Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as the Sun rises each morning in Africa, Angelina gathers water for her family. But the community water well in Muyayano, Malawi, is broken most every day. So she and other women like her are forced to go 10 miles to fetch water from a polluted river, water that is bacterially infested with waste, parasites, and other insects.

Going to the smelly river is physically hard. But it is also emotionally hard because Angelina's 2-year-old daughter got sick and died from the bug-infested river water, a girl similar to this one. But Angelina goes to the river because she has no other option.

Every 21 seconds, a child dies from water-related diseases. By the time I finish talking, three children will die. This ought not to be.

Representative Blumenauer and I have introduced the Water for the World Act. This will make U.S. water aid more efficient, and it will be more coordinated. We have it within our power to fix this tragedy so that mothers in Africa don't lose their daughters to polluted drinking water.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, this week I got a call from a concerned father in Crosby, Texas. His daughter is a single working mom with 3 young children ages 3 through 13. She recently received bad news from her health insurance provider. She and her children will be dropped from their current plan.

The new plan required under ObamaCare had a 40 percent more expensive premium. As a result, she and her children had to move out of their home and in with their father and mother. She no longer can afford to make it on her own.

The father said: ``Texans are suffering. It hurts us. She got a 40 percent increase in her premium payments while she's already struggling to make ends meet. Her policy was great before, but now it's gone.''

Mr. Speaker, this single working mom in Texas is being punished under ObamaCare. The President sold ObamaCare to the American people on the false promise that if they liked their plan they could keep it. Now, this single mother and her children and others are learning the hard way that this was just one more Washington lie.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the United States is gearing up for the next Super Bowl. Unfortunately, so are human sex traffickers. Super Bowl Sunday is not just the sporting event of the year; it has also become America's traveling human trafficking magnet. Exploiters roam the streets looking for prey.

Last year, while the two teams battled it out on the field, a young trafficked girl prayed for her life while sold for sex. These are women and children who have been taken as sex slaves, becoming sought-after entertainment on Super Bowl weekend.

New Jersey's efforts toward eliminating this dastardly deed are to be commended. Hopefully, they are successful in curbing modern-day slavery at the Super Bowl. But this crime ought not to be, not at a major sporting event, not in our neighborhood.

That is why Carolyn Maloney and I have introduced H.R. 3530, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which will go after the traffickers and the consumers of this slavery. We need to protect victims and prosecute the slave trafficking deviants.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, it is a new year. As the clock struck midnight, Americans throughout the fruited plain celebrated the end of 2013 and the start of a new year.

January 1--out with the old and in with the new--light bulb, so sayeth Uncle Sam. That is right: ``turn out the lights, the party's over'' for the incandescent light bulb.

I went to H-E-B last week in Texas and the shelves were bare. Only curly fluorescent light bulbs to be found. That is because the government has now banned 75-, 100-, 60-, and 40-watt light bulbs.

Edison's light bulb has gone from the endangered species list to near extinction. Some incandescent light bulbs will be allowed, but only if they meet new government standards. What was once the symbol for American innovation is now banned by the almighty government. Isn't that ironic?

Why? Because it is not energy efficient, so sayeth the government. The government certainly doesn't want Americans to have a choice with what light bulbs they purchase because the government knows best.

The new fluorescent curly light bulbs, also called CFLs, contain mercury and also are more expensive. Mr. Speaker, I thought mercury was bad for us.

Anyway, nothing gets easier when you use these light bulbs. Do you need to dispose of one of these curly light bulbs? Don't even think about throwing it in the trash without reading the instructions in the box. Don't throw them in the wastebasket. You are supposed to take them to a local recycling center. Yeah, right.

If a person decides to take the risk and throw the light bulb out at home, listen closely, because, of course, it is more complicated. The light bulb should be sealed in two plastic bags and then placed in the trash outdoors so as not to pollute landfills if it breaks.

There are more regulations. If a CFL is dropped, well, disaster strikes, in my opinion. You can't just pick up the pieces and throw them away. The EPA has generously told us in more detailed instructions what we do if one is broken: ``Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the area.''

So, Mr. Speaker, if I accidentally drop this light bulb here on the House floor and it breaks, does that mean we have to evacuate the House floor? According to the EPA, at least we should do that.

I give you more: ``Open a window''--don't have any in here--``and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. Shut off the central heating and air-conditioning system. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with a metal lid.'' Mr. Speaker, I hope you have some of those old mason jars around here.

There is more. The EPA says: ``Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag. Do not use a vacuum or broom.'' Next thing you know, we are going to need a HAZMAT crew to come in to someone's home if they accidentally drop a light bulb.

There is a lot more: ``These light bulbs may cause interference to radios, televisions, wireless telephones and remote controls.'' Okay, I will be sure to turn off the lights tonight when I watch ``Duck Dynasty.'' I don't want to miss it because I have these curly light bulbs.

I forgot to mention--guess where these little spiral light bulbs are made. China. Now isn't that lovely?

The power of choice has been taken away from the American people, even the choice of a light bulb, because government is controlling our lives and it knows better. The Federal Government should not have the authority to force Americans to buy anything, whether it is health care, a box of donuts, or even CFL light bulbs.

As Willie Nelson has said: ``Turn out the lights, the party's over. They say that all good things must end. Turn out the lights, the party's over'' for at least Thomas Edison's light bulb.

