Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes today due to memorial services being held in my district of El Paso in memory of the nine soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. If present, I would have voted no on the Rahall Amendment (rollcall 143) which did not provide for the productive use of petroleum resources in Alaska that could benefit local indigenous populations and our energy security. On the motion to recommit (rollcall 144), 1 would have voted aye. On final passage of H.R. 6 (rollcall 145), I would have voted no. I am concerned that the energy bill we voted on today lacks sufficient consumer protections and provides too many taxpayer handouts at a time when our federal budget is under the strain of record deficits and the costs of war.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Green Substitute amendment to H.R. 743. This amendment would result in removing Section 418 from the bill. This section negatively affects teachers and other public servants in my state of Texas. This is unacceptable. Our hardworking teachers deserve more.

I know full well the effort and hard work that teachers dedicate to their students. My wife was a teacher for many years and my daughter, who just completed her doctorate degree in education, is currently an administrator at a local school district. I believe that teaching is

one of the most honorable professions. I credit our teachers with laying the foundation for the future of our country and the world. In addition to teaching children the basic skills they need, teachers are an important guiding force for our children. After parents, they are one of the greatest influences on children. We therefore need to make sure we have well-qualified and well-paid teachers educating students.

As you know Mr. Speaker, passage of this bill before us would reduce the spousal Social Security benefits for countless teachers. H.R. 743 also affects school support personnel, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants. At a time when multi-billion dollar tax breaks are being given to our country's top income earners, our teachers and other public servants would be penalized through this bill. These are people we should be protecting and rewarding. We should not make them pay for the tax cuts we give those who are more fortunate. For this reason I cannot support the original version of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have co-sponsored H.R. 594, a bill introduced by my colleague, Mr. McKeon, that will eliminate the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provisions that target our teachers and other public servants by denying them the opportunity to retain their full spousal Social Security benefits. This bill would be a more appropriate permanent solution to the unfair treatment of teachers' social security benefits. However, until we can pass that bill, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the Green Substitute, oppose H.R. 743 unless it is amended, and continue to support our teachers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Green substitute for H.R. 743. This substitute amendment contains all of the good elements of H.R. 743, and eliminates one very negative element, section 418, which negatively affects teachers and other public servants in my district of El Paso, Texas. I have heard from countless teachers in my district regarding this bill who will have their Social Security widow's benefit reduced so severely that their financial well- being will be devastated. The Green amendment fixes this.

Mr. Speaker, in addition, H.R. 743 also affects school support personnel, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants. At a time when multibillion-dollar tax breaks are being offered to our country's top income earners, our teachers and other public servants should not be penalized. These are the very people we should be protecting.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to speak to our veterans. If this issue sounds a lot like their concurrent receipt issue, that is because it is. And it is interesting that it is the Republican leadership that opposes both of these issues. Too bad it is okay to pass billions in tax relief to the wealthy but continue to undermine our working families. I urge my colleagues to show support for our teachers and vote in favor of the Green substitute amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1412, the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, which would assist students who have answered the call to serve our nation and students whose lives may be disrupted by a national disaster connected to the current war effort.

The Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act would waive or modify any provisions applicable to federal student financial aid programs in order to assist students who are honorably serving in the Persian Gulf. These young men and women are risking their lives today to protect our nation's freedom and liberty. This bill will ensure that those members of our Armed Services who have put their studies on hold are not placed in a worse financial position as a result of their service to our nation. This is the least we can do.

In keeping with this objective, this bill will assure that administrative requirements for these armed service members are minimized. Not only will this bill prevent any financial burden that these troops may otherwise experience as a result of serving our country, but by extension will serve to facilitate their transition into and out of active service.

In addition to protecting students who today find themselves defending our nation, one of the provisions in the bill grants institutions of higher education, eligible lenders, and guaranty agencies located in any area declared a disaster temporary relief from infeasible and unreasonable requirements.

