Silvestre Reyes

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor and strong supporter of H.R. 2540, the Veterans Compensation Rate Amendments of 2001, I am pleased that we are moving forward to assure a cost-of-living increase for our Nation's disabled veterans and their families. Our Nation's veterans, their surviving spouses and dependents expect that their benefits will be increased to reflect changes in the cost of living. The effective date of this legislation, Mr. Speaker, is December 1, 2001, with receipt of the increase in benefits in 2002. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the cooperation of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), as well as our Subcommittee on Benefits chairman, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), for bringing this important legislation before the House today. H.R. 2540 is a good bill. I urge all Members to support it and to support our Nation's veterans and their families by providing them the necessary increases to their deserved benefits. These men and women place their lives on the line in the defense of our country and the national ideals of freedom and democracy. They deserve adequate benefits for their service. They deserve the kind of compensation that we can all be proud of.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I have said all along that we need to federalize and professionalize airport baggage screening. With Federal employees conducting the screening, we will greatly improve the quality of the screening process. Baggage screeners play a critical role in securing our airlines from terrorist attacks and are the first line of defense. The government should pay salaries commensurate with the law enforcement responsibilities of screening. This compromise is a step in the right direction and will provide uniform standards for security screeners at airports. Safe air travel is a national priority and it is critical that our screeners be held to rigid Federal standards. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important compromise that will require almost all of the Nation's airports to put Federal employees in charge of security screening for the next 3 years. After that period of time, individual airports will have the ability to reaccess and to decide if they want to opt out of that Federal system and allow the screening to be handled by private contractors, State or local law enforcement. I predict that most will not. In addition, the bill calls for increased screening of checked bags within 60 days and that all checked bags go through explosive devise testing within a year. I strongly encourage the Department of Transportation to use new technology like SPEDS, the Small Parcel Explosive Detection System, which can detect explosives in a nonintrusive manner. Unlike conventional x-ray SPEDS can detect the difference between a bottle of wine and a bottle of liquid explosives disguised to look like a bottle of wine. I am pleased that Congress is moving forward with this important legislation prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend and believe that it is a good first step toward bringing back America's confidence in flight. I have spoken with the director of the El Paso International Airport and we agree that this measure will provide the needed security for the traveling public.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important member of the El Paso community. Mr. Tedd Richardson, an El Paso businessman, is well known around the city for his gracious contributions to the under-served. He conducts an annual Christmas dinner to serve the less fortunate and he has currently expanded his Christmas tradition to my home community of Canutillo. Mr. Richardson recently toured the Bill Childress Elementary School in Canutillo. He was so impressed by the progress of their school grounds improvement project that he made a generous donation to help fund and further the progression of the project. Mr. Richardson also vowed to help raise the $19,000 necessary to complete the project, and in addition has challenged other local businesses and individuals to match his contributions. This project is empowering students and is teaching a life lesson in the importance of civic responsibility. Mr. Richardson has promised to continue working hand-in-hand with the Bill Childress Elementary School. Mr. Tedd Richardson is an exemplary citizen. He believes in helping people to help themselves. I believe that Tedd Richardson is a model citizen who insists that his contribution to his community be more than average. His dedication to education and establishing a future for El Paso children has not only made him an individual of distinction, but has also earned him a special place in the minds of families and schools all over the city. I am proud to recognize Mr. Richardson, and hope the model of his citizenship reflects in all people around El Paso.