Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am here this evening joined by colleagues from the Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss President Trump's extreme, proposed cuts to the International Affairs Budget.

The President's budget proposal would reduce funding for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, what we know as USAID, by nearly a third. The proposal would reduce overall funding for the International Affairs Budget by $17.4 billion, or 31 percent.

This would be a devastating reduction. U.S. diplomats and development experts work to shape a freer, more secure, and more prosperous world while advancing U.S. interests abroad. They build relationships with foreign counterparts and resolve disputes to preserve peace and reduce the need for military action.

They also provide critical services to U.S. citizens living and working overseas and screen people seeking visas to visit the United States. This work would all be compromised by the administration's funding cuts. These cuts could also undercut President Trump's purported priorities.

For example, these reductions could interrupt the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism and U.S. efforts to disrupt money laundering and terror financing. Funding could be slashed for nonproliferation, counternarcotics, and consular affairs--efforts specifically focused on protecting Americans from foreign threats.

This work overseas is always important, but it is especially necessary now in this tumultuous time, when the United States faces complex challenges around the world:

In Asia, we see increased tensions in the South China Sea and an increasingly hostile North Korea.

In Africa, there is a devastating famine in East Africa, brutal civil wars, as well as terrorist organizations like Boko Haram and al- Shabaab.

The refugee crisis stemming from unrest in the Middle East continues, and we have just seen reports of more gas attacks on the Syrian people.

In South America, the people of Colombia have experienced devastating floods that claimed more than 270 lives, a breakdown in the rule of law in the Northern Triangle, and a government in Venezuela that has become an oppressive dictatorship.

Even in Western Europe, we continue to combat terrorist threats from organizations like ISIS, who 2 weeks ago inspired the attack in London.

These are challenging times for our world that require a fully funded International Affairs Budget. But America's unilateral diplomatic and development work is just one piece of our engagement overseas.

Following World War II, the United States helped lead the creation of several multilateral organizations to foster peace and stability in the world like the United Nations, NATO, and the World Bank. With its budget proposal and heated rhetoric, the Trump administration is threatening that architecture of peace and stability.

For example, the President recommends cutting funding for multilateral development banks by $650 million over 3 years and capping United Nations peacekeeping contributions to 25 percent of total funding. These decisions will have a significant destabilizing impact on the global order. If America retreats from the international stage, other powers, like China, will step in to fill that void and exert their influence. We cannot afford for that to happen.

That is why my colleagues and I are here tonight, to speak out against the shortsighted, dangerous budget proposal and emphasize the importance of the United States' diplomatic and development work.

And with that, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires).

Mr. Speaker, I should have mentioned, of course, that Congressman Sires is the ranking member on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee on the Foreign Affairs Committee. His experience in that region in particular is vast.

I am glad that you mentioned that this is really part of a larger theme and a larger concern, because President Trump, in addition to proposing to cut a lot of funds for diplomacy and development around the world, has also shown a real hostility towards other nations, including some of our best allies and friends around the world, and that is of great concern.

For example, this issue with Mexico which you brought up, forcing Mexico to pay for the wall and constructing this wall along the 2,000- mile border that we have between the United States and Mexico and cutting aid if necessary, which he has threatened to do if Mexico won't pay for it, I have said very clearly that that creates an opportunity for China to step in or the Chinese President Xi Jinping to go into Latin America, go into Mexico and offer to give Mexico whatever Donald Trump takes away. That would strengthen China's hand in yet another region of the world.

Of course, China is a big economic competitor of the United States, and I relate to my Texas folks because Texas does an incredible amount of trade with Mexico, and we have been very fortunate over the years that Mexico buys a lot of our stuff. They buy a lot of our goods. But they don't have to just buy that stuff from Texas or the United States, generally. They could go buy it from Brazil. They could buy it from China or somewhere else.

So thank you for mentioning that.

