Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous work of the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas at Dallas and its Brain Performance Institute. Not only do their programs and research benefit the public, they have a team that specifically focuses on serving Active Duty servicemembers, veterans, military spouses, and caregivers.

More than 2.5 million men and women have admirably worn the uniform to protect America's freedom since 9/11. Sadly, nearly 20 percent of them come back from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD or major depression. More than 250,000 servicemembers have sustained a traumatic brain injury in the last decade.

This ring that I wear is a sobering reminder that 22 servicemembers or veterans commit suicide each and every day. Something has to be done to help these heroes battle their inner enemies, and that is where the Brain Health team comes in.

The Brain Health team is dedicated to creating public and private partnerships to not only eliminate the stigma often associated with PTSD or TBI, but to improve treatment and access to that treatment. This team is essentially retraining brains to build their resilience, regeneration, and reverse losses in mental capacity, giving these men and women the opportunity to overcome the trauma of war and pursue a happy and healthy future.

The Center for Brain Health and Brain Performance has provided scientifically proven programs to more than 500 warriors in seven States, including my home State of Texas. The institute's service to our troops is outstanding. They are the perfect example of America's commitment to take care of our warriors and their families, and I am proud to recognize their good works.

In God we trust.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for your leadership.

The Obama administration is so out of touch with reality, it is disturbing. Just last year, President Obama said the war on terror is over. Last month, the official White House spokesperson said Obama's policies have enhanced the world's tranquility, even though there are serious growing conflicts in Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, and China.

Today, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey publicly recommended deploying U.S. combat troops to Iraq should the President's coalition-building efforts fail to curb the threat of ISIS.

If there ever was a time to ensure that America's military was well- prepared, highly trained, and fully equipped, it would be right now. Our enemies are growing stronger, our allies aren't stepping up, and the President's sequester has strained our military's ability to plan and prepare for all potential threats.

The President was caught off guard, leaving our troops underfunded. He must have a clearly defined strategy that fully funds and equips our military.

My district, the 25th District of Texas, is home to Fort Hood, the largest military base in America and home to some of the greatest young men and women the country has ever known. These soldiers and all who wear the uniform need to have the full support of their Congress and their President.

They need adequate funding, training, and the best armored trucks, planes, weapons, and ammunition in the whole wide world. We need to have an unbeatable military readiness and the highest quality of life for the greatest military in the history of the world.

Before President Obama takes any more actions to combat our terrorist enemies, he must work with Congress to roll back his sequester cuts and provide our troops with the support and resources they need and deserve.

In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, for the last month, I have traveled up and down the 25th District of Texas talking with my constituents about their biggest concerns.

They are fed up with Washington's out-of-touch economic policies that are hurting their families and their businesses. Business owners and individuals need certainty when it comes to their money and their taxes. That is why we need to quickly pass a tax extenders bill so business owners can stop playing defense and focus on what they do best, creating jobs.

Since Texas doesn't have a State income tax, Texans need to know if they can continue deducting their sales tax from their Federal income taxes. Business owners need to know if they can continue taking risks and innovating with the R&D credit. Companies need to know that they are not the target of tax bias by extending the bonus depreciation credit permanently.

Ensuring these incentives is just the first step for true comprehensive tax reform, but these are good, sound policies that my constituents want and that our economy needs. Let's give America the certainty they deserve and pass the tax extenders.

And remember the 9/11 victims. In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, before President Obama leaves for his 2- week-long vacation at Martha's Vineyard, he has a lot of work to do.

Contrary to what he said in Austin, Texas, this month, Americans are not better off than when he took office in 2009. In fact, his policies are hurting families and businesses everywhere.

He should focus on what House Republicans are doing and cooperate by getting his party leaders in the Senate to act on more than 40 bills to get our economy moving, get people back to work, and roll back his administration's harmful policies like Dodd-Frank and ObamaCare--the major force behind the transition to part-time America.

Under President Obama, the average unemployment rate tops 8 percent; we have got 47 million people on food stamps; 48 million people between the ages of 18 and 64--the very heart of our

workforce--have not worked one day in the last 12 months; and nearly 91 million people over age 16 aren't working at all; almost 50 percent of the unemployed have stopped looking for work; and 76 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. The list could go on and on.

We can fix this through real tax reform, getting the government out of health care, energizing the energy business, and ensuring America remains the world's superpower with a strong and well-equipped military.

As a business owner and job creator for more than 40 years, I know that the constant threat of tax hikes, overregulation, and massive government overhauls hurts businesses, it burdens families, lowers income, and stifles the economy. Everyone is simply playing defense in America.

That is why the House continues to pass pro-jobs bills that empower Americans and strengthen the economy. These are real solutions that will improve the quality of life for generations to come.

So I urge Harry Reid and the Democrats in the Senate to take up these bills now before President Obama leaves for vacation.

