Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, there are brand new ways to tax people in this Federal health care bill. According to the Americans for Tax Reform, these new health care taxes will affect everyone. There are at least $700 billion in taxes in this takeover. It taxes small businesses; it taxes individuals.

For the first time in history, Congress is going to require individuals to buy something. If this health care bill passes, citizens will be required to buy government-approved health insurance. If they don't buy that government-approved health insurance, they are going to have to pay a criminal fine. That violates the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, the due process clause.

If someone owns a small business, they will be required to pay about three-quarters of the cost of health insurance for their employees, whether they can afford it or not. Employees would be required to pay the rest of the

government-approved health insurance, whether they can afford it or not.

The government decides what a person can and cannot afford. Employers and employees who don't buy the government-approved insurance then have to pay this fine. This is a criminal penalty on citizens.

There is also a new tax hike on flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. Right now people can put as much pretax money as they want into one of these accounts to help pay for insurance. These accounts will get a $1.3 billion new tax. The new government-run health care bill won't let anyone buy over-the-counter drugs out of these accounts. All of the medicines that have been made easier to buy without a prescription are now going to be taxed. Now why, Madam Speaker, would the government discourage people from taking care of themselves and having these health savings accounts?

The new health care bill also makes other legal tax deductions now illegal. This new tax is called the economic substance doctrine. Under this new health care bill, the IRS would be able to decide what a person was thinking when they bought something and they deducted it from their income tax as a business expense.

What that means is my friend Sammy Mahan in Baytown, Texas, buys a new wrecker truck for his tow truck business, and he writes it off on his income tax as a business expense. The IRS would be able to decide what he was really thinking when he bought that wrecker truck. If the IRS decides he bought that new wrecker just to go fishing in it, they won't allow the tax write-off. And the IRS decides what he was thinking, not what he says. In fact, the IRS is presumed to know what he was thinking when he lawfully wrote off that truck as a business expense. These thought police may not approve his lawful tax deduction. This new rule not only penalizes Sammy for his thoughts, it penalizes him for what the government thinks his thoughts were; what Sammy was really thinking when he bought that wrecker truck anyway and claimed that lawful tax.

Having tax thought police is strange enough, but what this is doing in a health care bill in the first place makes no sense. This ought to be in a separate piece of legislation to begin with. Do the taxacrats really think people will go out and have a heart valve replacement just to write it off their income tax?

But there's also more. There is a new tax on medical devices, a 2.5 percent tax on things like pacemakers and wheelchairs and hip replacement devices and new heart valves, lawful tax deductions for medical expenses that will be outlawed under this bill. So the tax thought police could not only deny a tax deduction for that heart valve replacement, but they could turn around and tax that new heart valve as well.

Madam Speaker, people are hurting out there in their pocketbooks and we can't afford a government-run health insurance policy at this time because it costs too much. The people can't afford all these new taxes and seniors can't afford to have a half trillion dollars cut out of their Medicare.

This government takeover of health care is just in time for Thanksgiving. Hopefully the American people won't be the turkey served up on the plate of government-run health care reform.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, it is imperative that the USA PATRIOT Act be reauthorized fully and not weakened, as I believe H.R. 3845 will do. In the years following 9/11, there have been a number of major terrorist attacks around the world that have caused mass casualties on civilians. I think it is important to remember some of these events:-

12 Oct 2002. Car bombing outside nightclub in Kuta, Indonesia. 202 dead.

26 Oct 2002. Hostage taking and attempted rescue in theater in Moscow, Russia. 170 dead.

16 May 2003. Suicide bombers attacked Western tourist areas in Casablanca, Morocco. 45 dead.

11 Mar 2004. Bombings of four trains in Madrid, Spain. 191 dead.

1-3 Sep 2004. Hostage taking at school in Beslan, Russia. 372 dead.

7 July 2005. Bombings of three subway trains and one bus in London, UK. 54 dead.

11 Jul 2006. Multiple bombings on commuter trains in Mumbai, India. 200 dead.

26-29 Nov 2008. Multiple shooting and grenade attacks in Mumbai, India. 174 dead.

Madam Speaker, thankfully, none of these horrific attacks occurred in the United States. I believe that part of the reason we have not suffered another terrorist attack is that our brave men and women in law enforcement have done a tremendous job of preventing further attacks. I do not believe Al Qaeda simply decided not to bother us anymore. We must not forget that many analysts warned after 9/11 that we needed to ``learn to live'' with terrorism. Well, thankfully, that reality never happened.

