Steve Stockman

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit today important information regarding the proposed trade deal between the United States and the European Union. The following article was written for Roll Call by my Legislative Assistant Zachary Leshin. During his time as my Legislative Assistant, Mr. Leshin has conveyed a profound understanding of the issue at hand, and has been an important asset to my office. [From Roll Call, Oct. 22, 2014] (By Zachary Leshin) Should Congress Reconsider TTIP?--Commentary Recently there has been discussion over whether the United States should enter into a free trade agreement with the European Union known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. There are several major issues with TTIP that make it not in the interest of the United States to enter into the agreement. One major issue is non-tariff barriers to free trade that are not addressed by TTIP. In the European Union there are certain classes of product known as Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication. One example of a PDO is Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, which legally can be made only in a certain region of northern Italy. Currently, American dairy farmers are not allowed to sell Parmesan cheese in the European Union because the name sounds too similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano. In all of the European Union's trade agreements, PDO and PGI protection has been extended to include the products in the other countries who are party to such agreement and the European Union has stated its intent to include that in TTIP under the guise of ``intellectual property rights.'' There are many examples of how arbitrary and nonsensical the designation process is. Newcastle Ale had to request that its PDO status be revoked so it could move its factory just across a river. Stilton cheese is not allowed to be made in the English village of Stilton from which it derives its name, but only in three neighboring villages. Feta cheese is allowed to be produced only in Greece, but not in Cyprus or other areas where ethnic Greeks may be living. Another major issue with TTIP is that automatically having a free trade agreement with the United States would provide a major incentive for more countries to join the European Union. The European Union has increasingly become more of a centralized government over its member states, especially since the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009. In some areas (such as rules regarding the standardization of driving licenses) the European Union government has more control over its member states than the United States federal government has over US states. Encouraging further expansion of the European Union is bad for the people of Europe, as the European Union has been eroding the sovereignty of its member states. The European Union has been imposing many absurd and burdensome regulations. One regulation requires all projects that receive funding from the European Regional Development Fund to fly the flag of the European Union. Another regulation states that prepackaged products are allowed to be sold only in certain sized packages, and packages that deviate from the proscribed size dimensions are prohibited from sale. What also needs to be considered is not only what these regulations are, but how they are established. In the United States, the heads of the federal executive agencies, which are responsible for establishing regulatory policies, are nominated by an elected president and confirmed by elected senators. The European Union has no such accountability mechanism. Another issue that needs to be considered is discriminatory trade policies imposed by the European Union. In May 2014, the European Union put in place a ban on the import of poultry and eggs raised by Jews in Judea and Samaria, but still permits import of poultry and eggs raised by Arabs in that same region. The European Union has also been considering implementation of discriminatory meat labeling policies where meat products slaughtered using religious methods are required to label the method, but meat products slaughtered using other methods are not. Supporting TTIP may impact the proposed referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union that is planned for 2015, skewing the outcome in favor of maintaining membership in the European Union. Instead, the United States should seek to establish a free trade agreement with a free and independent Britain. This will encourage other European Union member states to leave the European Union as well and will hopefully serve as a catalyst for the dissolution of the European Union. It is not in the strategic interests of the United States, nor in the interests of the people of Europe, for the European Union to become a more centralized institution.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, hypnosis may be a useful tool in the field of mental and physical health as well as combatting against those who wish to kick the habit of smoking and substance abuse. FoxNews Health recently published a column noting the effectiveness of ``hypnosis as therapy for anxiety, stress,'' wherein it noted that ``Hypnosis was birthed from the brains of psychologists and researchers, and . . . it's now making its way back into the mainstream.'' It recommended the National Guild of Hypnotists (the NGH) as one of two national organizations from which to seek referrals. The following is a news report profiling the organization. Merrimack, NH.--(Marketwired--Jan. 21, 2014)--Change is stressful, even when change comes in the form of beneficial technology and social transformation. Too often, the stress of change manifests as overeating and obesity, smoking, substance abuse, aggression and other negative behaviors. Millions are searching for a non-pharmaceutical solution that is effective, long lasting and causes no side effects. The National Guild of Hypnotists has demonstrated through its longevity and documented results that hypnosis provides proven alternatives for reducing and eliminating many of the negative responses to today's stressful world. The National Guild of Hypnotists, NGH, is the oldest, largest and most respected professional association of hypnotists in the world. The National Guild of Hypnotists, under the leadership of Dr. Dwight Damon, has been instrumental in raising conscious awareness of consulting hypnotism as a separate and distinct profession. Hypnosis now is recognized in the medical and scientific mainstream and its use and acceptance continue to grow. Founded in Boston in 1950 and now based in Merrimack, NH. with over 14,000 members worldwide, the National Guild of Hypnotists includes trained, certified hypnotists, doctors, dentists and other health professionals and educators from many fields. An international organization serving members in 80 countries, the National Guild of Hypnotists established a strong universal code of ethics for the profession. In 1994, the National Guild of Hypnotists chartered the rapidly growing National Federation of Hypnotists, Local 104, a Union affiliated with the OPEIU, AFL-CIO, CLC. Those knowledgeable of non-clinical hypnosis universally acknowledge Dr. Damon as ``The Father of Consulting Hypnotism as a Separate and Distinct Profession.'' The National Guild of Hypnotists established and maintains a rigorous certification program based on a standardized curriculum. Annually, the National Guild of Hypnotists conducts educational seminars around the country and an international convention and educational conference, held in Marlborough, MA, that attracts over a thousand hypnotists. Under the guidance of Convention Director Elsom Eldridge Jr., the convention is the leading and largest venue for the sharing of best practices within the profession. Each year's convention provides a platform for teaching advanced hypnotic techniques and sharing new information and practical developments from leading members of the profession and legislative and legal updates. The most prestigious awards in the profession are presented during the event. The adjunct faculty, recruited from around the world, provides a distinguished nexus for what Dr. Damon describes as, ``an open forum for a free exchange of ideas concerning hypnotism.'' Dr. Damon says, ``As members of the National Guild of Hypnotists, we have accepted the invitation and have risen to the challenge that the actions we have taken over the years, lay the groundwork for our profession to soar beyond all that has been accomplished and even beyond all we can conceive. We rise to the invitation to leave a legacy of excellence.'' Respectful of licensed health care professionals, the National Guild of Hypnotists encourages its members to make their services widely available as a complementary adjunct to medical, dental and other licensed health professions. The organization's vision is of a time when a visit to a Consulting Hypnotist will be as routine as a trip to the dentist. Consistent efforts by the National Guild of Hypnotists in fostering professionalism has been the decisive factor in bringing about the recognition of hypnosis as a separate and distinct profession. The non-profit association publishes The Journal of Hypnotism and the Hypno-Gram quarterly, as informative publications for practitioners and recently introduced Hypnosis Today, an annual magazine created for all readers.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, as the 113th Congress comes to a close, it is my pleasure to note all of the legislative actions that I have taken in my tenure in this Congress. In the 113th Congress, I introduced the following legislation: H.R. 4587--Fifth Amendment Restoration Act. This bill sought to stop the Federal Government from stealing people's property by abolishing the use of civil asset forfeiture. H.R. 5777--Cryptocurrency Protocol Protection and Moratorium Act. This bill sought to protect cryptocurrencies by imposing a five year moratorium on new cryptocurrency regulations. H.R. 5755--Safer American Streets Act. This bill sought to withhold certain highway funds from a State that uses an automated traffic enforcement system on a Federal-aid highway. H.R. 5756--Heller Public Firearms Range Act of 2014. This bill sought to restore a public firearms range to the District of Columbia. H.R. 5757--Honoring Workers' Rights Act. This bill sought to rename the headquarters of the Department of Labor in honor of right to work activist Reed Larson. H.R. 5734--Right of Return Act. This bill sought to establish a lasting peace in the Middle East by defunding UNRWA, defunding the Palestinian Authority, and directing the Secretary of State to call for Israel to extend sovereignty of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza with the Arab population residing in those territories to be given a right of return to the countries who controlled those territories from 1949 to 1967. H.R. 5726--Freedom From Foreign Influence Act. This bill sought to direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue promptly permits allowing energy resources exploration and extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. H.R. 5718--Stockman Effect Act. This bill sought to direct the National Science Foundation to commission a study on the potential impact of a polar magnetic shift on the weather. H.R. 5717--Report the Costs Act. This bill sought to require annual reports from agencies detailing the cost of multilingual services, to end speculation about the cost of multilingual services provided by the Federal Government, and for other purposes. H.R. 5473--James Boulet National Language Act of 2014. This bill sought to make English the official language of the United States, require that official U.S. government functions be conducted in English, and require the U.S. government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States. H.R. 5472--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service currently located at 16281 U.S. Highway 59 in Moscow, Texas, as the ``Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya Memorial Post Office''. This bill sought to name the post office in Moscow, Texas in honor of Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya, an American journalist who was assassinated in Moscow, Russia as a result of her coverage of the human rights abuses committed by the regime of Vladimir Putin. H.R. 5433--Stop Funding Terrorism Act. This bill sought to prohibit any direct U.S. assistance, loan guarantee, or debt relief to the Palestinian Authority. H.R. 5316--Safely Exacting Cautious Useful Rules for Immigration This Year (SECURITY) Act. This bill sought to secure the border between the United States and Mexico. H.R. 5202--Personal Information Notification Act. This bill sought to require notification when personally identifying information is disclosed by a Government agency. H. Amdt. 1033. This amendment to H.R. 4923, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, sought to prohibit funds made available by this Act from being used for the Department of Energy's Loan Program Office. H. Res. 664--Providing for the arrest of Lois G. Lerner to answer the charge of contempt of Congress. H. Res. 649, 648, 647, 646, and 645. This series of resolutions sought to direct various federal agencies to disclose emails transmitted by Lois Lerner. H. Amdt. 941. This amendment to H.R. 4870, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015, sought to prohibit the use of funds for any activity that would grant de jure or de facto support of territorial, maritime, or airspace claims made by the People's Republic of China on the international waters or territories of other sovereign nations in the South China, East China, and Yellow Seas. H. Amdt. 940. This amendment to H.R. 4870, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015, sought to prohibit the use of funds for the procurement of weapons systems that contain rare earth materials, metals, magnets, parts, or components that are produced in Cuba, North Korea, the People's Republic of China, or Venezuela. H. Amdt. 939. This amendment to H.R. 4870, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015, sought to prohibit the use of funds to destroy Department of Defense equipment or ammunition in Afghanistan without such equipment or ammunition first being offered to independent states of the former Soviet Union and major non-NATO allies that are willing to pay for transportation of such equipment or ammunition to such states or allies. H. Res. 635--Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) must allow taxpayers the same lame excuses for missing documentation that the IRS itself is currently proffering. H.R. 4883--National Rare-Earth Cooperative Act of 2014. This bill sought to provide for the establishment of a National Rare-Earth Refinery Cooperative. H. Res. 612--Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Mexico should forthwith repatriate Sgt. Andrew Paul Tahmooressi from Mexican prison(s) and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President of the United States should take actions to impose sanctions on Mexico until such time as Sgt. Tahmooressi is released. H.R. 4774--Veterans' Health Accountability Act. This bill sought to improve the quality of care offered by the Veterans Health Administration. H. Res. 602--Recognizing the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. H.R. 4651--To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 601 West Baker Road in Baytown, Texas as the ``Specialist Keith Erin Grace Jr. Memorial Post Office''. This bill sought to name a post office in Baytown, Texas in honor of Keith Erin Grace Jr. H.R. 4650--European Union Religious Freedom Act. This bill sought to recognize the prohibition of homeschooling, religious methods of meat production, circumcision, or wearing of religious garb as being infringements on religious freedom. H.R. 4602--Virtual Currency Tax Reform Act. This bill sought to change the status of virtual currencies from property to foreign currency. H.R. 4581--Prohibiting Discrimination Against Israel Act. This bill sought to prohibit federal funds from going towards international projects that discriminate against Judea and Samaria. H.R. 4520--Aircraft Positioning Modernization Act. This bill sought to require passenger aircraft to transmit GPS location data. H.R. 4518--Parental Protection Act. This bill sought to protect the constitutional rights of parents and children. H.R. 4380--Gun Confiscation and Registration Prevention Act. This bill sought to prohibit gun confiscation and registration. H.R. 4381--Biometric Information Privacy Act. This bill sought to prohibit firms from selling personal biometric information to third parties. H.R. 4343--Write the Laws Act. This bill sought to end the unconstitutional delegation of legislative power which was exclusively vested in the Senate and House of Representatives by article I, section 1 of the United States Constitution, and to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to issue a report to Congress detailing the extent of the problem of unconstitutional delegation to the end that such delegations can be phased out, thereby restoring the constitutional principle of separation of powers set forth in the first sections of the United States Constitution. H.R. 3199--Safe Military Bases Act. This bill sought to safeguard military and civilian personnel on military bases by repealing bans on military personnel carrying firearms, and for other purposes. H.R. 3156--Responsible Implementation of Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2013. This bill sought to reform the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 to responsibly protect homeownership. H. Res. 333--Expressing the firm conviction of the House of Representatives that any continuing resolution or debt ceiling increase it may approve for the duration of the 113th Congress shall affirmatively include a provision specifically prohibiting the expenditure of any federal funds in support of or in implementation or effectuation or enforcement of any provision of the Affordable Care Act (``ObamaCare''). H. Amdt. 397. This amendment to H.R. 2397, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014, sought to prohibit funds appropriated or made available in this Act from being used for United States military exercises which include any participation by the People's Republic of China. H.R. 2764--Sanctity of Life Act of 2013. This bill sought to declare that human life shall be deemed to exist from conception. H. Res. 306--Providing for the consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 36) establishing a select committee to investigate and report on the attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya. H.R. 2625--Student Protection Act. This bill sought to prohibit the use of appropriated funds for any educational institution which punishes a child for brandishing food which is partially consumed in such a way that the remnant resembles a gun; possessing a toy gun two inches or less in length or made of plastic snap together building blocks; using a finger or hand to simulate a gun; vocalizing imaginary firearms or munitions; wearing a T-shirt that supports Second Amendment rights; drawing a picture of, or possessing an image of, a firearm; or using a writing utensil to simulate a firearm. H.R. 2606--Stabilization and Reconstruction Integration Act of 2013. This bill sought to establish the United States Office for Contingency Operations. H.R. 1815--Union Coercion Prevention Act. This bill sought to protect workers from the corrupt and coercive ``Card Check'' system of organizing labor unions. H.R. 1144--Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act. This bill sought to restore an opportunity for tribal economic development on terms that are equal and fair. H.R. 1143--Federal Correctional Workers Safety Act of 2013. This bill sought to amend the federal criminal code to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to ensure that each prison facility provides a secure firearms storage area for use by all employees who are authorized to carry a firearm, or allow such employees to store their firearm in a Bureau-approved vehicle lockbox. H.R. 577--Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act. This bill sought to prohibit, in any case arising out of the administration of laws and benefits by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, considering any person who is mentally incapacitated, deemed mentally incompetent, or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness from being considered adjudicated as a mental defective for purposes of the right to receive or transport firearms without the order or finding of a judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such person is a danger to himself or herself or others. H.R. 576--Save Endangered Species Act of 2013. This bill sought to require the Secretary of the Interior to allow for the taking, export or reimport, delivery, receipt, carrying, and transport, shipment, or sale in interstate or foreign commerce, in the course of a commercial activity, of U.S. captive-bred live scimitar-horned oryx, addax, or dama gazelle, including embryos, gametes, and sport-hunted trophies, as long as certain criteria are met, including that the purpose of such activity is associated with the management or transfer of live wildlife or sport hunting in a manner that contributes to increasing or sustaining captive numbers or to potential reintroduction to range countries. H.R. 575--Second Amendment Protection Act of 2013. This bill sought to prohibit the United States from providing any funding to the United Nations (U.N.) for a fiscal year unless the President certifies to Congress that the U.N. has not taken action to infringe on the rights of individuals in the United States to possess a firearm or ammunition, or abridge any of the other constitutionally protected rights of U.S. citizens. H.R. 410--Restore the Constitution Act of 2013. This bill sought to provide that any executive action infringing on the Second Amendment has no force or effect, and to prohibit the use of funds for certain purposes. H.R. 35--Safe Schools Act of 2013. This bill sought to amend the federal criminal code to repeal provisions making it unlawful to possess or discharge a firearm in a school zone. H.R. 33--Audit The Fed Act of 2013. This bill sought to repeal the authority of the Comptroller General (GAO) to carry out an onsite examination of an open insured bank or bank holding company only if the appropriate federal regulatory agency has consented in writing.