Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, a new son of Texas breathed the air of our free Nation with his birth on April 10, 2006. His birth made him an eighth- generation Texan, and he can trace his Scot, Irish and German roots to the proud days of the Republic of Texas.

Born in The Woodlands, Texas, at 6 pounds, 9 ounces, he bears a middle name that has been a family name for over 100 years and dates back to his ancestry in Germany. He is a gift from the Lord to his parents Kurt and Susie and to his four grandparents and his great- grandparents.

He is, by the chance of birth, an American. As a child he is the most important and the greatest of all American natural resources. Mr. Speaker, every time a child is born, the good Lord is making a bet on the future of our Nation.

As his grandfather, it is my hope that Jackson Theodore Poe lives the strong, rugged, determined life of a free man; that he will live with the words ``liberty'' on his lips, integrity in his heart and compassion in his soul; and that he never forgets duty, honor and loyalty. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to pay tribute to a native Houstonian, Walter Moss, Jr., who voluntarily served our Nation in Iraq and who died doing so. He was assigned to the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or the EOD, Flight as a noncommissioned officer in charge of the EOD Resources Element, Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

On March 29, 2006, Tech Sergeant Moss became the 200th Texas member of the Armed Forces killed in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, Texans are only 7 percent of the United States population, but make up 10 percent of the volunteers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further, almost 9 percent of the military deaths in Iraq are Texans.

Additionally, Moss was the first airman from Sather Air Force Base in Iraq to be killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was 37 years old. In his long military career, he specialized in the dangerous job of detection and removal of explosive devices.

He was killed while trying to defuse a makeshift bomb while conducting operations near Baghdad. The terrorists in Iraq use the improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, as a cowardly way of murdering Iraqi women, children, civilians and Americans. The terrorist use of IEDs is one of the most dangerous threats to our troops in uniform in Iraq.

Technical Sergeant Moss was the first line of defense between IEDs and his fellow military comrades. Since being deployed to Iraq in January, Sergeant Moss had responded to more than 200 calls. Those 200 calls meant that Moss had perhaps saved the life of an American or Iraqi civilian.

Born in Houston, Texas, Moss attended Aldine High School. He joined the Air Force upon graduation from Aldine and soon married his high school sweetheart Georgina.

From the beginning of his military career, Moss stood out as a leader. His motivation earned him a coveted spot assisting the United States Secret Service. During his 16-year military career, he guarded the likes of former President George H. Bush and the First Lady.

While stationed in Guam, he disposed of 12,500 pounds of hazardous World War II munitions and supported the Secret Service again in protecting Hillary Clinton. In 1997, he and his family were stationed at the 31st CE Squadron, Aviano Air Force Base, Italy. He was handpicked from his unit to provide EOD support during the Middle East peace talks where he ensured then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's safety.

Moss had two children, Andrew, 13, and Veronica, 9. A military traveling family, they had already lived with their father in Guam, Italy and Turkey.

Technical Sergeant Moss was deployed in support of Operations Southern Watch, Allied Force, Desert Strike, Northern Watch and Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

Even though he was in the Air Force, the Navy and Marines honored him with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and he will be awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.

I attended Technical Sergeant Moss' funeral in Spring, Texas, and I talked to his father Walter Moss, Sr. Walter told me he was proud of his son, proud of the life he chose, and proud of the country he served. At the funeral there were a great number of Air Force personnel, strangers, citizens, family, and even a motorcycle group carrying large American flags.

I would like to extend my prayers and condolences to his father Walter, his mother Rebecca York, his brother Brian, his relatives and friends in Idaho and Texas, his wife Georgina, and his children Andrew and Veronica. He died as he lived: Protecting Americans.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the brave airmen such as Technical Sergeant Walter Moss. He sought out danger so others would not face danger. He was a father, a husband and a brother. His unyielding courage was an inspiration to his fellow airmen and his family. He was an American patriot, and he was a cut above the rest of us.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, every year thousands upon thousands of people give their time, money and dedication to others. Never is there a more shining example of volunteerism than my personal friends, Sue and Gerald Treece. Sue and Jerry Treece have been married for 35 years. They have 2 wonderful children, Justin and Trisha who grew up with my four kids. The Treece's have made a name for themselves throughout their community. They come from West Texas and have solid Texas values. They are both Texas educators and they are completely committed to serving the people around them. It is for this reason that they are being honored by the Cypress-Woodlands Junior Forum.

