Floor Statements

Thank you, Judge Carter.

The reason Williamson County doesn't have any criminals in it is you sent them all to the Texas State penitentiary when you were judge. But I think this event that has occurred should tell us a lot of things. One, that the country of Iran is so bold they believe that they can commit a crime of terror on the soil of the United States and get away with it, that the United States wouldn't do anything, or there wouldn't be any consequences, whatever. But the government, and I believe the Government of Iran was in the middle of this, was so arrogant to hurt and kill Americans that they were willing to do this on our homeland.

I think that we have the responsibility to treat this just like it had actually occurred, had they carried out the assault on the Embassy here, killed the Ambassador at a restaurant, apparently, killed the Israeli Ambassador, killed the two Ambassadors of the same countries in Argentina, which was discussed. We should be very concerned about that and not give it a pass because our law enforcement did a good job.

But also, they're willing to recruit the Zeta cartel to bring explosives into the United States. I wonder whether this is the first time they thought they were dealing with the Zeta cartels. We don't know. But the Zetas, to me, are the worst of the worst drug cartels. It reminds me of the old show on television back years ago, ``Paladin,'' where his business card read ``Have gun--will travel.'' And that's what the Zetas are. They've got guns, and they'll travel anywhere to assassinate people to make a little money.

So you've got Iran on one side of the world and the drug cartels in Mexico, two criminal enterprises working together--one for political reasons, one for money reasons--to cause harm to the United States.

Now, that brings us to a question of the real problem, which is the border. The U.S. border with Mexico and its porousness is a national security issue. It is not an immigration issue. That is a completely different issue. It's a border security, national security issue.

Last year, from the, I believe the same report that you have provided, there were 663 individuals from special interest countries that were captured by our law enforcement. Now, special interest countries are countries where terror organizations originate--Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. That's where these 663 people were from that were captured by our law enforcement trying to come into the United States. And they weren't coming in here looking for work that Americans won't do. They were coming over here for mischief reasons. And that's because the border is open. The world knows if you can get to Mexico, you can get to the United States. And that was the plan in this bold endeavor to commit terror in the United States.

Recently, we did a border forum in Brownsville where we had primarily law enforcement and people who lived on the border testified about violence on the border. There are some places on the border that aren't violent on the United States side. But there are other places that are. It's not all peaceful, and it's not all violent. It depends on the area of the border.

One of the cattlemen that is a ranger for the Cattlemen's Association testified that he was so concerned about cross-border travel and crime coming into the United States on ranches and nothing was being done about the crime that was being committed on these ranches by people crossing into the United States, primarily drug cartels, that the cattlemen, since they don't feel protected, may end up taking the law into their own hands. And we don't want to get into that situation.

You mentioned trafficking, human trafficking. That's another tremendous problem that the United States needs to be aware of, that young people, young women and girls from all over the world are being smuggled to Mexico, then smuggled into the United States, and then trafficked throughout the United States for sexual crimes. And it's an awful, awful scourge, but they cross the border because it's open in so many places.

In our Judiciary Committee a couple weeks ago, we had testimony that the number one threat to national security of the United States is not al Qaeda but the criminal drug cartels that operate in Mexico. The number one national security threat is the criminal drug cartels that operate in Mexico. That should give us, really, a warning that we really do have a tremendous crisis on our hands, because those people are at war not only with Mexico, but they're at war with the United States.

Lastly, I wanted to point out that there are several things that are being done, but the problem still exists--people are crossing into the United States. Border Patrol is doing the best they can. Of course, local law enforcement, the sheriffs, are doing as good a job as they can, and they mentioned the problem that you have talked about, about how the drug cartels want to infiltrate this side of the border and actually control regions. It's pretty simple what they do. They own land on one side of the Rio Grande River in Mexico, and they want to buy or steal or confiscate land on the Texas side of the Rio Grande River. That way they can move their drugs and smuggling operation from one land they own to another land they own across the river.

And when we get in that situation where the drug cartels are owning land on both sides of the border, we've got ourselves a real problem. And it's not just drugs; it's this problem right here. It seems to me that we need more people to protect the security of the United States. That's one of the things the Federal Government is actually supposed to do is to protect us.

