Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. William A. Gary, who passed away on January 12. Mr. Gary was a long-time resident of Prescott, Arizona. He was also a husband, a father, a rancher, and a philanthropist.

Mr. Gary was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He left his studies at Texas A&M University to serve our country as a Marine Corps captain in World War II and returned to Texas A&M after the war to finish his animal husbandry degree. He met his wife, Marion, when he was stationed at Camp Pendleton, where she served as a nurse in the Navy.

Mr. Gary was born into a long line of ranchers going back to 17th century Virginia. Ranching was in his blood. In 1958, he and his wife, as well as their two children, moved to Arizona, where they bought a ranch and subsequently began other businesses. Like most entrepreneurs, Mr. Gary and his family did not find immediate riches, but through their hard work they eventually found success.

After retiring from ranching, Mr. Gary began his philanthropic ventures in earnest. He had honed his fundraising skills when he helped found the Marine Military Academy in 1965. After retirement, he put those skills to use again, raising millions of dollars for important Prescott institutions. Not only did he raise millions for the Phippen Museum in Prescott, allowing the museum to double its size and improve its grounds, he also donated several pieces to the museum. The museum's Bill and Marion Gary Western Heritage Gallery is named in recognition of his and his wife's contributions. Mr. Gary also raised funds for the Yavapai College Foundation, helping to build the college's performance hall and other facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I was honored to attend the grand opening and dedication ceremony of the Military Free Fall School's new Master Sergeant George A. Bannar Jr. Vertical Wind Tunnel at Yuma Proving Ground. The new wind tunnel will be used in the Special Forces Qualification Course to teach proper free fall techniques.

Master Sergeant Bannar, the new wind tunnel's namesake, was a member of the Army's Special Forces and was stationed at Yuma Proving Ground as a Military Free Fall Instructor. He enlisted in the Army in October 1996

and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in July 2003. On his fifth deployment to Afghanistan, Master Sergeant Bannar was killed in action by enemy forces in Wardak Province on August 20, 2013. His awards include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.

Master Sergeant Bannar is survived by his wife Michelle, his mother Sheila Long, and his father George Bannar, Sr. As a husband and a father of three, I cannot imagine the pain of losing a spouse or a child. I extend my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Master Sergeant Bannar.

I know that this new facility and the men and women who train there will stand as a testament to Master Sergeant Bannar and all of our fallen heroes. They fought to protect us and our freedoms. May we never forget their sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, Today I congratulate Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson on becoming president of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACO). Mr. Johnson is the first elected official from Mohave County to serve as the AACO's president. He has already proven his dedication to the people of Mohave County as a leading Mohave County Supervisor, and I have no doubt that his leadership will serve the AACO and all people of Arizona well.

The AACO is an important organization in Arizona. As the only organization that represents all of Arizona's 15 counties and their officials, its purpose is to promote issues important to our counties on the state and federal levels.

Congratulations to Mr. Johnson and the AACO. I wish them much success in serving Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible naval officers and sailors who run the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida.

I had the honor of touring this facility and I was privileged to be escorted by Commander Hung Cao. The deep water training was impressive and unique. Only the best get selected to train here and it showed. The dedication, resolve and commitment demonstrated by these service men was inspiring.

I know our nation is in great hands when I see the high quality instruction and the effort to train our men to be both highly skilled and safe. I commend them and I want them to know the people of the United States need them and appreciate them.

As Commander Cao told me, the ``instructors and staff here are true American Heroes, who have sacrificed a lot for this country.''

God bless these men and women.

Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate Don and Lois Moore, proprietors of the Quartzsite General Store. Mr. and Mrs. Moore opened the Quartzsite General Store in Quartzsite, Arizona on December 12, 1972. This December 12 will mark the 41st anniversary of its opening. The store's western-themed storefront has been a mainstay of Quartzsite's Main Street for those 41 years, adding to the town's character and economy. Known for its fresh meats and produce, cleanliness, and great customer service, the General Store has consistently contributed to the community of Quartzsite.

