Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the bravest and most dedicated young heroes of north Texas and of our Nation.

Army Private Clarence Spencer was killed in Bilad, Iraq while fighting against enemy forces in one of the most important conflicts our Nation has ever engaged in. Clarence Spencer gallantly and selflessly gave his life for his country while fighting alongside his fellow soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division of Fort Hood, Texas.

Private Spencer is survived by his mother and son and his loving wife, Army Private Charlotte Spencer, who has also devoted herself to our Nation's noble military profession.

Clarence Spencer served three tours in Iraq, two of which were as a marine. Wounded in Iraq on a previous tour, he demonstrated tremendous courage by deploying into harm's way once again. Private Clarence Spencer is gone, but he will never be forgotten. His memory lives in our hearts, and America is eternally grateful for his spirit and his dedication.

As Clarence's Dunbar High School football coach said about Clarence, ``I have coached faster, stronger and more talented students, but I've never coached anyone I was more proud of.'' That is precisely the way that the Fort Worth community and our Nation feel about soldiers such as Private Clarence Spencer, a true American hero.

Madam Speaker, I also rise to honor a second hero of the Fort Worth community and of our Nation. A graduate of Fort Worth's Eastern Hills High School, Sergeant First Class Allan Mosteiro was an 18-year veteran of the Army, who was assigned as a scout leader in the 1st Cavalry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas. He gallantly and selflessly gave his life for his country as a result of wounds he received during a fire fight against enemy forces in Taji, Iraq on February 13, 2007.

Sergeant Mosteiro is survived by his loving wife, son, parents, one brother and three sisters.

The American people recognize their sacrifice and honor the Mosteiro family's patriotism. As a career soldier and senior noncommissioned officer, Sergeant Mosteiro's leadership was instrumental in developing younger soldiers, and he did not take his responsibility lightly. A veteran of Operation Desert Storm and of the current war, Allan Mosteiro dedicated his life to securing the freedoms that all Americans so rightfully cherish.

Sergeant First Class Allan Mosteiro is gone, but he will never be forgotten. His memory lives on through the wonderful family that he left behind and the dedicated soldiers he so ably led.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in strong opposition to the Democrat-sponsored emergency supplemental. I fully support funding our troops, but I will not be coerced into voting for a politically motivated deadline that helps our enemy.

As an appropriator, I am deeply disappointed that the important mission of funding our troops in harm's way has been overshadowed by over $21 billion in nonemergency spending. There is an appropriate time and place to discuss the war and funding important projects, but it shouldn't be done on the backs of young Americans fighting overseas.

Setting deadlines and threatening to restrict funds emboldens our common enemy and will have disastrous effects on the morale of American and Iraqi troops fighting to bring security to our war-torn region. Bringing troops home before the situation has been stabilized won't end our global struggle against terrorism. It would do the opposite.

I urge Members to oppose the supplemental. Our troops deserve to be fully funded, and they clearly deserve the support required to succeed. General Petraeus deserves time to work his plan. He is the general on the ground, not the Congress.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday afternoon, I drove about 20 miles to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Balint in Willow Park, Texas. I had the solemn honor of presenting them with congressional remarks commemorating the noble and distinguished service of their son, Paulie.

The parents of Captain Balint did not complain to me or ask me to vote to end the war. They talked about the pride of their son and his lifetime desire to serve in the military.

The Balints have never waffled in their belief that the war in Iraq is one that demands our Nation's full commitment. They experienced a loss no one ever wants to share. Paulie was fighting to preserve our freedom and our way of life.

As I wished them well and turned to leave, the Balints asked me to bring a message back to Washington. They said to tell you to stay firm because we need to finish the job in Iraq.

So I am speaking today in memory of Paulie and his mother and his father and his brother and those who are still fighting there for us and listening to what we have to say.

I will not speak by calling into question anyone's patriotism or motives. All of us, Republicans and Democrats alike, recognize that much is at stake in Iraq and, undoubtedly, we all feel passionately about doing our duty to move forward and address what I consider to be the issue of our lives, the worldwide war against terrorists and a battleground of that war, which is Iraq.

The issue of responsibility in this war has been discussed during this debate, and I believe it is an important issue when addressing Iraq and in addressing this resolution.

