Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, one of the most monumental battles of World War II took place in October of 1944 in the Pacific theater in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. One of those heroes who fought on Hell's doorstep in this battle was Major Alan McKean. Major McKean served in the United States Army and was among the millions of others who answered freedom's call in the largest armed conflict in recorded history.

When we consider generations of our past, no one exemplifies the essence of America better than those, part of what we now call the greatest generation. For this generation of Americans, like Major McKean, whose character and resolve was molded by the Great Depression, defeating Adolf Hitler and the Axis powers' reign of terror was just another call to answer. They performed their duty with honor. It was not theirs to question. It was simply expected. We will never forget their triumphs, and we will never forget those victories like the battle of Leyte Gulf which came at such a great cost. Few causes were as worthy. Few prices were as great. Perhaps Winston Churchill said it best when he said of this generation, This was their finest hour.

Men like Major McKean saved an entire world from tyranny and gave people the chance to live under flags of freedom by answering the call to service. To this day and forever, we recall these heroic deeds and we remember and honor those who liberated the world.

Like the soldiers of America's greatest generation, today's service men and women are in distant lands fighting the threat and horror of terror by spreading freedom and making our homeland more secure. America will continue to honor our past and present military because the triumph of its ideals resides in the actions of its heroes. I salute Major Alan McKean and all the service men and women who put themselves in harm's way so that we may live in freedom.

May God bless America, may He bless Major Alan McKean and his wife Dorothy, and may He hold them in the palm of His hand.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding me time and for his hard work on this amendment which is vital to assisting State and local law enforcement to participate in this very important program. I was proud to offer the base amendment at the committee level, along with my friend from Alabama.

An estimated 8- to 12 million undocumented aliens are here in the United States, and Border Patrol estimates that for every one that is apprehended at the border up to three others enter our Nation. In the post-9/11 world, these figures are no longer just an immigration problem but, rather, one of national security.

My experience on border security is that our Federal law enforcement officers are being stretched too thin and asked to do too much and need all the help available. With this amendment, State and local officers can be trained to be qualified to perform the essential functions of an immigration officer, including investigation, apprehension, and detention of not only undocumented aliens but potential criminals and terrorists.

The $40 million to States who qualify will serve as a needed force multiplier to our border patrol, border inspectors, and ICE investigators; and it is purely a voluntary program.

If we have learned anything from the tragedy of September 11, it is that we must work together. No longer can we afford the turf battles between State, Federal, and local law enforcement. As the head of the Joint Terrorism Task Force back in my State, the State of Texas, I can tell you that State and locals participate in the Joint Terrorism task forces. This will give them the tools and the training necessary to enforce not only our terrorist laws but the immigration laws that so often overlap into the Federal terrorist criminal penalties.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It will bring law enforcement together in a unified front to protect our national security.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word.

I rise in strong support of this important bill and for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

Since the tragic events of 9/11 and the subsequent creation of the Department of Homeland Security, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of undocumented aliens apprehended at our borders. And last year alone, approximately 1.2 million people were apprehended at our southwest border. It is

conservatively estimated by border patrol that three undocumented aliens get past our borders for every one that is caught. It is estimated also that the number of non-Mexican illegal immigrants, also known as OTMs, entering our country has increased tremendously in some border patrol sectors by 300 percent this year.

This group, often not on any watch lists and usually lacking legitimate documentation, should cause us all great concern. Despite the risk these persons present, the problem has grown because courts will not impose detection and because the Department of Homeland Security lacks adequate detention space.

As a former counterterrorism prosecutor in the Justice Department whose jurisdiction included the Mexican border, I know firsthand the threat this poses to our national security. When the border patrol catches individuals who do not fall in the category of mandatory detainees, they often have no choice but to release them on their own recognizance with a notice to appear at an immigration hearing, only to disappear later. It is commonly derided by law enforcement as the ``catch-and-release program.'' This is exactly how Ramzi Yousef, the al Qaeda perpetrator of the 1993 World Trade Center bombings entered this country.

This is why I, along with the support of 44 of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, signed a letter to the Committee on Appropriations asking for full funding of the 2000 border patrol, 800 interior investigators and most importantly, 8,000 detention beds recommended by the 9/11 Commission and authorized by the Intelligence Reform Act.

I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

The Chairman has worked hard to produce a bill that will fund additional border security enforcement and detention space within budgetary limitations and supports expanding the use of alternatives to detention as a way of compensating for the shortage of bed space and smart solutions to the bigger problem of coping with the numbers of illegal aliens crossing into our country.

