Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible achievements of two outstanding young men from the Rio Grande Valley.

Demitri Ayala, a McAllen resident and recent high school graduate, has made us all proud by winning first place at the International Powerlifting Federation Sub-Junior and Junior World Powerlifting championship in Malta. Demitri's dedication and discipline serves as an inspiration to all of us.

Madam Speaker, I also recognize Sergio Lerma from Donna, Texas, who earned second place in the same competition.

Both of these young athletes have showcased not only their physical strength but their perseverance and commitment to excellence. Their accomplishments represent the best of south Texas, and we are incredibly proud to have them as part of our community.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate Demitri and Sergio on their remarkable achievements.

Welcoming Home Chief Michael Sandoval

Madam Speaker, today, I have the distinct honor of welcoming home Chief Michael Sandoval of the United States Navy from his deployment in Djibouti, Africa.

Senior Chief Sandoval led the boat maintenance facility, overseeing 22 sailors and ensuring that all patrol boats were ready for critical missions in the area. His leadership and dedication were vital as his team launched and operated four patrol boats to safeguard Navy vessels, maintaining a strong security posture and a 360-degree perimeter until all vessels safely departed.

In addition to their vigilant patrols, Senior Chief Sandoval and his team played a crucial role in training local Djibouti forces, enhancing their defensive tactics and strengthening partnerships.

His service exemplifies the best of our military: strong leadership, a commitment to excellence, and dedication to the security of our great Nation.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of our community, we welcome him home and thank him and his team for their service. May God bless him.

Honoring the Life of Barbara Sue Reaves

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Barbara Sue Reaves, a remarkable woman from Alice, Texas, who passed away on August 21, 2024, at the age of 73.

Barbara dedicated her life to public service, working first as a city planner and a grant writer for numerous cities, including her last role with the city of Alice. Her efforts played a crucial part in shaping and improving the communities she served, making her legacy one of lasting impact.

Barbara's love for her family and her dedication to her faith were central to her life. She is survived by her brother, Alan, and his family, who will carry on her memory with love and pride.

Barbara was also known for her passion for running and her devotion to her local church, where she was active and a cherished member.

Madam Speaker, her passing is a great loss to all those who knew her, but her contributions will never be forgotten. We send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. May her memory be a blessing and an inspiration to all of us.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of an extraordinary leader, Councilwoman Sonia Mendez of Seguin, Texas.

Sonia served on the city council since 2020 and served the city's residents with unwavering dedication. Her courage in the face of ALS was nothing short of inspiring. Even as the disease took its toll, she refused to slow down or let it define her.

Her commitment to District 2 and her community never wavered, showing us the true meaning of service and resilience. Sonia's legacy will live on

through the countless lives she touched and the work she did to make Seguin a better place.

Let us honor her memory by continuing to serve with the same compassion and dedication she demonstrated every day. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and all those in Seguin who feel this tremendous loss. May she rest in peace.

Honoring Army Specialist Lauro G. DeLeon, Jr.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor and remember Army Specialist Lauro G. DeLeon, Jr., of Floresville, Texas, who gave his life in service to our Nation 20 years ago during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lauro was just 20 years old and had a bright future ahead of him, yet he chose to serve his country with courage, knowing the risk but driven by his deep sense of duty.

In Iraq, Lauro faced fear and uncertainty, but his faith and love of his family sustained him. His mother, Grace, shared how prayer and faith in God guided him in his most dark moments. That unwavering faith is a testament to the kind of man Lauro was.

Though two decades have passed, his sacrifice is still fresh and felt. Today, we remember Lauro's bravery, his love for his family, and his commitment to his great country. May we never forget his service, and may God continue to bless his family and all those who serve.

In Recognition of the 102nd Birthday of Verlon ``Pop'' Maguglin

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an incredible milestone, Mr. Verlon ``Pop'' Maguglin's 102nd birthday.

For over a century, Pop has been a pillar of the Live Oak community and living there for 100 years. His life is a testament to hard work, family values, and dedication to the land he loves.

Pop's farming legacy, from raising cattle to growing crops like peanuts and the famous Maguglin Slim's okra, has left a lasting mark on this county. We are also eternally grateful for his service to our Nation during World War II.

As we celebrate his 102nd birthday, we honor his dedication to family, spanning five generations, and his unwavering commitment to living life with joy and purpose. Pop's life has enriched others, and I wish him continued health and happiness.

In Recognition of the Retirement of Roy Rodriguez

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate City Manager Roy Rodriguez on his well-deserved retirement after more than two decades of remarkable service to the great city of McAllen.

Roy's leadership has guided McAllen, Texas, through an era of incredible growth, stability, and prosperity. Under his steady hand, the city has thrived, reaching new heights in financial strength and community development.

Roy's commitment to the people of McAllen, Texas, will leave a legacy. As he closes this chapter, I hope Roy knows he has made a profound impact on the lives of many. I wish him happiness, health, and a wonderful retirement.

