Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of S. 2507, Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, which includes language that I offered to stop infant formula theft.

Stolen infant formula is a major problem throughout the country, including the State of Texas.

In 2003, international crime rings stole as much as $2.5 million worth of baby formula a month in Texas, and testimony before Congress revealed that some of the proceeds may go to fund terrorism.

After being stolen, the formula was stored and sometimes repackaged with phony expiration dates, then it was sold to small convenience stores in the United States.

This legislation requires State agencies to license and maintain a list of infant formula manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers approved to provide infant formula to vendors.

This section closes a loophole that would allow crime rings to steal infant formula and resell this formula to retailers, who often are unaware that the formula was stolen.

This list would include food manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers licensed in the State to distribute infant formula and food manufacturers registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that provide infant formula, with vendors required to purchase infant formula from the list.

The stolen formula is often resold to customers using vouchers from the federally funded Women, Infants, and Children program.

I want to thank Education and the Workforce Chairman John Boehner and the Subcommittee on Education Reform Chairman Michael Castle, along with this staff, Kate Howston and Stephanie Milburn for their important work on this legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I urge that my colleagues support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be the author and sponsor of H.R. 1731, the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, and appreciate the support of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) and the fact that he advanced this important legislation. I would also like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) for his support as the lead co-sponsor on this bill.

This legislation addresses the growing occurrences of identity theft. It will facilitate the prosecution of criminals who steal identities in order to commit felonies.

Felonies arising from identity theft are a very serious problem. Four years in a row, the Federal Trade Commission has reported identity theft as the number one consumer-reported complaint filed with the Commission. More than 200,000 identity theft complaints were reported in 2003.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the mentions of ID theft are becoming all too commonplace. Just recently, last month, I believe, two brothers were convicted in Dallas of running an ID theft ring to buy luxury cars and obtain bank loans worth over $1 million, sometimes using the names of dead people. In Collin County, Texas, a former Texas driver's license bureau clerk pleaded guilty to selling ID cards to illegal immigrants using stolen information from immigration papers.

Just as concerning, the trafficking of identities aids terrorist crimes. Terrorists can move more freely in the United States with illicit IDs, credit cards, and other documentation. Insufficient legislation and prosecution has allowed a situation to arise where identities are easy to steal without fear of reprisal. Last year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that would-be terrorists may try to use stolen IDs, uniforms, and vehicles to enter sensitive facilities in order to carry out an attack.

The Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act gives prosecutors greater power in convicting and sentencing identity theft. First, it creates a new separate crime of aggravated identity theft for any person who uses the identity of another person to commit certain felonies. It provides a separate sentence of 2 years for most felonies and 5 years for terror-related felonies is mandatory. It would run consecutively to any other sentences.

Second, the bill lessens the burden prosecutors face when seeking convictions of aggravated identity theft. Under this bill, if a thief uses the stolen identity in connection with another Federal crime and the intent of the underlying Federal crime is proven, the prosecutor may not need to prove the intent to use the false identity in a crime.

H.R. 1731 addresses the improper receipt that Social Security, Medicare, disability, veterans and other benefits by misuse of illegally obtained Social Security numbers. We have a responsibility to protect the benefit programs of the Social Security Administration from these identity thieves.

This legislation also addresses a prevalent mode of identity theft which is committed by insiders of organizations who illegally use or transfer individuals' identifying information which has been entrusted to them. This is an increasing problem which we must protect all our consumers from. Last year Texas witnessed an example of this when a University of Texas student who was trusted with access to the University's database stole 55,000 Social Security numbers, including one of my staffers.

A recent report by researchers at Michigan State University estimates about half of all identity crimes were the result of personal information being stolen from corporate databases. This legislation directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend its guidelines to appropriately punish ID theft offenses involving the abuse of a position.

I urge my fellow colleagues to favorably support H.R. 1731. And, again, I thank the chairman for his support and the hard work of his staff on behalf of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 653) honoring former President George Herbert Walker Bush on the occasion of his 80th birthday, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week was a somber one for America. The Nation mourned the loss of its beloved 40th President, Ronald Wilson Reagan. All heard numerous revealing accounts of President Reagan's leadership, compassion, and humor.

