Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, my amendment to H.R. 4157 emphasizes the priority of funding grants which would improve access, coordination, and the provision of health care to the uninsured, underinsured, and medically underserved areas in both rural and urban areas in the State and in the country.

This amendment will add priority antiquated health system grant proposals which improve medical care access and health care by way of health information technology to patients in underserved rural and urban areas. In my district, which encompasses both rural and urban areas, I have seen the need for health IT to promote better health care and accessibility.

In some of my rural counties, citizens are faced with few health care options and in many cases, are forced to travel great distances to see doctors, specialists, and go to a hospital or care facility which can address their individual health needs. In my hometown of Laredo, Texas, a major South Texas urban area, there is a great need for health IT to better coordinate and provide the care to the uninsured and underinsured, and of course, the underserved patients.

Citizens in America's remote and rural isolated areas and urban areas, which often lack sufficient medical services, face very difficult challenges to access quality health care and treatment. New health information technology, including the health IT to be funded by grants to be integrated with the health care systems, and this particular bill, a bill that I support, lays the essential groundwork for a new era of sensibility and quality health care that all Americans deserve regardless of where they call home.

Mr. Chairman, I ask for favorable consideration of my amendment, and I believe this amendment is acceptable to Mrs. Johnson.

And I will work with your staff in conference committee to address those technical points. I am in agreement with that. I believe my staff has been working with your staff.

I thank the gentlewoman.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Ramon Ayala, one of the most accomplished norteno music legends, for his contribution as the headlining act at the Supply Our Students Concert on August 2nd, 2006.

Mr. Ayala was born on March 10th, 1945, and first began his love of norteno music at six years of age by playing the accordion in small Mexican towns. He then started his path to his success by forming the Los Relampagos Del Norte band in the 1960s that defined modern norteno music. He has performed over a hundred albums, each one completely distinctive in the musical style that is the trademark of Mr. Ayala.

Mr. Ayala also has received two Grammy awards for his music, and numerous other awards. He is known for his philanthropic involvement in the community of South Texas with underprivileged children and children with disabilities. Mr. Ayala has raised thousands of dollars for school supplies in the previous Supply Our Students concerts, and I commend him for his dedication to the education of our children in the great State of Texas. He is a truly exceptional musician and a role model for aspiring musicians.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to recognize the exemplary career of Mr. Ramon Ayala and his involvement with the Supply Our Students concert in the City of Laredo on August 2nd, 2006, and I thank you for this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Alfredo Zamora, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of South Texas Rural Health Services, Inc., for his exemplary leadership in providing healthcare to those living in rural areas in South Texas.

Alfredo Zamora, Jr. was born on June 19, 1941, to his Mexican- American migrant parents, Guadalupe Cantu and Alfredo Zamora. His family would travel to Wisconsin, and to the fields of Illinois to work the land there. After he graduated from Cotulla High School in 1961, he joined the United States Army, and received a honorable discharge in 1963, which allowed him to attend a teacher's college where he then continued his further education at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education in 1968.

He also received a fellowship in the Ford Foundation Leadership Development Program in 1969 that helped him learn how to become an effective leader in advocacy, community organizing, and political awareness. The leadership skills that Mr. Zamora learned was put to great use by becoming the first Mexican-American mayor of the City of Cotulla in the State of Texas. In 1972, Mr. Zamora was recruited to become Executive Director of SER-Jobs For Progress, an advocacy organization that helped represent Hispanics in Racine, Wisconsin. He also attended the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee where he received his M.S. in Supervision and Administration, and extensive study work towards his Ph.D. in Urban Education during his tenure with SER-Jobs For Progress.

In 1981, Mr. Zamora was hired as Chief Executive Officer of South Texas Rural Health Services, Inc., a community health center. He has successfully guided the organization from a singular site and a $250,000 operating budget to approximately $4.5 million worth of needed services to a multiple-county service area in South Texas. Mr. Zamora has spent his life working to help better the lives of those in his community, and I commend him for his commitment to South Texas and to improving rural healthcare services.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to recognize the wonderful dedication and commitment of Alfredo Zamora, Jr. to advocacy in the areas of healthcare and education for the City of Cotulla and to the rural community of South Texas, and I thank you for this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jose R. Coronado, Director of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, on his coming retirement on July 21st, 2006, from his years of Federal service and outreach to the veterans of South Texas.

