Floor Statements

I miss you.

The First Amendment: ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Sergeant First Class James E. Thode, who was killed in action on December 2, 2010.

A resident of Tucson since the age of 6, James graduated from Catalina Magnet High School before attending the University of Arizona. A decorated combat veteran, he was assigned to Detachment 1 of the 118th Engineer Sapper Company, 1457th Engineer Battalion based out of American Fork, Utah. He was on his third combat deployment with the Army National Guard in Sabari District, Khowst Province, Afghanistan when he was killed by insurgents who attacked his convoy with an improvised explosive device. In his civilian life, James served as a police officer in Farmington, New Mexico, having joined the department in 1996 and working as a field training officer and member of the SWAT team.

Among his many decorations, he earned the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Purple Heart. He was one of our Nation's most elite, best and bravest, and he will be remembered always.

We remember James and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. My words cannot effectively convey the feeling of great loss nor can they offer adequate consolation. However, it is my hope that in future days, his family may take some comfort in knowing that James made a difference in the lives of many others and serves as an example of a competent and caring leader and friend that will live on in the hearts and minds of all those he touched.

This body and this country owe James and his family a debt of gratitude, and it is vital that we remember him and his service to this country.

Sergeant First Class James Thode is survived by his wife, Carlotta; mother, Evelyn; father, Ernest; daughter, Ashley; son, Tommy and sister, MaryAnn.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pueblo Del Sol Elementary School in Sierra Vista, Arizona which has been designated a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School.

This is a significant honor for the students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators of Pueblo Del Sol, which is in Arizona's 8th Congressional District. Pueblo Del Sol was among just four schools in the State of Arizona and 304 in the Nation to receive this prestigious award.

Principal Jim Sprigg as well as former Principal John Wilson, who retired last year, played major roles in leading the school to this award. I extend my congratulations to both of them for establishing and maintaining an outstanding tradition of educational excellence.

It also is important to note that this award would not have been possible without the dedication of Pueblo Del Sol students who come to school each day ready to learn and anxious to apply themselves to their education. The success of the students would not have been possible without the support and guidance given to them by their parents.

We have, unfortunately, become accustomed to hearing discouraging educational news. We are encouraged, however, that those affiliated with Pueblo Del Sol Elementary School have shown that even with tight financial constraints, schools with students and teachers who are determined to succeed will excel.

The people of Sierra Vista and the members of the Sierra Vista Unified School District should be very proud to have such a stellar school in their community. I share their pride and am pleased to have Pueblo Del Sol Elementary School in my Congressional District as an example of the excellence that is possible in our public education system.

I am honored to recognize the students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators of Pueblo Del Sol on this outstanding national award. It is a testament to their dedication, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to learning.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Sergeant First Class Todd M. Harris, who was killed in action on November 3, 2010.

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Todd enlisted in the Army in 1998. A decorated combat veteran and graduate of the U.S. Army's Special Forces, Airborne, and Air Assault Schools, he was assigned to the 87th Infantry Battalion 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. He was on his fifth deployment which included two tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, when he was killed by small arms fire in Badgdis Province, in northwestern Afghanistan. Among his many decorations, he earned the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the Purple Heart. He was one of our Nation's most elite, best and bravest.

We remember Todd and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. My words cannot effectively convey the feeling of great loss nor can they offer adequate consolation. However, it is my hope that in future days, his family may take some comfort in knowing that Todd made a difference in the lives of many others and serves as an example of a competent and caring leader and friend that will live on in the hearts and minds of all those he touched.

This body and this country owe Todd and his family a debt of gratitude, and it is vital that we remember him and his service to his country.

Sergeant First Class Todd Harris is survived by his mother, Willa; father, Samuel; son, Kai; and daughter, McKenna.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to recognize Chairman Gordon for his outstanding leadership chairing our full committee. We are going to miss you, Mr. Chairman. It has been an outstanding experience for me the last couple of terms. And as well, to Ranking Member Hall and Ranking Member Olson for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to S. 3729, the Senate's NASA authorization bill.

As chair of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, and along with the other members of the subcommittee and full committee, we care deeply about the future of NASA and the future of our Nation's civil space program. NASA defines us as a Nation, who we are--our defense, our innovation, our inspiration, our ability to explore. We care deeply about the role that Congress needs to play to ensure that NASA will embark on an executable and a sustainable path for the future.

