Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Preston West Republican Women. This group organized in 1953 and has continued its mission to represent and strengthen the voice of women in northern-most developmental areas of Dallas.

This organization's leadership has provided their community and their neighbors with the opportunity to meet and know their representatives in local, state and the federal government. These exceptional women have worked diligently to recruit citizens and involve them in the political process, and promote the understanding of the conservative philosophy.

It is encouraging to see these leaders from Texas's Twenty-Fourth District do such great things. I continue to applaud them for their accomplishments over the last 60 years in raising awareness of their values, promoting the voice of women in North Dallas and being a guard for conservative beliefs.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor the members of the Preston West Republican Women for their 60 years of achievement and unwavering resolution in building this organization for the conservative women of North Dallas. I join their family, friends, and colleagues in congratulating them and wishing them continued growth and success.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform you and my fellow colleagues of Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price's recent accomplishment of being recognized by the Zonta Club of Fort Worth as the distinguished 2013 Professional Woman of the Year.

The Zonta Club of Fort Worth was chartered in 1927 with the objective of improving the status of women through promoting goodwill, human rights, and justice throughout the community, country, and world. Each year since 1971, the Zonta Club of Fort Worth has honored an outstanding professional woman in the Fort Worth community. This celebration recognizes the honoree's achievement while thanking her for being a shining example for other women.

Mayor Betsy Price was elected as the 44th Mayor to her native City of Fort Worth. Throughout her early tenure, Mayor Price has focused on fiscal responsibility, creating a stronger economy through public- private partnerships, and strengthening neighborhoods through her faith-based and citywide health engagement initiatives.

As a proponent of civically active young adults, Mayor Price created the SteerFW program to organize young professionals into task forces focused on resolving local issues. The program has four areas of focus--education, public transportation, employment, and urban development. There are currently over 300 young citizens participating in the program where they learn about current challenges and work to find creative solutions.

Prior to her life in public service, Mayor Price owned and managed Price Cornelius Title Service for 17 years. In 2000, she was elected as the Tarrant County Tax Assessor, where she used her business experience to make her department one of the most efficient in Texas and saved taxpayers millions of dollars.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating Mayor Betsy Price on her accomplishment as the 2013 Fort Worth Zonta Club Professional Woman of the Year.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my support for the House Republican budget.

The Path to Prosperity will balance the budget over the next ten years without raising taxes on the American people.

Furthermore, the House Republican budget will help American job seekers by repealing Obamacare. The Obama health care law contains over a trillion dollars in new taxes on employers, medical device makers, families buying health insurance and others.

Throughout my district, small business owners and CEOs are sitting down with their accountants. They are trying to figure out how they are going to do business next year with this massive tax in place. That is creating uncertainty and impeding job creation.

Repealing Obamcare is critical to getting our economy growing again.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Sandra Secrest for her 30 years of public service to the Metrocrest area which encompasses the North Texas cities of Carrollton, Farmers Branch, and Addison.

Sandra Secrest was born and raised in Farmers Branch and graduated from W.T. White High School in 1979. She then attended Texas A&M University from 1979 to 1983 where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education.

Following graduation in 1983, Sandra Secrest returned home to Farmers Branch

where she became a social studies teacher at Newman Smith High School of Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District. From 1988 to 1992, Sandra Secrest worked as a Park Ranger for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during her summer breaks from teaching.

After ten years of teaching, in 1993, Sandra Secrest changed her career to become a police officer for the City of Carrollton where she committed 20 years of service to the community. Ms. Secrest spent her first 5 years as a patrol officer, the following 8 years as a school resource officer, and the final 7 years back on patrol duty. As a school resource officer, she spent the majority of her time at Creekview High School and R.L. Turner High School. During her tenure as school resource officer, Ms. Secrest was a member of the Carrollton Police Department Gang Unit and Texas Gang Violence Task Force.

Sandra Secrest has spent her entire career serving and protecting her community. Ms. Secrest's commitment to her community speaks volumes to the integrity of her character. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in thanking Sandra Secrest for her 30 years of public service.

Mr. Speaker, since President Obama has taken office, over $6 trillion has been added to our national debt. This is more than under any President in history.

Since President Obama has taken office, we have had 4 consecutive years of over trillion-dollar-plus deficits. These deficits have led to a national debt of almost $17 trillion.

In 2009, the President promised that he would not sign a health care law that adds one dime to our deficits. Well, a recent report from the GAO finds that ObamaCare will add over $6 trillion to our long-term deficits.

