Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5441, which amends the federal charter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to reflect the service of women in the Armed Forces of the United States.

As approved by Congress in 1936, the VFW charter provides that the VFW is a ``national association of men who as soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen served this Nation in wars, campaigns and expeditions on foreign soil or in hostile waters[.]''

The charter further provides that one of the purposes of the organization is ``to perpetuate the memory and history of our dead, and to assist their widows and orphans[.]''

By replacing the terms ``men'' with ``veterans'' and ``widows'' with ``surviving spouses,'' H.R. 5441 modifies the VFW charter to make it gender-neutral and reflect the reality that women have and continue to serve in combat theaters in defense of the United States.

At the time the charter was created, only men were permitted to serve in the military. Today, both women and men are permitted to serve in the military and over the last few years, women have become more involved in combat operations.

For example, between September 2001 and February 28, 2013), 299,548 female service members have been deployed for contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during which time more than 800 women have been wounded and over 130 have died.

As of February 29, 2013, 16,407 female members were currently deployed in contingency operation according to the Department of Defense.

Women have been tested in battle and proved their heroism, earning numerous awards and commendations, including two Silver Star medals.

The expansion of roles for women in the armed forces has evolved over decades.

Under a Defense Department policy promulgated in 1994 policy, women could not be assigned to units, below the brigade level, whose primary mission is to engage in direct combat on the ground.

The practical effect of this policy meant that women were barred from infantry, artillery, armor, combat engineers, and special operations units of battalion size or smaller.

On January 24, 2013, however, then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta rescinded that policy, thus enabling women to serve in combat units.

The leadership and rank and file of the VFW strongly supports changing the national charter to make it gender-neutral:

Today, our military consists of both men and women who

honorably put duty and service before themselves. Consistent

with the growing number of military women who serve at all

levels, women are taking leadership roles throughout our

organization. That is why we opened our membership to women

over 35 years ago.

Mr. Speaker, according to the VFW practice, it is combat service, not gender, that determines VFW membership eligibility.

Over 2 million women veterans have courageously served our country and defended our

freedoms for over 100 years, and their countless contributions and sacrifices must not be overlooked.

In the 18th Congressional District of Texas, there are 29,757 veterans, 3,219 of which are women.

Women veterans fortified the crucial role of women in the military, and females currently serving in the military continue to break down barriers, such as:

Admiral Michelle Howard, the Navy's first female four-star admiral; Army General Ann E. Dunwoody, the U.S. military's first female four- star officer; Dr. Mary E. Walker, the only woman who has been awarded the Medal of Honor.

As Anne S. (Sosh) Brehm, 1st Lt., USA NC, a World War II veteran said, ``Let the generations know that the women in uniform also guaranteed their freedom.''

Each year, I participate in the Annual Women in the Military Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to honor all women who have defended America throughout history.

The Women in Military Service for America Memorial serves as a reminder of the patriotism and bravery of women who have served in the United States Armed Services, and also tells their stories of service, sacrifice, and achievement.

Women veterans have a passion for service and an unfathomable amount of bravery that is truly worthy and deserving of our recognition, admiration, and commendation.

H.R. 5441 modifies VFW's federal charter to reflect current practice and reality and, accordingly, I support the bill and urge all members to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to speak to the issues that members of the 113th Congress must address.

I thank my colleagues Representatives Steven Horsford and Hakeem Jeffries for leading this evening's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order on ``The March toward a More Perfect Union: Where Do We Go from Here?''

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general

Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our a Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

These words are powerful and unforgettable--they are the preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America.

What is most striking about these words are the first 3, ``We the People.'' They remind us that we are here in the ``People's House'' to do the people's business.

The Supreme Courts over the centuries looked to these words for guidance or evidence of what the founding fathers intended for the Constitution's meaning and its ultimate purpose.

This places the preamble in a unique role as time has separated us from the words and thoughts of those who drafted the document, which governs our form of government today.

The Supreme Court, in its decision in Ellis v. City of Grand Rapids, looked to the preamble in reaching its decision in this eminent domain case. The Court decided that the use of land to provide additional land for the expansion of a hospital would be in the interest of the people and should be allowed under the constitution.

We the People, two years ago re-elected President Obama to the Presidency of the United States with 57.5 of all eligible voters voting for him to serve a second term in 2012.

He ran on the issues of retaining the Affordable Health Care Act, infrastructure investments, and rebuilding the middle class.

His re-election was no fluke; it was an affirmation by the people of the United States of a decision they made nearly 4 years earlier when he defeated his Republican opponent and become President.

In 2008, President Obama won 53% of the votes in the election that saw voter turnout at 62.3 percent of eligible citizens voting.

During the hard fought campaign then Democratic Presidential Candidate Obama said that he would focus on health care reform, repairing the economy, which was in shambles, and ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and bring our troops home.

Once President Obama entered office in January 2009, he was given the full picture of how bad the economy really was and how much work would be needed to repair the damage and restore economic vitality.

Since 2008, the economy has made tremendous progress, but more work needs to be done and I invite my colleague to commit in earnest to doing the work held to help the people of this nation.

On March 23, 2010, with the stroke of President Obama's pen, the American people received this part of the ``Fair Deal.'' This bill did not become law in the dead of night, but in the full process this body affords serious consideration of legislation. There were committee hearings, staff and member meetings, amendments and a final vote in both the House and the Senate before it was sent to the President's desk.