In contrast to supporters of the Senate bill who will say that today they reluctantly support the Senate bill because it is better than doing nothing, I have no reluctance in telling you that this is a bad bill. It will do damage to NASA if enacted, and it should be voted down tonight.

Now, I know that Members have a lot of different issues on their minds today. Certainly most Members didn't even know that a NASA authorization bill was coming up for a vote today. So for Members who are making up their minds on whether to support this bill today, I would like to offer a couple of reasons why you should oppose it.

If you are a member of the Blue Dog Coalition or a member of the Republican Study Committee, you should oppose this bill because it lacks serious budgetary discipline. To be specific, the bill contains an unfunded mandate to keep the shuttle program going through all of fiscal year 2011, even after the shuttle is retired, which, by NASA estimates, will cost NASA more than one-half billion dollars for 2011, and it doesn't have that money. It will bust the budget for the shuttle and jeopardize NASA's other important science, aeronautics, and technology programs.

It also contains a rocket designed not by our best engineers but by our colleagues over on the Senate side. By NASA's own internal analysis, they estimate this rocket will cost billions more than the Senate provides.

And, finally, if you are a Blue Dog or a member of the Republican Study Committee, or any Member of Congress, you should strenuously oppose a $58 billion funding bill that is being brought up on the last day before adjourning with no House input on its creation and no opportunity for amendment by Members of the House. This is not the functioning bicameral legislature that our Founding Fathers fought to create.

Next, if you are a Member who cares deeply about STEM education or minority education programs, you need to know that this bill is written in a certain way that NASA's STEM education programs and Minority University Research and Education programs will be cut in excess of 30 percent.

What does this mean? Well, it means if you represent a Historically Black College or University or Hispanic-serving institution, a tribal college, this sort of institution, you will be affected by these cuts.

In addition, if you care about the future of NASA's human spaceflight program, you should oppose this bill. As I mentioned earlier, this bill contains provisions that will force NASA to build a rocket designed by Senators and not by engineers. Contrary to assertions that this bill's supporters talk about, this rocket will be too large to economically serve as a backup commercial crew transport to the space station. It may also prove to be too small to effectively undertake human missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Not only do NASA's own internal studies indicate that it will cost significantly more than the Senate is budgeting, but they also estimate that it will become operational years later than the Senate plan assumes.

So we are looking at this gap and, in short, the Senate bill forces NASA to build a rocket that doesn't meet its needs, with a budget that is not adequate to do the job, and on a schedule that NASA's own analyses says is unrealistic. That is not my idea of the executable and sustainable human spaceflight program that we all desire.

And, finally, if you care about corporate responsibility, if you care about safety, and if you want to prevent us

from being in the position a few years down the road of having to choose between sending more money to Russia or bailing out the would-be commercial crew and cargo providers who fail to perform in budget and on schedule, you should oppose this Senate NASA bill. The Senate bill gives an additional $1.6 billion to would-be commercial cargo and crew transport companies who have yet to demonstrate that they can do either. There is no obligation that these commercial companies put any ``skin in the game'' of their own, and the safety requirements on their rockets are vague at best.

Since the Senate bill provides no credible government backup capability to the would-be commercial providers, approving the Senate bill today would inevitably put NASA in the position of relying on these companies that will become too big to fail. The American taxpayers will then have to bear the responsibility and the burden of bad public policy if we vote on this bill tonight. I think that the public deserves better.

Now, I know that in the Senate there is a lot of debate, and some Members will fall back on the argument that they have to approve this tonight before the end of the fiscal year because the contractors are facing layoffs. And no one has more sympathy than members of our subcommittee about the workforce, but the reality is different. It is different than the rhetoric.

Aerospace jobs are tied to funding, and funding for NASA for the balance of this calendar year will be set by the continuing resolution that we will be voting on tonight, not this authorization bill. Funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 will be determined by the appropriations bill that we enact after we return for a lame duck session, not by this authorization.

The bill before us today cannot change the fact that the funding level for NASA's workforce, and any layoff that will result from that funding level, will be the result of the continuing resolution and subsequent appropriation bills and not this authorization. So Members should not be fooled by this red herring argument. The truth is that you will not be doing anything to stop layoffs tonight by voting for the Senate bill today.

