Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in 1925, the American Legion erected a memorial in Bladensburg, Maryland, to honor the 49 men who were killed in World War I. The mothers of those who died decided to erect a large cross to mirror the cross-shaped grave markers in the foreign cemeteries where their sons were buried. The 40-foot-tall memorial became known as the Peace Cross.

Even though the monument is secular, and after almost 100 years, an agnostic Federal court ruled the historic monument must be torn down, all because it is in the shape of a cross.

The wrong-headed decision to tear down the 93-year-old monument is proof that this Federal court has no respect for the sacrifices of Americans killed in World War I. Instead of destroying monuments, we should erect more.

What is next? Are Federal judges going to chisel off the crosses on grave markers at veterans' cemeteries?

We will see.

Keep the Memorial Peace Cross memorial. Heaven forbid, don't remove the cross.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, in the early morning hours it was cold, damp, and dark in the old, beat-up Spanish mission.

It was the Alamo.

It was March 6, 1836.

It was a battle for Texas independence.

The volunteers were from most of the States and several foreign countries, including Mexico.

The small band of 186 Texians and Tejanos, led by defiant Colonel William Barrett Travis, had already repelled two attempts by Dictator Santa Anna and his army of thousands to take the garrison.

But on this morning, after a fierce battle, the enemy overwhelmed the volunteers and killed them all. Survivors were murdered.

However, Travis wrote in a letter on March 3 that ``a victory by the enemy will cost Santa Anna more than defeat.''

He was right. The enemy losses were staggering.

The Alamo volunteers gave General Sam Houston time to organize another army. So, on April 21, Houston and his troops vanquished and routed the enemy and secured Texas independence.

Then Texas was a republic for 9 years.

Independence was successful because the valiant, relentless Alamo defenders believed death was preferable to tyranny. Today we honor their sacrifice on the altar of liberty.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, once Brendan West picked up a basketball, he was never able to put it down. Nicknamed ``Beebo,'' Brendan is a 22 year old Special Olympian from Houston, Texas, who has become an aficionado of the game of basketball.

Beebo has Roberts Syndrome, a genetic disorder that delays the growth of limbs and facial features. He was born without arms, so naturally he learned to do everything with his feet. His father, Ray, and his mother, Ann, adopted Beebo when he was 6 weeks old. Doctors told his parents he wouldn't be able to do anything other than eat and go to the bathroom. His diagnosis didn't keep Beebo down for long, continuing to defy the odds.

Just about anytime and anywhere, you can find a smile on Beebo's face and a basketball between his feet. Beebo first learned how to play basketball when he was in Jr. High. With just his feet, he is able to dribble and shoot the ball with deadly accuracy. His basketball skills have earned him multiple titles and propelled him forward as an award winning Special Olympian. Beebo was even honored with an honorary ESPY, the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, last year. The basketball star has shot hoops with NBA player James Harden and even played with the world-renowned Harlem Globetrotters. Beebo is not only an amazing basketball player, but also an exceptional bowler and tennis player, winning gold medals in both events.

Perhaps the most shining quality Beebo exudes is his personality. When you step onto a basketball court, you can hear Beebo's laugh echoing from every corner. His enthusiasm for the game of basketball and life is infectious, and he inspires everyone around him.

I am honored to be able to spread the inspiring story of Beebo. His resiliency, determination, and grit all are to be admired and something we should all seek in our lives.

He is the perfect embodiment of what it means to be a Special Olympian and Houstonian. Keep playing basketball, Beebo, we will all be cheering him on.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute another of our Harvey Heroes. I want to recognize Terry Vaughn, district manager of pharmacy and retail operations for 14 Walgreens stores in the Lake Houston area where I live. As Hurricane Harvey hovered over the Houston area dropping up to 50 inches of rain in some parts, Terry and his Walgreens partners were watching and waiting like most Houstonians. In the wake of the storm, all but one of Terry's stores closed due to damage or impassable roads. The only store the Walgreens team could get to was the location on West Lake Houston Parkway and FM 1960--in my neighborhood of Atascocita.