The store could not have been successful without Don's and Lois's hard work and dedication. Don retired from the store in 1999 and Lois retired from school teaching in 1995, but they both work at the store again today. Their determination to achieve their American dream is a shining example not only to their 6 children and 15 grandchildren, but to all current and future entrepreneurs. Small businesses like theirs are the backbone of our economy, and it is those businesses that will lead us out of our current economic problems.

Congratulations to the Quartzsite General Store and to its owners, Don and Lois, on 41 years of success. May they have continued success for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the millions of Americans who have lost their health insurance under ObamaCare.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Federal Government's chief watchdog, is holding a field hearing this Friday in Apache Junction, Arizona, entitled, ``ObamaCare Implementation, the Broken Promise: If You Like Your Current Plan, You Can Keep It.'' As a member of this committee, I am joining Chairman Darrell Issa to listen to Arizonans tell their ObamaCare nightmares.

I want to know how this terrible law is hurting you personally so we can show President Obama and the Senate Democrats the damage ObamaCare is inflicting throughout Arizona and across the country. I encourage you all to come and let your voices be heard.

Mr. Speaker, we are listening. If you are not able to attend, but would like to share your story, please visit www.gop.gov/yourstory. ObamaCare has always been fundamentally flawed. I will continue to do all I can to protect the American people from this horrific law.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to shed light on the President's broken health care promise. The President promised over and over again that Americans who like their health care plans could keep them, but that is just not true.

Here is what Wendy from my district wrote me:

My BlueCross BlueShield policy will be canceled due to

ObamaCare starting March 1, 2014. I checked out other policy

options under ObamaCare and the least expensive qualifying

plan was an additional $208.44 per month. This is with a

higher deductible, larger out-of-pocket expense, and only

three doctor visits per year per person. This is outrageous.

Additionally, this rate only includes me and my three

children, not even my husband. I guess we can't even keep a

family together under ObamaCare.

As Wendy's story exemplifies, and as we predicted since 2010, ObamaCare is fundamentally flawed in concept and execution. Dictated government health care cannot beat free-market choices. And as a health care professional, I will continue to do all that I can to protect the American people from ObamaCare.

Madam Speaker, today I stand to recognize the memory of U.S. Army Specialist Pat Tinnell, and to say thank you to all those involved in creating the Pat Tinnell sports complex in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The world-class skate and bike park, which is nearly the size of a football field, is dedicated to the 25-year-old American hero, Pat Tinnell, who loved his family, his community, and BMX bike riding.

Pat volunteered to serve our Nation and gave his life in Iraq in April of 2006, protecting the freedoms we hold dear.

A special thank you to those who made this park a reality through

countless fundraising events. Everyone in the community deserves a thank you, including Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen and those who served on the Memorial Sports Park committee and gave of their time and talent, national figures like skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, BMX rider and philanthropist Rob Dydrik, and Joe Ciaglia from California Skate Parks, who designed this beautiful facility.

Finally, thank you to the family and loved ones of Pat Tinnell and young Colin Sasseen, who both lost their lives all too soon. I hope this park serves as a reminder that your sons' memories will not be forgotten.

Today's youth are our greatest asset as a Nation. It is the youth who will continue to lead this Nation in the coming years, serve in our Armed Forces, fight fires, be teachers, doctors, and maybe you will even be our next BMX superstar, have a show on MTV, and make your mark in philanthropy.

Leadership comes in all forms. In fact, Rob Dydrik said that his success was the American Dream. The American Dream looks a lot like work, and work results in success.

It is my hope that the memories of Pat and Colin are honored by all those who visit the park.

Thank you and God bless.

Mr. Speaker, today I'm here to say enough is enough. The President and this administration are manipulating the shutdown to intentionally hurt as many American families as possible, and that is simply wrong.

My home State of Arizona has many national parks and beautiful scenic views, most importantly, the Grand Canyon, the gem of the National Park Service. It should not be forgotten that these belong to the people.

