Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of former Texas State Representative Paul Moreno.

Mr. Moreno was born on April 28, 1931 to Avelina Ramirez and Reyes Moreno, Sr. He grew up in El Paso, TX where he attended Bowie High School and then went on to serve in the Korean War as a member of the United States Marine Corps. Eventually, he graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a BBA and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas at Austin.

At the age of 22, Paul Moreno was paralyzed in an accident and left a quadriplegic. Despite this challenge, Mr. Moreno remained in good spirits and never lost his sense of duty. In 1967, Mr. Moreno would get elected to the Texas State House of Representatives. He eventually became the longest serving Hispanic official elected in the United States after 40 years of service. During his time in office, he gained a reputation for doing what was right and became known as the ``Conscience of the Texas House''.

As a member of the Texas State House of Representatives, Paul Moreno served as the first chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. Moreno later worked to help establish both the El Paso Legal Assistance Society and the Paso del Norte Tejano Democrats. Mr. Moreno was a valuable member of the Texas community and a very active, accomplished member of the state house.

Paul is survived by his only daughter, Annette Moreno-Alvarado, his three granddaughters, Innette, Evette (Nathan) and Amarette, great- grandchildren, Josiah Paul Trevizo and Ariah Navette Trevizo, Brother, Freddy (Carol) Moreno, Sister, Blanche Darley and numerous beloved nieces and nephews and family members.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize Paul Moreno.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Vicente V. Garza, of Laredo, Texas.

Vicente V. Garza was born on August 5th, 1931 to Vicente Garza, Sr. and Julieta V. Garza in Laredo, Texas. He graduated with honors from St. Augustine High School and then from St. Edwards University in 1951 with a degree in Business Administration. He would soon form many business relationships in Laredo and manage several retail stores and hotels throughout the area. Eventually, through hard work and dedication, he founded El Rio Department Store and contributed to the development of the Riverdrive Mall in Laredo, Texas.

A devoted Catholic and parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church, Vicente contributed to the Laredo Catholic Consolidation Fund. His film belief in the educational system led him to serve on the Laredo Community College Education Foundation Board, the Mary Help of Christians School Advisory Board, and sponsor various scholarship programs. Mr. Garza had been named Laredo Morning Times Man of the Year for his efforts.

Mr. Garza was successful both in business and in serving the community. He understood the importance of giving back to others. That is why he was committed to improving the education system. He wanted to ensure that those pursuing their education would have the opportunity to accomplish their ambitions. Mr. Garza's life and work serve as an example to us all.

Vicente is survived by his wife Irma, his daughter Irma P. Trautmann (Robert), siblings Ricardo Garza (Alma), Eduardo Garza, Violeta Zertuche (Ramon), Virginia Shuey (Rick), Juanita Fontaine, Julieta Averitt, and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize Vicente V. Garza.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Raquel Gonzalez, a business leader, community advocate, and role model for young Hispanic women.

Ms. Gonzalez was born on April 22, 1925 in Tampico, Mexico to Carmen and Jose Gonzalez, and was the second of seven children. She would attend San Juan Bosco and graduate from St. Augustine High School in Laredo, Texas. Ms. Gonzalez would begin her professional career directly out of high school at her father's automotive firm, J.B. Gonzalez Garage. Here she honed her sharp business skills, strong work ethic, community pride, and deep-rooted family values.

In 1975, Raquel Gonzalez and a group of investors founded the South Texas Abstract Company, later known as the Webb County Title and Abstract Company. Ms. Gonzalez became one of the nation's first female Hispanics to own and manage a successful title company.

As a strong advocate for education, Ms. Gonzalez ran for a trustee position at Laredo Community College in 1980 and served for 28 years with distinction. And in 2003, the LCC Trustees unanimously voted to name the new Automotive Technology Center in her honor. She would also receive countless community service awards during her lifetime including: the Congressional Certificate of Merit, Laredo Women's Hall of Fame, and Laredo Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the Year.

