Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major AJ Kuen, of the United States Army, for his extraordinary service to our nation. He served both Congress and the Army during his time on Capitol Hill with the Army's House liaison division. Major Kuen was recently assigned to continue his excellent work in the Army's chief of legislative liaison office at the Pentagon.

A native of Montville, New Jersey, Major Kuen graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor's Degree in Systems Engineering before reporting to the Army's prestigious aviation school. He excelled as a young lieutenant and completed the challenging qualifications for both the Kiowa and Blackhawk helicopters.

Major Kuen reported to his first duty assignment in Fort Polk, Louisiana to serve as a Blackhawk platoon leader for the Joint Readiness Training Center. His skills as both a leader and aviator were on full display while he trained units to conduct dangerous aviation missions in Afghanistan.

Major Kuen continued his great work during later assignments. He served with the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, TX where he ensured that the Lone Star State received immediate emergency air support from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade during Hurricane Ike. Shortly thereafter, Major Kuen deployed to Iraq as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company Commander for the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.

Major Kuen's exceptional performances as an Army officer allowed him to compete for

the Army Congressional Fellowship Program and serve as a defense fellow for Congressman Silvestre Reyes. Major Kuen transitioned to the Army house liaison division and took on the challenging responsibilities of a legislative liaison between the Army and the U.S. House of Representatives.

His dedication to duty and country are matched by his strong devotion to his family. He is married to his lovely wife Lauren and is the proud father of his newborn son Wesley.

Major Kuen is a dedicated officer who has paved a path for future leaders to follow. It is my honor to recognize his commitment to duty as he proceeds to the next chapter of his remarkable career. I wish him and his family nothing but the best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Lieutenant Colonel Mark F. Newsome for his unrivaled dedication to the United States Army and this great nation. LTC Newsome recently completed a prestigious assignment with the Army's budget congressional liaison office and now serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Fort Belvoir Community Hospital.

A native of Prentiss, Mississippi, LTC Newsome enlisted in the Army in 1986 and completed the Army's rigorous basic training. He's served in an array of military assignments throughout his career. LTC Newsome led medical platoons with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and set a superior example while serving as Chief Financial Officer for various Army community hospitals across the nation. His leadership has positively impacted the soldiers and peers he served with over the years.

LTC Newsome is both a warrior and scholar who enhanced his education throughout his career. After a successful enlistment, he pursued the Army's Green-to-Gold scholarship with the Reserve Officer Training Corps at North Carolina A&T State University. LTC Newsome is a distinguished military graduate and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He's also a graduate of the Defense Comptrollership Program at Syracuse University with a Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Public Administration.

It has been a pleasure to work with LTC Mark F. Newsome during his time as an Army budget congressional liaison where he inherited the tremendous responsibility of staffing Army senior leaders and briefing Congressional Members. These officers provide an invaluable service to both the military and Congress. They assist Members and staff in understanding the Army's policies, actions, operations, and requirements. Their firsthand knowledge of military needs, culture, and tradition is a tremendous benefit to Congressional offices. His efforts and relationships with Congress left an everlasting impression of professionalism and commitment.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending LTC Newsome for dedicating over two decades of service to his country. We wish Mark, his fiancee S. Kiayona, and his children D'Angeleau and D'Antoine all the best as they continue their journey with the United States Army.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support of five commonsense bills that hold the government accountable to the people it was created to serve.

It is amazing that we have an agency called the Internal Revenue Service to which we have surrendered almost unlimited power for the purposes of collecting revenues of this country. Arguably, American citizens will tell you that the IRS has control over their lives, their liberty, and their property, and, some would argue, without due process of law.

You don't tell your taxman: I am not going to answer that question, I am going to take the Fifth, because immediately he will seize your property.

Yet we witnessed on television--as we found out--that the IRS was being looked into for being incompetent and corrupt and maybe the most incompetent and corrupt Federal agency in the country, and that they were actually out investigating groups who were voicing their absolute constitutional right to express their opinion in the political arena and the right to gather and meet, which is guaranteed by the Constitution.

But, no, the first thing we get from the person in charge is: I am going to take the Fifth Amendment. As many can see, we have been battling in the committee process in Congress over and over with the IRS. They have abused our tax system to target conservative political organizations, and this abuse has to be stopped and they have to be held responsible. Of course, when we actually have someone that we see is responsible, the quick solution for the IRS is transfer them someplace else.