Though the House passed H.J. Res. 70, Open Our National Parks and Museum Act by a large bipartisan margin, the Senate is refusing to act on it, which is why, in true Arizona fashion, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission offered to the National Park Service their own solution, which is to include their own game and fish resources to keep open our national parks, including Lees Ferry, the gateway to the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon, and the very symbol of Arizona.

On behalf of the people of Arizona, I urge the National Park Service to get out of the way. Let residents, let Americans, let everyone back into their parks.

Thank you, Chairman Hastings. I appreciate the House spending time to consider this important jobs legislation this week.

My home State of Arizona is known for its five Cs: cattle, citrus, climate, cotton, and, ultimately, copper. People have been digging in Arizona for precious metals like copper for centuries. In the 1850s, nearly one in every four people in Arizona were miners. Without a doubt, miners fueled the growth that makes Arizona the State it is today.

Today, the Arizona mining industry is alive, but it's not what it used to be. Nevertheless, a wide array of other minerals, such as copper, coal, uranium, lime, and potash, are mined throughout my district. These projects employ hundreds of my constituents with high- paying jobs, jobs that pay over $50,000 to $60,000 a year, plus benefits. In rural Arizona, those types of jobs are few and far between.

Rural Arizonans recognize the major benefits this project will bring to our region and our State, which is why it was one of the first initiatives brought to my attention when I came to Congress. The Southwest Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act is a bill that protects important, environmentally sensitive lands in the State and opens up over 3,700 jobs at Resolution Copper Mine.

My legislation is the result of years of negotiation and compromise that achieves a careful balance between conservation and resource utilizations, and Arizonans just want Congress to get it done. That is why my colleague on the other side of the aisle, Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick, and I came together at the beginning of this Congress and jointly introduced this legislation.

In fact, just last week, the largest paper in the State of Arizona, The Arizona Republic, issued an op-ed on House consideration of our bill. In the column, entitled, ``Stop Dawdling on Resolution Copper,'' the editorial board stated:

Congress needs to get this done. A copper mine proposed

near Superior is a winner. It has bipartisan support from

Arizona's congressional delegation. (How often does that

happen?) It also has the potential to be an economic bonanza

for our State and a national security boon to our country.

The proposal has been around so long it has old-timer status

in Arizona. Congressional approval is overdue for the land

swap necessary to make this happen.

I guess that says it all. Our bill is a win-win for Arizona. That is why it has strong bipartisan support in Arizona and across the Nation. That support includes Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, four-fifths of the highly polarized Arizona Legislature, nearly every municipal government in central and southern Arizona, national business interests like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the general contractors, the truckers and the manufacturers, and conservation organizations like the Sonoran Institute and the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

Why so much buzz about this project, you ask? It's called jobs, jobs, and jobs.

Upon passage of the bill, Resolution Copper estimates it will be able to employ nearly 3,000 workers during a 6-year construction period, and that's just the start. The mine, given the company's mine plan of operation when it complies with all environmental laws, will directly employ around 1,400 people. These are high-paying jobs ranging from $40,000 to $120,000 salaries per year in a region that is struggling economically.

As many people familiar with mining communities know, an influx of over 1,000 mining jobs will spur additional economic growth in a community. These mine workers need restaurants to eat at, convenience stores to shop at, and homes to live in. A recent economic study estimates an additional 2,300 jobs could be created due to these demands. That brings the estimated total number of permanent jobs resulting from this legislation to about 3,700.

Overall, independent analysis estimates that the total economic impact of the project will be around $61 billion. That is over $1 billion per year over the life of the mine, which equates to over $19 billion in Federal, State, county, and local tax revenue--$19 billion in tax revenue. In these tough fiscal times, I think we can all agree that local governments, and certainly the U.S. Treasury, could use those funds.

This legislation also has national security implications. The U.S. currently imports 30 percent of its copper, and its demand is skyrocketing. This critical mineral is used in virtually all modern-day technology, ranging from renewable energy and hybrid cars to your everyday electronics like cell phones and iPods. Our country must use domestic resources to meet this growing demand, and this project, as was said earlier, could yield enough cooper to yield 25 percent of our current demand.