Certainly in the change of direction the President has presented, the Iraqis have a clear responsibility to meet the goals of securing their own future. Likewise, Congress has a clear responsibility to produce meaningful legislation and provide effective oversight of our government's actions, especially during time of war.

Put another way, our citizens hold their elected Representatives accountable to craft legislation that results in meaningful and positive change. That is precisely what is so disappointingly unacceptable about this nonbinding bill, which fails to do anything, which holds no one accountable, and does not move our country forward on this critical issue.

Frankly, those many who have criticized the administration for staying the course too long are now presenting us with a bill that is the ``stay the course'' piece of legislation that both advocates failure and a position of status quo. More specifically, the bill ignores two of the most important parts of our Nation's role in Iraq: the consequences of failure and the principal support that we should provide our troops during times of war.

Let us say we do redeploy, which means quit. Or let us say the Congress takes the next step that is being talked about, and that is stopping the funding in Iraq. Let us look clearly at the consequences of a failed state in Iraq, not only for America but for the world.

Let there be no mistake, Iraq is but one front in a long war against a fanatical enemy who does not value human life and who seeks to destroy those who do. Failing to secure Iraq will result in massive instability in the Middle East, which will undoubtedly spill over to the rest of the world.

Consider the fractured nature of the Middle East and the nature of the dangerous threat we face. Iranian television stations routinely broadcast commercials that are designed to recruit would-be terrorists. In one ad specifically for children, cartoon characters entice them to be suicide bombers. Imagine a society that views indoctrinating 10- year-olds in the joys of

martyrdom as a positive action. And yet that is precisely the kind of hate-filled enemy we face in this war, where again Iraq is just one battle.

A failed Iraq would provide international terrorists fertile ground to sow the seeds of just that type of hatred and extremist thought. These terror groups are cold and brutal and fully dedicated to our destruction.

In a failed Iraq, terror organizations would exploit a populace who is distrustful of Western democracies, who have turned their backs on them. These people would be ripe for terrorist recruitment

Just yesterday, many of us met with the ambassadors of Jordan and Egypt who warned us of the consequences should we take the next steps that have been hinted at during this debate and meetings held in congressional offices. America cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past by withdrawal from a direct confrontation with radical terrorists. Should we retreat from the current fight, the enemy will continue to intensify their attacks against America, just as they did following the 1983 bombings of the Marine barracks in Beirut, the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, the 1996 attack on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa in 1997, and the brazen attack against USS Cole in 2000.

Many of the speakers on this resolution have cited the widely accepted Iraq Study Group report, which pointed to the dire consequences that America, indeed the world, would face should we fail in Iraq. What they choose to ignore is that the bipartisan authors of this report stipulated that they would agree with a short-term surge of American forces to bolster security and train Iraqi forces, which is precisely what our new strategy does.

Two weeks ago, the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq was published, and it largely concurred with the findings of the study group of the results that failure in Iraq would bring.

Retreat from Iraq would result in pervasive instability in the Middle East, encourage rogue regimes, and give terrorists a secure base from which to launch attacks against free nations everywhere.

No one disagrees that the situation in Iraq has become more dangerous, but let me be perfectly clear. The consequences of failure in this fight would be catastrophic not only for America, but for the entire world.

While this war is certainly a test of our resolve, America has faced tough decisions during critical war years in the past. In 1862 debate over the Civil War threatened the success of the campaigns that our troops were engaged in. During the opening days of World War II, while the troops were engaged in a fight for their lives in the Pacific, Congress bickered over strategies of isolationism based in fear. And now in 2007, we find ourselves in the fight of our generation.

With all my heart I believe we stand at a crucial crossroad where the decision we make will affect not just us, but our children and their children and generations to come. Our enemies have demonstrated that they are willing to kill us even if they have to die themselves. Thankfully, our servicemen and women are willing to bravely defend our freedom as we in Congress go through the semantics of debating a nonbinding resolution.

For this reason and all the other reasons I have outlined today, I will not support a resolution that sends anything less than a clear message of support for our troops who are deployed in harm's way. Senator Joe Lieberman stated last week in the Senate, ``This bill is a resolution of irresolution.''