Well, I am proud the House has taken action to curb the power of the IRS by streamlining the removal of Federal bureaucrats who engage in misconduct or destroy Federal records. In front of a Federal District Court, you just try shredding records that a court has ordered you to bring before them and see what that Federal judge will do to you.

We are also voting to prohibit the IRS officials from using personal email

to conduct official business, putting fairness back into the appeals process, and ensuring taxpayers know the status of IRS investigations. This is not much to ask. Just tell us what is going on.

These bills are important steps toward a level of accountability the Obama administration has been unwilling to take. This is good legislation. It sets our bureaucrats straight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Patti Gilmore of Hutto, TX. A pillar of this quiet town nestled in the heart of my congressional district, Patti is retiring after years of exemplary service to her beloved community.

Daily life in a city like Hutto rests upon the shoulders of dedicated public servants like Patti Gilmore. Throughout her career, she was the indispensible woman, juggling a multitude of responsibilities, performing great work whenever needed, and making it look easy. As if managing the administrative support and operations of the City Manager's office wasn't enough work, Patti coordinated meetings, press releases, and distributed the informative Hutto Highlights newsletter. She also managed the legislative initiatives for the City while maintaining effective relations with other governmental entities.

Patti's dedication to making Hutto a great place to live is second to none. She pioneered countless programs such as Hutto Day at the Capitol, Youth in Government, Hutto Citizen's University, and Hutto Matters. She led and served on numerous civic committees including Hutto Has Heart, Friday Night Live, Youth Advisory Task Force, and Marketing Task Force. Patti is also very active in several community organizations including the Hutto Lions Club, Hutto Discovery Methodist Church, and Al-Anon.

Yet Patti's commitment to service doesn't end at the Hutto city limits. Working with the Adopt-A-Unit program, she has been instrumental in obtaining donations, organizing events and providing support to deployed troops and their families. Her acts are a sign of true patriotism to our great nation and to the men and women who serve our country.

Patti Gilmore's extraordinary commitment to service reflects the best values of Central Texas. She has positively impacted the lives of thousands and there's no doubt that Hutto is a better place because of her. I join all the people of Hutto in saluting her service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary work of Diane Cowan of Temple, TX. Diane is the latest recipient of the Cy Carpenter Award from Experience Works for her leadership, advocacy on behalf of older workers, and never-ending passion to help others succeed.

Diane retired in 2012 after a 36-year career with Experience Works, where she held progressively responsible positions including Texas state director and national customer service center director. Through her tireless efforts, she has helped Experience Works fulfill its noble mission to assist thousands of mature workers over age 55 with job placement, job training, and job counseling. Her leadership and advocacy, especially for older Americans in rural areas, makes her the ideal recipient of the prestigious Cy Carpenter Award.

Diane Cowan brings to life Gandhi's words that ``The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.'' Her commitment to advocacy and helping others reflects the best values of Central Texas. I applaud her work and wish her success as she continues to be a champion for older Americans.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5078, Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act, which is basically going to get boiled down to tell the Federal Government to stay away from our water. There seems to be plans to make every drop of water that falls or pools in the United States Federal waterways; therefore, they can be regulated by Federal regulators.

In our State of Texas, water is as precious as oil. It is the lifeblood of our people and of our economy. Without water, Texas dies. We are not ready to put the control of water in the hands of the inept Federal Government. Water belongs in the hands of the States.

This bill will keep it where it belongs. Support H.R. 5078 and keep the Federal Government out of our water.

Mr. Speaker, I rise as a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 644, which condemns the Obama administration for transferring five Taliban leaders from Guantanamo Bay in direct violation of the 2014 Defense Authorization Act.

Not only is this another troubling example of this President's disregard for our system of government, but it also represents a serious national security risk. At a time when we are fighting to contain ISIS and radical Islam around the world, releasing seasoned leaders back into the fight against America and our allies hardly seems wise.

Lawlessness breeds lawlessness. The President needs to understand that our laws are not merely suggestions for him to consider when politically convenient. I hope that the bipartisan passage of this resolution later this week will help send that message.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished career of Lieutenant General Joseph E. Martz of the U.S. Army. With his retirement approaching, he will soon close out an incredible thirty-six years of service to his nation and begin the next chapter of his life.

LTG Martz currently serves as the Military Deputy for Budget to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) and is responsible for the accountability and execution of the current fiscal year Army budget. He shoulders the responsibility of requesting and resourcing the appropriate funds to defend the nation. His profound knowledge is of immense value to the Army and our national security.