This legislation is not only a jobs bill, it's a conservation bill. The lands the Federal Government acquires in the exchange are highly coveted recreational and conservation lands. It protects one of the few remaining undammed rivers in Arizona, the San Pedro River. The Dripping Springs property is a superb hiking and climbing location. The Cave Creek property will protect a riparian corridor, as well as numerous archaeological sites.

And nearly 100 acres of private land adjacent to the culturally important Apache Leap is being placed into Federal stewardship.

This proposal truly has bipartisan support on the ground in our State and across the country. We can preserve lands that advance the public interests and objectives of protecting wildlife habitat, cultural and historical resources, while enabling development of a project that will generate significant economic and employment opportunities for State and local residents. I hope it will garner your support.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 687, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act.

Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate that this isn't a new mine. This mine of operations exists currently there today.

The modern-day practices Resolution Copper plans to implement at the Pinal County site are not new. Many mines across the world implement them. In fact, there is a similar project, albeit half the size of our proposed project, that uses the same strategy and technology and employs nearly 1,000 people. That is real-life proof that humans will work at this mine at the site in Arizona.

I thank the chairman for yielding me time.

I thank the chairman for allowing me to briefly address this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, the Lujan amendment is well-intentioned but misguided. It would put forth a policy that would undermine existing law that ensures tribal consultation and protection of sacred sites. By giving the Secretary of the Interior unilateral discretion to determine what a sacred site is, Congress would unwittingly undermine a variety of public laws Congress put in place to protect verified sacred sites.

Let me be clear that this land exchange is crafted in such a way as to protect relevant Native American historical and cultural sites. Section 4(i) and 4(j) explicitly require compliance with Federal environmental laws and regulations pertaining to conveyances of Federal land and approval of mine plan of operation. That includes the National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act, and executive orders pertaining to wetlands, floodplains, and hazardous material surveys.

I see my colleague may have a picture of Apache Leap. My bill explicitly protects Apache Leap. The bill protects Apache Leap by the following:

It conveys 110 acres of Apache Leap currently owned by Resolution Copper to the U.S. Forest Service, section 5(a)(e); it explicitly prohibits any type of extraction activity at Apache Leap, section 5(c); withdrawing Apache Leap and any land acquired by the U.S. under this act, section 7; requiring the Secretary to develop a management plan for Apache Leap that preserves the natural character of the site and protects agricultural and cultural resources, section 8.

Before I conclude, I want to underscore, H.R. 687 does not exchange any reservation lands. The next Federal parcel is located over 20 miles from the boundaries of the San Carlos Apache Tribe's reservation. While well-intentioned, the Lujan amendment actually undermines that very mission.

Please join me in opposing the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, this is another amendment that's well- intentioned but misguided. An amendment to include a savings clause assumes that my legislation circumvents existing laws protecting water quality and availability. That is simply not the case.

The NEPA process on the mine plan of operation required by my legislation will be managed by the United States Forest Service, where they oversee an independent third-party consultant to assess all environmental impacts of the proposed resolution project, including impacts to groundwater and surface water.

The NEPA process allows for considerable public as well as other Federal EPA, State, county, and local input all along the way. Any issues pertaining to water will be addressed once Resolution Copper files a mine plan of operation and the subsequent State and Federal and environmental analysis is conducted, in accordance with existing law. This is like government overseeing government. That's ludicrous.

And I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Hastings for the time, for his leadership on our committee, and for including my bipartisan wildfire legislation--the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act--in this forest health package.

Mr. Chairman, we have a forest health crisis in this country, and this bill will go a long way toward restoring the environment, improving public safety, and putting thousands of people back to work.

Due to redistricting, I have represented nearly all of rural Arizona in Congress--nearly 48,000 square miles of U.S. Forest Service land. These areas have been some of the communities most devastated by recent wildfire. In my first year, the Wallow Fire, now the largest fire in Arizona's State history, ravaged half a million acres of our treasured Ponderosa Pine Country in just a few weeks; and this year, our State was struck by the recent loss of 19 firefighters in the Yarnell Hill Fire. That fire was one of many to burn over 103,000 acres this year.