Throughout Ms. Gonzalez's career and life, her tireless work made Laredo a better place for her fellow citizens. She was a friend to all and selflessly gave to her community out of the goodness of her heart.

Raquel is survived by her siblings, Juan G. Gonzalez, Mercedes G. McPartland (Robert), sister-in-law Consuelo, nephews, Mariano E. Gonzalez (Alma), Jose Mariano Gonzalez (Elia), Guillermo X. Gonzalez (Eva), Bryan A. McPartland (Cara), Ricardo Gonzalez (San Juanita), Luis A. Gonzalez, David F. Gonzalez (Camilla), and Ruben Gonzalez; nieces, Ma. Cristina Gonzalez (Humberto), M. Alexandria ``Alex'' Starnes (Melvin), Jenifer M. Shaw (Edward), Griselda G. Palmer, Amparo M. Santos (Gerardo), Melissa Gonzalez, Laura M. Matz (Richard), and Elsa Gonzalez; and many grand-nephews, grand-nieces, great grand-nephews, and great grand-nieces.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize Raquel Gonzalez.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the ranking member for yielding her time, for her leadership, and for all the work she has done, and also our chairman, Mr. Frelinghuysen, for his leadership, and Chairman John Carter, one of our Texans, for bringing this important resolution to the floor.

This funding will help FEMA, which is running out of money, provide the immediate recovery and relief that we need in Texas and Louisiana. It is only a downpayment.

Normally, in rain events, we measure water in inches; during Hurricane Harvey, we measured it in feet. At the end, there were over 19 trillion gallons of water on the ground.

Hurricane Harvey killed at least 60 people, including Alonso Guillen, a DREAMer who drove over 100 miles to help rescue by boat those who first responders couldn't reach.

Those who were evacuated will soon come home to find their homes and their memories left behind in ruin by the floodwaters. The cost of the total damages will be in the billions. Many losses, however, will be priceless: pictures of family weddings, kids' soccer games, children's favorite toy, a daughter's prom dress, or an antique that has been passed through generations.

Yet, many heroes stepped up to open up their homes, their churches, and their businesses to house those evacuees. Those efforts highlight the fact that this is not a natural disaster, but it is a national disaster, and it requires a response.

I quickly want to thank the first responders and others at the local, State, and Federal levels who bravely and selflessly provided assistance, including our friends to the south, Mexico, that are sending over trucks and trucks of assistance.

Today, we stand together not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans. We speak in one voice, and we stand with Houston, east Texas, and Louisiana as we continue to do the rescue and the recovery.

And as Hurricane Irma comes over to Florida and the Southeast, we, again, stand together as Americans, one team.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the retirement of Supervisory Special Agent John ``Jack'' Morris, a Unit Chief with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who has proudly served the people of the United States in federal law enforcement for over twenty-nine years.

On August 8, 1988, after graduating from The New York State University College at Oneonta, Jack began a 29-year career with the legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service, and later HSI. As a Special Agent in New York City from 1988 until 2004, Jack earned the New York Law Enforcement Investigator of the Year Award in 2001 and the U.S. Attorney's Director's Award in 2002. In 2004, Jack was promoted to the position of Supervisory Special Agent in Newark, New Jersey, where he worked with distinction until accepting a position in 2010 at HSI Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Since moving to Washington, Jack has served in various HSI positions, including Program Manager, Section Chief, Special Assistant to the Director, and Chief of the Public Safety Unit. He was also a Congressional Detailee in my office where he worked on a variety of issues, including Immigration, Homeland Security, border issues, and constituent requests.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize and honor Jack Morris for his many years of service to the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Rodney R. Lewis, who has been proudly serving as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lewis Energy Group for more than 35 years.