Sue Treece taught junior high students for eleven years and currently volunteers with multiple organizations in her community. She loves Texas and is a tremendous Texas history teacher. She goes to Texas historical sites with her kids to get a first hand knowledge of our state. She has been on the Cypress-Woodlands Junior Forum board for more than 10 years. In 1999 she received the Volunteer of the Year award. Sue truly has a passion for service as she is active in the Alpha Chi Omega Alumna Sorority Philanthropies, Bammel Church of Christ, and the Houston Bar Association Women's Auxiliary. Sue has held board positions with the Montgomery County Women's Council of Organizations, National Charity League, Northland Christian School, and Grogan's Point Residents' Association. In all this, Sue has been a constant companion to her mother who suffered a long time with illness. Sue is a mother, wife and a daughter.

Gerald Treece is the Dean of Students at South Texas College of Law and has been a Professor of Law for thirty-two years. He knows as much about Constitutional Law as our founders but he and I have a long relationship of debating that sacred document. He valiantly served our country during the Vietnam War, earning a Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his bravery during battle. In addition, Jerry served as a special advisor to the Reagan Administration, and more recently he served as a delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging. Jerry Treece has been recognized by the American Bar Association and awarded their Silver Key and Outstanding Professor Awards. He has also been honored by the Texas Senate and in 2003 he was awarded their Award for Service to Legal Education in Texas. In 2005, he was named Rotarian of the Year for his service to the Houston community. Jerry consistently has his moot court team go to the nationals, having won the National Championship several times, defeating such law schools as Harvard, Yale and Princeton, making those Ivy League Law Schools wonder, ``Who are those students from the South Texas School of Law?''

Mr. Speaker, my home state of Texas is blessed with some of the kindest and most generous people on earth. Sue and Gerald Treece are shining examples of the best of this group. They are a remarkable couple and they deserve our appreciation and thanks for the ways they have truly made a difference in the lives of those in their community. By giving of their time and lending their hands, the Treece's change lives and lift people up. I am honored to have known them on a personal level and call them my friends and I am honored to join their community and the Cypress-Woodlands Junior Forum in honoring them today. They are great Americans and great Texans, and ``the salt of the Earth.''

That's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, working Americans continue to voice concern about the unlawful entry into the United States. Michael Estep, Sr., from Spring, Texas writes to me:

``I am writing to express my most sincere concern for our Nation and the State with regard to the current immigration issues. Having served in both public law enforcement and the private sector for the past 30 years, in all these years I have not seen one good side of illegal immigration, just varying degrees of bad. The strain on local and State medical services, higher insurance costs due to uninsured and unlicensed motorists, the criminal justice system where 29 percent of the American prison population are illegal aliens, are all paid by the citizens.

``What is happening to the land the greatest generation fought to protect? Is the uncontrolled assimilation into

the melting pot of America destroying the values and resources which made us strong? Is this unchecked invasion crippling our ability to tell the difference between right and wrong, leading us to choose the politically correct solution rather than the right answer?

``I ask your support of immigration reform in the strongest terms. Too many citizens and illegals alike choose which laws are to be obeyed while seeking protection from the law through protests and civil disobedience.''

That's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, Yale University has won first place in the Annual Campus Outrage Award. The award is given to universities that worship the God of political correctness. Yale wins this year because according to the College Network who bestows the award, ``Yale enrolled a former Taliban official with a fourth grade education in the name of the sacred cow, diversity, which now appears to extend to the enemy combatants who make war on the United States.''

According to the Washington Times, second place went to DePaul University, which ``suspended a professor without a hearing after the professor attempted to debate students handing out pro-Palestinian literature.''

DePaul was also recognized for suppressing free speech rights of students who protested a professor's writings that said the United States deserved to be attacked on September 11, 2001.

Other universities who received awards were Stanford and Holy Cross for attempting to prohibit articles in their campus newspapers that criticized left wing philosophies.

