Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Romonia Dixon of Tempe, the recipient of the 2010 Pacific Youth of the Year Award. This national award, granted by the Boys and Girls Club of America, recognizes Mona's academic excellence and outstanding contributions to her school and community despite personal challenges and obstacles.

For much of her life, Romonia has been moving with her family to different cities and homeless shelters--often times getting separated from her family to ensure each person had a safe haven for the night. Romonia reached out to the Boys and Girls Club-Ladmo Branch five years ago for stability and support and has since become a beacon of inspiration and motivation for younger members.

This remarkable young woman has taken every opportunity to teach the importance of being a conscientious, caring and productive member of society. Romonia participates in the Keystone Club, a leadership and service group for teens, takes part in ``Read to Me'' volunteer program for kids at a shelter where she once lived, and organizes canned food drives.

Romonia's excellence is further reflected in her commitment to her education at Tempe High School. Being a former graduate and teacher at Tempe High School, I am immensely proud of Romonia's achievements-- graduating third in her class with a 3.92 grade point average. Romonia's merits extend beyond the classroom where she served as the varsity basketball team's captain, and belonged to a number of school organizations.

Being named Pacific Region Youth of the Year will grant Romonia $24,000 in college scholarships from founding sponsor Reader's Digest Foundation. This will be in addition to the $30,000 in scholarships that Romonia has earned by being named Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley's Youth of the Year. Romonia will spread her talent further as she enrolls at my alma mater, Arizona State University, where she will be a member of the professional program at the W.P. Carey School of Business and the Barrett Honors College.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Romonia Dixon for her inspiring efforts, talents, and service to our community through the Boys and Girls Club.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Diana Taurasi on being voted the 2009 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Most Valuable Player, the 2009 WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player, and the recipient of the 2010 ESPY Award for Best WNBA Player.

During Ms. Taurasi's 2009 MVP campaign, she ranked among the WNBA's top ten leaders in nearly every statistical category, including points per game, three point field goals made, three-point field goals attempted, three-point field goal percentage, free throws made, free throws attempted, free throw percentage, field goals made, field goals attempted, blocks per game and defensive rebounds per game.

In 2009, Ms. Taurasi became the fastest WNBA player to reach 4,000 career points, while leading the WNBA with 20.4 points per game. Ms. Taurasi also ranks 13th in WNBA history for points scored and third in all-time points per game. Ms. Taurasi is one of two players in WNBA history to win an MVP Award, a WNBA championship and the finals MVP in the same season.

I am truly privileged to honor Ms. Taurasi for her accomplishments. Her commitment to excellence should serve as an inspiration for all.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Diana Taurasi as she is honored as being the 2009 WNBA Most Valuable Player, the 2009 WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player and the 2010 ESPY Best WNBA Player.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the Phoenix Mercury for their championship victory during the 2009 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Finals.

On October 9, 2009, the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever in a best-of-five series. The Phoenix Mercury has won the

WNBA Championship twice in the last three seasons and they are now set to solidify their mark in women's basketball. The Mercury proved to be the best team in the WNBA from start to finish, ending with the best record in their conference and in the league.

The Mercury succeeded through the dedication, hard work, and passion of the players, coaches, and staff. More importantly, this team owes a great deal of its success to their fans, which have demonstrated their support in record numbers. Arizonans and WNBA fans across the world share in the excitement and pride that the Phoenix Mercury displayed both on and off the court during this inspiring victory.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the Phoenix Mercury team, including Head Coach Corey Gaines and his Assistant Coaches, Julie Hairgrove and Bridget Pettis; and players Dawanna Bonner, Candice Dupree, Sequoia Holmes, Tameka Johnson, Taylor Lilley, Nicole Ohlde, Brooke Smith, Tangela Smith, Ketia Swanier, Penny Taylor, and Diana Taurasi.

I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the remarkable success of this team, whose achievements and camaraderie should be models for other teams across the country. Congratulations to the Phoenix Mercury on an impressive season and best of luck in continuing your championship stride.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of bipartisan legislation I introduced yesterday with my colleague Congressman Brian Bilbray: the Stop the Drop Houses Act.