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, as the 113th Congress comes to a close, it is my pleasure to note all of the legislative actions that I have taken in my tenure in my first term in Congress. In the 104th Congress, I introduced the following legislation: H.R. 4222--Educational Freedom Act of 1996: This bill sought to amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit of up to $3,000 per student per year for tuition and related expenses at nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. Subjects such credit to adjusted gross income limits. H.R. 4221--Stephen E. LeNoir Malpractice Accountability Act of 1996: This bill sought to amend the Federal Tort Claims Act to make the United States liable in an action brought by a member of a uniformed service for personal injury caused by the provision of health care by a health care professional in a uniformed service, except where such injuries were sustained during a declared state of war. H. Con. Res. 179--To express the sense of the Congress that Buddhist monks and civilians and Roman Catholic monks and priest unlawfully detained by the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam should be released: This bill called for the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to release all Buddhist monks and civilians and all Roman Catholic monks and priests currently being unlawfully detained. H.R. 3446--Regulatory Relief and Job Preservation Act of 1996: This bill amends the Clean Air Act to repeal the authority of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require enhanced monitoring and submission of compliance certifications. H. Con. Res. 161--Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Washington for Jesus 1996 prayer rally: This bill sought to permit One Nation Under God, Inc., to sponsor a free public event on the Capitol Grounds on April 29 and 30, 1996. H.R. 2749--Child Protection and Ethics I Education Act of 1995: This bill sought to direct the Comptroller General to conduct a study to determine whether programs, lectures, texts, or other pedagogical materials involving sexuality used by agencies, universities, or elementary and secondary schools (institutions) that receive Federal funds for educational purposes significantly or particularly rely on the scholarship of, directly or indirectly consisting of, or based on the studies entitled ``Sexual Behavior in the Human Male'' and ``Sexual Behavior in the Human Female'' authored by Alfred Kinsey and his team of researchers, published in 1948 and 1953 (Kinsey reports). H.R. 2470--Second Amendment Reaffirmation Act of 1995: This bill sought to repeal the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the Assault Weapon Manufacturing Strict Liability Act of 1990. H.R. 2469--Wanda Boughton Social Security Original Intent Act of 1995: This bill sought to amend title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to permit an individual entitled to both OASDI and to widow's and widower's insurance benefits to receive both without reduction in the amount of the widow's or widower's insurance benefit by the amount of the OASDI benefit. H.J. Res. 107--Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding congressional pay and pensions: This bill sought to require Members of Congress to receive compensation for their services or to be reimbursed for expenses incurred with respect to such services only from the treasury of the State which they represent in Congress in an amount to be determined by an act of the State's legislature. H.R. 2328--Jeramy's Act: This bill sought to direct the Secretary of Transportation to withhold specified percentages of Federal-aid highway funds apportioned to States that permit the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons who are less than 21 years old. H.R. 2250--Community Development Act of 1995: This bill sought to amend Federal customs law to require the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations providing for the return of one percent of customs duties assessed on a commodity to the port or airport of entry that is a public corporation in which the commodity was located at the time of assessment. H. Res. 210--Providing for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 464) to repeal the prohibitions relating to semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices: This bill sought to repeal prohibitions on semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity feeding devices. H. Res. 199--Amending clause 2 of rule XXII of the Rules of the House to prohibit the introduction or consideration of legislation designating a building or any other structure in honor of a person who is serving or has served as a Member of Congress, a Federal judge, or an officer of the executive branch before the date that is 5 years after the person has retired from that office: This bill sought to amend rule XXII of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the introduction or consideration of legislation designating a building in honor of a person who has served as a Member of Congress, a Federal judge, or an officer in the executive branch until at least five years after the person's retirement from that office. H.R. 2087--Sanctity of Life Act of 1995: This bill sought to amend the Federal criminal code to declare that the Supreme Court and district courts shall not have jurisdiction over any case arising out of any statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, or practice on the grounds that the statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, or practice protects the rights of human persons between conception and birth or prohibits, limits, or regulates the performance of abortions or the provision of public funds, facilities, personnel, or other assistance for the performance of abortions. H.R. 1849--Chinese Human Rights Act of 1995: This bill sought to amend the Trading with the Enemy Act to define China as an enemy for purposes of the export of military products to such country until the Congress determines that China does not engage in any significant violation of human rights and poses no significant threat to the United States. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that a person who has been forced to abort a pregnancy or to undergo involuntary sterilization, or who has been persecuted for failure or refusal to undergo such a procedure, shall be deemed to have been persecuted on account of political opinion and entitled to political refugee status under such Act. H.J. Res. 87--Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding citizenship in the United States: This bill sought to grant U.S. citizenship to only those persons: (1) born to a parent who is a U.S. citizen; (2) born within the United States to a parent lawfully in and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States at the time of that parents' entry into the United States; and (3) naturalized according to U.S. law. Sets forth provisions relating to: (1) restrictions on services or payments to non-U.S. citizens; (2) English language requirement for naturalization; and (3) apportionment of Representatives based on number of citizens of each State. H.R. 807--Taxpayer Protection Act of 1995: This bill sought to prohibit funds appropriated or made available under any law from being used for the purpose of any swap, loan, loan guarantee, or grant to Mexico until the Congress has affirmatively approved such assistance.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, as I deliver my last speech as a Congressman for the 36th District of Texas, I want to begin by once again thanking the people of Southeast Texas for giving me the honor of representing them. Our oil produces everything from the gas you put in your car to the PVC in an antifracking bumper sticker. We build the spacecraft that explore the stars and the freighters that serve every port in the world. The 36th District's powerful economic reach goes around the world and even into space. But we in Southeast Texas aren't just known for giving birth to NASA and the world's oil industry. We are also known for fighting for what we believe in no matter the odds. I first came to Congress in 1995. The man I defeated was a 42-year incumbent, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the most senior Democrat in Congress in one of the most heavily Democrat districts in America. The district had never in 100 years elected a Republican, and he remains the most senior member of Congress to have been defeated in a general election. I overcame similar odds to return here in 2012. We defeated the President of the Texas Senate in a district he had drawn for himself and was supposed to win without a runoff. We forced a runoff, without him in it, where I defeated a millionaire who outspent me 15 to 1. My election to this Congress had the lowest dollar-per-vote of any winning federal campaign in America, despite having to face three elections, two of which I was not favored to win. Those two victories over improbable odds prove anything is possible, if you know how to fight for it. I bring this up because this Congress faces a monumental fight. The very survival of our constitutional republic is in question. Will this Congress allow Barack Obama to centralize authority in the White House under an imperial Presidency, or will we take back our Constitutional Republic? Too many in this chamber are perfectly happy to let Obama render them irrelevant. I am not one of them. I didn't come here to settle in. I came here to upset things. I introduced several measures that would restore our congressional oversight and our constitutional republic. When Barack Obama used Executive Orders to violate the Second Amendment, I fought back. Working with Senator Rand Paul, I introduced the Restore the Constitution Act, which would nullify any executive action and prohibit funding of any action that oversteps the President's constitutional authority. I also introduced the Second Amendment Protection Act of 2013 to prohibit all UN funding as long as they continue to target peaceful gun owners, as well as the Safe Military Bases Act to allow our soldiers to carry firearms to stop terrorists. I introduced the first-ever Sanctity of Life Act in 1995, and brought it back to this Congress, to declare that life begins at conception and to end the tragedy of abortion. I introduced H. Res. 306, which would have forced a vote on establishing a Select Committee to investigate President Obama's bungled response to the terrorist attacks on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The public pressure created by that eventually led to a House investigation of the terrorist act. I introduced the Virtual Currency Tax Reform