Madam Speaker, have some of our universities lost their way by prohibiting liberty to those individuals who disagree with the university's elitist, narrow-minded snobbery? And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, students at Skyline High School in Colorado are banned from waving the American flag. The principal is reported as saying, ``These flags were being used as a symbol of bigotry, a symbol of hostility. They were being used to inflame different groups, and we're not going to tolerate that.''

This principal is more concerned about hurting the feelings of people illegally in the U.S. than he is about Americans' freedom of expression. This principal is obviously unaware the flag was offensive to the British who were also illegally in the U.S. When the British reinvaded the United States in 1814 and were illegally on American soil, they marched on Washington waving the British flag, and they burned this very building. The British then sailed upriver to Fort McHenry and were offended by this defiant American flag that was flying. They tried to shoot it down, but Old Glory flew, and we have it down the street in the National Archives, bullet holes and all. We got our National Anthem from the glory of the Star Spangled Banner at Fort McHenry.

The American flag cannot be banned in America. How absurd. What flag do you fly there at that high school, the white flag of surrender so as not to offend anyone illegally in the United States? Good thing the commander at Fort McHenry didn't care about what the British thought and was proud to be an American. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

Mr. Speaker, every day parents send their children to school with the faith that they will return after their classes, their sports practice, or even clubs after school. As a father of four, I know the feeling. I did the same for many years on different occasions. We as parents send our kids off, and we trust that we will see them that night for supper.

But for two Beaumont, Texas, families last Thursday morning, it did not occur that way. West Brook High School students Alicia Bonura and Ashley Brown were playing in the soccer playoffs after school that day. That morning their parents wished them good luck and sent them on their way, anticipating news of a win upon their return. When they sent their daughters to school, they had no idea of the nightmare that would unfold that afternoon. Tragically, their star soccer players never came home.

It was supposed to be an exciting day. Mr. Speaker, Beaumont, Texas, has suffered through a rough year with many families still feeling the effects of Hurricane Rita. The West Brook High School girls soccer team and their successes were good news to this storm-torn city.

The Bruins were coming off a 14-5-2 record, and they were traveling to

Humble, Texas, to take on the Houston Lamar Redskins in the Class 5A playoffs. The game had already been postponed once and it was raining again, but the game was set to take place at 5 p.m. in Humble. Unfortunately, the team never made it to the game.

Around 2 p.m., about 28 miles from home in Devers, Texas, the chartered bus carrying the team, the coach and one parent chaperone swerved to miss debris that had fallen off a truck in front of them. The bus rolled onto its side into a muddy ditch.

Sadly, senior Alicia Bonura and sophomore Ashley Brown lost their lives in this tragedy. Six other girls were hospitalized in serious condition. Goalie Devin Martindale lost her arm in this accident. The other five girls were Lauree Thibaut, Allison Forman, Sarah Beach, Courtney Garrod, and Sarah Babin. Two of those girls have been released from the hospital and are back home.

News of the accident quickly spread back to the town and West Brook students set up a vigil in the high school gymnasium where friends and faculty prayed and hoped for the best. Soon the students were hit with the horrendous news that two of their own had been killed in this catastrophe.

According to the Beaumont Enterprise, the girls are remembered for ``loving soccer, loving their school and loving everyone they came in touch with.''

Alicia Bonura, in addition to playing soccer, had played basketball, she ran cross-country, and was a trainer for the West Brook football team. She played the drums in the band and sometimes she sang vocals as well. She is remembered for her wonderful laugh and a smile that would light up a room. She was ranked number five in her class of 535, and she recently decided to attend Texas A&M University to study mechanical engineering.

On her MySpace Web page she wrote: ``I love to smile and love life in general and I love God. He is such a fantastic guy.'' Under people she would like to meet, she writes, ``I can't wait to meet God.'' Moving words from one of God's children.

Ashley Brown was a freckle-faced girl with long red hair. Her friends said she always made people laugh and was a free spirit and had a smile that would light up a room. Her teachers said that her fellow students gravitated to her. She was an active member in her youth ministry at her church, Calvary Baptist. Besides soccer, she loved singing, playing volleyball, skiing and playing the electric guitar.