For the sake of our country and our children's future, we must repeal this massive government overreach into our health care system. The Republican House budget does that, and therefore I will support it.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Ralph and Joy Ellis as one of the most caring and giving couples in North Texas, and it is my distinct honor to highlight their significant contributions to the Lyric Stage of Irving, Texas. Furthermore, I would like to congratulate them for receiving the prestigious Lyric Stage Spotlight Award for philanthropic contributions to the arts at the Lyric Stage 20th Anniversary Gala on March 22, 2013.

Irving Lyric was founded in 1993 by Irving native Steven Jones to preserve and develop American musical theater. In 2007, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Lyric Stage by awarding a grant to the theater to host Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel with a 40-piece orchestra. Ralph and Joy Ellis were so impressed with the performance that they have personally contributed the resources necessary for Lyric Stage to continue featuring a full orchestra at each production playing the original Broadway orchestrations.

Ralph and Joy's support has helped Lyric Stage provide the City of Irving and all of North Texas access to amazing original Broadway musical productions. In fact, in the 2012 season, audience members from 20 states and 347 zip codes traveled to Irving to attend productions at Lyric Stage. Irving is proud to say that 90 shows have been produced locally, including 20 world premieres, several of which have gone on to theaters in New York and London.

Lyric Stage is not the only program that Ralph and Joy Ellis have influenced through their generosity. They have made numerous contributions to local charities including the Salvation Army, Irving Cares, Brighter Tomorrows, Irving Symphony Orchestra, Irving Healthcare Foundation, Irving Family Advocacy, The North Hills School, and Crossroads Interfaith Clinic. The majority of their philanthropy, however, has been to endow several student scholarships at Texas A&M University, Southern Methodist University, and to graduates from the Irving Independent School System and Carrollton-Farmers Branch School System.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in thanking Ralph and Joy Ellis for their charitable contributions to North Texas programs. Their influence in the community has enhanced the quality of life for many Texans, and we are extremely grateful for this caring couple.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Horace ``Chief'' Narvel Brooks. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the good and long life of Mr. Brooks, who passed away on Sunday, January 20, 2013.

Horace joined the United States Navy at the age of 17 and served in both World War II and the Korean War. Horace, having faithfully served, retired from the military as a Chief Gunner's Mate. Horace far exceeded his duty in serving both his country, family and the 24th District of Texas. Each year around Veterans Day, Horace would share stories of his military duties with high school students, imparting wisdom and firsthand experiences.

Mr. Speaker, Horace ``Chief'' Brooks was a great father and family man, and a true American patriot. I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in celebrating his life, and honoring the many people whose lives are better for having crossed his path.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Congressman Sam Johnson's 40th anniversary of freedom. On February 12, 1973, Congressman Johnson and 590 other American POWs were released from captivity in Vietnam. With 29 years in the United States Air Force, nearly seven of those spent imprisoned, and 22 years of service in Congress, Congressman Johnson has been selflessly dedicated to the betterment our nation for more than 50 years. As we celebrate his 40 years of freedom today, we must also recognize that his half century of dedicated service has helped to preserve the freedom and prosperity of all Americans. It is a great privilege to represent Texas alongside such an inspiring patriot. I am proud to call Sam Johnson a true friend and a personal hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart after the loss of an American hero. I was saddened last week to learn about the tragic death of Chris Kyle, a former Navy SEAL, decorated Iraq war veteran and valuable member of the North Texas community. Mr. Kyle was a native Texan and received numerous awards and decorations throughout his four tours of duty in Iraq, including two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Upon his honorable discharge in 2009, Mr. Kyle returned home to North Texas and began focusing his attention on helping other veterans cope with the physical and emotional struggles of life after deployment. Whether he was in combat or in the community, Mr. Kyle was always dedicated to providing support for his fellow service members. His death is truly a significant loss, not only for North Texas, but for the country as a whole. I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning the passing of this selfless American hero and to continue to send thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones.

I rise to support the Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2012. This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that would establish cost-effective procedures to help protect the identity of all seniors.

Seniors are a high-risk demographic for identity theft. Identity thieves have targeted seniors in my district in Texas and across the country. This year's Centers for Medicare Services inspector general report found that more than a quarter million Medicare beneficiaries have been potential victims of identity theft.

Most Medicare cards currently use Social Security numbers as the identifier. By removing Social Security numbers from Medicare cards, this bill gives seniors the identity protection that they deserve. Seniors work their entire lives for financial security, and that security should not be jeopardized due to preventable identity theft. Other Federal programs and private insurance plans made similar changes years ago, and Medicare beneficiaries should have the same level of identity protection and security.

I'm proud to support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Paula and Homer Thompson on the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding.

