Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, and 368, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on 363, 364, and 368, and ``no'' on 365, 366 and 367.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 322 and 323, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 339, which honors the newly crowned champions of the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have just won their third title in seven years. In a hard fought victory, the Spurs eventually triumphed over the defending NBA champions the Detroit Pistons in a back and forth series that culminated in a decisive seventh game. I must also honor the spirit of the Detroit Pistons who did not quit after the Spurs routed them in the first two games nor when the Spurs won the crucial game five. Even though the Pistons very reluctantly surrendered the title, they pushed the series to the full seven games, the first NBA finals to go the distance in 11 years.

Every significant structure must have a sound and strong foundation, and the Spurs are the model of stability in professional sports as the principal owners, Peter and Julianna Holt, allow the people they hire to run the team without interference. Coach Greg Popovich and General Manager R.C. Buford have created an atmosphere that fosters the

spirit of winning basketball and epitomizes the ideals of teamwork, cooperation, and the axiom that the whole is more than the sum of the parts. It is a style that demands sharing the ball, team defense, relentless effort and, above all, selfless play.

Moreover, the international composition of the team reflects the increasingly diversified, more tightly knit world in which we live. General Manager, R.C. Buford, spends a great deal of his time in gyms all over the world looking for the next Manu Ginobili, the Argentine swingman whose acrobatic drives into the lane electrified fans and dazzled the opposition. Given the range of languages and cultures of the Spurs, Coach Popovich has done an amazing job of integrating his players into a formidable and cohesive whole.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with San Antonio native Dean Aguillen, a die- hard Spurs fan and one of my constituents, when he says that ``The greatness of the Spurs players who hail from Argentina, the Virgin Islands, France, Slovenia, New Zealand, and from across the U.S. have made San Antonio the capital of the international basketball world.''

Naturally, the city of San Antonio has longed embraced the Spurs and considers them family. Spurs basketball suits the Alamo City as a place where substance matters much more than style and people hold others to their words. When the Spurs say they will give their all, they do. So, it is never a surprise when the colors of silver and black sweep the city come springtime as the Spurs work deeper and deeper into the playoffs.

So, I would like to honor Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Nazr Mohammed, Rasho Nesterovic, Robert Horry, Devin Brown, Beno Udrih, Brent Barry, and Tony Massenburg. I would also like to recognize Greg Popovich who has now moved into elite coaching company with his third title.

The Spurs truly embody our national motto, e pluribus unum, which of course means out of the many come one. All of San Antonio is very proud of the Spurs and of this momentous accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a jurist of distinction and a good friend, Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. on the occasion of his 90th birthday. He has been a pillar of the Texas legal community for over half a century and God willing will continue to wield his expertise and knowledge in the years to come for the betterment of our State. This San Antonio native has been pivotal in the affairs of our city but also throughout South Texas.

During his long and distinguished career, Judge Casseb has served as judge of the 57th District Court in Bexar County for two terms, as Presiding Judge for the Fourth Administrative District and he now serves as a Senior District Judge of Texas. He presided over a critical phase of the Pennzoil versus Texaco case which led to the largest jury award in American judicial history.

Judge Casseb's hard work and dedication have been recognized and honored by a variety of organizations. In 1961, St. Mary's University named him the Outstanding Ex-Student and in 1968 he was given the St. Thomas More Award which St. Mary's Law School annually awards to a ``judge, lawyer, law teacher or layperson who has made exceptional contributions to legal education, the legal profession, or government.'' Judge Casseb's dedication to jurisprudence and service has earned him his place alongside other luminaries such as Archibald Cox, Alexander Haig, and Leon Jaworski.

The Texas Trial Lawyers Association named him the Outstanding Judge in 1985, and two years later he won the Texas Bar Foundation's Outstanding Jurist Award. In 1991, the University of the Incarnate Word gave Judge Casseb the Insigne Verbum Award and the University of Texas Law School named a Professorship in his honor, the Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. Research Professorship in Law. Finally, the first Joe Frazier Brown Award for Excellence, the San Antonio Bar Association's highest honor was bestowed on Judge Casseb on Law Day in 1994. In fact, this list of awards contains representation from nearly every legal association, society or school in Texas which should convey an idea of the breadth and depth of his contribution to the field of law in our State.