If you believe the President's new strategy is unsound, then offer a better solution to win. If that is where your convictions lie, then have the courage to act decisively and be ready to accept the consequences of your convictions. Now, that would be a resolution.

The nonbinding resolution before us is at best confusing, at worst immoral. It pledges to support the troops in the field but washes its hands of what they are doing. We can't have it both ways. We can't say that our military men and women have our full support while disapproving of their mission on the eve of their battle. The bill does not resolve to do anything. It doesn't offer a solution. It only offers political expedient top-cover. It would be nice to play the game of nonbinding actions, but our soldiers and marines in Iraq don't have that option, and neither should we. In fact, if the troops in Iraq cared to watch what we were doing in Congress this week, they would be outraged. Fortunately for us, they have more important things to do and they live in a world where bullets are real and words alone carry little meaning.

I will close by asking all of you to picture yourselves as an 18- or 19-year-old marine or soldier who is preparing for imminent battle in Baghdad. At this very moment, you would be fueling your Humvee; loading your ammunition, checking your gear and equipment; taking time out to pray a private, quiet prayer. And if you are lucky, you might be able to call family and friends to tell them how much you love them. And all the while, the back of your hair is standing up and the back of your neck is itching because the support that you feel that is necessary from your government is lacking. As you prepare for battle, the best that your elected Representatives back home in your Nation's Capital can do is to debate a nonbinding resolution that has no real significance, except to call into question the mission you are about to embark on.

Quit? Unthinkable. Stop the funding while they are fighting? Immoral. Stay the course and do nothing? Outrageous.

What the Nation and our troops deserve is our best thinking and our best support.

Madam Speaker, today I'm honored to recognize the accomplishments of Rosa Navejar, winner of the 2006 Coors Hispanic Leader of the Year Award.

This wonderful award goes to a good woman who has had a great career. Thirty years ago, Rosa Navejar's professional journey began in the banking industry where her command of Spanish and her commitment to all customers set her apart. She always viewed her work as not just a job but as a mission. Throughout her career, she took time to mentor young people many of whom are now leaders themselves.

In 2001, Rosa left banking to make history as the first female Hispanic to lead the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She helped revitalize and reshape the Chamber as a force for good throughout the community. Under her leadership, the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber has grown in size and influence. Perhaps the greatest example of this is the Hispanic Leadership Development Course. This unique program trains today the Hispanic leaders of tomorrow.

In life, there are those who seek to make a profit. And then there are people like Rosa Navejar: those who seek to make a difference. Thanks to her life, legacy and leadership, our community is stronger, better and more united than ever before.

Rosa Navejar truly represents the spirit of engagement, passion and success.

I congratulate my friend Rosa for this award. And I thank her for her efforts.

Mr. Speaker, this bill before us eliminates $3.1 billion that would support the plan, approved by this Congress, to reposition our military forces throughout the world, a plan that is integral to our strategy to win the war on terror.

The cut in funding of over $3 billion has been termed devastating by Army officials. It eliminates the support for our military and their families, may I remind us, in a time of war.

Let me give you a specific example. Fourteen thousand troops and their families, including 4,000 children, are scheduled to reposition from Germany back to the States. Cutting funding for support for this plan leaves our senior military leaders with the Hobson's choice of either moving just a few units or moving our servicemembers and their families on the bases with inadequate infrastructure and training facilities.

It prevents soldiers from having the type of training facilities they need to prepare for war. It will create an uncertainty about whether their children are able to attend adequate schools. It puts in jeopardy medical treatment facilities that our military members and their families deserve access to and can force our troops into temporary housing.

Mr. Speaker, we are at war. Are we willing to cut support for those who fight this war? I say no, and I will vote ``no.'' This bill shortchanges our troops and their families and inhibits our ability to train and prepare our troops and our Nation for future attacks.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Pat Lane, on the occasion of his retirement from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company after more than 40 years of dedicated service. Pat will be greatly missed, and I join his many friends and co-workers with whom he served in wishing him the best of luck in the next phase of his life.

Pat began his long and distinguished career with then-General Dynamics Fort Worth Division in 1966. He was elected by his peers as the union representative for his department, a position he served in until 1974. He was then elected to the office of Business Representative for International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District Lodge 776.