And one piece of legislation I've offered is to put the National Guard on the border, not behind the border, but on the border, 10,000 troops, at the request of the Governors, supervised by the Governors, paid by the Federal Government, but put them on the border. Right now our policy seems to be,

since we can't have enough people on the border, we have them behind the border, and we try to catch them if you can, that's people coming into the United States, everybody, the good, the bad, and the ugly. And once we catch them, they become our problem, our financial problem, and then we have to deal with them and try to send as many as we can back.

If we have the National Guard on the border, they're not going to cross into the United States if we have that presence. And I think it's come to that, where we actually need to do that and talk about the role of the Federal Government is national security.

With that, I thank my friend for yielding.

I just wanted to point out another statement made by Texas ranchers. I think the Texas ranchers are the finest law enforcement organization in the world next to Scotland Yard--the two of them.

Lieutenant Arthur Barrera, whom I met when I was down there about 3 weeks ago, grew up on the border and knows how the life has changed. Here is what he says about what has taken place on the Texas-Mexico border. The people in Washington, D.C., who live in never-never land, thinking there are no problems down on the border, need to listen to some law enforcement officer who has been there for a long time.

Lieutenant Arthur Barrera says: ``We are in a war. We are in a war, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it by any means. We are in a war, and it is a war, and we need to understand that.'' That's exactly what has taken place on the border.

Madam Speaker, the United States Government has facilitated smuggling automatic weapons

into Mexico, weapons that were purchased by straw buyers in the United States with the oversight of the ATF. Approximately 2,000 weapons were knowingly sent to our neighbors in Mexico by our government. Most of them are still unaccounted for. But we do understand that those weapons probably have been used illegally in Mexico to kill Mexican nationals. How many, no one knows.

Two of those automatic weapons have turned up at the murder scene in Arizona of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry. And one weapon apparently was used to gun down U.S. agent Jaime Zapata in Mexico.

The Mexican government has taken to the airwaves complaining of the U.S. smuggling operation. Mexican officials want answers, and even want U.S. Government officials responsible to be extradited to Mexico for trial. No wonder.

Madam Speaker, let me be clear: These weapons are not BB guns or .22 rifles; they are semiautomatic weapons and also include sniper rifles. Sniper rifles are used to assassinate specific targets.

The ATF and the Justice Department have stonewalled the release of information regarding this operation called Fast and Furious, and the public's not getting much data on this idiotic idea. Why would the U.S. Government send automatic weapons to the drug cartels in Mexico? Mexico is at war with the drug cartels. The drug cartels are the enemy of the Mexican people, not to mention they are the enemy of the United States. This gun running issue is nonsense.

Now the Justice Department is supposed to investigate this operation, which includes investigating the ATF and the Justice Department. The Attorney General, who's head of the Justice Department, at first said he didn't know anything about this operation until recently. Now it seems evidence shows he was given a memo last year about the whole idea. Did he not read the memo? Granted, the Attorney General has experience not reading important documents, like the Arizona immigration law. You remember, Madam Speaker, the Attorney General publicly criticized the Arizona bill, and then he testified before the Judiciary Committee to a question I asked him that he hadn't even read that bill.

Anyway, if he didn't know about the smuggling operation, he should have; he's in charge. And if he did know about it and approved it, he should be held accountable for this nonsense. I'm not sure what the Attorney General's claim of defense will be this week. It reminds me of my days on the bench as a judge in Texas when a defendant in a homicide case would say first, I wasn't there. And then he would say, well, if I was there, it wasn't me. And if it was me, I acted in self-defense. In other words, don't hold me accountable.

So just what is this Justice Department's defense to all of this? We shall see. But the idea that the Justice Department should investigate the Justice Department and the ATF is absurd. The Justice Department has no credibility on this matter, and whatever their investigation shows, the American public cannot trust its trustworthiness. Having the Justice Department investigate Fast and Furious, the ATF, and the Justice Department is like having Al Capone investigate bootlegging. The President should appoint a special counsel to investigate this operation of government gun running to Mexico.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, walking home from school, a girl of 12 is approached by a man who promises to give her everything. In her short life, she has already suffered abuse and neglect from her father and her foster parents. She thinks the promise of food and shelter and love is something she cannot pass up. But the man takes the girl to a hotel room where he beats her, forces her to do drugs and rapes her. Then she is sold on the Internet, is taken from hotel to hotel around the country, and is regularly raped by multiple men and treated as a piece of property.