In addition to his myriad legal contributions, Judge Casseb has sought to help those less fortunate than him. He has been pivotal in the administration of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, an organization that has improved the lives of many in Laredo. The Trust he co- administers with JC Martin III supports a wide range of organizations and institutions dedicated to helping the youth of Laredo. The Trust gave the largest philanthropic gift in Laredo history to Texas A&M International University in the form of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center and Planetarium.

On the wondrous occasion of his 90th birthday, I wish many more years of health and good fortune for him and his family and may he continue his service to San Antonio and Texas.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a true American hero even though that title is far too often overused. Master Sergeant Jose M. Lopez of San Antonio passed away on May 16th of this year at the age of 94 which in and of itself is remarkable but even more so when one learns of this amazing man's story. Sgt. Lopez was the nation's oldest living Hispanic Medal of Honor winner for his valor during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Sgt. Lopez represents the best of us and stands as a shining example of selflessness and sacrifice.

Perhaps it should not be a surprise Sgt. Lopez distinguished himself in battle since he often told one of his granddaughters, June Pedraza, ``Fear is the one thing that will hold you back in life.'' Living that credo time and again throughout his life, Sgt. Lopez faced and overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Born in Mexico in 1910, Sgt. Lopez's mother died when he was 8 leaving him an orphan since he never met his father. He then worked a series of hardscrabble jobs and eventually made his way to the Rio Grande Valley where a family took pity on him and let him sleep in their shed. Later, he rode trains across America and in Atlanta, a bigger man antagonized Sgt. Lopez until he fought and thoroughly whipped his larger opponent. Coincidentally, a boxing manager happened to see the incident unfold and realized potential even though it was packaged in a 5'5'', 130 lb. frame and began training Sgt. Lopez. Rechristened Kid Mendoza, he went on to a professional record of 52 wins and 3 losses and later recounted meeting Babe Ruth as the highlight of his career.

In 1936, Sgt. Lopez joined the U.S. Merchant Marines and later worked a number of other maritime jobs. Once, he found himself adrift on a cargo ship without food except for bananas. After the start of World War II, Sgt. Lopez enlisted in the Army and was among the troops who hit the beaches at Normandy a day after D-Day commenced. Sgt. Lopez was wounded as a bullet nicked his hip and as he told Bill Moyers in 1990 for a PBS documentary ``I was really very, very afraid. I wanted to cry, and we saw other people laying wounded and screaming and everything, and there's nothing you could do. We could see them groaning in the water, and we had to keep walking.'' And, he kept going despite his fears until he found himself at another of World War II's turning points, the Battle of the Bulge.

On December 17th, 1944 shortly after the sun rose, Sgt. Lopez and his troops in Company K were outside Krinkelt, Belgium when the Germans launched their last-ditch offensive which came to be known as the Battle of the Bulge. Patrolling in advance of Company K, Sgt. Lopez heard a tank which he assumed was Allied since a soldier hundreds of yards away failed to alert him otherwise. Carrying a Browning machine gun, he jumped into a shallow hole when he realized the tank was a German Tiger and the troops following it were German. Concerned for his men, he opened

fired even though he was exposed from the waist up. First, he killed the 10 soldiers arrayed around the tank. After the tank fired three shell blasts that knocked him over and left him concussed, Sgt. Lopez got to his feet again and cut down 25 more soldiers until he saw that the advancing Germans would soon outflank his position. He lugged his machine gun to a fall back spot and fired again. Officers witnessing the scene stopped counting when the death toll reached 100. After delaying the German onslaught for precious minutes, Sgt. Lopez dashed into the forest while dodging enemy fire until he rejoined the men he had saved. The American forces in Krinke1t burrowed in and forced the Germans to bypass the town.

His Medal of Honor citation commended his ``seemingly suicidal missions in which he killed at least 100 of the enemy . . . [and which] were almost solely responsible for allowing Company K to avoid being enveloped, to withdraw successfully and to give other forces coming up in support time to build a line which repelled the enemy drive.'' Despite his obvious valor, Sgt. Lopez remained a modest man who later told the San Antonio Express-News in 2001, ``You learn to protect the line and do the best you can with the ammunition you have, and I did it.''