The Affordable Care Act has been affirmed to be law by every means provided by our nation's constitution:

On June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court upheld the ACA, affirming the constitutionality of the law--leaving intact the majority of the incentives to expand healthcare coverage to millions of Americans.

The Affordable Care Act was a central issue in the Presidential election of 2012. President Obama who signed the Affordable Care Act into law won the election by 51.1 percent of the popular vote and 62 percent of the electoral vote.

Republican Victory on November 4, 2014 was no mandate

The voter turnout on November 4 was lowest voter turnout in 72 years according to the New York Times. National voter participation was 33.9% for the 2014 mid-term elections.

Although some are trying to call the election a mandate, that argument cannot be made if these same people refused to treat as a mandate the victories of Present Obama in two elections with a vote well over 50% and voter participation of 60% or more.

The Affordable Health Care Act is the law of the land; we have 10 million people with health care, who otherwise would not have the financial security that brings to them and their families.

November 15, 2014-December 15, 2014 is open season for the Affordable Care Act, which allows those without health insurance the opportunity to purchase insurance for themselves and their children.

The Affordable Care Act is not going anywhere and if the Republicans want to use taxpayers dollars on continuing to argue over it that is a waste of precious legislative days that the people of this nation cannot afford.

Republican threats of shutdown over Immigration Reform

The Republicans shut down the government a year ago in October and the consequences were devastating to the American workers and seriously damaged the financial recovery the nation was experiencing.

The Shutdown of 2011 cost the nation $24 billion.

A CNN poll found that 69 percent of Americans--including 52 percent of Tea Party supporters--thought the Congressional Republicans were ``acting like spoiled children,'' and 46 percent said they would blame Congressional Republicans for a shutdown.

Sixty-eight percent of the American public said the shutdown of a few days would be a bad thing for the country; that number rose to nearly 80 percent for a shutdown lasting a few weeks.

Sixty percent say it is more important for Congress to avoid a shutdown than to make major changes to the new health care law. [9/30]

According to the Office of Management and Budget, the last Republican Government Shutdown hurt the American people.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees immediately and indefinitely furloughed, and many Federal employees and contractors that continued to work were not paid during the shutdown.

Housing loans to low and middle income families in rural communities were put on hold, as would start-up business loans for farmers and ranchers.

SBA stopped approving applications for small businesses to obtain loans and loan guarantees. In a typical month, SBA approves over $1 billion in loan assistance to small businesses.

All facilities and services in our national parks were closed, along with the Smithsonian, impacting the hundreds of thousands of people that were on or heading to vacations. This had a severe negative impact on the surrounding local communities that rely on the revenue generated by travel and tourism to these destinations.

Important government research into life-threatening diseases, environmental protection, and other areas were halted.

The government stopped issuing permits to conduct drilling operations on Federal lands, and would stop or delay environmental reviews of planned transportation and energy-related projects, keeping companies from working on these projects.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees suddenly did not have a pay-check coming and had no idea when the shutdown would end.

Veterans were left without access to vital services.

It was irresponsible then and it would be far worse knowing what the reality was then for this Congress to do this to the American people again in less than 2 years.

Immigration Reform Long Overdue

The immigration reform bill that came out of the Senate does much to improve family immigration, but I am concerned that the bill contains some fundamental changes to our immigration system that move us away from the principle of family reunification.

In my role as a Senior Member of both the House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee and Homeland Security Committee, I will continue working to strengthen the provisions in the bill that impact families and work to restore other important provisions which help families, particularly those immigrants of limited means--every immigrant cannot be a millionaire tech entrepreneur or bear the lineage of some landed gentry--America is the ultimate egalitarian society where opportunity waits for those rich and poor who seek it.

Nearly everyone agrees that our immigration system is badly broken and in dire need of fixing, and the bill that came out of the Senate is a step in the right direction.

What we need is immigration legislation that establishes a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country. We must address the lengthy backlogs in our current immigration system--backlogs that have kept families apart sometimes for decades.

We must grant a faster track to the `Dreamers' brought to this country as children through no fault of their own, and to agricultural workers who are an essential part of our communities and work so hard to provide our nation's food supply.

We need immigration legislation that will make important changes to the visas used by dairy farmers and the tourism industry and by immigrant investors who are making investments in our communities.

Dreamers grew up in the United States, but were brought here illegally through no fault of their own. Nearly 300,000 Dreamers have been granted legal status in the past year, giving them the ability to live their lives in our communities by working and going to college without fear of deportation.

Most Americans agree that we need a comprehensive immigration reform plan that includes a pathway to citizenship. Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans (87%) believe that it would be better to offer undocumented workers an opportunity to earn citizenship after they have met the necessary requirements than to deport them.

If the House had seriously considered comprehensive immigration reform it would not be

necessary for the President to use his legitimate and lawful Executive authority by the end of this year to minimize the damage caused by Congress' failure to act.

Providing legal status to the undocumented immigrants currently in our country would grow our GDP by a cumulative increase of $832 billion over 10 years. According to the Center for American Progress, immigration reform would create 121,000 new jobs each year in the next decade. Legalization would increase immigrants' income, an additional boost to our economy.