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an individual who has done an exceptional job at the El Paso Community College (EPCC). Dr. Ramon Dominguez is retiring from EPCC after 28 years of public service to this institution, the 4th largest community college in the state of Texas. Dr. Dominguez has done an outstanding job in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the college's five branches and an operating budget of about $77 million. He has provided leadership and direction to the 2,800 employees and about 24,000 students, 82 percent of whom are Hispanic. Dr. Dominguez is easy going and has a soothing nature about him. He received overwhelming support from the faculty, staff, and students when he became the President of the Community College in May of 2000. Shortly after being sworn in as President, Dr. Dominguez began reorganizing EPCC's top administration. He demonstrated his beliefs in being highly inclusive and sharing the governing of EPCC. He also showed that he is approachable, fair, willing to listen, hardworking and committed to the students and the college. Dr. Dominguez graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 1971 with a secondary education degree. As soon as he completed college, Dr. Dominguez began his focus on serving people. He has always held the goals of teaching, counseling, and mentoring as his top priorities and has contributed greatly to the success of others, especially the students. Dr. Dominguez began at EPCC as an instructor for the Veterans Upward Bound Program where he used teaching and counseling skills to work with veterans that were returning from the military, specifically Vietnam. He then spent 15 years as a counselor. In fact, Dr. Dominguez was so committed to serving his students better as a guidance counselor that he returned to school and received his masters in counsel and guidance from UTEP. He went on to earn an Educational Specialist in Administration Degree at New Mexico State University (NMSU) and finally a PhD in Administration with a minor in counseling and guidance. Before becoming the President of EPCC, Dr. Dominguez served the Community College as an assistant vice president of Student Services, executive vice president, and as the interim president twice. Mr. Speaker, this institution played an important role in my life and it continues to play an important role in the lives of the residents of our city. I am proud of the fact that in 1977, I received an Associates Degree from the El Paso Community College. The El Paso Community College continues to provide educational opportunities and support services that prepare individuals to improve their quality of life. I applaud the role that this institution has played in El Paso and the leadership, dedication, and service that Dr. Dominguez has provided to this school and its students. At the dawn of this new century, I see community colleges such as the El Paso Community College as playing a critical role. I believe that community colleges must expand and become more accessible to all people who desire personal enrichment, growth, and development. Over the years, community colleges have assisted many people who would otherwise not have access to higher education by providing them with quality, affordable education. It is critically important to give our students every opportunity to compete in this new global economy. I applaud the efforts and the work that Dr. Dominguez has contributed to further these goals and the role that El Paso Community College continues to play in the fabric of El Paso. Dr. Dominguez has guided the El Paso Community College well. I know that this institution will continue to flourish and educate future generations of El Pasoans. Dr. Dominguez is a pillar of integrity in the El Paso community and I want to thank him on behalf of El Paso and wish him well in all his future endeavors.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an artist from my district. Ernesto Pedregon Martinez is a renowned international self- taught artist and muralist. He was an illustrator and artist for the federal government for more than 35 years. He also served as a professor of Mexican-American art at El Paso Community College for nine years. Mr. Martinez was born and raised in the poor barrios of South El Paso. The focus of his work reflects his understanding and first-hand knowledge of the daily struggles of the Mexican people. Mr. Martinez is considered one the nation's leading Mexican-American artists. In addition, Ernesto Martinez has been a frequent guest speaker at many civic, religious, and military functions. This includes an appearance in Mexico City on the international program ``Siempre en Domingo'' with Raul Velasco. Ernesto Martinez served our country in the military. He served in World War II with General Terry Allen's famed 104th ``Timberwolf'' Division in Europe. He was awarded the Bronze Star in combat, Combat Infantry Badge, and Battle Stars. In addition, Mr. Martinez has been active in the community of El Paso by serving as the Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Number 9173 and the Vice-Commander of American Legion Number 36. He has also worked with the Disabled American Veterans, the Lions Club, the Boy Scouts of America, the Knights of Columbus, LULAC, and many other organizations. Mr. Martinez has most notably been recognized for his artistic abilities. He was selected as the ``Texas State Artist'' in two- dimensional works of art in 1997-1998 by the Senate of the State of Texas. In 1998, he was featured in ``The Voice