Later, Sgt. Lopez served during the Korean War, and undertook a variety of jobs within the Army including overseeing a motor pool. He retired in 1973, yet continued to be physically active as he jogged until he was 88 and only gave up seeing a trainer three months ago. He was a committed family man whose beloved wife passed away in February of last year. As his son John Lopez said ``He was a great hero, without being a hero around his family.'' He is survived by five children, 19 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

This quintessential American story reaffirms my belief in our nation as a beacon for those willing to work and sacrifice to improve their lot in life no matter how meager and humble one's beginning may have been.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Candy Gardner, a longtime resident of San Antonio, whose family has woven itself into the fabric of our city over their four generations of residence. As leaders of the Temple Beth-El, they have worked tirelessly to improve the lot of the members of their congregation and those throughout the city. And, Candy has been no different as she has volunteered in a number of different capacities at Temple Beth-El and in San Antonio. In recognition of her efforts, on May 18, 2005 the Honors Committee of the Temple Beth-El Sisterhood will name Candy the 2005 Or Tamid for her countless hours of hard work in the Temple and our community.

A beautiful tradition stretching from the beginnings of Western civilization, Judaism is a faith built on works. It is the duty of every Jew to make a more perfect world not only for their family and immediate world but the larger community as well, and Candy's actions have been guided by this credo. Candy has devoted countless hours to the Sisterhood as the VP of Advancement of Judaism, VP of Human Relations, and President. She has also served as the committee chair for Publicity, Program, Docents, Oneg Shabbats, Yearbook, and Needlework Group. Moreover, in addition to her responsibilities as the Courtesy Chair and the Women's Torah Study Chair, Candy proofs the Bulletin, the publication of Temple Beth-El, and the Yom Kippur Book of Remembrance, and even leads docent tours of the Temple which is fitting since she rewrote the docent guidebook after the congregation moved back into the finished building.

However, I do not want to create the impression Candy limits her efforts to the Temple as she has served as President of the Any Baby Can Alliance, San Antonio Chapter of ORT, and School Class Acts. Also, she has been vital in fostering the arts in our city as a Friend of the McNay Museum, and a member of the San Antonio Symphony League. Of course, Judaism has long advocated for and supported the enrichment of our existence that art can provide, and her efforts have aimed to ensure San Antonio would not be without this vital sustenance.

As dedicated as Candy has been to building and strengthening the institution of Temple Beth-El, she has also worked to deepen her own understanding of Judaism and also to help others better know the Tanakh. Her devotion to continuing education embodies another central tenet of Judaism, that of constant investigation and reexamination in order to better understand the tradition as it has developed and progressed through the centuries. I laud this dogged pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment since it can strengthen the impulse to invest one's life in helping others. Candy's life is certainly living proof of this dynamic.

Of course, Candy is a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, the latter a job she considers the best of all. I imagine her family is proud that her years of dedication are being recognized as she receives this award. I am also proud to know that San Antonio is home to a person relentless in her mission to make it a better place.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a young American, Mr. John Paco, of San Antonio who has dedicated his life to helping others. Nor would this be the only body to recognize the work of John Paco. The American Ambulance Association has chosen to honor John as a 2005 Star of Life for over 10 years of service in emergency medicine. As lead supervisor for American Medical Response at Randolph Air Force Base, John has been at the forefront of improving the care and streamlining the operations in his unit. John's peers nominated him for this award because they know in a crisis of any sort, John can be counted on. Moreover, John's attitude conveys to his coworkers and patients good will and competence.

In situations where one's health and livelihood hang in the balance, a steady hand, a smile, and cool, quick efficiency can make the difference between surviving and serious, even permanent disability. The same way you and I go to our office and make decisions that may affect the lives of many Americans, John goes to his workplace, but the stakes are much higher. A fraction of a second lost or misused or a thousand other x-factors can mean immediate and irreversible change for a person unable to fight for his or her life.