I believe that our law enforcement, armed with tools such as the PATRIOT Act, have prevented attacks and saved us from this type of suffering within the United States. We as Congress need to do all we can to give our men and women in law enforcement the tools they need to do their job, not weaken these tools.

Mr. Speaker, the government-run universal health care bill forces businesses and citizens to buy the government-approved insurance whether they want to or not, and whether they can afford it or not. This is a totalitarian concept.

The Constitution does not give this oppressive power to the Federal Government. Nowhere in this document

does government have the power to force citizens to buy anything. And further, if a citizen or business doesn't purchase the insurance, a criminal fine masquerading as a tax is imposed without benefit of a jury trial or legal representation. If the citizen cannot afford the fine, do they go to jail without constitutional protections?

This bill is an affront to individual liberty. It denies the citizen of life, liberty and property, and violates due process of law under the fifth amendment.

The false analogy that citizens must buy car insurance is not applicable. Driving is a privilege and an option regulated by the States. No one is forced to own or drive a car. Here everyone is forced to buy insurance or face a criminal penalty.

Somewhere in this debate we ought to be concerned with the Federal Government bruising the Constitution.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 832, 833, 834 I missed the votes due to other official business in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, ``One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'' Forty years ago, Neil Armstrong spoke the words that would soon resonate across a nation, and with them bring renewed pride and a sense of patriotism to the American public. It was in 1961 that President Kennedy expressed in a speech before Congress his belief ``that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.'' Eight years later, on the 20th of July, that goal was achieved, and with it a new watershed moment in American history.

Mr. Speaker:

It came on two pages,

It has withstood the ages;

The word ``shall,'' is only 10 times mentioned,

But enough to get one's attention.

No taxes did this law raise,

To this day it continues to create much praise;

Two great religions does it claim,

The ``Law of the Ten Commandments'' is its name.

A current writing, 1,990 pages long,

Has a socialist philosophy that is all wrong;

Difficult for the people to understand,

And troubling what big government doth demand.

Over 3,445 ``shalls'' it does loudly shout,

New massive taxes does it proudly tout;

Written in secret by the bureaucrats,

For exclusive use of the taxacrats.

The Congressional bill called ``Health Care Reform,''

Is illusionary, the authors are still ill-informed;

Government ought not take over America's health biz,

And that's just the way it is.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in total support of H. Res. 839, which condemns the March 2009 coup in Madagascar and subsequent upsurge in the illegal extraction of Madagascar's natural resources.

Due to its geography, Madagascar hosts one of the most unique and diverse ecosystems on the planet. According to the World Wildlife Fund, 92 percent of Madagascar's reptiles, 68 percent of its plant life, and 98 percent of its land mammals are unique to Madagascar, existing nowhere else on Earth.

One need only take a page from the latest issue of National Geographic to be inspired to explore Madagascar's tropical rainforests, dry forests, spiny deserts, reefs, and estuaries, not to mention the impenetrable Stone Forest, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, where new species are being discovered on a regular basis.

With such unique biodiversity, ecotourism obviously holds great potential to help lift Madagascar's population out of its poverty. Realizing this opportunity, the government in 2003 set aside 3 percent of the island for national parks and reserves, while endeavoring to stem illegal logging and assist rural populations in developing sustainable farming methods.

In April 2005, the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a 4-year $110 million compact with Madagascar, the very first compact of the MCC, to assist poor rural farmers in transition from subsistence agriculture to a market economy, while promoting environmental sustainability. By all accounts, great progress was being made in reducing world poverty while promoting conservation.

Unfortunately, much of that progress has been dashed since March of 2009 when an illegal coup displaced the elected President of Madagascar in favor of a former disc jockey and mayor of the capital city who is not even old enough to hold office pursuant to Madagascar's own constitution.

The days leading to the coup and the months since have been characterized by deadly protests and serious human rights abuses. The donor community was forced to withdraw support from the government, and critical assistance including the MCC compact was terminated. Madagascar was also suspended from the African Union and the regional Southern African Development Community.

Illegal logging, mining, and smuggling of wildlife in officially protected areas has intensified, as criminal networks exploit political instability and impoverished Malagasy in rural areas struggle to survive.

