Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, for more than 130 years, Americans have had a close

friendship with the Serbian people. Our troops fought side-by-side in both World War I and World War II, forging a strong bond between our nations. Today, Serbia remains an indispensable ally of the U.S. as we confront challenges like ISIS together. This relationship has only deepened over the years due to our shared dedication to democracy and freedom.

I recently returned from a trip to Serbia where I met with President Vucic and Prime Minister Brnabic. They are great friends to America and excellent representatives for Serbia. In our meetings they made clear how much the relationship with the United States matters to the security and prosperity of their country. Their only ask, was that America continues to stand by Serbia as it works to integrate closer with the West. While I am retiring from Congress at the end of this year, and unfortunately leaving my post as co-chair of the Serbia caucus, I assured them that there was no doubt that the U.S. is committed to its friendship with Serbia so long as Serbia remains committed to peace and democracy.

Serbia has no stronger partner on than the United States. We have shown this in action. For example, about 60 percent of Serbia's overseas military training and education takes place within the United States. Serbia recognized the value of this relationship and signed an agreement to deepen cooperation with the U.S. and our NATO allies two years ago. This is a big deal considering just 20 years ago, NATO and Serbia were on opposite sides of a war.

Beyond military cooperation, we are also working to forge closer economic ties and strengthen Serbia's democracy. Rule of law and transparency are making major gains in Serbia that will allow for increased American investment. All of this will bring our countries closer together, ensuring bright peaceful futures for the Balkan region and ourselves.

Belgrade and Washington must continue to build our partnership to accomplish our shared goals. I am excited to see the ties between our countries grow. I am convinced that so long as we remain committed to democratic values, America and Serbia will have an enduring friendship for generations.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, World War I ended 100 years ago. During the brutal, bloody war, thousands were killed in an area of France and Belgium called Flanders.

``In Flanders Fields,'' by John McCrae.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Mr. Speaker, 116,000 Americans were killed in World War I. Now, after 100 years, there will finally be a memorial erected in D.C. for all the veterans of the great war. It is about time, don't you think? For the worst casualty of war is to be forgotten.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor the heroism of Specialist Fifth Class Clarence E. Sasser of the United States Army. Specialist Fifth Class Clarence E. Sasser was a private in the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division when he earned the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his selfless and courageous acts on January 10, 1968, during the Vietnam War. As a combat medic in Vietnam, Specialist Sasser served our country above and beyond the call of duty. He is a hero among us.

Clarence Eugene Sasser was born in 1947 in Chenango, Texas. Sasser was studying chemistry as a part-time student at the University of Houston when he was drafted in 1967. Sasser completed a ten week course at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio to be a medical aid man. The 20 year old went to Vietnam in September 1967, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. The division was sent to the Mekong Delta, in southwestern Vietnam.

As the medic for 1st Platoon, Company A, Sasser would accompany the unit when it left base camp to go on patrols, missions or nighttime ambushes. On January 10, 1968, what Sasser considers ``the longest day of his life'',

his company was on the third day of their search and destroy mission when Company A was sent out in 12 helicopters to a large, flooded rice paddy. The lead helicopter was hit with enemy fire and crashed, so the rest landed. More than 30 Americans were either immediately killed or wounded. Upon stepping off the helicopter, Sasser was shot through his right leg.

Since the rice paddy was flooded with mud and water, Sasser found it easier to grab tufts of grass and rice plants to pull himself and glide through the paddy to render medical aid. It was faster than trying to walk, and being low made him less exposed to enemy fire. Sasser pulled one man to safety near an embankment that provided some cover and was going back when mortar fire landed about five feet from him, and shrapnel struck his back and left side just as he reached cover. Despite these injuries in addition to his legs being immobilized from injury, Sasser continued sliding through the rice paddy to answer fallen infantry soldiers calling for ``Doc''.

Into the afternoon and through the night, Sasser treated injuries until his supplies ran out, then continued going to soldiers calling for help when all he could offer was emotional support. Army helicopters were finally able to come into the area and the platoons were evacuated about 4 a.m., 18 hours after they first arrived in the rice paddy.

President Richard Nixon presented 21 year old Sasser with the Medal of Honor on March 7, 1969, ``for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in actjon at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,'' according to the medal citation. ``It's confirmation to me that I did my job. And that's how I had to deal with it,'' Sasser said in an interview in 2011. ``It was my job, and I don't think what I did was above and beyond. I never have.''

Following his military service, he attended Texas A&M University on a scholarship offered by then President James Earl Rudder in August 1969. After attending Texas A&M, he began working at an oil refinery for more than five years before going on to work at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to serve his country. On November 7, 2013, he was the eighth Texas Aggie to be added to Texas A&M University's Medal of Honor Hall of Honor. During his speech at the ceremony, Sasser said ``I am particularly proud that my Medal of Honor is for saving lives and not taking lives.''