It has been a very thorny issue, as you can imagine, especially in Texas. Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed deep concern about building a wall and spending $20 billion to $30 billion to do it, and that concern, I think, has reached the U.S. Congress. I think that is part of why you see a reluctance on the part of the Senate, for example, to move forward with this in their appropriations bill, in their budget.

I yield to our ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Engel for all of his years of work on behalf of the Nation on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I know you may have a busy schedule this evening. We have got about 12 minutes left, so I thought we would just have a discussion on some of these issues. Stick with us if you can.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Engel mentioned maintaining the United States' position as a leader in the world and not ceding that to another country, whether it is China or Russia, who has been very aggressive, and it is not just maintaining a strong defense.

I represent what is known as Military City, USA: San Antonio, Texas. Once upon a time we had five military bases in San Antonio. We still have Joint Base San Antonio, which is a large operation. So it is not just about a strong defense, which we all support, but also about the hard work of diplomacy and development.

The United States, who has been a leader for so long, if we back away from our commitments, then we not only cede it to somebody else, but there is a good chance that a lot of that work is not going to get done, that the peoples in many nations around the world are going to become poorer, more desperate; and from that, only bad things can happen both for those peoples, but also for the neighboring countries, for the United States, and for the world.

Thank you for lending your strong voice to support for the diplomatic budget.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

No, absolutely. And Congressman Sires, you recall that during those months, then-Candidate Trump talked about backing away from NATO; about allowing Germany, for example, to handle the issues between Russia and the Baltic States; about allowing or really forcing Japan and South Korea to go it alone or to develop even their own nuclear weapons to combat the threat of North Korea, to deal with China's aggressiveness in the South China Sea.

So the more we go down that road, not only do we abandon those nations who have been friends for so long and allies and supporters for so long in keeping the peace, but we also, in the long run, threaten our own security.

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

The gentleman mentioned the Northern Triangle countries of Central America. Especially over the last few years, thousands of women and children who are fleeing very desperate situations there, not only extreme poverty, but the threats of violence by drug gangs, for example, have come to the Texas-Mexico border seeking asylum.

Congress did, over the last few years, essentially, pass assistance for these nations. And we understood that, look, if you allocate $600 million to three countries, that is not going to solve all of their problems. Nobody is under that illusion. But it can go a long way in being the seed funds to start to turn these things around and these nations around.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Congressman Engel, you mentioned Ebola, for example. Dallas, Texas, was the first American city to confront the challenge and

the problem of Ebola. So I couldn't agree with you more.

It should also be said that if you take away this aid and you have people becoming more desperate in nations around the world, they do become more susceptible to being employed by, for example, drug cartels, or being lured by terrorist organizations because these folks are desperate and need to survive. So these rogue alternatives become more attractive to them.

So it is important to point out that a lot of this development and a lot of this aid also prevents some of these things from happening.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Absolutely. I will give Mr. Sires the last word. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

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

Mr. Speaker, I come from the State, Texas, that has the highest percentage of people who have absolutely no healthcare coverage, who use the emergency room as their health provider, and who also have serious health challenges.

For Texans, if this bill passes, it means that the following things will no longer be in their insurance policy or they will be charged jacked-up fees for them: outpatient care; emergency room trips; in- hospital care; pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care; mental health and substance abuse disorder services; prescription drugs; rehabilitative services and habilitative services; lab tests; preventative services; and pediatric services.

It should also be noted that, with this bill, about 660,000 Texans would lose their healthcare coverage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my serious concern regarding President Trump's respect for, and adherence to, the United States Constitution. In short, something is not right at the White House.

His behavior suggests that he has little regard for the judicial branch of our government. If the President has purposely acted in contradiction of a court's order, he would be in violation of the Constitution, and this Congress would be required to act.

Today, I am filing a resolution calling for the Department of Justice to appoint an independent counsel to investigate whether the President or his staff directed, or knowingly allowed, Customs and Border Protection to violate court orders designed to freeze the implementation of the January 27 Muslim travel ban executive order.