Jose R. Coronado was born and raised in Benavides, Texas. He attended the Texas College of Arts and Industries at Texas A&M University- Kingsville, and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology/Chemistry. This was followed by a Masters of Science Degree in Education/Administration from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He began his long, illustrious Federal career when he was selected by the Veterans Administration through a national competition to attend the U.S. Army-Baylor University Graduate Program in Healthcare Administration where he earned his second Masters Degree in 1973. Mr. Coronado is also an Army veteran from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment where he served as a Battalion Operations Sergeant from 1953 to 1955.

His experience in the Army led him to his first position with the VA as an Administrative Officer in the Research Department of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in the City of Houston, Texas. This was the start of a long, illustrious career with the Veterans Administration, where he is now the Director of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in the City of San Antonio. He was responsible for a healthcare delivery system which has an annual budget of $404.4 million; three divisions, namely that of the Audie L. Murphy Division, the Kerrville Division, and the Satellite Clinic Division. The South Texas Veterans Health Care System is also affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, which enables it to

have an ambulatory care program with outpatient clinics in Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, San Antonio, and Victoria.

In addition to his lifelong involvement in the medical community, Mr. Coronado was honored as a member of the Senior Executive Service of the United States with three Presidential Rank Awards by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, and Bill Clinton. In addition to these prestigious awards, Mr. Coronado has received the Regent's Award in 2002 from the American College of Health Care Executives, the 1995 Ray E. Brown Award by the Association of Military Surgeons in the United States, and other numerous awards.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to recognize the wonderful dedication of Jose R. Coronado to the City of San Antonio and to the medical community of South Texas, and I thank you for this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rev. Thomas Byron Collins, who recently passed away on June 17, 2006. He was an instrumental part of Georgetown University, and was involved in a number of projects that helped raise the fundraising prowess of the university in securing funds for campus projects.

Father Byron Collins was born in the town of Bradford in the State of Pennsylvania on August 16, 1920. He attended Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, until the death of his father in 1938. He then returned back to Bradford where he entered the Society of Jesus at the Novitiate of St. Isaac Jogues in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. This was the start of a lifetime service as a Jesuit priest. Father Collins was appointed to Georgetown University in 1954, and in his first five years, he was the plant administrator, which included responsibility for construction on three campuses of the university. His ability in securing funds for these important projects and seeing them through was legendary. He was then appointed vice-president for business management in 1959. Georgetown University in the next 15 years saw an unprecedented rise in various campus construction projects than it had in the previous years. Georgetown became a pioneer among institutions of high

education in securing federal legislation shaped to meet its needs due to the tireless efforts of Father Collins.

Father Collins also was well-regarded in the Georgetown University community for his deep respect for all religions. He used to say that all major religions had ``a beauty and a truth.'' He never wanted religion to be a source of conflict but as a means of bringing people together. He has left behind a remarkable legacy, and without that legacy, Georgetown University would not have had the infrastructure needed to make it into one of the Nation's most prestigious centers of higher education.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to recognize the legacy of Father Thomas Byron Collins at Georgetown University.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Calaboose African-American Museum in San Marcos, Texas, for its role in representing the many historical achievements and contributions of African-Americans to the State of Texas in the past century.

The Calaboose African-American Museum is located in a small, modest building that was the first jail in Hays County. The Calaboose was built in 1973 during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War as a jail, and its function changed over the years to a United Service Organization office for African-American men in the World War II period. It was designated as a museum by the San Marcos City Council through a petition drive started by Johnnie Armstead, one of the San Marcos community leaders, in 1997. The museum was established to focus on the local African-American history in San Marcos.