Specialist Sasser is also honored at the Brazoria County Courthouse in Angleton, Texas for his outstanding bravery. On Veterans' day 2010, he was memorialized into the 40 foot ``Ring of Honor'' with a life-size portrait bronze sculpture of Sasser in a crouched run, carrying his medic bag while in action.

Of the 246 Medals of Honor awarded during the Vietnam War, 20 were given to black servicemen. Of the 53 Vietnam War-era recipients still living, Sasser is the only black veteran.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to honor Specialist Sasser for his sacrifice and heroic efforts. He is a true warrior who went above and beyond, risking his own life to save others. We must ensure that our country's veterans are not forgotten and are given due recognition of their bravery and sacrifice.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, October 27, as worshippers gathered to celebrate the naming of a new baby at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood, a gunman burst into the temple wielding three handguns and an AR-15 assault rifle shouting ``All Jews Must Die.'' He murdered three women and eight men before he was subdued by the police in what authorities are calling the worst attack on the Jewish community in American history.

The eleven congregants killed and the six others who were wounded in this act of pure evil were targeted because of one reason only: they were Jews. Peaceful law abiding Americans were killed in a holy place on the Jewish Sabbath simply for being Jews. That this would happen in 2018 is appalling and is a tragic reminder that anti-Semitism is unfortunately alive and well. The Jewish American community dates back to before the founding of our country, as this often persecuted religious community sought shelter in the hope of the American promise. In his 1790 letter to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, George Washington famously wrote, ``The government of the United States . . . gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance. May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitats--while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.''

Mr. Speaker, what happened on Saturday was an assault on the very foundations of America. It was an assault on freedom of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I always say that the First Amendment is first because it is the most important--it is the very basis of what historically has made this country different than all others. It is because of that amendment that Jews and people of all other faiths have made this country their home.

This deranged killer sought not only to kill Jews on the Sabbath, he sought to kill America as we know it. His violent and murderous actions should be treated as a hate crime, and he should be brought to justice swiftly. If he is indeed convicted, this man should be meted out the most severe punishment under the law.

Just days following this heinous attack, the Rabbi of the Tree of Life Synagogue summed up the significance of what occurred well. ``Many just see this as an attack on the Jewish community. It's not. When American citizens cannot freely and safely worship in their house of worship and celebrate the Sabbath, it concerned me because it challenges the safety and security of all Americans in any house of worship. It was an attack on America.''

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, there are only two Northern White Rhinos left in the world. These two remarkable creatures live under constant armed security because poachers and terrorists are determined to kill them for their horns. Guarding these rhinos is like protecting the Mona Lisa or some other priceless piece of art in a war zone. Along with the sale of elephant tusks, black market wildlife traffickers have hunted many of Africa's great animals to extinction. This must end now before it is too late and these animals are lost forever.

Today, Rhino horns go for $65,000 per kilogram on the black market. At such a high price the illegal poaching of these rare animals contributes a sizeable portion of the estimated $19 billion a year wildlife trafficking industry. Terrorists and other extremist groups have noticed this lucrative business as a source of funding for their own evil deeds. Terrorist organizations such as al-Shabaab and the Lord's Resistance Army desperate for money use the illegal rhino horn and ivory trade to raise millions of dollars for their violent causes. We may often look at wildlife trafficking as a conservation issue, but it is also a major national security concern that is not being taken as seriously as other terrorist financing schemes.

Unfortunately, wildlife trafficking and the illegal ivory trade exists in large part because corrupt governments like China and Vietnam permit a market for these illicit goods. These governments have pledged to support anti-trafficking measures but have failed to enforce existing laws or target consumers. Even North Korea has gotten in on the illegal trade with its diplomats caught multiple times shipping horns and tusks in diplomatic pouches to East Asia. Without action by these governments to stop the rhino horn and elephant tusk markets in their countries, it will be nearly impossible to prevent poaching in Africa.

China, Vietnam, and other governments around the world must understand that allowing wildlife trafficking in their borders is contributing to the financing of terrorism and instability in Africa. Overall, more must be done to stop the poachers, traffickers, terrorists, and corrupt foreign authorities that allow this illegal business to thrive. With dozens of rhinos and elephants killed each day for their horns and tusks, time is running out.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, since 2014, the Russian Federation has been in violation

of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Despite four years of patience and asking nicely, the Kremlin doubled-down on its aggressive development of dangerous new nuclear delivery systems. Just in March, Putin unveiled several new nuclear weapons featuring simulated displays of strikes on the United States homeland. These provocative acts and renewed Russian aggression demonstrate we are in a new Cold War where we cannot be handicapped by agreements Putin does not honor.