Rodney R. Lewis was born in St. Louis, Missouri on July 13, 1954, but grew up in the city of Laredo, where he spent his summers working on his grandparents' ranch. He graduated from United High School in Laredo, Texas in 1972, and then from Texas A&M International University with a degree in criminal justice.

Rodney Lewis started his career in the oil industry in 1978 by working for Stampede Energy and the R.L. Burns Corporation. Eventually, through hard work and support from his family, Lewis became the proud owner of his own well, and in January of 1983, Lewis Petro Properties was created. Over its 35 years, Lewis Petro Properties grew into Lewis Energy Group, a fully integrated E&P company with its

own drilling rigs, frack spreads and completion services, sand plant, gathering system and rail.

Recently, Lewis Energy Group has undertaken many notable successes. In 2003, Lewis Energy entered into an agreement with Pemex to become the first American company to produce natural gas in Mexico, and in 2005, Lewis Energy Group expanded to become an operator in Colombia. Today, Lewis Energy Group is the fourth largest natural gas producer in Texas.

Outside of managing Lewis Energy Group, Lewis also serves on the board of the National Aerospace Museum, where he assists in fundraising efforts to keep the institution going.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize Rodney R. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Florentino ``Tino'' Duran.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Florentino Duran was an accomplished man. He persevered and managed to become Student Corps President, an ROTC Colonel, and editor of his high school newspaper. After high school, he served four years in the United States Air Force. Once he finished his service, Mr. Duran attended St. Mary's University and received a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in public administration.

Mr. Duran worked in a variety of capacities after graduating college. He served as executive assistant to both Mayor John Gatti and the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration. He also worked as executive director of the Bexar County Department of Housing, President of the National Association of Hispanic Publications of the United States (NAHP) and Vice President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio.

Later in Mr. Duran's career, he became general manager of a Dallas newspaper known as ``El Sol de Tejas''. He then became CEO and president of the ``Hispanic Informer''. In 1989, Duran and his loving wife Millie reintroduced the newspaper ``La Prensa'' as a bilingual publication reporting on San Antonio and the Hispanic community.

Mr. Duran's successful career brought numerous recognitions, including the 2002 Media Award, presented by the San Antonio Police Association; the 2006 Community Service Award from the San Antonio- Norte Chamber of Commerce; and the 2005 Henry B. Gonzalez Public Service and Integrity award, presented by the Department of Public Administration of San Antonio College.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize and honor the life of Florentine Duran of San Antonio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Alberto Patricio Cardenas of Laredo, Texas, who proudly served the people of Laredo in public and higher education for nearly forty-four years.

Alberto Patricio Cardenas was born on March 17th, 1937 in Laredo, Texas. After graduating from high school at the age of 16, Alberto began his studies at The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas where he would successfully graduate in four years with a degree in history and as a member of the Corps of Cadets.

After college, Alberto began a 13-year career with the Laredo Independent School District, where he taught students at Urbahn Elementary, Lamar Middle School, Nixon High School, and Martin High School. He earned his Master of Education degree from Texas A&M University and thereafter was recruited to be a faculty member of Laredo Junior College where he would meet the love of his life, Maria de la Luz.

Mr. Cardenas spent the next 31 years serving as a counselor and eventually Director of the Counseling and Assessment Center at Laredo Community College. He influenced thousands of students by helping them navigate their degree plans, personal challenges, and by teaching multiple courses. He also raised money for scholarships, organized school floats for parades, and counseled student organizations.

Mr. Cardenas lived a long and service filled life. Not only was he an accomplished educator, but a dedicated community leader. He served in the United States Air Force Reserve, on the Board of Directors and as President of the Laredo Boys & Girls Club, as President of the Laredo Chapter of the International Good Neighbor Council, and on the Laredo- Webb County Child Welfare Board. He also was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem for 15 years, achieving the rank of Knight Commander with Star.