Mr. Speaker, this is a subject that is very, very close to me and my community. I am on the border of Texas, over 80 percent of my district being Hispanic.

This is a resolution that I strongly support. In fact, in listening to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle where they say this is campaigning and politically motivated, not only am I deeply offended, but the American people are deeply offended by those comments.

Why?

It is because we are not rushing to recess to campaign. We are rushing to our districts to calm our communities down that very soon-- very soon--there will be a change in administration, there will be a change in political thought, and that we will have a President come January who will care about our borders and who will care about our national security.

It is an insult to the American people that Kamala Harris and the Biden administration have not cared about our national security and that they have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to come to our border.

Perhaps my colleague from Mississippi has not been to Eagle Pass, Texas, or Del Rio, Texas, and seen the kids. Let's talk about false claims here.

Kids in cages?

No, sir, there are no kids in cages.

Let's talk about the kids who are missing in America who are sex trafficked. Let's talk about those kids under the Biden-Harris administration, but we forget about those thoughts.

It is an insult of what I am hearing across the aisle about our border and the lack of national security that has been caused by the Biden-Harris administration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the great city of Edinburg, Texas, for being awarded the prestigious All-America City title for the fourth time. This honor was recently bestowed upon Edinburg at the National Civic League conference last month.

The All-America City award is the Nation's highest civic recognition, celebrating communities that exemplify outstanding civic engagement, inclusivity, and innovative problem solving. This award is a testament to the dedication and the spirit of Edinburg's residents. Their commitment to community programs, local initiatives, and neighborly support truly embodies the essence of what it means to be the All- America City.

This accolade not only honors Edinburg's past achievements, but it also inspires a future of continued excellence and innovation.

Please join me in congratulating Edinburg, Texas, on this remarkable achievement. Congratulations, Edinburg.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, we live in an increasingly interconnected world with new and emerging technologies changing how we conduct business with one another and exchange currency.

Blockchain technology and digital assets are a key component of this. This new technology is here to stay and needs an environment in which it can continue to grow and thrive in the United States.

At the same time, Congress needs to ensure that law enforcement has the tools they need to combat new threats arising from this technology. The Financial Technology Protection Act will help accomplish that goal.

H.R. 2969 establishes an independent financial technology working group that is focused on combating illicit finance using financial technologies, including digital assets.

The working group established by this act will conduct research on illicit finance and will use that knowledge to develop legislative and regulatory proposals to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and other threats to the U.S. so that our families are more secure and money is cut off from illicit enterprises.

This bill is good governance. It is bipartisan. It is a cooperative effort to address real problems in our country, and I am happy to support it and vote in favor of it on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2969.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn) for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of my bill, H.R. 7280, the HUD Transparency Act of 2024. I thank the bipartisan cosponsors of this commonsense legislation aimed at enhancing the oversight and efficiency of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. Speaker, for too long now, Congress has been without a formal oversight mechanism for HUD. Specific to the HUD inspector general, prior to the 118th Congress, it had been nearly 5 years since an official from HUD OIG testified.

H.R. 7280 provides long-overdue, consistent oversight by mandating the inspector general of HUD testify annually before Congress.

Given the magnitude of Federal dollars allocated to HUD, we know the housing affordability discussion cannot be had effectively without HUD's commitment to being responsible stewards of our tax dollars.

This is not a partisan issue. It is about ensuring that those who need HUD benefits can receive them. This legislation will enable the inspector general to provide essential insights and recommendations to Congress, facilitating informed decisionmaking and timely adjustments to HUD's programs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the passage of the HUD Transparency Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a swimming great from McAllen, Texas, who will represent our Nation at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, Shaine Casas an 11-time world championship medalist and a three-time NCAA champion who recently qualified for the Olympics in the 200-meter individual medley.

When the 200-meter individual medley begins on August 1, all of south Texas will be rooting for Shaine. We congratulate him on his achievement and representing our hometown with honor. I am proud to call him a constituent and a role model for our region's rising athletes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to sound the alarm once again on the water shortage that is plaguing south Texas and our farmers and ranchers. This is due to Mexico's lack of water deliveries, despite a binding agreement in the 1944 Water Treaty.

On the floor this week, we will vote on the 2025 Foreign Operations appropriations bill. This legislation includes language to withhold all--and I repeat--all foreign aid to Mexico until the Mexican Government delivers our water.

I was proud to help secure the language in the appropriations bill, and I hope that it sends a loud message to the Mexican Government that we demand our water, and we demand it now.

This emergency has already killed the sugar industry in the Rio Grande Valley, and I will not stand by as it destroys our citrus industry.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Samuel and Saul Maldonado and their exceptional company, SAM Engineering & Surveying, or SAMES for short, for receiving the Department of Energy's prestigious HUBZone Small Business of the Year award.

Founded in 2008 and based in McAllen, Texas, SAMES is a minority- owned small business providing top-tier construction, engineering, and surveying services. With over 100 employees across four locations, SAMES has grown into a nationally recognized, award-winning leader in its industry, proving that it is still possible to live the American Dream.