John's demeanor enables him to quickly connect with others, a skill vital in working with others when the consequences can be so dire. One of John's coworkers has said he will make the best of a bad situation which strikes me as a fitting description for what he does every time he dons his uniform. When someone dials 911, the situation is grave, so having someone as able and devoted as John on the scene ensures both a high level of competence and care. His can-do attitude and efficacy are crucial in a profession like John's and his leadership inspires those who serve under him.

San Antonio is proud to have one of its own commended, especially a person who has given so selflessly of himself and has touched the lives of so many in our community. By giving so much of himself, John his efforts in helping to streamline and improve a number of procedures vital to the timely care of the injured. The PowerPoint presentation he helped develop demonstrated the costs financial and otherwise of ambulance collisions to all involved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care for the dedication of the only Mobile Mammography Unit (MMU) in the area of San Antonio and surrounding counties. The MMU will provide breast health services and education to women who otherwise would either have difficulty accessing or not be able to access these services because of financial, transportation, cultural or other constraints.

The CHRISTUS Santa Rosa MMU will assist those who are uninsured and underserved as well as working women who have difficulty leaving the workplace to get a mammogram. All women who have a positive mammogram will be guided to appropriate medical services for follow up care.

As we know, breast cancer is the leading cancer among white and African American women. Statistically, every three minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer and one out of every eight women in America will develop breast cancer at some time in her life. However, when breast cancer is detected early, a five-year survival rate is 96 percent.

Today, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital is proud to begin offering assistance for screening mammograms to the women of South and Central Texas to include uninsured and underinsured women of San Antonio and the surrounding counties. The MMU has partnered with community organizations such as the San Antonio Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, WINGS (Women Interested in Nurturing, Giving, Sharing), the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Programs, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and many others to provide the full range of services.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to commend CHRISTUS Santa Rosa in San Antonio, Texas for bringing the mobile mammography unit back to the area after three years of not having a unit. I especially want to thank the collaboration of community organizations, the doctors, nurses and staff for their hard work and continued dedication, and wish them well as they continue their life-saving services to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1072, a bill to designate the postal facility in Goliad, Texas, as the ``Judge Emilio Vargas Post Office Building.'' This bill was introduced by my good friend and colleague, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa.

Born in Goliad, Texas, Judge Vargas has dedicated his life to the people of Goliad, and I find it most fitting to honor his service by naming the Goliad Post Office after him.

As a first-generation American, Judge Vargas attended segregated schools because of his Mexican heritage. After attending Bee College, he volunteered and joined the Air Force as an airman. Upon leaving the Air Force, Judge Vargas worked to improve the lives of the people in the community. He was active during the civil rights movement during the 1960s and he continues to fight to increase Hispanic participation in government.

Judge Vargas served 14 years on the Goliad Independent School District Board of Trustees. While he was there, the Goliad School Board was voted one of the 10 best school boards in Texas. Judge Vargas understands the importance of developing an educated population, and because of his commitment, numerous students have gone on to prestigious colleges and universities, including the U.S. military academies.

For 28 years, Judge Vargas served as a caseworker with the Texas Department of Human Services, helping the indigent and vulnerable in a six-county region. During his tenure, he worked with the Job Corps program helping to train new workers, and with the Surplus Commodity Programs to feed hungry families.

During the past 10 years, Judge Vargas has served as the Justice of the Peace for Goliad County and for 9 years was a Reserve Deputy for the Goliad County Sheriff's Department.

Goliad is the birthplace of Mexican General Zaragoza whose defeat of the French Army is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo. In addition, Goliad has played a significant role in the War for Texas Independence. Judge Vargas has been a member of the Zaragoza Society for over 45 years, and the chairman for at least a decade. Through this work, Judge Vargas brought national recognition to Goliad's historic significance both in Mexican and Texas history.

I believe it is most fitting to honor Judge Vargas' service to the people of Goliad by naming the Goliad Post Office after him, and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join San Antonio and the world in mourning the passing of Pope John Paul II, a great religious and humanitarian leader.

Pope John Paul II was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. He excelled in school as a brilliant student and athlete, gaining a passion for religion, poetry, and the theatre.