One of the most touching stories told during the past week was one by the one-time political rival of President Reagan, who ultimately became a close associate and friend. The story took place when President Reagan was recuperating at George Washington University Hospital following the assassination attempt on his life on March 30, 1981, just over 2 months after he took office.

The story went like this: ``Days after being shot, weak from wounds, (President Reagan) spilled water from a sink, and entering the hospital room, aides saw him on his hands and knees wiping water from the floor. (The President) worried that his nurse would get in trouble.''

Mr. Speaker, the eloquent speaker of these words was George H.W. Bush at President Reagan's funeral last Friday at the National Cathedral. Many people may not have heard that President George Bush, Bush ``41,'' turned 80 years of age on Saturday because of the Nation's week-long celebration of President Reagan's life, which overshadowed President Bush's birthday. But today the House returns to its normal legislative business as we consider House Resolution 653 that honors President George H.W. Bush on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, few Presidents have ever moved into the White House as qualified to lead this Nation as one of Texas's most distinguished citizens, George Herbert Walker Bush. As the youngest pilot in the Navy, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after flying 58 combat missions during World War II before returning home to graduate as a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Yale University, where he also captained the baseball team.

After college, he became a successful businessman in west Texas, earned two terms as a Member of this House, and served such high- profile positions as ambassador to the United Nations, ambassador to China, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In 1980 George H.W. Bush was elected as part of the national Republican ticket with Ronald Reagan and served as Vice President for 8 years. Vice President Bush became President Bush 41 when he was elected in 1988. In the White House, President Bush was perhaps best known for working to inspire a ``kinder, gentler America'' at home and leading the Nation to free Kuwait overseas. Following the August 1990 invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces, President Bush rallied the world community, the U.S. Armed Forces, and the American people to dislodge Saddam Hussein's army from its control of neighboring Kuwait.

I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), my good friend, for introducing this meaningful resolution that wishes our 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush, a happy 80th birthday, and that birthday was on Saturday, June 12. And on Sunday, June 13, I watched him jump out of an airplane at College Station, and he still has got plenty of spark.

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

Mr. Speaker, I know the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) wanted to be here very badly for consideration of H. Res. 653 today, but his flight was delayed, which I had a bad experience with that last week so I know exactly what he is going through, and he is unable to be present. But I want to highly commend him for putting forth this resolution and doing all the work on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 653.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on June 8, 2004, during Rollcall votes 229 and 230 I was unavoidably detained. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Rollcall votes 229 and 230.

Mr. Speaker, today our Nation weeps in a very sad week when we recognize that we have lost a President who changed the Nation and acted upon a policy that created positive change not only for this Nation, but for the entire world.

Those of us who went into politics in the 1980s, as I did, many of us went in because we were inspired by Ronald Reagan. I actually ran for office the first time in 1980, and something that I will never forget is that Ronald Reagan took the time for a young, just-getting-started fellow who is running for the State representative in Texas, to drop me a personal note of encouragement. Here was a man who was going to lead the Nation, and yet he took the time for one small elected official. I will never forget that.

Ronald Reagan believed in America. He knew America to be the most noble Nation on the face of the Earth, and he absolutely trusted the American people, that they would do the right thing, because he knew them to be the noble people who created this Nation. That message, as he inspired our country with that message, brought us out of malaise and started us on the path of glory to know that we are doing the right thing.

We have missed Ronald Reagan. We will miss him tremendously because he inspired us to the greatness that we have, and for that reason, he has been a blessing upon this Nation. We will not forget.

Back in Williamson County, where I come from, we celebrate Ronald Reagan's birthday every year, and that is our big birthday celebration because we know Ronald Reagan is the modern founder of the Republican Party today, and that inspiration causes us to celebrate his birthday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, and we hope that they get through this with not too much crisis for all the blessings they have bestowed upon our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day, we should take a moment to remember the young men and women who are fighting bravely for the freedom and democracy of this nation and others. At the same time we must remember the families of those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

All Texans fighting for a just cause will forever be ingrained in my mind, especially those who have become our fallen heroes:

Spc. Zeferino E. Colunga, Belville, Texas.