She becomes a sex slave.

This is the plight of an actual domestic minor sex trafficking victim in the United States.

We cannot continue to be blissfully ignorant of this crime against these victims. As cochair of the Victims' Rights Caucus, along with Jim Costa (CA), I commend the work of Carolyn Maloney (NY) and Chris Smith (NJ) for their legislation to help stop this scourge of child sex trafficking.

These children need to be rescued and treated as victims, not criminals. The customers and the traffickers need to be arrested, tried before a jury of 12, and need to get their just rewards for having been involved in sex slave trafficking.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, here in America, we can walk in to our kitchen and turn on the faucet in order to get a drink of water. This routine has become so natural, that sometimes we forget how blessed our country is. Americans are lucky to be able to drink water without the fear that it could make them ill or put their lives in jeopardy. One young man in my congressional district became aware of how fortunate he was, and wanted to find a way to make a difference in the lives of those who did not have access to clean water. This young man, Nico Kroeker, began a business in October 2010 at 17 years old, in order to benefit people who are suffering from unsanitary water conditions.

Mr. Kroeker calls his project The Ripple Effect, and sells water bottles from his Web site in order to raise funds. Keeping nothing for himself, Mr. Kroeker takes all of the profits and puts them toward purchasing more water bottles to sell. A portion of the profits go to Living Water International, an organization that builds wells in villages where water is either unsanitary or difficult to obtain. Living Water International strategically places these wells near schools so women are able to get an education rather than travel long distances for unclean water.

Now wells do not last forever, which can be a problem with this type of program, but Living Water International has worked to find a solution to this. The organization works alongside the villagers teaching them how to build and maintain the wells. By doing this, the villagers are able to maintain the wells and fix them even after Living Water International has left.

Mr. Kroeker really liked how the fact that the organization did not just build the well and leave, but rather taught the villagers so they could become independent. Even though he is leaving for college in the fall of 2011, Mr. Kroeker still plans on managing his company from Blinn College in College Station, Texas. His company operates through a Web site, which will make it very convenient for Mr. Kroeker to balance his school work and continue to provide clean and safe water to people in need.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud this young Texan for taking action and making a difference in the lives of others.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the Chinese dragon is snorting the fire of intimidation against our ally, Taiwan. To defend itself from the Chinese dragon's evil intentions, Taiwan protects itself with rusty swords--outdated F-16s. It also appears that by bullying, the United States has become timid under the Chinese dragon. The Beijing Government doesn't want us to sell new F-16 CDs to Taiwan--so we don't.

Further, the Chinese evil intentions of mischief are not limited to Taiwan. In the South China Sea, the talons of the Beijing dragon have initiated confrontation with Korea, the Philippines, Japan, and Vietnam. China claims sea areas that are in international waters or belong to other nations.

With all these belligerent actions occurring by China, it's not in our national interest to play Chamberlain and appease the Chinese dragon.

Sell the Taiwanese the new swords they need to defend themselves against the fiery dragon. Sell them American F-16 CDs. It is in our national interest to help Taiwan be armed to be the dragon slayer if it needs to be and defend itself against China.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, NASA plans to send the shuttle Enterprise to New York City, a place that has no connection with NASA. In their sales pitch for the shuttle, the Intrepid Museum painted an extravagant picture of the orbiter prominently displayed in a beautiful facility on the Hudson River.

Now, in a misleading bait-and-switch move, they want to move this piece of space history next to a bagel joint, a car wash and a strip club to supposedly beautify the area. The shuttle should not be used as part of an urban renewal project.

The only place this shuttle should be heading to is Houston's ``Space City, U.S.A.,'' the historical place for all space exploration. The first word on the Moon was ``Houston'', not ``New York City.'' And placing the shuttle in New York City is like putting the Statue of Liberty in Omaha, Nebraska. NASA and the Smithsonian should reconsider putting the shuttle in New York.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the Palestinian Authority has a new face for its movement for statehood. It's Latifa Hmeid. Palestinians praise her as the ``mother of seven prisoners'' and the mother of a person called ``Martyr.''

