Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, ``Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.

``In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory always I come back to West Point. Always there are echoes and reechoes: Duty, honor, country.''

Mr. Speaker, General Douglas MacArthur spoke these words to West Point graduates of what the American soldier should be.

Captain David Fraser, West Pointer, personified these words. For the last year, Captain David Fraser patrolled the vast desert battlefields of war-torn Iraq in search of the enemies of freedom.

This December, his tour of duty was over and he would be coming back to Fort Hood, Texas, to spend Christmas with those he cared about.

But on November 26, 2006, 25-year-old Captain Fraser and three other soldiers were killed in Baghdad by a cowardly enemy using an improvised explosive device called an IED.

Captain Fraser excelled at life. He was a native of Spring, Texas. He attended Westfield High School where he was an honor student and a star cross-country athlete. Twice he led the team to qualify for the Texas State cross-country meet. His senior year, Captain Fraser led the boy's team to the first cross-country district title in over 19 years. He was voted the most athletic of his senior class at Westfield.

He was a devout Christian who remained active in his faith, whether he be in Texas or West Point, or stationed in lands far, far away. He was always willing to lend a hand at Sunday school or participate in Christian community events. His faith was his cornerstone. Those who knew Captain Fraser knew a man who was respected and admired by all. He was a born leader, always doing the right thing.

Captain Fraser applied to the West Point Military Academy, he said, out of sense of duty and as his way of giving back to a country that provided him with unlimited opportunities. Such powerful words, Mr. Speaker, of patriotism from one of America's finest.

Captain Fraser had a family history of military service. His mother, Helen; his father, Richard; his brother, Patrick, all served in the United States Armed Forces. He wanted to continue that proud tradition at West Point.

At West Point he ran like the West Texas wind as a member of the cross-country and track teams. Captain Fraser was also a superior student in the classroom. He graduated from that tough academy with honors as the top student in civil engineering. His academic performance promised Captain Fraser a faculty position at West Point during his career.

An accomplished soldier, Captain Fraser completed the rigorous Army Ranger, Airborne, and Air Assault schools. He was relentless in his determination to succeed.

In December 2005, Captain Fraser was deployed to Iraq, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and commanded several units. Recently he commanded a combat engineering platoon responsible for locating and disarming mines and other explosive devices implanted along Baghdad roads by insurgents. It was his mission to protect our soldiers and innocent Iraqis from the unseen enemy, the violent militants, the violent anarchists, those who stand against freedom and liberty.

As a decorated serviceman, Captain Fraser was the recipient of the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. For his service while in Iraq during a time of war, he was also awarded the Army Service Ribbon.

For his valor during combat on November 26, Captain Fraser was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Captain Fraser, this photograph I have of him while at West Point, he gave his life for his country, and he will be missed throughout the Spring, Texas, community by those whose lives he positively impacted.

Today Captain Fraser has finally come home to Texas. In fact, he is being buried now, as I speak on the House floor. Taps is being played for this Texas individual, for this committed countryman.

The Fraser family and the Spring, Texas, community will always remember that their son died a hero, serving this great country of ours and defending the basic rights of life and liberty and freedom.

Captain David Fraser lived and died as General MacArthur said, ``for duty, for honor, for country.''

So God bless the Fraser family and God bless David Fraser and God bless all those who wear the uniform of the American warrior.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, in 1621, the Pilgrims held a 3-day festival giving thanks to the Lord for a bountiful harvest. They celebrated with the Indians, who had also suffered through a previously hard winter. This feast would become the birth of our national holiday of Thanksgiving.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made the fourth Thursday of November the official Thanksgiving day, which we celebrate Thursday next. For the first 150 years, Thanksgiving was celebrated whenever the Colonists believed it was necessary to do so. President George Washington stated in the first Thanksgiving proclamation authorized by Congress in 1789: ``It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to be grateful

for His benefits and to request His protection and favor. I recommend to the people of the United States a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer to show the many favors of the Almighty and especially the opportunity for this form of government.''