Since 1978, Pat has served as President and Directing Business Representative for the District Lodge. In this role, Pat has had the responsibility of negotiating multiple labor agreements and enforcing 61 labor agreements with employers. He also served 10,000 members representing nineteen local lodges in the District. Finally, he had the full responsibility of overseeing and supervising a full staff of elected business representatives and office employees.

Particularly noteworthy is Pat's work in establishing a Joint Apprenticeship Program between General Dynamics and District Lodge 776, which has continued under Lockheed Martin. This model program successfully trained highly skilled aircraft tooling personnel with a high completion rate. I am most familiar with Pat's outstanding work with the Community Learning Center in Fort Worth. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Learning Center which provides skills training to unemployed, underemployed and displaced workers.

Pat Lane has also been extremely active in the Fort Worth community. He served on the Texas Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness for four years. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors for the Tarrant County United Way as well as the Tarrant County Junior College as a labor consultant. Furthermore, he has devoted his time as a youth baseball coach and Boy Scouts Leader.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to have had this opportunity to recognize the dedication of Mr. Pat Lane to the Fort Worth community. As he retires, I join his friends and family in wishing him a long and happy retirement. He has certainly earned it

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage of a young hero from my district. On December 15, 2006, Army Private First Class Paul Balint, Jr. (B Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division) died in Al Ramadi, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Private Balint had served in the Army for over a year and in Iraq for three months, before sustaing fatal injuries during an attack on his battalion.

Balint was known as a loyal friend and soldier. His parents remember him as a compassionate man and a mediator, always thinking about others and wanting to make sure everyone was having a good time. He also had a love for hip-hop music and was going to add music to the home videos he filmed while in Iraq.

His parents had no doubts about what their son wanted to do with his life. He was going to be a soldier. Balint used to recite the ``The Soldiers Creed'' at the kitchen table while his mother cooked. When his father asked him what he wanted to do, he said he ``wanted to be in the infantry.'' When his father then asked him about the issue of Iraq, Balint responded that he wanted to go ``fight that stuff.''

Balint enlisted in the armed forces in Willow Park, Texas, with his brother, mother and father at his side.

After completing basic training, Balint had the Soldiers Creed branded into memory, and into his heart.

Madam Speaker, in honor of Private Balint, I would like to read aloud the Soldiers Creed.

The Soldiers Creed

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States and live the Army

Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and

proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of

the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

Private Balint is gone, but he will never be forgotten. God Speed to his family and to the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage of a young hero from my district. November 6, 2006, Army Sgt. First Class William R. Brown (1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group) was killed in the line of duty when a roadside improvised bomb exploded near his Humvee vehicle in Sperwan-Gar, Afghanistan, which is part of the Panjwayi District of Kandahar. He was in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Brown enlisted in the Army in June 1994, 2 weeks after graduating high school.

Sgt. Brown's family and friends remember him as a person with integrity and a strong desire to service his country through a career in the military. He is also remembered for his devotion to his wife, Audra, and two children.

A native of White Settlement, Texas, Sgt. Brown graduated from Brewer High School and began Army basic training 2 weeks later at Fort Benning, Georgia. His first assignment was with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. With that unit, he rose to the rank of squad leader and operations sergeant. After serving 7 years with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Sgt. Brown was transferred to Dallas, Texas, where he was an Army recruiter for 2 years.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Sgt. Brown decided to join the Army's elite Special Forces. In 2004, he completed the rigorous Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Air Borne) which is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After becoming a Special Forces member, he served with great distinction and valor one tour of duty in Iraq and was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was killed. Sgt. Brown volunteered for both tours of duty in Afghanistan.

During his career, Sgt. Brown earned the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a Meritorious Service

Medal, an Army Accommodation Medal, an Army Achievement Medal and a National Defense Service Medal.

It is the qualities of incredible courage, strength, and pride in service of country which we see in young heroes like William R. Brown that makes us appreciate the freedoms we have here at home. I am proud to honor Sergeant Brown's service to the State of Texas, where he entered the service, and to the United States of America. He will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the House Transportation Committee for their work on this bill and the leadership of Chairman Don Young, Ranking Member Oberstar and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Mica.

Also, I want to thank the Speaker and Majority Leader for working so hard to get this bill done and on the floor.