H. Res. 839, as amended, condemns the coup and the subsequent upsurge in the illegal extraction of Madagascar's resources. It laments the impact these illegal activities are having on conservation and poverty reduction efforts and calls for a boycott of certain wood products until constitutional order is restored.

I commend the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for introducing this timely resolution, which deserves our support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade.

We have no other speakers, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

I rise in support of House Resolution 711, as amended, a measure calling attention to the plight of internally displaced Tamil civilians in northern Sri Lanka.

Mr. Speaker, the United States and Sri Lanka share a long history of cordial relations, based in large part on common democratic traditions. The United States has been a friend to Sri Lanka, and there should be no doubt that we have stood with the people of Sri Lanka in the fight against terrorism.

As Members are aware, Sri Lanka waged a long and bitter conflict against the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam, called the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers, a separatist group that has been designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization ever since 1997.

For nearly 30 years, the LTTE claimed to represent the aspirations of all Sri Lankan Tamils for a separate homeland and became notorious in the process for pioneering the suicide bomb jacket. They are responsible for at least a dozen high-level assassinations, including former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, as well as over 200 suicide attacks.

During that struggle, the United States was a steadfast supporter of Sri Lanka's efforts to stop the flow of arms and financing to the LTTE by providing law enforcement assistance and providing training and equipment to help the Sri Lankan military defend itself against the terrorist actions of the LTTE.

After fierce fighting in late May, the world witnessed the cessation of fighting in Sri Lanka and the apparent conclusion of its long- running insurgency. This brutal conflict cost tens of thousands of Sinhalese and Tamil lives, uprooted countless Sri Lankans from their homes, left thousands maimed or wounded, and badly divided this nation.

In this regard, the United States remains deeply concerned for the welfare of the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons uprooted by the current fighting.

Congress joins with the executive branch in recognizing the tremendous loss of life and hardships endured by the civilians in northern Sri Lanka. To help address their many urgent needs, the United States has provided some $56 million in humanitarian assistance in 2009.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of State has emphasized that while the Government of Sri Lanka has made some progress in easing camp congestion, registering internally displaced persons, called IDPs, and expanding access by humanitarian organizations, much more work remains to be done to meet its commitment to the return of the majority of displaced persons by the end of the year. This is particularly the case with monsoon season approaching.

We urge the government to allow robust humanitarian access to the displaced person camps and to work hand-in-hand with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the nongovernment organizations to ensure that civilian IDPs are accorded the rights and care meeting the highest international standards. The United States stands ready to help the government in these efforts.

Mr. Speaker, the defeat of the LTTE offers a chance for Sri Lanka to forge a new beginning and to ensure a lasting end of terrorism. To seize this opportunity, bold actions are needed to share power and assure all of Sri Lanka's communities a future of hope, respect, and dignity.

As a former U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka has noted, ``Through such actions, a truly united Sri Lanka can emerge--a Sri Lanka that is rooted in democracy and tolerance, where human rights are respected, where media can operate freely and independently, and where all Sri Lankans can participate freely in an open dialogue on the way forward for your country.''

Mr. Speaker, I hope a successful reconciliation and healing process will emerge to help ensure a lasting end to terrorism in Sri Lanka and open a way for a brighter future for these people. The United States looks forward to working with Sri Lanka in that important endeavor. I support the adoption of this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

I rise in support of this resolution. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children worldwide. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that pneumonia kills approximately 1.8 million children every year under the age of 5. Most of those deaths occur in impoverished areas of countries in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where infants are particularly vulnerable.

Ironically, despite its tremendous negative impact on child survival, pneumonia is actually a preventable and treatable illness. It is a tragedy that a treatable disease still causes so much pain and suffering around the world. It also is an illness that does not receive enough attention, despite the fact that among children, it can be addressed quite impressibly through prevention and low-cost medical approaches.

In developing countries, for example, only one in five caregivers know how to recognize the key symptoms of the onset of pneumonia. As a result, half the children who are infected with pneumonia quite simply do not receive timely or adequate medical treatment and care. It is, therefore, possible to increase the rates of child survival by educating caregivers on the key symptoms of pneumonia and by broadening children's access to inexpensive antibiotics, among other things.

The World Health Organization reports that the number of lives saved could be more than doubled if such prevention and treatment interventions were universally delivered.

Mr. Speaker, reducing the occurrence of pneumonia is a critical step towards reducing child mortality. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to child survival through prevention and treatment of childhood pneumonia.