So as this Nation, Mr. Speaker, seems to move toward a secular country, we would do well to remember the purpose of Thanksgiving and the words of the Good Book, which says: ``Unless the Lord watches over the city, those that guard the walls do so in vain.''

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Saturday we celebrated Veterans Day. Veterans Day is a holiday, but it is more of a memorial. It is a day we honor those who served. It started because of the end of the war to end all wars, World War I, and on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the First World War stopped, and because of that, since then we honor all veterans who have served.

Memorial Day is the day we honor those who served and died. Veterans Day is the day we honor those who served and lived.

In this House of Representatives today, in the 109th Congress, about 25 percent of Congress has served in the military. In 1950, in the fifties, about 65 percent were veterans; 111 Members of Congress served during the Vietnam era, 78 of whom served in the Vietnam era, and 20 of those saw combat. We have our own Sam Johnson, who was a Navy pilot during Vietnam, was shot down and spent 7 years in the Hanoi Hilton prisoner-of-war camp.

We have in this House of Representatives at least eight Members who have sons or daughters serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. We have Senator Inouye of Hawaii who was a Medal of Honor winner. All of these people served and served with honor.

War for independence costs the lives of Americans. Freedom has always cost, and it always will, and I think it is worth noting the time frame of the wars that this country has fought in and those who died.

In the War of Independence, 5,000 Americans died. In the Mexican- American War, there were 13,000 Americans. In the War Between the States, there were 250,000 Confederates and 350,000 troops of the Union army, but they were all Americans; 600,000 died for this country. In World War I, there was 116,000. In the great World War II, 408,000 died for this country.

My dad was one of those who served in the great World War II, and he, like many veterans of that war, never talked of that engagement until many, many years after that war was over with.

In Korea, it is sometimes said of the Korea war it is the forgotten war, 55,000 Americans died. In Vietnam, 58,000 died. In the first gulf war, 300 troopers died, and in our latest fight in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, 3,000 have died.

The point being, in these few wars that I have mentioned, not all of the wars, this country has always called upon the American warrior to be the one to protect us from the forces of all evil.

I have had the honor to be in Iraq with many of our troops, as many of our House Members have been, and I find them to be, in my opinion, the greatest military ever assembled, with their morale extremely high.

Over Labor Day weekend, I had the honor to go and see some of our troops in military hospitals overseas and to see and visit with them, and before I went, I asked my staff in Texas to see if we could arrange to have some of the local school kids write and make some homemade cards. In 2 days' notice, they were able to produce about 5,000 handmade cards that I took to our troops overseas, who were very grateful.

The point being, I think now in this time in our history our country is grateful to the American warrior for putting their life on the line for the rest of us. So we can do no better than to honor those who have served, the American warrior. And though it was said in the Vietnam era that some gave all and all gave some, that is true of the American veteran. So we thank them on this day and every day, those that served and lived and those that served and did die for this country.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, in the 16th Century, during the period of religious reformation in Europe, the Mennonite faith was formed. Due to problems within the religion, a man named Jacob Amman separated himself, and a group of followers, from the Mennonite faith and established the Amish. Facing religious persecution for their beliefs, the Amish fled Europe in the 18th Century. They came to settle in America, primarily in the rich farmlands of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.

During the last 300 years, the Amish have maintained a peaceful existence among these farmlands, holding steadfast onto their beliefs of old, and not conforming to modem-day society. They live a simplistic life without the everyday modern conveniences we have all become accustom to. They do not use electricity, telephones, computers, or television, and they do not own automobiles. The Amish are governed by a set of unwritten rules known as the ``Ordnung.'' These rules establish the protocol and acceptable behavior for an Amish community and vary in each community. For example, the Ordnung in a particular community may forbid ever deviating from conservative, dark, heavy forms of clothes, even during the summer months, whereas other communities Ordnungs may relax the dress code during the summer heat. In general, the Amish avoid anything that would be considered ``hochmut,'' meaning proud or arrogant, and choose to live their lives in ``demut,'' humility, and ``gelassenheit,'' submission.