We must also do something to protect our borders. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 1417--the Border Security Results Act of 2013. This bill has received accolades from the Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times as a commonsense approach to protect our borders.

I believe the border security legislation that we put forward can be the solution that allows real immigration reform to move forward because it will provide the security at the border that the American people are demanding and deserve.

The Border Security Results Act would require a comprehensive outcome-based strategy that includes deployment of more surveillance technology for gaining full situational awareness of the border, use of that data to allocate manpower and other resources along the border and the creation of metrics to set progress in achieving border security. Those metrics may be based on the number of apprehensions of illegal aliens relative to the number of illegal crossings.

Over the years I have introduced the Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act and much of the Senate passed bill was included in my immigration bill; the Senate bill would address some of the toughest issues on immigration reform and would offer many innovative and considerate solutions that will help to repair some of the most broken parts of our immigration system.

So the passage of the Senate bill is a major leap forward in human rights in America. Now is the time for the House of Representatives to continue this crucial fight for immigration reform and a secure America.

If we let the immigration reform debate focus primarily on minute elements we lose sight of the broader picture--many other important things we need to do to fix our broken immigration system. It has been estimated that approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States.

The vast majority of them are hard-working and law-abiding persons who have become productive members of our society. It serves no purpose to keep them in the shadows of our society praying for lawful status. It is not good for them, and is not in the best interests of the United States. Comprehensive immigration reform will require leadership from the Administration, the Senate, both parties in Congress with a willingness on everyone's part to work together.

The American people will hold accountable those that stand in the way of making comprehensive immigration reform.

When the House and the Senate passes comprehensive immigration reform the President will sign it into law. This is something that would be permanent and provide the stability America needs as we move toward a more prosperous future.

This special order is an opportunity to make the case for continuing on the course set by the Obama Administration and the need to not take the recent election as a mandate for major changes.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, November 12, 2014, I was unavoidably detained due to the necessity of accompanying the Vice- President of the United States on his visit to Houston and attending to other representational activities in my congressional district, and thus unable to return in time for Rollcall Vote 516. Had I been present I would have voted as follows:

1. On Rollcall No. 516 I would have voted ``aye'' (Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 4194--Government Reports Elimination Act)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to all of the men and women who have worn the uniform of country and risked their lives to keep our nation free and safe.

We come together to celebrate our veterans who have courageously defended our freedom, and honor the memory of those who have borne the battle, including the more than 4,400 American servicemen and women who have died in Iraq and more than 2,200 who have died in Afghanistan.

We also honor the sacrifices of over 50,000 brave troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Let us pay tribute to those currently serving around the globe as well as veterans and service men and women who are with us today as they have served our nation with honor and distinction.

Today, I reaffirm my commitment to the nation's more than 2 million troops and reservists, their families, and 22 million veterans, including 32,477 in the 18th Congressional District of Texas, that they will be provided the quality job opportunities they have earned.

A grateful nation cares for its soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, not only when they're abroad, but also upon their return home.

Congress must communicate its wholehearted support for the security of the nation and build upon the historic improvements made in strengthening quality health care for veterans and offering the promise of college to those returning from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, it is our duty to leave no veteran behind.

This day and every day, let us honor their service with actions that fulfill our commitment to our troops, their families, and our veterans--and that are worthy of our grateful nation.

I thank the manager of this Special Order, and it gives me great privilege to be able to stand here today.

Mr. Speaker, as I look at Congressman Coble, I think of the men and women who love this institution. I love it, and I have had the privilege of serving on the House Judiciary Committee, which I believe is the holder of the Founding Fathers' dream of democracy for this country. As I have worked with Congressman Coble, I have seen nothing but his love for the law, for the broad depth of the House Judiciary Committee and, might I say, the power.

Congressman, you have used that power with gentlemanly gentleness and forcefulness in representing your constituents and your philosophy.

We have had some tough battles on the House Judiciary Committee, but I have always seen and known Howard Coble to be a gentleman.

I am reminded of how many days and moments and minutes and months that we have been here in this place, and, Howard, I believe that, every time we have seen each other, we have said ``hello'' with a smile. I thank you for that, and it represents your love of this country and your love of the system of justice and democracy and the respect for difference of opinion.

Let me also say that I have a great Texan as my daughter. She loves Texas, and she is now an elected official, but she went on to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke. She couldn't leave North Carolina. She knew the bipartisan manner of your work, and as they studied on those two campuses, they knew Congressman Howard Coble.

So let me say to you, on behalf of those of us who have worked with you

over the years--Democrats and Republicans--and in the time that I have had the privilege of serving in this House, what a mighty ``thank you'' we want to give you and to recognize the service you have given to the Nation, to your constituents and, certainly, the teaching that you have given to all of us. Well done, my good friend. We will miss you, and we wish for you a long life and an enjoyable time in continuing to serve in your own way the United States of America. Thank you so very much. We love you, Howard.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 726, a resolution supporting the right of the people of Ukraine to freely determine their future, including their country's relationship with other nations and international organizations, without interference, intimidation, or coercion by other countries.

I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania, Congressman Gerlach, for introducing this bipartisan resolution and urge all Members to support it to show the solidarity of the people of the United States with the people of Ukraine.