Ashley had a bulletin board in her home covered in photos and memorabilia. In the middle of the board there was a handwritten note stating the following: ``You can't choose how you are going to die, but you can choose how you are going to live.''

Mr. Speaker, in her 16 years on Earth, Ashley Brown lived life to the fullest, and she is going to be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this moment to extend prayers and condolences to Alicia's and Ashley's parents, relatives, friends, and the community of Beaumont, Texas, the students and teachers and the coaches at West Brook High School and the Bruins girls soccer team. We hope that they find happiness in their fond memories of these special girls.

Alicia and Ashley truly led remarkable lives. They clearly touched so many people in their short time on Earth. Heaven is certainly brighter with Alicia and Ashley there, and the community of Beaumont Texas should take comfort. They now have two extra guardian angels looking down on them.

Mr. Speaker, that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Gary Spurger of Humble, Texas has written me about unlawful entry into the United States. He says:

``I am writing you as I sit here and listen to the news and watch on TV the protests against immigration policy reform. I am tired of seeing those protesters walking the streets that we taxpayers pay for, using our school buses and resources and then waving Mexican flags and chanting `Mexico, Mexico.'

``Please do not be blinded by the protests supporting illegal immigrants. If we don't take care of us then we will not have the ability to help others less fortunate. Allowing illegal immigrants to siphon off resources that they provide no compensation to will in the end be the fall of our society.

``We need to take heed of the lessons of history such as Rome. It fell from the inside by allowing fractured and discordant groups to maintain their own unique identity to the extent that it caused Rome to no longer be Rome but nothing more than a bunch of little other countries. Recent history is teaching us just by looking at France, it is no longer French but so inclusive to the point that France is nothing more than a hodgepodge of other cultures, not French.''

Mr. Speaker, people that come to the United States must do so legally and they must expect to assimilate into this country and become Americans.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, justice is lacking in the Ohio criminal court of Judge John Connor. Sexual deviant, Andrew Selva, admitted to approximately 20 assaults against a 5-year-old and a 12-year-old. In most societies, Selva would be looking at a life sentence in the jailhouse. But Judge Connor put the criminal on probation and basically told him, try to do better.

The judge obviously lives in the never-never land of excusable conduct. Child molesters belong behind bars. That is why we build the penitentiaries. That is the only therapy that works for these predators.

And the DA's office is a cohort in this injustice since it reduced the charges and had a case of trial sickness, a term applied to inferior and unprepared prosecutors who will not go to trial and advocate on behalf of victims for fear of losing the case.

The real losers are the two victims. The criminal abused them and then the judge and the DA abused them and victimized them again. The judge and the DA should both resign and become defense attorneys, since they both obviously are more concerned about criminals than they are victims.

Mr. Speaker, in this particular case, the judge and the DA would both be found guilty of inexcusable conduct if they were judged by the community. And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor from H.R. 4881.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul).

Mr. Speaker, we call this body the people's House. In the last 24 hours, I have received numerous correspondence from people in Texas about illegal entry into America. Tonight, we will listen to some of those people.

Aaron in Houston writes: ``I hope you intend to make certain that being illegal continues to mean breaking the law. I cannot understand why any elected official would want to reward any criminal with all the perks that go along with living in the greatest country in history. It makes no sense whatsoever.''

Mac in Kingwood, Texas, writes: ``Illegal immigration must be stopped and controlled immediately. We must control who and how many people come into this country. This is not a race issue, it is a national sovereignty issue. Illegal immigration reform must not include amnesty. This is rewarding those who willfully break our laws. Immigration must be reserved for those who come here legally and respect our laws. Giving illegals amnesty just encourages more illegal immigration. Why bother to immigrate here legally when you can be rewarded for doing it illegally? Drug smuggler, human trafficking, murder, identity theft, the forging of documents, driving without insurance and licenses, and potential terrorism are all the result of weak border control and terrible immigration policies. Law-abiding Americans are not going to stand by any longer while illegal immigrants thumb their noses at our laws and while the U.S. Government refuses to enforce the law.''