The most important part of an Amish community is the family. Each family has an average of seven children. While it is considered ``God's Will'' to how many children one family will have, it is also vital that there be enough children to help run the family farm. Amish children attend school, usually in a one-room school house run by the Amish community. Most Amish children do not receive anything higher than an 8th grade education. The belief is that the education level is sufficient enough to adapt the children into their future adult Amish life.

Amish communities, although surrounded by modern society, are generally untouched by violence plaguing today's world. They do not read newspapers, which depict the crimes of modern society. They do not own televisions, which run continual news coverage of random acts of violence occurring throughout modern society. Their lives could be deemed innocent and idealistic, sheltered to the evils of society.

All that changed on Monday, October 2, 2006. On this warm, sunny, fall Pennsylvania day, Charles Carl Roberts IV came home from his night shift as a milk delivery man, walked his children to school, and kissed them goodbye. He went home and wrote four notes: one to his wife and one to each of his three children. Arming himself with a handgun, a shotgun, a rifle, and more than 600 rounds of ammunition, Roberts drove to the quiet Amish community of Nickel Mines.

Mr. Speaker, Roberts, with malice aforethought, and a heart fatally bent on mischief, calmly walked into that one room Amish schoolhouse and took it, and the children, hostage. Roberts ordered all of the Amish boys and the adults from the room. He then tied up 10 little girls, as they stood against the chalkboard. For the next hour, these little girls were trapped with this sadistic monster, who had vile intentions for their innocence.

It is unclear what triggered Roberts to start shooting after the initial hour. Perhaps it was the police presence, perhaps he was haunted by past sins, or perhaps he was just evil. Regardless of his reason, Roberts opened fire on these 10 little girls, at point blank range, before turning the gun on himself. When the smoke had cleared, Anna Mae Stoltzfus, Marian Fisher, Naomi Rose Ebersol, and sisters, Mary Liz and Lena Miller, had not survived Roberts' violent rampage. Young girls--young victims.

Anna Mae, Marian, Naomi Rose, Mary Liz, and Lena had their whole lives ahead of them. Lives full of love, family, and new beginnings as they matured into adulthood. Lives that were brutally, viciously, and tragically cut short by Charles Carl Roberts IV, a man too coward to take just his own life, so he took 5 little girls with him. The Good Book says that it is better for a person to be thrown into the sea than to harm a child.

In the days that followed Roberts' violent rampage, questions immediately arose to why a hard working husband and father would commit such a crime against the innocent. In a note written to his wife moments before he entered the school, Roberts stated several reasons for the school siege: his anger at God for the death of his infant daughter in 1997, his haunted memories of molesting two child female relatives 20 years previously, and his thoughts of molesting children again. So to quell that anger and the demons within, he took his life. Too bad he took the lives of little girls as well.

The devastation which befell the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania could have destroyed a community unaccustomed to such violence. Yet, the Amish were determined to overcome this unimaginable tragedy. In acts of tremendous kindness, generosity, and forgiveness, the Amish community not only tended to the families of the slain little girls, but to the killer's family as well. Within hours of the attack, members of the Amish community spoke out about the killings, stating that in the midst of this tragedy, they forgave Roberts. They also visited his wife and children to offer comfort and aid. Perhaps, in an even greater act of mercy, the Amish asked that a portion of the funds collected for the families of these girls, be donated to the Roberts family. Mr. Speaker, it is true generosity and mercy to comfort and care for the family of the evil who brutally murdered five children in your community.

Sadly, the tragedy which occurred in a little Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania is not isolated. Barely a week before, in September, an armed gunman took six female students hostage in Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado. During those horrific hours held prisoner inside a classroom, Duane Morrison subjected the girls to brutal sexual assaults. As police proceeded to enter the classroom, Morrison executed a 16 year old student and then the criminal took his own life. The Nickel Mines tragedy 5 days later was eerily reminiscent of the devastation which took place at Platte Canyon High School. The Platte Canyon tragedy was reminiscent of the Columbine Massacre, which had taken place in Colorado 7 years earlier.

As a father of 4, 3 of whom are girls, and a grandfather of 5, 3 of whom are girls as well, the death of a child is a parent's worst fear. No parent should experience such a heartbreaking loss. The worse thing that can happen to a parent is to lose a child before their time. It is the worse thing that can happen to a community; and it is the worse thing that can happen to a nation.