Does the aerospace industry need certainty? Absolutely. But they need certainty in an executable and affordable program that the Senate bill does not provide.

Could the problems with the Senate bill be fixed? Of course they could. But that is what the legislative process is about, not under suspension of the rules with no amendments allowed.

The fact of the matter is that there was a compromise NASA Authorization Act of 2010 that Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon proposed and is the direct result of lengthy discussions with the Senate and the House Members. Of course, that isn't perfect, and no bill is, but flaws can be fixed by discussion between the Chambers. But if you vote tonight positively on this Senate bill, the democratic process that has been the cornerstone of our democracy will be undermined and that will not occur.

So let's take the time to get this job done, and done the right way. Let's vote down the Senate bill tonight so we can work with Chairman Gordon, Ranking Member Hall, and the Senate on a compromise bill so that we can have a responsible NASA bill that can be acted upon when we return for the lame duck session.

In closing, if you care about budgetary discipline, protecting STEM education, minority education programs, if you care about NASA's human spaceflight program, you should vote ``no'' on the Senate authorization bill.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Support Our Troops, a non-profit organization in my hometown of Tucson, Arizona, that over the past four years has sent more than eight tons of care items to our troops serving around the world.

Support Our Troops was the brainchild of veteran Jonathan Rice, who served in the U.S. Army from 1966 until 1970 and in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1981 until 1985. Mr. Rice is a resident of Atria Bell Court Gardens, an independent senior community in Tucson. He formed Support Our Troops as a non-profit organization to let troops from Arizona know that their fellow Arizonans support them and appreciate their efforts.

Support Our Troops has sent more than 1,600 packages that have benefitted nearly 12,000 Arizonans serving in the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. Two years ago, I had the honor of visiting Mr. Rice and the other residents of Atria Bell Court Gardens for the completion of their 1,000th package for our troops. The packages contain snack and hygiene items for our men and women in uniform as well as small gifts for children in the areas where the troops are deployed.

The packages have been delivered to Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, Kosovo, Qatar, Kuwait and other nations where our troops have been deployed. Since the packages have been sent, a number of troops have returned to Tucson and visited Atria Bell Court Gardens to say how much they appreciated these generous gifts of love and support.

Residents of Atria Bell Court Gardens shop for the contents of the packages each week and pay for the items out of their own pockets. The boxes are packed each Saturday and owners of Atria Bell Court Gardens pay for all postage costs. The residents and owners of this community have spent tens of thousands of dollars to send these gifts of appreciation to our Armed Forces.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize Jonathan Rice, his fellow residents of Atria Bell Court Gardens as well as owners of the retirement community on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of their Support Our Troops program, which has delivered an untold amount of good will and support to the men and women who defend our country.

Thank you, Chairman Tanner, for this opportunity.

I rise today, along with Congressman Heller, to address the newest threat of drug smuggling into the United States on the southwest border.

As drug violence wreaks havoc on our southern neighbor, the country of Mexico, the product of this narcoterrorism continues to fuel violent and ruthless acts and is now floating effortlessly across the U.S.- Mexico border into our communities. We must do everything in our power to neutralize this insidious threat and stem the flow of narcotics and drug money that threatens our communities.

The latest tool used by these drug traffickers are these small planes, these small planes that go largely undetected by our law enforcement community. Single-person ultralight aircraft that are flying low, as depicted in this image, make them, of course, very popular among enthusiasts, but are now a new tool that the drug cartels have adopted to corrupt this fine pastime.

Every year now, hundreds of ultralights laden with illegal narcotics are flown over our southern borders and are now landing in our backyards. Here is a map of my backyard. Southern Arizona is on the front lines of this border security crisis. The Tucson sector of the Border Patrol is the Nation's largest and most porous part of the U.S.- Mexico border. Despite the difficult and rugged terrain, drug traffickers are streaming across the border

by whatever means necessary. Sometimes they go under, but in the case of the ultralights, they are going over the border.

In the Tucson sector, there are more drugs and illegal immigrants apprehended than in all other parts of the United States. Last fiscal year, the Border Patrol in the Tucson sector seized over 1.2 million pounds of marijuana. Other drugs were seized as well, like cocaine, like methamphetamine that Mr. Heller was talking about.