These sons of hers are in prison for crimes against humanity. Rather than mother of the year, it turns out she is really mother of all terrorists. One of her sons, the Martyr, was a member of the military wing of Hamas, who planned and conducted the ambush and murder of an Israeli intelligence officer. Her other sons are serving a total of-- get this--18 life sentences in prison. They have committed crimes, including attempted murders, the murder of seven Israeli citizens, and the involvement in numerous terrorist attacks.

This is the person the Palestinians have leading the movement for statehood at the United Nations. Having Mother Terrorist as the representative for Palestinian statehood shows an obvious hatred and bigotry against Jews, the State of Israel, and the notion of peace. The Palestinians need to quit murdering in the name of religion and start honest bilateral negotiations with Israel in the name of peace. The U.N. should not unilaterally allow Palestinian statehood. Terrorists don't deserve a seat at the table.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, September 25th we recognize the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.

Murder extinguishes the hopes and dreams of tens of thousands of victims each year, and an untold number of fellow Americans now live, daily, with the absence of a loved one.

Murder affects each and every one of us, and every community nationwide.

We must all work diligently to prevent the violence that destroys lives and devastates families.

A National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims offers Americans the opportunity to honor the memories of murder victims and recognize the impact of murder on surviving family members and friends.

A join victim service programs, criminal justice officials, and concerned citizens throughout America to remember the tragedy of murder, honor the courage of survivors, and vow to do whatever we can to help survivors rebuild their lives.

On the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims we reaffirm this Nation's commitment to respect as well as support crime victims' rights and needs throughout the year;

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, on October 16, Virgil and Dorrace Poe, my parents, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary. This milestone is more than an anniversary; it is a remarkable accomplishment. For over six decades, my parents have taught me the value of education, the power of God, and the rewards of hard work.

The story of my parents is truly an American one. After my father served in the Second World War, he returned to Texas where he was stationed at the Army Post in Fort Hood. He met my mother at a Wednesday night ``prayer meeting'' at the Church of Christ. My mother was a volunteer for the Red Cross at the local Army hospital and a cashier at the Kyle Hotel's coffee shop in Temple, Texas. They married the next year.

Over the next few years, my parents welcomed my sister Jayne and me into the world. My dad went to Abilene Christian University thanks to the GI Bill. The family lived in the Army Barracks while dad attended classes. My dad worked climbing telephone poles for Southwestern Bell, and also he worked nights at KRBC radio station. His shifts at KRBC ended each night with ``Stars and Stripes Forever,'' a fitting song.

Their marriage has taken them from Fort Hood to Abilene to Dallas and Houston with two brief stops in St. Louis.

Throughout our great State of Texas, they have volunteered in their communities and in their churches. My mom found time to teach kindergarten and work for the IRS. My dad worked over 40 years as an engineer for Southwestern Bell, and he taught Sunday School for over 60 years. My parents taught me to love God first and Texas second, but sometimes it seemed like it was the other way around.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud and honored to recognize the 65th wedding anniversary of my parents, Virgil and Dorrace. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, ever since we found Osama bin Laden living the high life in Abbottabad, we've had our suspicions about Pakistan. Turns out they are disloyal, deceptive, and a danger to the United States. This so-called ally takes billions in U.S. aid, while at the same time supporting the militants who attack us.

According to Admiral Mike Mullen, the Pakistani Government supported the groups who were behind the truck bombing attack that wounded more than 70 U.S. and NATO troops and the recent attack on the U.S. embassy.

This should be the last rodeo for Pakistan.

Last night I introduced legislation to freeze all U.S. aid to Pakistan with the exception of funds that are designated to help secure their nuclear weapons. By sending aid to Pakistan, we are funding the enemy, endangering Americans, and undermining our efforts in the region.

We pay them to hate us. Now we pay them to bomb us. Let's not pay them at all.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man? Yes, I know the muffin man, but he doesn't live on Drury Lane. He lives at the Department of Justice on Justice Lane and is growing rich on selling $16 muffins at Justice Lane.