That is why I support the President's decision to terminate the INF Treaty. Why should we continue to play by the rules when Putin is cheating? We must be prepared to counter and outmatch Russia's missile build-up. The Treaty as it stands only limits America's ability to compete. It is more destabilizing when only one-party complies because there is no longer a transparent balance of forces.

Let's set aside that the Chinese have absolutely no such limitations on intermediated range nuclear forces, given that there is no U.S.- Chinese version of this treaty. Indeed, China has free rein on intermediate range nuclear missile development, while the U.S. is limited by the INF treaty.

Consistently Putin has violated treaty after treaty and undermined whatever goodwill was created by the conclusion of the Cold War. Putin aspires to rebuild the might of the Soviet and Tsarist Empires. He is working to re-divide the world between East and West. Much like Hitler's attempt to rearm and undo the humiliation that Germany had suffered in the First World War, Putin today is rearming the Red Army and attempting to undo the humiliation Russia experienced with the collapse of the Soviet Union. American political, economic, and military strength--along with the persistent rise of democracy among the former Soviet republics--have always stood in the way of Putin's grand ambitions. As have the treaties that his predecessors signed with the United States, which Putin sees as a major source of the Soviet demise.

Due to our failure to confront the Kremlin, the Russian military has a four-year head-start in the development and fielding of intermediate- range missiles. However, now that we are free from the self-imposed constraints of the dead INF Treaty, American innovation can be unleashed. The re-energized Arsenal of Democracy, which has deterred many great conflicts in the modern era, can remind the Kremlin why it was in their interests to sign the INF Treaty in the first place. This will also provide new urgency to renewing the New START Treaty that is set to expire in 2021.

Putin must learn the lessons of his predecessors: that competing with America on an industrial and technological playing field is a fool's errand. Allowing Russia to violate the INF Treaty with impunity was a dangerous mistake. But now that we can compete, Russia will find more incentive to return to the negotiating table and seek a new treaty. Peace through strength is not just a catchy saying, but a well- practiced strategy to maintain peace and order in the world. After all, it was this strategy implemented by President Reagan that prompted Moscow to sign the INF Treaty in 1987 in the first place. We must do this again. In this dangerous new era of great power rivalry, we cannot rely on Russian goodwill, but rather American strength.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to talk about a looming menace to our democracy that has been pushed off the front pages but that, nevertheless, continues to compromise our individual liberty and freedom everyday--Mr. Speaker, I am talking about the ongoing erosion of our basic right to privacy guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.

The Fourth Amendment, as a quick reminder, guarantees: ``The right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, and shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.''

From NSA spying, governmental intrusion into your medical history, to Patriot Act searches of your phone and voice records, to Google collecting data about your everyday life and then turning it over to the highest bidder OR the government if they want it--our Fourth Amendment rights are under continued attack.

The Fourth Amendment is a citizen's greatest strength to combat a bullying and growing governmental police state. We even have seen an expansion of administrative subpoenas--somehow my colleagues on the other side of the aisle do not see this as a problem. Why? Because it means that government bureaucrats, without a judge's approval or probable cause, can lead lawless investigations fishing for wrong-doing without purpose. This tool has been used against businesses, large and small, as well as individual citizens.

The previous administration used the SEC, Department of Justice, and the IRS to target those who seemed ``a bit too conservative'' or whose purpose aided right-leaning causes.

These administrative subpoenas were created back in the day of FDR and the Great Depression to thwart those who fought back against the New Deal's major expansion of the federal government and its powers or dared to try to forward free commerce--pay no mind to the forgotten Tenth Amendment. The Founding Fathers abhorred these warrants, also called Writs of Assistance, which were used by the British government to target governmental critics, those seeking religious freedom, a free press, merchants and businesses, or those seeking to better their own lives in the new colonies. The Writs allowed British officials to search or seize any property at anytime, anywhere, for any reason.

The Fourth Amendment protects against government totalitarianism and government over-reach. Whether it is by governmental snooping of our data and phone records, which has been around since the days of J. Edgar Hoover, and has been amped up in a post 9/11 world, or through judge-less warrants like administrative subpoenas, Americans must be on-alert to try to protect what the Fourth Amendment guarantees us all. Because if not, we simply slip back towards a people controlled by our government who is always watching, waiting to grow its power, and listening for that with which it may not agree, a destruction of the amazing democracy that was created almost 250 years ago.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the Alamo is the most important place in Texas and in Texas History.

It is the definition of all things Texan.

It is about the people.

The Texians--The Tejanos who gave their last full measure of devotion to a cause greater than life itself--Liberty.