Paula and Homer were married on December 7, 1962, in the home of Paula's parents in Mineral Wells, Texas. Since that day, they have lived in Carrollton, Texas. During their life together, they raised three children--Tracey Hutcherson, born on May 11, 1965; Scott Thompson, born on February 27, 1972; and Marc Thompson, born on January 30, 1975. They are also the proud grandparents of Joni, Micah, Jorden, and Emma.

Since 1974, Paula and Homer have been active members of the First Baptist Church in Carrollton. They have taught Sunday school, attended adult Sunday school, and sung in both the Sanctuary Choir and Live Wire Choir. The celebration of their fiftieth wedding anniversary will be held at the church on December 15.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating Paula and Homer Thompson on the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding. This landmark in their lives stands as an example of the timeless value and endurance of mutual honor and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Ashley Johnson, a constituent of mine from Coppell, Texas, on studying the Mandarin Chinese language in Beijing, China, under the Critical Language Scholarship Program.

The Critical Language Scholarship program was established in 2006 as part of the National Security Language Initiative. This interagency effort was formed with recognition of the need for our future diplomatic and intelligence personnel to learn languages such as Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, and Chinese. It provides an intensive regimen of study at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels for both undergraduate and graduate students. The program goes beyond just language and provides cultural experiences by immersion in the host country.

I was proud when the U.S. State Department informed me that one of my constituents, Ashley Johnson, had successfully participated in the Critical Language Scholarship Program this past summer. Acceptance is highly competitive, and so I commend her studying Intermediate Chinese in Beijing. Johnson's success is a testament to dedication, skill, and hard work; and I look forward to her accomplishing great things in any endeavor that she pursues in life.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 24th Congressional District of Texas, I ask all my distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating Ashley Johnson for her studies in the Critical Language Scholarship Program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the City of Irving, Texas, for being named a recipient of the 2012 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award--the nation's highest Presidential honor for performance excellence.

Irving, Texas, is the first city in Texas to ever receive the Baldrige Award, and is only the second municipal recipient in the distinguished program's 25-year history. Applicants were evaluated by an independent board of examiners in seven areas defined by the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence: leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; operations focus; and results. The evaluation process for each of the recipients included hundreds of hours of process review and an on-site visit by a team of examiners.

I commend the City of Irving, Texas, for adopting private sector programs to make government more efficient and for striving towards performance excellence through innovation, continuous improvement, and visionary leadership. The City of Irving is a Lone Star model of fiscal achievement, values its resident feedback, focuses on strategic planning and process efficiency, and prioritizes public safety initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my respected colleagues to join me in recognizing the City of Irving, Texas, for being awarded the Malcolm Baldrige Award National Quality Award.

Mr. Speaker, today we honor our dear friend and colleague Ralph Hall for becoming the oldest Member to cast a vote in the history of the House of Representatives.

I have had the privilege of knowing Ralph for decades. He is a dear friend and a tireless advocate for the people of the Fourth Congressional District of our home State.

Ralph's service to the country did not start with his election to Congress in 1980, but started long before. He answered the country's call to serve in the service in World War II, serving in the Navy as an aircraft carrier pilot from 1942 to 1945. Later in his life, Ralph served in the Texas Legislature from 1962 to 1972.

Ralph, I did not have the opportunity to serve with you in the Texas Legislature. We were there at different times. But you served with honor, and you served as the Senate pro tempore for 2 years.

Though Ralph's time in the Texas Legislature predated me, he has always been and always will be a legend in Austin, Texas. Today, my friend continues to distinguish himself in Congress serving as the chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

There never has been anyone quite like Ralph before. He is a true Texan, a true Texan hero, and I am proud to call him my friend. Though he qualified for retirement a couple of decades ago, he still serves his country and constituents with honor and distinction.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act, which strengthens U.S. trade and helps American businesses stay competitive in a challenging global economy. The bill accomplishes these goals by granting permanent normal trade relations, or PNTR, with one of the leading economies in the world. Texas, in particular, stands to benefit.

First, granting PNTR grows new markets. In Texas, my State exported $1.6 billion worth of

goods to Russia in 2011. That makes Texas the leading State in the country that trades with Russia. PNTR will allow Texas, and all U.S. businesses, to further expand into emerging markets.

Second, PNTR helps create jobs. In 2011, trade with Russia directly supported over 4,000 jobs in Texas. That number will only grow as new markets create new business opportunities.

Third, PNTR ensures U.S. businesses get equal protection with Russia under WTO obligations. Our foreign competitors can already use WTO mechanisms to enforce Russia's trade commitments. With this bill, so can America.

Madam Speaker, this bill promotes free trade, creates new jobs, and ensures protections for American workers. I proudly support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.