All of the Texas delegation, including our two Senators, have played a part in making this bill possible; and the five stakeholders, the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, American and Southwest Airlines and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, have all come together in really an unprecedented way to forge an agreement and get this issue behind us.

The Mayors of Fort Worth and Dallas and community leaders met from both cities for months putting this agreement together, and they deserve much credit. Everyone gave up something for the better good, and then they gave their product to us to put into law, as is required for this to work.

Having worked and struggled with this issue for 15 years, first as Mayor and then as Congresswoman, I am more than ready to move on to something else and proudly support this legislation and urge a yes vote for its passage.

I also extend to Mr. Conyers an invitation to come to Fort Worth. You will love it, and they will love you for helping with this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Chisholm Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross as they celebrate 90 years of service in Texas, including my district in the Fort Worth area.

Chartered in 1916 in response to World War I, the American Red Cross Chisholm Trail Chapter has been present during both local and national events in U.S. history. The passionate volunteers and staff that make up the Chisholm Trail Chapter provide care, comfort and lifesaving skills to residents in my District. Headquartered in Fort Worth, the Chisholm Trail Chapter serves its neighbors by providing a variety of services throughout 23 counties, from the Tarrant County line to San Angelo.

The Chapter's variety of programs and services extend to all members of the Fort Worth community at home, in school, and in the workplace. Last year, over 111,000 people were helped by the WHEELS Transportation Service. This program assists older Americans and people with disabilities who need to help keeping their medical and vocational appointments by providing necessary means of transportation.

Constantly striving to ensure the health and safety of my constituents, the Chapter provides training in first aid, CPR, swimming, lifeguarding, and babysitting. Last year, the Chapter enrolled over 41,000 people in their Health and Safety Programs.

I am particularly impressed with their Armed Forces Emergency Services program. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the Chisholm Trail Chapter helps military members and their families stay in touch by providing timely, accurate and verified information following the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child or other critical family matter.

The Chisholm Trail Chapter has touched me personally as well. On March 28, 2000, an F-2 tornado formed and took aim at Tarrant County. Five lives were lost and homes and businesses were destroyed. The tornado began just west of downtown and made a direct hit on the Cash America building, where my office was located. From there, the storm intensified into an F-3 twister and leveled an Arlington neighborhood.

The Chisholm Trail Chapter responded in force to the tornadoes, meeting the physical and emotional needs of thousands of families. An American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle made its way to my office building several times each day for nearly two weeks, distributing meals and bottled water to the work crews attempting to salvage what was left from the debris.

In addition to meeting local community needs through essential programs and services, the Chisholm Trail Chapter has responded to the needs of our nation and the world by sending volunteers into a terrorist attack site following the events of September 11, 2001, and raising nearly $2 million locally to help south Asian tsunami victims in 2004. Prior to landfall of Hurricane Katrina, the Chapter deployed local volunteers to Louisiana.

The Chisholm Trail Chapter met the call to serve those left devastated in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by opening eight shelters, housing 1,200 evacuees and providing 576,137 meals. During the months of September and October 2005, the Chapter served over 7,000 families and offered 6,606 mental health contacts to those in need of emotional assistance. This coordinated response exemplifies the Chapter's dedication to guaranteeing the health and well-being of those who have experienced the effects of natural disasters.

Mr. Speaker and fellow Colleagues, please join me in recognizing the American Red Cross Chisholm Trail Chapter on its 90th birthday. With congratulations and gratitude for the excellent work they do to enrich our lives, I am pleased to acknowledge their service to our communities throughout the Fort Worth area and all corners of this great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most dedicated public servants of District 12 and the Fort Worth community that I represent, Fort Worth Fire Chief Charles Gaines. On September 23, 2006, Fire Chief Gaines died at his home at the age of 49. Through hard work and commitment in his chosen profession, Chief Gaines was known nationally as an outstanding fire chief.

While Chief Gaines' tenure in Fort Worth was a short four years, his impact on the community, on the men and women of the Fort

Worth Fire Department and on his Fort Worth friends was enormous. Chief Gaines undertook with vigor the task of implementing a 4-man company staffing plan for the Fort Worth Fire Department to ensure that citizens enjoyed the best fire protection possible, while also undertaking a review of the Fire Department to abolish inefficient practices.