In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 414 on final passage of H.R. 5021, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, I would have voted ``aye,'' which is consistent with my position on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the important work of Meals on Wheels, a community-based organization that exemplifies the American spirit: neighbors helping neighbors, serving those in need, and working together to make our communities a better place.

Each day, volunteers from over 5,000 Meals on Wheels programs across the Nation deliver over a million meals to elderly citizens. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with one of these organizations in my district, Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties.

In theirs and other programs like it, an army of dedicated volunteers share the motto of being their brother's keeper, delivering a hot lunch and breakfast for the next day to their elderly and homebound neighbors, which also provides these individuals with a caring visit from loving volunteers. Lives are touched every day because the investment is made in helping them remain in their homes.

Today, I salute the thousands of donors, funders, supporters, volunteers, boards of directors, and workers, and especially those individuals served by Meals on Wheels. Organizations like this are what America is all about: loving your neighbor and serving those in need.

In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, a national crisis is happening right now in my home State of Texas. Thousands upon thousands of people from Central America are coming across our so-called southern border, and they are bankrupting Texas and wearing out our resources.

A recent headline reads: ``Feds looking for babysitters to help with illegal immigrant kids.'' This is where our tax dollars are going. The border towns in Texas are literally overflowing with unaccompanied minors.

More than 162,000 people from countries other than Mexico have crossed the southern border of the United States since last October. That is more than a 100 percent increase from the previous year.

As my Democratic colleague Congressman Henry Cuellar said:

If we don't send the message that they can't come and stay

here, this problem is going to continue.

It is going to get worse. The answer is simple: secure the border.

If we don't secure our border, our work in Congress is obsolete. Of course, the President is absent during this crisis, and it should be his number one priority: enforce the law of the land, and secure our border.

In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most abusive government overreaches in our Nation's history is happening right now under our watch. Operation Choke Point began quietly last year as a way for President Obama and the Justice Department to intimidate and strangle businesses they no longer support.

By forcing banks to cut ties with law-abiding businesses like sporting goods stores, licensed gun dealers, and thousands of others, these business owners have no recourse.

Once again, President Obama is circumventing the legal and legislative process that was set in place to protect the free market, personal choice, and individual freedom. When did it become okay for the Federal Government of the United States of America to tell business owners that their business is no longer wanted in America? That is socialism in its purest form.

Owning the banks and owning the market is the goal of this administration, and I urge my colleagues in Congress, as well as anyone who has ever owned or dreamed about owning their own business, to end the abuse. Operation Choke Point is an affront to the freedoms and liberty that millions of Americans have died to protect.

In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day to honor and remember the fallen heroes who paid the ultimate price while serving in the Armed Forces, it is vital for Congress to ensure appropriate funding for our troops.

With crises around the world and constant threats to our national defense, we ask a lot of those who wear the uniform. They shouldn't have to ask for anything in return.

In November 2009, an Islamic extremist opened fire on troops at Fort Hood, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others. The victims and survivors have been denied the benefits and honors granted to injured troops in combat zones because the President considers the massacre workplace violence, rather than a terrorist attack.

Nobody in America, but this administration, believes this was workplace violence. The men and women dressed in Army fatigues that day were targets simply because they were American soldiers.

H.R. 4435, the National Defense Authorization Act, brings the victims of the Fort Hood shooting one step closer to receiving the Purple Heart medal, giving them the benefits they earned and the recognition they deserve.

They were victims of terrorism, and it is time for them to be recognized as such. I urge every Member to vote in favor of our troops. Vote for H.R. 4435.

In God we trust.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 217, on final passage of H.R. 10, the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter

Schools Act, I would have voted ``aye'', which is consistent with my position on this legislation.

On rollcall No. 211, on final passage of H.R. 4438, the American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2014, I would have voted ``aye'', which is consistent with my position on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, the President recently announced that the U.S. Commerce Department would end its Internet agreement with ICANN, a nonprofit organization who has overseen our databases since 1998.

President Obama's plans could lead to international control and come at a time when nations all over the world are looking for any technological advantage they can gain over the United States.

Both Republicans and Democrats alike agree that the Obama administration's decision to cut ties with ICANN could lead to an uncertain future that hinders free speech and threatens national security.

The United States has always been the most protective country of free speech in the entire world. As other countries and international organizations advocate for a more globalized Web, the trampling of our First Amendment rights and greater censorship will be at an even higher risk.

It is imperative that we closely monitor this situation moving forward to ensure that free speech in any medium is never censored.

In God we trust.

Thank you, Chairman Ryan.

As a businessowner of 42 years, I know what it means to meet the bottom line and live within my means, both in my business and in my family. Unfortunately, America hasn't lived within its means for years, and we are nearing the tipping point. But President Obama and the Democrats in Congress want to push us nearer to the edge rather than rein us back in by spending money we just don't have and growing government with massive, government-run programs like ObamaCare.