I will continue to work with the chairman and the Committee on the Budget to ensure that in the future detention beds authorized by Congress are fully funded.

I thank the chairman, and I commend the gentleman for taking the time to hear the concerns of our border communities and for responding so readily. All of the items provided for in this bill will help keep criminals and terrorists from crossing into the United States and, when they do, ensure that they are detained and removed from our country.

In the post-9/11 world, this is not just an issue related to immigration; it is one of national security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference agreement for the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. I wish to commend the conferees for their work in bringing this important legislation to the House floor. The funding provided by this bill not only helps insure that our military will have the resources and capabilities necessary to prevail in the global war on terror, but it also supports the Pentagon's important R&D programs.

I recently noted concerns published by two former defense officials over possible reductions in future defense advanced technology development. While I am confident that this Administration and the Congress will continue to provide ample funding for the military's R&D programs, it is important to underscore how these programs help incubate technologies with important military applications being developed by small companies.

My Congressional district has a number of small companies with innovative new technologies that promise significant benefits to the military. Three of these companies have developed technologies that offer good examples of private initiatives ready to be advanced for military use in partnership with the Defense Department. The funding in this bill will make this partnership possible.

One company, Zebra Imaging, has developed a 3-D hologram technology that now produces three-dimensional imagery of battlefield information imagery for military planning and reconnaissance purposes. The first of these imaging systems is now being deployed by the Army for use in Iraq, with a second system planned. Several defense R&D programs are assessing advanced applications of this technology for the future warfighter.

A second company, Teravicta Technologies, has engineered advanced radio frequency microelectro-mechanical (RF MEMS) switches and relays that provide much greater efficiency and performance in military electronics and communications systems, such as radar and satellite communications, as well as cell phones and other mobile wireless devices.

Pinion Software, the third example, is developing a simple system for securing sensitive

data stored in and transmitted by wireless mobile devices. The widespread and growing military use of wireless handheld devices and laptop computers has an accompanying security threat that is increasingly serious and will be protected by this technology.

These and other promising new technologies are fostered by the R&D programs funded by this bill and other defense appropriations. I urge the continued support of technologies as described here, which will provide the military important new capabilities.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to also thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Cox) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the ranking member, for their bipartisan leadership on this very important legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill.

Among its provisions, this historic legislation changes the current process by which our first responders get their much-needed resources.

It is clear that the Nation is moving in the right direction in its attempt to meet the security challenges of its post-9/11 world. All involved should be commended.

However, the current first responder grant system is in need of repair. We must make sure that those who stand on the front lines and answer the call have the vital resources immediately. This commonsense bill accomplishes this.

Despite the fact that my State of Texas is home to the President's ranch, the largest port in the United States, the Port of Houston, and has an international border with Mexico, it ranks dead last in the amount of Homeland Security money it receives per person.

Unfortunately, many other key target states like California, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, and Virginia, join Texas in this distinction.

To ensure that the States with the biggest risks and threats get the necessary money to protect themselves, our Nation must move towards a risk-based funding system.

Those like al Qaeda, who wish to do harm to America, have a track record of being patient and conspiring until they succeed in their terrorist agenda. By passing the Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act, we are placing a priority on securing our Nation's most essential and at-risk targets as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue.

As I look at the poster of the purple finger, I can only think back to the State of the Union address where the President stood right here, talked about the brave men and women fighting in Iraq, and many of us stood with our purple fingers in the air in solidarity with the Iraqi people and the voters from Iraq who exercised that great freedom that great day.

I also recall the Norwoods who live in my district, Janet and Bill, who lost their son in Iraq as he fought to save seven Marines held hostage by insurgents, successfully freeing them and giving his own life in the process. I was proud to have authored a bill to name the Pflugerville post office after Byron Norwood, a true hero; and that is what Janet Norwood told me was such a great comfort. This is really what it is all about.

I rise today in support of America's brave troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and all over the world who are protecting the cause of freedom, both here and abroad.

Today, my colleagues and I showed this commitment to these young men and women of the Armed Forces by passing and sending to the President an emergency wartime supplemental aimed at giving our fighting forces the very best in equipment, intelligence, and support.

Included in this bill was $75.9 billion for defense-related spending, including

improvements in troop armor, additional force protection and a desperately needed increase in military pay and health benefits so that military families are secured while their loved ones are on duty.

We additionally authorized funding for the FBI and the ATF to actively pursue drug and crime syndicates that are often fronts for laundering money to terrorist organizations.