It is about the beginning of our 9 years as a sovereign Republic.

It is a symbol of the fierce independent streak that runs through our veins.

Behind those crumbling church walls of the Alamo, there is a spirit that has forever shown the world shown who we are as Texans--our character: defiant, bold, fearless, fighters for freedom.

The Alamo instills yet today an almost mystical spirit in all Texans native, and recent arrivals of pride.

187 Volunteers of all races; frontiersmen, lawyers, farmers, shopkeepers; men from Spain, Mexico, Germany, Scotland, England, most of the states and native Texians who were led by my hero Colonel William Barrett Travis, stood in righteous defiance against a dictator and tyranny.

Such men as Davy Crockett (Tennessee), Jose Gregorio Esparza (Tejano), James Bonham (South Carolina), James Bowie (Louisiana), and Brigido Guerrero (Mexican soldier that switched sides) and 180 more, stood their ground against the invaders.

All have personal stories.

Knowing and despite of the overwhelming odds, those Texians and Tejanos fell to their death rather than submit to oppression.

They first embodied the phrase ``Don't Mess with Texas.''

It is quite a remarkable story.

No people anywhere have such a history of how they all, gave all.

From the ashes of the burning Alamo--the phoenix of a republic was born, because of these Freedom Fighters of 1836.

After the Battle of the Alamo, Texas gained independence on the plains of San Jacinto where Sam Houston and his boys defeated the invaders.

Then, Texas remained an independent nation for nine years.

I first came to the Alamo as a kid in Mrs. Wilson's Texas history class in Houston.

A lot has changed since then.

It has changed even more since 1836.

There was no Five and Dime Woolworths store across the street.

Neither was there a tattoo parlor.

Colonel Travis didn't buy a $54.99 combo ticket for Ripley's Believe It or Not either.

The years of encroachment and commercialization of sacred ground, where the blood of the Sons of Texas consecrated the land should be a deep concern for all Texans and Americans, not just the citizens of the great city of San Antonio.

As Land Commissioner George P. Bush said, ``When people visit the Alamo, almost all are underwhelmed with the small size of the Alamo grounds.''

Visionary, Land Commissioner George P. Bush has presented a bold plan to restore the Alamo battlefield to much of what it was in 1836.

I strongly support the efforts of Commissioner Bush, Mayor Nirenburg, and the San Antonio City Council on approval of the Alamo Master Plan to make sure Texans, and the world visitors know that our history is like no other place--because there is but one Alamo.

San Antonio recently approved leasing land to the State of Texas to implement this plan.

I congratulate them on doing so.

Texas heritage is unique--our heritage is unique.

Alamo Commander Travis has inspired my life.

His letter was on my wall at the court house when I was a judge.

It is proudly displayed in my office in Washington.

At the bottom of my stationary are the words ``I shall never surrender or retreat.''

My first grandson is named Barrett Houston.

And I end all my letters as did Travis: God and Texas.

The Alamo deserves nothing but topnotch care and preservation, restoration of the 1836 battlefield footprint, and an accompanying museum to display the hundreds of Alamo artifacts that are uniquely Texan.

The Alamo, 100 years old at the time of the battle, has incurred much disrespect and neglect.

For example, in the 1800's the Federal Army used the church as a barn, warehouse, and stable until the Catholic Church reclaimed it.

Fortunately, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, now the State of Texas, are making sure history is preserved.

But, most importantly, we must ensure that the history of the Alamo and its relentless defenders is accurately told.

Including the history of the families that stayed with their husbands, fathers, and sons.

There is no room for revisionist history at the sacred ground of Texas liberty.

As a lifelong student of our Texas history, I am excited to see the Alamo and its battlefield returned to life.

So, congratulations to Land Commissioner Bush and the members of the San Antonio City Council who had the privilege, honor and yes, duty, to put their names in history as the men and women who ultimately heard the reverberating ``Remember the Alamo'' battle cry, took action, crossed the line in the sand, to keep this beacon of Liberty forever shining in this place we call the Alamo of Texas.

God and Texas.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Iran's network of terrorist proxies continues to expand across the Middle East. Wherever there is conflict and division, a militant group backed by Iran can be found. They have become powerful political and military actors in weak states because Tehran provides the money and weapons for them to murder and intimidate their way into power.

But what are we, the United States of America, doing about it? For one thing, we have finally re-applied sanctions on Iran after the terrible nuclear deal allowed these proxies to go well-funded and unchallenged. This allows us to target finances of the primary patron for chaos in the Middle East: Iran. But on the local level, in the multiple arenas where Tehran and its proxies are battling for control we are doing very little. Our own State Department has blocked any aggressive effort that would target some of Iran's most capable proxies. Why?