Pfc. James D. Parker, Bryan, Texas.

2nd Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier, Katy, Texas.

Mr. Speaker, lifelong learning is very important to the competitiveness of this country. I would like to highlight what IBM, a company with a very strong presence in my district, is doing for lifelong learning.

When I visited IBM's Austin site recently, I learned about several programs that IBM has which promote science and math for children. The company's Young Explorer is an interactive apparatus that young children have to access many of the schools in districts around the country. It targets kids up to age 8. By making science and math fun, IBM hopes that these children will decide to go into areas of science and math.

IBM also runs the Excite Science Camp For Girls at 38 U.S. sites during the summer months. Such camps give seventh and eighth grade girls the opportunity to meet with IBM female engineers, design and build their own Web sites, and hopefully come to realize that engineering is a viable career option for them.

IBM has collaborative relationships with many colleges and universities. The company and students share resources and work together on research and development endeavors. The company also goes into the community and offers computer training.

IBM has the right idea. We need to create initiatives for U.S. employees to build new skills in today's global economy. If we do not, U.S. workers will get left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss what my colleagues have been discussing here today: issues of waste, fraud, and abuse. But, before I do, I would like to make one statement. I operated as a trial judge in Texas for about 21 years, and we had rules in the court at that time that if the opposing counsel for any purpose attacked or impugned the honesty or integrity of another member or got vicious and attacked them in any form or fashion, we could correct them; and if they continued in that type of style, we could actually fine them. It has been my limited experience here in Congress that if we were able to allow the Chair to issue such fines, we could probably balance the budget here in Congress without much problem at all. And I think we have seen a lot of that here today with the use of some terms like ``liar'' that I have heard here used today. I just as an aside wanted to say that.

Back about a year-and-a-half ago, I was in a meeting in Houston, Texas. As I said, I have been a trial judge. Before the meeting, I had an undercover Department of Public Safety officer come to me at this meeting and say he would like to talk to me in private for just a minute; and I went in and talked to him.

He said, Judge, I want to tell you about something. There is something going on here in Houston that I think you ought to know about it. There is a gang of Middle Eastern folks that are stealing baby formula from our local supermarkets and selling it to the WIC program.

Well, my first reaction would be the reaction I would think of most Americans, and that was, gee, whiz. I mean, do you guys not have anything better to do than go out and investigate shoplifting? But knowing that he was part of an undercover task force, I figured he had something to say, and I said, well, how big a deal could that be, Lieutenant?

He said, well, Judge, here in Houston it is about $1 million a month.

And I said, good Lord, $1 million a month for baby formula?

He said, yes, sir; and, you know, it is not against the law to possess baby formula. It is against the law to possess narcotics and dangerous drugs, but it is not against the law to possess baby formula. So if we catch a guy with a trunk load of baby formula, we cannot do anything to him. But we know what he is doing. He is stealing this formula, and he is selling it to the WIC program to the tune of about $1 million a month. In fact, the estimates are that in Texas alone it is $1.5 million a month Statewide.

He said, we have followed this group to Phoenix, Arizona. We have followed them to New Mexico, although I do not remember which town in New Mexico; to California, San Diego and Los Angeles. They have an operation in each one of those towns, to the possible tune of $30 million a month Nationwide. I was shocked.

And he said, we also have evidence that this is being used to fund terrorism.

Now when you want to talk about waste, fraud, and abuse, how much more fraudulent could it be than stealing from the mouths of our children and the poorest of our Nation, taking away a program that was designed to help poor mothers feed their babies, stealing from them, and letting a government agency be a fence for that purpose?

I asked him, I said, have you talked to the people in the WIC program? He said, yes, I have explained to them that they should not be buying this stuff off the street, that buying it off the street was fencing for criminal activity.

And he said, ``Well, they do not see the seriousness in it.''

Mr. Speaker, those of us who have been in criminal justice in this country have sent people to the penitentiary for a whole lot less than stealing a million dollars a month. I, for one, have done that on several different occasions.