I was pleased to see also that we included important funding to improve security here at home for such items as an additional 500 border patrol agents, 50 new immigration and customs investigators, 168 new enforcement agents and detention officers, and critically, almost 2,000 detention beds so as to limit the number of illegal border crossings which pose a threat to our national security.

We also successfully included almost all the provisions of the REAL ID Act that passed the House last month in this Chamber, including provisions on political asylum, border infrastructure, and basic Federal standards to State driver's licenses that will make it more difficult to counterfeit identification in this country. Let us not forget, the 19 hijackers on September 11 had over 63 fraudulent and false identification cards on them.

This coming Sunday, May 8, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our victory in Europe, and that victory came at a great cost, but it was a great accomplishment. We achieved that triumph because Americans banded together to show their support for the brave soldiers, to ensure them that their cause was just.

Today, we fight the same causes of human dignity and freedom; and though it comes at a cost, we must be vigilant and see it through to the end. We are winning in Iraq and Afghanistan; and because of our efforts there, freedom is winning in Ukraine, in Georgia, in Lebanon, and Egypt. However, there are still groups of people in this world who hate us, who think they can defeat us, who look to shake the very foundations of our determination by hitting us here at home.

We have achieved a good beginning for securing our Nation at home, and I want to thank my colleagues and the administration for that effort. I and 44 of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle drafted a letter to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), chairman of the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, where we asked for full funding for the recommendations the 9/11 Commission made and what was authorized in the intelligence bill for 200 border patrol agents, 800 interior investigators, and 8,000 detention beds authorized in the Intelligence Reform Act.

In the post-9/11 world, this is no longer just an immigration issue. It is one regarding national security. As a former counterterrorism prosecutor in the Justice Department whose jurisdiction included the Mexican border, I experienced it firsthand.

I am pleased that in addition to the 500 new border patrol agents in this bill, we were successful in getting full funding for 2,000 new agents in the Homeland Security Authorization bill which passed last week by that committee, of which I am a proud member; and I hope to see this bill voted on by this Chamber in the next few weeks.

However, we have a long way to go. We need more detention beds to hold people who cross the border illegally. We need more interior investigators; and by securing our borders, we protect ourselves from terrorist threats. I look forward to continuing our work to make sure the terrorists do not get past our borders.

If we look around the world and what is happening on the world stage, dictatorships around the world have begun to fall like dominos, and democracies are rising in their place. We have much to be hopeful and optimistic about, but we have a lot of work left to do. This is an issue that crosses party lines, and I am excited about the cooperation that we have had on the other side of the aisle.

We recently saw another crucial victory in the war on terror, with the capture of the number three al Qaeda operative Abu Farraj al-Libi. By removing this direct threat to our country, we have taken another step towards peace; and because of it, the world is a safer place. I commend Pakistan for their efforts that brought this man to justice and recognize our troops and the soldiers of other nations that are working jointly to eradicate terror from the globe.

When President Bush pledged to fight terrorism in the days following September 11 with a mission and a megaphone on Ground Zero, he sent a clear message to the insurgents. Let today serve as a reminder of that message and of vindication for all those who lost loved ones at the hands of evil.

As long as we are asking the men and women of America's Armed Forces to risk their very lives to defend freedom and protect our Nation, so, too, we must not fail to do our part by supporting them and by funding our border security. Our troops are doing their job and doing it well, but it is time now for us in the Congress to do our part.

I would like to thank the gentleman for his leadership on the issue.

Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to commemorate the 60th anniversary of our Nation's victory in Europe. And in doing so, I also like to honor men like my father and millions of others who answered freedom's call in fighting World War II. When we consider generations of our past, no one exemplifies the essence of America better than those, part of what we now call, the Greatest Generation.

To this day, and forever, I will be proud to say, my father was a part of this outstanding group, which led us to victory during World War II. As a 20-year-old bombardier-navigator in the Army Air Corps, my father, Major Jim McCaul, flew more than 30 bombing missions over Europe.

This included the largest bombing mission of the war in support of the D-day invasion. He flew a B-17 bomber, the flying fortress of the war, as he and others helped defeat Adolph Hitler and the Nazi reign of terror. And like most men of his generation, my father did not talk much about what he had done and seen over the skies of Europe. It was simply too painful.

However, when he did talk about his experiences, dad would describe his airplane as a tin can with wings that was easy prey for the flak fired from below and the Luftwaffe bullets raining down from above. He recalled watching his buddies getting shot down and the loss that he personally felt. Indeed on each mission, one out of every three planes were shot down.

And when my father passed away in 1985, he received a letter from President Ronald Reagan commending him for his service to his country. Perhaps Winston Churchill said it best, when he said of this generation, this was their finest hour.