The Federal Government's failure to secure the border and fix our broken immigration system has allowed smugglers and Mexican cartels to set up vast networks of drop houses, which operate as way stations for criminal enterprises. In Phoenix we have as many as 1,000 drop houses. They are dangerous magnets for violent crime.

Even more alarming is the fact that a loophole in Federal law prevents authorities from using civil forfeitures to seize these houses. Authorities can seize vehicles or even airplanes, but they can't use civil forfeiture against the actual drop house itself. The Stop Drop Houses Act would close the loophole and allow authorities to use civil forfeitures to seize these drop houses.

Obviously it will take much more to fix our broken system, but this is one obvious and important step that Congress can take right now to make our communities safer.

I urge my colleagues to pass the Stop the Drop Houses Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of bipartisan legislation I introduced earlier today with my colleague Rep. Brian Bilbray of California: the Stop the Drop Houses Act.

Border States continue to pay a heavy price for the Federal Government's failure to secure the border and fix our broken immigration system. Arizona has been especially hard hit. More than half the illegal crossings across the U.S.-Mexico border happen in our State.

But this isn't just a crisis for communities along the border. This is a crisis in the interior--in places like Phoenix, where smugglers and Mexican cartels have set up vast networks of drop houses, which operate as way stations for criminal smuggling enterprises.

It has been estimated that there may be as many as 1,000 such drop houses in the Phoenix metropolitan area alone.

The crime associated with these drop houses is brutal and alarming. Phoenix now experiences upwards of 300 kidnappings a year.

I had the opportunity to visit a drop house in Phoenix yesterday, and I saw where smugglers had kept victims behind barred doors and windows while they extorted money for their release. I also visited another home in the same neighborhood, the site of a drug-cartel kidnapping, where smugglers had begun digging a grave for one of their captives, right there inside the house.

These violent thugs put innocent, law-abiding citizens at risk as well, when fights between rival cartels over smuggled cargo devolve into gunfire.

And these drop houses are everywhere. Living in an upscale neighborhood doesn't immunize you from their threat.

If there is anything more disturbing than these drop houses, it is the fact that we still have a loophole in Federal law that stops Federal authorities from using civil forfeiture to seize homes that are used as drop houses.

Under current law, civil forfeiture can be used to seize all kinds of other property used to facilitate smuggling crimes, such as vehicles or even airplanes. However, civil forfeiture cannot be used against the actual drop house, itself.

This just doesn't make sense.

That is why Rep. Bilbray and I have introduced bipartisan legislation to fix this. Our bill would close this loophole, and allow Federal prosecutors to use civil forfeiture to seize homes used as drop houses.

This is, of course, no substitute for the kind of comprehensive fix we need for border security and our broken immigration system. But this is one obvious, and vitally important step that Congress can take, right now, to make our communities safer.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the Stop the Drop Houses Act.

Mr. Speaker, I am troubled by recent press reports suggesting that the Justice Department has decided to sue to block Arizona's new immigration law, SB 1070. I believe this is the wrong direction to go. I believe the administration's time and efforts would be much better spent securing the border and fixing our broken immigration system. If there's one message that Washington should receive from the enactment of SB 1070, it is that Arizonans are fed up with waiting for the Federal Government to address this vitally important issue.

A lawsuit won't solve the problem. It won't secure the border and it won't fix our broken immigration system. Neither will boycotts, which are shortsighted and detrimental to our economic recovery. The only thing that protracted litigation will do is once again demonstrate to Arizonans that Washington just doesn't get it. It will embolden those on all sides who prefer to grandstand and score political points, instead of working toward real solutions. Arizonans are tired of grandstanding and tired of waiting for real help from Washington.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Charles Calleros on being honored by the State Bar of Arizona for his work in mentoring women and minorities. This award, the Committee on Minorities and Women in the Law Award, commends Mr. Calleros for his distinction and efforts on behalf of minorities and women in the legal field.