These school tragedies reinforce the need for adequate school safety and security throughout this country. A school no longer exists as a safe haven for children, but rather has become a violent battleground that demands our intercession. A school is an environment of learning and enrichment, not fear and brutality. We must strive to do everything within our ability to ensure the safety and well-being of our most precious commodity--our children. We need to strive to protect schools from outside intruders and inside rampages. School safety must be a priority--without it, children have very little places left to feel safe.

That's Just the Way It Is.

Madam Speaker, according to the Dallas Morning News, ``Farmers Branch, Texas, on Monday adopted strict measures against illegals, requiring apartment renters to provide proof of citizenship or residency and making English the city's official language.''

``The city also unanimously agreed to let police apply to participate in a Federal program that would enable them to check the residency status of suspects that they arrest and initiate deportation proceedings in certain cases. These measures, believed to be the first of their kind in the State of Texas, brought cheers from some supporters, but sparked anger among some Hispanics.''

Madam Speaker, cities across the Nation are taking positive action in dealing with illegals. These are commonsense steps the Federal Government has refused to take for political reasons.

Of course, the pro-illegal immigrant crowd has threatened lawsuits. It seems odd that illegals can use American courts to prevent cities from enforcing laws against illegal entry.

The example of Farmers Branch, Texas, is a statement that cities cannot and will not continue to bear the costs in education, health care and social services of illegals. This Nation must be firm that it is illegal to be in America without permission.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the greatest natural resource in this country is not the Spotted Owl, it is not the Grand Canyon, it is not the environment, it is our children, and this bill is a preventive bill.

I spent all my life in the criminal justice system before I came to Congress, 22 years on the criminal court in Houston, Texas. I saw about 25,000 people work their way to the courthouse. Many of those people were young people who made bad decisions, first to drink and then to commit a crime like driving. I will relate one of those to you.

A young lady by the name of Lisa, graduating from one of our local high schools, was, as was said earlier, just a regular person, not a troubled child. In

fact, she was an honor student, a National Merit Scholar going to one of the Ivy League colleges upon graduation.

She and her best friend drove to a nearby town, had something to eat to celebrate, and then they decided they needed something to drink, because that was the thing to do, even though both of them were 18- year-olds, under the age to drink.

They did have something to drink. The waiter knew they were underage, but he figured he would get a big tip if he served them, and he did.

They were driving home in Lisa's mother's car. Having too much to drink, she started weaving on one of our farm-to-market roads, crashed in a ditch and killed her best friend in the car, her very best friend, her next-door neighbor. Because of that crime, involuntary manslaughter, drinking and driving and killing somebody under Texas law, it was mandatory that she go to the penitentiary for a period of time.

But in court, when that 5-foot-2 little girl came to court, she said to me, ``Judge Poe, this can't happen to me. This can't happen to me.'' But, you see, that is life's biggest lie, especially among young people. It can happen. It does happen. It destroys lives.

And rather than wait to be reactionary, to so-called punish somebody for committing that crime, we need to educate. We need to make sure that young people understand it is not socially acceptable or legal to drink under the age of 21.

I appreciate this bill. This is a good bill to be sponsored to show that we have a concern about our children. I too want to thank Coach Osborne for dedicating his life to the betterment of young people.

Mr. Speaker, as the war wages on in the deserts of Iraq, there is talk of a new direction. There are only three options: one, retreat because the fight is a bit rough-going. Two, stalemate. A Vietnam-type politically correct draw. Three, victory.

Mr. Speaker, there is no substitute for victory. Let the generals finish the job, win and bring our troops home. Abandoning Iraq is not in the best interest of the United States. If we sneak out now, who is to say the Iranians and their rogue dictator will not come in and make Iraq a puppet nation of their radicalism.

Confront the armed militias who murder Iraqis in the name of religion, like al-Sa'dr's Mahdi army. The thugs who roam the streets are not engaged in civil war, but terror and anarchy and murder.

