Expressing appreciation for the profound dedication and public service of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena on the 25th anniversary of his death.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise in support of H. Res. 1115, honoring the legacy of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena on the 25th anniversary of his murder.

Words are not sufficient to express the debt that our country owes to Special Agent Camarena and to his family. His life of selfless service, courage of conviction, and dedication to protecting the American people will be remembered in our hearts and minds forever.

Twenty-five years ago, Agent Camarena gave his life in the line of duty after he was abducted. He was tortured and eventually was murdered. Agent Camarena was working undercover as a DEA special agent gaining valuable intelligence and evidence against Mexican drug cartels when he was kidnapped in broad daylight on a street in Guadalajara, Mexico. It is believed that he was tortured for around 2 days, and eventually he was bludgeoned to death.

We honor his life, we mourn his death, and we renew our commitment to ensure that his legacy is never forgotten.

When asked why he wanted to be a DEA agent, Special Agent Camarena replied, ``Even if I am only one person, I can make a difference.'' Thousands of individuals across our Nation can attest to the difference he has made in their lives.

Every day and every night, law enforcement officers across this Nation go to work aware of the dangers they face. These brave men and brave women put their lives at risk so the rest of us can sleep better at night and live safer lives. As we go about our daily lives, as we sleep in the safety of our homes, these individuals fight against the violence that threatens our neighborhoods, our communities, and our loved ones. And much of that violence is drug related.

I stand before the House today with heartfelt gratitude for every law enforcement officer who serves the communities throughout this country, and especially for those who have given their lives in the line of duty for the rest of us.

As we take a moment to pause and reflect on the heroic life and tragic death of this individual, the drug cartels continue. They continue to wage war on our borders and threaten the safety of so many people, and they do so all in the name of money. Yet they will soon come to learn that our pursuit of justice will not waiver and it will not weaken just because they continue their criminal enterprises north and south of our borders.

To the family of Special Agent Camarena, we share in their grief and we will ensure that his legacy lives on. We will relentlessly fight against the drug cartels and the border violence that they have caused. We want to thank this family for sharing with our country a man who truly is an American hero.

To the individuals who continue to pursue those who abducted and tortured and murdered Special Agent Camarena, we thank them, we support them, and we have committed to those individuals that we will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice and tried for their evil deeds.

To our Nation's law enforcement officers, we thank them for risking their lives each day to protect our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Their sacrifices and the sacrifices of their families shall always be remembered. Across our Nation, there are countless stories of men and women who have given their time, their resources, and their lives to protect and defend America.

Although we each have only one life to live, Special Agent Kiki Camarena has shown us the difference that one individual can make. Although we remember Special Agent Camarena's tragic death today, I am encouraged by his life and the lives of so many who have dedicated themselves to public service. Without the sacrifices of these brave men and women, America would not be what we are today. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the sponsor of this legislation.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the special agents that work in the Drug Enforcement Administration, the DEA, are special agents indeed. Many times they work alone, they work deep undercover, they work not only in the United States, but in foreign countries, and they work for the sole purpose of trying to capture those outlaws who are in the drug business, who, in the name of money, try to sell their wares and profit on that illegal enterprise. They are an international crime cartel syndicate. Our DEA agents do a wonderful job. We sometimes forget the work that they do. This is just one of many who have worked and dedicated their lives to helping protect the rest of us.

As my friend from California (Mr. Hunter) has pointed out, much of this violence occurs on our borders because the drug cartels operate on international borders, on our border with Mexico especially. Because the drug cartels, in the name of money, are very violent, they are well armed, they are well financed, and they will do anything in their relentless effort to bring drugs into the United States.

We need to be aware that they have committed a war against the United States and all people who oppose their

activities. And so it is quite appropriate that today we honor and commemorate the life of one of those special agents who gave his life trying to protect us from the drug cartels.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1115) expressing appreciation for the profound dedication and public service of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena on the 25th anniversary of his death.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1115 expresses appreciation for the profound dedication and public service of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena on the 25th anniversary of his passing.

On February 7, 1985, Special Agent Enrique Camarena, known to his friends as Kiki, left the American consulate in Guadalajara to meet his wife, Mika, for lunch. As Kiki walked to his truck, he was approached by five men who kidnapped him and sped away. He was found dead on March 5, 1985, after being tortured and brutally beaten by his captors. Kiki was 37 years of age--survived by his wife and three children, Enrique, Daniel, and Erik.

During his 11 years with the DEA, Kiki received two Sustained Superior Performance Awards and a Special Achievement Award as well. He also received posthumously the Administrator's Award of Honor, the highest award granted by the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Mr. Camarena was born on July 26, 1947, in Mexicali, Mexico. He graduated from Calexico High School in Calexico, California, in 1966. In 1968, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and after serving 2 years, he joined the Calexico Police Department as a criminal investigator in 1970.

In May 1973, he started working as a narcotics investigator with the El Centro Police Department. He stayed there until 1974, when he joined the DEA.

His first assignment as a special agent with DEA was in Calexico, California. In 1977, he was reassigned to the Fresno district office in northern California. After working in the Fresno office, he was later assigned to the Guadalajara, Mexico, DEA office for 4\1/2\ years and worked undercover on the trail of the country's biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. Before being kidnapped, Kiki was extremely close to unlocking a multibillion-dollar drug pipeline.