He was ordained in 1946, assuming priestly duties in 1949 as chaplain to university students at Krakow's St. Florian's Church. He rose steadily through the church hierarchy, becoming the auxiliary bishop of Krakow in 1958 and was later appointed archbishop of Krakow in January 1964.

During this time he made a name for himself as a formidable theologian and staunch defender of the Catholic faith as he taught at the Krakow Seminary and Catholic University of Lublin.

He was later elevated to cardinal in June 1967, and elected as Pope John Paul II on October 16, 1978. He proved to be one of the most energetic and hard-working men ever to occupy the Papal See, visiting more than 120 countries, delivering more than 2,000 public addresses, and issuing a plethora of encyclicals and apostolic letters.

Pope John Paul II was the third longest serving pontiff in history, serving for 26 years. His passing marks the end of one of the longest and most widely respected reigns in papal history.

A man of the cloth, Pope John Paul II was also a man of the people. His teachings, spiritual guidance, and leadership came from his belief in peace and justice and the goodness of mankind. It was that belief that guided him as he journeyed around the world reaching out to people of all faiths.

He was a world leader and respected statesman who challenged communism and advocated democracy, and who always championed the causes of the poor and our great responsibility to them.

Pope John Paul II was a blessing to this world, and though he has left us now, his spirit, his love, and his lessons should guide us for a lifetime.

Mr. Speaker, today I introduced a House resolution recognizing the long career of public service of Archbishop Patrick Flores of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Archbishop Flores, the first Mexican American Bishop in the United States, will be retiring on Tuesday, February 15, 2005, after 34 years of service as a bishop.

Patrick Fernandez Flores, was born on July 26, 1929 to Patricio Flores and Trinidad Fernandez de Flores in Ganado, Texas. He was the seventh of nine children. After graduating from Kirwin High School in Galveston, Texas, Patrick Flores entered the St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte, Texas. On May 26, 1956 he was ordained to the Catholic Priesthood and served the Diocese of Galveston-Houston for the next 14 years.

On Cinco de Mayo--May 5, 1970 in San Antonio, Texas, Patrick Fernandez Flores was consecrated a bishop in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. His appointment was an event of great significance in the history of South Texas and the United States. While the Mexican- American community was one of the largest Catholic communities in the United States, until that day in 1970 there had never been a Mexican- American bishop. In that regard, like other civil rights leaders of the time, Archbishop Flores broke a barrier in a major national institution--the Catholic Church, and in doing so, he helped to lay the groundwork for a more equal society. Less than a decade later, in 1979, Bishop Flores was consecrated Archbishop for his Archdiocese.

Archbishop Flores has committed his life not only to the service to his Church but to the wider community. He has been a leader on countless public policy issues that improved the lives of his parishioners and created new opportunities for many Americans to participate in the American Dream. He has long been an advocate for public housing, for the rights of immigrants, for health care for the poor, for economic development, for education, and for multi-cultural understanding.

Among his many accomplishments were the creation of the Mexican American Cultural Center, a unique program dedicated to developing Catholic leadership that is responsive to the needs of increasing diverse society, and contributing to the establishment of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, a national program that has provided over 68,000 college scholarships to economically disadvantaged Hispanics. At the heart of both these programs is the heart of the Archbishop's social vision of giving hope to the disadvantaged and constructing a society that respects diversity and truly values equality.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge the House to pass this resolution in the coming weeks. Archbishop Patrick Flores has been a national leader not only for the cause of Hispanic rights but for the rights of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a San Antonio hometown hero.

The ``sweet science,'' as the sport of boxing has been called, has provided an arena for epic battles that have produced larger than life prize-fight champions who have, throughout the sport's history, captivated the national attention.

Marciano, Ali, Leonard, De La Hoya--all of them are synonymous with boxing and all are well-known champions. However, for every prize- fighter who captured a title and the national spotlight, there is one whose career has not received the attention and accolades it truly deserves.

``Jesse'' James Leija of San Antonio is one of those champions, and his career and commitment to succeeding deserves to be commemorated.

Best known to fans of the sport. ``Jesse'' James'' intense talent in the ring resulted in some of the best boxing matches in recent history. And in a sport that has seen it's share of controversial personas, ``Jesse'' James always maintained a dignity and respect for his opponent, the sport and the fans.