Donald in Humble, Texas, says: ``I find it oxymoronic to have a Department of Homeland Security and have not closed and controlled our borders. Without the security of our borders, there is no homeland security.''

Donald in Kingwood writes: ``I am writing you today to express my outrage over what I have been seeing on the news since this last weekend. I once raised my right hand and swore an oath to protect our country and constitution from foreign invaders. What I have witnessed recently has been citizens of a foreign country marching in the streets of our country waving foreign flags, carrying signs in a foreign language. The arrogance and total disregard for the sovereignty of America is infuriating. These illegal actions are being perpetrated by those who want no part of becoming an American. They simply want to come here and make money, take advantage of our social systems, and send most of that money they earn back to their `home' country. I don't buy for a minute the administration's argument that they take jobs that Americans are unwilling to do. What has happened is they have taken all the jobs that were primarily taken by young people right out of high school. This is just one of the numerous negative effects this unchecked invasion is having an our society. All one has to do is turn on the 10 o'clock news in Houston to see the effects it has on crime in our area.''

Erik in Kingwood writes: ``Please continue to press for immigration reform. As a physician, I see and treat many Mexicans without citizenship. It is rare to receive any reimbursement of any kind. Please continue to consider the rights of Americans first.''

Charles in Humble writes: ``After yesterday's Senate Judiciary Committee action, I fear that some compromised watered-down immigration legislation will eventually be passed in order to placate interest groups, businesses and illegal immigrants.''

Mary in Baytown e-mails: ``Don't allow lawbreaking. Illegal means illegal. There are no distinctions in this word. You don't gain citizenship when you enter illegally. The Congress should be ashamed of even considering this idea. Okay? And no benefits. We don't even give all our hard-working people their entitled benefits, why should we give them to illegals? This is just a crime.''

Louis from Houston says, ``The key intellectual point is there are no jobs that Americans will not do if the free market is allowed to bid up on the wages. More illegals equal lower wages. That is the whole point for those who support illegal immigration.''

John also puts it well: ``In other words, the Senate thinks as follows: In order to halt illegal immigration, we must legalize it. And in order to enforce the law, we must reward those who have broken it.''

Janet in Houston says: ``America's legal system is clear: Abide by the laws or suffer the consequences. Why is it necessary to create new legislation to outlaw an already illegal act? In my opinion, enforcement of existing laws is the best use of our legislators' time and money.''

And, finally, David in Kingwood, Texas, writes: ``Please help our State and country. Uphold the law. You have done that all your professional life. Please don't make changes to allow the illegals to stay. They need to go through the process just like my grandfather and his parents did. Please stop this madness.''

Mr. Speaker, this Congress must stop the unlawful invasion into our country. The American people have spoken and will continue to speak out on this issue. And Mr. Speaker, that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Yale University proudly boasts it has among its students a so-called former Taliban leader. The Taliban promotes treating women like property, intolerance for religious diversity, hate for freedom, and death to America.

Has Yale let a Taliban spy into its midst? Has elitist Yale University lost its way? But Yale did have a spy graduate from its university over 200 years ago. He was a 21-year-old. His name

was Nathan Hale. He was a schoolmaster, a volunteer in the Continental Army, and a spy for George Washington.

While Hale was gathering intelligence on the British in 1776, he was betrayed by Tories in New York City, captured and hung by British General Howe without a trial.

Though Hale is rarely mentioned in U.S. history books any more, his last words before being hung were: ``I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.''

Yale University would do well to recruit and honor students like Hale, instead of Taliban radicals who are villains to freedom. And, Mr. Speaker, that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Georgia for yielding some time to continue the thought about the specific issue of border security as it pertains to national security.

Security has been the talk of this House for the last few weeks, especially about port security, how the concern of Americans for securing the safety of our ports, with foreign governments infiltrating and running our port operations, how the American public has made that statement and Congress has responded with at least, on a temporary basis, doing something immediately about securing our ports, because it is the number one duty of government to protect or secure the people.

We do a lot of debating in this House about what is the purpose of government, and it seems to do a lot of things, maybe some things that our Founding Fathers never expected or even wanted for government to do. But one of the things government must do and has a constitutional duty to do is to protect the security of the Nation from within and from without.