Our Nation is replete with stories such as my father's. And while the names and faces of many of the GI Joes may be forgotten, their heroic deeds that helped secure our Nation's ultimate victory in Europe will be emblazoned as legends in our National conscience forever.

Mr. Speaker, as time passes, we come close to forever losing the personal connection to these great individuals and their historic accounts. In order to preserve these heroic stories for future generations, I strongly urge veterans to participate in the Veterans History Project housed in the Library of Congress.

For this generation of Americans, whose character and resolve was molded by the Great Depression, defeating tyranny and the hatred of the Third Reich was just another call to answer. They performed their duty with honor, it was not theirs to question. It was simply expected.

Instead of succumbing to hardship, their resolve was stiffened and they ended up leading our land and our world to one of the greatest victories in history. We see that same attitude and determination today from the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. And like the greatest generation, Americans are now in distant lands fighting the threat and horror of terrorism.

Sixty years ago, we defeated fascism. Today, we fight Islamic extremism, but the reason we fight is the same, to guarantee freedom. The resolve that my father served with came from the support he knew that he had at home. We must show that same support for our troops now. We must strengthen their resolve by letting them know that their cause is just.

We will never forget their victories, just as we will never forget the victories in Europe which came at such a great cost. Hundreds of thousands of my parents' generation were killed in the name of freedom and democracy. Few cases are as worthy, few prices are as great. We must always remember not just the victory in Europe, but also what it meant. It saved an entire world from tyranny, and gave people the chance to live under flags of freedom.

Victory in Europe Day will forever stand as an example of how America

prides its freedom and how our determination can accomplish any tasks and defeat any foe. And these accomplishments of the Greatest Generation serve as an inspiration to us all.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R 748, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act. I would like to thank Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen for her leadership on this crucial issue. I am an original co-sponsor of this legislation and applaud the effort of those who brought this measure to the floor.

Today we have an opportunity to protect families, protect children, and protect the unborn. Let us make sure parents are given a chance to help their daughters during their most vulnerable times. Parents of minor children must be consulted if their child wants to get their ears pierced. The same standard should be applied when it comes to making life altering decisions. My home State of Texas has enacted a law guaranteeing the rights of parents in making important medical decisions for their children. Several states bordering Texas have no such statutes and many try to circumvent Texas law by driving across state lines, often against the will of the child. This bill will ensure that if a family is ever faced with having to make such a life altering decision it will be made by the family, and with the child's best interests at heart.

With passage of this legislation, Congress has an opportunity to stand with families during a difficult time. We also have a chance to protect the least among us, the unborn.

Let us be judged on how we answer this call. Let us pass this pro- family, pro-child, and pro-life legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and fellow classmate, the gentleman from Coppell, Texas (Mr. Marchant), for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I rise in support of this bill which I introduced to name the Pflugerville Post Office after Marine Sergeant Byron Norwood.

I am honored to come before the House and the American people to tell them of the sacrifice of the family and the heroics of a Marine who embodies all who are engaged in helping keep this world safe.

You may remember one of the high points of President Bush's State of the Union address is when he honored the memory of Sergeant Norwood, who was killed last November during the assault on Fallujah in Iraq.

There the President said, ``We have said goodbye to some very good men and women who died for our freedom, and whose memory this Nation will honor forever. One name we honor is Marine Corps Sergeant Byron Norwood. Ladies and gentlemen, with grateful hearts we honor our military families represented here this evening by Sergeant Norwood's mom and dad, Janet and Bill Norwood.''

The President read from a letter Byron's mother wrote to him. She said, ``When Byron was home the last time, I said that I wanted to protect him like I had since he was born. He just hugged me and said, `You've done your job, Mom. Now it's my turn to protect you.' ''

He protected not only his mother, but the Nation.

President Bush honored Sergeant Norwood's parents, Bill and Janet, who stood up to represent all of the families who have found themselves paying the ultimate price for freedom. And we all remember the embrace between Janet and Safia from Iraq right here in the Chamber of this House, up there. It was truly the defining moment of the State of the Union.

The cameras panned towards the Norwoods seated behind First Lady Laura Bush. The Members of the Congress, the Cabinet and assembled dignitaries turned and recognized Mr. and Mrs. Norwood with applause. With the eyes of the Nation on the Norwoods, a woman seated next to Mrs. Bush named Safia, an Iraqi refugee and activist against Saddam Hussein's terrible regime, turned and embraced Mrs. Norwood. It was truly a remarkable moment of gratitude that was seen around the world. And it was one of the most emotional experiences in the long history of State of the Union speeches.