The United States is strongly committed to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The United States strongly supports efforts to assist Ukraine to defend its territory against military aggression by the Russian Federation and by separatist and paramilitary forces.

The Russian Federation has undertaken a campaign of political, economic, and military aggression against Ukraine.

For example, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a civilian airliner, was destroyed by Russian-backed Ukrainian separatists using a Russian-made missile, taking the lives of all 298 innocent persons on board.

That is why I strongly support H. Res. 726, which condemns the continuing political, economic, and military aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the violation of its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

I strongly support the resolution's demand that the Russian Federation remove its military forces and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine, including equipment provided to the separatist and paramilitary forces.

I applaud the resolution's call for the President to cooperate with allies and partners in Europe and other nations around the world to impose visa bans, targeted asset freezes, sector sanctions, and other measures on the Russian Federation and its leadership sufficient to compel it to end its violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in voting for H. Res 726.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate National Hispanic American Heritage Month. For more than 500 years, and long before the founding of the Republic, Hispanic Americans have made significant contributions to American life and culture.

Hispanic Heritage week was formerly proposed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the diversity throughout the United States with a variety of festivities across the country, including parades, festivals, art exhibits, and musical performances.

Hispanics have had a profound and positive influence on our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. They have enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their communities.

Hispanics have played a vital role in the moments and movements that have shaped our country. They have enriched our culture and brought creativity and innovation to everything from sports to the sciences and from the arts to our economy.

The Hispanic community is an integral part of our country's rich history and economic well-being. According to most recent data Hispanic-owned businesses have generated $351 billion in economic output towards the U.S. economy, along with creating 1.9 million jobs.

As the Member of Congress from the 18th Congressional District of Texas, I am honored to represent a district rich in cultural and ethnic diversity and with a substantial Hispanic population.

Mr. Speaker, Texas is home to more than 10 million Hispanic residents and there are 938,882 Hispanics in Houston, comprising 43.4% of the city's population, the third largest number of Hispanics of any city in the nation.

The projected population of Hispanics in the United States in 2060 is estimated to be 128.8 million. According to this projection, the Hispanic population will constitute 31 percent of the nation's population by that date.

Hispanics are greatly diverse people. They come from different countries bringing different cultures, language dialects and customs Hispanics have enriched our Union and shaped our character. Hispanics are hardworking individuals that try to better themselves but never forget their upbringings.

Hispanic Americans continue to impact every sector of our country, and are leading officials in all aspects of American life. Many Hispanic Americans serve as elected officials, members of the armed forces, police officers, judges, teachers, construction workers, business men and women, artists, athletes, and civic leaders.

A source of special pride to me is that Texas is the home state of 11 Hispanic recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Many contemporary Hispanic Americans have risen to occupy some of the most important positions in the nation, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; Labor Secretary Tom Perez; U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Ted Cruz, White House Domestic Policy Director Cecelia Munoz; and my colleagues in the Texas House delegation, Congressmen Ruben Hinojosa, Henry Cuellar, Joaquin Castro, Beto O'Rourke, Pete Gallego, and Filemon Vela.

As the Hispanic community continues to enrich American society, I urge all Americans to take time during this month to commemorate the contributions of Hispanic Americans in shaping the United States.

The best way to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month is to continue cherishing and respecting the ethnic and cultural diversity that strengthens and enhances our nation.

We celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month to continually honor the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans to our nation.

Celebrating the National Hispanic Heritage helps keep a vivid image of all the hard work Hispanic individuals accomplished throughout history.

I encourage all Americans to join me in marking this important occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and mourn a great American in my district. His name is Joe Sample. He made people happy by the wonderful jazz that he played.

Born in 1939, in his high school he joined with fellow students and created the Jazz Crusaders. In doing so, he enjoyed a wonderful career that saw him working with people such as Miles Davis, George Benson, Jimmy Witherspoon, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, and the Supremes. He incorporated jazz in many things that he did, but he also understood gospel, blues, Latin, and the classical form.

In talking to his family this week, and to his family and his wife, I give them my deepest sympathy.

He said he was proud of his gospel music album.

We are saddened that he has lost his life in his battle against lung cancer. I am delighted to salute him as a great American who shared his talent with young people, who was kind to those with whom he grew up, who made Texas proud, and certainly is renowned throughout this great community of Houston and the Nation.

Starting the piano at 5, Joe Sample never left his love of music and always tried to share it and be a representative of the value of what music is to children and the American people.

I ask this Congress to acknowledge with me this great hero, Joe Sample, a musician, an American, someone who we can be proud of that lived good in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4276, the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Improvement Act of 2014.

Mr. Speaker, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which have demanded multiple deployments for many of our nation's courageous soldiers, have taken a psychological toll on U.S. service members.

As our brave military men and women fight to defend our great country, they put themselves at risk of combat-related health problems, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other brain related maladies.

More than 280,000 United States service members have been diagnosed with a degree of TBI in the past 10 years, and more than 19 percent of veterans may have some form of the disorder.

There is no doubt that these fearless men and women suffering from traumatic brain injuries deserve not only our gratitude, but also our support throughout recovery and treatment.

Thanks to the Assisted Living Pilot Program, these veterans struggling daily with TBI will be provided with 24-hour assisted living help.

Mr. Speaker, our United States veterans bravely put their life on the line to defend our freedoms and to keep our nation safe.