It shocked me so that I am proud to let my colleagues know that in H.R. 3873 I got an amendment which now requires that the WIC program have certified vendors that they buy this product from. But when our government has risen to the size that it has risen, that it misses that kind of waste, fraud, and abuse; we have got a serious problem. And yet the other side of the aisle, the Democrats, want to raise our taxes to grow a bigger government, a bigger government that in many instances the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.

For that reason, I honor the members of Waste Watchers for the hard work they are doing trying to be watch dogs.

Mr. Speaker, on May 11, 2004, during rollcall vote Nos. 153, 154 and 155 I was unavoidably detained. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote Nos. 153, 154 and 155.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall votes 126, 127, 128, 129, and 130 I was unavoidably detained. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 126, 127, and 130. I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall votes 128 and 129.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3723) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 8135 Forest Lane in Dallas, Texas, as the ``Vaughn Gross Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

On behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 3723. This meaningful legislation designates the Dallas Postal Service facility as the ``Vaughn Gross Post Office Building.''

Vaughn Gross has spent 35 years educating children in Texas and more than 30 of those years working in the Richardson Independent School District outside of Dallas. She began her career in the district by teaching special education classes at Skyview and Canyon Creek Elementary Schools in the 1970s. She later taught second grade students for 5 years at Northlake Elementary.

Ultimately, Vaughn Gross worked her way up to become Assistant Principal at Aiken Elementary in 1989. In 1992, she held the same position at Brenfield Elementary School. A year later, she was elevated to Principal, a capacity in which she served for 6 years. In 1999, Vaughn Gross moved over to Hamilton Park Magnet School to act as principal there. Today, Ms. Gross is Assistant Superintendent For Curriculum and Instruction in the Richardson School District.

Mr. Speaker, Vaughn Gross is a respected, appreciated leader in the Dallas area. She earned a Teacher of the Year Award from the Richardson Association of Children with Learning Disabilities in 1977 and PTA life membership status in 1999. She is precisely the type of quality individual after whom the Congress ought to name post offices in our great Nation.

I commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) for introducing H.R. 3723. I know the gentleman from Texas genuinely wanted to be present, and I will be submitting a statement for the Record on behalf of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions).

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge every Member of the House to support

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3723. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3917) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 695 Marconi Boulevard in Copiague, New York, as the ``Maxine S. Postal United States Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3917, introduced by the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel), designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 695 Marconi Boulevard in Copiague, New York, as the ``Maxine S. Postal United States Post Office Building.''

Since first being elected in 1987, Maxine Postal was an esteemed member of the Suffolk County Legislature in New York. There is little question that she was an effective public servant and respected across political party lines. Her hallmarks in the legislature included fighting for tax relief, promoting community recycling programs, and revitalizing area recreation centers for citizens of Suffolk County.

Outside of her work in the legislature, her community contributions included serving as treasurer of the Amityville Board of Education and founding a library and a local soccer league.

Mr. Speaker, one cannot capture the worth of a local leader like Maxine Postal in a mere list of accomplishments. That is why I am pleased that enactment of this legislation will immortalize her legacy by naming a post office after her in the town she represented in the county legislature.

Mr. Speaker, Maxine Postal sadly passed away on New Year's Day, 2004, succumbing to a rare brain disorder known as CJD. She had announced her resignation from the legislature just days before she died. Maxine Postal was a valued public servant who is most deserving of this post office commemoration.

I thank the gentleman from New York for advancing this legislation through the Committee on Government Reform to the House floor for consideration today. I urge all Members to support H.R. 3917 that honors Maxine Postal.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3917. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, tonight I stand here to recognize one of Texas's finest soldiers and a true Texas hero. On March 31, 2003, Alan Babin of the First Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment started his second day of war. On that day, the third platoon, a platoon that he had recently joined, was working to secure a bridge on the Euphrates River near Samawah when enemy fire intensified and a soldier took a shot in the head. Alan, who was a paratrooper medic, gave up cover and sprinted the 20 meters to aid the soldier. In that sprint, Alan took a shot in the belly. That single action has warranted Alan the title of war hero; a purple heart, a bronze star medal with V for valor. However, neither Alan's brave action nor the rewards that followed came at a small price.