In some of the fiercest fighting since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Sergeant Norwood and his fellow Marines waged an assault to liberate Fallujah from the evil that impeded our efforts to free and liberate the people of Iraq. During the fighting, Sergeant Norwood found himself positioned outside of a house where seven of his fellow Marines were being held captive by the insurgents. A trained and experienced Marine, Norwood stormed the residence and freed his band of brothers from their captors. Tragically, during his efforts to liberate his buddies, Sergeant Norwood was mortally wounded.

But by his actions Sergeant Norwood embodied the verse found in the Gospel of John, Chapter 15:13, ``Greater love

hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.''

Sergeant Byron Norwood loved his country, and we as a Nation can do something to honor the sacrifice he made in saving the lives of those seven Marines. Today I ask my colleagues' support for legislation to name the post office in Pflugerville after Sergeant Byron Norwood.

When I approached Bill and Janet Norwood with the idea of naming the post office in Pflugerville after their son, they were humble; but they wanted to make sure that this bill would honor not only Byron but all of our fallen heroes, and today we can honor their request.

In a letter sent to me by Sergeant Norwood's mother, Janet, they wrote a very compelling and powerful message to me. This is a picture of Sergeant Byron Norwood and she wrote to me, ``Representative McCaul, we wanted you to know how much we have appreciated your visits to our home. It was a pleasure to meet you and Linda and to be able to share more about Byron with you. Knowing that you and so many other Americans honor and respect his sacrifice helps greatly to ease our sorrows.

``Thank you also for the flag, the one that was flown over the Capitol on the day that Byron died, which will always have a special place in the beautiful display box with his other treasures from his Marine Corps service.

``He would be so amazed and so proud. The whole idea of naming the post office is such a stunning honor. One of the things we worried about was that people would soon forget about Byron. If your bill passes, that will never happen and that is such a great comfort.''

No, we will not forget about Byron and we will not forget about the other fallen heroes defending freedom. As with all the parents I have met with who have lost a loved one in this war, they all say the same thing, ``Finish the job.''

We must realize that while this Federal building will bear his name, it will also stand as a symbol for all those who have died in the name of America's freedom and security by showing the world Americans never forget their heroes. Today we can honor those heroes through Sergeant Byron Norwood by giving the post office in his hometown his name.

Mr. Speaker, naming the Pflugerville, Texas, Post Office for Marine Sergeant Byron Norwood is the very least we can do for the memory and the family whose son paid the ultimate sacrifice.

May God bless Janet and Bill Norwood and may He hold Byron in the palm of His hand.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of permanently repealing the death tax. I would like to thank the gentleman from Missouri for his leadership on this issue and his good timing, for in 2 days the tax man cometh. As I look at these young people in the gallery today, I say to them, this bill is about you. It is about the youth in this country. For too long, the Federal Government has been taxing working Americans, not once, not twice, but three times, on their hard-earned money. When they earn it, the government takes an income tax. When they spend it, the government takes a sales tax. And finally, even when they die, the government takes a tax from the grave.

In addition to being bad policy, the death tax is morally wrong. It confiscates private property and is an unbearable cost to small businesses, ranchers and farmers, which is precisely why the Farm Bureau supports this bill.

I could tell you many stories about families that were forced to borrow large sums of money or sell off or parcel out their farms or businesses, dividing their families. I could tell you about the Berdolls from Austin, Texas, in my district who, after paying off a 30- year mortgage, spent 20 more years paying this unfair tax burden. They literally paid for their farm twice.

The names may change, but the story is the same. It is time we removed this financial burden from the backs of those pursuing the American dream. We must guarantee that people do not have to suffer the same hardships as the Berdolls.

I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Arizona for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to pay tribute to the extraordinary life of Pope John Paul II. I served as an altar boy as a child, was educated by the Jesuit priests, and as a Roman Catholic I admired this man for his unwavering faith, extreme determination, and belief in the culture of life. His service to the Church and his dedication to freedom for all individuals are legacies the world will remember and honor for decades to come.

As the Holy Father once said, ``Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.''

Ten years ago, my wife, Linda, and I had the honor of a private audience with the Pope where we came to believe even more in his efforts to speak out strongly in favor of human rights as he stood firmly with the United States in defeating communism and spreading democracy across our globe.

This son of Poland served as a beacon of light to the world's oppressed and unborn. In life, as in death, the youth of the world loved this Pope. He too loved them and believed, ``As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.''