Finally, this resolution also commends those health care professionals who are serving on the front lines of this illness and recognizes November 2 as World Pneumonia Day.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

I rise today and join my colleagues in congratulating the Inter- American Foundation, the IAF, on its 40th anniversary. I would like to thank Congressman Engel and his staff for working to put this resolution together.

The foundation began as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1969 as an alternative to the larger USAID. The foundation presented a new model for funding grass-roots development with an emphasis on improving lives at the community level, not just on the national level. The foundation receives its funds through annual allocations by Congress and from the Social Progress Trust Fund. Since beginning its operations in 1972, the IAF has made 4,578 grants for more than $586 million.

For 40 years now, the IAF has used small-dollar, targeted grants to make significant, long-lasting changes in the lives of people throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. By focusing on self-help development projects, the IAF encourages partnerships directed at improving the quality of life for poor

people and strengthening democratic practices.

While the economic benefits of these efforts cannot be dismissed, it is the sense of ownership at the grass-roots level and the pride these grants help to cultivate that has made the real difference in hundreds of thousands of lives.

Empowering people to take control of their own future, allowing parents to provide for their families, supporting communities to strengthen stability and prosperity, these are the keystones for strengthening democracy in the region.

As country after country in our hemisphere faces new and increasing challenges to their democracies, their institutions and the rule of law, our shared goal must be to advance U.S. interests and, in so doing, help to preserve and protect democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms around the world.

We must listen to the people of these nations and remain committed to our founding values and democratic principles. It is through the efforts of organizations like the Inter-American Foundation, the IAF, that we are able to do this.

I would like to commend and thank the Inter-American Foundation for its hard work and commitment and congratulate them on their 40th anniversary.

I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, those who educate our children today, shape the leaders of tomorrow. I rise today to recognize six outstanding staff members of the Liberty Independent School District for their outstanding commitment to education.

Dottie Barrier--Business Secretary, Robby Fontenot--Social Studies Teacher and Coach, Margaret Lee--Chief Financial Officer for LISD, Mike Tabors--Custodian, Abbey Turner--Math Teacher, and Melissa Zalesak-- Math Computer Lab Teacher were awarded the district's 212-degree medal in honor of their service and dedication to Liberty schools.

The philosophy of the 212-degree medal was best explained by Principal Bruce Lacefield, ``At 211 degrees, water is very hot. At 212 degrees, water begins to boil. By applying that one extra degree so much more can be accomplished. Never give up. Just try a little harder.''

These six 212-degree medal recipients work tirelessly to improve the lives of their students and fellow faculty. Their willingness to going the extra mile makes them outstanding examples and I commend them for their efforts and congratulate them on their achievement.

Madam Speaker, history has a tendency to repeat itself, and those clever enough to comprehend that fact learn from mistakes the first time they occur and avoid them there after. In 1848, Abraham Lincoln received a request from his step-brother, John D. Johnston, for $80. What seems to be a relatively small amount of money in current times proved to be an immense amount in the 1800s, roughly equating to $1800 in current U.S. dollars. Having been fooled into giving Johnston money before Lincoln refused to play the role of a charity because his step-brother proved to be a lazy and idle man. Rather than spend the money he once received from Lincoln wisely on his family farm, he wasted it frivolously. Bailing his own family out was not a practice Lincoln took part in because those who asked for money were not deserving of it. Lincoln suggested that his idle step-brother spend his time working for his pay, which would alleviate all his debt and his labor would produce a reward. His step-brother refused to work for his money and wanted it to be handed to him, which seems very familiar in today's society.

History does indeed repeat itself and it appears that the requests of people like John D. Johnston are becoming more frequent, and rather than asking one's own family, they feel that the government is obligated to pay. It is evident that Lincoln did not favor a welfare system or bail-out plan, where the government handed over money to people and made it appear like it was their job to do so. It would be wise for today's politicians to learn from history and take a page out of Lincoln's book because handing money to people who do not work for it is only promoting an endless cycle of indolence, like that of John D. Johnston.

Madam Speaker, the universal health care bill forces businesses and individuals to purchase health insurance. It raises at least two constitutional issues.

The Constitution doesn't give the Federal Government direct authority to compel the purchase of health insurance. So the Supreme Court would once again have to come in and by judicial edict give government the intrusive power to do what it obviously cannot do now: stretch the meaning of the Commerce Clause.