The question I was asked when I was in Iraq by Iraqi citizens was, is America going to leave like in 1991 before the war is won? While American politicians are debating that question, turn the U.S. military loose on the enemy and let our troops decide that question with total victory.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, this week Seven-Eleven stores are telling CITGO to hit the road. Now, Hugo Chavez has no one to thank but himself.

CITGO is owned by his Venezuelan government and after last week, when Chavez called President Bush the devil and an alcoholic then railed on capitalism, Seven-Eleven revealed it was choosing to use American gasoline distributors. It's a good lesson in that thing we like to call capitalism.

Whether Seven-Eleven's decision is business or political, I am happy that they made it. Americans are sick and tired of foreign regimes, their tirades, and their threats at the U.N. and around the world.

President Bush, long ago, targeted his Axis of Evil. An axis broken when U.S. soldiers pulled Saddam Hussein out of his hole in the ground, deep in Iraq. However, these recent fist banging rants have made it all too clear that we face more than just 3 enemies around the world. We are facing an entire ``Legion of Doom.''

Their caustic club is headed by the forked tongue Chavez. He's a man who only recently had his most memorable international tantrum, filled with slurs, lies and outbursts about the U.S.

The former leader of the Legion of Doom, Fidel Castro, has health problems as severe as his country's economic issues. After decades of bad policies, he still manages to throw stones at the U.S. while his people are starving on Cuban streets. Now he's recruited Chavez to finish his dirty work.

The legion under Chavez's leadership counts among its members: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, Kim Jong II of North Korea, and their instigating intern, the drug smuggling Evo Morales of Bolivia. He's the world leader who brought a coca leaf to the U.N. to extol the virtues of the cocaine plant and run down the U.S. for our anti-drug policies. Perhaps his drug smuggling act was all in the hope that his stunts will someday allow him to be a big boy member of the legion.

These new younger Legion of Doom members have nuclear ambitions on their mind. Take for instance Kim Jung ll of North Korea. After feuding for years over nuclear power to supposedly improve the lives of his people, he finally just decided to take matters into his own hands. He got down to the nuclear business he really wanted--making missiles. Apparently that will help his ailing countrymen more than hot water or electricity.

Just to prove he'd been diligently developing Missiles, he waited until July 4th of this year to test their range. They came up short, instead of flying high they fell into the Sea of Japan. No one is sure if he was attempting to threaten the U.S., Japan or South Korea, or just show how many missiles he has.

That series of missile launches then prompted another member of the Legion of doom to test the boundaries too. Now Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is demanding the same so-called civil nuclear program. He insists he is not trying to make nuclear bombs, but nuclear power.

Just like Kim Jong ll, no one believes him. His lack of credibility could be due in part to the way he's freely discussed his wish to wipe Israel off the face of the planet and his denial that the holocaust ever happened. This is the same man who is accused of holding U.S. soldiers hostage after taking over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979. He's also accused of supplying Iraq with the IEDs that kill American soldiers everyday.

As if all of that wasn't enough, he also ensures his country gives tens of millions of dollars a year to Hezbollah. That's the terrorist group that killed more Americans than any other before 9/11. Other signs of his intentions came from a recent interview where Iran's leader didn't deny having suicide bombers ready to strike the U.S. and Britain.

His speech last week was that of a terrorist. That's what he and fellow members of the Legion of Doom are all about. They are committed to terrorizing those who want to be free, those who want democracy and those who wish to crush the very tyranny these men rely on.

Make no mistake, when we are fighting a war on terror, we're fighting members of the Legion of Doom. That is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the gunning down of the Houston police officer by an illegal who shot him in the back has sparked new immigration safety concerns. Although the ``open borders crowd'' doesn't want to talk about it, normal citizens are speaking the truth anyway. Mac Garrison of Kingwood, Texas writes, ``The murder of Houston Police Officer Rodney Johnson must serve as a wakeup call to all concerned citizens regarding the huge problem of illegal immigration.

``Our borders are nonexistent, our language is deteriorating, and our culture is melting away.