A native of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, LTG Martz enlisted in 1974 and later graduated from both the United States Military Academy and the U.S. Army Ranger School. His career of service took him from Germany to Korea to Kuwait. Whether commanding prestigious units or serving in key staff positions, he kept the needs of the mission first and always took care of his soldiers.

LTG Martz knows that a great warrior is also a great scholar. After earning a Master's in Education from the University of South Carolina, he served as a tactical officer and as the Executive Officer to the Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy. While at the academy he influenced and groomed the future officers of the Army.

LTG Martz's great work has not gone unnoticed. He is a unique officer who excelled in his assignments and earned the Pace Award--a prestigious award that recognizes a single staff officer for his or her extraordinary achievements.

His devotion to country is matched only by his commitment to family. He is married to his lovely wife Barb and is the proud father of two sons--Josh and Tim, both of whom are graduates from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Penn State.

Retirement is to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is not the end of a career, but rather the beginning of a new adventure. I commend LTG Martz for his selfless service to his nation and to the United States Army. His leadership has positively impacted soldiers and families across the world. I wish him and his family only the best in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and as a native Texan, I am uniquely familiar with our southern border. I am also uniquely familiar with the national security crisis and law enforcement nightmare erupting on that border, primarily in my State of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, and said yesterday, lawlessness breeds lawlessness. The crisis unfolding on our border is in very large part a result of the President's political decision to not enforce the immigration laws of this Nation. The House intends to correct that tonight.

In many ways this bill is similar to the legislation the House considered yesterday, but it has some important improvements. Once again, the funding in this package is fully offset and provides the resources needed to address the immediate crisis. This bill also includes the necessary policy changes to bring parity to the adjudication and repatriation of these children. Many of these provisions are borrowed from a bill I drafted along with Robert Aderholt and Jack Kingston, H.R. 5143, the Protection of Children Act.

This bill expands the tools available to our Border Patrol agents and allows them to better and more quickly screen the influx of migrant children. It ensures a timely trial so that no child will have to wait in limbo for months or years to find out whether or not they will be able to stay in the United States. It includes crucial language to prevent these children from being placed with criminals, sex offenders, or human traffickers. And finally, this bill provides additional resources for our border Governors as they work to assist Federal officials and keep our citizens safe.

I urge my colleagues to join me and others in supporting this strong bill. Lawlessness has bred this lawlessness. We must stop it and secure our border.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Madam Speaker, it is a proven fact that lawlessness breeds lawlessness, and, sadly, I believe this assertion sums up the issue that is confronting us today.

Thanks in large part to the President's political decision not to enforce our immigration laws, a chaotic situation has erupted into a national security crisis and a law enforcement nightmare along the border.

We all know the facts:

An estimated 90,000 unaccompanied alien children will cross into south Texas' Rio Grande Valley by the end of this fiscal year. Another 145,000 children are estimated to flood the border in fiscal year 2015. And these staggering figures do not include the tens of thousands of families who will also surge across our border over the same period of time.

As a result of this influx, our brave Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and ICE agents are spending countless hours in caring for children rather than focusing on their primary enforcement missions. This would be tragic if it weren't so preventable.

Madam Speaker, we do not have an open border policy in this country, and as we tragically learned on 9/11, border security and the integrity of our immigration system truly matter to our Nation's security and the rule of law. So, today, we offer a strong but initial step to provide both the right tools and the right authorities to address and deter this seemingly unending influx of illegal aliens.

Included in this package is $405 million, completely offset by recovered funds, for the Department of Homeland Security, funds that will enable the CBP and ICE to enforce our laws and apprehend, detain, and deport illegal aliens. Perhaps most importantly, this bill fully funds the administration's realization that detention is, in fact, a necessary deterrent to illegal immigration.

The President requested funds to fully support the long-mandated annual bed capacity--a complete reversal from his budget request in which he proposed, instead, to reduce detention beds by nearly 10 percent. The President has also retracted his policy on the detention of families who illegally cross the border. This bill provides funding through the end of the fiscal year to support 34,800 detention beds and an additional 6,320 family detention beds--a total of over 41,100 detention beds--to enable the necessary consequence management for breaking the law.

Lastly, this bill includes policy changes to bring reform and parity to the adjudication and reparation of these children and to prevent these children from being placed with criminals.

Madam Speaker, we must act and we must act now. Lawlessness has bred lawlessness, and we must act to stop it and to secure our borders. I urge my colleagues to support this strong bill.

Mr. Speaker, on July 28, 2014, I was unable to be present for all votes due to my attendance at a graduation ceremony at Fort Hood, TX.