While many boxing careers last only a few years, ``Jesse'' James' recently announced that he is retiring after an astonishing seventeen years in the ring.

The sport will undoubtedly miss him.

``Jesse'' James had a truly impressive career. Having faced and overcome seemingly insurmountable odds on his way to achieving great success, the story of ``Jesse'' James Leija is one that can inspire anyone, in or out of the ring.

Born and raised on the South Side of San Antonio, James is a proud graduate of Harlandale High School where being told he was too small to play football drove him in the direction of an even more challenging sport--boxing.

His parents, including his former pro-fighter father, would not allow him to box until he graduated from high school. So compared to most aspiring boxers, James got a late start first entering the ring at the age of 22. He quickly won his first fifteen fights and ultimately compiled an impressive 23 win and 5 loss amateur record. He won a San Antonio Golden Gloves title, won the 1988 Western Olympic Trials and competed in the 1988 Olympic Trials.

In 1994, Leija became only the third San Antono boxer to win a world title when he defeated the legendary Ghana warrior and Hall of Famer, Azumah Nelson, for the WBC World Super Featherweight Championship.

``Jesse'' James ultimately fought in nine world championship fights winning the IBA World Lightweight Championship, the NABF Featherweight Championship, and on two separate occasions, the NABF Lightweight Championship.

After 17 years, Leija ended his professional career of 57 matches with a record of 47 wins, including 19 by knock-out, 7 losses, 2 draws, and 1 no-contest.

All this despite having been told early on that he was too small and not strong enough to be a success in the ring.

As impressive and admirable as his career was, James' dedication to his community is even more so. He founded the ``Jesse'' James Leija Youth Foundation, and has long supported the Boys' and Girls' Club of San Antonio and the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Boxing Program. He has also supported numerous education programs, including a child daycare center to allow teenage mothers to complete their education.

Beyond being a great boxer, ``Jesse'' James Leija has been a truly great citizen, and we in San Antonio are lucky to have him.

To the people of San Antonio ``Jesse'' James Leija is always a winner and he will forever be their Champion.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 418. The first thing is America will not sleep any more securely with the passage of this piece of legislation, as well intended as it may be, because I am not going to question the motives of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. But why do a useless thing? Why would the State legislatures, why would the State Governors, why would every Latino advocacy group come against this? Why would the National Council of Bishops here in the States come out against this? It is for various reasons. But they all acknowledge that there is not a conspiracy going on here to thwart the efforts at security by these groups. No one would accuse these individuals of that, because this does not do anything. It only burdens the State and does not get us anywhere.

But more importantly, and I really believe this, this is an anti- immigrant bill in the guise of some sort of security consideration, which it does not further.

And so we ask, who are these immigrants? I have a simple answer for all of us. Look in the mirror. That is who we are talking about. We all got here one way or another, some earlier than others. We are all immigrants. What this bill is really about is not bad people coming into this country to do bad things to this country. It is about preventing good people coming into this country to do good things.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from Houston.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that all of us from the Texas delegation on the Democratic side come to address the people's House.

We did not want to make this dinner that we had tonight earlier a wake or anything that was sad; but the truth was that there was a great amount of sadness. And at the end, I think we all learned a great deal about the true strength and character of our Members that will not be joining us in swearing-in ceremonies next January 4. I will repeat their names again because I think it is appropriate that they be repeated often so that we all are reminded what public service is about. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sandlin), First Congressional District; the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), Second Congressional District of Texas; the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson), the Ninth Congressional District; the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), the 17th Congressional District; the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), the 24th Congressional District; the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bell), the 25th Congressional District; my good friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), the 28th Congressional District. These were true public servants.

Tomorrow they will be casting their last vote. And of course they will have their Member's card and they will put it in the slot and they will be casting their vote. And all of those votes may not be the same because we are quite different, as my dear friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), was saying. We have different opinions. We come from different regions of this great State of Texas. But what motivates us all would be the cardinal rule of how we vote. What do we base it on? People sometimes do ask that.