I strongly disagree with the contents of the executive order in question. It targets people based on their religion, and it instilled fear across the country. It violates our Nation's values and the idea that, in America, people aren't judged by the color of their skin or by the religion they practice but, instead, by their character. This plays right into the hands of terrorists who would use it as a recruiting tool around the world to inflame those who seek to do Americans harm at home and abroad.

Let me be clear, though. My disapproval of the President's unfair executive order did not motivate the introduction of this resolution. This resolution concerns only the President's adherence to a judicial order. The question is whether he knowingly allowed Customs and Border Patrol to violate that order.

I hope the investigation will find that the President and his administration fully complied with court orders concerning his executive order. However, if President Trump overstepped and purposely violated the judiciary, the Congress should censure him. If, after censure, the President again disregards our Nation's systems of checks and balances and separation of powers, the Congress should take steps to remove him from office.

During his campaign and in the time since his election, President Trump has promised to be a law-and-order President. Well, the court system is central to upholding the law and ensuring order in our Nation. It represents the way that we, as Americans, peacefully and civilly resolve disputes. Respect for the judiciary isn't just a constitutional requirement for the President, it is a requirement for all of us.

President Trump is no stranger to our judicial system. He spent his career using the courts to sue his foes and settle his broken promises. Now it is time for him to keep the promise he made to the American people when he took the oath of office last month. He must follow the law and abide by our Constitution.

Defending our democracy requires vigilance and stern action. Our Founders wisely designed our government so that no court, no Congress, and no President could gain a dangerous amount of power. If we in Congress cede our responsibility to keep the executive in check, we risk being complicit in creating a constitutional crisis.

My resolution seeks to defend our Republic and our precious founding documents. Each of us in Congress swore to support the Constitution.

I urge all Members of this body to put country before party and vote in favor of this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as part of the growing chorus of Americans calling for Republicans to stop playing politics with the safety of the American people and to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security.

A small group of elected officials are holding our national security hostage and compromising the government's ability to guard our borders, patrol our waters, and protect our airports.

Not only would this bad strategy force more than 40,000 Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers out of work, but also 40,000 Active-Duty Coast Guard military members and more than 50,000 TSA aviation security screeners, it would cause all of these folks either to be out of work or to work without pay indefinitely.

In my home State of Texas, there are more than 24,000 Homeland Security employees who could face similar impacts.

If Republicans want to prove that they can lead Congress, they shouldn't manufacture a bogus crisis. They should fund the agency responsible for protecting our Nation at once.

The American people deserve better than these unnecessary political games.

Mr. Speaker, this piece of legislation is both risky and callous. It asks Americans to give into their worst instincts. If you or someone you know is out of a job, blame an immigrant; if an undocumented person commits a crime, they are all like that.

We are at a moment when there are growing security threats to our Nation, and Republicans in this House of Representatives are willing to play Russian roulette with the security of the American people. The American people know better.

Wide majorities support comprehensive immigration reform, including those in my home State of Texas. Majorities disagree with taking away DACA for young kids who came here through no fault of their own.

I will leave with you with this question to ponder, Mr. Speaker: What do you tell somebody who was 3 years old when they were brought here to the United States of America, knows no other country and no other language but the English language, what do you tell that person when you tell them that they have got to leave here? This is the only life that they have ever known. How are they not as American as you and I?

``The Senators and Representatives before mentioned,

and the members of the several State legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.''

Thank you, Congressman Polis.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats have said all along that we understand that when you have a bill that is this wide in scope, whether it is hundreds of pages or thousands of pages, regardless of the subject matter, whether it is health care or education or banking or anything else, that it is likely not going to be perfect, that we are always willing to come back and look at making reasonable changes and tweaking it to make it better, and that we would be willing to work with Republicans to do it. We demonstrated that a few days ago when Congressman Davis received overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats to make sure that employers don't have to count folks who are receiving coverage through the VA or through some other VA-related health care coverage.