Act and the Cryptocurrency Protocol Protection and Moratorium Act to protect the emerging technologies of alternative currencies, which will eventually lead to greater prosperity and economic opportunity for all. And I introduced the Audit the Fed Act, to require transparency and accountability in the Federal Reserve System. I helped lead the battle against amnesty for illegal aliens in every possible way. I was able to block the 2013 Senate amnesty bill--which was on a fast track to passage--with the `blue slip' procedure, resulting in the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee declaring the bill in violation of the Constitution. This year I inspected and reported my findings about our porous border and the inhumane facilities which were used to house illegal alien children. In addition, my SECURITY Act would build the 2,000 mile border fence and eliminate many of the so-called magnet benefits, which would dramatically reduce if not halt illegal immigration. I also filed five resolutions seeking to force the President, Attorney General, Treasury Secretary, FEC Chairman and Defense Secretary to turn over all emails in their or in the NSA's possession which were sent to or from former IRS official Lois Lerner. Since then, the supposedly lost emails have been uncovered. The IRS' actions amount to a crime, and one that the highest official should be accountable for. These acts and resolutions are needed now more than ever, because these next two years will be among the most perilous in American history. As we saw in the ongoing IRS scandal, the left in America seems intent to use the government to target citizens who speak out. They did it to Ted Stevens. They did it to Tom DeLay. They're doing it to Rick Perry. And they will do it to you. This Congress and the next must rein in those activists who weaponize the government to target opponents. From the IRS to the EPA to the FEC, politicians are perverting the mission of federal agencies. Instead of administering laws passed by Congress, federal agencies are now used to target those whose ideas differ from those in power. This perversion of power extends to the targeting of law-abiding gun owners by political activists in the Justice Department, the targeting of landowners by political activists in the Interior Department and EPA, and the targeting of people of faith by virtually all federal agencies. Liberals are building an America where government is used to settle scores and stifle opposing ideas. Congress must fight back. We must protect, and restore the Second Amendment by repealing anti- gun laws and reining in a rogue Justice Department. We must protect the right to life by passing a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution and repealing Obamacare. We must protect a free economy by passing a REINS Act to take away the power of bureaucrats to make up and enforce their own laws, and by repealing all laws and government agencies not explicitly spelled out in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. And this Congress and the next must restore a Constitutional Presidency by taking back powers usurped by the White House and repealing all Executive Orders that defy the Constitution. Just because I won't be here in the well doesn't mean I won't continue to fight. And we must fight more ferociously than ever if we are to save this constitutional republic. It has been an honor to serve with you all. Thank you for this opportunity to speak, and I pray that the members of the 114th Congress will fight with fire in their bellies for the life of our Republic.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, in the 11th Century, King Canute proved his humility by ordering the tides from not coming in, yet the tides came in without respect to his royal majesty. Last night I thought we were experiencing another King Canute moment. The House passed a bill that was to rational economics what King Canute's order was to the rising tides. Perpetuating the overspending and compounding the debt burden on future generations is not only immoral, it is plain dumb policy. One would have thought that a lesson was learned when in August of 2011, the United States' credit rating was downgraded. But massive deficits have continued and the bill adopted last night will continue those deficits. Today's projections say that in the future the annual deficit will continue to rise--topping the trillion dollar mark in under ten years. Now we know that these deficits are ultimately unsustainable and a crunch will come. One scenario is that much of the federal debt will be wiped away by inflating the dollar. Meaning that a dollar of debt today could be paid off with a penny of real money. This would have some rather serious side effects such as the destruction of much of the wealth of the U.S. and every other nation. It would mean economic collapse and the destruction of world trade. Other side effects that the Congress risks by passing legislation like the bill we considered last night are the collapse of the social safety net on which our elderly and disabled population depends. I have a one-hundred trillion dollar bill--and it can't buy a loaf of bread. It is a Zimbabwe bill and that nation's economic policies are what we seem to be trying to emulate. But my listing of the effects of fiscal (and monetary) incontinence is not the first in this Chamber. And that is the great tragedy. It is like the captain of the Titanic knew about the iceberg the previous day and continued his course which he knew would end in catastrophe. I hope and pray that the members of the next Congress will change course. I have done my work to change that course, and I will continue to work to change U.S. economic policy from outside these walls. God bless America, and God help us.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to discuss today a very important and serious issue that is seemingly taking hold within our nation and that is an ``assault on our freedom of the press''. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit a recent article in Roll Call entitled ``Congress: Support Higher Level of Press Freedoms, End Propaganda''. In particular, the article opines ``that administration officials have gone to great lengths to control media messages and the President's refusal to grant free and easy access for photographers and reporters''. Mr. Speaker, clearly, restricting or controlling media messages is without a doubt--propaganda. [From Roll Call, Dec. 10, 2014] Congress: Support Higher Level of Press Freedoms, End Propaganda-- Commentary (By Maayan Jaffe) It seems that recently, U.S. media took a turn for the worse. In 2013, Reporters Without Borders noted a profound erosion of press freedom, which included a year of attacks on whistleblowers and digital journalists, and revelations about mass surveillance. The U.S. plunged 13 spots on the group's rankings to No. 46. Simultaneously, reports continue to surface that administration officials have gone to great lengths to control media messages. Associated Press editors have decried the president's refusal to grant free and easy access for photographers and reporters and equated his actions as tantamount to propaganda. It's striking that with what the Obama administration is doing--and is only getting away with it because the media use the handout copy and photographs--that America's closest allies are regularly maligned. In the last month, for instance, it was reported with sensation and disdain that a top U.S. official referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as ``chicken- - - -'' and that U.S. ally Azerbaijan, apparently, is trying to promote its relationship with the U.S., instead of supporting radicals around the world like some others. All this, while arch enemies--or countries that pose a risk to national security, sponsors of the murderous ISIS to the Mullahs of Iran--are given a free ride . . . even by state- sponsored media. The Washington Free Beacon reported that Congress was calling for an investigation into Voice of America's Persian language news service as a result of the station's systemic pro-Iran bias and cozy ties to the anti- American ruling regime, according to a letter sent recently to Secretary of State John Kerry. The Free Beacon wrote, ``Lawmakers and Iranian dissidents have long accused VOA's Persian News Network (PNN) of producing sympathetic coverage of the Iranian regime and blacklisting prominent Iranian opposition voices . . . The call from Congress for an investigation into these alleged practices comes just a month after the Washington Free Beacon revealed that PNN had banned a prominent Iranian opposition member and placed him on a so-called `black list' after he attacked Iran's ruling regime for sponsoring terrorism.'' Earlier this year, I penned a piece in Roll Call about the tragedy of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's bias against Azerbaijan. I asked Congress why it allows $750 million of American taxpayers' money to fund a media outlet that is attacking our allies. That report--which found that in a one- month period RFE/RL had managed to publish 30 articles and videos about Azerbaijan (not one celebrating Azerbaijan's accomplishments), while it ran nothing of pressure against America's adversary, Armenia--was met with an explosion of Twitter fury. Americans don't want to face up to what the media has become: a propaganda machine, pandering to the special interests, superficial stereotypes, personal agendas and money, and fear of reprisal by extremist regimes. Azerbaijan and Israel are attacked not only because attacks sell, but because they are two of the few Middle Eastern/ Muslim countries with pro-Western, anti-terrorist governments and societies and therefore journalists are less afraid to come out against them. Israel is accused of war crimes for protecting itself from a daily barrage of rocket attacks and trauma, while the world is silent to Egyptian action recently taken against Gaza, a country which clearly understands the difference between Palestinian civilians and the terrorists of Hamas. Israel and Azerbaijan take this pressure because the alternative is siding with extremism and neither country is willing to compromise their democratic, open ideals. But Congress needs to pay attention to this growing trend because good friends can only take so much bullying. Israel and Azerbaijan--or any U.S. ally--are not without challenges and growth opportunities. Iran is a rogue regime developing nuclear weapons that could shift the world's balance, and we are supporting a media outlet that panders to that regime. The media, with the support of Congress, needs to be bold about what is really happening on the ground. A truthful report here and there is not enough. We need to regain a top level of freedom of the press and be confident that if we tell the full truth, then truth will prevail. Congress has an obligation to retain American freedom of the press. I hope this new Congress will see access to information as a fundamental freedom and strength. If we lose that right, I don't want to think about what will be next . . .