of America,'' a U.S. Government overseas television program and has been featured in numerous books. He was also recognized in ``Who's Who in American Art,'' in the years 1976, 1993, 1994 and was honored by the El Paso City Council for outstanding contributions to Mexican-American culture in 1977. Mr. Martinez's work has been commissioned as murals in many locations in El Paso including works such as ``Pre-Colombian Mexico,'' exhibited at Bowie High School; the ``Congressional Medal of Honor,'' at the Veteran's Clinic; and ``Desert Storm,'' which is a military mural commissioned by the Junior League and located at Stout Gym on Ft. Bliss. In addition, Mr. Martinez's work has been exhibited at the Centennial Museum and Glass Gallery at UTEP; the Corbett Gallery at New Mexico State University; the University of Colorado at Boulder; the El Paso Public Library; the Chamizal National Memorial Gallery; and the El Paso Civic Center. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the work and legacy of Mr. Ernesto Pedregon Martinez. He has made El Paso very proud.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a good friend and important member of the El Paso community. The Texas Association of School Board's Superintendent of the Year is a person chosen for dedication to improving educational quality, board- superintendent relations, student achievement, and commitment to public support and involvement in education. This year's recipient truly epitomizes every one of these qualities. Mr. Charles Hart of the Canutillo Independent School District (ISD) has deservingly been named the 2001 Texas Superintendent of the Year. Mr. Hart began his career teaching high school in El Paso in 1966. He steadily moved up the public school ranks and in 1997, he became superintendent of Canutillo ISD. During his four year tenure, Mr. Hart, along with the Board of Trustees, has been instrumental in moving Canutillo ISD forward into a leadership role in public education. Canutillo ISD has implemented instructional programs and policies in student services, special education, special programs, technology and career education that have helped students succeed academically and socially. The selection committee noted Mr. Hart's ability to change the district's perception, bringing the community together in support of its schools. Also cited by the committee were the success of the innovative parental involvement Mother/Daughter and Father/Son programs and the steadily improving student achievement and fiscal stability of the district. Canutillo ISD has been at the forefront in a variety of innovative programs including Two-Way Dual Language, Reading Renaissance, Service Learning, Migrant Academics 2000, Agricultural and Health Sciences, and many more. Mr. Hart currently serves on the boards of the Texas Fast Growth Coalition, the Southwestern International Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the El Paso Teachers Credit Union. In addition, he is a member of the Region 19 Administrators Council, the El Paso Jaycees, the Golden Boot Club, and the Boys Baseball of El Paso, among others. The students, faculty and Board of Trustees are all fortunate to have such a hardworking and dedicated individual at the head of their school district. I have known first hand of the tremendous work he has done throughout the years and I would like to again, extend my congratulations to my good friend, Mr. Charles Hart of the Canutillo Independent School District for his well deserved recognition as the 2001 Texas Superintendent of the Year.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I rise today in strong support of the Democratic substitute, the Oberstar-Ganske bill. It deals with airport security at a time when this Nation is looking to restore its confidence. Requiring airport screeners to be Federal employees is needed in order to establish an effective, uniform system of screening across the Nation. This is essential to restoring the flying public's confidence in the safety of our air transportation system. The aviation security proposals of the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) are commendable, but they do not go far enough. Allowing the continued private contracting of screening services perpetuates the current system under which screeners are paid near- minimum wage resulting in an average employee turnover rate of more than 120 percent nationally and more than 400 percent at some airports. Mr. Chairman, we would never consider contracting out the duties of the U.S. Customs Service, Border Patrol, or the Capitol Police; and it makes no sense to do so with airport screeners. These screeners serve as America's first line of defense in aviation security. If federalized, screeners should be paid salaries commensurate with the law enforcement responsibilities of screening, which involves not only the ability to read X-rays, but the ability to interrogate individuals and conduct more thorough inspections in many different circumstances. Only through a uniform national system with professional Federal screeners can U.S. travelers be secure and be sure that they are being protected. Mr. Chairman, there is a great deal at stake today in this legislation. This legislation is important to each and every one of us that gets on an aircraft once or twice a week. Every week as I go back to my district, people are asking why is it taking so long for the House to pass a bill that gives us confidence to get back on planes flying across this country. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. It is important. It is imperative. It is the right thing to do.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer a motion to instruct the House conferees to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2002 to accept Section 652, Title VI, Subtitle D of the Senate Bill, passed in the Senate on October 2, 2001. This section would correct the inequity in survivor benefits offered to survivors of retirement ineligible members of the uniformed services who die while on active duty. The Survivor Benefit Plan provides an annuity to dependents of military retirees or retirement eligible service members. When a retirement ineligible service member dies while on active duty, family members receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, while offers a lesser benefit than that offered to families of retired or retirement eligible service members. In cases where an active duty service member suffers from a prolonged illness, the military has ample time to medically retire this person, regardless of whether or not that person is retirement eligible. But, in cases where service members are fatally injured while on active duty, prior to becoming retirement eligible, medical personnel have been forced to go to extreme lengths to keep these members, who are clinically dead, alive while personnel specialists scramble to process retirement paperwork before the service member is pronounced dead. In the case of the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, many service members were killed instantly and so there was no opportunity to medically retire these people. Therefore, retirement ineligible victim's families will receive the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a lesser benefit. The most striking example of this inequity would be if, for example, a plane crash occurred. Some of the victims were killed immediately, while others were kept alive long enough to be medically retired. The families of those victims who were kept alive long enough for medical retirement would receive a much better benefit package, the Survivor Benefit Plan, than those who were killed instantly, who would receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, even though all were involved in the same accident! In Vietnam in April of 2001, while surveying potential sites for excavation to recover remains of Americans who were missing in action from the Vietnam War, a helicopter crashed, killing sixteen. Benefit packages for families of two of those victims were calculated, based on what their families would receive if their deaths were on ``active duty'' compared to what would be received if their deaths occurred after being ``medically retired.'' In the case of Lieutenant Colonel Cory, if he had been medically retired, his family would have received Survivor Benefits, which amounts to $750 more a month than the active duty Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, which they now receive. In the case of Sergeant First Class Murphy, another victim of the crash, his wife and two children are receiving $313 less a month than what they would have been entitled if he had been medically retired. Both of these soldiers were retirement eligible, but because they were killed instantly, there was no time to process paperwork, their families now suffer financial loss on top of losing a loved one. Unless this provision is accepted and included in the Fiscal Year 2002 Defense Authorization Act, the families of victims of tragedy who were retirement ineligible will receive fewer benefits than if there had been the opportunity to complete medical retirement paperwork. All of these families have suffered enough. There a disparity in the current law, and this provision aims to correct that disparity. Many leaders has stepped forward in support of this provision. General Hugh Shelton, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated during his tenure that ``in the absence of legislative relief, medical retirement requirements place an undue burden on both commanders in the field and fleet and, more tragically, on families that are denied important and deserving benefits.'' I urge my colleagues to support the motion to instruct the conferees to accept the Senate provision and provide survivor benefits to family members of those who die while on active duty.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) for his role, his very active role in our caucus. Next, Mr. Speaker, we have got the newest member of our Caucus. But when people talk about a real dynamo, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) comes to my mind. Although she is the newest member of our Caucus, she has engaged herself in many areas that are important to our community, like education, labor, technology, the digital divide, all of those things that are important that we address in this People's House. So with that, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis).