This, however, is unreasonable. This action, this bill, would mean that a million Americans would lose health care coverage--a million Americans. We are expecting, because the ACA has been so successful, that 9 million Americans will enroll by the end of this enrollment period.

Now, at the beginning, Republicans were saying that this would be the biggest job killer there was, that the economy would suffer, that businesses would be cutting employees.

Those predictions have turned out to be completely misguided and false.

This country is going through an incredible economic expansion, almost 5 percent. The unemployment rate is below 6 percent. And so, as we go through this debate, I hope that we will keep those considerations in mind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank an important leader in the San Antonio community, MG (Ret) Joe Robles. Joe will retire at the end of this year after an admirable career as a military officer, war hero, philanthropist, and the CEO and President of USAA. He will be profoundly missed by the employees at USAA, but his retirement will no doubt be felt by the greater San Antonio community and beyond.

Joe was the eldest of nine children born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. His father, a waiter at the time, was recruited to work in a steel mill in Ohio--just as World War II ended and America was reindustrializing. When Joe was three years old, he came to the U.S. to reunite with his father who had saved enough money to bring his family to Ohio. For the next 35 years, his father worked at the steel mill and part time as a carpenter and plumber to make ends meet.

Joe learned the value of hard work early in life. At age 11, he began working as a stock boy and cashier at the local grocery store. As a teenager, he did yard work in the summers and helped his father on plumbing and construction jobs. It was this hard work that motivated Joe to pursue higher education. While in high school, Joe was awarded a medical school scholarship sponsored by the local medical society. The scholarship would pay for his education under the condition of returning to his hometown to practice medicine. He had to first earn an undergraduate degree and be accepted to medical school on his own. Joe graduated from high school in 1964 and worked that summer painting a house. The job paid enough to cover his first year of tuition at Lorain County Community College. Soon thereafter, Joe got married and took a full time job at a NASA nuclear plant.

In 1966, Joe was drafted into the United States Army. By any measure, Joe's military service was stellar. Joe served as the Chief of the Program and Budget office at the U.S. Army Headquarters, the Division Artillery commander of the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) at Fort Riley, Kansas; and the Army Planner and Director for Operations and Support at Department of the Army Headquarters.

As assistant division commander of the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas, he prepared and deployed the division for Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He also

served as the director of the Army budget and as commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division (Mech) at Fort Riley, Kansas--the legendary ``Big Red One.''

Joe has earned the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

Joe joined USAA in 1994 after retiring from the U.S. Army. He assumed the position of President and CEO in 2007 after serving as the CFO for several years. Under his leadership as CEO, USAA has thrived. Despite the economic slump Joe steered USAA to earn the highest possible ratings for financial strength from Moody's, A.M. Best, and Standard & Poor's.

Committed to advocating for military families, Joe has guided USAA to a leadership role in hiring veterans and military spouses and offering them careers in the private sector. Joe was invited to the White House and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to be recognized for USAA's efforts in this area and demonstrating their commitment by ensuring that veterans and military spouses were 30 percent of USAA's new hires in 2013.

All of these achievements are astounding by themselves, but Joe also became a dedicated and active member of his community. Joe is the Chairman of the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and of the Pl6Plus Council of Greater Bexar County Foundation. He also serves on the American Red Cross Board of Governors and on the boards of directors of The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas--San Antonio Branch, DTE Energy, the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Foundation, and San Antonio's Early Childhood Education Municipal Development Corporation, as well as the Advisory Board of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Latin America Law at the University of Texas.

In 2009, The Christian Science Monitor named Joe the ``No. 1 Veteran in Business.'' That same year, American Banker named him ``Innovator of the Year.'' In 2012, Robles was honored as ``Executive of the Year'' by Arizona State University and, in 2013, Bank Innovation named him one of the ``10 Most Innovative CEOs in Banking in the U.S.''

In 2010, Joe led the San Antonio and Bexar County United Way campaign to a record result, and in 2012, he was tapped by my brother, then-San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, to co-chair the city's Brainpower Initiative, which led to the Pre-K 4 SA program to fund preschool education for thousands of San Antonio's children.