``Those that come here illegally, simply by the nature of their first act on American soil, breaking the law, have no respect for our laws and our social structure. Anarchy seems to rule the day now.

``The Federal Government has failed miserably to protect the border. And local law enforcement agencies are being denied the ability to work closely with other Federal agencies to stop this problem.

``We as a law abiding society must demand more accountability of elected leaders and our citizens. Now, more than ever is the time to get extremely serious about putting a complete halt to illegal immigration before more lives are lost and before our country is completely financially and morally bankrupt.''

Mr. Speaker, Mac Garrison speaks for many Americans.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, I have news, good news. A child is born, a girl.

Brooklyn Allyson Reaves arrived in the summer heat of Austin, Texas, August 18, 2006, at 7 pounds, 13 ounces. Her parents, Kim and Derek Reaves, and her brother, Barrett Houston, are all proud of this new family member.

Brooklyn is in the sunrise of her life. May her days be long, may she see good days of happiness and health, days of doing service for others, days filled with a passion for liberty and righteous justice, days with a love for her heritage and her country, and days with a commitment to her Maker; so that when she reaches the sunset of life, she will have been a good citizen, a good patriot, and a good servant of her Lord.

Every time a child is born, the Almighty is making a bet on the future of humanity. Kids are our greatest of all national resources.

So, Madam Speaker, the angels in heaven may be singing with joy at the arrival of Brooklyn, but they cannot be as happy or as proud as I am, because Brooklyn is my new granddaughter.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this very important bill. I appreciate my friend from Georgia and friend from Illinois for helping sponsor this bill.

Mr. Speaker, we name buildings and monuments and libraries and roads after Presidents and generals, statesmen. But, today, I hope that we name a post office after a young 20-year-old who wore the American military uniform.

Mr. Speaker, the great General Douglas MacArthur during World War II once commented, ``I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front, and there is not a finer organization in the world'' than the Marine Corps.

Lance Corporal Robert ``Robbie'' Alexander Martinez was a member of this fine fighting organization; and, as mentioned, he was killed in December, 2005, while fighting and serving our Nation in Iraq. He volunteered to join the Marines, and he volunteered to go to Iraq.

He was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, the 1st Marine Division, based at the Marine Air Corps Ground and Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.

Lance Corporal Martinez was 20 years of age when he died. He was on his second tour of Iraq, and he had spent 7 months on the Syrian border. He went to Iraq and Fallujah after 2004, and then he and nine other Marines were killed last December when a roadside bomb exploded next to them.

Lance Corporal Martinez was scheduled to come home to Texas within a week of his death, but at the last minute his tour was extended for over a month and a half.

Mr. Speaker, one out of 10 people wearing the United States military uniform are from the State of Texas, and enlistments and volunteers among those with Hispanic surname is extremely high.

Just before his death, Robert Martinez had called his mother and asked her to buy him a diamond ring because he was going to propose to his girlfriend, Taylor Wilkenson, as soon as he got back. He called her his ``love at first sight.''

He went to a little, small high school, Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Texas, and he graduated there in 2003. While in high school, he was known as the peacemaker. By the time he started his senior year, he had already signed up for the Marine Corps, but they would not take him until he was old enough. His pre-enlistment at the age of 17 would be activated as soon as he graduated from high school.

He was an outstanding baseball pitcher at Cleveland High School and dreamed of getting a degree in education and being a high school baseball coach, but he put all those dreams on hold so he could join the United States Marine Corps. He went to basic training 2 days after his high school graduation.

Lance Corporal Martinez's stepfather, Jeremy Hunt, called Robbie his ``diamond in the rough'' and one of the greatest things that ever came into the life of his family. He loved being in the United States Marine Corps, and he was proud telling folks he was just a Marine. He knew there was a reason for resolving the situation in Iraq, and he looked forward to coming back to Texas.

While overseas, he requested bags and bags of candy and care packages, but this candy was not for him because he would split it up and give it out to little kids in Iraq.

Robbie's mother, Kelly Hunt, said their 14-year-old son Mikie wanted to be in the Marine Corps just like his brother Robbie.

President Ronald Reagan once said, ``Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don't have that problem.'' Fine words from our former President.