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of this Special Order.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman. I want to thank her for her leadership. As members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I want you, Mr. Speaker, to know that we are not satisfied with having 18 Members. We are working aggressively to expand our caucus. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) and our next speaker for their tireless efforts to identify great Latino candidates that can join our caucus, we hope, in the next election. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca), who, himself a veteran, tonight wants to discuss the contributions of Hispanics to the Armed Services. He is an individual that as a veteran knows, understands, and appreciates the challenge that our men and women in uniform are currently facing in Afghanistan and other parts of the world. (Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments and for her leadership in many different areas of our caucus. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity this evening to let this country know of the great contributions of Hispanics and Latinos across the country. I want to close, Mr. Speaker, by relaying a story that actually happened to one of my daughters. They were talking about identifying a hero; and in her class one identified a great inventor as their special hero, another one identified a great athlete, another one a great leader, another one a great doctor. When it came to a classmate of hers, a Hispanic, the individual, the little boy said, it is my dad, because every day he gets up and he goes to work, whether he is feeling good or he is feeling ill. When the car breaks down, he fixes it. He gives us everything that we need. Latinos are like that. Every day across this country people get up and go to work and do the things that are important for this great country of ours. They possess great patriotism, as we have heard this evening, great dedication, great concern for the things that are important to all of us as Americans. So, Mr. Speaker, with that I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to share the Hispanic contributions with this great country in this great people's House.

Mr. REYES. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) for his leadership and his dedication and also for chronicling the Medal of Honor winners, three of 37 Medal of Honor winners that come from the Hispanic community. We are blessed, Mr. Speaker, in our caucus, in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, with having Members of our caucus that have diverse backgrounds, diverse interests, much like other Members of Congress that focus their attention on issues that they feel should be a priority for this Congress. Next, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) has a small business and an economic empowerment background. With that, I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) for his leadership not only in education, but on many border issues for a region of the country that has been largely ignored. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), who has done great work for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and as a member of our Border Caucus, in many areas, in particular health, health care, identifying the diseases that disproportionately affect Latino communities.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, during this difficult period in our Nation's history, the Members of this Congress, like Americans all across this country and like many people around the world, have grieved the loss of many lives taken by the evil acts of enemies of our country and of freedom-loving people all across the world. In the past days and weeks, Americans have demonstrated a spirit of unity and solidarity not only to assist in every possible way the recovery efforts taking place in New York and Washington, but also to ease the pain of the thousands of people directly and indirectly affected by this tragedy, and also to show that we, as Americans, stand together as a Nation. Together, Americans all over the country and across the world have cried, Americans have held vigils, and have searched for ways to make sense out of these senseless acts. Together, over the past few weeks, we have made an effort to resume our way of life, and slowly but surely we are getting back to work. As one Nation, and as partners with other countries around the world, we now seek those responsible for the terrible events of September 11; and we will stick together to bring those responsible to justice. Just as we have been united in our grief and efforts to help the victims of September 11, we now are united in supporting our troops as they take the necessary steps to defend our freedom and our security. Mr. Speaker, one of many remarkable things that we have witnessed during these past weeks has been the striking and spontaneous display of unity among the people of this great Nation. Individuals from every race, ethnicity, and spiritual belief have joined as one to wear the red, white and blue and fly our flag and sing our national anthem. It has been noted in news reports and a number of interviews that it is remarkable how quickly our differences have been put aside to tackle this Nation's tragedy. And as remarkable and moving as these displays have been, as a Nation we must remain steadfast in respecting and upholding the American principles that make our Nation unique in the world. Just as most of us have stood together to remember those who have fallen, to remember their families and their friends, we have sadly witnessed some terrible attempts from individuals resulting from misguided prejudice and anger. I am referring, of course, to the increased acts of violence that have been perpetrated against Arab Americans, Muslims, and Sikhs living in our own