Terry lives one mile from the store. As the San Jacinto River rose and Lake Houston came out of its banks, a fellow team member's house was flooding so quickly she and her family of six had nowhere to turn. They walked through water to the Atascocita Walgreens where Terry and other volunteers met them with kayaks and transported them to Terry's home where Mitzi, his bride of 19 years, and their two boys provided the food and shelter the family so badly needed.

The forecasts said this storm would be here for days. Since he could get to the store, Terry decided to open up the Atascocita location. Terry, three other managers, and Walgreens team members who couldn't make it to their own stores but still wanted to help, kept our Atascocita location's doors open through shortages of power and shortages of patience. The one thing they didn't have a shortage of was dedication to their community. Terry would wake up each morning, check the water level of Lake Houston to make sure it wasn't coming closer into his own home, then report for service.

Mr. Speaker, during Harvey, Terry's store was the only continually operating Walgreens this side of the Gulf of Mexico. He partnered with the City of Humble to deliver life-saving medications to evacuees at the city's emergency shelter at the Humble Civic Center. He immunized 40 local first responders to protect them from the flood borne diseases of tetanus and Hepatitis A; then took his immunizations on the road setting up first responder clinics at fire and police stations. Terry and his team immunized more than 1,000 people in two days.

Virtually all Lake Houston-area grocery stores were closed due to the flooding. The stores were filled with water. Distribution trucks could not get to the area. As the storm damage continued, Terry led a team of Walgreens managers who with their own trucks (Texas trucks with plenty of lift to get through those waters, Mr. Speaker) went to 13 other Walgreens and gathered household supplies, diapers, baby formula, and medical supplies to distribute at the operational Atascocita location.

For days Terry kept answering the calls and kept serving. One of those calls was from United Airlines who had personnel and displaced passengers stuck at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Terry and his Walgreens team fulfilled an order of more than $30,000 in supplies and delivered it straight to the tarmac. Was there a bright spot in all this for Terry? He told me, ``Seeing people come together and my team working non-stop without breaks--with their own families going through the worst times--we showed up to help our community and put our own issues aside.''

Mr. Speaker, those who know Terry know he has a servant's heart. He is active with the Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts, and Humble Area Assistance Ministries. Terry started with Walgreens as a cashier more than 21 years ago. He has performed every job in the store and worked his way up to be a district manager. On August 18 as Hurricane Harvey ravaged and flooded our area, he was called upon to once again do every job. And he did. And he makes us proud to be Texans.

Mr. Speaker, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian bear started roaming Eastern Europe with its hungry appetite to gobble and dominate politics and the Governments of Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine.

Each nation has had a portion of its sovereign territory occupied by the Napoleon of Siberia, Putin. His military is there, too.

I have been in each nation and talked to the speakers of each of the parliaments. Now the three countries are working together in a trilateral bond to thwart Russian interference and also improve their democratic processes.

For as it is written in Ecclesiastes: ``A cord of three strands is not easily broken.''

I also commend the Atlantic Council for their work with these nations in promoting democratic ideals, combating corruption, and increasing personal freedom.

The United States should encourage and support this trilateral union to prevent the hungry bear from eating up each nation and returning them to the old days of Russian oppression.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, February 1836: Texas was in the heat of the fight for our independence. A small volunteer band of 180 patriots stood defiant at the Alamo, fighting tooth and nail against Santa Anna's massive army. They were outnumbered, 10 to 1. Col. William Barrett Travis, a 27-year-old lawyer from South Carolina, led the Texians into battle, ready to defend the Alamo. Surrounded by the enemy, Col. Travis put pen to paper, composing his immortal letter, seeking aid for the defense of Texas. He wrote:

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836.

Commandancy of The Alamo,

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World--

Fellow Citizens & compatriots--I am besieged, by a thousand

or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna--I have sustained a

continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not

lost a man--The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion,

otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the

fort is taken--I have answered the demand with a cannon shot,

& our flag still waves proudly from the walls--I shall never

surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of

Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American

character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy

is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase

to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call

is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as

possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due

to his own honor & that of his country--Victory or Death.