We must make sure that all of our students are protected against any burden they may face as a result of the current war. I am proud to support of H.R. 1412, the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 and strongly urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1104, the Child Abduction Prevention Act. This bill is important to ensure that there are enough resources dedicated to the recovery of missing and abducted children.

I am proud to have associated myself as an original cosponsor of H.R. 412, the AMBER Alert Network Act, a bill introduced by my colleague from Texas, Mr. Frost, and my colleague from Washington, Ms. Dunn.

This AMBER bill strengthens missing child alerts by providing state and local plans with grants to fund communications improvements like highway signs so an abductor can't escape simply by traveling outside the reach of radio and TV broadcasts. It also formally establishes a national AMBER coordinator office at the Justice Department to establish voluntary standards, provide training and help states coordinate their AMBER plans.

I am deeply disappointed that the Republican Leadership has failed to see the importance of the expeditious review of this bill. By bringing to the floor the Senate-passed bill identical to the Frost/Dunn AMBER Bill, resources could have been made available to our state and local governments more quickly. Instead the decision of the Republican Leadership will only serve to further delay these valuable resources for months.

Mr. Chairman, our children deserve better. It was my hope, that given the recent high-profile abductions, the Leadership of this House would put partisanship aside and focus on the lives of our children before anything else.

Regardless of this, I support this bill brought before us today. Although I am disappointed with the way this issue has come to surface, my support for the legislation remains the same.

Mr. Chairman, I wish to take a moment to commend Mr. Frost and Ms. Dunn for their continued pursuit to help our children and families.

I respectfully urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill, and to continue to work on behalf of our nation's children.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me on this very important issue.

Let me first begin by thanking my colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), for allowing me to work with him to draft this resolution in support of our POWs.

Also, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) sitting here; the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton); the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde); and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for their work to bring this resolution to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today before the House not only as a Member of Congress but as a former member of the United States Armed Forces, and also as a proud citizen of this great country of ours.

As we all know too well, our country is currently facing very difficult times. We have all heard the unfortunate news concerning the captured members of the 507th Maintenance Company by Iraqi military. Fort Bliss, home of the 507th Maintenance Company, is located in my district. This disturbing news truly hit home for me and for all my constituents in El Paso, Texas. Over the past few months, nearly 4,000 of Fort Bliss's troops have been deployed to the Middle East. On February 17, 2003, the 507th Maintenance Company was also deployed.

Mr. Speaker, I can personally vividly remember that windy day back in 1967 when I was getting ready to deploy overseas. I remember then how proud I was wearing the uniform of our military, and how proud I was to be a soldier representing this great country. I also remember the concern that I had for my family.

I was leaving behind my mom and my dad, my nine brothers and sisters and my then girlfriend Carolina, who today has been my wife for 34 years. I was being sent away to a country unknown to me, away from my family and my friends; and I can assure my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, war is the most difficult of experiences one can experience.

Thirty-six years ago, I served my country proudly. I was fortunate enough to be one of those that returned. I will not even begin today to compare my experiences with those that are facing our courageous men and women being held captive in Iraq. I do strongly commend these troops for their unwavering bravery and pledge my support that they are returned safely.

Mr. Speaker, among those troops are the 507th Maintenance Company. Being held captive is a constituent of mine from El Paso. She is an honorable patriot, and now she is an inspiration not only to the people of El Paso but to all of us all across this country. We stand behind her and her brothers and her sisters in arms.

I would also like to recognize the courage of our other captive troops, including the Apache pilots from Fort Hood, Texas. My deepest and most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with their families, as well as with all families affected by this tragedy.