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to discuss today an issue that continues to haunt ethnic and religious minorities throughout our world and in particular, a rise in anti-Semitism and ethnic cleansing in Armenia. Mr. Speaker, in other words, Armenia, throughout its history continues to practice anti-Semitism and ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani minority. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit an article written by Arye Gut, a board member of the Israeli-Azerbaijani International Organization entitled ``Anti-Semitism in Armenia: A Clear and Present Danger''. Mr. Gut clearly articulates the issues of anti- Semitism and ethnic cleansing in Armenia. Anti-Semitism in Armenia: A Clear and Present Danger (By Arye Gut/JNS.org) The conflict in Syria has forced millions to leave their homes, among them many of the country's Armenian minority. Many have fled and returned to Armenia, a safe haven for ethnic Armenians--much as Israel is for Jews around the world. So it is ironic, given this shared need for a homeland free of religious intolerance, that Armenia's own Jewish community has been pressured and intimidated since the country attained independence. Anti-Semitism in Armenia is an unfortunate and little- acknowledged fact. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the country's Jewish minority and Jewish heritage--the products of a more tolerant time--have shrunk dramatically. The end of Soviet rule removed constraint, and anti-Semitic attacks rose dramatically. That, and Armenia's ongoing economic collapse, drive the Jews of Armenia to flee the country. In just 20 years, Armenian Jewish population has shrunk from more than 5,000 to just a few hundred. And the cultural violence has continued. Anti-Semitic books are published and TV programs aired, and the Holocaust memorial in the capital of Yerevan has been repeatedly defaced. Of course, many countries have suffered such unfortunate incidents, the product of an ignorant populace. But in Armenia such views have been espoused even by mainstream politicians and media personalities. In 2004, a pro-government radio presenter expressed anti-Semitic views for months on end. A nationalist politician was also allowed to freely make lurid slurs against Jews before public pressure forced the government to arrest him. The dwindling Jewish community in Armenia has complained about these attacks--the head of the Jewish community expressed her concern that ``this [anti-Semitism] has the backing of people in power.'' But appeals have fallen on deaf ears, which is hardly a surprise when such attitudes are shared by much of Armenian society. The Anti-Defamation League's latest survey in June 2014 showed that the rate of anti-Semitism in Armenia (at 58 percent) was the third- highest in all of Europe, and the highest in all of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Thus, around 1.3 million out of 2.2 million adults in Armenia expressed anti- Semitic attitudes. Armenia's closest comparisons were with virulently hostile countries in the Middle East. Sixty-three percent of Armenians surveyed believe that Jews are hated ``because of the way Jews behave;'' 60 percent claimed that ``Jews don't care what happens to anyone but their own kind;'' 45 percent think that ``Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust;'' and 38 percent consider that ``Jews are responsible for most of the world's wars.'' Also disturbing, and of concern to Jews around the world, is that in 1988 some 49,928 families (250,000 Azerbaijanis) were forced to flee their places of origin in 172 Azerbaijani inhabited villages, 89 villages with mixed ethnic population, and six cities from Armenia. During the deportation, 226 Azerbaijanis were killed by Armenians and scores horrifically injured. Their houses and properties were burned as well. The Khojaly massacre, committed by current Armenian leadership with incredible brutality, was one of the worst tragedies of the 20th century. It is a historical fact that the Armenian armed forces and gunmen spared none of the Khojaly residents, who had not managed to leave the city and its surroundings. As a result of the atrocities of the Armenian armed forces, 613 people were killed, 487 people were crippled, and 1,275 people--the elderly, children, and women who were captured--were subjected to unprecedented torture, abuse, and humiliation. In addition, Armenia, the aggressor, illegally occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts. This caused a refugee crisis numbering nearly 1 million innocent Azerbaijanis, as they attempted to ethnically cleanse the region. Today, this remains a threat to peace and security in the South Caucasus region. Encouraged by intense Armenian lobbying efforts in the U.S. and other key nations, as well as by strong and ongoing Russian military, economic, and political aid, Armenia has ignored four United Nations Security Council resolutions associated with the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and treatment of civilians. Perhaps this is not so surprising considering that one of Armenia's closest allies is theocratic Iran, which has always opposed Israel's right to existence. This strange relationship has been very beneficial for Iran, which has used Armenia as a conduit for smuggling and other illicit activities, often with serious consequences for U.S. national security. The last point also has unnerving overtones for Armenia's Jewish community, which has never forgotten the participation of the brutal 20,000-strong Armenian Legion as part of Wehrmacht in the Second World War. The Legion, led by the nationalist warlord known as General Dro, was tasked with rounding up Jews and other ``undesirables'' behind the German army as it swept across Russia, and organized their death marches to the concentration camps. In such an environment, it is hardly surprising that most of Armenia's Jewish population has either fled or intermarried to avoid attracting attention. Regrettably, the government of Armenia does almost nothing to curb the growing anti-Semitism in the country. Until Armenia realizes that narrow-minded nationalism and blaming the country's economic and political problems on outsiders will never solve anything, the Jews of Armenia will continue to suffer.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, America has a Constitutional crisis. The President is in clear and direct violation of both the Constitution and existing federal statutes in proclaiming by fiat `executive amnesty.' With regard to violation of the Constitution, Article I, Section 1 is clear and definitive in its intent when it states ``All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.'' The President's blatant attempt to override existing immigration law by executive action is a clear violation of this. With regard to violation of existing federal statutes, 8 USC 1324 `Bringing in and harboring certain aliens' both prohibits and specifies criminal penalties for bringing to the United States or harboring illegal aliens. In section (a), the law states ``Any person who encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law;'' and further describes the penalties as ``A person who violates (these sections shall) be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.'' Further, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State are in additional violation of 8 USC 1324 for not educating the public about the penalties for bringing in and harboring aliens in violation of this law. In section (e), the law states ``The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, as appropriate, shall develop and implement an outreach program to educate the public in the United States and abroad about the penalties for bringing in and harboring aliens in violation of this section.'' Therefore, the President must immediately cease and desist his actions to impose amnesty by executive action. He must also reverse existing actions that he and his administration have taken to circumvent existing federal statutes and the Constitution in this matter.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, in response to the Ebola epidemic, our government must take decisive action to combat and prevent the spread of this disease. We should also build up a concerted international effort to stem this epidemic. There still exist critical needs in containing Ebola's spread. We, and several other nations, have made available limited resources; but it's not enough. Taiwan, though not directly affected, once again has risen to the challenge of helping other people in need. On December 4th, Taiwan's Representative to the United States, Ambassador Shen, officially announced the contribution of $1,000,000 to the Global Distribution Fund of the Centers for Disease Control. This is in addition to 100,000 personal protection suits that Taiwan has donated to the medical authorities. This donation will help prevent deaths and alleviate some of the pain and suffering of victims, as well as offer hope where hope is scarce. In crisis after crisis we have seen our old and reliable friend Taiwan respond. For example, over the past few years Taiwan immediately responded with aid to Japan's earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the Philippines Typhoon in 2013 and even donated over $1,000,000 to the United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. In times of crisis it is important to know on whom you can depend. Taiwan and its people remain dedicated to the same principles that guide our nation, and they can be counted upon in times of crisis. We are very grateful to Taiwan for this major contribution.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, as the 113th Congress comes to a close, I would like to recognize my good friend and colleague from Michigan's 11th District, Congressman Kerry Bentivolio. We grew up in the same community and went to the same schools, only to meet years later in our nation's capital. He is one of five sons of a factory worker who put himself through college, eventually earning a Master's Degree, worked as an automotive designer, home builder and an exceptional, highly qualified vocational and general education teacher in both private and public schools. Married for 37 years to his wife Karen he raised two wonderful children and has four grandchildren. He's an effective legislator, a staunch defender of conservative values, and he, and his team, have provided constituent services that would be considered beyond exceptional by even the tenacious critic. Kerry's conservative colleagues aren't the only ones to recognize his work, many groups outside of the halls of Congress have taken notice. The National Taxpayer's Union honored Kerry with the Taxpayers' Friend Award and NFIB named him a ``Guardian of Small Business''. He earned recognition from the National Association of Manufacturing for his support of that industry. The Family Research Council gave him one of their highest awards. He received high ratings from Heritage Action for America, Club for Growth, and FreedomWorks for his voting record. The American Conservative Union named Mr. Bentivolio a ``top conservative'' for his defense of our limited-government values. And, his voting record has been recognized as the #1 in Transparency according to GovTrack.us. As a freshman legislator, a House historian pointed out Congressman Bentivolio was one of the most successful and effective first-term legislators in recent memory. He passed two bills as amendments, and his Safe and Secure Federal Websites Act unanimously passed the House with 100% bipartisan support. The Safe and Secure Federal Websites Act had 126 cosponsors--which is more cosponsors than any other freshman Republican bill secured during the 113th Congress. Kerry's successes didn't begin nor end in the marble halls of Congress. While legislators clamor for attention and dream of their next major network television appearance, Congressman Bentivolio and his team were working hard on behalf of their constituents. He and his staff received two awards for their constituent service--one from National Write Your Congressman for their superior constituent service and the Public Service Award from NASASP. He's the same man who volunteered as Santa Claus year after year, to the delight of neighborhood children. He's the same man--and only member of Congress--who served with honor in the combat arms in both Vietnam and Iraq and received 28 military awards, including the Combat Infantryman Badge which he proudly wore on his lapel every day as a member of Congress. The upstanding Congressman from Michigan's 11th Congressional District may not be returning to the 114th Congress, but Congressman Bentivolio's legacy will continue to shine long after his time here as he carries the torch for conservative values and maintains his community stewardship.