We must come together, change the status quo, and facilitate conditions that minimize the chance that fires start, and we must reduce their size and intensity once they burn. The bill before us today does a few important things to achieve that goal:

First, it prioritizes responsible timber production, and it ensures a reliable revenue stream for local governments. The Feds made a promise to our forest communities, and it must uphold that promise. Secure Rural School dollars ensure our counties can provide essential services, such as public safety and education to our constituents. H.R. 1526 would not only provide certainty in the program, but it would increase timber revenues threefold;

Secondly, it implements my bill, the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act. These provisions, parts of title II and title V of the act, reduce red tape and provide the land management agencies a variety of tools, specifically stewardship contracting and good neighbor authority, to conduct smaller projects in high-risk areas that need immediate attention.

While long-term, active forest management will protect our communities in the long run, we have to protect our people and our assets today. These provide an expedited arrangement to streamline thinning and grazing projects needed in immediate, at-risk areas like our forest communities, critical water delivery and electrical infrastructures, and our schools.

The solutions in our bill are supported by nearly every county in my rural district, in particular Yavapai and Gila Counties, and many affected stakeholders, including the Cattlemen, the Natural Resources Conservation Districts, and the Farm Bureau. This bill has commonsense solutions to our forest health crisis that should garner the entire support of this body.

You may look at this bill and think it's not perfect, but it will do a lot to prevent the suffering that communities like the ones I represent have been experiencing. I would welcome any Member of this body to come down to my district and meet with the families who have lost their homes, their fathers, their mothers, their husbands and wives, their kids, and their livelihoods. I think you will see why we have to act.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1410) to prohibit gaming activities on certain Indian lands in Arizona until the expiration of certain gaming compacts.

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

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

H.R. 1410, the Keep the Promise Act, introduced by a bipartisan group of Members from the Arizona delegation, would preserve Arizona's voter- approved gaming compact by prohibiting any Indian casino on land acquired in trust after April 9, 2013, in the Phoenix metropolitan area. This prohibition would expire on January 1, 2027, when the current gaming compact negotiated with the Arizona Governor expires.

This bill helps to resolve public promises that were supposedly made in good faith to the voters of Arizona. In 2002, the voters supported the passage of Proposition 202, which limited the number of tribally owned casinos in the State, and it granted tribes exclusive rights to operate casinos in Arizona. During the Proposition 202 campaign, a public promise was made by a coalition of 17 Arizona tribes, including the Tohono O'odham Nation, to limit casino gaming in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Unfortunately, it appears that a tribe is on the verge of breaking that commitment, and more than a majority of the tribes in the State are upset.

The immediate effect of the bill is to block the Tohono O'odham Nation from opening an off-reservation casino in the Phoenix area. This is a modified version of a bill passed by an overwhelming majority of the House last year.

As mentioned earlier, the bill has bipartisan support, including a majority of the House delegation, the Governor of Arizona, and six of the tribes that took part in the Proposition 202 agreement: the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the Gila River Indian Community, the Hualapai Tribe, the Pueblo Zuni, the Cocopah Indian Tribe, and the Fort McDowell Yavapai Tribe.

It is important to point out that it is not just Arizona tribes that support this bill. I have met tribes from other States, and they are very concerned about what is happening in Arizona. They believe that if our legislation is not signed into law, a dangerous precedent could be set, leading to the expansion of off-reservation casinos in Arizona and other States. They want to see Congress protect State gaming compacts.

For me, today's deliberations are not about stopping one casino or gaming as a whole. I support gaming. The Keep the Promise Act is about protecting the integrity of my State's gaming compact, the future of gaming in Arizona, and, ultimately, the future of Indian gaming in this country.

I urge adoption of the measure and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Trent Franks, the author of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire regarding the amount of time remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert).

