Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following letter in support of H.R. 6, The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019.

Association of Jesuit

Colleges & Universities (AJCU),

May 31, 2019.

Hon. Henry Cuellar,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Cuellar: I write to you, an alum of one

of our nation's Jesuit colleges and universities, in support

of H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, as it was

amended by the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month.

This is important legislation that clearly reflects the

values of Jesuit institutions across the country.

The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU)

stated in 2016:

``Grounded in our Catholic and Jesuit mission, we are

guided by our commitment to uphold the dignity of every

person, to work for the common good of our nation, and to

promote a living faith that works for justice. We see our

work of teaching, scholarship and the formation of minds and

spirits as a sacred trust.

That calls us to labor for solidarity among all people, and

especially with and for the poor and marginalized in our

society. That trust calls us to embrace the entire human

family, regardless of their immigration status or religious

allegiance. And experience has shown us that our communities

are immeasurably enriched by the presence, intelligence and

contributions of undocumented students, as well as of faculty

and staff of every color and from every faith tradition.''

That statement went on to reaffirm our commitment to the

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Likewise, its principles lead us to strongly support passage

of H.R. 6, which would finally provide lawful permanent

resident status, and a pathway toward citizenship for the

Dreamers who are very much a part of Jesuit campus

communities across the nation. The presence of those young

people on our campuses has enabled us to come to know and

admire them. They have long considered the United States

their home and, in fact, many of them have hardly any

recollections of the countries where they were born. These

individuals are pursuing or have successfully completed at

least two years of higher education, served in our military

or been steadily employed.

Simply put, we cannot imagine not wanting these individuals

to remain a part of our country. Under provisions of H.R. 6,

those who qualify for the program cannot have committed a

felony or other serious crimes and can pose no threat to

national security or public safety. These individuals are

contributing to our society and our economy. They work and

pay taxes. Indeed, they have lived their lives as Americans,

but with the exception of having the legal status that they

well deserve. For too long, they have had to live with

uncertainty. With your help, by voting for H.R. 6, Congress

will have taken a major step to remedy that situation.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Sheeran, S.J.,

President, Association of Jesuit

Colleges and Universities.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Gus Garcia, Austin, TX's first Hispanic mayor and the first Hispanic to serve on the Austin school board.

Mr. Garcia was born in Zapata, TX and moved to Laredo when he was ten years old. After serving in the Army, he utilized the GI bill to afford college and graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in accounting. Later, he would become a Certified Public Accountant and eventually start his own firm. While searching for housing in Austin, he and his wife, Marina, were subject to discrimination in neighborhoods around the university. He also faced professional challenges from those still reluctant to hire a Hispanic accountant. These experiences led Mr. Garcia into the realm of politics and shaped his commitment to representing Hispanics in Austin, TX.

Mr. Garcia served as a member of the Austin School Board, city council, and, eventually, as the Mayor of Austin. His colleagues remember him as a dedicated and industrious civil servant who always inspired those around him through his tireless efforts. The Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy, a middle school in East Austin, was named in honor of his groundbreaking career.

Mr. Garcia is survived by his three sons, five grandchildren, and wife, Marina. However, he will be remembered by countless others for his commitment to civil rights and a career that changed the face of politics in Austin.

Madam Speaker, Melisa D. Montemayor was born in Duval County, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in biology.

Mrs. Montemayor served the state of Texas for 29 years, including the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Mrs. Montemayor also worked as the Laredo District Advance Transportation Planning Director and managed long- range and short-range transportation planning for the district. She also arranged transportation improvement plans with the Laredo Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Through her extensive work with local and federal legislators, consulting firms, and fellow TxDOT staff, she developed essential projects for Laredo and the state of Texas. For her efforts she received the U.S. Department of Transportation's ``Design for Transportation 2000 National Award'' and the Texas Department of Transportation Environmental Achievement Award.

Mrs. Montemayor's involvement has been essential to the Laredo community. I have confidence that she will continue to aid her community in any way she can and I wish her well on her retirement. Today, Mrs. Montemayor lives in Laredo, Texas with her husband, Adrian, and their daughter, Ari.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Mrs. Montemayor and her outstanding career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez Cigarroa.

Dr. Cigarroa was born in San Antonio but soon moved with his family to Laredo, Texas. From an early age, he knew that medicine was going to be his calling and devoted himself to academics.

He graduated as valedictorian from his class at Martin High School, then went off to attend the University of Texas and then Harvard Medical School, where he received his medical degree. He was the first Harvard University medical student from the Texas-Mexico border.