Above all, Alberto was a committed husband and father to Maria de la Luz (Lucy) Rodriguez and their three children Cristina Doda, Alberto Jr., and Maradelle Lilliam.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize and honor Alberto Patricio Cardenas for his many years of service to the city of Laredo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Judge Alvin James ``Ben'' Morales, who proudly served the people of Laredo for more than 20 years.

Judge Ben Morales was born in 1950 in Taylor, Texas. He graduated from Taylor High School and joined the United States Army during the Vietnam War. After he was honorably discharged, Judge Morales completed his studies at Southwest Texas State University with a bachelor's degree in political science and history.

After college, Judge Morales married Liz Gamez. They then moved to Houston where he pursued a degree at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, graduating in 1979. After passing the bar exam Judge Morales moved his family to Laredo, where he started a career as an attorney before serving as a judge, a position he held for over twenty years.

Judge Morales was a widely respected and admired judge and individual. Among his many achievements, he launched Webb County's first-ever juvenile drug court program in 2013. He also served as a member of the American Judge's Association, as a Chairman of the Webb County Bail Bond Board, and as an Assistant Webb County Attorney. In 2014, Judge Morales retired, and he and his wife moved to Pflugerville to be closer to their daughters, friends, and extended family.

Judge Morales is survived by his loving wife Liz Morales and two daughters Marisa Morales and Raquel Leal.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize and honor Judge Morales for his years of service to the city of Laredo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Stephen Thomas Zamora, who proudly served the people of Houston, Texas, as a professor at the University of Houston Law Center for nearly thirty-six years.

Stephen Zamora was born on June 26, 1944, in Los Angeles, California. Steve graduated from Servite High School in 1962, and earned a B.A. from Stanford University four years later. It was there where he met and married his wife, Lois. Together, they worked for the Peace Corps for two years. Afterwards, Steve graduated first in his class with a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1972.

After law school, in 1973, Stephen served as a Postgraduate Fellow at the University Consortium for World Order Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. He would then practice international law at the World Bank in Washington D.C. from 1974 to 1978 before settling in Houston, Texas.

Mr. Zamora joined the University of Houston Law Center's faculty and served as the first dean of Hispanic origin from 1995 to 2000. He also dedicated his independent research at the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law to Mexican law and relations. For his work, he was awarded the highest distinction by the Mexican government to a foreign national, the

Order of the Aztec Eagle, in 2006. He continued to devote his time to his professional interests until 2015.

Mr. Zamora lived a long and service filled life. He was an accomplished educator, a role model to his students, and loving father and husband to his wife, Lois Zamora; his daughter, Camille Zamora, and her husband Thomas; grandsons Landon and Nate; and siblings Carol, Anita, John, Mary, Paula, and Tony; and his many nephews, nieces, aunts, cousins, and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize and honor Stephen Zamora for his many years of service

Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding.

I also want to thank the Appropriations chair from New Jersey and the staff, and also the ranking young lady from New York and the staff for being a bipartisan committee. The Appropriations Committee has been bipartisan.

While this bill before us is a step toward getting the job done of passing the appropriations bill before the end of the fiscal year, we know this is only the first step. We still have a lot more work to do.

I regret that the rule that we will take up tomorrow will likely include $1.6 billion for a wall. We who live on the border, we understand and we believe in border security, border security that is strong, sensible, common sense, and effective for the border. The wall is a 14th century solution to a 21st century challenge that we have.

The border wall is not the right solution for border security. Why?

Number one, private property rights. We believe in private property rights. In fact, there are some people that, for generations, have owned land along the border. I have several veterans that own land. In fact, there is one veteran in particular that buried his father--his father who served in World War II--and his family right along the riverbank. So if you put a wall, what is he going to do? Once you put the wall, how is he going to go visit the cemetery, the family cemetery along the border?

What about cattle, livestock? How are they going to have access to water along the river?

Number two, we have natural barriers along the Texas border. We have the rivers. You can see how the river snakes around. And what about the cliffs? Are you going to put a wall on top of this cliff? It just doesn't make sense.