The museum contains several exhibits, including one on the Buffalo Soldiers, who helped settle the Texas Frontier after the Civil War. It also profiles well-known citizens of San Marcos such as Eddie Durham, who was one of the preeminent musicians in the jazz era. Mr. Durham was born in San Marcos in 1906, and grew up in San Marcos, and then spent the rest of his life traveling through the United States and Europe until his death in New York City in 1987. He was also the inventor of the amplified guitar. His instruments can be seen in his exhibit at the Calaboose African-American Museum in San Marcos.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to honor the Calaboose African-American Museum for its role in recording the history of the African-American community in the City of San Marcos in the great State of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the San Marcos Manufacturers' Association (SMMA) on its' twenty-five years of community service and economic development.

The San Marcos Manufacturers' Association was formed on October 11th, 1981 to provide a forum for local industry to communicate common needs, problems and objectives. The association is made up of local member companies including: Goodrich; Butler; CenturyTel; CFAN; Chatleff Controls; Gulf Business Forms, Inc.; Hadco/Genlyte Thomas; Mensor Corporation; Parkview Metal Products Inc.; Stellar; T.B. Woods; TXI Hunter Cement; Thermon; WideLite Genlyte Thomas; Heldenfels Enterprises, Inc.; Ember Industries, Inc.; Pavestone Company; Grande Communications; and HEB Distribution Center. Associate members include: San Marcos Chamber of Commerce; Economic Development San Marcos; Texas State Department of Technology; McCoy College of Business; Gary Job Corps Community; Central Texas Medical Center; City Manager; Hays ClSD; and San Marcos ClSD.

The San Marcos Manufacturers' Association is well-known for its close ties to the community by working closely with several educational institutions such as the Texas State University at San Marcos, San Marcos ClSD, Hays lSD, and with local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the city of San Antonio, TX Workforce Centers, Economic Development San Marcos. Seven annual scholarships are provided by the San Marcos Manufacturers' Association to graduates of Gary Job Corps, San Marcos High School, and two scholarships for Texas State University.

One excellent example of the great community involvement by the San Marcos Manufacturers' Association is found in its contributions to the United Way of Hays County. Many members of the association serve on boards of various community and civic organizations, and are committed to Economic Development of San Marcos, and work as a team to improve the working conditions, environment and quality oflife for new and existing industries.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to honor the leadership of San Marcos Manufacturers' Association in community service and economic development for San Marcos and the surrounding communities

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Ryan and Ranking Member Spratt.

I am a cosponsor of this legislation because my belief and my experience show me that this is an effective tool to restoring accountability in our government. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a good starting point to begin the process of eliminating wasteful spending in government.

This bill gives the President the latitude to recommend that appropriations, direct spending, or tax breaks be cut. These items are commonsense in nature and cross party lines. A spending item is as eligible for cancellation as a tax break. The items that are eligible for cancellation or rescission send a clear message to our constituents that we are serious about government accountability.

Common misperception holds that the President has the final say on items that he wishes to eliminate, but this is not correct. Under this legislation Congress has the final say. The President can recommend, but it is up to Congress to vote up or down on his particular cuts. Congress retains the power to say ``no.'' There is no threat to our constitutional powers of the purse.

To address the concerns that the line item veto is a political tool, I urge my colleagues to keep in mind that neither party has a monopoly on the executive

branch. While the President is of one party today, this can certainly change tomorrow.

I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill that helps restore accountability in Washington and restores the faith of our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joseph De La Cruz, owner of the NAPA Auto Parts Store in Laredo, Texas, on his being selected as a recipient of the Distinguished Business Awards by the Laredo Development Foundation's Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

As a young man, Joseph De La Cruz worked at an automotive parts store, and the auto parts industry intrigued him with the vast types of automotive parts needed to keep with the constantly changing marketplace. During this time frame, Mr. De La Cruz received a grant from the United States Government which enabled him to attend college upon the condition that he work for the Government for a period of at least five years. After almost twenty-five years of federal service, Mr. De La Cruz retired in 1998.