William Barrett Travis,

Lt. Col. Comdt, The Alamo

Mr. Speaker, Col. Travis and his group of tenacious volunteer soldiers were killed at the Alamo, defending Texas' freedom. No more than sixty days later, outnumbered, General Sam Houston and his `Texians' triumphed over Santa Anna and his professional army in the marshy plains of San Jacinto, winning independence from Mexico. Still to this day, remarkable and inspirational statement for freedom and the spirit of liberty. Col. William Barrett Travis is one reason my oldest grandson is named Barrett Houston. And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honor for me to talk about the great relationship we have with Serbia as co-chair of the Congressional Serbia Caucus along with my friend Emanuel Cleaver (D-

Mr. Speaker, last year, Congress passed landmark legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

This legislation cuts taxes in every income group.

Now, Texans are seeing the impact of this pro-family, pro-growth tax reform.

And so are the employees of Insperity.

In 1986, Insperity launched with little more than a 600 square foot home office and two employees in Texas's Second Congressional District.

But the small startup quickly began growing, eventually turning into one of the largest HR outsourcing firms in the country.

Earlier this month the company announced bonuses to its employees-- made possible through the U.S. tax reform act.

The amount of the bonuses will range from $1,000 to $4,000 per employee dependent upon the employee's tenure with the company.

These bonuses total approximately $9 million and will not be awarded to the management team and other senior leaders.

The company says: ``We believe the passage of tax reform is positive news and should provide for stronger growth of Insperity, the small business community and the broader U.S. economy.''

Mr. Speaker, the Democrats may call $1,000-$4,000 ``crumbs . . .''

But to the people of the Texas Second Congressional District this is money that will go directly back into the pockets of a community hit hard by Hurricane Harvey.

This extra money will help families rebuild their homes, restore their possessions that were ruined by the floodwaters and recover from the devastation brought forward by the Hurricane.

Mr. Speaker, Insperity is just one example of the good work that this tax reform package has done.

The latest data shows that a typical middle-income family of four in Texas's Second Congressional District will see a Tax Cut of $2,788.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has put more money in the pockets of employees and allowed industry to grow.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Paul wrote in the book of Galatians ``But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.'' This was Billy Graham's favorite bible verse. He chose only to boast in humility, sacrifice, and the cross of Christ. He was America's Pastor, who lived his life to bring the lost and hurting to Christ. Today, as his body lies in honor, inside the Capitol's Rotunda, I am proud to pay tribute to long time famed evangelist, Billy Graham.

On a dairy farm located outside Charlotte, North Carolina, Billy Graham was born November 7, 1918. He grew up like most rural 1920s American children. He was raised in a colonial-style house with indoor plumbing. He lived a quiet country life where he helped work the farm, played baseball, and went to church on most Sundays.

In 1934, at the age of 16, he was saved during a revival meeting led by Dr. Mordecai Ham. After high school, he moved to Tennessee and enrolled in a small Christian school, Bob Jones College, for half a semester before leaving. He found the school too strict. He transferred to Florida Bible Institute where he continued his education and prepared himself for his future ministry. He soon felt called to preach.

In Florida, he joined a Southern Baptist Convention church, and was ordained to preach in 1939. He began preaching at small churches and revival meetings. He graduated with a bachelor's in theology and decided to further his spiritual training at Wheaton College in Illinois.

With a deep faith in God, 21 year old Graham arrived at Wheaton College in 1940 as a tall, gentle man with a booming voice whose one goal was to preach the gospel. Here he met his future wife, Ruth Bell. Ruth, the daughter of medical missionaries, was raised in China. She prayed that God would let her live out her life as a missionary. God gave her Billy Graham. After graduating with a bachelor's in anthropology, Graham married Bell on August 13, 1943 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. ``There would have been no Billy Graham . . . had it not been for Ruth,'' said the late T. W. Wilson. She was his anchor and advisor for over 63 years.

Graham discovered God's call was to lead others to Christ by becoming an evangelist. He first made national attention during his Los Angeles Crusade in fall 1949. Under a white tent, 30 year old Graham preached over 65 sermons to more than 350,000 people. Overnight, he became a household name.