Joe has left an indelible mark on the military, USAA, and the San Antonio community. He will be sorely missed for his leadership, sound judgment, and commitment to the community. But what those closest to him will miss most are his immense compassion and genuine care for all those around him. Joe's character is, indeed, his hallmark. Congratulations, Joe Robles, on your successful career, incredible accomplishments--but most of all--your lasting impact on all those you have led and worked with along the way! As a native of San Antonio--I hope and expect I will see much more of you in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the arrival of tens of thousands of children from Central America seeking refuge in our country has tugged at the conscience of the American people. It has demonstrated both our best and our worst instincts. The best are all of the people who are so generous in offering food and clothing and shelter to these kids who have come from so far. But we have also seen some bad instincts, like the armed militiamen in ski masks who have shown up at our southern border, whose leader has said that the way you keep people from coming to this country is that you point a gun at them and threaten to shoot them in the head. That is not America.

The question that we must answer now is: What does it mean to be a refugee in the 21st century? Just as we offered that status to Cubans fleeing Castro, to those from the Soviet Union, to the Vietnamese, just as our adversaries have changed, they are not always state actors--they are al Qaeda; they are ISIS--I would argue that so, too, have our refugees changed, and we must recognize that.

This bill is not good for our country, and it doesn't reflect who we are as a people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the contributions of the late James Rodarte, a lover of music and photography, and a passionate community leader in Southwest San Antonio. Mr. Rodarte served his community through his vocal advocacy for transportation solutions in Southwest San Antonio.

Mr. Rodarte was born August 12, 1959, to James and Anita Rodarte. He inherited his witty sense of humor from his mother and the two were often caught laughing at their own private jokes. He was adored by his sisters Debra, Diane, Denise, and Dori. Mr. Rodarte attended Ivanhoe and David Crockett Elementary Schools, Edgewood Middle School, and graduated from Kennedy High School in 1978.

Mr. Rodarte had a lifelong passion for music and photography. Every Christmas growing up he turned the family living room into a photo studio, sweetly providing a family portrait as his yearly gift. As an adult he volunteered his time taking pictures of Edgewood High School activities and received particular joy from taking photos of all athletic teams.

A talented musician, Mr. Rodarte played the trombone, drums, and bass guitar. He particularly enjoyed playing his five-string bass with conjuntos. Mr. Rodarte played with the legendary San Antonio Marching Band, and though diabetes may have prevented him from marching, he didn't let his condition stop him from participating. He would drive the ``chase vehicle'' behind the band. Whenever a musician tired, they could pull out of the ranks and get into his vehicle to rest for a while.

Mr. Rodarte combined his love of music and photography by taking pictures and videotaping Tejano performances, especially during San Antonio's yearly Fiesta celebration. He would upload performances to YouTube for the local community to enjoy.

The legacy that Mr. Rodarte will most be remembered for was his dogged campaign to provide relief for the citizens living in the Zarzamora Street and Frio City Road area from traffic delays caused by train traffic. These daily delays force the community to wait longer than 30 minutes while the trains inexplicably stop in the middle of this residential neighborhood.

Mr. Rodarte spearheaded the community's demands for a solution. He was a constant presence at City Council and Commissioners Court meetings, presenting a plan to build an overpass to provide relief to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to recognize the life of James Rodarte, a lover of music and photography, and a dedicated community leader.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an exceptional Navy scientist and civil servant. Dr. Bobby Junker, a native of San Antonio, TX, died June 14, 2014 after a long illness. Dr. Junker came to the Washington, DC area in 1977 after accepting a position with the Office of Naval Research (ONR), where he remained for his entire 37 year career. At the time of his retirement in May 2014, he served as Department Head for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for ONR.