Mr. Calleros, a professor at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law located at Arizona State University, is deeply committed to promoting diversity in the legal field, both nationally and statewide. In 2005, he served as a member of the Minority Affairs Committee of the Law School Admissions Council, which strives to achieve diversity in law school applicants. In 2007, in collaboration with the Hispanic National Bar Association, Mr. Calleros started a mentoring program with the goal of reaching out to students before they graduate high school.

Calleros, who teaches Contracts, International Contracts, and Civil Rights Legislation, has been at ASU since 1981. In addition to his dedication to ASU, Mr. Calleros has been a visiting professor at Stanford Law School and at the University of Santa Clara. Each year, he also teaches a weeklong course in American Contract Law and International Law at the University of Paris.

Through all of these efforts, he strives to be a positive role model for Valley youth and students, and works to help them reach their full educational and leadership potential.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing and congratulating Charles Calleros for his valuable contributions to the Phoenix area.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Keith Burke of Tempe, the recipient of the Arizona Gang Investigators Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. Keith has dedicated the past 18 years of his career to the development of gang prevention programs in the city of Tempe. As a former mayor and lifelong resident of Tempe, and now my hometown's representative in Congress, I wish to congratulate Keith on this achievement and thank him for his efforts within our community.

Keith's commitment to the development of Escalante Community Center has made a tremendous positive impact on that neighborhood and the broader community. His dedication and leadership helped lead to the expansion of the Escalante Community Center, which has grown from 3,000 square feet to 37,000 square feet. These facilities operate as an essential tool to provide a safe and entertaining place for teenagers and children.

Through the center, Keith has established programs geared toward reducing gang-related crimes. His efforts at the Escalante Community Center have provided a model for similar community centers throughout Tempe.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Keith Burke, a truly valuable and inspirational member of our community, for earning this Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today once again to urge passage of a final bill to impose tough sanctions on Iran. A final bill is long overdue. The House passed the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act last year, and the Senate passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act in January.

Iran is not stopping its ruthless quest for nuclear weapons while Congress continues to deliberate. We simply cannot allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. We must act quickly and boldly to prevent that from happening. A nuclear Iran would not only pose a dire threat to Israel, a vitally important ally in the region, but to the United States as well.

We need to act, and we need to act now. I hope the conferees will complete their work quickly so that a final Iran sanctions bill can be enacted soon.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a distinguished member of the Armed Forces residing in my home state. In Arizona, Scottsdale Healthcare honors service members who perform diligent service to this country every month; for the month of May, they have recognized Captain (Retired) Stuart Alan Richards.

I commend Scottsdale Healthcare for paying tribute to this outstanding service member for his commitment, dedication and service to our country.

Captain Richards originally joined the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam era, but subsequently transferred to the Naval Reserve in order to attain a college degree as a Physician's Assistant. After receiving his degree, Captain Richards became a Warrant Officer in the Army National Guard, quickly rising to achieve the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3 after returning to the Naval Reserve. Captain Richard's final career change occurred in 1988 with his transition into the United States Public Health Service. Once there, he worked at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center where he was deployed numerous times to support medical efforts during the shootings at Red Lakes Reservation in Minnesota and hurricanes in Florida. After 31 years of federal service, he retired in 2006.

Today, Captain Richards continues his life's work of caring for the injured and sick as a Physician's Assistant with Scottsdale Emergency Associates who staff Scottsdale Healthcare's three Emergency Departments.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing this exceptional Military Officer for serving our country and caring for fellow service men and women in and out of combat.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ben Arredondo and his 16 years of service as a member of the Tempe City Council. I wish to thank him for his dedication to public service and look forward to seeing his future accomplishments within our community.

Councilmember Arredondo's contribution to Tempe has been both earnest and extensive. His years of teaching and service on school boards and the City Council have revealed him to be a fierce champion for improvement of education and commitment to our youth and to the community. As a former teacher and Mayor of Tempe, I respect and share Ben's commitment to public service and education, and wish to thank him for his tireless efforts and leadership.