The Billy Graham Crusades were heard all over our world between 1947 and 2005. He filled large arenas and stadiums across our country with a focus of bringing people to Christ. Long before churches were ready for racial integration, he integrated his crusades. His Crusades made it to my neck of the woods three times: in 1952, 1965 and 1981. In 1952, half million Texans came out to hear Graham preach. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans gave their testimony, too. The brand new Astrodome opened its doors for 10 days to Graham in 1965. Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson attended. At 63 years old, Graham preached at Rice Stadium in 1981.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was founded in 1950. It was made up of a core team who created the ``Modesto Manifesto,'' a covenant to ensure the integrity of his ministry. Millions more could now hear him on the radio and see him on TV. Graham understood the power of the media. He also became one of the world's best-selling authors. He became a world evangelist called to spread the good news.

Graham was called the Pastor to our Presidents. He met with all post war Presidents up to Obama. Our country called on him in times

of celebration and tragedy. He delivered invocations at presidential inaugurations. He preached at the Washington National Cathedral, three days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His message gave hope and healing to a shocked nation. At the age of 77, he jointly received the Congressional Gold Medal in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol with his wife, Ruth.

Ruth passed away in the summer of 2007 at their home in Montreat, North Carolina. They had five children: Gigi, Anne, Ruth, Franklin and Ned. They had 19 grandchildren. They are all involved in the ministry. In his later years, Graham was asked if he has any regrets. He replied, ``although I have much to be grateful for as I look back over my life, I also have many regrets. I have failed many times, and I would do many things differently. For one thing, I would speak less and study more, and I would spend more time with my family.''

At his 95th birthday celebration, Graham delivered his last message. He recorded a video that featured clips from his home in Montreat, North Carolina. His message was delivered in a quieter voice but provided a powerful message. He expressed concern for our nation, ``Our country's in great need of a spiritual awakening,'' he declared. ``There have been times that I've wept as I've gone from city to city and I've seen how far people have wandered from God.''

Today, I honor the life of Billy Graham and his ministries that have touched millions of people worldwide. There can never be another Billy Graham. God used a farm boy with a gentle heart to preach his truth.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the spread of terrorism and extremist ideas has claimed countless lives, destroyed hundreds of communities, and spawned radical groups around the world. Women, in particular, have long been the victims of these radical ideologies.

Just last week, the terrorist group Boko Haram targeted a girl's school in Nigeria and abducted more than 100 young girls. This incident follows the 2014 abduction of 270 Nigerian school girls, of which 112 are still missing. These acts are far from uncommon among Islamist terrorist organizations. Across the globe, jihadist networks subject women and young girls to horrendous human rights abuses. These male- dominated extremist groups frequently deny basic rights, like access to education or political representation to women as a core component of their ideology.

Terrorist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram are often the worst abusers of women, forcing them into marriages and sexual slavery. It should be no surprise that the status of women in a society is often an important indicator as to how vulnerable that society is to violence and radicalization.

Yet, while being one of the primary targets of terrorist groups, women are also being radicalized and recruited into these groups. Some support the group's operations, enforce its laws, or marry and bear the children of terrorist fighters. Others actually commit these heinous acts of terror. In recent years, as many as 3,000 women have traveled to the Middle East to join ISIS with many becoming female suicide bombers.

Despite the marginalization and brutality of women in extremist-held lands, repressive regimes, persistent conflict, and poor development policies can create conditions that make groups like ISIS be seen as an opportunity for women. Extremist groups exploit female grievances and claim to offer women greater empowerment and increased status--luring them into joining their extremist cause. Once radicalized, terrorist organizations will leverage the societal status of women to further their violent goals. For example, Boko Haram has exploited cultural perceptions of women in Nigeria as non-violent and unlikely to be involved in terrorism, to use them as intelligence and recruiting tools.

In our efforts to combat terrorism and extremism abroad, we have neglected the important role women can play to actually prevent radicalization and facilitate peace-building in areas long-worn by violence. Women are well placed in homes, schools, and communities to challenge extremist narratives. Research shows that anti-terrorism messages can be more effectively spread by women because they are more directly involved with those most vulnerable to terrorist recruitment: the world's youth. Given their importance in families and communities, it is essential that women, both at home and abroad, are more meaningfully enlisted in the fight against terrorism.

