all across America, parades are held, wreaths are laid, grave sites are decorated as a tribute to our fallen warriors. On Veterans Day, we remember those who fought and came home, but on Memorial Day, we remember those who fought and did not come home. The Department of Veterans Affairs preserves 128 cemeteries all over the world that are the final resting place for over 3 million Americans. These national cemeteries and memorials remind us of the warriors who have fought and gave all to protect the rest of us. When called, they went. I am pleased to support this legislation and urge all Members to approve this resolution. As Toby Keith so eloquently put it in his tribute to the American soldiers, he said about the American soldier: ``I don't do it for money, there's bills that I can't pay. I don't do it for the glory, I just do it anyway. I'm an American soldier, an American beside my brothers and sisters, I will proudly take a stand. When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right. I'm out here on the front lines, so sleep in peace tonight. I'm an American soldier.'' These warriors, Mr. Speaker, are our sons of liberty and the daughters of democracy. They are our heroes, and they need to be honored and remembered by the rest of us for all time. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have talked a lot about the different entities that don't pay their bills, but the U.S. Federal Government is also a culprit that does not pay its bills. Let me explain. The 9/11 Families for a Secure America Organization say that 32 percent of all people incarcerated in the United States for crimes other than immigration violations are in the United States illegally! With Texas being a border State, we get a lot more of these criminals in our jails than the rest of the country. The administration wants to eliminate a program that helps Texas pay for keeping these criminals in jail. It's called the SCAAP program. We have porous borders because the Federal Government does not secure those borders. When a criminal alien sneaks into the United States, commits a crime, the State government must be financially responsible for the capture and trial of that individual, not the Federal Government, even though border security is a Federal responsibility. That forces Texas to foot the bill for their medical care and feeding them and housing them in jail. Sometimes Texas taxpayers are on the hook for paying for their lawyer and other related costs. The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, the SCAAP Program, doesn't even come close to covering the cost of keeping these criminal aliens in Texas prisons, but it helps. However, the administration wants to take away what little the Federal Government does send to Texas and other border States, thus making the cost of border crime the responsibility of State governments rather than the Federal Government. Texas Governor Rick Perry today sent a letter to the President asking him to reconsider cutting the SCAAP program. As a practical matter, I side with the notion the Federal budget should be cut. There's enough waste in the budget this year to keep the bureaucrats busy for years trying to weed it all out. But this is not an example of wasteful spending, far from it. This expense is because the Federal Government refuses to secure the borders and, thus, border States are stuck with the cost of crime created by foreign nationals and housing them after they are convicted. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice reports it cost Texas taxpayers $143 million to keep over 13,000 criminal aliens in Texas prisons just last year. These are major crimes. These are felonies. The SCAAP program the bureaucrats want to eliminate only paid $18 million of these costs. These criminal aliens serving time in Texas are not there for an overnight stay. They are in prison for violent crimes like rape, murder, kidnapping, and child abuse. Instead of eliminating the Federal program that helps pay for these costs, it ought to be expanded, or the Federal Government should take these prisoners. Here's an idea. How about we send these criminal aliens to the Federal facility in Gitmo? I hear there may be some room in that facility soon. It's a nice place as far as Federal prisons go. I've been there and have seen it for myself. They play soccer. They have hot meals that are fit for a Sunday dinner table. There's plenty of sunshine and fresh air, quite a step up from the overcrowded prisons in Texas and other border States. Or we should charge foreign countries the costs of housing their citizens that are illegally in the United States that have committed felonies. If they won't pay up, we can cut off their visas until they do pay up. Or, in most cases, we should just deduct the cost of housing these criminal foreign nationals from the foreign aid we send that country. State citizens have paid enough to a system that houses foreign nationals in our prisons that have committed crimes in the United States. Foreign countries should pay for the crime of their nationals, or our Federal Government should pay. And since we're strapped right now because of the Federal tax and borrow and spend and spend program, we should even consider deducting our cost of the annual dues to the United Nations to pay for incarceration of foreign nationals that have committed crimes in the United States. Now, there's a plan that might work. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia and the gentleman from California for proposing this legislation. Also, we need to constantly remember that we here in the United States Capitol are protected daily by the Capitol Police, two of whom just a few years ago gave their lives protecting Members of Congress. I would also like to introduce into the Record the names of the 19 police officers from the State of Texas who have been killed in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, 140 peace officers were killed. Of these fallen officers, 14 were from Texas: Deputy Constable David Joubert, Harris County Constable's Office--Precinct 7, TX, EOW: Sunday, January 13, 2008. Police Officer Matthew B. Thebeau, Corpus Christi Police Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, January 20, 2008. Corporal Harry Thielepape, Harris County Constable's Office--Precinct 6, TX, EOW: Wednesday, February 20, 2008. Senior Corporal Victor A. Lozada Sr., Dallas Police Department, TX, EOW: Friday, February 22, 2008. Trooper James Scott Burns, Texas Department of Public Safety--Texas Highway Patrol, TX, EOW: Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Police Officer Everett William Dennis, Carthage Police Department, TX, EOW: Tuesday, June 3, 2008. Sergeant Barbara Jean Shumate, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, TX, EOW: Friday, June 13, 2008. Police Officer Gary Gryder, Houston Police Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, June 29, 2008. Detective Tommy Keen, Harris County Sheriff's Department, TX, EOW: Monday, September 15, 2008. Game Warden George Harold Whatley Jr., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department--Law Enforcement Division, TX, EOW: Friday, October 10, 2008. Sheriff Brent Lee, Trinity County Sheriff's Department, TX, EOW: Thursday, November 27, 2008. Police Officer Robert Davis, San Antonio Police Department, TX, EOW: Monday, December 1, 2008. Police Officer Timothy Abernethy, Houston Police Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, December 7, 2008. Police Officer Mark Simmons, Amarillo Police Department, TX, EOW: Wednesday, December 17, 2008. In 2009, 48 officers have died in the line of duty. 5 of these officers were from Texas: Senior Corporal Norman Smith, Dallas Police Department, TX, EOW: Tuesday, January 6, 2009. Detention Officer Cesar Arreola, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, TX, EOW: Sunday, January 18, 2009. Lieutenant Stuart J. Alexander, Corpus Christi Police Department, TX, EOW: Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Sergeant Randy White, Bridgeport Police Department, TX, EOW: Thursday, April 2, 2009. Deputy Sheriff D. Robert Harvey, Lubbock County Sheriff's Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, April 26, 2009. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. POE of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney) for introducing H. Res. 426, which honors police officers and law enforcement professionals during National Police Week. I'm pleased to cosponsor this resolution that supports the brave men and women who wear the badge, as well as all the professionals who support them in their mission throughout the country, especially their families. As they continue to protect and serve, we take a moment to salute them for everything that they do every day, much of which goes unnoticed. We're able to go about our daily routines because officers in small towns and big cities and in rural areas throughout this country stand ready to take those risks on our behalf. Each year, 50,000--50,000--peace officers are assaulted in the United States. On May 17, 1792, New York City's Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith became the first recorded police officer to be killed in the line of duty in the United States. Since that time, 19,705 peace officers have been killed while on duty protecting the rest of us. In 2008, 140 officers died in the line of duty while upholding the values that make this country great--duty, honor, sacrifice. Those values and their sacrifice are a somber reminder that the freedoms that we share do not come without a cost. Of those 140, 10 percent, or 14, were from my home State of Texas. Sadly, already in 2009, 48 peace officers have died in the line of duty. Once again, 10 percent from the State of Texas. This number includes two additional officers since I spoke on the House floor about peace officers 5 days ago. Those individuals, Sergeant Dulan Earl Murray, Jr. from the Nags Head Police Department in North Carolina, and Deputy Sheriff Tom Wilson from Warren County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi, died over the weekend while on duty. In 1961, Congress created Peace Officers Memorial Day and designated it to be commemorated each year on May 15. Correspondingly, each year, the President issues a proclamation naming May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. I'm proud to sponsor this year's resolution to recognize Peace Officer Memorial Day, which passed the House unanimously in February of this year. Peace Officer Memorial Day takes place during National Police Week, which was held in Washington, D.C. last week. Many of the families, friends, and colleagues of these fallen officers came to Washington last week to remember them as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and friends of their communities, guarding all of us. They came together to celebrate in many ways. They participated in candlelight vigils and torch runs, they broke bread and shared stories, but more importantly, they honored and remembered the fallen. Today, we do as well. Those officers have no doubt returned to serve their communities while quietly making all of our lives a little better. We commemorate the 186 officers that died in 2008 and 2009, and all law enforcement officers that have died in the line of duty while representing every State, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, as well as Federal law enforcement and the military police. Today, we thank them the best way that we can in the House of Representatives. I urge people across the country to similarly thank them for their service with a simple smile or a handshake or a thank you. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POE of Texas

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this bill has nothing to do with whether cigarettes should be taxed or not, whether tobacco should be taxed or not. The issue is the black market sale of cigarettes and those individuals who fail to pay lawfully imposed taxes on them. This legislation is supported by the tobacco industry and by law enforcement, the Attorney General, and I urge the adoption of this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.