Though Ben will be retiring from the Tempe City Council, his service to his community will surely continue in other capacities. Also, his family's legacy of service to Tempe will continue through his niece, Robin Arredondo-Savage, who was recently elected to the City Council. I am honored to call Ben a friend, and I wish him all the best in his next endeavor.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Ben Arredondo's 16 years of outstanding service as a member of the Tempe City Council.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Francisco ``Cisco'' Preciado, to whom the ``Star of Life'' medal, a national award which recognizes the country's most outstanding Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians, was re-presented.

Previously a member of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coastguard, Mr. Preciado started his career as a paramedic in 2005. His efforts established him as a dependable worker who was one of the best and brightest in his field. In 2009, his hard work under Southwest Ambulance was recognized in the form of the prestigious ``Star of Life'' medal. Preciado gave away his medal earlier this year, in a touching tribute to a friend and co-worker--EMT Mark Vernick--who was killed in a motorcycle collision. In what he thought was a private tribute, Preciado placed his medal in Vernick's casket.

I extended this honor again not only to commend his performance as a paramedic, but to pay tribute to the quality of his character. Mr. Preciado unselfishly placed his original medal inside the casket of his friend and co-worker, Mark Vernick. This action speaks to the strength of his integrity. It is for this reason that I offered Mr. Preciado a replacement ``Star of Life'' medal.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the presentation of the ``Star of Life'' medal to Mr. Francisco Preciado.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding group of chemistry students from Fountain Hills High School, who unofficially broke the Guinness World Record for most potatoes launched in three minutes.

The students in AP chemistry and honors-chemistry classes used savvy, creativity and teamwork to break an existing Guinness World Record. Although Guinness has yet to officially acknowledge the record, I am confident that the evidence is sufficient and that approval will be received shortly. One student, Fountain Hills junior Kyle Link, nearly doubled the previous record of potatoes launched in three minutes.

In all, seven different teams broke the record, demonstrating tactfulness in assembling their launchers. The students used applied lessons in engineering, technology, and chemical gas laws while constructing these devices.

I would also like to recognize Dr. Paul McElligott, head of the science department at Fountain Hills High School, for his leadership and instruction in the record-breaking feat. Along with breaking world records, Dr. McElligott is in contention to receive a prestigious Lemelson-MIT Grant worth $10,000 to fund his proposal regarding safety devices for handicapped patients. His dedication will inspire these students to aim to achieve greatness in their current and future endeavors. We need more fine educators like this man in our country.

I am honored to call Dr. McElligott and his students at Fountain Hills High my constituents. Madame Speaker, please join me in congratulating them on their World Record.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the recent grand opening of the Madison Street Veterans Transitional Housing Center, a shelter and service center for homeless veterans run by veterans.

The Madison Street Veterans Association is a group of formerly homeless veterans who banded together, first for their own safety, and over time became a grassroots non-profit model for veterans' homeless outreach nationwide. Their centers provide veterans with the

documents to apply for jobs, educational opportunities and government assistance. The MSVA mission is to encourage and prepare homeless veterans to become active and productive members of their community.

The veterans at the MSVA work tirelessly to get their fellow veterans back on their feet. The organization's early success stories include people like Bruce Roberts, an Army Airborne veteran who, after a family tragedy, struggled to stay employed and ended up homeless. After work with the association, Bruce now works for the organization as its public relations officer and is helping to end homelessness for others.

Madam Speaker, please join me once more in congratulating the Madison Street Veterans Association for the opening of its new transitional housing center.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Robin Arredondo-Savage on her recent induction as a member of the Tempe City Council.

Robin is a lifelong resident of my hometown of Tempe who has always been actively involved in our community. Previously the Chairman of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce and a small business manager, she has shown a commitment to the development of jobs and the growth of the economy in Tempe. Through this and her position as the President

of the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board, Robin has proven herself to be a strong and dedicated leader and public servant for her community and its youth.

Robin is also a U.S. Army veteran who served our nation with distinction. She has shown that same commitment and dedication in the many community boards, commissions and youth sports activities where she has volunteered her time. I am honored to call Robin a friend and I look forward to seeing what her future in public service brings to our community.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Robin Arredondo-Savage's induction as a member of the Tempe City Council.