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to acknowledge that out of our committee this bill was reported 35-1 in favor of this bill, so a heavily bipartisan bill reported to the House.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

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

Trust is a series of promises kept. That's the basis of all government functions. And that is the same thing that is required of the Tohono O'odham. When they entered into the agreement in 2002, they publicly supported the compact which limited the amount of casinos in the Phoenix-Greater Phoenix area.

Yes, it is true there are other precedents behind it, but contractual law always follows and subjugates itself when you look at this.

The speaker from Arizona spoke about the dialogue with the courts. The courts had to rule because the Tohono O'odham hid behind sovereignty in which the tapes and discussion in which they were truly negating or negotiating behind closed doors in dire dissent against this compact would not be disclosed. So the court only had one way to look.

Congress has the ability to rectify this answer, and that's why we are here today. This is good legislation. It doesn't prohibit any of the jurisdictions over that, except just complying with the compact to the end of the compact, 2027. Once upon that time, then they can renegotiate, and everybody is fairly into the game.

This is about trust, but it is trust from the Tohono O'odham to the Federal Government, to the taxpayers of Arizona, to the Governor, and to the other tribes of Arizona.

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

Mr. Speaker, this week, all eyes will be upon us as we debate the use of force in Syria. This decision is not one that should be made lightly, as ultimately there are many factors to be weighed.

Make no mistake that what is happening in Syria is truly a human tragedy. That nation has been torn apart by civil war. It is without a doubt that Assad is not a friend or ally of ours. But things are very complicated. A large number of those who oppose the Assad regime are affiliated with al Qaeda. In the case of Syria, Assad, and the rebels, it cannot be said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. In this dangerous civil war, the enemy of our enemy is still and will always be our enemy.

It is this dynamic which has led to the overwhelming response of people throughout my district and our Nation to say without an imminent threat to national security, without a plan, without a goal, without unified international support from our allies, we must stay out of Syria.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Arizona State University president Dr. Michael Crow on the impressive progress that ASU has made since Dr. Crow began leading there in 2002. I would like to recognize the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, which I was able to visit and tour on July 11th.

The Biodesign Institute is an outstanding example of success in transdisciplinary research, with the Institute's technologies and fields of research coming together to address national and global challenges with ``bio-inspired'' solutions in: new vaccine discovery and delivery; early detection and treatment of cancer and infectious diseases; techniques for detecting and removing contaminants from air and water and the application of nanotechnology for biomedicine and electronics.

Arizona State University Biodesign researchers generate an average of 50 invention disclosures and patents annually and have fostered more than a dozen spinout, startup companies. In 2009, the institute won Arizona's ``Excellence in Economic Development Award'' for its innovative contributions to the state's economic growth.

The Biodesign Institute embodies the guiding principles of the New American University, as defined by Arizona State University President Michael Crow. ASU is a comprehensive metropolitan university that has become the largest in the U.S. and recently ranked among elite 100 world universities. ASU ranked #17 in the country for research expenditures at a university without a medical school. The Wall Street Journal asked corporate recruiters which schools produced the best qualified graduates in the country and they ranked ASU #5. There has been significant progress at ASU.

Congratulations to Dr. Crow and to the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute for successfully fusing intellectual disciplines to conduct use-inspired and impactful research which are advancing our country's technology development and economy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address Attorney General

Holder's misinterpretation of federalism and his disregard for our system of checks and balances.

The Supreme Court was clear in Shelby v. Holder that States have the ability to run fair elections. Did anybody tell Attorney General Holder?

I can't say it better than Texas Governor Rick Perry, whose efforts to implement commonsense election standards are under attack from Mr. Holder:

Once again, the Obama administration is demonstrating utter

contempt for our country's system of checks and balances, not

to mention the U.S. Constitution.

If Holder continues to go unchecked and if he is not held accountable, what sort of precedent does that set? As Supreme Court Justice Brandeis said:

In a government of laws, the existence of the government

will be imperiled if it fails to observe the law

scrupulously. If government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds

contempt for law: it invites every man to become a law unto

himself. It invites anarchy.

So I ask you, has the Attorney General invited anarchy? I will continue to make my case here in the people's House at the people's pulpit.

I will be back.