Can the Federal Government force people to buy health insurance whether they can afford it or not? Can the Federal Government then impose a criminal fine on them under the guise of calling it a tax if they fail to buy the insurance?

Then what happens if the citizen doesn't pay the fine? Do they go to jail without the benefit of trial by jury? Do they lose their right to confront witnesses and have a lawyer?

Congress's forcing mandatory health insurance on Americans and then imposing criminal sanctions without due process is a violation of the Constitution. This action would shock the Framers of our Constitution.

These serious constitutional issues cannot be ignored in the haste to have the government take over America's health.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, America is about people. Who we are and what we are is because of the people who are Americans. They are individuals who have lived and died and influenced the rest of us because of their tenacious spirit and determination.

Madam Speaker, I am a history fan. I love American history. I also love Texas history. Not the history of dates and movements, but the history of the lives of individual Americans who have made a difference.

Roy Benavidez was one of those Americans. Roy Benavidez was born in south Texas in a small town called Cuero on August 5, 1935. He was the son of a sharecropper. He was an orphan, and he had mixed blood of Yaqui Indian and Hispanic. He was raised by his uncle after he lost his own family, and eventually he dropped out of school when he was 15. He was a migrant farm worker to take care of his family. He worked all over Texas and part of Colorado in the sugar beet fields and the cotton fields.

Eventually he decided to join the Texas National Guard and then the United States Army in 1955. He joined up in Houston, Texas. And in 1965, he was sent to Vietnam as a member of the 82nd Airborne.

While serving as an adviser to the South Vietnamese Army, he stepped on a land mine in South Vietnam. U.S. Army doctors at Brooke Army Medical Center told him he would never walk again. But he did walk. And not only that, he volunteered and returned back to Vietnam as a staff sergeant in the Army Special Forces; we call them the Green Berets.

On May 2, 1968, his life and the lives of his fellow troopers changed forever. It is a story that is almost unbelievable.

On the morning of May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces team was inserted into Cambodia to observe a large-scale North Vietnamese troop movement. They were eventually discovered by the enemy. Most of the team members were very close friends of Roy Benavidez, who was the forward operating officer in Loc Ninh, Vietnam.

Three helicopters were sent to rescue the 12-man team, but they were unable to land because of the heavy enemy concentration. When a second attempt was made to reach the stranded team, Benavidez jumped on board one of the helicopters armed only with a bowie knife.

As the helicopters reached the landing zone, Benavidez realized the team members were likely too severely wounded to move to the helicopters, so by himself he ran through heavy small-arms fire to the wounded soldiers. He was wounded himself in the leg, the face, and the head in the process. He reorganized the team and signaled helicopters to land. Despite his injuries, Benavidez was able to carry off half the wounded men to the helicopters. He then collected the classified documents held by a now-dead team leader. As he completed this task, he was wounded again by an exploding grenade in the back, and then he was shot in the stomach.

At that moment, the waiting helicopter pilot was also mortally wounded, and the helicopter crashed. Benavidez ran to collect the stunned crash survivors and form a perimeter. He directed air support. He ordered another extraction attempt, and was wounded again when shot in the thigh. At this point he was losing so much blood from his face wounds that his vision became blurred. Finally, another helicopter landed and as Benavidez carried a wounded friend to it, he was clubbed in the head with a rifle butt by an enemy soldier and then bayoneted twice.

Madam Speaker, Benavidez was wounded in that one battle in that one day 37 times. He had seven gunshot wounds, he had mortar fragments in his back, and two bayonet wounds. But he saved the lives of eight of his fellow troopers.

Later he was presumed dead and zipped up in a body bag; but right before they zipped up the bag, he spit in the doctor's face letting the doctor know yes, he was still alive. Amazing people, these young guns of the Green Berets.

Madam Speaker, this is a photograph of Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez. He eventually recovered from all of those wounds and received the Distinguished Service Cross, and many years later Ronald Reagan presented him with the medal he wears around his neck in this photograph, the Congressional Medal of Honor. President Reagan stated here in Washington, D.C., on presentation of that medal that if this were a movie, no one would really believe it could ever happen. What Roy Benavidez did that day is unbelievable. I will insert the Medal of Honor citation for Roy Benavidez.

After he retired from the military, this seventh-grade dropout went around America talking about the importance of education. He talked to young gang members, he talked to the Hispanic youth, telling them to stay in school and get an education. He was an amazing individual. A Navy ship has been named after him. Several elementary schools in Texas have been named after Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez, and even a toy company has issued the Roy Benavidez G.I. Joe action figure.