Mr. De La Cruz renewed his interest in the automotive parts industry by exploring the purchase of an existing NAPA Auto Parts Store along with his son, Joseph De La Cruz II. The project was discussed with Albert De Llano of Commerce Bank, a preferred Small Business Administration Lender. Together, with technical support from Business Development Specialist Gladys Rangel of the Laredo Economic Development Foundation SBDC, the dream became a reality. Shortly after the purchase of NAPA Auto Parts Store, he increased the stock inventory, hired more employees, increased marketing, and all these initiatives established the infrastructure for success. After one year in operation, the store achieved a sales increase of 116%, making Mr. De La Cruz one of the leader in the auto industry in Laredo, Texas.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to honor Mr. De La Cruz, owner of NAPA Auto Parts Store in Laredo, Texas, in recognition of his selection as a recipient of the Distinguished Business Awards.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Angelica Cantu, a certified public accountant with Garza, Martinez & Co., P.L.L.C., in Laredo, Texas, on her being selected for the Distinguished Business Award by the Laredo Development Foundation's Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Cantu, in her current position as a certified public accountant with Garza, Martinez & Co., P.L.L.C., is known for her professionalism in accounting and client relations with those in the business community in the City of Laredo, Texas. Prior to her current position, Ms. Cantu was a senior accountant with Baum, Mejia & Co., P.L.L.C. She has shown extensive knowledge in the areas of payroll, tax, and audits through 11 years of experience in the accounting field. She graduated from Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in December 1993.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to honor Ms. Cantu, one of the valued members of Garza, Martinez & Co., P.L.L.C., in recognition of her selection as a recipient of the Distinguished Business Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ruben Garibay, owner of R.T.T. Automotive dba A-1 Auto Stop Super Center, on

his being selected as a recipient of the Distinguished Business Award by the Laredo Development Foundation's Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Garibay is widely recognized by the business community in Laredo, Texas, for his strong commitment to his business and the community. He is responsible for over 60 employees at his business, and R.T.T. Automotive dba A-1 Auto Stop Super Center recently finished out the year with over $7 million dollars in total sales revenues. Due to his entrepreneurship in the automotive industry, he has previously received the 1999 SBA Small Business Person of the Year for the San Antonio District, the first from Laredo to win the award, and the youngest recipient to date.

Mr. Garibay attended the University of Texas at San Antonio and pursued a career in mechanical engineering. During the summer of his sophomore and junior years of college, Ruben began his career in the automotive industry as an automotive technician at Automotive Surgeons of San Antonio, and was an integral part of the company until his departure in 1990. He returned to Laredo, Texas, with the plan of owning his own business and bringing modem technology to the automotive repair industry. He opened R.T.T. Automotive dba A-1 Auto Stop in 1991, which has become one of the top three auto repair facilities in Laredo. Mr. Garibay then took ownership of several trailer repair facilities, expanding his business further.

Ruben Garibay is married to Tina Fasci Garibay and has two children, Abigail and Isaac. The Garibay family is known for their generosity and community involvement. They are involved in many charitable organizations such as the March of Dimes, The Make a Wish Foundation, The Laredo Medical Center Senior Circle, The United Way, the Christmas Angel Wish, and the Thanksgiving Programs for Webb County.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to honor Ruben Garibay, owner of R.T.T. Automotive dba A-1 Auto Stop Super Center, in recognition of his selection as an recipient of the Distinguished Business Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael Hall, editor of Laredo Morning Times Business Journal, on his being selected as a recipient of the Distinguished Business Awards by the Laredo Development Foundation's Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Hall is widely recognized by the business community in Laredo, Texas, for his work with the Laredo Morning Times Business Journal in covering all aspects of business in the City of Laredo and Webb County for the past 2 years. He is responsible for the weekly publication, ensuring the quality of the writing, editing, photography, and the layout and design of the publication. Due to his quality of work in journalism, he has previously received the 2004 Jim Parrish Media Award by the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, the 2004 Special Recognition Award for Print Media by the South Texas Workforce Development Board, and the 2002 Brownsville Herald All-Star Award.