In fiscal year 2009, there were over 240,000 apprehensions of illegal immigrants--those that we just apprehended in the Tucson sector of the Border Patrol.

So we know that thousands and hundreds of thousands of people are crossing illegally.

And now we have this latest weapon, the ultralight, that they are using to produce an ever-expanding arsenal from the narco-terrorists, capable of not just transporting illegal drugs, but any number of dangerous payloads. These planes have now been reported flying up to 200 miles north of the border.

I first learned about the illicit use of ultralights in a briefing from the United States Border Patrol. Their message was unambiguous. We need to crack down on ultralight aircraft now. The National Drug Intelligence Center, in their 2010 National Drug Threat Assessment, also identified ultralights as a growing threat.

According to the CBP Air and Marine Operation Center based in Riverside, California, there were 193 suspected incursions into the United States and 135 confirmed incursions into the United States by ultralights from October 1 of last year through April.

Some examples: In October of 2008, we detected an unidentified northbound low-flying aircraft 12 miles north of Nogales, Arizona. A CBP surveillance helicopter launched from Tucson identified the low- flying aircraft as an ultralight. The pilot was forced down in Marana, Arizona. He was carrying a cargo of over 225 pounds of marijuana.

In November 2008, near San Luis, field workers arrived for work and discovered a crashed ultralight, the pilot was dead, 141 pounds of marijuana.

December of 2008, the pilot of an ultralight collided with power lines and crashed southwest of Tucson, Arizona. He was carrying 250 pounds of marijuana.

And just this past May, at 6:20 early on a Sunday morning, the North American Aerospace Defense Command detected a small, low-flying aircraft in southern Arizona near the border with Mexico. NORAD quickly scrambled two F-16s to intercept the ultralight, shadowing it for 30 minutes before it was forced back into Mexico.

The threat is real.

It is time for the Federal Government to get ahead of these drug smugglers. There is no excuse for the Federal Government to not act sooner on this known threat. So today we're doing something about it.

The problem has been that light-weight ultralights are not officially categorized as aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration so our law enforcement has not had the tools they need to address the rising threat, and that is why I introduced H.R. 5307, the Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act, along with my Republican colleague from Nevada, Congressman Dean Heller.

This is a bipartisan, commonsense bill that will finally close the loophole that's been exploited by drug cartel kingpins and give our law enforcement the actual tools they need to fight this escalating crisis.

H.R. 5307 will amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to include ultralight vehicles under the aviation smuggling provisions, finally giving law enforcement the tools they need to prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent. Our bill will establish the same penalties for smuggling drugs on ultralights as for smuggling on airplanes or in cars or in trucks.

Millions of pounds of marijuana are coming into the United States every single year. They're coming through on vehicles or they're coming through with people. And sometimes, more often it's a combination of both. With our bill, individuals caught smuggling on ultralights will be prosecuted for using the ultralight in addition to being prosecuted for the drugs they have in their possession. This will carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act is a long overdue solution, which is why it's been received well in our community, and we have had several endorsements. For example the Arizona Farm Bureau, the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association, and the Pima County Sheriff's Office.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, while the men and the women of the Border Patrol and of ICE have made great progress in stemming the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants, our southern border is not yet secure, and many of the people I represent live in constant fear. The murder of my constituent, Rob Krentz, in March has heightened those fears and, quite frankly, has given rise to the anger and frustration that southern Arizonans and all Americans feel toward our government's inability to live up to its first responsibility--ensuring the safety and security of all American citizens.

Mr. Speaker, improving border security has been my top priority since I first came here in January of 2007. I have been steadfast in my support of increased funding to bring more agents and more assets to southern Arizona, redeploying the National Guard and passing a $600 million emergency border security funding bill.

What so many Members of Congress do not understand is that the Border Patrol is outmanned, outgunned, and they're out-resourced. So we must remain constantly vigilant and one step ahead of the enemy.

The violent cartels of Mexico are exploiting a new weakness in our defense, and the bill we are considering today will strengthen our national security. The bill will render useless the newest tool of the drug traffickers, making our communities safer.