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a dear friend and colleague, the Dean of the Texas Congressional Delegation: Congressman Ralph Hall of the Fourth District of Texas. Ralph has served the Fourth District with unqualified distinction since his first election in 1980. Throughout his service to the Fourth District and the United States Congress, he always focused on his constituents and at the end of the day, what is best for America and her future. Twenty years ago when I arrived as a young Congressman, Ralph, being a kind and generous man, reached out and helped me. While he may have forgotten, I remember his kindness to this day. Many are asking him to write a book, and I hope he does. Readers would enjoy his great sense of humor and deep understanding of Texas history. Mr. Speaker, December 7, 2014 marked the forty-third anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I want to recognize two departing members who were veterans of World War Two (WW II). First, Ralph Hall joined the United States Navy in December 1942 and served as an aircraft carrier pilot from 1942 to 1945 rising to the rank of Lieutenant (Senior Grade). Secondly, John Dingell, joined the United States Army in 1944, rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant. And, Mr. Speaker, I should point out that John is the not only the Dean of the Michigan Delegation but also, the Dean of the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Ralph and John are departing at the end of this session of Congress. With their departures, when the 114th Congress convenes in January 2015 and for the first time since the 113th Congress convened last year, Congress will be without a member of Congress who served in WW II. Throughout Ralph's congressional career, he would seek compromise and reach across the aisle to ensure legislation was passed in a bi- partisan manner. Ralph represents what is best about Congress when members work together towards a common good and not for a sound bite. Ralph was a distinguished member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. In, 2013, he was named Chairman Emeritus of the committee for his focus on promoting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Further, Ralph was instrumental in: Ensuring sound science precedes any regulations imposed by the Administration, advancing research and development (R&D) for new technologies to keep America Competitive, expanding production of America's abundant energy resources and seeking alternative sources to reduce costs and increase national security, and maintaining America's preeminence in space. Ralph will be sorely missed by the Texas Delegation, Members of Congress and their staffs of the United States House of Representatives. Ralph, I wish you fair winds and following seas. Godspeed, my Friend. Mr. Speaker, there is no one like Texas Congressmen Ralph Hall. Congressman Ralph Hall is the oldest serving member of Congress, the oldest person to ever serve in the House of Representatives, the oldest person ever elected to a House term and the oldest House member ever to a cast a vote. Mr. Hall is also the last remaining Congressman who served our nation during World War II. And for all of these accomplishments, I would like to thank and congratulate Ralph one more time for his service to the country and his leadership in the Texas Congressional Delegation. Born in Fate, Texas on May 3, 1923, Hall did not know of his successful future which was ahead of him. At the age of 19, Hall enrolled into the U.S. Navy where he served as a lieutenant and combat aircraft carrier pilot from 1942 to 1945 during World War II. After serving for three years, Hall then went on to finish college and received his LL.B. from Southern Methodist University in 1951. He was admitted to the Texas Bar, and practiced law in Rockwall. Mr. Hall also participated in the business side of Rockwall where he took part in serving as President/CEO of Texas Aluminum Corp., General Counsel of Texas Extrusion Co., Chairman of Lakeside News, Inc., and was a founding member of Lakeside National Bank in Rockwall where he currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Ralph had the calling to serve Texas in the political arena in Texas politics, a combat sport. So he began his public service from 1950 to 1962 when he served as County Judge of Rockwall County, Texas. Mr. Hall also served as President of the State Judges and Commissioners Association in 1958-1959. From 1962 to 1972, Mr. Hall was elected and served as a Texas State Senator where he served as President Pro Tempore in 1968-1969. Congressman Ralph Hall was first elected to serve the 4th District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 and has been re- elected to each succeeding Congress. On November 27, 2012, Congressman Hall became the oldest member in the U.S. House of Representatives to ever cast a vote. The following month, on December 25, 2012, he became the oldest-serving Member of the U.S. House of Representatives in recorded history. Congressman Hall always ensured to serve his people and made sure their voice was heard on different issues throughout Congress. A noteworthy quote Mr. Hall often said was ``I'd rather be respected at home than liked in Washington.'' Ralph is a hardcore Texan with the unique knowledge of understanding all people from the rich and famous to the infamous and downtrodden. He was a proud conservative democrat and personally knew the likes of LBJ, Speaker Sam Rayburn, Muhammad Ali, baseball great Mickey Mantle, war veteran Audie Murphy, Senator John F. Kennedy, Ted Williams, President Ronald Reagan, Texas Governor John Connally, Texas Governor William ``Bill'' P. Clements, Jr., Texas Governor Ann Richards, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Curtis Cokes, General Tommy Franks, Lieutenant General Tom Stafford, astronauts Gene Cernan, Buzz Aldrin, Neal Armstrong, U.S. Representative Ray Roberts, U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, famous aviator Claire Chennault, President George H.W. Bush, President George W. Bush, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, T. Boone Pickens, H. Ross Perot, Red Adair, Bo Derek; Chuck Norris, Ted Williams, Tom Hanks and The Ink Spots. He works well with both Republicans and Democrats, but he ``got religion,'' in 2004, and became a Republican. Never forgetting his Democrat roots, he commented, ``Being a Democrat was more fun.'' Ralph Hall always has a story and a new, but often used joke. He runs 2 miles a day and certainly symbolizes the best of the Greatest Generation. Ralph Hall's service and leadership has shaped him into an important role model that members of the Texas Delegation in Congress, on both sides of the aisle admire. His dedication and love for his public service illustrates how success is attainable when mixed with hard work and determination, along with a love of America and of course, Texas. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to convey to the House important information regarding the legality of the presence of the State of Israel in Judea and Samaria under international law. Due to the unique and sui generis historic and legal circumstances of Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria, this presence cannot be considered to be an occupation. Moreover, provisions of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, regarding transfer of populations, cannot be considered applicable, and were never intended to apply to the type of settlement activity carried out by Israel in Judea and Samaria. According to international law, Israelis have the lawful right to settle in Judea and Samaria, and consequently, the establishment of settlements cannot in and of itself be considered to be illegal. The following is an excerpt from the 2012 Levy Commission Report on the Legal Status of Building in Judea and Samaria that deals with international law. The full report can be viewed in its entirety at http://regavim.org.il/en/ levy-report-translated-into-english/. The Status of the Territories of Judea and Samaria According to International Law 3. In light of the different approaches in regard to the status of the State of Israel and its activities in Judea and Samaria, any examination of the issue of land and settlement thereon requires, first and foremost, clarification of the issue of the status of the territory according to international law. Some take the view that the answer to the issue of settlements is a simple one inasmuch as it is prohibited according to international law. That is the view of Peace Now (see the letter from Hagit Ofran from 2 April 2010); B'tselem (see the letter from its Executive Director Jessica Montell from 29 March 2012, and its pamphlet Land Grab: Israel's Settlement Policy in the West Bank, published May 2002); Yesh Din and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) (see the letter from Attorney Tamar Feldman from 19 April 2012); and Adalah (see the letter from attorney Fatma Alaju from 12 June 2012). The approach taken by these organizations is a reflection of the position taken by the Palestinian leadership and some in the international community, who view Israel's status as that of a ``military occupier,'' and the settlement endeavor as an entirely illegal phenomenon. This approach denies any Israeli or Jewish right to these territories. To sum up, they claim that the territories of Judea and Samaria are ``occupied territory'' as defined by international law in that they were captured from the Kingdom of Jordan in 1967. Consequently, according to this approach, the provisions of international law regarding the matter of occupation apply to Israel as a military occupier, i.e. Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. The Hague, 18 October 1907, which govern the relationship between the occupier, the occupied territory, and the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August (1949). According to the Hague Regulations, the occupying power, while concerning himself with the occupier's security needs, is required to care for the needs of the civilian population until the occupation is terminated. According to these regulations, it is forbidden in principle to seize personal property, although the occupying power has the right to enjoy all the advantages derivable from the use of the property of the occupied state, and public property that is not privately owned without changing its fixed nature. Moreover, according to this approach, Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the transfer of parts of the occupying power's own civilian population into the territory it occupies. Accordingly, in their view, the establishment of settlements carried out by Israel is in violation of this article, even without addressing the type or status of the land upon which they are built. In this context, we were presented with an approach by some of the abovementioned organizations, whereby they do not accept the premise that the lands that do not constitute personal property are state lands. It was claimed that in the absence of orderly registration of most of the land in Judea and Samaria, and precise registration of the rights of the local inhabitants, it is reasonable to assume that the local population is entitled to benefit from land that is neither defined nor registered as privately owned land. From this it follows that the use of land for the purpose of the establishment of Israeli settlements impinges on the rights of the local population, which is a protected population according to the Convention, and Israel, as an occupying power, is obliged to safeguard these rights and not deny them by exploiting the land for the benefit of its own population. 4. If this legal approach were correct, we would, in accordance with our Terms of reference, be required to terminate the work of this Committee, since in such circumstances, we could not recommend regularizing the status of the settlements. On the contrary, we would be required to recommend that the proper authorities remove them. However, we were also presented with another legal position, inter alia by the Regavim movement (Attorneys Bezalel Smotritz and Amit Fisher) and by the Benjamin Regional Council (the expert legal opinion of Attorneys Daniel Reisner and Harel Amon). They are of the view that Israel is not an ``Occupying Power'' as determined by international law inter alia because the territories of Judea and Samaria were never a legitimate part of any Arab state, including the kingdom of Jordan. Consequently, those conventions dealing with the administration of occupied territory and an occupied population are not applicable to Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. According to this approach, even if the Geneva Convention applied, Article 49 was never intended to apply to the circumstances of Israel's settlements. Article 49 was drafted by the Allies after World War II to prevent the forcible transfer of an occupied population, as was carried out by Nazi Germany, which forcibly transferred people from Germany to Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia with the aim of changing the demographic and cultural makeup of the population. These circumstances do not exist in the case of Israel's settlement. Other than the fundamental commitment that applies universally by virtue of international humanitarian norms to respect individual personal property rights and uphold the law that applied in the territory prior to the IDF entering it, there is no fundamental restriction to Israel's right to utilize the land and allow its citizens to settle there, as long as the property rights of the local inhabitants are not harmed and as long as no decision to the contrary is made by the government of Israel in the context of regional peace negotiations. 5. Is Israel's status that of a ``military occupier'' with all that this implies in accordance with international law? In our view, the answer to this question is no. After having considered all the approaches placed before us, the most reasonable interpretation of those provisions of international law appears to be that the accepted term ``occupier'' with its attending obligations, is intended to apply to brief periods of the occupation of the territory of a sovereign state pending termination of the conflict between the parties and the return of the territory or any other agreed upon arrangement. However, Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria is fundamentally different: Its control of the territory spans decades and no one can foresee when or if it will end; the territory was captured from a state (the kingdom of Jordan), whose sovereignty over the territory had never been legally and definitively affirmed, and has since renounced its claim of sovereignty; the State of Israel has a claim to sovereign right over the territory. As for Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, many have offered interpretations, and the predominant view appears to be that that article was indeed intended to address the harsh reality dictated by certain countries during World War II when portions of their populations were forcibly deported and transferred into the territories they seized, a process that was accompanied by a substantial worsening of the status of the occupied population (see HCJ 785/87 Affo et al. v. Commander of IDF Forces in the West Bank et al. IsrSC 42(2) 1; and the article by Alan Baker: ``The Settlements Issue: Distorting the Geneva Conventions and Oslo Accords, from January 2011. This interpretation is supported by several sources: The authoritative interpretation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (IRCC), the body entrusted with the implementation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, in which the purpose of Article 49 is stated as follows: ``It is intended to prevent a practice adopted during the Second World War by certain Powers, which transferred portions of their own population to occupied territory for political and racial reasons or in order, as they claimed, to colonize those territories. Such transfers worsened the economic situation of the native population and endangered their separate existence as a race.'' Legal scholars Prof. Eugene Rostow, Dean of Yale Law School in the U.S., and Prof. Julius Stone have acknowledged that Article 49 was intended to prevent the inhumane atrocities carried out by the Nazis, e.g. the massive transfer of people into conquered territory for the purpose of extermination, slave labor or colonization. ``The Convention prohibits many of the inhumane practices of the Nazis and the Soviet Union during and before the Second World War--the mass transfer of people into and out of occupied territories for purposes of extermination, slave labor or colonization, for example. . . . The Jewish settlers in the West Bank are most emphatically volunteers. They have not been ``deported'' or ``transferred'' to the area by the Government of Israel, and their movement involves none of the atrocious purposes or harmful effects on the existing population it is the goal of the Geneva Convention to prevent.'' (Rostow) ``Irony would . . . be pushed to the absurdity of claiming that Article 49(6) designed to prevent repetition of Nazi- type genocidal policies of rendering Nazi metropolitan territories judenrein, has now come to mean that . . . the West Bank . . . must be made judenrein and must be so maintained, if necessary by the use of force by the government of Israel against its own inhabitants. Common sense as well as correct historical and functional context excludes so tyrannical a reading of Article 49(6.).'' (Julius Stone) 6. We are not convinced that an analogy may be drawn between this legal provision and those who sought to settle in Judea and Samaria, who were neither forcibly ``deported'' nor ``transferred,'' but who rather chose to live there based on their ideology of settling the Land of Israel. We have not lost sight of the views of those who believe that the Fourth Geneva Convention should be interpreted so as also to prohibit the occupying state from encouraging or supporting the transfer of parts of its population to the occupied territory, even if it did not initiate it. However, even if this interpretation is correct, we would not alter our conclusions that Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention does not apply to Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria in view of the status of the territory according to international law. On this matter, we offer a brief historical review. 7. On 2 November 1917-17 Heshvan 5678, Lord James Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary, published a declaration saying that: ``His Majesty's Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. In this declaration, Britain acknowledged the rights of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and expressed its willingness to promote a process that would ultimately lead to the establishment of a national home for it in this part of the world. This declaration reappeared in a different form, in the resolution of the Peace Conference in San Remo, Italy, which laid the foundations for the British Mandate over the Land of Israel and recognized the historical bond between the Jewish people and Palestine (see the preamble): ``The principal Allied powers have also agreed that the Mandatory should be responsible for putting into effect the declaration originally made on November 2nd, 1917, by the Government of His Britannic Majesty, and adopted by the said powers, in favor of the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing should be done which might prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. [. . .] Recognition has thereby been given to the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country. It should be noted here that the mandatory instrument (like the Balfour Declaration) noted only that ``the civil and religious rights'' of the inhabitants of Palestine should be protected, and no mention was made of the realization of the national rights of the Arab nation. As for the practical implementation of this declaration, Article 2 of the Mandatory Instrument states: ``The Mandatory shall be responsible for placing the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home, as laid down in the preamble, and the development of self-governing institutions, and also for safeguarding the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion.'' And Article 6 of the Palestine Mandate states: ``The Administration of Palestine, while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced, shall facilitate Jewish immigration under suitable conditions and shall encourage, in co-operation with the Jewish agency referred to in Article 4, close settlement by Jews on the land, including State lands and waste lands not required for public purposes.'' In August 1922 the League of Nations approved the mandate given to Britain, thereby recognizing, as a norm enshrined in international law, the right of the Jewish people to determine its home in the Land of Israel, its historic homeland, and establish its state therein. To complete the picture, we would add that upon the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, Article 80 of its Charter determined the principle of recognition of the continued validity of existing rights of states and nations acquired pursuant to various mandates, including of course the right of the Jews to settle in the Land of Israel, as specified in the abovementioned documents: Except as may be agreed upon in individual trusteeship agreements [. . .] nothing in this Chapter shall be construed in or of itself to alter in any manner the rights whatsoever of any states or any peoples or the terms of existing international instruments to which Members of the United Nations may respectively be parties'' (Article 80, Paragraph 1, UN Charter). 