By passing H.R. 4276, veterans combating TBI and PTSD will receive assistance to enhance their rehabilitation, quality of life, and community integration.

The Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Act expands the requirements for Veterans Affairs Department reports to affirm the enrollment, completion, and effectiveness of the pilot program.

The community-integrated rehabilitation treatment provided by the pilot program will serve as a vital resource to our veterans as they overcome burdensome health problems.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4276 to show their support and gratitude for the sacrifices made by our service men and women, and to ensure that veterans battling traumatic brain injuries receive the care and rehabilitation they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letter regarding domestic violence and the NFL's actions:

September 9, 2014.

Roger Goodell,

Commissioner, National Football League,

New York, NY.

Dear Commissioner Goodell: Today I called for the NFL to

take immediate action in announcing a major effort on

fighting national domestic violence. It would be appropriate

for the NFL to initiate major funding effort to stop domestic

violence now. Domestic violence hits every sector of the

Nation without respect to race, religion, wealth and/or

gender. Many Americans have lost their lives at the hands of

domestic violence. The NFL can collaborate with other

professional sports organizations and produce a major gift to

provide resources to anti domestic violence groups, health

clinics, law enforcement and faith organizations to stop the

crisis of domestic violence.

As a Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee and the

Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus

who helped reauthorize the most recent Violence Against

Women's Act (VAWA), I think it's imperative that we deal with

this situation now. Statistics show that one in every four

women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. An

estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault

by an intimate partner each year. 85% of domestic violence

victims are women.

It is imperative that we come together in strong support of

a national, broad and comprehensive strategy to address the

causes and effects of domestic violence. Weighing heavily on

our conscience is the fact that an estimated 46 million

children in our country are exposed to violence each year

through crime, abuse and trauma. The gravity of the current

situation with Ray Rice and the NFL cannot be overstated.

Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical

assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive

behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another.

It is an epidemic affecting individuals in Houston,

regardless of age, economic status, race, religion,

nationality or educational background. Violence against women

is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling

behavior, and thus is part of a systematic pattern of

dominance and control. Domestic violence results in physical

injury, psychological trauma sometimes death. The

consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and

truly last a lifetime.

Since coming to Congress I have spearheaded efforts to

ensure women have equal opportunity and are treated fairly. I

have fought year after year for adequate funding to make

shelters and supportive services more accessible to victims

of family and domestic violence. It is now time for the NFL

to place some of their resources into these shelters and

programs that work to alleviate domestic violence in our

society. The scourge of domestic violence cannot be silenced

or covered up. It is real and the NFL, after all the talk is

done, can have a visible, constant and long term impact by

providing this major funding initiative. We must take on this

challenge with the recognition that changing the pervasive

culture of domestic violence will not happen overnight. While

we can act now and pass legislation to ameliorate some of

causes of the domestic violence epidemic, this problem is

larger than our laws. That is why we must make an enduring

commitment to our families and children suffering from

domestic violence.

To respond or ask any questions about this letter, please

contact my Chief of Staff Glenn Rushing at 202-225-3816. A

prompt response to this letter would be appreciated.

Very truly yours,

Sheila Jackson Lee,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2258, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014.

Mr. Speaker, it is an undeniable truth that our military veterans deserve our deepest gratitude for the courage and valor they demonstrated while defending the United States of America.

One way the nation can express its deepest appreciation for our service men and women is by assisting disabled veterans with compensation and financial support.

The VA estimated that it will provide compensation to over 4 million beneficiaries in FY 2014.

Among the veterans estimated to receive such compensation are:

136,897 World War II veterans

140,169 Korean War veterans

1,327,348 Vietnam-era veterans

1,546,030 Gulf War-era veterans

695,574 veterans who served during peacetime

Close to half of the nearly 2 million veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have or will seek compensation for service-related injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

We must be certain that disability compensation provides adequate assistance to veterans, and this bill does so by increasing the amounts paid by the same cost-of-living adjustment that will be payable to Social Security recipients.

Mr. Speaker, not only does S. 2258 benefit our injured veterans, it also helps the families of these injured service members by providing increased compensation for dependents and surviving spouses.

By passing S. 2258, countless veterans and their families would have financial stress alleviated thanks to increased rates of veterans' disability compensation.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge all members to support the passage of S. 2258 to ensure that all of our courageous veterans receive adequate disability compensation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the value of our Constitution. I just left the Homeland Security hearing on the horror of ISIL and held up the Constitution to say that we will not allow terrorists to undermine our values, and I am grateful that we live under the Constitution that we do.

With that in mind, I encourage my colleagues to join me on H.R. 5488, a bill that I have introduced that would call for the reviewing and looking at the watch list to make sure that no foreign fighters are left off of that list and that there is a no fly for foreign fighters, again, reminding us of the processes which we use, and I hope that there will be those who will do so.

I also want to acknowledge the fact that we are facing economic growth, but we are also experiencing problems. All I hear from the NFL are the expression of problems. I sent a letter to Director Goodell of the NFL, the commissioner, to say, ``Put your resources where your complaints are.''

There are so many groups that are dealing with violence against women and abuse of children that we need to provide the NFL the resources to all of those groups. We need the NFL wives to be engaged. Stop talking, and let's do something.