I know the people of Fort Bliss and the city of El Paso will continue to keep our brothers and sisters in their prayers. I have the utmost confidence in our armed services so that they will very soon reunite the captive soldiers with their loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, I decided this afternoon that in my remarks I would not mention any names of any of the troops that are currently held prisoner out of respect for their privacy and the privacy of their families, as well as deferring to the request from the Department of Defense. It was recently this afternoon brought to my attention that two more of our soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

I am proud to be able to stand before this House and express my support for our troops. As a member of the House Committee on Armed Services, I have had the privilege and the honor of visiting our troops on many occasions, not only at Fort Bliss but around this country and around the Middle East. I am very proud and honored to be able to represent such brave and professional soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, I am in strong support of this resolution before us today. I want to assure the American people and the families and the friends of our captive troops that the Congress of the United States stands behind our brave men and women, and we will do everything in our power to see that our prisoners are treated with dignity and humanity and that they are recovered as quickly and as safely as possible.

I strongly encourage all my colleagues to vote for this resolution.

I also in the strongest terms wish to condemn the Iraqi government and the media that has sought to degrade and humiliate our soldiers in violation of the Geneva Convention, as some of my colleagues have already previously mentioned.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude by commending all the members of our armed services that are serving us so valiantly in Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as the troops that are supporting Operation Enduring Freedom for their patriotism, their bravery and their professionalism will never be forgotten.

I also wish to express my appreciation to the British and Australian troops and other members of the coalition who are fighting alongside Americans in combat and to all the personnel from other allied countries who are providing support to our troops. I support our government's effort to prosecute this war swiftly and successfully with a minimum of military and civilian casualties. Our soldiers deserve our fullest support, and they can count on all of us for that, no matter how long it takes.

Mr. Speaker, may God bless our troops and God bless America. I thank my good friend for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, as we speak and assemble on the floor of the House tonight, young men and women of our Armed Forces are ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our Nation. Indeed, 12 American and four British soldiers died when their U.S. Marine helicopter crashed in Kuwait just hours ago. My condolences and prayers are with their families at this most difficult time.

About 3,600 of the troops honorably serving in the Persian Gulf today are from Fort Bliss in my own district. I have been fortunate and honored to meet many of them and their families. These men and women have already shown their remarkable abilities, manning Patriot missile battalions that successfully defended Kuwait and allied troops against Iraqi Scud missiles earlier today. I am very proud to represent these brave and capable soldiers. My thoughts and prayers are with them as they face the dangers and uncertainties of war. And my thoughts and prayers extend to their families as well, who must anxiously await their loved ones' safe return. The mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, wives and husbands, and brothers and sisters of our service members are making sacrifices of their own, and enduring a challenging time. They deserve our recognition and appreciation.

I commend all the members of our Armed Forces serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom for their patriotism, bravery, and professionalism. I also wish to express my appreciation to the British and Australian troops who are fighting alongside Americans in combat, and to the personnel from other allied countries who are providing support to our forces.

I support our Government's efforts to prosecute this war swiftly and successfully, with a minimum of military and civilian causalities. Our soldiers deserve our fullest support, and they can count on me for that for however long this war may last.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the members of our Nation's armed services and vote for the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act that recognizes their contributions to our Nation and our freedom. The men and women of the Armed Forces, more than any other group, deserve to be first in line when Congress considers tax cuts and special exemptions from tax obligations. At a time when so much is being asked of our service members, it is only appropriate that we make this effort.

The Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act will make tax free the entire $6,000 death gratuity paid to survivors of service members killed in the line of duty. The bill also makes payments from the Defense Department's Homeowners Assistance Program tax free.

The bill reduces taxes for some service members who sell their home by making changes to capital gains taxes on the sale of residences. The new rules will be helpful to those who have served on multiple deployments and have therefore lived at their residence for less than 2 of the last 5 years.

Recognizing the important role played by members of the National Guard, especially at this time when they are being called upon to serve abroad and here at home in the fight against terror, the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act allows members of the National Guard to deduct up to $1,500 in travel, lodging, and meal expenses from their taxable income if they have to travel more than 100 miles to attend National Guard and reserve meetings.