One of those specific issues, of course, is protect our borders. Living in Texas, we constantly are concerned about the infiltration into our Nation

of people from other places illegally coming here, and it serves three concerns. One, of course, the war on drugs continues to escalate, and drug cartels know there is a lot of money in selling those drugs in the United States, and so violence has occurred on the Texas border because those drug cartels are fighting over turf to bring in that cancer and prey on the weaknesses of Americans. So that is the first concern.

Second concern, of course, is the universal concern in this country about terrorists, international outlaws, criminals who want to do us harm and come here for that specific purpose. Having a porous, open border encourages that conduct, and we know that those people expect to come in the United States and even try to come in the United States because of our lack of security on our borders.

Then there is that third group of people who illegally enter the United States for a multitude of other reasons; and the United States, our Nation, this government, this House, the people's House, must have the moral will to protect the dignity of the border. It seems to me that Third World countries protect their borders better than we do here in the United States, and we are a Nation that can do anything. The reason we do not protect the borders and secure the border is because we do not have the will to do it as a Nation.

It is interesting, we have heard a lot of rhetoric this week, especially about the bill that passed back in December that got almost no notice until the Senate starts talking about our bill and their option, or variation on that bill; but let me try to give you an example of how things are occurring in the United States by comparing it to maybe an analogy in another country.

Let us say that, for some reason, I want to go to France, and based on some of the things I have said about France, the Government of France, they probably would not let me in legally. I would have to sneak in. So if I sneaked in, took my four kids, three grandkids and showed up in France, over to Paris and say, teach my kids in English and give them an education, oh, I am not going to pay for it, the French people are going to pay for this education and provide social services for my kids and my grandkids and my two grandkids that are on the way, and continued that line of thought, the people in France would get me out of the country, and rightfully so. That would be true whether I went to France or to China or even to Mexico; but, yet, that seems to be what is occurring here in the United States because of our lack of securing our borders.

Our good friend from Tennessee, Mrs. Blackburn, has already alluded to this. If we have an intruder in our home, we call those people burglars. They are not welcome guests. They are not a guest burglar. They are a burglar. But if we have an intruder to our homeland because of, I guess, political correctness, we call them an undocumented guest worker. Both are committing illegal acts because of the entry into either our home or to our homeland. They are both not invited, and the one goes to jail and the other seems to be rewarded for that illegal entry, and we continue to reward that illegal conduct.

It seems to me that Mexico does have an immigration policy and to some extent that immigration policy is colonize the United States with illegal entry into the United States. We know that that is true because the Government of Mexico even publishes pamphlets and gives to individuals in Mexico how to sneak into the United States, what route to take, and so their policy is: colonize America.

It is not only to colonize America, but it is to make Americans feel guilty about trying to protect the sovereignty of our own Nation. I do not know if you can see this or not, Mr. Speaker, but this is the front page today of The Washington Post. You would think that this was the Mexico City Times, but it is not. Right here in the middle are thousands of folks, many of whom are illegally in the United States, assembling in Los Angeles; and you see that the 15 to 20 flags in this photograph, they are not American flags. They are flags from Mexico, Mexican nationals, proclaiming that the United States should not basically enforce the rule of do not come here illegally; another way of trying to tell the United States that our policy should benefit Mexico rather than put America and Americans first.

Illegal entry is wrong. There has been some misunderstanding about a guest worker program. We have a guest worker program. The United States grants every year 1.2 million visas to people who want to come here legally to work. Some of those take a long time to process. That is a whole other issue. The immigration department needs to move faster and quicker on that, but we grant 1.2 million legal visas for people who want to work here legally every year, but yet that has not done one thing to stop illegal entry into this country.

So we must protect the dignity of the United States, secure the border. We must understand that everybody wants to live in America. I do not blame them. It is obvious this is the country, because of our history and our worth of the individual, all people want to come here. The people need to respect the dignity and the rule of law and the sovereignty of this country and come here the right way.

That is the responsibility of our government, our Federal Government: secure the borders first, protect the sovereignty of our Nation, and then let us talk about what to do with people that have already illegally come into the United States.