This is disgraceful, but there is an epidemic of domestic violence, and the NFL can stand up and announce a major funding--as my colleague in the Senate has indicated--to be able to lift all of these groups that struggle every day to reach these women.

I would also add to them, put a campaign: see something, say something on

domestic violence. I ask the NFL to stand up and be counted.

Mr. Speaker, as a mother, I can see those who are now mourning because they have lost their babies, their family members. I can see the Yazidis in the mountains in Iraq fearful, and I can hear the cries of mothers whose sons were viciously beheaded by a terrorist group that most cannot understand the level of its viciousness.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to say that doing nothing is not an option, and I want to say to my friends and to my colleagues, ISIL has been here, for in 2005 Ayman al-Zawahiri, deputy head of al Qaeda, had a killer idea, and that was to establish an Islamic State.

It percolated for a number of years. In 2014, now, we have voices being raised across the world knowing that ISIL exists, and that is exactly what they want us to do, be terrorized. I refuse to be terrorized, and I also refuse to do nothing.

Mr. Speaker, I do not stand here today to vote for an authorization to use military forces. I will not vote to send our precious treasure again to that region, but I do believe that the President has a strategy, unlike some of my colleagues, a systematic campaign of airstrikes, increased military assistance, regional political effort and humanitarian aid, changing the face of the Islam religion that people believe is the Islam religion, and looking to those who support the core values of Islam.

That is a strategy; yet we have to address ISIL. There are 20,000 to 31,000 fighters making their way across the land; so I believe that an existing provision under section 10, provision 10, simply to train and to provide instruction to those individuals who can be in the fight in the region, train them with the expertise of the United States but not put our precious treasure on the ground.

ISIS has no restraint, and we remember the names of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, British aid worker David Haines, and 40-some members of the Turkish diplomatic corps held by ISIS and many others; so I believe it is important to note what we are doing here today.

In the McKeon amendment, it provides an opportunity for Congress to be advised 15 days before action. We should hold the administration to that. We should also say that any authorization for military forces, it must be a

debate on the floor of the House. I will not vote for that today. I will not vote for that.

I do believe, again, Mr. Speaker, that we cannot stand and do nothing. I think it is extremely important that we do something, and I hope others will look at the resolution that I have and the no fly for foreign fighters, H.R. 5488, which I have introduced.

I would like to add something else to the McKeon amendment. It indicates that appropriate committees will be advised. The legislative history of this debate should reflect that the Homeland Security Committee is an appropriate committee and should be one of those that is appropriately advised.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, today, we had a hearing in Homeland Security with the Secretary of Homeland Security. There is no doubt that what we are doing today is to protect the homeland.

What Americans say is they want the homeland protected. They want no more of their journalists beheaded by this heinous group.

Mr. Speaker, I close by simply saying we organized this Nation to form a more perfect Union. The Constitution says that Congress must declare war even as the President indicates that he has the authority under article II.

I believe if Congress is to do its job, we must have another debate on the authorization for military forces which we do not approve, but this is responding to the viciousness of ISIL, building up those regional forces, and making a difference.

I ask my colleagues: Can we do nothing? I think not. We must rise in support of this resolution today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment offered by the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee to H. Res. 124, the resolution making continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015.

Specifically, the ``McKeon Amendment'':

1. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to train and equip appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups or individuals;

2. Purports to strengthen congressional oversight by requiring detailed reports, including progress reports, on the plan, vetting process, and procedures for monitoring unauthorized end-use of provided training and equipment;

3. Require the President to report on how this authority fits within a larger regional strategy;

The McKeon Amendment does not authorize additional funds, but it would allow the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a reprogramming request to Congress should the President request Defense Department funds to execute this authority and permit the Secretary of Defense to accept foreign contributions.

Finally, the McKeon Amendment states that nothing in it is to be construed to constitute a specific statutory authorization for the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances.

It is important, Mr. Speaker, to be clear about what the McKeon Amendment does and does not do.

The amendment does not authorize the use of military force or deployment of United States combat forces to Syria.

Let me be clear: I am not voting today to authorize the use of military force or to put American combat boots on the ground.

Let me also be clear on this point: Before American armed forces may be deployed to conduct combat operations in Syria or elsewhere in the region the President must come to the Congress and request and receive from it either a declaration of war or resolution authorizing the use of military force.

This is not a political nicety but a constitutional requirement, clearly specified in Article I, Section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution, which by the way, was approved by the Constitutional Convention in 1787, 227 years ago this very day, September 17.

The McKeon Amendment simply authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to provide assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, and sustainment, to appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups and individuals for the following purposes:

1. Defending the Syrian people from attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and securing territory controlled by the Syrian opposition;

2. Protecting the United States, its friends and allies, and the Syrian people from the threats posed by terrorists in Syria; and

3. Promoting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria.

The McKeon Amendment cannot be construed as giving the Administration a blank check or carte blanche in achieving these objectives.

Rather, the McKeon Amendment requires that not later than 15 days before providing assistance to a vetted group for the first time, the Administration shall provide a report to the Congressional leadership and committees of jurisdiction describing in detail the assistance to be provided and the bases for the determination that the action contemplated are consistent with the objectives stated above.