If present, I would have voted accordingly on the following votes: H.R. 935, Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act--``aye''; H.R. 3202, Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment-- ``aye''; and H.R. 3107, Homeland Security Cybersecurity Boots-on-the- Ground Act--``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the life and service of Killeen, TX Detective Charles Dinwiddie who was tragically killed in the line of duty in May. His loss is a sobering reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of our nation's law enforcement officers.

Detective Dinwiddie was born in Frankfurt, Germany but grew up in Harker Heights, TX. He shouldered many responsibilities during his 18 years with the Killeen Police Department: Patrol Division, Criminal Investigation Division, SWAT, and more. Detective Dinwiddie, a mentor and role model to other officers, was relied upon to conduct the most difficult and complex investigations.

As a former judge, I know firsthand the essential role police officers play in maintaining law and order and the risks they face every time they report for duty. These brave men and women awake each day uncertain of what dangers await. Yet they carry on, strengthened by their resolve to protect and serve. Police officers, be they big city beat cops or small town sheriffs, help preserve our way of life and guard us from those lost souls who wish harm to others.

While Detective Dinwiddie's watch has ended, his legacy and the commitment of all who wear the badge live on. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, family, friends, and the entire Killeen community. Let us all honor and remember a man who gave his life to protect his fellow citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Nathan McCown of Killeen, TX. Heroism is, in the words of athlete and activist Arthur Ashe, ``not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.'' McCown's extraordinary bravery in the face of imminent peril, along with his unwavering commitment to duty, has brought those words to life.

McCown's boyhood dreams of becoming a soldier were realized before he was 18. During extensive and dangerous deployments in Iraq, he distinguished himself as a warrior and leader. On numerous occasions, he put his own safety at risk to protect his fellow soldiers. Sadly, due to injuries incurred during combat he severely damaged his knee and back, and was ultimately medically separated from his beloved military. Yet his faith in his mission, his love of country, and his status as a leader of his fellow soldiers never wavered.

McCown's departure from the military didn't stop his drive to serve, defend, and protect. He soon responded to the noble calling of law enforcement. The road back to service was not an easy one as McCown had to rebuild a body damaged by war. Yet he soon joined the elite Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team of the Killeen, TX Police Department. On occasions too numerous to count, McCown rushed headfirst into peril and put his own safety on the line to protect citizens and fellow officers. A recent incident resulted in further injuries to his knees and has him temporarily out of commission. But anyone who knows McCown is certain he won't be out for long.

I send my deepest and most heartfelt wishes for McCown's speedy recovery so he can resume his life of extraordinary service. Brave men like him remind us all what true heroes are.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Gayle Carlton of Cedar Park, TX who became an angel on May 24, 2014. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this difficult time.

Gayle was married to J. Preston Carlton, the love of her life, for nearly 52 years. During their joyous half century together, they lived, loved, and prospered as one. Proud parents of two children and grandparents of seven, Gayle and Preston kept family at the center of their lives. As beloved pillars of the Cedar Park and Austin areas, they watched and helped those communities grow from quiet towns to the very modern and cosmopolitan cities they are today.

An avid reader, Gayle had an insatiable intellectual curiosity and lived by da Vinci's words, ``Learning never exhausts the mind.'' In her 60s, when most women her age were tending to grandchildren, she graduated with a perfect GPA from St. Edward's University. She embraced the challenge of researching her genealogy and was intensely proud of her family's rich heritage. Gayle was a great storyteller and, like all Texans, was wise enough to never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn.

While we mourn Gayle Carlton's passing, her presence was a blessing for all who knew her. The positive impacts she had on the lives of others will live on and remain in our hearts forever.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the life and service of Little River-Academy, TX Police Chief Lee Dixon who was tragically killed in the line of duty last week. His loss is a sobering reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of our nation's law enforcement officers.

Chief Dixon grew up in Olney, TX and lived throughout the Lone Star State before settling down in his beloved Little River-Academy. At his post for just one month, he was the only full-time police officer in this small town nestled in the heart of Bell County. Chief Dixon, who dedicated his life to public service, was a beloved and essential part of this close-knit community.

As a former judge, I know firsthand the essential role police officers play in maintaining law and order and the risks they face every time they report for duty. These brave men and women awake each day uncertain of what dangers await. Yet they carry on, strengthened by their resolve to protect and serve. Police officers, be they big city beat cops or small town sheriffs, help preserve our way of life and are the shields that guard us from those lost souls who wish harm to others.

While Chief Lee Dixon's watch has ended, his legacy and the commitment of all who wear the badge live on. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, friends, and the Little River-Academy community.