Again, I want to thank Mr. Heller for joining me on this very important piece of legislation. I'd also like to express my appreciation to Chairman Tanner, and to the staff, especially Jennifer McCadney, for moving this important legislation forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and a great friend, Bob Winchester, who has served our country in uniform and as a dedicated member of our intelligence community for more than three decades. Bob is officially retiring this week from his post at the Pentagon where he has served in many positions but most recently as the face of U.S. Army Intelligence.

Bob has distinguished himself and brought honor to the Army through his exceptionally meritorious service to the Defense Department, the Intelligence Community (IC), and the Nation during a career that has spanned more than 36 years. And in recognition for his service, he will receive our government's highest honors for civil service from the Defense Department and the Director of National Intelligence.

Bob has consistently epitomized the consummate Military Intelligence professional even through the last nine years of increasingly demanding and critical leadership challenges.

Though he recently culminated his career of service as the Military Intelligence Portfolio Manager for the Office of Congressional Liaison, that post tells only part of the story of Bob's long career.

Well known and well respected, Bob spent 26 years as the face of Army Intelligence on Capitol Hill and as a trusted confidante for ten heads of the Army intelligence branch.

His long list of achievements and contributions are as varied as they were crucial. In the wake of the Iran Contra scandal in the 1980s, Bob was a key architect in developing legislation that changed the way our intelligence apparatus operated. He was called upon again in the wake of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal to answer tough questions about our intel programs in Iraq and work with Congress to re-shape our military interrogation program. He was at the forefront of Army and Defense Department intelligence policy and execution. His experience and intellect were recognized, sought, and leveraged as a subject-matter expert within the Army, DoD, and the broader U.S. Intelligence Community.

A lawyer and proud graduate of Temple University's Beasley School, Bob provided expert advice on Intelligence Law long before Congress fully considered the ramifications of conflicting intel priorities. He engineered the process of Congressional oversight of intelligence activities, worked intricately on the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and was frequently and regularly called upon by my colleagues for testimony at Congressional hearings. He has also served as advisor and support staff to numerous military commanders during their testimony before the House and Senate Armed Service and Intelligence committees.

But Bob was also a teacher and a mentor. For many years, the nation's youngest and brightest intel officers have studied under Bob's tutelage before taking up assignments throughout the Army staff or on Capitol Hill as Congressional Fellows.

Bob was also a professor who has shared his broad wealth of experience to better the whole of the Army. He has been a regular instructor at the Military Intelligence Battalion and Brigade Pre- Command Course that has shaped generations of Military Intelligence commanders and Command Sergeants Major. He has also been a frequent speaker at courses for young officers and enlisted personnel, preparing Military Intelligence leaders to succeed in engagements on the battlefield and in the halls of Congress. In this respect, Bob remains a strong and tireless professional.

Bob was instrumental in the establishment of critical intel programs which continue to pay huge dividends in the current fight. His efforts, particularly on Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence programs, include the introduction of advanced biometrics collection and establishment of the Human Intelligence Training Joint Center of Excellence that is housed at Fort Huachuca in my District.

As a result of Bob's vision and persistence, the Army has increased its Counter-intel and HUMINT capability by threefold, and that trend continues.

For more than a quarter century, Bob's tireless energy and enthusiasm has facilitated deep-rooted and trusting relationships between the Army and Congress. And through his hard work and determination, he has been an integral part of shaping the Army's most critical Intelligence requirements during wartime and peacetime.

As the Army seeks ways to fill the gap created by Bob's retirement, they have found it takes more than one young officer to keep up with the daily routine he so aptly maintained for so long. Bob's legacy of service and innumerable contributions to the Army, the Intelligence Community and the United States will be long-lasting and immeasurable.

I am proud to not only count him as a friend, but also honored to represent him as a constituent.

Thank you so much, Bob, and enjoy your retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army 2LT Mark J. Pincek, who passed away on July 11, 2010.

Born and raised in Michigan, Mark joined the U.S. Navy in July, 1991 and rose to the rank of Petty Officer Second Class. He served two deployments aboard the USS Vicksburg as a gunner's mate before graduating from Florida State University with a Bachelor's Degree in communication and film studies.

On September 17, 2009, Mark graduated from Fort Benning's Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was then assigned to Charlie Company of the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion where he completed the Military Intelligence Basic Officer Leadership School and was then assigned to Bravo Company of the 304th and was responsible for updating the Afghanistan training scenario. His work in the training scenario function earned him many laudatory comments.