Mr. Hall graduated from Ball State University in May 1979 with a bachelors degree in

photojournalism, and a masters degree in electronic journalism in May 1983. Shortly after graduation, he went into education where he taught at the Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District in Los Fresnos, Texas, from August 1999 to May 2000. He also was a teacher with Brownsville Independent School District in Brownsville, Texas, from August 1992 to June 1999. After leaving the education field, he joined the staff of the Brownsville Herald newspaper as copy editor in Brownsville, Texas. He was responsible for page design for daily pages, the Valley Business section and the cover of Valley/State section. Mr. Hall also has worked as a reporter, writer, and photographer for several weekly and daily publications in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to honor Michael Hall, editor of the Laredo Morning Times Business Journal, in recognition of his selection as a recipient of the Distinguished Business Awards.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Roxanne I. Vedia, Business Services Coordinator for the South Texas Workforce Development Board, on her being selected as a recipient of the ``Women in Business Champion of the Year'' award by the Laredo Development Foundation's Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Vedia, in her position as Business Services Coordinator for the South Texas Workforce Development Board, oversees the planning, promotion, and implementation of several initiatives that have helped small businesses to develop and prosper in South Texas. Prior to her work as Business Services Coordinator, Ms. Vedia served as a campus service manager for Communities In Schools, a program designed to help reduce the high school drop-out rate. She also previously taught secondary science education for the Laredo Independent School District.

Due to her extensive involvement in several business organizations such as Laredo Business & Professional Women, Financial Women International, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, she has established a philosophy of helping increase business opportunities for women through her present position. Ms. Vedia understands the importance of what it is to be a businesswoman, and it is for this reason she is selected to be a recipient of the ``Women in Business Champion of the Year'' award.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to honor Ms. Vedia, Business Services Coordinator for the South Texas Workforce Development Board in Laredo, Texas, in recognition of her selection as a recipient of the ``Women in Business Champion of the Year'' award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lula Morales, owner of Lula Morales Realty Inc., on her being selected ``2006 Laredo Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Business Person of the Year'' by the Laredo Development Foundation's Small Business Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Morales, a native of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, came to Laredo by way of San Antonio where she attended Incarnate Word High School and Incarnate Word College where she met her husband, Richard Morales in 1989. She has pioneered the way for women in the commercial real estate industry by harnessing the bounty of international trade and investing in economic growth in the city of Laredo in the great State of Texas. She first started out by selling properties but she soon discovered her passion for commercial real estate by developing Regency Park.

Ms. Morales is one of the pillars of the real estate industry in Laredo, Texas, and she helped in the unprecedented economic growth of Laredo through her company, Lula Morales Realty, Inc. Her willingness in reaching her goals by helping others achieve their dreams of owning their own homes or businesses, and going the extra mile for her clients have brought her to where she is today as the 2006 Laredo Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Business Person of the Year.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to honor Ms. Morales, owner of Lula Morales Reality, Inc., in Laredo, Texas, in recognition of her selection as the 2006 Laredo Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Business Person of the Year.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage in a colloquy with Chairman Knollenberg on this particular issue.

First of all, I want to thank the chairman and I want to thank the ranking member, Mr. Olver, for their hard work on this particular bill. I also appreciate this opportunity to speak to Chairman Knollenberg on this issue that is very important to my congressional district.

My congressional district abuts the U.S.-Mexico border, which is very dependent on trade. Interstate Highway 35, the ``NAFTA Corridor,'' runs from Laredo in my district, throughout the San Antonio area, all the way up to San Marcos, all three areas which are large population centers.

Zapata County, which is in my district, is sandwiched between Webb County and Starr County, both Border Commercial Zones. Zapata is not currently designated a Border Commercial Zone, and consequently it loses out on economic development opportunities since Mexican trucks cannot conduct business in Zapata County. The Zapata business community has been asking for this designation. This area of the country is economically challenged, and the opportunity to engage in trade with Mexico will make a big difference in local business community development.

For example, the Zapata County master plan initiative includes an airport expansion project that includes a cargo facility and will offer shorter, direct flights into Zapata from Monterrey, Mexico. Freight companies in Mexico have expressed a desire to build warehouses and open a facility. In order to get a commercial zone, it takes an application process, but it is a long, burdensome process for a goal that is quite simple.

I am asking for your help, Mr. Chairman, to expedite Zapata County's application to be designated a Border Commercial Zone. Getting this locality on the fast track will be good for the local residents and businesses in this area for economic development.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your support to help Zapata County apply for and expedite the process to become a Border Commercial Zone, and I thank you for the opportunity.

I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

I thank the chairman.