Dr. Junker was a 1965 alum of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, as well as the University of Texas at Austin, where he received both his Master's degree (1967) and Doctorate in Chemistry (1969). Among the numerous awards Dr. Junker received over his distinguished career, he has been awarded the Navy's Superior Civilian Service Award twice (1985 and 2011), the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive three times (1989, 1999 and 2008) and the Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive once (2003). He was also a life member of the American Physical Society, Sigma Xi and Senior Executives Association. He is most remembered as a visionary and brilliant leader in the field of science and technology. The Chief of Naval Research described Dr. Junker as a national treasure, both a trusted advisor and a dedicated star in the information sciences community.

More important than this distinguished service and his career honors, he was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather to his family as well as a leader, advisor and true friend to many. Dr. Junker is survived by his wife Ginnie Junker; children Evan Junker, Melissa Depew and Bryce Combs; stepchildren Daniel and Andy Katt; grandchildren Megan and Bryan Depew, Isabella Combs, and Riley and Holden Katt; and brother Eugene Junker.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dr. Junker's family, as well as our continuing gratitude to individuals such as Dr. Junker willing to dedicate their lives to honorable service and an exceptional career devoted to defending the nation. He is a critical reminder to us all of the importance of our civil service workforce. We should never forget that while the military defends us all, it is our civil servants who work, often unseen and unrecognized, to support and defend our military.

Mr. Speaker, for generations in America, we have seen that education is the surest path to success. That is why today I am introducing the Pre-K for USA Act.

The Pre-K for USA Act allows local education agencies and governments to apply directly to the Federal Government for grants to develop and expand high-quality pre-K programs. Cities and school districts need to have the ability to step up to the plate and pick up the slack where their State governments are failing.

Unfortunately, in my home State of Texas, as is the case in other States, legislatures have curtailed their investment in education. Instead, they have picked up the troubling practice of pretending to balance budgets by slashing early childhood education funds.

I call on my colleagues to support the Pre-K for USA Act and get our country one step closer to ensuring that all American children have the opportunity to get ahead in life, achieve their dreams, and boost our Nation's prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Warren Eusan, an educator and community leader in San Antonio and a member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. From Alabama's Tuskegee Institute, this was the famed pursuit squadron who emerged from the Army Air Corps program that trained African-American pilots, navigators, instructors and support staff and who helped secure victory for the allies in World War II.

Mr. Eusan was born and raised in San Antonio in 1920. After graduating from Wiley College in Dallas in 1940 with B.A. Degrees in Sociology and Education, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After initial assignment to Tuskegee Army Air Field he was sent to Bryan, Texas where he integrated the Base Instrument Command Flying School. Upon graduation, he returned to Tuskegee where he taught instrument flying until his discharge in 1946.

The heroic exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen are now well-known, having been portrayed in feature films, documentaries, books and newspaper and magazine articles. Because of racism and discriminatory laws the men and women who were part of the ``Tuskegee Experience'' were denied rights in the country of their birth yet rose above injustice. In preserving a freedom that had not yet been extended to them, they displayed courage and a largeness of spirit that helped liberate and save the lives of countless women and men.

In 2007, Mr. Eusan was among the Tuskegee Airmen who received the Congressional Gold Medal from President George W. Bush.

When he returned to San Antonio, Mr. Eusan began a 44-year career in education. He was first a school teacher and then the School Liaison to the Superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District. During that time he earned his Masters of Education degree from Atlanta University and completed additional post-grad studies at Our Lady of the Lake University, Trinity University and the University of Texas.

Always concerned about his community and its youth, Mr. Eusan was an adjunct faculty member at St. Philip's College and worked for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, San Antonio Neighborhood Youth Organization and the Department of Economic Development of San Antonio. As a member of the San Antonio Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Mr. Eusan had a ubiquitous presence throughout his community, helping to preserve and share the rich legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. Through the chapter's annual Educational Assistance Awards Banquet he helped provide scholarships to dozens of college-bound students.

Mr. Eusan passed away June 14 at the age of 93. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the life and achievements of a Warren Eusan, a great San Antonian and a great American.