One of the most important arenas for competing against Iran's growing influence is in Iraq. That nation has seen nearly two decades of war, most recently with the fight against ISIS. Iran has exploited Iraq's chaos to raise several proxies that have killed Americans and Iraqis. While one of Tehran's earliest Iraqi proxies, Kataib Hezbollah, was designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2009, others have operated with impunity. This includes two of the Iran's most powerful proxies: Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN). In recent years these two militias have been the vanguard of Iran's activities in the region, including sowing sectarian division in Iraq and fighting on behalf of the butcher Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Yet when I introduced legislation that would designate AAH and HHN for terrorism--which nearly every expert agrees they are complicate in--the State Department has worked to shield these groups. U.S. Embassy staff in Baghdad was very dismissive of this legislation and ridiculed it. It seems to me that the embassy is ignorant of the threat of these groups that have American blood on their hands. Even one of these terrorist groups attacked the embassy after the embassy opposed the terrorist designation. Meanwhile, these groups have seized 15 seats in Iraq's parliament. So what has the state department accomplished other than obstruct Congressional lawmaking? Iraq is closer to being an Iranian client-state than ever before. The State Department should not join in with Iran and oppose this legislation.

President Trump has made clear that confronting Iranian expansionism is a key priority of his administration. But the State Department has instead adopted a strategy to protect Iran's proxies and undermine the American legislative process. We need our diplomats to be sending a strong signal that terrorist militias acting on behalf of Iran must not be taking power in Iraq. Now is a critical time in that country, with the Iraqi people in the streets demanding Iran out of their country. America should be standing with them, not with the Mullahs and their thugs.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, there are three important traits that leaders young and old should have: courage, confidence, and character. The three C's is a good name for them. These traits are the foundation of what the 2.6 million Girl Scouts worldwide use to make a difference. Out of the 2.6 million girls and adults, there are 1.8 million girls, and thousands are chosen every year as Gold Award Girl Scouts for their dedication to improving the communities that they serve. Out of these thousands of girls, only ten young leaders are chosen as National Gold Award Girl Scouts. This honorable distinction is reserved for those girls who have taken an idea and turned into concrete results that will have effects on the local, national, and global levels.

Well Mr. Speaker, part of the district I represent in Houston, Texas happens to be home to a recently awarded National Gold Award Girl Scout, Susan Soh. Susan is helping to change the lives of others around the world with her Gold Award project, Leer a Mi (Read to Me). Susan learned of children in Guatemala who spoke only their local Mayan dialect, and not the official language of Spanish. Because of the language barrier, children were struggling with literacy in upon entering primary school. After recognizing this was a serious issue, Susan answered the call to action.

Life changing effects have been made for children in Guatemala thanks to Susan's efforts and her partnership with Guatemala SANA. By bringing in Spanish speakers to record audiobooks, building a library, and creating language programs, almost no stone has been left unturned to help the local children excel in their schooling. Real results have been made in the community.

Over 400 children visit the library every month and are scoring above their reading levels when they enter primary school. Because of the success of this idea turned to actionable plan, Susan has made sure the results continue for years to come.

Susan, along with the other National Gold Award Girl Scouts, were recognized this month at the United Nations in New York City. I applaud her for answering the call to action. She has demonstrated true leadership with the three C's at the forefront of her efforts: courage, confidence, and character. Her work as a Girls Scout shows that she is a leader in our city, state, country, and around the globe.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the day was October 8, 1918, a century ago, when the events of the Meuse-Argonne offensive would be etched into history eternal. The largest operation of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEFs) was taking place with over one million American doughboys deployed.

Soldiers were tasked with a dangerous mission, penetrating the Argonne Forest, which was a force in itself to be reckoned with. Thick vegetation, jagged hills, and the entrenchment of German forces made this the single deadliest battle in American history. 125,000 American casualties were sustained, with over 26,000 deaths.

What was to be the final Allied push against German forces on the Western Front, October 8th proved to be a day that would always be remembered by all the nations that participated in the War.

United States Corporal Alvin C. York was in small squadron of about 20 fellow Americans, just boys really, a world away from home. Their task was to take German-held positions. The geography made this objective a difficult one, but York along with his men knew what had to be done.

Following orders, the group advanced, but was fired upon from a nest at the top of a nearby hill. The German gunners cut down nine men, including a superior officer, leaving York in charge of the squad.

Now in charge, and with little to no time to regroup, he fought to avenge the lives of the fellow soldiers that lost their lives. After it was all said and done, York successfully took the position while taking down 20 German soldiers, as well as taking 132 German prisoners. His honorable service in this battle earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

York described the events in his diary: ``Those machine guns were spitting fire and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful. . . . I didn't have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush, I didn't even have time to kneel or lie down. . . .