The Department of Justice's inspector general states that at only 10 conferences the Department of Justice spent almost $500,000 on refreshments. That's $50,000 per conference for just refreshments. And that includes $4,200 for 250 muffins.

Madam Speaker, how come these critters cost $16 apiece? These are some high-dollar muffins that the Department of Justice is buying for its refreshments at conferences. Where do you even find a muffin that costs $16? I've never seen one. Maybe they're shipped in from a special bakery in France with some secret ingredient. My favorite bakery, RAO's in Beaumont, Texas, tells me these things should be about $2 apiece.

So why is the Justice Department with all those fancy lawyers letting the muffin man get away with this price gouging? Because the government doesn't care. It lives high on the hog with taxpayers' money.

So, Madam Speaker, do you know the muffin man, the muffin man? I know the muffin man, and the government should quit spending somebody else's money to keep the muffin man rolling in the dough.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, to be a member of the United States military is a gift, a sacrifice and it is an honor. Theodore Roosevelt said: ``No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause.'' Every day our warriors risk their lives, and today I would like to pay tribute to a special group of at home warriors who stand for those fallen heroes who stood for us. They are known as the Patriot Guard Riders.

The Patriot Guard Riders are a group of motorcyclists who pay tribute to those who have died serving our country. Their mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen soldiers; upholding President Roosevelt's belief that brave soldiers who gave the utmost sacrifice for their country deserve respect and reverence during their final tribute.

Each of the riders missions have two objectives, to show sincere respect for America's fallen heroes, their families, and their communities; and to shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions caused by protesters. They have the patriotic understanding that each of America's fallen heroes deserves respect.

Decked out in leather, wearing shades and bandanas, waving Old Glory and riding 500 plus pounds of steel, the Patriot Guard Riders are a terrifying but inspiring looking bunch. They have nicknames like Bronco, Dark Horse, Puddles and Wild Bill. They are right thinking Americans with big hearts.

The Guard is activated each time the military reports the death of a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan. This nationwide organization of volunteers is very efficient. State Captains send out e-mails to members in the city where the soldier will be buried, and everyone jumps into action. They ensure that streets along the funeral procession are lined with American flags. Each mission is accomplished through legal and non-violent means. If protestors are present and become loud, the Patriot Guard Riders form a flag line, turn their backs on protesters, and will even drown the sound of the protestors by singing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

One involved Patriot biker, Rich ``Boomer'' Ford, a former Navy SEAL who served in Vietnam, is a retired Deputy State Captain and Road Guard Captain for the Texas Patriot Guard Riders. He is the man in charge of the ``missions.'' If you ask Boomer why he rides, he will tell you that he remembers the lack of respect received when returning home from Vietnam. He wants to make sure that doesn't happen to these brave men and women. Boomer feels that each ``mission'' recognizes and honors the hard work our soldiers are doing for us overseas. These men and women like Boomer, who volunteer their time to help guard our Nation's heroes should be forever remembered for their honor and dignity.

I commend the Patriot Guard Riders for riding for our soldiers whose lives were given in pursuit of a great cause, American freedom. I am proud to recognize these angels on bikes with hearts bigger than Texas. They show their respect for our troops, their families, and our community in an honorable way, one funeral at a time. They make a difference and represent all that is right and good in America.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, it's been almost a year since David Hartley was gunned down by Zeta pirates on Falcon Lake in Texas. The Hartley family still has no suspect, no body, and no justice. David's wife, Tiffany, can't get any answers from our government since it apparently has abandoned the investigation of her husband's murder, so she has actually sued the government to get information.

When ICE Agent Jaime Zapata was murdered in Mexico, the United States quickly pressured Mexico to investigate the homicide, as it should. But why is our government silent about finding who is responsible for killing David Hartley and other Americans murdered in lawless Mexico?

On Monday, at a border forum I held in Brownsville, Texas, Tiffany Hartley said: ``The men who murdered David are right across the river. They aren't in Afghanistan; they aren't in Iraq. They're in our own backyard.''