After graduating, Dr. Cigarroa served his country as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Medical Corps before returning to Laredo and practicing medicine.

Dr. Cigarroa made a dramatic impact on education, not only in Laredo but across the State of Texas, and also in healthcare.

He will be fondly remembered for his commitment to education, healthcare, and a career that changed the way of life for so many people.

Dr. Cigarroa is survived by his wife, Barbara Judith Raymond Flores; their children: Patricia, Barbara, Francisco, Ricardo, Jorge, Carlos, Gabriella, Joaquin, Maria-Elena, and Marisa--10 children; and, again, by so many grandchildren and so many great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to honor the life of Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Efrain Jesus ``E.J.'' Laurel.

Mr. Laurel was born and raised in Laredo, Texas. He began his career as a U.S. Customs agent and later became a DEA agent. He eventually served Webb County Precinct 4 as a constable and briefly served as Chief of the Laredo Police Department before leaving in 1991.

Mr. Laurel's colleagues considered him an intelligent, accomplished, and passionate worker. He was revered by many in his community for his hard work and dedication to the citizens of Laredo. He truly loved working in law enforcement and was well-respected in the field. Mr. Laurel had also earned a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and was said to have a great knowledge of historical facts. He had many interests and passions including the Houston Astros.

Mr. Laurel is survived by his children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren, siblings, and mother-in-law. He was a beloved father, friend, and public servant. He was a well-respected hero in his community and leaves a legacy of serving his country and protecting those at home throughout his career of more than four decades.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Gabriel ``G.E.'' Martinez.

Mr. Martinez proudly served his country during the Vietnam War, spending four years stationed in Thailand and Vietnam. He received

various awards for his many acts of service including the National Defense Medal, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, the Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon, and the Vietnam Service Medal.

After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Martinez continued serving the American people as a police officer and was eventually promoted to Sergeant for the Laredo Police Department (LPD). He eventually retired after many years of service with the LPD and worked as a court security officer in Webb County and later in the Webb County Tax Assessor-Collector's Office.

Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize our military and police officers and all those that bravely serve our country. Mr. Martinez is one example of the many men and women who have proudly served and protected others throughout their careers. He was admired and respected by many and his legacy lives on through his professional accomplishments and family.

Mr. Martinez was a loving father and husband. He is survived by his wife Beva Rivera, their five children, twelve grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. His commitment to public service lives on through his two sons, Pat and Benito Martinez, who are officers for the Laredo Police Department.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Mr. Carlos Jose Carranco, Sr.

Mr. Carranco was born and raised in Laredo, TX. He attended Martin High School and eventually served as a combat infantryman during World War II. He proudly served his country and was honorably discharged in May of 1946.

After the war, Mr. Carranco graduated from Laredo Junior College before attending Texas A&I, known today as Texas A&M University- Kingsville, where he received his bachelor's degree in education and master's degree in education administration. Mr. Carranco later made an impact educating his local community for 42 years as a secondary school teacher and at Laredo Community College. He also served as a Principal at both Thomas Sanchez Elementary School and Santa Maria Elementary School in Laredo; together comprising 26 years of his educational career.

Mr. Carranco was a well-respected individual who led a life of service. He was a steward of the Laredo community through teaching and helping others reach their full potential. His dedication to others demonstrates what it really means to be an American.

Mr. Carranco is survived by his wife of 15 years, Bessie Lee Carranco, his brother Antonio Carranco, as well as several children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Herbert Kelleher.

Mr. Kelleher was born in Camden, New Jersey to Ruth and Harry Kelleher. He attended Wesleyan University and received his bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Philosophy. At Wesleyan, he was an Olin Scholar and president of the student body. He later attended law school at New York University where he was a Root-Tilden Scholar. He and his wife eventually moved to Texas, where he co-founded Southwest Airlines and helped build one of the world's largest and most successful airlines.

As CEO and Executive Chairman of Southwest Airlines, Mr. Kelleher, was known as a witty, inspiring, and compassionate leader and friend. He also valued his employees above all else and never laid off a single worker. He received many honors and awards including

CEO of the year and even CEO of the century by Texas Monthly Magazine. He was well-known within the business and financial world and received awards such as the Bower Award for Business Leadership from the Franklin Institute. He is also remembered through scholarships named in his honor such as the Herbert D. Kelleher Servant Leader Scholarship. Mr. Kelleher also played a role on many boards such as the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the National Air and Space Museum, and the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

Mr. Kelleher, often referred to by his first name Herb, was also dearly loved by his family. He is survived by his wife, Joan Negley Kelleher, whom he met while attending school at Wesleyan University. They were married for sixty-four years and had four children. He is survived by three of his children, Michael Kelleher, David Kelleher and Ruth Agather. He is also lovingly remembered by nine grandchildren, who called him ``Poppair''.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly thank Chairwoman Lowey for her leadership and the staff on both the Republican side and the Democratic side for working so hard.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairwoman Roybal-Allard, Ranking Member Kay Granger, and, of course, all the members, the conferees, who worked so hard to come up with this bipartisan, bicameral spending package. The conferees worked together to make sure that we seek an acceptable funding solution for the different sides we have.