country. Like all Members of Congress, and particularly the Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, we condemn these actions and call on every American to celebrate, and not undermine, the principles that have made this country great. To celebrate the richness of our country, it is with honor that Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus take the floor of the people's House tonight to pay tribute to every single American and to highlight the contributions in particular of Hispanic Americans during this Hispanic Heritage Month. During the next hour, my fellow members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will speak about Hispanic Americans and highlight their many contributions to our great country. We will do this not to create division among Americans, but to celebrate the very strength and richness which makes our country great. Every year America celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15. During this time, we highlight the growth and the spirit of the vibrant Latino community of the United States. As leaders of a community that today numbers 40 million-plus, the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus continue to work for America and for Americans so that everyone in this country has access to the best education, the best health care, and the best jobs that will result in an even stronger and vibrant country. Mr. Speaker, tonight the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will raise issues such as education, law enforcement, business, economic development, health care, and many other issues. But before I yield to my colleagues, I want to conclude my opening remarks by saying that by taking the floor of the House tonight and honoring the diversity of America, the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus send a loud, clear, strong signal to those in our country and abroad who wrongfully believe that freedom and diversity are a weakness. From this building, which one month ago was a target of hatred and evil, tonight stands proud as a symbol of this great Nation and of her great people, we, the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, want to say that as a Nation we have the will, we have the strength, and we have the resolve to continue to live by the guiding light and civil liberties set forth by our Founding Fathers. Mr. Speaker, tonight let me start by recognizing a good friend and critical member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, my colleague from the 15th District of Texas.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the House leadership for bringing House Concurrent Resolution 90 onto the floor today. This bill, offered by my colleague and former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Jose Serrano, would authorize the printing of an updated version of the book Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822 to 1995. This book, by Carmen Enciso, Tracy North, and the Hispanic Division at the Library of Congress, was originally published in 1995 by the Government Printing Office under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing. This book, Hispanic Americans in Congress, has been the most comprehensive publication documenting the service of every Hispanic American who has served in the U.S. Congress. Through its compilation of brief biographies of every Hispanic Member, from Joseph Marion Hernandez, elected to represent Florida in 1822, to our colleagues elected in the 1990s, this book will impress any reader with the diversity of Hispanic lawmakers and the contributions we have made to the country as a whole. In reading this book, you will learn about the key leadership role played by Hispanic Members of Congress, from all parties, in advancing civil rights, assisting farmers and migrant farmworkers, feeding and housing the indigent, enhancing bilingual education, providing a voice for immigrant communities, serving our veterans, advocating democracy and development in Latin America, supporting small businesses, revitalizing our urban economies, and protecting our environment. It is fitting that during Hispanic Heritage Month, the Congress act to direct the publication of an updated version of Hispanic Americans in Congress. Since it was published in 1995, nine additional Hispanic Americans have been elected to Congress. Anyone who reads this book today will find no mention of half of the current membership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. I therefore urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting House Concurrent Resolution 90 so that we can have an up to date and appropriate record of the service of Hispanic Americans in the Congress of this great Nation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 203, the National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act of 2001. H.R. 203 establishes a pilot program at the Small Business Administration (SBA) to allow Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to provide regulatory compliance counseling to small businesses. Currently, SBDCs provide invaluable free business advice to entrepreneurs thinking about starting a new small business or to those struggling in their current business. The Small Business Development Center program is the largest management and technical assistance program for small businesses in the United States. H.R. 203 would expand the role of SBDCs to include: (a) training and education in regulatory compliance, which would assist small business owners who are often unaware of or overwhelmed by federal regulations; (b) confidential, free-of-charge regulatory compliance counseling; and (c) technical assistance and referral to experts for more complicated compliance issues. In my district of El Paso, Texas, there is a SBDC located at the El Paso Community College. The Center promotes growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity, and