Number three, what about taxpayers' dollars? Mexico is not going to pay for this wall. We know that the American taxpayer is going to pay for this, $1.6 billion for 74 miles out of the 1,954 miles that we have. That is $21.2 million per mile for this wall, compared to $1 million of technology we wanted to put, technology cameras, sensors, aerostats for border security.

And, oh, by the way, so $1.6 billion; all I need is $100, buy myself a good ladder, and we will take care of that wall. So, again, we have got to be smart about border security.

Number four, environmental concerns, we have concerns with regard to wildlife refuges.

What about the 40 percent out of the 11 million people that we have here who did visa overstays?

So you can put the biggest wall, but people are going to fly, are going to drive across the bridge, are going to get a boat into Houston and just stay over their time.

What about a cap analysis so we know what are the real needs that we have? That is number six.

What about number seven, Mexico is an ally? It is not an enemy. Every day we have $1.3 billion of trade with our friends to the south--every day, 1.3. That is over $1 million of trade every single minute, 6 million American jobs that we have because of the trade that we have with our friends to the south.

We need strong, commonsense border security, and I know this because I live on the border. I drink the water. I breathe the air. I understand this very well.

The border area is very safe. Use FBI stats. The murder rate in my hometown of Laredo is three murders per 100,000. Here in Washington, D.C., it is 24.5 murders per 100,000. So if you want to talk about dangerous, when I leave the border to fly over to Washington, this is the most dangerous thing about my job.

So the wall is a 14th century solution to a 21st century problem. I ask you to vote ``no'' on the border wall.

Again, I want to thank the Appropriations Committee for being bipartisan. This is only the first step.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Taco Palenque.

Taco Palenque opened on July 1st, 1987, with the purpose of serving delicious and authentic Mexican cuisine. Over its thirty years of existence, it has served some of the best food in all of South Texas. Founded by Mr. Juan Francisco ``Pancho''' Ochoa in Laredo, TX, Taco Palenque has seen much success. With over 1,500 employees and 21 locations across Texas, including in San Antonio, Laredo, McAllen, and Mission, Taco Palenque has shown to be a top-quality restaurant chain.

Offering everything from traditional tacos to homemade menudo, Taco Palenque never fails to provide excellent cuisine to Texans. The hard work and effort that is shown through Taco Palenque's cuisine speaks to the dedication of Mr. Ochoa, who always made sure to never serve any food that he does not personally like. This mindset has brought him many honors including The Chamber of Commerce's Laredo Businessman of the Year award. He has also been honored by the Texas legislature for his work and contributions to the restaurant industry.

His restaurants have also been recognized for their outstanding customer service which came through Mr. Ochoa's dedication to customer satisfaction. For Mr. Ochoa, no task is too small to preserve the famous taste of his restaurants. Regardless of the cost, customer satisfaction takes priority. This is one of the many reasons for Taco Palenque's ongoing success.

Taco Palenque is not just a thriving business but a family owned operation. From the outset, this organization would not have been possible without the help and expertise of Pancho's family members. Mr. Ochoa's wife, Flerida, was instrumental in helping to create some of Taco Palenque's most famous recipes. She worked tirelessly with Mr. Ochoa to perfect everything that is served. As the business expanded, his children took on several important roles in the business, including General Director of the company and manager of several different restaurants.

I would also like to note that Taco Palenque has supporters here in our nation's Capital. Over the last several years, my office has hosted ``Laredo Day'', a widely attended and bi-partisan reception that features the culture and cuisine of Laredo, TX. At this event we serve Taco Palenque which is often noted by our guests to be some of the best food that they have ever had. These guests include members of Congress, ambassadors, and cabinet officials. The food is so popular my office oftentimes has to limit the number of guests to the reception.