Now, what do we have here? It is a matter of vision. There are some people who see the border as a crisis, and I respectfully disagree with them. There are some of us who live on the border who see the border as a place of community, opportunity, where we raise our families, where we send our kids to school, and where we have trade and tourism.

In that place called the border, I will tell you that if you look at crime rates, the border crime rate is lower than the national crime rate. I am not going to pick any selective cities, but I can tell you that I can pick any city, and the crime rate in the cities of some of my colleagues are higher than the border crime rate that we have.

We came up with a balance between what those two visions were. What we did is we found a way to provide technology at ports of entry, found a way to balance border security, but, at the same time, provide security.

On the border, we don't believe in open borders. We want to see smart border security, and I think that is what this bill does. We were able to get together. It is a bill that provides funding not only for border security, but, keep in mind, there are six other bills that provide money for agriculture, transportation, education, and healthcare.

For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to vote ``yes'' on this conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I live on the border, and we have to understand that, every day, there is about $1.3 billion of trade between the U.S. and Mexico. That is a lot of jobs that are being created on this side.

When you look at the Mexicans who come over and shop, one out of every four international tourists will be people from across the river. That is over $20 billion that is spent on the U.S. side in hotels, restaurants, and many other places. Those are jobs over here.

We want to see strong border security, but, again, we have to make sure that we find the balance between legitimate trade and tourism. The way to do that is to look at technology that has worked for the military that can work for us on the border and hire the right number of Border Patrol and CBP officers. If we do that, we can find a way to find the balance between legitimate trade and tourism, and I ask you to please consider that as we debate border security.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairwoman Roybal-Allard for her leadership on the Homeland Security Subcommittee, and for her ideas

on how we secure the border. I also want to thank the ranking member, my friend from Tennessee; the full committee ranking woman, Kay Granger, for the work that she has done; and our leader, Mrs. Lowey, the chairwoman of the full committee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this joint resolution to reopen the government and the Department of Homeland Security. As we have said all along, we must first open up the government, and we can negotiate. We have always done that. We have always kept the government open and then we negotiate. We are doing this so the Federal employees do not suffer.

It has been 34 days since the government shutdown, far surpassing any other previous record. That means that it has been 34 days that 800,000 Federal employees have not received pay.

I live at the border. I don't just go and visit the border. I drink the water. I breathe the air. I talk to Border Patrol agents almost every day. I have talked to CBP officers every day. I talk to TSA officers. I talk to other folks, and they are doing absolutely critical work to keep us safe, but not receiving a salary.

Open up the government. Imagine trying to patrol the border or keep airline passengers safe without receiving a single dime for the last 34 days. You might be concerned about not being able to pay your mortgage, your car payment, food, and medicine. Your kids are going to school. That is what is going through the heads of those Federal employees at the border. I have talked to them, and we need to make sure that we open up the government.

The American public is ready for President Trump to put an end to this crippling shutdown. Let's keep the facts in mind. The President continues to reject any sort of compromise. We are ready. We are appropriators. We can sit down and work this out. I know we can. We have done it in the past.

What I want to make sure is that we don't hold the Federal employees hostage for a 14th century solution to a 21st century problem that we are looking at.

In Texas, we have natural barriers. Look at this, in west Texas, you have got probably over 100 feet of barriers up there. These are the natural barriers. Tell me how somebody is going to cross this natural barrier that we have.

If you look at the southern part of Texas, you have a river. Private property rights are important. Tell me how you are going to cross over this river. Are you going to put a wall here and cut off people from their property that they have owned for so long? How are you going to do this?

All I need is a $100 ladder to cross that particular area, or you can dig under with a tunnel.

Listen to the latest drug case in New York. What are the bad guys saying there? They can either go under through a tunnel, or they can use a catapult. They can use a ladder. They can use other things.

We want to make sure that we secure the border. I live on the border. I want to make sure we secure the border, but let's do it the right way. Now, if you want to stop people from coming in, remember, 67 percent of the people who are here illegally, how do they come here? Through a legal visa.