His message on the sanctity of human life and social justice served as a rallying cry for millions looking for an advocate for the defenseless and the weak. He gave a voice to the silenced and provided hope to the hopeless.

Pope John Paul II appealed to the better nature of man. Humanity was well served by his Papacy. With his passing, let us celebrate his service to all mankind and listen quietly as the angels in heaven sing in joy as he ascends to touch the face of God.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for his leadership in managing this very important debate here today. As the gentleman mentioned, I have a background in counterterrorism in the Justice Department. I know this war on terror firsthand. I serve on the Homeland Security Committee and the International Relations Committee.

You know, many believe that the war on terror began on September the 11th, 2001, but the fact of the matter is we have been at war for several decades. You do not have to go back very far for evidence of that. As recently as 1993 an individual by the name of Ramzi Yousef entered the United States claiming political asylum. He was detained and given a notice to appear. He failed to appear at that hearing. Instead he would join the first al Qaeda cell in downtown Manhattan.

We recently passed the REAL ID Act to make it more difficult for those like Ramzi Yousef to obtain political asylum in this country.

After joining his fellow classmates from the bin Laden academy, he engaged in a conspiracy to blow up the World Trade Center. Fortunately, the Towers remained standing that day. But that day would come later. And that was Osama bin Laden's dream.

Then the embassies in Africa were bombed, and the USS Cole. In 1997, bin Laden openly and publicly declared war against the United States. The only

thing that troubled him was that the United States would not respond back to his declaration of war. It seemed like the United States was a sleeping giant, and it would not be until the bloodiest alarm of 9/11 that the giant would finally awake.

And now, to the present. There is positive news in this war on terror. We have rooted out al Qaeda in its caves in Afghanistan. We have killed or captured nearly 75 percent of the leadership. We have liberated Afghanistan and held free elections for the first time in the country's history, and we have liberated Iraq. We know that Zarqawi in Iraq has significant ties to bin Laden. We know that al Qaeda today says it has the right to kill 4 million Americans, 2 million of them children. It is a threat that we take very serious today, and it is a threat that we are responding to.

We have seen significant and positive developments in terms of the Syrians pulling out of Lebanon.

Rarely in the history of the world has freedom moved so swiftly through a region. In places where oppression, tyranny and inhumane treatment once flourished, we now find nations waking up to the reality of self-ruled governments and the benefits that come with their new democracies. In Iraq for the first time in more than a generation, people are speaking up for or questioning governments, a new right for many of them. And this discourse is occurring not in closed rooms or the hidden chambers of a dictator's prison, but in the legislative halls of a free Iraq and Afghanistan.

As recently as this week, we as a Congress passed an emergency wartime supplemental bill. We have an opportunity to continue our commitment to the brave fighting men and women who are helping ensure this birth of democracy by providing the necessary tools to protect themselves, by providing the body armor that they need, by providing the armed Humvees that they need, and by increasing death benefits from $12,000 to $100,000.

The United States Government and Coalition Forces have trained and equipped nearly 82,000 Iraqi police and highway patrol officers, and along with soldiers, the United States and its allies are well on the way to helping Iraqis defend and protect themselves in their own country.

In all, more than 142,000 Iraqi police officers and soldiers, many of whom have already taken over the responsibilities of protecting their freedom, have received training. About 130,000 of those troops helped ensure the success of the Iraqi elections, some even died to protect those vital votes. Add to that of Iraq's 18 provinces, 12 are now being patrolled and policed by Iraqis. And on February 21, the 40th Iraqi National Guard Brigade officially assumed control of its area of operation in and around Baghdad. This is the first Iraqi brigade to stand alone and have direct control over an area of operation. While the Coalition Partners continue to advise the brigade, the areas will be under complete Iraqi control.

With the $5.7 billion proposed to train Iraqi troops in the supplemental budget, we are making a confident investment in a nation that will uphold the democracy those in those lands have fought so hard for.

But our need to help spread freedom also includes Afghanistan. We voted on a $1.3 billion investment to be made there to stabilize this emerging democracy and eventually reduce U.S. forces in the area. We have seen American forces quietly making tremendous progress in a land which for so long had none. Already, Americans have trained 36,000 national and local Afghani police officers, 1,000 border security agents and 400 highway patrol officers. Coalition Forces have set up six training locations to make it efficient to train these troops, and we must remember by training these troops we are spreading and securing democracy, and therefore making us safer here at home. With each and every Iraqi and Afghanistan troop trained, America is one step closer to bringing its sons, its daughters, its husbands and wives home for good.