One of the most commonsense provisions of this bill recognizes that when a member of our military is deployed, poised for action but not yet in combat, they should not be preoccupied with meeting IRS deadlines. This bill suspends tax filing rules for service members participating in contingency operations. Currently, such a suspension is only made available to service members in combat.

Other measures in the bill salute past and future service members. One provision ensures that veterans organizations will not lose their tax-exempt status when admitting ancestors and direct descendants of veterans as members, and another provision allows students attending any one of our military service academies to withdraw funds from education savings accounts and qualified tuition programs without having to pay any penalties.

All these measures form a combined message and action of support to our troops at a critical time. I am proud to support the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act and urge all my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the hard work of our nation's teachers, particularly in El Paso, Texas, which I proudly represent. My community, like many other communities across the country, are suffering from a teacher shortage. Our schools lack teachers in many important areas of study, such as math, science, and special education. Meanwhile, teacher salaries are still insufficient and it is difficult to recruit qualified personnel when salaries are not atttractive.

I know full well the effort and hard work that teachers dedicate to their students. My wife was a teacher for many years and my daughter, who just completed her doctorate degree in education, is currently an administrator at a local school district. I believe the teaching profession is one of the most honorable professions. I credit our teachers with laying the foundation for the future of our country and the world. In addition to teaching children the basic skills they need, teachers are an important guiding force for our children. After parents, they are one of the greatest influences on children. We therefore need to make sure we have well-qualified and well-paid teachers educating students.

As you know Mr. Speaker, passage of this bill before us would reduce the spousal Social Security benefits for countless teachers. H.R. 743 also affects school support personnel, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants. At a time when multi-billion dollar tax breaks are being given to our country's top income earners, our teachers and other public servants would be penelized through this bill. These are people we should be protecting. We should not make them pay for the tax cuts we give those who are more fortunate. This bill negatively affects teachers and other public servants in my state of Texas. For that reason I will be voting against this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have co-sponsored H.R. 594, a bill introduced by my colleague Mr. McKeon that will eliminate the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provisions that target our teachers and other public servants by denying them the opportunity to retain their full spousal Social Security benefits.

I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 743 and continue to support our teachers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the many Latino and immigrant workers of the Phoenix Project. This project encompassed the restoration of the west front of the Pentagon. We are all familiar with the horrific event that caused the Pentagon to require reconstruction. Perhaps less known, though, are the workers who restored the Pentagon in record time and under budget. When terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, they hoped to paralyze our country with fear, to break our spirit. The Phoenix Project, however, reflects the exact opposite. Three thousand workers, the majority of whom were from Latin America, descended upon the Pentagon with voracious energy and an unending willingness to help rebuild their newly adopted country.

The work they performed was back-breaking: pouring cement, installing plumbing lines, and hanging limestone slabs. Many traveled great distances to the Washington, DC area to work, living and sleeping in crowded hotel rooms. Despite these hardships, these workers labored tirelessly around the clock and throughout the weeks. It was evident to all that the Phoenix Project workers were incredibly proud to be involved in the restoration and renovation of the Pentagon. Their enthusiasm was infectious and quickly drove the project to completion. According to Walker Lee Evey, Program Manager of the Phoenix Project, ``Workers came to the managers and said, `If you'll tell us to get this building rebuilt in a year, we'll do it. We can do that!' '' And do that they did, with determination and pride that is seldom seen.

I myself feel honored to stand here today and commend their actions. I am also proud to introduce a House Resolution today applauding their efforts, which, is being cosponsored by all 20 members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. At a time when many Americans are suspicious of immigrants, the Phoenix Project workers put aside hard feelings to fully restore this uniquely American symbol. They serve as a symbol of humanity and hope. Their motivation, devotion, and discipline should be honored by all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues in support of H.R. 254, which will amend the law that established the North American Development Bank. The needs along the U.S.-Mexico border are ever increasing. Population growth is rapid, estimated at more than 100 percent in the next 20 years. Today about 11 to 12 million people live along the border. By 2020, 22 million people will reside in the region. On the U.S. side of the border, the per capita income is 79 percent of the national average. Four of the ten poorest counties in the United States are along the U.S.-Mexico border.