I think this is a great lesson I learned from my father who served for 37 years in this august body, as well as from the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt). The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) when I arrived here in 1999 was our minority leader. He said, if you really want to do the right thing, if you want to enjoy service in the House of Representatives, every vote that you take, it is a real simple formula. First you vote your conscience because those are your principles and your values and you must face yourself every morning and do the right thing.

Secondly, vote your district because no one else represents your district. And lastly, vote your party. And the gentleman told me that that makes his job really hard as your leader because he is trying to keep us together. But thank God that that was our cardinal rule and that is what has guided us.

The seven Members that are departing followed that rule day in and day

out. It was their social conscience. It was their moral principles that guided them here every day, not as Democrats, not as Republicans, because like the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) said, that is the last factor, that is the last element that you take into consideration. But what were these individuals when they were serving here for so many years?

They were public servants. And the way they looked at it was that every citizen, every citizen in their district was their boss, whether a Democrat or a Republican, whether they were registered to vote or not, whether they were old enough to vote or not, you represented the district. And that is what was important. And you always voted the best interests of your district. And it was a simple formula.

But they also knew it was a higher calling. And that is what we lose here as an institution, men of high character and moral principles.

I am going to quote now Senator Joe Lieberman in his book ``In Praise of Public Life'':

``Although public figures may face the same everyday pressures as the people we represent, we are not and should not be judged by the same standards. More should be expected of us. We are public officials, not private citizens. Everything we do can become public and, therefore, has serious consequences for the community. We are, whether we like it or not, role models. We have voluntarily entered a contract with the voters that is based on trust. If we violate that trust, our government, our democracy suffers. So the first question a public figure must always ask himself when making a decision about his personal behavior or actions or votes, about whether to take an opportunity is not just is it legal, but rather, is it right.''

These are shining examples of individuals that made hard choices, difficult choices, but really in the final analysis were quite simple because they did the right thing.

So everyone that is listening to us tonight must wonder, well, if they were so great, why are they not coming back? Why were they not reelected? And I have my own theory, my own analysis of it. Not one of these gentlemen lost on the merits. Why they lost was really about form over substance.

Someone said it earlier, the rules were changed in the middle of the game, unfairly and in a perverse fashion. None of these gentlemen lost because they were not the very best that we had out there. They lost because of manipulation. They lost because people thought they could appeal to the most base instincts of human nature, which many times is about unfairness and injustice and fear and insecurity by Members of this House. This is repeated every day, day in and day out in this country. It is just that at this point in time it was concentrated in the State of Texas. And we see the result of seven dedicated public officials that had so much to give and did give. And we are the losers for it.

They did not lose. This Chamber lost; this country lost. They were casualties of a dangerous time. Of all things, I found a quote the other day and it is from a comedian. But it is not about comedy. And it was not about humor that he was writing about. He had time to reflect because he had a very serious thing that happened in his life, and that was that his wife had passed away. And he reflected on life and where society was today, and this is what George Carlin said:

``The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more but have less. We buy more but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgment, more experts yet more problems, more medicine but less wellness. We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We have learned how to make a living but not a life. We have added years to life not life to years.''

His observation is so applicable to what is happening in the political process in this country today. Again, I will say these seven men did not lose these elections, but rather truly were casualties of what is transpiring, what is encouraged and promoted by seven individuals in this country. This is not love of country. This is not patriotism. This is not citizenship. This is not responsible behavior.

So the truth is, what should we do about it? Well, let us go back to the way things used to be where we are going to go ahead and we are going to have our good-faith disagreements. The truth really lies somewhere in the middle. Righteousness. The best answers do not reside on that side of the aisle, and they do not reside over here. They actually reside right here in the middle of the aisle, right here.

The problem is we never go and talk right there in that aisle. That separates us. That is the greatest gulf in this great country, wider than the Grand Canyon because we have made it wider than the Grand Canyon.

When winning is everything, it does not matter how you do it. What is happening? We are models. It is what Joe Lieberman was talking about. We are models to all citizens in this country, and do we let our citizens down and our country down? Of course we do.

Let us stop defining ourselves by our differences. Let us come to the middle. Let us have a dialogue and a discourse. Let us not corrupt a political process, a legislative process, for political gain, be it Democrat or Republican. Because what happens here, great public servants, the very best this country has to offer will be the casualties and the victim of political greed and avarice. That is what we have tonight.