Officer Camarena gave his life in the fight against drug traffickers, and after his death, many people wanted to do something to remember the ultimate sacrifice he made. Soon after his death, people everywhere started wearing red ribbons to symbolize their commitment to help reduce the demand for drugs in their communities. The act of wearing red ribbons took on national significance and grew into what is now known as the Red Ribbon Campaign. During Red Ribbon Week, Kiki is remembered as a man who wanted to make a difference in the war on drugs, and his legacy still lives on.

In honor of Kiki Camarena's legacy and in recognition of the 25th anniversary of his death, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1115.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, a great prosecutor and judge in his own right.

Mr. Speaker, we are all familiar with the dangerous duties undertaken by the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Oftentimes, their accomplishments go unnoticed, but these agents continue making significant contributions to the seemingly unending effort to protect our communities from drug crime and addiction.

This is a responsibility that DEA agent Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena took seriously over the course of his career in law enforcement. It was 25 years ago this March that agent Camarena's body was discovered after he was kidnapped by armed men in front of the U.S. consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico. He had been severely tortured by his captors. More than two dozen people, including Mexican Government officials, cartel leaders, and associates were convicted for Agent Camarena's murder. Still, his memory has not been forgotten.

The circumstances surrounding his death are a vivid reminder of the violence and danger attributable to illegal drugs, whether it is directly along our borders, in our neighborhoods, or within the homes of families facing the struggles of addiction.

Today, Agent Camarena is perhaps the best-known hero of the war on drugs, and his story continues to inspire millions of Americans to lead drug-free lives. In fact, shortly after his death, Camarena Clubs were launched throughout southern California. Hundreds of club members wore red ribbons and pledged to lead drug-free lives in honor of Agent Camarena and others who gave their lives for the same purpose. In 1985, club members presented a proclamation to First Lady Nancy Reagan which brought the club national recognition, and ultimately prompted thousands of schools, communities, and States to recognize Red Ribbon Week, now celebrated during the last week of October.

So on this anniversary of Agent Camarena's death, let us take time to honor the contribution and profound dedication and public service of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena on the 25th anniversary of his death.

I would like to offer my deepest sympathy and appreciation to his wife, Geneva, and his three children--Enrique, who is a prosecutor, Daniel and Erik--and the entire family, friends, and former colleagues at the Drug Enforcement Administration.

It is important that we focus on securing and enforcing our southern border so that these past sacrifices and future endeavors by those in the DEA are not in vain. Mr. Speaker, we in San Diego are honored to be home to this legacy of ``Kiki'' Camarena and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud original cosponsor of H. Res. 1115.

As my colleagues have explained, this resolution recognizes the life and public service of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena.

On February 7, 1985, Special Agent Camarena was on his way to meet his wife for lunch when he was kidnapped outside the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico by five armed men.

Almost a month later, his body was discovered on a ranch nearly 50 miles away, brutally murdered by the same kind of violent drug traffickers he had dedicated his life to fighting.

This month marks 25 years since that fateful day.

As an 11-year veteran of the DEA, Special Agent Camarena received two Sustained Superior Performance Awards, a Special Achievement Award and, posthumously, the Administrator's Award of Honor, the highest award granted by DEA.

Prior to joining the DEA, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, as a fireman, a police investigator, and a narcotics investigator.

Special Agent Camarena was deeply committed to public service throughout his life.

In honor of his memory, each October, thousands of schools, communities, and state and local drug abuse prevention organizations celebrate Red Ribbon Week.

Further, the anniversary of Special Agent Camarena's death reminds us of the importance of continuing the close cooperation between the United States and Mexico in fighting the narcotraffickers.

The Merida Initiative, a partnership between the Government of Mexico and the United States, has been successful in presenting new opportunities for expert collaboration on these fronts.

Through operations such as Operation Firewall and Operation Panama Express, the DEA and Mexican law enforcement authorities are dismantling drug cartels and seizing tons of illegal drugs destined for America's streets.

I am sure that Special Agent Camarena would have been pleased to see how far we have come.

Again, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important measure in honor of Special Agent Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena and his dedication to public service.

My most sincere thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Geneva, his sons Enrique, Daniel, and Erik, and his entire family.

I thank Congressman Hunter for introducing this important measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1115, which honors the profound dedication and public service of Enrique ``Kiki'' Camarena on the 25th anniversary of his untimely death.

Mr. Camarena led an exemplary life of service to his community and his nation. As a member of the Marine Corps, fire fighter, police officer, and DEA special agent, he demonstrated an extreme passion for fighting crime and eliminating drugs to ensure the safety and well- being of our communities. He led a commendable 11-year career at the Drug Enforcement Administration earning him the distinguished Administrator's Award of Honor.

In February 1985, Mr. Camarena lost his life in the line of duty. I had the opportunity to attend a memorial for Mr. Camarena and witness the impact his sacrifice made and hear from some of the many lives he touched. I am glad that twenty-five years after this tragedy, his passion and spirit still live on. His commitment to fighting drugs inspired millions of people around the world to live drug-free lives. We must continue to honor this legacy by promoting drug-free communities and supporting healthy drug-free lifestyles.

Again, I would like to express my appreciation for the outstanding service Mr. Camarena provided for this nation and offer my support and deepest condolences to his wife, children, and to the entire family, friends, and former colleagues at the Drug Enforcement Administration.