In October of 1993, the United States and Mexico agreed to a new institutional structure to promote border environmental cleanup. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) authorized the establishment of the North American Development Bank (NADBank) and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) which work jointly to address some of the many environmental problems caused by free trade between Mexico and the United States. The primary focus of these two organizations has been to address the water and waste water needs of communities in the border region. And appropriately so: it is estimated that $8 billion would be required to address needs for sewage treatment, drinking water, and municipal solid waste infrastructure projects along the border over the next decade. The BECC is directed to help border states and communities coordinate and design environmental infrastructure projects, and to certify projects for financing, while the NADBank evaluates the financial feasibility of projects certified by the BECC and provides financing as appropriate.

Despite the creation of the NADBank to provide loans to finance border environmental infrastructure projects, grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have accounted for the vast majority of funding provided through the NADBank thus far.

As I expressed to the House Financial Services Committee last May, the financing provided by NADBank is often at too high of an interest rate to be affordable by many impoverished communities. I am pleased that enough of my colleagues recognized this problem, which led to the introduction of this legislation in the 107th Congress and its reintroduction this year.

This bill will allow for the NADBank to come closer towards reaching its full potential by allowing for non-market rate loans and grants to be made towards water and waste management infrastructure.

In order to expand the capacity of both institutions to address important binational environmental needs, this bill will expand the geographic scope for BECC and NADBank operations in Mexico from 100 kilometers to 300 km from the border. The geographic limit in the United States will remain unchanged at 100 km from the border. There is no doubt that the area encompassed within 100 km from the border is the area with the most dire needs. However, infusing additional funds within 300 km of the border on the Mexican side makes sense in helping build infrastructure and expanding the economy on Mexico's northern border. Assisting Mexico with infrastructure development needs in its northern border region will eventually relieve some of the pressure on the U.S. side of the border by providing opportunities for Mexican residents in Mexico.

The welcome changes this bill brings to the NADBank are a first step towards expanding the NADBank's role in financing infrastructure improvements along the U.S.-Mexico Border. In the future, I hope that the NADBank will be further authorized to finance any public infrastructure need along the border that can not be financed by conventional means. For example, in addition to needing water and sewage infrastructure, colonias are in desperate need of paved roads and a reliable energy supply. These communities suffer from a host of dire living conditions which should not be tolerated in our country.

I would like to thank my colleagues in the House Financial Services Committee for their work in moving this important piece of legislation to the floor so quickly in this Congress and look forward to working with them in the future to bring additional needed assistance to the U.S.-Mexico border region. I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of

Mr. Speaker, I wish to honor the lives of the seven courageous individuals who tragically perished aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on Saturday morning. Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick Husband, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon are true heroes who leave behind a legacy of cooperation, hard work, and friendship that will live on and inspire future generations of scientists and space explorers. I offer my deepest condolences to the astronauts' families.

In the midst of this tragedy, may our Nation and the international community also pay homage to all of the selfless, courageous astronauts of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other space agencies around the world. These men and women venture into the unknown in search of new knowledge. These complex, grueling, and dangerous missions have been the source of some of the greatest technological gains in history.

The goal of every astronaut is ultimately the betterment of mankind, and the seven explorers we lost on Saturday were working towards exactly that. They were working to understand complex mechanisms in the human body, collecting samples of their own blood, urine, and saliva to detect possible bone loss, kidney stones, muscle loss, or weakening of immune systems, to lead to developments in healthcare--like the dialysis equipment that my mother uses.

As the astronauts watched the Earth spin below them, observing climatic and atmospheric phenomena, they worked on projects to help lessen our footprint on the planet, including researching low-level combustion for use in leaner-buming automobile engines. The data from their research will have impact far into the future.