Alan is a fourth generation military man. Both his mother and father served in the military. Now he is fighting a second battle, and it is a long battle. He is fighting that battle from a hospital room.

Today he has undergone over 70 surgeries. He has battled severe infection, meningitis, and stroke. Alan lay on the battlefield for 3 hours in pain until he was evacuated to the USS Comfort where he received excellent medical treatment by the folks there and very loving people that took care of him; but in the process, he suffered a stroke, and this infection grew rampant in his entire abdominal cavity. Most people did not think Alan was going to make it. The doctors said, if you are people of faith, you need to begin to pray.

My colleagues need to understand Alan's family. His mother, Rosy, and his dad, Alan, and his sister Christy, they went to the task. Rosy started e-mailing her friends and relatives and neighbors in Round Rock, Texas, and in the rest of Texas; and this spread throughout the entire country until thousands of people began to pray for this young man and to send encouragement.

When we got Alan finally here at Walter Reed, he was still with an exposed abdominal cavity, which had to be washed every night to fight the infection, and this 23-year-old man was fighting that battle with his mother by his side, and she has vowed not to leave his side until he is well. His little sister came up here to visit him. His dad was here by his side. Now, these folks, along with the folks back in Round Rock, Texas, are helping Alan battle through this terrible tragedy.

Alan continues to persevere daily, and he is overcoming all of the odds and the doctors say, whatever you are doing, keep doing it. These obstacles are being overcome. Just the other day I ran into Rosy in church and she told me, Alan actually picked up his glasses and put them on his own nose. That shows his motor skills are coming back from the stroke. That little victory was a huge thing for his mother. They have closed his wounds; the infection is going away. He has come from months and months in bed to therapy sessions. In the doctors' eyes and in the generals' eyes, this young man has overcome the worst odds that anybody can overcome. Now, each day it is a blessing that he continues to recover.

His service and his sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. The folks back home, knowing that Alan would not be able to climb stairs, the folks in Round Rock, Texas, the builders and contractors went and built a room on their two-story house at ground level so that Alan will be able to negotiate to and from his bedroom when he gets to come home. The whole community is behind this family.

During his stay at Walter Reed Hospital, he was visited by many, many people, including President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Members of Congress, and numerous other military officials. I was there when he was awarded his

medals, and one could see what was important in this young man's heart, because every time they called him paratrooper, his eyes sparkled and one could tell that he knew that they were talking about something of which he was proud.

Today is almost the anniversary of that tremendous wound that Alan suffered. He is recovering, through the grace of God and some wonderful medical people across this country. He is now back at least in Texas undergoing therapy, recovering every day, only because he and his family are true heroes who support the effort of this country and are proud of the service of their son. Alan, along with his family, serves as an inspiration for his fellow soldiers, as well as his fellow Texans. We in Texas are very proud of Alan and we say, God bless America and God bless Alan for his sacrifice. Alan Babin is a Texas hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3873, the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, which includes language which I offered to stop infant formula theft.

Stolen infant formula is a major problem throughout the country, including Texas. In 2003, an international crime ring stole and sold as much as $2.5 million worth of baby formula a month in Texas. Testimony before the Congress revealed that some of the proceeds may go to terrorism. Undercover work also shows that this extends across the United States.

After being stolen, the formula is stored and sometimes repackaged with phony expiration dates and then it is sold to small convenience stores in the United States. The stolen formula is often resold to customers using vouchers from federally funded Women, Infants and Children programs. Undercover agents say WIC is unwittingly the number one fence for this operation in the country.

Section 409 of this legislation requires the State agencies to license and

maintain a list of infant formula manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers approved to provide infant formula to the vendors. This section closes the loopholes that would allow crime rings to steal infant formula and resell this formula to the retailer, who often is unaware that the formula is stolen.

I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), along with his staff, including Kate Howston and Stephanie Milburn for the important work they have done on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall Vote Nos. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 I was unavoidably detained. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yea.''