So even if you put up a wall, they are going to fly over, they are going to drive to a bridge, or they are going to go ahead and come through on a ship. Keep in mind, most of those visa overstays, do you know where they are from? Canada.

Now, I am not asking you to look at the northern border to put up a wall, but I am saying Canadians. Look at the facts. So if you want to stop drugs, just like the chairwoman said, DEA, CPB, the National Drug Threat Assessment, they will tell you that most drugs come through ports of entry, either in car compartments, in trunks, in trains, or other ways.

So even if you put up a wall, they are going to go in. What we do is, we have got to make sure that we put canines at our bridges, make sure we have enough CBP officers, and make sure we have X-ray machines.

Look at Laredo, my hometown. We get 15,000 trailers a day. We need to put technology there. We need to put canines there. We need to put in CBP officers to make sure that we work on securing our border.

Everybody talks about a crisis. In 2001, we had about 1.6 million individuals that Border Patrol stopped. Now it is 398,000. Look at what happened. The numbers have gone down.

And if you want to talk about safety, our security, I will tell you that my hometown of Laredo is about three or four times safer than we are here in Washington, D.C.; murder rates, assaults, rapes, name all of the violent crimes, it is safer there.

Mr. Speaker, the most dangerous thing that I do is leave the border to come to Washington, D.C. I am not talking about the politics. I am talking about, it is more violent here.

So what should we do? Let's open up the government. Let's sit down, advocate for 21st century solutions, technology, increase personnel. We are losing more Border Patrol. What do we do? What does the administration do? They put a $297 million contract out to show them how to hire Border Patrol. They just put out a $14.8 million payment to hire two--two--two Border Patrol agents for almost $15 million.

Increase personnel, increase the infrastructure at our ports of entry, and increase immigration judges. We have been increasing immigration judges for the last 3 years. This is nothing new. We have been doing that.

Again, one of the most important things, do we play defense on the 1- yard line, where we spend $18 billion at the U.S. border? Or do we play defense on the 20-yard line, which is working with the southern part of Mexico, where we put $80 million a couple of years ago? And what happened? They started stopping 220,000 individuals a year, a lot of people who are coming in, and putting money in Central America, which we have done before, to do that.

So, again, given the facts, I just call upon our friends: open up the government; let's negotiate. We are appropriators. I feel very confident if we open up the government and we sit down, we will find a solution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Dallas ``Dally'' Leon Willis--a husband, father, and friend.

Dallas Leon Willis was born in Dallas, Texas to Eunice Williams Willis and John Albert Willis. Mr. Willis joined the United States Marine Corps on October 6, 1941, after graduating from Cleburne High School. His duties during his military service included an assignment as a tail-gunner on a B-24 Liberator. Additionally, he served as a photography specialist, a role in which he helped map the South Pacific. Over time, he rose through the ranks to become Master Technical Sergeant before concluding his time with the Marine Corps on November 13, 1945.

He then worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, now known as AT&T. His leadership skills led him to join the Communication Workers of America (CWA) as the organizer ofthe annual Labor Day celebration in Odessa, Texas. He later assumed a legislative lobbyist position for CWA, during which he was instrumental in the passage of landmark telecommunications legislation. For his efforts, Mr. Willis was selected for the Texas AFL-CIO Labor Hall of Fame in 2015.

Mr. Willis was one of the most admired people to ever walk the halls of the Texas State Capitol. He was an individual who was always helpful. I recall when I joined the Texas Legislature, I could go to him for advice. In a resolution, the Texas Senate recognized him as the Dean of Texas Lobbyists.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present H.R. 1210, which will re-name the post office facility located at 122 W. Goodwin Street, Pleasanton, Texas, as the ``Pleasanton Veterans Post Office.'' This bill will show our appreciation for the veterans of Pleasanton, Texas, and ensure their service and sacrifices to our country is not forgotten.

Across my district, fine men and women of all walks of life have honorably served our country. It is critical that we honor their service and dedication to our nation. Pleasanton alone is home to over 600 veterans. Dedicating this post office to our veterans will serve as an enduring reminder of the sacrifices that our friends, neighbors, and family made while serving their country. These individuals put country ahead of self, and I am proud to recognize them with the dedication of this post office facility.

Today, I acknowledge the service of Judge Robert ``Bob'' L. Hurley of Pleasanton, TX. Judge Hurley served in the United States Air Force as a medic and eventually rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was NCOIC of the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Medical Clinic--Medical Records and Appointments Department. After the completion of his service, he moved back to Pleasanton. He later became president of two companies and served his hometown as both a councilmember and mayor. He now serves as a Judge for Atascosa County, a position he's held since 2014.