Two years ago as French police hunted for the mastermind behind the Paris attacks that killed 130, it was a woman who reported his whereabouts to police. Her role as a surrogate mother to family members of the attacker allowed her access and trust that men unfamiliar to the family would have never have gained. Her brave action prevented a planned follow-on attack.

Meanwhile in Kosovo, it was women who were first in their communities to voice concerns when young men began stocking weapons and conducting training exercises in 1998. Unfortunately, these women's warnings of impending conflict were ignored. Such an example demonstrates the critical role of women in spotting emerging violence and gaining trust within families and communities. Unfortunately, we often lack their perspectives because women are underrepresented in governments where terrorist groups are most active. Because of their better ability to build trust, women have proven to improve the outcomes of conflict mediation and peace building.

A study of 40 peace processes in 35 countries over the past 30 years, found that when women were involved, more agreements were reached, implemented, and sustained. As more and more terrorist groups threaten our country, our allies, and our interest throughout the world, it is vital that we leverage the talents and perspectives of women as part of a multifaceted approach to ensure security at home and abroad. It must be policy of the United States, that as we work in societies damaged by years of war and political unrest, we empower women to have a larger voice. While the men in these male-dominated cultures have continued to fight and disagree, it is the women, who are often the biggest victims that have demonstrated an ability to reach peaceful settlements.

By taking important steps to integrate women into its security strategies, the U.S. will unleash untapped skills and abilities to defeat radical terrorists that would rather have them subjugated. In the fight against terrorism, we need everyone at the table--especially women. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, independence came to Texas differently than it did for the 13 colonies. Let me explain.

Texas was a part of Spain for over 100 years when Mexico fought a successful revolution in 1820 against Spain to form a democracy, which included Texas. However, Santa Anna, the president of Mexico, declared himself Dictator of Mexico and he abolished the Mexican constitution. This was unacceptable to people living in Texas--both Anglos and Tejanos (Texas-born Mexicans). Dissention against the government spread through Texas.

War broke out in 1835 in the small town of Gonzales when a detachment from the Mexican army tried to take a cannon from the townspeople. The cannon was for protection against hostile Indian raids on the community. Shots rang out between the Mexican army and the armed townspeople. There were a few wounded on both sides, and neither side claimed victory.

Skirmishes continued between both sides. The Texians, as they were called, drove out the Mexican army from the town of Bexar--now called San Antonio. A small Texian army of volunteers occupied the Alamo in February 1836 in Bexar, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William Barratt Travis--a 27-year-old lawyer from South Carolina. Other Texian volunteers took the town of Goliad under Texian Colonel James Fannin. General Sam Houston was the commander of all Texian forces in the struggle for independence.

Meanwhile, on March 2, 1836 (ironically Sam Houston's birthdate), ``officials''--both Anglos and Tejanos--from Texas gathered in a place called Washington on the Brazos, and declared independence from the Dictatorship of Mexico. The Republic of Texas was born.

However, the defenders in the Alamo fell on March 6, 1836, and Fannin was defeated and he and his men were executed by the Mexican army.

General Sam Houston continued to rebuild a Texas army and marched east towards the marches of San Jacinto (near present day Houston, Texas).

On April 21, 1836 the Texas army surprised and met the vastly larger army of Santa Anna, and defeated it in a brutal, but short, 18-minute battle. Santa Anna was captured along with half of his army. The rest were casualties of the battle. The Texian losses were minimal.

The Texas war for independence and freedom was successful.

Texas remained a Republic for nine years then was admitted to the Union in 1845, by the slim vote margin of one.

The rest, they say, is Texas history.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, every six months, Amanda Nguyen begins her search for her rape kit.

Despite being sexually assaulted, the burden to ensure it's not destroyed lies on Amanda--the victim.

In her home state, there is a 15-year statute of limitations for prosecuting sexual assault crimes.

But untested rape kits are only required to be stored for six months.

Mr. Speaker, conflicting laws like this defy common sense.

Because of stories like Amada's, Congress passed a bill in 2016 that implements, on the federal level, a Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights.

This important legislation grants survivors the right to have a rape kit preserved for a full 20 years.