As people in my district of El Paso and across the Nation watched the Columbia fall from the sky on Saturday morning, we were gripped with awe and fear. We will rise out of this tragedy. The lessons that we learn from this day will bring us to a brighter tomorrow, a future in which more passionate young men and women truly become citizens of the universe, looking at the world from the vantage point of the stars. The crew of the Columbia lived an adventure which most of us can only imagine. As long as children look up to the sky and dream of touching the stars or standing on the moon, our memories of these brave men and women will live on.

Madam Speaker, I wish to voice my strong support for House Resolution 62, which honors the observance of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Homecoming. This resolution honors the courage and sacrifice of those members of the United States Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during Vietnam and returned home as part of Operation Homecoming.

For most Americans, it is difficult to conceive of the harsh reality that these prisoners of war had to endure. And it is important to appreciate the sacrifice that these men made, and that service members today are prepared to make, in defense of our freedoms.

The first group of American prisoners of the Vietnam War returned home as part of Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973 and the last returned in April of the same year. These American prisoners of war fought for our country with valor and sacrifice. Mr. Sam Johnson, our very own esteemed colleague, is among these heroes.

After entering the U.S. Air Force at the young age of 20, Mr. Johnson was held captive as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. For seven years, half of that time in solidarity confinement, this brave individual was held captive, until returning back home on February 12, 1973, 30 years ago this day, as part of Operation Homecoming.

Mr. Johnson returned home a hero with several distinctions including two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, one Bronze Star with Valor, Two Purple Harts, four Air Medals, and three Outstanding Unit Awards. The service he offered to his country is one that we, as a nation, recognize as the greatest sacrifice for the survival of freedom and liberty. He has dedicated his career to the safety and security of his country, and has further dedicated his professional life to civic service.

Ironically, Johnson was one of the lucky ones. He came back home. Almost two thousand members of the United States Armed Forces remain unaccounted for. We must never forget their sacrifices and we must continue the effort to determine what became of them.

As a veteran of the Vietnam War, and as the U.S. Representative of a district that proudly includes nearly 60,000 veterans, I urge my colleagues and everyone across the nation to remember the ordeals experienced by our former prisoners of war. They carried a great burden so that we might live in freedom and prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and salute a proud and distinguished individual for his many accomplishments and contributions to the Latino community and our country.

Oscar De La Hoya began his successful boxing career at the young age of 6 when he began training to box at the Eastside Boxing Club in Los Angeles, CA. From there he made his way through the ranks and divisions of professional boxing, winning five world titles in different weight divisions. Along the way, he also triumphed at the 1992 Olympics, winning a gold medal in boxing.

As if a successful boxing career were not enough, in October of 2000, he began his musical career, releasing his first self-titled album of popular music.

Besides his many accomplishments, his commitment to his community has remained steadfast. In 1995, he created the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation as a tribute to his mother Celia. Its goal is to provide educational and athletic opportunities for the young people of the East Los Angeles community. In keeping with this mission, he established an academic scholarship fund for low-income students and opened the Oscar De La Hoya Youth Center. The Youth Center today provides a safe and positive environment where local area youth receive help with their schoolwork, develop computer skills, and participate in athletic training programs.

In memory of his mother, he also made a generous donation to the East L.A. White Memorial Medical Center. This donation served as the foundation from which the Celia Gonzalez De La Hoya Cancer Center was created.

Oscar knows the importance of being a good role model. Professionally, he has been a testament to the ideals of hard work and perseverance. Outside of the boxing arena, he has demonstrated what it means to truly give back to one's community. The positive impact of Oscar De La Hoya reaches far beyond the state of California. Next week he will visit El Paso, in my district, and be warmly received by an admiring community. He is a young man, who while especially appealing to Latino youth, stands as an inspiration to all.