Chief Gaines was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and graduated from Oklahoma City Northwest Classen High School before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1975 where he entered the Air Force fire protection services as a crash rescue firefighter. He was stationed at various Air Force bases and rose to the rank of assistant fire chief when he was honorably discharged in 1980. Chief Gaines joined the Oklahoma City Fire Department and became a firefighter in 1981 where he continued as a frontline firefighter and supervisor until 1985 when he became a fire services instructor. Beginning in 1990, Chief Gaines served the Oklahoma City community in various capacities as deputy chief, including deputy chief for personnel, training and safety operations. When the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building occurred in 1995, Chief Gaines was one of the first rescuers to reach the scene and served as the operations safety officer during the first 36 hours after the bombing, providing critical leadership that ensured the safety of firefighters and others who had rushed to the rescue of the victims of the bombing.

Chief Gaines was named Fort Worth fire chief in 2002 in a nationwide search and had the distinction of being the city's first African American fire chief. His fellow firefighters say his analytical ability, dedication to safety and determination made him ``a consummate professional.'' Nothing signifies his dedication and hard work more than his personal development efforts. While serving as a full time firefighter, Chief Gaines earned a Southern Nazarene University Bachelor of Science degree, an Oklahoma City University Masters of Business Administration degree and graduated from the National Fire Academy's Executive Officers Program.

At the same time, Chief Gaines was fiercely dedicated to his family and friends, always there with a bright smile and wit.

Chief Gaines' outstanding professional abilities have indeed made Fort Worth a better place in which to live and work. It is with humility that I honor Fort Worth Fire Chief Charles Gaines as a great American who used his skills and talents wisely. Chief Gaines will be missed but not forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, each Member in this House comes to Congress with his own agenda, his district's needs, and his committee requests, but the one thing that should surmount all those individual desires, needs, and energies is the commitment to keep our Nation safe.

Fourteen terrorists are now being held at Guantanamo Bay awaiting trial. Thousands of the family members of Americans killed on September 11 are awaiting justice, and our constituents are waiting for Congress to act. The bill we have before us helps make that possible. It sends a message to the extremists that if they plot to kill or harm our citizens, America will find them, get the information they have, and bring them to justice. And it sends a message to those who fight to protect our freedom that we will protect them, too.

I do not know of anything that this Congress can do that is more important than passing this bill today, a bill carefully crafted, protecting classified intelligence information, providing clear guidelines for our intelligence officers who are responsible for interrogating those terrorists, and keeping our promises to the American people to do everything we can to keep them safe.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill, and I thank those responsible for bringing it to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Wise County, a Texas county that is part of the 12th Congressional District which I have the honor to represent in Congress.

The area that today is known as Wise County, located northwest of the Fort Worth/Dallas area, initially was home to Native American Indians. The Coronado Expeditions in 1540 found the Wichita Indians roaming the region. By the mid-1800s, Texas was being settled to the north and west of the Gulf Coast. The first settlers, lead by Sam Woody and his family, came to the Wise County region in 1854 attracted by an abundance of land, game and other natural resources. The Woody family and other pioneers who came from other southern states found their new home ideal for farming and ranching.

On January 23, 1856, the Texas Legislature officially created a new county from the larger Cook County and named it for Henry A. Wise, a U.S. Senator from Virginia who had supported the annexation of Texas into the United States a decade earlier. By a popular vote, the community of Taylorville, named for President Taylor, was selected to the county seat where the first of four county courthouses was constructed. Later, the town's name was changed to Decatur in honor of U.S. Naval hero Stephen Decatur at the urging of Col. Absolam Bishop, recognized as the founder of Decatur. The present courthouse on the Decatur town square is the fourth, a majestic pink granite structure constructed in 1895 and remodeled several times since.

By 1860, Wise County had more than 3,000 residents. Although Wise County was one of the Texas counties that voted against secession from the United States, it did recruit five Confederate military companies from among its male residents who fought in the Civil War. Following the Civil War, agriculture continued to be the prime focus of the Wise County economy. Over time, dairy farming, brick and limestone production and oil and gas production became important segments of the county's economic base. At the turn of the century, 99 percent of Wise County's 27,116 residents still lived in unincorporated areas.