Additionally, the McKeon Amendment requires that not later than 90 days after the Secretary of Defense submits the first report required by the McKeon Amendment, and every 90 days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall provide the appropriate congressional committees and leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate with a detailed progress report.

In short, the McKeon Amendment only authorizes the Administration to identify, vet, and provide assistance to those opposition Syrian forces that can be relied upon to defend the Syrian people from attacks by the murderous ISIS jihadi.

Mr. Speaker, there is little doubt that the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS), is a violent extremist movement. It grew out of the remnants of Al Qaeda in Iraq and the Syrian civil war--which has claimed the lives of 191,369 persons, tens of thousands at the hands of ISIS--and has spread its reach across the border between Iraq and Syria and is now seizing military bases and holding territory throughout the region.

In response, and at the request of the Iraqi government, President Obama has sent over 1,500 military advisors into Iraq and conducted over 150 airstrikes there to break the ISIS momentum, to protect U.S. personnel and save thousands of Iraq's religious minorities.

In his September 10, 2014 address to the nation, the President announced a four-part strategic plan to degrade and defeat ISIS.

The strategy outlined by the President involves the following elements:

1. a systematic campaign of airstrikes against ISIS;

2. increased military assistance and training for allied forces on the ground;

3. a regional political effort to work with allies; and

4. a humanitarian assistance to populations targeted by ISIS.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the President, Ranking Member Smith, and Chairman McKeon that ISIS poses a significant threat to American interests, requiring an effective response.

I also believe that the President should be commended for the forceful but deliberate and steady but calm leadership he has displayed to date.

But we must act in a careful, measured, balanced, and limited way to assist the Iraqi and Syrian people most directly and immediately threatened by ISIS because left unchecked, ISIS will grow to threaten the United States.

ISIS presently controls about 13,000 square miles (about the size of Massachusetts), spanning territory in Iraq and Syria, and a fighting force estimated to be between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters.

ISIS also commands substantial resources, including cash reserves estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars and daily revenue of $3 million from largely criminal activities.

Mr. Speaker, after its gains in Syria and Iraq, ISIS stands as one of the most dangerous jihadist groups. It was formed in April 2013, growing out of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which has since condemned and disavowed the group for its barbarity.

It speaks volumes about any group that is too barbaric to be associated with al-Qaeda in Iraq!

Unlike other rebel groups in Syria, ISIS aims to establish an Islamic emirate that straddles Syria and Iraq. Since March 2013, ISIS has seen considerable military success, beginning with its takeover of the Syrian city of Raqqa--the first provincial capital to fall under rebel control.

In January 2014, ISIS took control of Fallujah, the predominantly Sunni city in the western province of Anbar. It also seized large sections of the provincial capital, Ramadi, and has a presence in a number of towns near the Turkish and Syrian borders.

However, it was its conquest of Mosul in June that captured the world's attention because with the conquest of Mosul came control of oil fields in northern Iraq and Mosul's branch of Iraq's central bank, from which ISIS took hundreds of millions of dollars.

The international community received a wake-up call on August 2, 2014, when ISIS

fighters pushed further into northern Iraq, overwhelming lightly-armed Kurdish Peshmerga forces that had moved into areas abandoned by the Iraqi army and seized the strategically important Mosul Dam, which supplies water and electricity to much of Iraq.

Knowing ISIS's reputation for unmatched brutality, tens of thousands of people fled their homes, particularly members of religious minorities, and 50,000 of them were trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water, until their rescue was secured by the air strikes ordered by President Obama providing cover for the Kurdish forces who wrested back control of the Mosul Dam.

Mr. Speaker, ISIS derives significant revenues from the oil fields it controls in eastern Syria and from the sale of antiquities it looted from historical sites.

Today, ISIS is considered to be the most cash-rich militant group in the world, controlling assets estimated to exceed $2 billion.

ISIS has shown no restraint in dealing with civilian populations, acting with heinous violence and savagery. ISIS fighters have murdered and kidnapped civilians throughout the territory under its control, including the grisly beheadings of two American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and British aid worker David Haines.

More ominous, Mr. Speaker, is the fact many fighters recruited by ISIS have European or American passports, making it easier for them to return home. That is also why I introduced H.R. 5488--No Fly Foreign Fighters Act to protect the homeland.

To his great credit, President Obama has not rushed to judgment. He has been thoughtful. He has consulted with the Congress and the international allies.

And the President has been adamant that the planned assistance and training to rebels fighting ISIS will not involve, or lead to, American ground forces fighting a war that must be fought by the Iraqi people and Syrian rebels.

The threat posed by ISIS in Iraq presents the United States with a conundrum about what to do about ISIS in Syria. On the one hand, we do not want to strengthen the barbaric Assad regime that is opposed by Syrian rebels and opposition parties and by ISIS. On the other hand, if we provide assistance only to anti-Assad opposition forces, we indirectly strengthen ISIS.

The challenge is to identify, vet, and support those pro-democracy forces in opposition to both the Assad regime and ISIS.

The defeat of ISIS should be prioritized over the removal of Assad, though the latter should remain a long-term U.S. objective. And U.S. assistance to opposition groups should be designed and delivered with this sequencing in mind.