8. In November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the recommendations of the committee it had established regarding the partition of the Land of Israel west of the Jordan into two states. However, this plan was never carried out and accordingly did not secure a foothold in international law after the Arab states rejected it and launched a war to prevent both its implementation and the establishment of a Jewish state. The results of that war determined the political reality that followed: The Jewish state was established within the territory that was acquired in the war. On the other hand, the Arab state was not formed, and Egypt and Jordan controlled the territories they captured (Gaza, Judea and Samaria). Later, the Arab countries, which refused to accept the outcome of the war, insisted that the Armistice Agreement include a declaration that under no circumstances should the armistice demarcation lines be regarded as a political or territorial border. Despite this, in April 1950, Jordan annexed the territories of Judea and Samaria, unlike Egypt, which did not demand sovereignty over the Gaza Strip. However, Jordan's annexation did not attain legal standing and was opposed even by the majority of Arab countries, until in 1988, Jordan declared that it no longer considered itself as having any status over that area (on this matter see Supreme Court President Landau's remarks in HCJ 61/80 Haetzni v. State of Israel, IsrSC 34(3) 595, 597; HCJ 69/81 Bassil Abu Aita et al. v. The Regional Commander of Judea and Samaria et al., IsrSC 37(2) 197, 227). This restored the legal status of the territory to its original status, i.e. territory designated to serve as the national home of the Jewish people, which retained its ``right of possession'' during the period of the Jordanian control, but was absent from the area for a number of years due to the war that was forced on it, but has since returned. 9. Alongside its international commitment to administer the territory and care for the rights of the local population and public order, Israel has had every right to claim sovereignty over these territories, as maintained by all Israeli governments. Despite this, they opted not to annex the territory, but rather to adopt a pragmatic approach in order to enable peace negotiations with the representatives of the Palestinian people and the Arab states. Thus, Israel has never viewed itself as an occupying power in the classic sense of the term, and subsequently, has never taken upon itself to apply the Fourth Geneva Convention to the territories of Judea, Samaria and Gaza. At this point, it should be noted that the government of Israel did indeed ratify the Convention in 1951, although it was never made part of Israeli law by way of Knesset legislation (on this matter, see CrimA 131/67 Kamiar v. State of Israel, 22(2) IsrSC 85, 97; HCJ 393/82 Jam'iat Iscan Al-Ma'almoun v. Commander of the IDF Forces in the Area of Judea and Samaria, IsrSC 37(4) 785). Israel voluntarily chose to uphold the humanitarian provisions of the Convention (HCJ 337/71, Christian Society for the Holy Places v. Minister of Defense, IsrSC 26(1) 574; HCJ 256/72, Electricity Company for Jerusalem District v. Minister of Defense et al., IsrSC 27(1) 124; HCJ 698/80 Kawasme et al. v. The Minister of Defense et al., IsrSC 35(1) 617; HCJ 1661/05 Hof Aza. Regional Council et al. v. Knesset of Israel et al., IsrSC 59(2) 481). As a result, Israel pursued a policy that allowed Israelis to voluntarily establish their residence in the territory in accordance with the rules determined by the Israeli government and under the supervision of the Israeli legal system, subject to the fact that their continued presence would be subject to the outcome of the diplomatic negotiations. In view of the above, we have no doubt that from the perspective of international law, the establishment of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria is not illegal.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I attended this young man's funeral and started hearing stories about him, and one of the things that was really moving was that he lost his mother when he was 12. He went on to get bone cancer and survived bone cancer, and then last spring, he was assigned to Afghanistan, after he volunteered to join the military to make something of his life. As we know, we have no greater respect or love for someone than to lay down your life, and that is exactly what Keith did, he laid down his life. At his funeral, his friends were gathered there in honor of him, but in truth, the whole Nation owes him a debt of gratitude for his service. Given all the rough times he had through his life, he wanted to make something great of his life, and he did that. Unfortunately, he gave the ultimate sacrifice, but I, for one, am very honored that we can remember him in a way that he wasn't remembered earlier in life. I include for the Record a brief bio on Spc. Grace: Spc. Keith Erin Grace Jr. was killed in action on August 11, 2013. Spc. Grace was killed near the town of Dzadran, which is in the Khost province near the Pakistan border in southern Afghanistan and a site of repeated insurgent activity. Grace joined the Army in January 2012 and was stationed in Fort Campbell in May of last year. The 4th Brigade Combat Team, a unit of the 101st Airborne, was deployed to Iraq this spring. His military awards include one National Defense Service Medal, one Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and an Army Service Ribbon. Grace came from difficult family circumstances and was placed for adoption at birth, friends said. His adoptive mother died when he was about 12. By that time, he had survived bone cancer that they said should have killed him. ``He shouldn't have made it, but he pulled through it and survived 100 percent,'' said longtime friend, Garland Davis, who said he regarded Grace as a brother, though there was no legal or blood connection. Grace grew up in Baytown and graduated from Lee High School in 2006. He worked in a variety of jobs before deciding to join the military. Friends said he was looking for something that would give his life structure and possibly lead to a career. ``He was an extremely hard worker and was very, very funny,'' said friend Natalie Ingram, who met Grace about five years ago. ``His positive attitude is hard to even describe, it was so strong. He took everything as it came to him. He survived cancer and went through countless family struggles. He had a very tough background, but he had a great attitude and made everyone comfortable.'' ``We were his family because he chose us,'' Davis said. ``He's been through hell and back with his family, but he always has had a smile on his face. He never picked fights, never tried to create a problem. He was stuck in a bad position and he tried to better himself. He ended up falling in love with the Army, and he loved this country.''

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chair, we have seen, as you get on the plane you fly into San Jose, Madam Chairman, as you fly and drive south, you will see a huge building which was built with taxpayer money. This building is known as Solyndra, and the assets that were contained within were sold to the Chinese for 10 cents on a dollar. So our money, our taxpayer dollars, went to a program which failed. Again and again, you see the Energy Department investing and calling winners and losers; and I, for one, want to see a stop to the money that flows from the taxpayers into failed, nonproductive industries. This amendment simply eliminates the funding for a program which has already been demonstrated as an embarrassment, not just to our government, but actually to the administration. I think that, quite frankly, it is a simple amendment, and it would do great justice to the American taxpayers and would do great justice to America if we stop funding the Chinese technology through ``gimme'' loan programs and selling our assets at 10 cents on a dollar. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chair, I respect my colleague, and I think he has some valid points; however, we repeat this mistake over and over again when we invest in failed projects that continually end up costing the taxpayers money and then we end up selling it to a Third World or some other country, and our taxpayers are losing money. I, for, one, would like to send a message to the Department telling them we as taxpayers don't want to see them wasting money, and, hopefully, this will be a shot across the bow where they are more studious with our money and more aware of the taxpayers' concern that they should not invest in every kind of program. In fact, the administration just again loaned more money to solar panels, which, again, is going to go bankrupt. In fact, almost all the solar panels which they have loaned money to have all gone bankrupt, and that ends up coming out of the pockets of the taxpayers. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chair, there is oversight. I would argue that there is oversight on the permits such as off the coast of Texas in which we have been developing it, and there has been, I feel, unfair interference. I think to send a signal to the Department that we are serious about allowing us to become number one in the world of energy, my district alone employs thousands and thousands of people in the energy industry, and having these kind of restrictions laid upon the industry is not longsighted but, rather, shortsighted. So I would ask that the amendment be accepted as proposed. I think that, overall, it will be a benefit to the United States if we develop. Off the coast of California, they have as much as $1 trillion in reserves, and much of it is actually seeping up naturally onto the shores of California. Actually, by allowing industry to develop those fields, you would actually have less seepage of oil up on the coast of California. I, for one, want us to continue to create jobs, and the number one job creator in the United States now and today is energy. I think that if we look at the future, the future of the United States is going to be in the energy industry as we surpass Saudi Arabia. Madam Chairman, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STOCKMAN. My colleague from Ohio, whom I have for many years admired, if that is accurate, then it shouldn't be a problem supporting it if it doesn't have any impact on the bill. I believe it does. From what I understand, it would be germane, but that is a difference of opinion. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. STOCKMAN

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chair, we are pulling out of Afghanistan. We are chopping up billions and billions of dollars of equipment into little tiny pieces. At the same time, our government is purchasing military equipment for our allies. This is a terrible waste of money. Our allies have expressed they want to come pick up the equipment. They are paying for it. We don't have to do anything. We don't have to chop it up. We can allow our allies to have it. This is a shameful waste of taxpayers' money. It is in the billions of dollars. I personally think this is a huge waste of money. I would ask that the Congress would consider this as reasonable. At the same time we are cutting up billions of dollars to military equipment, we turn around in this appropriation and buy the same equipment for our allies. I would ask that this would be considered and that the point of order that is being proposed, I ask also jurisdiction on why the point of order is in order. I reserve the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. STOCKMAN. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.