improvement of small businesses, as well as supporting entrepreneurs in the service area. The El Paso Community College SBDC is one of twelve service centers in the region serving El Paso and Hudspeth counties. They have been open for more than 17 years and have assisted more than 12,000 businesses over the years. Advisory services are provided at no cost to the client. As you can imagine, this is invaluable to those who are starting their first business and are looking for guidance. The economic impact of the services provided by the SBDC to the El Paso region is $210 million. This additional funding for the added services available to businesses will be very helpful to the many businesses that utilize the SBDC and for the many businesses that will need the services of the SBDC in the future. I strongly support this legislation and urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Joint Resolution 42, which requires the American flags on all Federal office buildings to be lowered to half-staff each year in commemoration of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service held in Emittsburg, Maryland, which honors our nation's firefighters who died in the line of duty. During the recent terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., firefighters did their jobs at the Pentagon and the World Trade Center buildings and emerged as true heroes, dedicated to saving and protecting lives. These are individuals who deserve our highest praise for their brave commitment to duty. September 11, 2001 was a tragic day that proved to the world that the resolve of our nation's firefighters is strong, as it is every day. The American firefighter goes to work every day and puts his or her life on the line for the protection of fellow citizens, whether the day is routine, or carries with it the face of national tragedy. There is no question that every fallen firefighter deserves this honor, and I ask my colleagues to support this bill. I am proud to have close to thirty firefighters in my family. It is a deep rooted tradition and a strong dedication to service that has been in my family for years. As was evident to everyone across the world on September 11, firefighters are brothers and sisters bound together by duty. And on that tragic day, 343 New York Firefighters were lost, as well as one firefighter from New Jersey. Public service officers all over the world mourn the deaths of the firefighters who lost their lives in these attacks. Yet they know that tomorrow will bring a new day where people everywhere will count on firefighters to be ready to assist where they are needed most, ready to protect the lives of their fellow citizens. This resolution is a great honor for our public service officers and a proud sentiment from a grateful Nation.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) for developing a bill that is designed to meet the intelligence challenges that our Nation is facing at a critical point in our history. Their leadership on critical intelligence issues has been extremely important to all of us on the committee, in particular to those of us that are on the committee for the first time. The gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) have recently been the focus of the press. However, it is important to note, Mr. Chairman, that everyone here knows that both the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss) have been working behind the scenes for years on critical intelligence issues. I thank them for their continued commitment to our Nation and the intelligence system that we rely on so heavily. In a number of hearings that we have had in the committee, I expressed two very important observations. First, the intelligence community needs to pay attention to the diversity that is so critical and representative of our Nation. Both the chairman and the ranking member have been very supportive on that issue. Secondly, as some of the other Members have mentioned, the emphasis on language diversification is vitally important as we face the challenges in today's intelligence gathering and analysis world. We need analysts and case officers with language skills and expertise in many foreign areas. At the NSA and the CIA, thousands of pieces of data are never analyzed or analyzed after the fact because there are too few analysts and even fewer with the necessary language skills. This is a deficiency that must be corrected immediately. Our bill provides bonuses to intelligence employees of the CIA and the Pentagon who are fluent in languages of the toughest and most important targets that we face as a Nation. It is clear that we must do more, and this bill takes the necessary steps to provide the tools necessary for the intelligence community. I urge all Members to support a strong bipartisan bill.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the amendment offered by my colleague, Mr. Conyers. It is time that we hold the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) accountable for the gaps in service to disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. This amendment will set a system in place that will allow the public to routinely monitor any failures of the Department to provide equitable service. In addition, this amendment makes county level data on USDA program participation of disadvantaged producers available to the public. The amendment also requires the release of similar data on participation in Farm Services Agency (FSA) county committee elections, and requires that the process of opening and counting ballots in county committee elections be open to the public. Mr. Chairman, because of my role as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I have been approached by Hispanic farmers across the country who are alleging discriminatory practices by the USDA and the FSA. The USDA claims that no discrimination has taken place, but