I would like to close with a very powerful story. It is a story of Janet and Bill Norwood. It is the story of Sergeant Byron Norwood. As many Members recall, at the State of the Union, Mr. and Mrs. Norwood sat right over there. The President talked about how their son, Byron, lost his life. He lost his life in an incredibly brave story. He rescued seven Marines held hostage by insurgents. He saved seven Marines' lives from the insurgence in Iraq, and paid the ultimate sacrifice in the process. It was a defining moment in the State of the Union, the warm embrace between Janet Norwood and Safia from Iraq.

I would like to close by reading a card that I received from Mrs. Norwood. With each parent I have talked to who lost a loved one in Iraq, they all said the same thing, ``Finish the job.''

This is a picture of Sergeant Byron Norwood. And in the card written to me, Mrs. Norwood said, ``Dear Representative McCaul.

``We want you to know how much we have appreciated your visits to our home. It was a pleasure to meet you and Linda and to be able to share more about Byron with you. Knowing that you and so many other Americans honor and respect his sacrifice helps greatly to ease our sorrow.

``Thank you also for the flags. The one that was flown over the Capitol on the day that Byron died will always have a special place in a beautifully displayed box with other treasures from Byron's Marine Corps service. He would be so amazed and so proud.

``The whole idea of the Post Office naming is such a stunning honor. One of the things we worried about was that people would soon forget about Byron. If your bill passes, that will never happen, and that is such a great comfort.

``If you ever become aware of any way I can be of service in my new role as a Gold Star Mother, either to the government or to the Gold Star Moms, please let me know. Sincerely, Janet.''

Mr. Speaker, this is what it is all about. This brings this war on terror home to the homes of every family in this Nation, and it is a war that we will prevail in.

Mr. Speaker, March 2 marks a historic day for my home state of Texas and specifically for the people of my district living in Washington and Austin Counties. Today, Mr. Speaker we celebrate the birth of Texas and the place where our great state was born because right along the banks of the Brazos River, Texas declared its independence.

Texas Independence day marks a time when Texans and Americans of today honor and celebrate the work and sacrifices of Texans generations ago, people who valiantly claimed their freedom from Mexico and sought out their own destiny governed by the laws of a true democracy, a constitution written by the people and the colors of their flag waving over what would become the free and independent nation of Texas. And I am proud to say this historic story of freedom, independence and democracy took place in two important places in the Tenth Congressional District of Texas, the district I am proud to say I represent.

It's a history that started long before that early March day in 1836.

Between 1820 and 1836 the Mexican Government offered Americans the opportunity to live and work in what was then the land of Texas under Mexican Rule. But these Americans, living under Mexico's government quickly found the spirit of freedom lacking. Mexican leaders, at that time, presumed they could dictate economic, social, even religious life for those living in Texas. They allowed the military to interfere in civil issues, trade even legal proceedings.

The inspiring story of how the battle against this, then, anti- democratic government began in what was then, the Stephen F. Austin Colony, the first colony of Texas, now known as Austin County, Texas. It was there that the first sparks of freedom flew from the spirits of men, tired of living under an intrusive and burdensome Mexican government. It was in the Austin Colony in 1835 that Texans first established a provisional government, with the intention of writing a declaration of independence soon after. With the Mexican Army intent on destroying any move towards Texas independence, the Consultation of 1835, as it was known, adjourned without the organization needed to continue the cause for freedom.

But the want for independence from Mexico did not die in that colony. Less than a year later, many of the same delegates present at the Consultation of 1835 arrived along the Brazos River, in the Village of Washington, just north of the Austin Colony.

By the spring of 1836 the encroachments on basic freedoms had reached a point of action for many living in Mexico controlled Texas.

They were simply fed up with such unnecessary and uncontrolled interference from a greedy government. The time for action was upon them.

On March 1, 1836, 59 delegates hailing from all corners of Texas arrived at the then relatively unknown village of Washington right alongside the Brazos River.

They met inside an unfinished frame building to decide the principals they would invoke in claiming their freedom from Mexico. And as these brave men began to construct the language which would declare their independence from Mexico, they were in fact constructing a document which very well may have served as their death warrants. For while their declaration of independence shouted freedom for the Texans, it also declared Mexico unfit to govern and the Mexican Army immediately began seeking retribution for this act of defiance.

But like so many brave heroes before and after them, these 59 delegates were willing to pay the ultimate price for freedom.

It was a bloody and dramatic time for Texas. While the men along the Brazos River fought for the right words and ideals with which to claim Texas' independence, their fellow statesmen and warriors fought for their lives and freedom. For as the delegates along the Brazos River put pen to paper in writing Texas' declaration of independence men like Davey Crockett, James Bowie and William Travis fought to their deaths in fighting for Texas freedom at the Alamo.