The United States hunts down terrorists around the globe. It's time we hold Mexico accountable for finding the narcoterrorists in their country who murder Americans.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, a plaque on the Alamo wall states: ``The Alamo: The Thermopylae of Texas.'' The Alamo is a tribute to all those that are defiant against any form of tyranny. It is important for us to recognize all those that sacrificed for freedom, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Remember who we are and what we stand for. This week, we ``Remember the Alamo.''

One hundred seventy-five years ago, 187 freedom fighters started assembling in an old beat-up mission in San Antonio. Juan Seguin and his company of Tejanos, rode into the Alamo and readied for battle alongside William Barrett Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett. This rag-tag group of relentless patriots, made up of men from nearly every State in the Union and 13 foreign countries, including Mexico, readied for one of the most storied battles in our history.

Outnumbered by an overwhelming Mexican army, these Texas warriors knew that surrender was not an option. Retreat was never on the table. Victory or death.

On February 23, 1836, Santa Ana's army of 1,500 well armed troops unleashed on the defenders of the Alamo. During the siege, Travis sent out his famous call for reinforcements. Juan Seguin was the last messenger to leave, riding though enemy lines carrying the final message from the beleaguered mission. Unfortunately, the call for help was not answered in time. On March 6, 1836, Travis and 187 volunteers sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom after thirteen glorious days at the Alamo.

It was at his final battle that my favorite Texas war hero, William Barrett Travis, penned the most famous letter in Texas history. From behind the walls of a besieged rundown mission in San Antonio, Travis wrote:

To the people of Texas and all Americans in the world,

fellow citizens and compatriots, I am besieged by a thousand

or more of the enemy under Santa Anna. I have sustained a

continual bombardment and cannon fire for over 24 hours, but

I have not lost a man.

The enemy has demanded surrender at its discretion.

Otherwise, the fort will be put to the sword. I have answered

that demand with a cannon shot. And the flag still waves

proudly over the north wall.

I shall never surrender or retreat. I call upon you, in the

name of liberty and patriotism and everything dear to the

American character, to come to my aid with all dispatch.

If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain

myself for as long as possible, die like a soldier who never

forgets what is due his honor and that of his country.

Victory or death.

I could read this over and over. As a child, I was so intrigued by this letter. I would always be the first in my class to volunteer to play Travis at any given opportunity, if only just to read his words aloud. To me, he was the ultimate hero.

History teaches us everything we need to know, if we just look. This letter was written nearly two centuries ago and its message still rings true today. It's a story of ``liberty and patriotism and everything dear to the American character.'' Freedom is still worth dying for. And to do so as a soldier, ``is what is due his honor and that of his country.''

Travis believed these words whole-heartedly. He believed that the cause for independence was worth his life. Our freedom fighters today understand these words as well, they know that America is worth fighting for and that defeat is not an option.

When I visit our troops over in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Texas boys, and gals, are easy to spot. They usually have a Texas flag flying on their humvee. (I have even seen one on a tank.) My personal favorite is the ``Don't Mess with Texas'' bumper sticker. And when you meet these modern-day freegom fighters, you know that no truer words have ever been spoken. There's just something about a Texas warrior.

As we continue to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Texas Independence this year, I will take a look back at those that put it all on the line for freedom. As much as some things change, the most important, thankfully stays the same. A century and half later, that same dogged determination that filled that little Spanish Mission is what continues to set us apart from all the rest. ``God and Texas.''-- William Barrett Travis.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, at a border forum in Brownsville, Texas, yesterday, Special Ranger Roland Garcia for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association testified about the results of the porous and unsecure border and how it affects ranchers. He said the drug cartels are a fearsome enemy. ``They intimidate landholders and instill terror in them--then fear follows.''

The landholders are fearful to report cross-border activity because of the silent threat of reprisal and retaliation. The landholders feel that the government cannot protect them, their land, or their cattle. Texas ranchers fear that they may be targets of kidnappings for ransom. They have received death threats if they report illegal activity to law enforcement.

Ranger Garcia is concerned that landholders will start self-policing, in other words, organize and deal with the cartel intruders themselves--old west style. This testimony is yet more alarming evidence that the invasion of our borders by the cartels is a real national security threat to the people who live near our border.

And that's just the way it is.