It is a complex issue, but we need to start. The time is now to move forward on border security for the three reasons that I mentioned.

I appreciate my friend from Georgia allowing me to speak to this issue; and, hopefully, we can continue the dialogue and come up with some basic results that protect our homeland, like we want to protect and do protect our homes.

Madam Speaker, the Old West shootouts continue in Texas. The border war has moved from the rural vastness and wide open spaces of the Rio Grande River to the big city.

Gunfire in the fourth largest city in America occurred this week in urban Houston. A blazing gun battle ensued between rival human smugglers, or coyotes, as we call them, fighting over turf. The outlaws were fighting over the precious cargo of illegal aliens. After the bullets stopped, 21 people were arrested.

The Houston Chronicle reports, the battle for human cargo occurred at a drop house where illegals are stored. ``They are held until relatives pay the ransom to set them loose in America,'' according to officials.

It is reported the fees coyotes charge for smuggling individuals is anywhere from $1,500 to $70,000. Criminals make a profit off of illegals who unlawfully enter the United States. Agents report there is more money in smuggling illegals into the United States than smuggling drugs.

Until America secures the open southern border with Mexico, the lawlessness on the border will spread and breed more lawlessness in urban Americans. Americans and our government must have the moral will to protect the sovereignty of this Nation. And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, I request permission to take Mr. Jones' time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor New York State Trooper Andrew Sperr. Each person who wears a badge walks a thin blue line between life and death. Their families wonder when their police officer reports for duty, if that person will return home.

On March 1, 2006, Trooper Sperr did not return. He was shot and killed in the line of duty during a blazing gun fight with bank robbers in Big Flats, New York. Just after noon, Andrew Sperr stopped to investigate a suspicious pickup truck on the side of the road. As he approached the vehicle, the robbery suspects opened the door and opened fire on him, striking him multiple times. At least one round struck him in the right side above his body armor.

He was a dedicated lawman, so Trooper Sperr was able to return fire, and he wounded both of the suspects, which eventually led to their arrest, even though he was mortally wounded himself. Andrew Sperr was 33 years of age. He was from Greece, New York, and he had been a member of the New York State police force for 10 years.

Though he had no kids of his own, he was greatly involved in lives of his 10 siblings and their kids, and was godfather to several of his nieces and nephews. He was known as AJ to close family and friends, and he was remembered as always being the center of all activity.

He spent his free time on his 80-acre farm in Steuben County, New York. He loved the outdoors and in his other free time he was a hunter and a wildlife photographer. As a young kid, Andrew Sperr had wanted to serve his community by becoming a peace officer.

In his life and his death, service was his mission. Friends family and co-workers remember him as a compassionate public servant who generally cared about the people he came in contact with on a daily basis, no matter who they were. He had recently won the outstanding trooper award for the second year in a row.

When terrorists struck the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, Andrew Sperr was there. He volunteered to go and help the people of New York, as well as the citizens of the United States, by providing law enforcement in the aftermath of that attack on America.

Trooper Sperr also traveled to Louisiana this past fall in Hurricane Katrina and helped those folks in that area, neighbors.

Madam Speaker, as a former judge in Texas, I have had the opportunity to speak several times in New York and to the troopers at the New York State Police Academy in Albany, New York. After we got through the language barrier, I found these right-thinking Americans to be passionate about protecting the citizens of New York State and bringing outlaws to justice.

Trooper Andrew Sperr was proud to be a member of this group of law officers. Trooper Andrew Sperr died doing what he wanted to do, protecting, serving and defending the people. As thousands of his fellow State troopers, law enforcement personnel, friends and family, mourn his loss, our prayers go out to his family for allowing his life to be sacrificed for the rest of us.

Andrew J. Sperr was a dedicated officer and a compassionate friend to all. He served with distinction and honor, and he will be missed. America and Americans were better because of the life of Andrew Sperr. He wore the badge and proudly took the oath to protect and serve.

Madam Speaker, peace officers are the last strand of wire in the fence between safety and anarchy. They are all that stands between the people and the barbarians. Trooper Andrew Sperr died protecting the rest of us from those outlaws.

So God bless those that wear the badge of the American peace officer. That's just the way it is.