It gives survivors the results of forensic exams and notification if an evidence kit is destroyed.

Two years after passage, it's clear that this legislation is needed now, more than ever.

This week the House Judiciary Committee will be reviewing this imperative law.

Ensuring it is implemented effectively and improves the experience of survivors as they fight for the justice they rightfully deserve.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman from Alabama for the time and the work on this bill.

Mr. Chair, I also want to thank Mrs. Wagner from Missouri for sponsoring this bill, along with the help of our friends on the other side.

You notice, Mr. Chair, that everybody who is in line, mostly, who are here to speak are women, and I want to congratulate the women in Congress, because they have taken the lead for making sure that we stop this scourge of human sex trafficking.

Mr. Chair, I also want to thank the different groups, victims groups, throughout the country who have continued to give us input on what we can do to make laws better. I call those groups the victims posse, because they are here all the time rounding us up, talking to us about what they want and think is necessary to make life better for victims.

Mr. Chair, according to most, Alexa was a normal and well-adjusted 15-year-old girl, teenager, but like many young people, she struggled with insecurity and loneliness. So when a handsome and sympathetic man reached out to her on social media, she was immediately taken in by his kind and comforting words.

Most Americans don't realize that the evils of human trafficking are all around us. Traffickers lurk on the phones, on computers, and on the internet, constantly searching for vulnerable victims to lure into their traps.

After months of manipulation, Alexa agreed to meet her new online friend. As soon as she got into his car, she realized that this person was a different person than she believed him to be. He chained her and forced her to have sex for money, and he committed this evil numerous times.

Technology has changed our world in countless positive ways, but it has also given human sex traffickers a direct avenue to our children and their lives. We, as a society, must work harder to capture these criminals and shut down their online schemes. Only then can we protect others from Alexa's fate.

This is our job. This is our duty. We must stop the trafficking network. Not in our town, not in our city, and not in our State.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Jane was 9 years old--9--when she was first trafficked in Brownsville, Texas. For 3 years, Maria Losoya trafficked the child. That is her right there. She trafficked Jane from town to town in south Texas. Losoya filled her own pockets by selling Jane at the marketplace of modern-day sex slavery.

Mr. Speaker, filthy criminals steal children like Jane's youth, innocence, and they try to steal their souls. Jane's story finally came to light when she alerted authorities at her school in 2015. Now she is trying to cope with the guilt and shame of her past.

Mr. Speaker, it is not Jane who should be ashamed; it is the dastardly human traffickers like Maria Losoya who should be ashamed. That is why my legislation, the Shame Act, gives Federal judges the ability to publish the names and photographs of convicted buyers and sellers of our children. Buyers and sellers will no longer be able to hide in plain sight under the cloak of being anonymous. Those who sell and buy the innocence of children should be shamed for all to see.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the radio blared, a criminal was on the loose.

K-9 Officer Rony and his fellow officers of the Houston Police Department (HPD) responded to the call, ready to take down a dastardly villain. The crook led the officers on a vehicle pursuit, throwing contraband from his car and intentionally ramming an HPD patrol car.

Suddenly, the criminal bailed out of the stolen vehicle, leaving K-9 Rony to pursue the criminal on foot, through a heavily wooded area. As he chased the suspect at full speed, one of K-9 Rony's legs became entangled on a fallen log.

Despite multiple breaks in his leg, K-9 Rony attempted to continue his pursuit. Always a fighter, he was simply in too much pain. His handler rushed him to an emergency animal hospital.

Prior to this accident, K-9 Rony had experienced the pain of arthritis in his other three legs from chasing outlaws. Losing a limb would have only put him in more suffering. His team made the heartbreaking decision. K-9 Rony would be put down.

K-9 Rony gave his life to the thin blue line, helping chase down and apprehend a vile criminal. He was a faithful servant of the Houston Police Department and the people of Houston. He served the department for seven years and had over 250 captures. Rony was known as one of the best K-9 officers the department had, and he will be dearly missed.

Mr. Speaker, we are eternally grateful for our police officers and their furry counterparts in their commitment to keeping our communities safe from criminals. K-9 officers like Rony are of the highest caliber, and we salute him for his service.

And that is just the way it is