Lance Corporal Martinez was working to make a difference in the world when he gave his life, and his bravery and dedication, his patriotism will not ever be forgotten by his friends, certainly not by his family, and all freedom-loving people throughout this world.

His Nation made the call, and he responded without hesitation, and he served his country with honor and distinction. He wanted to be in the Marines since he was 12 years of age.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask for the adoption of this bill to name this small post office in Cleveland, Texas, after one of the sons of America.

Mr. Speaker, ask 100 people on the street who is the best golfer in history, I bet a majority of them would reply ``Tiger Woods.'' Ask that same question to 100 professional golfers, and their answer would be ``Byron Nelson.''

Byron Nelson was born February 4, 1912 in Waxahachie, Texas. He did not grow up with the ambition to ever be a professional golfer; he just enjoyed playing it in his spare time. The onslaught of the Great Depression, and his subsequent unemployment, led Nelson to professionally pursue golf in 1932.

Known to golfers as the game's ``Ultimate Gentleman,'' Nelson impressed audiences and fellow players alike with his good nature, his graceful swing, and his ability to win. In 1937, Nelson won The Masters, his first major tournament win. He would go on to win four more major tournaments over the years: the 1939 U.S. Open, the 1940 and 1945 PGA Championship, and the 1942 Masters. The accomplishment that he is the most well known for, however, did not come until 1945--13 years after he turned professional.

As America was winning World War II, Byron Nelson was winning golf tournaments. In 1945, Nelson did the unimaginable, winning 11 consecutive golf tournaments. By the end of 1945, Nelson had a won a record 18 total tournaments--a record that still remains intact today. The closest anyone has come to challenging Nelson's record was Tiger Woods, who impressively won 6 consecutive tournaments in 2001; however, failed to catch the record by five tournaments. His last professional tour ended in 1946, when at the age of 34, he decided to live the simple life of a rancher.

Although Nelson had retired, his love and dedication for the game continued. For years later, he was a frequent ceremonial starter at The Masters tournament. Nelson was also always amazed at how the game of golf was evolving, from the ``rising new stars'' to the change in club material to the amounts of money involved. In a 1997 interview, Nelson stated, ``I did not even dream in my wildest imagination there would be as much money. . . . I only won $182,000 in my whole life.'' Mr. Speaker, nowadays winning a professional tournament yields millions of dollars, so one can understand Nelson's amazement at the winnings now.

Bryon Nelson was the recipient of the 1974 Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is considered the highest honor awarded by the U.S. Golf Association. He has also been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and is the only professional golfer to have a stop on the PGA tour named after him--EDS Bryon Nelson Championship played in Dallas, Texas.

Golf was not the only passion in Nelson's life. He was also a devout Christian, who gave his time, energy, and money to Abilene Christian University (ACU)--my alma mater. Nelson had a long family history with ACU. In his family lineage were the fourth and seventh Presidents of the University. Nelson's brother is currently a professor at ACU and his sister is an alumna.

Nelson was a member of the University's Board of Trustees and National Development Council. In 1984 Nelson and his wife of 50 years, Louise, established the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf Endowment, to raise funds for ACU. A dinner was held in his honor and the results netted enough funding to permanently institute the men's golf program at ACU. Nelson also continued to lend not only his name, but his person, each year to ACU's Byron Nelson Golf Tournament. His dedication and devotion to ACU allowed the men's golf program to flourish, winning eight Lone Star Conference golf championships and one NCAA Division II championships.

For 94 years, Bryon Nelson was a man among men, always a gentleman, always a leader, always a Christian. On Tuesday, September 26, this great man passed away at his home in Roanoke, Texas. Bryon Nelson is not only mourned throughout the professional golf community, but throughout Abilene Christian University, where he gave so much of himself and asked for nothing in return. So his life will be remembered by all, as a great person and a great golfer.

Mr. Speaker, it's a big day in the U.S. when we catch someone on our Most

Wanted List. Shouldn't it be an even bigger day when we catch someone on Mexico's Most Wanted List?