Wise County has the distinction of being the birthplace of the first established junior college when Decatur Baptist Junior College was created in 1892 to serve as a ``feeder school'' to Baylor University in Waco. In 1965, the junior college took a step forward by moving to Dallas and becoming Dallas Baptist University.

Throughout its history, the many men and women of Wise County have served proudly in the U.S. military with distinction and honor. In recognition of some of its sons and daughters who fought during World War II and who were members of the famed ``Lost Battalion,'' Allied soldiers who became Japan prisoners of war, the Wise County Heritage Museum has dedicated a room to members of the Lost Battalion.

Since World War II, Wise County has continued to flourish. Today, the county has a

population of 60,400. While agribusinesses continues to be an important part of its economy, a growing number of residents are employed in a wide array of industries spread across the North Texas landscape. Wise County has developed a reputation as having a small town lifestyle with urban amenities nearby. Seventeen incorporated towns and cities are part of Wise County. They include: Alvord, Aurora, Boyd, Bridgeport, Briar, Chico, Decatur, Greenwood, Lake Bridgeport, Newark, New Fairview, Paradise, Pecan Acres, Rhome, Runaway Bay and Slidell.

To celebrate its heritage, Wise County commemorates its founding from September 30 through October 7, 2006, with the Wise County Sesquicentennial celebration. The Wise County Sesquicentennial celebration honors the past and recognizes the future with events in every corner of the county.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Wise County on the 150th anniversary of its establishment and to offer sincere appreciation for the many contributions Wise County and its great citizens have made to Texas and the United States over the last 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage of a young hero from my district. On July 22, 2006, the Department of Defense declared that Army Captain Blake H. Russell (United States Army, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division) died from injuries that he suffered from an explosion while investigating a possible weapons cache in Baghdad, Iraq. Russell enlisted in the Navy in 1989 after graduating from Fort Worth Boswell High School. After completing his Navy obligations, Russell enrolled at Texas A&M University and upon graduation, he joined the Army.

His family describes Russell as a soldier who professed that he chose the military profession so ``he could fight the bad guys over there so (his son) could be safe here.''

Russell served with distinction during his military career which included two tours in Iraq. In the Navy, Russell served as an anti- submarine warfare specialist as well as a Navy search and rescue team member. He joined the Army after graduating from Texas A&M in 1998. Prior to the Iraq war, he was an aide to an Army general. During his initial tour in Iraq, Russell served with the 4th Infantry Division in the Al Anbar Province. He joined the 101st Airborne Division, based in Fort Campbell, KY, in March 2005. He was serving as a field artillery officer during his last tour in Iraq and was actively involved in military operations in the Baghdad area. His earned the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart during his military career.

The American people know the sacrifices Russell made to his country and his service will not be in vain. I am proud to honor Captain Russell's service to the United States of America. He will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the courage of a young hero from my district. On July 19, 2006, the Department of Defense declared that Army Staff Sergeant Eric Caban (United States Army, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces) died from injuries that he suffered the previous day during a combat reconnaissance patrol in Southern Afghanistan.

A native of Manhattan, NY, Caban moved to Fort Worth with his family when he was 3 years old. A year after graduating from Fort Worth Paschal High School in 1997, Caban enlisted in the Army. His first assignment was with the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he served in a sniper platoon and was a team leader. His first deployment to Afghanistan occurred in October 2001. In that assignment, Caban participated as an airborne ranger who did a combat jump in what is described as an ``operation that took the strategically important Kandahar Airfield.''

Following his assignment in Afghanistan, Caban left the Army in 2002 to attend the University of Texas at Arlington. However, after a year in college, Caban decided his love was the military and he re-enlisted in 2004. Initially, he was a sniper instructor. He then enrolled in the Special Forces Qualifications Course and in March 2006, became a sergeant in the Special Forces--better known as the Green Berets--and returned to Afghanistan. During his career he earned the Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals and, posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

His family and friends describe Caban as someone who was committed to defending his country and to battling alongside his fellow soldiers. It is these qualities of incredible courage, strength, and pride in serving his country that we see in young heroes like Eric Caban that makes us appreciate the freedoms we enjoy here at home.

I am proud to honor Sergeant Caban's service to the United States of America and to defending freedom around the world. He will not be forgotten.