We remember Mark and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. My words cannot effectively convey the feeling of great loss nor can they offer adequate consolation. However, it is my hope that in future days, his family may take some comfort in knowing that Mark made a difference in the lives of many others and serves as an example of a competent and caring leader and friend that will live on in the hearts and minds of all those he touched.

This body and this country owe Mark and his family a debt of gratitude and it is vital that we remember him and his service to his country.

Mark is survived by his wife, Kerin; father, Stephen; mother, Dianne Heskett-Ward; brothers, Steven, Duane and Devin; and sisters, Diana, Nancy, Susan, Sandy and Mara.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Sergeant Martin A. Lugo, Jr., who was killed in action on August 19, 2010.

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Martin graduated from Tucson High Magnet School in 2004 and enlisted in the Army shortly thereafter. Martin, a decorated combat veteran and graduate of the U.S. Army's Ranger School, re-enlisted in February 2010. He was on his 6th combat deployment and 4th to Afghanistan, when he was killed by small arms fire in Logar Province, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Martin was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Among his many decorations, he earned the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart. He was one of our nation's most elite, best and bravest.

We remember Martin and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. My words cannot effectively convey the

feeling of great loss nor can they offer adequate consolation. However, it is my hope that in future days, his family may take some comfort in knowing that Martin made a difference in the lives of many others and serves as an example of a competent and caring leader and friend that will live on in the hearts and minds of all those he touched.

This body and this country owe Martin and his family a debt of gratitude and it is vital that we remember him and his service to his country.

Sergeant Lugo is survived by his mother, Maria; father, Martin; and sister, Leslie.

Thank you, Chairman Price, I appreciate your leadership on this issue, and the other border members who appreciate this difficult situation that we have.

Repeatedly we heard from our colleagues across the aisle, why are we here? Why are we here? Well, we are here because we are sent here by our constituents to be their voices in Washington. And my constituents are the most heavily impacted in terms of illegal immigration. My sector had over 242,000 apprehensions, over 1.2 million pounds of marijuana seized last year. Mr. Chairman, that is why we are here.

We are here because residents in my district are sick and tired of all of the partisan bickering and the political games around securing the U.S.-Mexico border. That is why we are here.

We heard from across the aisle it is all about politics. Well, let me tell you about politics. This is the third time that we are here. The first time we were here on July 1st, the second time on July 28th, and now here on August 10th. The House is saying yes to more Border Patrol agents on the ground. We are saying yes to agents at the ports of entry. We are saying yes to more forward operating bases.

Why are we here? We are here because the Congress cannot turn its back on the American people, and those people who are most heavily impacted by illegal immigration. We are here because the Senate has refused to do the responsible thing and yet again for the third time has sent this back to us.

Politics? Well, the Senate needs to come back and deal with this issue. For all of the talk about securing the border and protecting American citizens, here we have an opportunity to actually do that, and we are not.

We are here because my constituents are sick and tired of all the political rhetoric. They want to see us get the job done.

This should be a bipartisan issue. I urge the Senate to return immediately to pass this bill.

I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

To me, it doesn't matter what the President of the United States proposes along the U.S.-Mexico border. I am a Member of the United States Congress. I am sent here by my constituents to fight for their needs. That is why I repeatedly asked for the National Guard to be deployed to the border.

That is why it was so important to have the National Guard deployed on the border. We are here because today the National Guard is deploying to Arizona and the Southwest border. They were designed to be deployed not in a vacuum but with increased members of the Border Patrol that will be trained, that will have equipment, that will have----

Madam Speaker, for my constituents, the people that reside in my district, what matters is that we get the job done. They don't care about all of the partisan back and forth and this and that, what happens here.

This is my time, sir.

When the National Guard was blindly deployed early this month--which took a lot of work from many of us to have the National Guard back on the border--they were designed to be deployed not in a vacuum. They were designed to have members of our Border Patrol trained up so that the Guard wouldn't have to be there forever and that we would have increased forward operating bases, that we would have an increased aerial surveillance system, that we would have a beefing up at the ports of entry.

This was all designed with this emergency supplemental funding in mind, and the Senate blew it again. This is not a partisan issue. This is something that Democrats and Republicans can do to fight for what's right for the people of America.