Thank you, Congresswoman.

Mr. Speaker, my time is short, and so I want to cut to the chase. The United States of America should honor its veterans and stand up for them in the same way that they stood up for us during their time of service.

Mr. Speaker, I had a chance, as have many other Members of Congress, to visit with the Acting Secretary of the VA about a week ago in San Antonio and also to meet with some of the veterans who were being served there at Audie Murphy. These are folks who served during the Vietnam war, Korea, and other times of conflict. These are folks who are very proud people who don't ask a lot from their country but who are there for care.

Too often in Congress, we have been Monday morning quarterbacks rather than leaders on this issue. It was mentioned a bit earlier that veterans are not a partisan issue, and I agree with that. The problem in Washington these days is too often only partisan issues are the ones that get talked about. We have to take action as soon as we can to support our veterans and to make sure that the VA has the funding that it needs to do its job properly.

There was a story that the Acting Secretary told about his visit to Phoenix. If I recall it right, he said that there was a neurosurgeon in the meeting that he had with staff who mentioned that, as he was about to go into the room for surgery, there were two X-ray machines that were not working in Phoenix, and those were the conditions that these folks were trying to work under and to serve our veterans. We need to make sure that small government inefficiency is not an excuse for doing right by our veterans. And so I support this legislation.

I want to commend not only Chairman Miller on that committee, but also the Senators, Senators McCain and Sanders, who have come together to put aside party politics, and also thank my Democratic colleagues, Beto O'Rourke in Texas, and many fine people here in Congress who are working on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and rise in strong support of H.R. 4587, the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act.

I would first like to thank Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen for authoring this legislation and for her dedication to these important issues.

The eyes of this Congress and the international community are on Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro and his security forces as they crack down on peaceful protesters. It is an absolute tragedy that 42 people have been killed in protests throughout the country. I am also troubled that opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez remains in jail on charges while many others have been unjustly detained by the Maduro government.

I am grateful for President Obama and Secretary Kerry's strong statements condemning the government's reprehensible actions. Let me say that all of us in Congress want nothing more than a peaceful resolution to this conflict. It was disappointing when negotiations between the Maduro government and the opposition broke down, and I hope that these talks can be revived.

In March, the House of Representatives passed a resolution which encouraged ``a process of dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and the political opposition to end the violence.'' I continue to believe that dialogue is the best way out of this crisis. In the meantime, the legislation that we are considering today makes it clear that the United States will not turn a blind eye to human rights violations.

This bill has been crafted to impose targeted sanctions on human rights violators in Venezuela, while not harming average Venezuelans who are already suffering as a result of terrible economic mismanagement by the country's leaders.

While the Venezuelan Government might try to say otherwise, let us be clear: there is not a single provision in this bill that would negatively affect the average Venezuelan. This bill does not touch the Venezuelan oil sector or other parts of the country's economy. Instead, the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act revokes visas and freezes assets of human rights violators. Finally, it is important to note that this bill gives President Obama a great deal of flexibility to respond to events on the ground in Venezuela. Each and every sanction in this bill can be waived by the President at any time.

I would also point out, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned when this came up in committee and as the gentlewoman will remember, that it is important that the United States sends a strong signal in Latin America. Although we understand that each of the Latin American countries is distinct and different and all have different histories, we witnessed in the 1960s through the 1980s many thousands of students who disappeared, who were removed from their homes by their governments because of the protests that were going on in those countries at the time. We want to make sure that that never happens again, and this bill is important in ensuring that the Venezuelan Government understands that the United States is watching and that we will make sure that something like that doesn't happen again.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), my colleague on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

I am, and I just wanted to say, again, thank you to the Congresswoman, to the chairman of the committee, Chairman Royce, and Ranking Member Engel.

Of course, I am here as many others are to support the bill. There was a counterargument that Mr. Meeks so eloquently stated. I am glad he had a chance to voice it, but I do hope that the Congress today will get behind this bill.

With no other speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.