Taco Palenque does not limit itself to merely serving good food. Throughout Taco Palenque's existence, the restaurant has partnered with advocates and organizations that promote the well-being of the local community. As a sponsor of multiple youth sports teams and organizations, such as Mercy Ministries of Laredo, the Boys and Girls Club of Laredo, and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, community is clearly important to this establishment.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of Taco Palenque, my dear friend Pancho Ochoa, and all his staff.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Vela for yielding time to me and also Chairman McCaul and the folks who have been working on this particular bill.

CBP currently has a staffing deficit of 3,000 individuals for the uniform components, that is the U.S. Border Patrol, Office of Field Operations, Air and Marine Operations, which jeopardizes our national and our economic security.

This legislation does not cover ICE. CBP, Border Patrol, and Air and Marine. Nobody else. This has nothing to do with deportation.

Long before President Trump became a candidate for the office, Congress authorized CBP to hire an additional 2,000 officers. That was about 4 years ago. Chairman Carter, Michael McCaul, we authorized 2,000 officers. Up to now, Mr. Speaker, we have not been able to hire those 2,000 officers because of the polygraph exam.

In fact, 65 percent of those individuals who applied for CBP are rejected, which is twice the amount that you have for other Federal officers, FBI, DEA, when they take their polygraph. I am talking about polygraph exams.

Again, this does not cover ICE. What this bill actually does, it will strengthen CBP's efforts to secure our border by filling those positions. I represent Laredo, the largest inland port, 14,000 traders a day. They have been delayed because we don't have enough CBP officers, and we need to get them.

What this bill does, it does not lower the standards. I emphasize, it does not lower the standards. It streamlines the background investigation for a limited number of veterans, military officers, law enforcement. If you are a local law enforcement and you take a polygraph exam, then you can ask for this waiver. Or if you are a servicemember or a veteran with the highest background investigation, you can get a waiver. Or if you are current Federal law enforcement with the highest background exam, you can get a waiver. But, again, if somebody finds out those vetted individuals still need to take a polygraph, then you would take it.

Finally, the last thing to conclude is, Members, this is not the first time we have gotten a waiver.

If you look at the National Defense Authorization polygraph waiver language, CBP has already gotten requests for waivers. In fact, it has already been done. This is not the first time that we are doing this. It is already the law. It doesn't bring down the standards. It allows us to have more men and women at the border, and this is why I ask you to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 15th International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Mrs. Peggy Dietrick, a beloved artist and entrepreneur from Laredo, Texas.

Mrs. Dietrick was born on July 24th, 1924, to parents Adolph and Flavia (Branch) Dietrick in Salem, Illinois. Over the course of her career, she traveled throughout the world to perform. Her career led her to Las Vegas, where she performed for several years before ultimately moving to Texas. After moving to Laredo in 1965, Dietrick established the Laredo Beauty College, which is still in operation today.

An actress, musician and singer, Dietrick was unquestionably an instrumental force in the local theater community. She was involved in productions with the Laredo Little Theater, where she starred in many plays, performed with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra and was a patron of the Laredo Theater Guild International. Her dedication to the arts serves as a model that all should strive to emulate.

Serving others was at the heart of all that Dietrick did throughout her life. Her commitment to improving the lives of others, such as through helping people to find employment opportunities after graduating from the beauty college, exemplifies her passion for serving others. In addition, her commitment to the arts highlights her firm belief in the value of education for the public. Without a doubt, her life clearly demonstrates what it means to be a charitable and caring person.

Peggy is survived by her husband, John of St. Louis, Missouri; nephew, Michael Rhoads of San Antonio, Texas; niece, Deborah Dietrick; great-nephews, Christopher Holm (Ashley), Andrew Holm (Anne), Scott Holm (Susan) and Chad Rhoads; as well as many great-great nieces, nephews, other family members and countless friends. Both her family and the community as a whole will remember Peggy for her unforgettable charm, utter kindness and commitment to service.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the life of Mrs. Peggy Dietrick.