As soon as the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them. In order to sight me or to swing their machine guns on me, the Germans had to show their heads above the trench, and every time I saw a head I just touched it off. All the time I kept yelling at them to come down. I didn't want to kill any more than I had to. But it was they or I. And I was giving them the best I had.''

The ``best he had'' was more than enough. The German commander, thinking he was grossly outnumbered, surrendered his garrison of nearly 90 men. Like many men of his time, York never made much of his accomplishments of that day, but his heroic actions did not go unnoticed. Promoted to the rank of sergeant, he remained on the front lines until November 1, ten days before the armistice.

The New York Times called York ``the war's biggest hero.'' General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), called him ``the greatest civilian soldier'' of World War I. The American doughboy born in a log cabin near the Tennessee-Kentucky border became an American hero and his actions became the basis for the iconic movie, Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper. Upon York's death in 1964, President Lyndon Johnson called him ``a symbol of American courage and sacrifice'' who epitomized ``the gallantry of American fighting men and their sacrifices on behalf of freedom.''

As we honor the 100-year anniversary for the Great World War, let us not forget the more than two million Americans that crossed the Atlantic to fight for freedom in Europe, and the 116,000 of them that never came home. One such soldier that answered the call was my friend, Frank Buckles. Frank died in 2011; he was the last living link to the story of the American Doughboy.

I introduced the Frank Buckles WWI Memorial Act, to restore the local DC memorial and to recognize the service and sacrifice of all the men and women that served in the Great World War. Finally, after 100 years a memorial will finally be built in the nation's capital for all of those who fought in the Great War. I was honored to work with my colleague, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri in a bipartisan way to make sure that Congress did its part in authorizing the construction of the World War I Memorial on our National Mall.

I often talk about those of our Greatest Generation, but without the fathers from the Great World War, the Doughboys, the Frank Buckles--the rest wouldn't be possible. America goes to war to free, to liberate, to protect, and to bring justice to bear. We owe it to them and our future generations to honor our veterans in our nation's capital. Because, the greatest tragedy of war is to be forgotten.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, my hometown of Houston, Texas, bears the name of Sam Houston, perhaps one of the most important figures in Texas history. Without his steady, stoic leadership, Texas would not be the great state that it is today. Indeed, it might have never even existed.

Let me tell you more. In the summer of 1836, Texas had successfully won its independence from Mexico. Under the leadership of General Sam Houston, the Texan forces overran Santa Anna's army at the Battle of San Jacinto. Houston himself was wounded during the battle, having caught a musket ball in the leg. But he did not let the pain from his wound cloud his judgement.

When by chance the Texans discovered the disgraced Mexican dictator Santa Anna disguised as a private, he was brought to Houston. Many in the Texas Army wanted Santa Anna executed, but Houston, knowing that he could negotiate favorable terms of surrender directly with el Presidente, refused to give the order. Rather, he brokered the treaty with the leader which gave Texas its independence from Mexico. Texas remained a sovereign Republic for nine years.

With independence secured, the Texans turned to its government. David G. Burnet, who had been serving as the president of Texas since the March 2 declaration (what we celebrate today as Texas Independence Day), called for a general election.

The new nation already faced debt problems and issues with army pensions. But with each new concern that surfaced, the choice to lead Texas became more obvious: the hero of San Jacinto.

This was not Houston's first rodeo in government. He served in U.S. Congress representing Tennessee and then as governor of Tennessee. Public service brought him to Texas in 1832, where he was sent by President Andrew Jackson to negotiate treaties with Native Americans. On top of his previous experience, his courageous actions at San Jacinto made him the clear choice in the minds of most Texans to lead the country.

On September 5, Houston won in a landslide election, earning 5,119 votes out of a possible 6,640. So strong was the din from the Texas Congress for Houston to take office as soon as possible that President Burnet moved his inauguration date forward two months. When they first convened after the election, the Texas legislature's first vote was to swear Sam Houston into office that very same day. After taking the oath and delivering a brief, impromptu speech, Houston calmly unhooked his sword and handed it to the Speaker of the House, thus casting off an ``emblem of his past office'' and following George Washington's example of the primacy of civilian rule. Not a man inside was unmoved by this small but significant act.

Mr. Speaker, Sam Houston was a great Texan and a great American. He is an icon whose memory deserves our utmost respect and admiration. Today, we are all proud Houstonians.

And that is just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Navy Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer Third Class Zarian A. Wood, known as ``Z'' to his friends, died at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, on May 16, 2010 of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device blast that occurred in Helmand Province, while on patrol two days prior. Zarian, a 29-year-old hospital corpsman from Houston, Texas, was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. He was very well known as ``Doc'' in Afghanistan, serving on the front lines alongside Marine infantrymen.