the stories that I have personally heard from these farmers lead me to a very different conclusion. In fact, I am so concerned by what I have heard, that I have requested a General Accounting Office (GAO) audit with my good friend and colleague, Congressman Joe Baca. This audit, which is currently underway, asks, among other things, how much time it has taken the USDA and FSA to process loans for Hispanic farmers as compared with the non-Hispanic population. According to my constituents, the slow turn around time of loans from the USDA makes it impossible for them to plant their crops until it is too late. The lateness in planting the crops leads to the failure of the yield, and ultimately to the default on their loans. In addition, I have heard stories of corruption in regard to county committees and the elections of committee officers that greatly exacerbate the problem. These issues need to be addressed now. I know that the Small and Disadvantaged Farmer Access and Accountability Amendment is not going to address all of these issues, but it is a start. I am hopeful that passage of this amendment will lead to a more equitable situation for Hispanic and other minority farmers, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the amendment offered by Mr. Conyers.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) yielding the time, and Mr. Speaker, this is an important time for our country. I as well as a number of our colleagues that had the privilege of traveling this weekend and going to Russia, going to Italy, and then winding up the trip in Turkey feel confident that this is one of the most important trips we have taken. This has the ability of redefining the way we look not just at our foreign policy but at the way we deal with the rest of the world. I want to congratulate our chairman and very good friend Chairman Weldon for his vision and his leadership in putting together a comprehensive document that I hope we will use to define a new relationship between us and Russia. I had the privilege of participating in a number of the discussions, and it was clear the respect that Chairman Weldon enjoys in Russia, but more than that, I considered it a great privilege to have been part of this trip because at every one of the places that we visited, starting with the visit to Moscow, one of the most poignant moments was driving by the American embassy and seeing huge piles of flowers and wreaths and notes from the citizens of Moscow offering their condolences to a country that lost a number of its citizens on that tragic day of September 11. Moving on to Rome where we met with a very humble, I thought, king but a committed individual that is willing to do anything and everything, including, he told us, going to Afghanistan the next day. He said I will go back to Afghanistan tomorrow if it makes a difference to my people. A very humble individual that at that point discussed with us his three point plan. A three point plan that includes some very significant recommendations. The ability to come together in a loya jirga, which is a meeting of the senior members of the Afghanistan leadership in Afghanistan, and he was willing to be there alongside with them, but more important, to put together a plan that they would elect a leader for an interim period of 2 years with the guarantee that they would have democratic elections so they would have a democratic government to lead the people. Finishing out our trip, we visited in Ankara, Turkey, with our best ally in the region, a very tough neighborhood, a neighborhood that has seen repeatedly a tremendous amount of unrest, a very unstable region of the world, but yet a region of the world where we can always rely and count on the friendship, the support, the commitment of the Turks and the Turkish government. And what an important series of meetings and briefings we held there and listened to their recommendations that essentially, if the chairman will recall, they backed up what we heard from the ground commanders from Afghanistan, and that was we do not need to send American troops on the ground. All we need to do is support the Afghanistan's United Front versus the Northern Alliance that we refer to now. More importantly, the fact that if we do not need to risk American lives on the ground in Afghanistan, we should not do it. Secondly, we should support the Afghanistan movement. The Northern Alliance, whether we call them the Northern Alliance or the United Front, as they prefer to be called, they know and they explained to us that they have the capability, they have the wherewithal to bring this to a conclusion and defeat the Taliban and its government and take care of Osama bin Laden in the process. We all know and we have heard from a number of colleagues today that Osama bin Laden and the Taliban are a small part of the bigger challenge we face as we fight terrorism, but a fight worth taking on, a fight that we heard in Moscow, that we heard in Rome, and that we heard in Ankara that it is going to entail a tremendous amount of effort, a tremendous amount of commitment and, ultimately, the benefits will be a safer more prosperous world for everyone. So I appreciate the opportunity to participate with the chairman on this trip; and more than that, I appreciate the gentleman's confidence and the confidence of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz) in including me in this delegation. I am very proud this evening, jet lag and all, I am proud to stand here before the American people and tell my colleagues that the kind of dedication and commitment we saw on behalf of our country with this delegation will bring us great results.

Mr. REYES

Mr. REYES. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. REYES. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to control the time in opposition.

Mr. REYES. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.