In Ohio, that's right Ohio. It's a long way from our southern border with Mexico.

Julio Ernesto Cobian-Ariaza is just 27 and this Mexican citizen is already a career criminal alien. This illegal is wanted back home in Mexico for his connection to two murders and two more attempted murders.

But his list of offenses here in the U.S. is much longer. He's been convicted of attempted murders, assault with a firearm and street terrorism, in plain english--gang activity.

We've caught him twice before and sent him home. First in 1999 when he was just 20. And again in September of 2001. This time as an aggravated felon at the tender age of 22.

Just sneaking back into the country from Mexico once is a felony punishable by 20 years in prison. So his laundry list of crimes in the U.S. alone should have him locked up in the penitentiary for decades.

But an even more disturbing part of this story is Ariaza isn't alone. His arrest is just one of more than 3 thousand gang members in just a few years.

A crackdown on gangs with foreign born and illegal members.

He's among many alien gang members representing almost 400 different gangs across the United States.

People mock our country and say we are the world's police. But the truth is our open borders make us just that.

We can't clear our own top ten most wanted list but we're making a dent in some others.

These international outlaws are targeting Americans on our own streets and we'll keep rounding up these murderous illegals until we shut down our borders.

If we could do that we would have a good shot at clearing at least one name of our own most wanted list.

Jorge Alberto Lopez-Orozco is number 2 on the infamous FBI lineup. Born in Mexico he's just 30 and he's already accused of brutally murdering his girlfriend and her 2 young sons. Friends suspect she found out he was already married with his own children and tried to break it off. The family went missing for days. Until a few fishing buddies riding ATVs stumbled on their burned out car and what looked like a charred body. The police ruled it was actually three bodies. Orozco's girlfriend and her two young sons ages 2 and 4 were all gunned down. Shot in the head or chest and their bodies set ablaze.

Jorge Alberto Lopez-Orozco is still out there and thanks to our virtually open borders he could be living on any American street as we speak.

And that American street may have been made much more dangerous by Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez from Colombia also topping our 10 Most Wanted. He's one of the leaders of the most powerful and violent drug cartels in Colombia and he's accused of pumping tons of cocaine into the U.S.--tons of cocaine that could be sold to the same foreign-born gang that Mexico's Most Wanted Julio Ernesto Cobian-Ariaza was running in when he got caught in Ohio.

The moral of this story is maybe we should stop accepting the world's most dangerous criminals so we can get back to ours.

Seal the borders protect Americans and let the rest of the world deal with their own criminals on their own soil. That's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress are looking for border security answers, and the American people are demanding them. But it seems we are being stonewalled by our own Border Patrol hierarchy.

Get this, apparently our Border Patrol agents cannot talk or answer questions from Members of Congress without filing a lengthy detailed report, the same type of report they file when they arrest illegals, drug runners, or are even shot at by the Mexican military. This appears to intimidate our Border Patrol agents to not say a word about what is really going on.

When I have been on the border, the Border Patrol agents were very reluctant to say anything except scripted answers. Now I know why. What does the Border Patrol hierarchy have to hide? Apparently the truth because that is all we are after.

Why wouldn't homeland security want their agents talking to Members of Congress? Members of Congress are being forced to tear down the war of silence just to control our own border. The enemy is not Congress or the American people, it is the insurgents who infiltrate our border every day.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, why must I press ``1'' on my phone for English? Why are voting ballots in numerous languages? Why are street signs in foreign language like Vietnamese? Why do we educate illegals in their native tongue? Why can't some clerks in stores or fast food restaurants speak English?

Mr. Speaker, one of the qualities that make a nation a nation is a common language. Our ancestors decided that the American national language would be English. German was the second choice. But, in our day, we don't want to hurt people's feelings that are not from around here, and we make the unwise choice to communicate with them in their language, not the American language.

If people come to America, they need, like the people before them, to learn to speak English. Failure to do so makes us not a nation but many nations within a nation.

The national language is English. Several national languages are divisive and detrimental and destructive of our culture and our civilization. Mr. Speaker, I am tired of pressing ``1'' for English.

And that's just the way it is.