I congratulate Samuel and Saul Maldonado and SAMES.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a McAllen, Texas, native who died in service to our Nation. Marine Corporal Miguel Angel Maya died on April 23 during an aviation incident at Camp Pendleton, California.

Corporal Maya was a decorated marine, having been awarded the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He died just days before celebrating 4 years of Marine Corps service.

Corporal Maya leaves behind his mother, Guadalupe Maya. I speak for all of Congressional District 15 when I thank Ms. Maya for her son's service and sacrifice. They are in our prayers. God bless them.

Mr. Speaker, it was 9 months ago that I introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives expressing support for diplomatic action to ensure water deliveries from Mexico to the United States under the 1944 water treaty that is still in effect.

This resolution passed with bipartisan support, and still to this day, the Department of Agriculture, the IBWC, and senior leadership at the State Department have not been able to secure water for our south Texas farmers.

Mr. Speaker, you may ask: Well, what does this mean to us? What is the result of their lack of action?

Well, let me tell you what the result is: In south Texas, one of our largest employers, the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, closed. That means job losses for 500 people. Just like those crops that have no water, 500 jobs in our district went to dust.

What is the bigger impact of that? The bigger impact of that is that we no longer have a sugar mill in Texas.

What does that mean to all Americans across this country? That means that we will now have to rely on other countries to supply that sugar that was being produced in south Texas. That means that we are more reliant on other countries when we in the United States have the capabilities and have the businesses to produce our own sugar.

It is simply unacceptable.

The situation continues to get worse. In fact, as of May 4, Mexico owes the United States more than 850,000 acre feet of water under this treaty.

In December, I had a call with Secretary Blinken, and I was left with the impression that he viewed this as just as important as we did in south Texas.

However, our attempts to have follow-up meetings with the Secretary have proven unsuccessful. I have called both the Secretary of State, Secretary Blinken, and I have talked to and called the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico to put pressure on Mexico. Our phone calls and our emails go unanswered. They are leaving south Texas farmers to fend for themselves.

What does that mean? That means that our citrus industry is now at risk of no longer being around. One day we will look at the citrus industry and we, too, may see them close their doors forever. It is simply unacceptable.

The lack of progress from this administration is an outrage to the men and women who are now out of work. It is an outrage to our farmers and our communities in south Texas who depend on these industries. This is an outrage to all Americans.

Food security is a matter of national security. I wish that Secretary Blinken, our Agriculture Secretary, and our U.S. Ambassador to Mexico were just as outraged as I am, just as outraged as the people of south Texas who have lost the sugar mill and who are watching the slow death of our citrus industry. I am encouraging Secretary Blinken, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, and the IBWC to start making this a priority.

I am working with the Appropriations Committee because I believe that if we cannot get our water, if we cannot save our citrus industry, if we cannot save the jobs that that industry allows, if we cannot save our farmers, then Mexico does not deserve to have any money appropriated to them.

I believe that we need to use every tool that we have available to force Mexico to abide by the treaty.

We want our water.

We demand our water.

National security is food security.

Madam Speaker, this is Police Week, when we celebrate and honor the men and women in blue who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities and families safe.

I am reminded of the bravery of Sergeant Adrian Alejandro. While serving in south Texas, Sergeant Alejandro, a 6-year veteran of the Mission Police Department, encountered an individual on foot. While conducting an interview, the individual pulled out a gun and shot him once in the torso. Sergeant Alejandro was able to return fire, striking the suspect twice.

By the grace of God and his training, Sergeant Alejandro survived this incident, and I pray for his continued recovery.

I am proud to stand with our police officers across the Rio Grande Valley and the entire district, who come out day after day to protect our communities.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I congratulate the McAllen Public Library, a cornerstone of our community, on receiving the prestigious 2023 Achievement of Library Excellence Award for the 10th consecutive year.

The library's commitment to enhancing literacy and providing educational opportunities is unparalleled. From hosting the annual South Texas Book Festival to offering essential coding classes and vibrant summer reading programs, our library ensures that the flame of knowledge burns bright across the RGV.

This award recognizes past achievements and is a testament to the enduring impact our library has on enriching lives and fostering community growth.

Mr. Speaker, this week I introduced legislation that pays tribute to a true cultural icon, Selena Quintanilla. This legislation will honor her legacy with commemorative coins produced by the U.S. Mint.

Selena, known affectionately as the queen of Tejano music, was the pride of south Texas. She transcended boundaries and transformed the music landscape. With her dynamic performances and timeless hits like ``Como La Flor'' and ``Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,'' she brought Tejano music beyond south Texas and garnered adoration from millions worldwide.

It is fitting that we chose this week to introduce this bill because Tuesday would have been Selena's 53rd birthday. Through these commemorative coins, we honor her artistic talent and her role as a trailblazer for Hispanic artists.

Let this coin reflect the brilliance of Selena's life.