Madam Speaker, I serve on the House Armed Services Committee. We pass very large budgets securing America's interests, and it is critical that we get this job done.

Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely appalled the United States Senate eliminated over $700 million for protecting our U.S.-Mexico border. This appropriations bill in the Senate included money to deploy the National Guard to Arizona and increase the number of Border Patrol agents and surveillance systems on the border.

By refusing to approve these funds, the United States said ``no'' to supporting the troops who will be arriving on the border next week. The Senate said ``no'' to increasing Border Patrol agents who would stop the flow of illegal drugs and illegal immigrants into our country. And the Senate said ``no'' to protecting ranchers and border residents in my district.

Since Thursday, I have been fighting to reinstate the funding stripped out by the Senate, and I am pleased that the House will consider an emergency supplemental border security measure today. I am proud to be an original sponsor of that bill, and I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to pass it without delay.

The failure by our Senate to provide the border resources that Arizonans

and all Americans deserve represents Washington at its worst. It's also a sober reminder to all of us that the fight to strengthen border security is not over.

Thank you, Chairman Price, for your leadership.

Mr. Chairman, the last couple of days have been extremely difficult for me because I represent the most porous part of the U.S.-Mexico border.

I'm thinking right now about Rob Krentz, a fifth-generation Arizona rancher whose family ranched on their land since before Arizona even achieved statehood. On March 27, Rob Krentz was heartlessly murdered on his land, murdered on his land that was in his family's hands for over 100 years.

Five years ago, the Tucson sector of the Border Patrol apprehended over 500,000 illegal immigrants in my community. Last year, 242,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended in the Tucson sector of the Border Patrol, and year to date we are at over 180,000 illegal immigrants apprehended in the Tucson sector. Last year we hit another record, 1.2 million pounds of marijuana seized in the Tucson sector. So for those of you who are saying that this is not critical, that keeping Americans safe is not critical, whether you live directly on the border or you live in other parts of the country, is outrageous.

The Federal Government needs to step up and take responsibility now and stop pointing fingers and blaming other people. So for those Senators who voted ``no'' last week, they said no to those ranchers who live along the U.S.-Mexico border, they said no to those National Guard troops who are being deployed next week, not in a vacuum, with resources coming in behind them, and they said no to Federal law enforcement officials, those who are not going to be receiving Operation Stonegarden grants.

Mr. Chairman, this is outrageous that the Federal Government, the United States Congress, Democrats and Republicans working together, are not fixing this problem. Because in Arizona, in my sector with my constituents, this is our BP oil spill crisis. But this crisis has not been going on for a couple of months. It's been going on for years-- years and years. And now tonight is our opportunity to step up and finally do something about it. So, Mr. Chairman, you can only imagine how outrageous I find this debate to be. I urge Members to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army Specialist Christopher J. Moon, who passed away on July 13, 2010 from wounds sustained during an IED attack in Afghanistan.

Originally from Tucson, Chris was a natural athlete and stand-out baseball player. While attending Tucson High Magnet School, he received many accolades including 2006 Southern Arizona Player of the Year and a scholarship to the University of Arizona.

Known for his outstanding personality and attitude, Chris was always willing to help out anyone who needed it.

``Specialist Moon was the type of person we have all heard of but have very seldom ever met,'' said First Sergeant Derek Gondek, Moon's company First Sergeant. ``He was one of those men who, no matter what he put his mind to he became a star at it, whether it was on the baseball field or on the battlefield. He will truly be missed by his fellow warfighters.''

Assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, Chris was on a combat mission in the Arghandab Valley when he triggered an IED device, wounding him severely. Chris succumbed to his injuries at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany on July 13, 2010.

We remember Chris and offer our deepest condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. My words cannot effectively convey the feeling of great loss nor can they offer adequate consolation. However, it is my hope that in future days, his family may take some comfort in knowing that Chris made a difference in the lives of many others and serves as an example of a competent and caring leader and friend that will live on in the hearts and minds of all those he touched.

Specialist Chris Moon leaves behind his mother Marsha, his father, Brian, and his sister Sunday.

This body and this country owe Chris and his family our deepest gratitude, and we will today and forevermore honor and remember him and his service to our country.