Zarian graduated in 1999 from South Houston High School, where he competed on the wrestling team. He worked as a youth pastor and tutor for troubled kids on Houston's northeast side and a merchandiser for Coca-Cola before enlisting in 2006. He dreamed of going back to school, studying radiology, and maybe even becoming a dentist. But always putting others before himself, he put his dreams on hold to fight for his country.

And fight he did--Zarian was a decorated soldier. His personal service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

A month before he was deployed on his second combat duty, he had some quality time with his family. Between video games and steak dinners, they bonded for what would be the last time. His father Daniel Wood, a Vietnam veteran, commented on his son's honesty and integrity: ``He'd tell you in a flat minute if you were wrong . . . then again; he'd stand up for you in a flat minute if you were right''.

The liberty we cherish in this Nation has come at a great cost. At times we can all be guilty of taking the simple things in life for granted. We thank men like Officer Wood for these simple liberties. We thank them that we can wake up in the morning and are not afraid, and that we can go to bed at night knowing we are safe. Your selfless heroism has not been forgotten, Zarian. ``Some people live their entire lifetime and wonder if they ever made a difference to the world, Marines don't have that problem.''--Ronald Reagan.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, 1 in 10 Americans join the military and I am proud to say that the state of Texas consistently meets their quarterly quotas. Texans are raised with a sense of patriotism and civic duty, which is reflected by the number of enlisted members in the military. As of September 2017, Texas had 164,234 members on active duty or reserves, placing Texas as the 2nd state with the largest population serving in the armed forces.

From an early age Texans are taught southern hospitality, religion, and love for their country. This is especially true for Marine Corps Sergeant Eric Morante, who recalls wanting to be a US Marine since he was 8 years old. In 2003, weeks after graduating from high school, Eric stepped foot in San Diego, California to complete the Marine Corp boot camp. As an 0311-Infantryman, he was given orders to the 2nd battalion, 7th Marines in Twenty-nine Palms, California. Weeks after reporting for duty, his unit deployed to Iraq. Eric would be assigned to a fire-team that cleared houses in Fallujah. On his first deployment, Eric was conducting raids, patrolling and identifying high value targets, all at the age of 18. Eric completed his first 7-month tour and returned safely to American soil for 6 months before being re-deployed to Iraq on July 4, 2005.

Eric's second deployment was a little different than the first. Days before their scheduled return, the 2nd battalion, 7th Marines, lost 10 men and had 11 injuries from a single explosion caused by a pressure plate IED on the west side of Fallujah. After two ``desert'' deployments and the loss of several comrades, Eric Morante honorably completed his first enlistment. But this proud Texan was not done serving his country or his beloved US Marine Corps. In 2006, he raised his right hand, and for a second time, he swore to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. As he prepared for his new drill-instructor role, he learned that the 2/7 was being re-deployed for another tour. Eric deferred his new orders as a drill-instructor to accompany the men that had become his family, to the Middle-East. The loss of his friends weighed heavy on his heart and he was not prepared to lose more.

On April 20th of 2007, four months into this third Iraq deployment, Eric stood watch with 6 Marines and a Navy Corps man, over bridge 286 that overlooks 6 lanes over a major highway that runs through Iraq. On that day, their lives were forever changed. A dump truck carrying 3,000 lbs. of explosives detonated just 15 feet away from the bridge. Waking up covered in large remnants of concrete, Eric recalls sitting up and spitting up blood. His left arm twisted and dislocated and his right leg in an un-natural L-shape.

Despite the complete state of shock, the constant ringing in the ears, and the faint voices, Eric managed to account for his men. Miraculously, no men were killed in the explosion, and the 6 of the 8 men that were seriously injured were medevacked.

Unable to save Eric's severely injured right leg, the doctors of Bethesda Naval Hospital amputated above the knee. Pins were used to repair his left hand, surgery to reconstruct his face was conducted and once again, Eric would have to learn how to walk. Recuperating at the Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, he found himself going through a period of depression and began to isolate himself from his loved ones. At one point, was taking 16 prescribed medications to help cope with his PTSD.

In 2009, Eric welcomed his first and only son, which gave him purpose and a new perspective in life. His new role as a father allowed him to once again be the Eric he once was; a leader with grit, respect, and desire to help others. Since the explosion, Eric has completed triathlons, 5Ks, and sprints. He also became the first Marine amputee to be sanctioned for boxing in the United States and remained undefeated for 5 full years. He boxes at fundraising matches that benefit veteran organizations, and has created a name for himself in the veteran community. He continuously advocates and helps others that struggle with PTSD and visits military hospitals in an effort to guide amputees through the prosthetics process.