The government already takes enough money from the hands of hardworking Americans--and that is not the problem. The problem is spending. Mr. Van Hollen's plan does nothing to address the real problem. It makes it worse. We need a budget that shrinks the size of government, reins in out-of-control spending, and prevents tax dollars from being subject to waste, fraud, and abuse.

The Van Hollen plan raises taxes by $1.8 trillion, and when compared to the Republican budget authored by Chairman Ryan, it spends nearly $6 trillion more, adds more than $4 trillion to the national debt, and it never, never balances. The budget is a disaster that doesn't reflect the direction this Nation needs to go, nor does it reflect what the American people want or need.

We need a responsible plan. That is why I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this substitute.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a good friend of mine, a great friend of Texas, and one of the finest examples of a public servant: Texas Tech University System Chancellor Kent Hance. In his nearly 8 years as head of Texas Tech, Chancellor Hance has become a staple in the community and a beloved figure on campus.

Famous for knowing every Texas mascot, a trait that he and I share, students are often greeted by him with a fist bump and a quiz on high school mascots while on their way to class. From the Itasca Wampus Cats to the Hamlin Pied Pipers, there's not a student on campus he hasn't won over with his down-to-earth demeanor and palpable dedication to the students.

Under Chancellor Hance's leadership, Texas Tech has repeatedly broken its enrollment records for the last five years, with more than 33,000 enrolled in the fall of 2013. The university has grown, expanded, and renovated, putting it on track to reach the university's milestone goal of 40,000 students by 2020. With the incredible achievement of not only reaching, but surpassing the $1 billion goal during the most ambitious fundraising effort ever undertaken by Texas Tech, Chancellor Hance has certainly set the stage for success in Lubbock, TX. His quick wit, famous stories and steadfast dedication to his alma mater will certainly be missed upon his retirement.

I wish my friend Kent Hance the best of luck in his next endeavor and thank him for the tremendous legacy he is still creating. From his early days in Texas politics, to his service in the U.S. Congress, to his successful law firm, Chancellor Hance makes a difference everywhere he goes. He lives by his own motto to ``dream no little dreams,'' and I look forward to seeing what his dreams have in store for him, and for us, next.

Mr. Speaker, it is said that all give some, and some give their all. Once again, we have seen tragedy at Fort Hood, ``The Great Place,'' and already we are witnessing the strength and resilience of a community of brave men and women who not only serve our country overseas in enemy territory, but right here at home on military posts around the Nation.

Our prayers are with the fallen troops, those who were injured and are still in recovery, and the families of all those involved. Our thoughts are with the entire Fort Hood community and great leadership team under General Milley as they stand together and push through this tough time. We will continue praying for the excellent medical team assisting the injured.

And perhaps most importantly, we will not forget the troops whose lives were lost yesterday. The best and the brightest is what we offer at Fort Hood. Their service and sacrifice are an

inspiration reminding us that America doesn't give because it is rich, America is rich because it gives, and it has given us all of those we honor today.

May God bless all of the Fort Hood community during this time, and may God bless America.

Thank you to my colleagues for being here today.

Madam Speaker, on June 17, 2013, decorated Army Sergeant William Moody of Burleson, Texas, while he was serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, sent an email to the local fire chief in his hometown. He wanted to plan a special ``coming home'' surprise with the help of the fire department and pull up to his kids' school in a big fire engine. He was set to return sometime in September, but on the following day of June 18, Sergeant Moody and three other American soldiers were killed by indirect enemy fire at Bagram Air Force Base.

Sergeant Moody is truly a hometown hero.

Born and raised in Burleson, Texas, Sergeant Moody joined the Marines after graduating from Burleson High School. He served two tours of duty in Iraq and later joined the Army, where he deployed twice to Afghanistan. Throughout his years of service, Sergeant Moody's commendable service earned him numerous honors and service medals, including the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart.

Thanks to the city of Burleson and with the leadership of Mayor Ken Shetter and the Burleson City Council, today marks a huge victory in our joint efforts to pay tribute to Sergeant Moody's service and sacrifice by dedicating the Burleson Post Office facility in honor of this hometown hero.

Later today, the House will vote on a bill I was proud to introduce, H.R. 3060, to officially name the local post office facility after Sergeant Moody. Along with hundreds of my colleagues in Congress, it will be one of the greatest honors of my life to support this bill. Not only will the Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building serve as a memorial for his wife and three children to cherish, but it will honor all of our Nation's veterans and will stand as a reminder of the true price of our freedom.

The war on terror is far from over. There are countless attempts by hostile groups to do us harm and bring destruction. That is why it is important to recognize the memory of our Nation's heroes. In the words of Ronald Reagan: Freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction; it must be fought for and defended by each new generation.

I hope that future generations will be inspired to live and serve like Sergeant William Moody. He fought with courage, served with integrity, and will be remembered forever. America does not give because it is rich; America is rich because it gives--and we are all proud that it gave us Sergeant William Moody.

May God bless our troops; may God bless Texas; and may God bless the United States of America.