Finding, vetting, and equipping capable and reliable Syrian partners who are poised to fight ISIS and the Assad regime is the central strategic challenge facing the United States in countering the rise of

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, September 15, 2014, I was unavoidably detained attending representational activities and thus unable to return in time for rollcall vote No. 497.

I would like the record to reflect that, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 497, H.R. 5108, to establish the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and for other purposes.

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 5462.

At the outset, I would like to commend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Representative Hudson, for the bipartisan approach he has taken with this legislation. I know that Mr. Thompson and Mr. Richmond have joined him on this legislation, and I have as well.

H.R. 5462 seeks to remove any confusion about a key provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 as enacted into law in December 2013. Section 601 of that law provided for the aviation security fee that the Transportation Security Administration collects to increase to $5.60 per one-way trip.

We know that since 9/11 this department was created, and the fees have been utilized to continue to protect the homeland, fees that are assessed on the airlines and utilized by the Transportation Security Administration, but we are attempting to make sure that the process is fair. The language did not specifically cap the fee for a round trip ticket, but common sense would tell us that Congress intended the passenger fee for a round trip to be twice that of a one-way trip, or $11.20.

Regrettably, TSA has missed this intent, resulting in some passengers being assessed excessive fees.

We have the responsibility here in the United States Congress to provide the kind of oversight that treats the Transportation Security Administration fairly: providing them with resources; ensuring that they are protecting the traveling public; ensuring that their TSOs are trained; and, as well, acknowledging the important work that they do. But we have, likewise, a responsibility to the traveling public, and we must balance that with making sure that the fees that are assessed are not excessive.

The legislation before us today clarifies that the passenger security fee should be capped for a round trip at twice the rate assessed for a one-way trip.

Mr. Speaker, for the better part of 5 months, the Committee on Homeland Security and others in Congress have been engaged in a back- and-forth with TSA on this issue. It is my sincere hope that, with this guidance and the enactment of this legislation, this will resolve this issue, once and for all, for the American flying public. Again, as I indicated, it is important to be balanced and fair.

Simply put, this straightforward, bipartisan legislation will ensure that passengers are no longer charged air transportation fees above and beyond what Congress envisioned and intended.

Let me again thank Chairman Hudson for his leadership on this issue and for the give-and-take that has gone on.

I do want to add two points to my closing remarks as I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5462 so that TSA can no longer charge passenger security fees above and beyond what is reasonable and what Congress has intended.

I think it is important--and I know Mr. Hudson will agree with me-- the work of the Transportation Security Administration and the improvement of training that we have seen in TSO officers in the line of defense, if you will, that they serve in the Nation's airports.

I want to acknowledge an incident that allegedly occurred, or occurred, with a FAM officer in Nigeria. I want to express to the Federal Air Marshals my concern for that issue and that incident. To the particular air marshal who was in the line of duty and his having been attacked with a hypodermic needle, we express our concern, and we are pleased that there are continued negotiations regarding the process of those FAMs going through international airports.

Lastly, I would say--and I hope that we will engage in this discussion--I know Chairman Hudson is having a number of meetings. We are all aware, on the backdrop on the debate we will have tomorrow on ISIL, of the potential of the impact on the homeland. We know that we have about 100 American passport individuals who have left for the foreign fighters.

I am looking to introduce in very short order legislation that indicates No Fly for Foreign Fighters Act of 2014, which gives greater details and assessment of the No Fly List, the watch list, to make sure that those with American passports who have gone to the fight cannot be on our airlines; so I am looking forward to working with the committee on this issue.

I only offer that, Mr. Speaker, because of the important work of the Transportation Security Subcommittee, and the responsibility that we have here on the securing of the

homeland really is a strong component of the Transportation Security Subcommittee.

You have been a leader along with the ranking member. I look forward to working with you, and I believe that the Homeland Security Committee and the Homeland Security Department are key factors in securing the homeland in the backdrop of this new threat of ISIL as all of the other committees work together on making sure that Americans are safe.

I conclude by asking my colleagues to support H.R. 5462 and to support the idea of a fair and balanced assessment on passenger security fees.

Mr. Speaker, at the outset, I would like to commend the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Representative Hudson, for the bipartisan approach he has taken with this legislation.

H.R. 5462 seeks to remove any confusion about a key provision of the ``Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013,'' As enacted into law in December 2013.

Section 601 of that law provided for the aviation security fee that Transportation Security Administration collects to increase to $5.60 per one-way trip.

The language did not specifically cap the fee for a round-trip ticket but common sense would tell us that Congress intended the passenger fee for a round-trip to be twice that of a one-way trip or $11.20.

Regrettably, TSA has missed this intent, resulting in some passengers being assessed excessive fees.

The legislation before us today clarifies that the passenger security fee should be capped for a round-trip at twice the rate assessed for a one-way trip.

Mr. Speaker, for the better part of five months, the Committee on Homeland Security and others in Congress have been engaged in back-and- forth with TSA on this issue.

It is my sincere hope that enactment of this legislation will resolve this issue, once and for all, for the American flying public. Mr. Speaker, simply put, this straightforward, bipartisan, legislation will ensure that passengers are no longer charged air transportation fees above and beyond what Congress envisioned and intended.

I urge all Members to support H.R. 5462 so that TSA can no longer charge passengers security fees above and beyond what is reasonable and what Congress intended.

I yield back the balance of my time.