It is a sad moment, way beyond the seven Texans that we lose. Sad moment for this body, sad moment for this country.

I want to end my statements with my profound gratitude and appreciation for having known these seven individuals. I will continue to know them, and I have a sense that we will be sharing a swearing-in ceremony sometime in the future because things will right themselves. That is all part of human nature. We only let things get to a certain point of excess before we know that it is truly wrong.

These are wonderful individuals, and on a personal side, the absolutely personal side, these are my friends. It is never, never a happy moment when we say good-bye to friends, and this is what we say here tonight and tomorrow after the final vote. There will be great sadness, but something tells me they will overcome the adversity of what transpired and will rise to greater heights because they are totally capable of doing it but for a better reason. Our country needs them.

So to Max and to Jim and to Nick and Charlie and Martin and Chris and Ciro, we need you and we know that you will continue making your great contribution and making this country a greater one even better than the one that we live in today. Thank you for your service and all I can say is I look forward to your return.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4518, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension Reauthorization Act of 2004. I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner), the gentleman from Michigan (Ranking Member Dingell) and the gentleman from Michigan (Ranking Member Conyers) and the subcommittee chairmen and ranking

members for their hard work on this piece of legislation.

H.R. 4518 is a comprehensive, bipartisan bill crafted jointly by the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on the Judiciary that will preserve localism, protect consumer privacy and increase competition between cable and satellite companies.

Local broadcasters play a vital role in providing to the communities they serve local news and weather, information on community events and entertainment. In 1999, Congress recognized the important role of local broadcasters when it last authorized this act. Specifically, the act requires satellite companies to offer in a nondiscriminatory manner all local broadcast signals once the satellite carriers begin offering local-into-local service in a market. This requirement, dubbed ``carry one, carry all,'' was the cornerstone of the act.

Unfortunately, in several markets, one satellite company has refused to comply with this requirement. For several years, I have heard complaints from local Spanish language broadcasters that one particular satellite company has refused to carry Spanish language broadcasts on the same dish on which it carries the signals of the major television networks. In fact, in my own home State of Texas nine of the eleven stations bumped by that particular satellite company to a second dish are Spanish language stations.

In these two-dish markets, customers do not receive all of the channels for which they have paid if they do not ask that particular company for the second dish. This is unfair to consumers, and it harms the viability of local broadcasters because fewer people are watching their channels.

The negative effects of a two-dish practice are made even greater by a failure to inform many customers of a particular company of the need for a second dish. This practice is wrong. It undermines basic principles of localism by essentially giving Spanish language and other minority-themed stations a second-class status in their own home markets.

I thank my colleagues for including language in this bill that would put an end to this two-dish practice within 1 year. Forcing satellite providers to carry all local broadcast signals on one dish will finally ensure the equal treatment of all broadcasters.

Protecting the privacy of consumers who subscribe to satellite television is also very important. Although current law protects the privacy of persons who subscribe to cable television service, it does not protect those who subscribe to satellite service.

I commend the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) in particular for seeing to it that this bill extends to satellite subscribers the same privacy protections in effect for cable subscribers.

Finally, increasing competition between cable and satellite companies is an important goal of this act. Prior to the last reauthorization of the act, cable companies provided their customers with all of the local broadcast channels, but satellite companies were not permitted to do the same. Since Congress gave satellite companies the authority to provide local-into-local service in 1999, the number of subscribers to satellite has about doubled.

This legislation before us today makes further important strides in increasing parity which should lead to greater competition between cable and satellite. Right now, cable television companies can provide their subscribers with signals that are significantly viewed in a local market. Satellite television providers have no such authority. H.R. 4518 would fix this inequity by permitting satellite carriers of those same significantly viewed signals.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill that preserves local broadcasting, protects the privacy of satellite television service subscribers, and will provide a more level playing field for satellite companies on which to compete against cable providers. I support these goals and urge all Members to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

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

Just briefly again, Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that makes good business sense and is a good deal for the consumer, standing for the proposition those are not mutually exclusive concepts.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.