Despite the defeat at the Alamo, the revolution continued. In 1842 Texas president, Sam Houston moved the nation's capital from Austin to the birthplace of Texas, Washington on the Brazos River.

Three years later, by an act of Congress, the United States made Texas part of the American Union, and Texas became the 28th state of the United States of America.

There can be no argument about the Lone Star State's contribution to American history, nor can there be any debate about that history's importance.

We must always remember where that history began for Texas. Just like so many Americans travel to Philadelphia to witness the buildings and symbols involved in America's Declaration of Independence, thousands of people every year make the journey to Washington on the Brazos to understand the depth of history and events involved in Texas' Independence.

For many Americans, this place has become a phrase acknowledging an event in Texas history long forgotten. But tonight we must remember Washington on the Brazos and Austin County as the places where the proud nation of Texas found life with a want for freedom and spirit for democracy.

Texas will always have a long and storied history, which we can never forget. We must continue to remember the commitment of those men who started a new book in Texas history as they wrote the nation of Texas into independence.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of the Real ID Act. I would like to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for his leadership and determination to make America safer through reforms proposed in this legislation.

As the former chief of counter-terrorism in the U.S. Department of Justice for the Western District of Texas, I had jurisdiction over the Texas-Mexican border. I dealt firsthand, with the day-to-day threats our nation faced, and asked the question, ``Why aren't we doing more to secure our borders?''

The House took an initial step toward answering this question when it passed the historic 9-11 legislation last December. Unfortunately, some key border security and immigration reform provisions were not included in that measure. Today we must change that and give our nation more security.

And today we truly have the opportunity to better our border security and political asylum laws.

In 1993 Ramzi Yousef, soon to become the world's most wanted terrorist, arrived at Kennedy airport carrying a fraudulent Iraqi passport and told the INS he was fleeing the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein. He asked for political asylum and was given a summons to appear at a hearing. But instead, this expert bomb maker ignored that order and joined his fellow classmates from the Bin Laden academy to form the first Al Qaeda cell in the United States. On February 26, 1993 Ramzi Yousef and his fellow terrorists detonated a bomb in the World Trade Center. Remarkably, the towers remained standing. They were supposed to fall that day, one toppling over the other killing everyone inside. That day would come later.

Many of those of intent on doing our nation harm claim political asylum as their Trojan horse to gain access to our borders. Yet a majority of those given notices fail to show up at those hearings. We cannot afford or allow another Ramzi Yousef to cross our border. Our laws should not protect terrorists like Ramzi Yousef who hide behind the privileges and rights of political asylum.

This bill will make it easier to deport suspected terrorists.

But we have also seen terrorists take advantage of other holes in our laws. The nineteen hijackers on September 11, 2001 had fraudulently obtained dozens of American visas, passports and driver's licenses, documents used to open bank accounts, establish residency, and yes to fly airplanes. This border security legislation provides the safety measure, that to obtain a driver's license, one of the most commonly used forms of identification in the United States, a person must simply prove they have the legal right to remain in our nation.

For the safety and security of this nation, our families, and most of all our freedom, I urge my colleagues to support these common-sense proposals. The 9-11 commission recommended these ideas,and we owe it to the victims of that national tragedy to pass this legislation. If we fail to do so and another terrorist attack occurs on our soil then we will all be held accountable.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support today of the REAL ID Act. As the former Chief of Counterterrorism in the U.S. Department of Justice for the Western District of Texas, I had jurisdiction over the Mexican-Texas border. I dealt, firsthand really, with the day-to-day threats our Nation faces, and asked the question, Why are we not doing more to secure our borders?

Many of those intent on doing our Nation harm claim political asylum as their Trojan horse to gain access to our borders. Individuals like the 1993 World Trade Center bomber, Ramzi Yousef, claimed political asylum and was ordered to appear at a hearing. Yet Yousef, like a majority of those given notices, failed to show up at the hearings. This bill will make it easier to deport suspected terrorists.

Terrorists have taken advantage of other holes in our laws. The 19 hijackers on September 11th had fraudulently obtained dozens of American visas, passports and driver's licenses, documents used to open bank accounts, establish residency and, yes, to fly airplanes.

This border security legislation provides the safety measure that to obtain a driver's license, the person must simply prove they have a legal right to remain in our Nation.

For the safety and security of our Nation, our families and our freedom, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. The 9/11 Commission recommended it. We owe it to the victims of the national tragedy to pass this legislation.