Mr. Speaker, President Ronald Reagan once said ``some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. But the Marines don't have that problem''. The great state of Texas commends Eric for his service, courage and resiliency. Semper Fi Marine.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, what's in a name? Shakespeare would have us believe that we should not assign so much meaning to a name. A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, would it not? Well, for us southerners, a name is something we hold near and dear to our hearts--and our heritage. We name our children after mother's maiden names, double ``first names'' often include their daddy's or granddaddy's names. Heck, even our dogs' names have personal and historical significance.

I say this, because I want to talk about a particular place that is near and dear to me and many Houstonians, but its namesake has lost its rightful place in our history. Each day, over 10,000 people use Memorial Park. The park is Houston's largest public space; almost double the size of New York's Central Park and larger than Chicago's Lincoln Park, and London's Hyde Park. It is Texas, so naturally it's bigger. The park's 600-acre urban wilderness is one of the largest centrally located urban forests in the country.

But long before it was packed with Lululemon clad joggers, it was Camp Logan, one of sixteen military training camps during World War I. The 7,600 acres of forested land on Buffalo Bayou housed and trained nearly 30,000 soldiers. Its massive size equaled over half the size of Manhattan with over 1,300 buildings. Nearly 1,000 Camp Logan soldiers lost their lives during the war and over 6,200 were wounded.

The Camp's place in history is also marked by the Houston Riots of 1917, which broke out after a series of troubling events between Houston police and African-American soldiers, leaving 20 dead. It was the site of one of only two African-American training camps. Of those soldiers trained at Camp Logan, over 75 were awarded France's Croix de Guerre.

As early as the 1820's, the ``pinery'' of Memorial Park appeared in our history books, when Jane Long, the ``Mother of Texas'' recounts camping there after fleeing Fort Las Casas on her way to San Antonio after her husband, Capt. James Long's death in his quest to conquer Spanish Texas. In 1912, Mayor Horace Rice Baldwin, another significant ``name'' in Houston's history, pursued the idea of acquiring a large park along Buffalo Bayou ``that will for all time be of sufficient magnitude for our people.''

When the United States entered the War to End All Wars, the War Department leased 7,600 acres of land on Buffalo Bayou to establish a training base named Camp Logan. In 1923, when the camp is deserted, local resident, Catherine Mary Emmott wrote to the Houston Chronicle suggesting that ``the city buy some of the land and turn it into a park in memory of the boys.'' Enter another notable ``name'' in Houston history, the Hogg Family.

In 1924, Will and Mike Hogg, with minority owner Henry Stude, bought two tracts of former Camp Logan land and sold the acreage to the city at cost. In May of that year, the City of Houston officially established Memorial Park in memory of the soldiers who trained there.

The Hogg's sister, Miss Ima Hogg, assumed the role of guardian of the Park, safeguarding it from numerous encroachments over the years. Under her guidance, landscape architects were hired to develop a long-term vision plan for the park which included an 18-hole golf course, scenic drives, trails for hikers and ``nature students,'' bridle paths, and an amphitheater.

Over the next 30 years, the park became home to architect John Bredemus' ``greatest golf course ever,'' added a popular archery range and set the stage for the arrival in the 1950's of the trail riders on the Salt Grass Trail as they make their way into the Houston Livestock and Rodeo--still a favorite tradition to this day.

In the 1970's, Houstonian Seymour Leiberman, dubbed the ``Father of Jogging,'' started coaching runners for area high-school cross country meets, spearheading the popularity of jogging in the park. When I was judge in Houston, I took to these same trails every day, as later did my kids. I can't tell you how many miles I've run in Memorial Park. Running was so much a part of my life, Runner's World magazine even featured me in the 1980's.

The park has seen its fair share of challenges, including the devastating drought in 2011 that claimed nearly 80 percent of its trees. But just like Miss Ima Hogg's good stewardship of the past, another benefactor stepped forward to ensure future generations of Houstonians can enjoy Memorial Park and preserve the namesake of those that served in the Great World War.

Houston's Kinder Foundation granted $70 million to underscore the need to fast-track Memorial Park's Master Plan to create the best urban park in America. As a result, this energized the park's public and private partners to invest up to $205 million more.

These efforts will take the Master Plan from proposal to reality in just 10 years and enhance and protect Memorial Park for countless years to come. These efforts have set new standards in green space planning and public-private funding partnerships. Kinder Foundation's inspiring public-private partnerships have changed Houston's color palette from gray to green.

I hope that as you run the three-mile loop or drive down Memorial Drive from downtown to the Galleria, that you take a minute to appreciate not just the beauty and the short escape from the city, but really appreciate the history of Memorial Park, those that gave their lives for our freedom, and those who have made it a priority to preserve it.

And that's just the way it is.