We owe our freedom to veterans like Judge Hurley, which is why I am recognizing him with the dedication of this post office. He is just one example of the many veterans who prioritize service to their country. The bravery and commitment of these men and women to our nation demonstrates what it really means to be an American.

I would also like to take a moment to thank the veterans' organizations throughout my district for their tireless work in providing the care our veterans need. And in the words of President John F. Kennedy, ``A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present H.R. 1211, which will re-name the post office facility located at 400 N. Main Street, Encinal, Texas, as the ``Encinal Veterans Post Office''. This bill, shows our appreciation to our veterans and ensures their service and sacrifices to our country is not forgotten.

Across my district, fine men and women of all walks of life have honorably served our country. It is critical that we honor their service and dedication to our nation. Dedicating this post office to our veterans will serve as an enduring reminder of the sacrifices that our friends, neighbors, and family made while serving their country. These individuals put country ahead of self, and I am proud to recognize them with the dedication of this post-office facility.

Today, I want to acknowledge the service of Judge Frank Weikel of Encinal. Judge Weikel enlisted in the United States Navy after high school and served for eight years. After his discharge from the Navy he worked at several companies before serving on the Encinal City Council and as Mayor Pro tempore. Eventually, he was elected Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2 in La Salle County.

The courage and dedication of Judge Weikel represents what it really means to be an American. He is amongst the many veterans in the State of Texas, and across the nation, who have served their country faithfully.

I would also like to take a moment to thank the veterans' organizations throughout my district for their tireless work in providing the care our veterans need. And in the words of President John F. Kennedy, ``as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them''.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Engel, for yielding to me and also for his leadership in helping to bring this bill to the floor. I thank him and his staff for the wonderful work that they have done. I also thank Chairman Royce and his staff for their leadership. I, with both Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel, spoke a lot about this bill and why it is important that we pass this particular bill.

I thank my colleagues, Representative Castro and Representative Poe, who helped on this bill. I thank them for their work on the committee, and also Representative McCaul for signing on as a bipartisan measure.

In fact, in the next few days, on Friday, Representative McCaul, myself, and a delegation will be going over to Mexico for the swearing in. I think this is a very appropriate time, as Mr. Engel mentioned, to have this bill to send this positive message.

This bill is important in many ways. It is bipartisan legislation that promotes mutual national security interests and economic partnership and cooperation between the United States and Mexico, with a focus on the energy, health, entrepreneurship, and education sectors.

Mexico is one of the United States' top trading partners, with an estimated $615 billion in two-way trade between those two countries, which means that every day there is more than $1.3 billion of trade between the U.S. and Mexico. That means that every single minute you are talking about more than $1 million of trade between the U.S. and Mexico, and this is why it is very important to have this type of relationship.

As the chairman mentioned a few minutes ago, in the 2015-2016 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education, more than 56,000 United States students studied in other countries in the Western Hemisphere, while more than 84,000 non-U.S. students from that region studied in the U.S.

However, there are only 5,000 of those United States students who studied in Mexico, and only 16,000 of those non-U.S. students were from Mexico. This is why we need to do more to increase our educational exchange with our very important trading partner.

Specifically, this bill establishes that it should be the policy of the United States to continue deepening the economic cooperation between the United States and Mexico and to expand the educational and professional exchange programs with our neighbors to the south. In order to do this, it would require the Secretary of State to develop a strategy that:

One, encourages more economic exchanges between the two countries at the secondary, postsecondary, and postgraduate levels, especially with communities in the southern border region;

Two, encourages the United States and Mexican academic institutions and businesses to collaborate to train aspiring entrepreneurs;

Three, promotes energy infrastructure coordination and cooperation through the support of vocational education, internships, and exchanges between both countries; and

Four, assesses the feasibility of fostering binational partnerships between universities and medical school and nursing programs, and that is a natural fit that we can do with that particular neighbor to the south.

So, again, if we increase economic exchanges at universities that we have in Texas and across California and New Mexico and Arizona and other parts, that basically means that we will better prepare our students for success in the workplace and increase job opportunities for those areas and the small businesses along the border.

Again, to conclude, I thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Ed Royce. He is very passionate about Mexico, and I thank him for that passion.

I thank Ranking Member Eliot Engel again. He is very passionate. I think this is something that we feel is very important about Mexico, and I thank him for advancing this bill through the committee.

And, again, to the staff, both on the Republican side and on the Democratic side, I thank them.

So, to conclude, I encourage my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation, and I look forward to seeing this bill pass into law.