In Texas there are a disproportionately high number of Hispanic Americans who volunteer for the military. They are American Patriots. Some legal immigrants even join and serve in Iraq and Afghanistan in the hope they will become U.S. citizens. Madam Speaker, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, one of those great Hispanic Americans was Roy Benavidez, and he lived the American dream the way he wanted to.

And that's just the way it is.

Benavidez, Roy P.

Citation: Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) Roy P.

Benavidez United States Army, who distinguished himself by a

series of daring and extremely valorous actions on 2 May 1968

while assigned to Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group

(Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam. On the

morning of 2 May 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance

Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west

of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information about

confirmed large-scale enemy activity. This area was

controlled and routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese

Army. After a short period of time on the ground, the team

met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency

extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were

unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-

aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at the Forward

Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio

when these helicopters returned to off-load wounded

crewmembers and to assess aircraft damage. Sergeant Benavidez

voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another

extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were

either dead or wounded and unable to move to the pickup zone,

he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing where he jumped

from the hovering helicopter, and ran approximately 75 meters

under withering small arms fire to the crippled team. Prior

to reaching the team's position he was wounded in his right

leg, face, and head. Despite these painful injuries, he took

charge, repositioning the team members and directing their

fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction aircraft, and

the loading of wounded and dead team members. He then threw

smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to the team's

position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense enemy

fire, he carried and dragged half of the wounded team members

to the awaiting aircraft. He then provided protective fire by

running alongside the aircraft as it moved to pick up the

remaining team members. As the enemy's fire intensified, he

hurried to recover the body and classified documents on the

dead team leader. When he reached the leader's body, Sergeant

Benavidez was severely wounded by small arms fire in the

abdomen and grenade fragments in his back. At nearly the same

moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his

helicopter crashed. Although in extremely critical condition

due to his multiple wounds, Sergeant

Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way

back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the

overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into

a defensive perimeter. Under increasing enemy automatic

weapons and grenade fire, he moved around the perimeter

distributing water and ammunition to his weary men,

reinstilling in them a will to live and fight. Facing a

buildup of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant

Benavidez mustered his strength, began calling in tactical

air strikes and directed the fire from supporting gunships to

suppress the enemy's fire and so permit another extraction

attempt. He was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire

while administering first aid to a wounded team member just

before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His

indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his

comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded,

he was clubbed from additional wounds to his head and arms

before killing his adversary. He then continued under

devastating fire to carry the wounded to the helicopter. Upon

reaching the aircraft, he spotted and killed two enemy

soldiers who were rushing the craft from an angle that

prevented the aircraft door gunner from firing upon them.

With little strength remaining, he made one last trip to the

perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been

collected or destroyed, and to bring in the remaining

wounded. Only then, in extremely serious condition from

numerous wounds and loss of blood, did he allow himself to be

pulled into the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benavidez'

gallant choice to join voluntarily his comrades who were in

critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering

enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous

severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men. His

fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and

extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds

were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military

service, and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United

States Army.

Madam Speaker, Today I come to remember W.C. ``Dub'' Jones of Port Arthur, Texas. Jones passed away on September 14, 2009 at the age of 69 after his fight against cancer. He was born in Bradley, Arkansas on June 20, 1940 to the late Tillman and Hattie Jones.

Jones moved to Port Arthur at a young age and later attended the local school. He began working in the late 1950's on inshore waterways of the Gulf Coast and then as a seaman serving abroad U.S. flagged cargo vessels. After spending several years out at sea, he went to work as a longshoreman in Port Arthur. Due to his continuous hard work, he rose to positions of greater influence and eventually became the Commissioner of the Port of Port Arthur in 2002.

He was known for his strong leadership and involvement with the local maritime industry

and Port of Port Arthur. Jones was a member of the International Longshoreman's Association Local No. 25 for 30 years. He served as president for 12 of those years. In 2001, Jones retired after years of service.

Jones was a great asset to the local union and the port. He was well admired for his work ethics and continued support. W.C. Jones leaves behind his wife of forty-nine years, Uvonne Jones and his son Tyrone Jones.

On behalf of the second congressional district of Texas, We will truly miss W.C. Jones. He has touched the lives of many and will be remembered for his service to Port Arthur, Texas.