May it rest in peace, Mr. Speaker.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, she was a little bitty tiny thing weighing barely over 5 pounds. Four days after Christmas, she was born at 4:25 a.m. Sunday morning, December 29, 2013, in Dallas, Texas. Two days later, on New Year's Eve, Rosalyn Marie Shoemaker came home with her adoptive parents, Kellee and Anthony, and 3-year-old sister, Olivia.

Roz, as she is already nicknamed, is a good sleeper, healthy eater, and a cuddler. Kellee, my daughter, and Anthony, her husband, are model God-fearing parents of strong character and have a compassion for children. Being parents is the hardest and most important role and job. Roz could have none better.

During Christmas, Christians honor the most important child ever born, but in our family, this past Christmas season, we know that unto us a special child was also born. Her name is Roz. My hope and prayer for Roz is that she grows in wisdom and stature and favor with the good Lord.

Roz is our 11th grandchild. Like her ten cousins, she too was born in Texas. Of course she was born in Texas, because that's the rule.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize two of my constituents, Charlie and Marilyn Wallace, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a vow renewal ceremony in my Texas district office this week. These two native Texans have spent half of a century together, and I am proud to honor them.

Charlie and Marilyn first met on April 6, 1963, at the University of Texas at Austin during its famous, festive tradition of Round-Up weekend. In a series of random events, some acquaintances conspired to set Charlie and Marilyn up on a blind date. Marilyn, a senior English major, reluctantly accepted Charlie's invitation to the Round-Up talent show and dance with great reservation because Charlie was an Aggie! Yes, prior to his graduate studies at UT, Charlie earned his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M.

That evening, Charlie called Marilyn from her dorm lobby where male students were required to wait for their dates. He told her he was wearing a blue suit with a red tie and to ``look for the ugliest one in the room.'' [Marilyn mistakenly first approached the wrong guy, also wearing a blue suit and red tie, who gave her a strange look when she said, ``Charles?'' Fortunately, she found the right man soon thereafter.]

Midway through the evening, Marilyn had the uncharacteristic, passing thought: ``It might be fun to be married to a man like this.'' It wasn't a typical date for Charlie either: In addition to the talent show and dance, he gave Marilyn a tour of his chemical engineering research lab and even played his guitar for her.

Marilyn graduated in August of 1963 and went on to teach English at Houston ISD's Austin High School, her alma mater, but Charlie made sure she didn't get away before she finally accepted his proposal on August 1, 1963. Charlie presented Marilyn with an engagement ring on September 21, 1963, and they were married December 21, 1963, in Houston at the Epworth Methodist Church.

Upon Charlie's completion of his master's degree in August 1964, he accepted a job with Shell Oil Co. that started with an intensive training program and work assignments at Shell's locations throughout Louisiana. During the Louisiana years, Marilyn was a substitute teacher, and she also held various administrative assistant positions that included one at LSU's agronomy department where she was well- regarded for her outstanding work and professionalism. Of particular note is that Marilyn served as a volunteer teacher during the Integration of the Louisiana Public School System and taught typing to Special Education students. Charlie and Marilyn also were involved in a Prison Ministry that they started at

Angola Prison. The couple bought their first home and settled in Slidell, Louisiana, in the summer of 1967, and their daughter Sheryl was born in New Orleans later that fall. Their son David was born in Slidell in the summer of 1970, just a few weeks before Charlie was transferred from New Orleans to Shell's Head Office in New York City.

In 1971, when Shell's Head Office Engineering was moved to Houston, the Wallaces were thrilled to return home to Texas. After 35 years of service to Shell, Charlie ``retired'' in 1999. However, Charlie immediately started his own full-time chemical engineering consulting business. His career has presented him with opportunities for international travel to Canada, The Netherlands, France, Hungary [when it was still behind the Iron Curtain,] China, England, Scotland, and Italy.

Marilyn has always been a supportive wife and mother and a committed homemaker. She is an ``independent agent of good'' who dedicates her time, resources, creativity, and advocacy to improve the quality of life for a diverse array of people including the seriously ill, the disadvantaged, the disabled, and the elderly.

Their children describe Charlie and Marilyn as fiercely committed to each other and extremely compatible. They enjoy travel, the outdoors, fitness and nutrition, and music. It is an honor to represent such decent, hardworking, civic-minded Texans. I want to congratulate Charlie and Marilyn on their 50th anniversary and may God bless them with many more years together. They are truly an outstanding couple from the second district of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, it's the most wonderful time of the year. Families across the fruited plain decorate their houses with red and green lights, hang ornaments on their trees, and think about new recipes to spice up this year's menu. Holiday party invitations flow in, carolers line the neighborhood streets at night, everybody is in the holiday spirit. In the midst of all the cheer, we are reminded that many families are sitting down this year to a table with an empty chair. They are not together because their loved ones (our American warriors) are oceans away from their families, fighting for the rest of us.

They say the worst casualty of war is to be forgotten. In our community we have a tradition to make sure that our men and women overseas know that we will never forget them. For seven straight years, Texans from the Second Congressional District and beyond have joined forces and collected handmade Christmas cards from the community to send overseas to our military. People from young school children to community leaders contribute, and this joint effort makes my annual Christmas Cards for Troops drive a success. Whether they are students, teachers, area Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, churches, and non-profits, they have been relentless in their efforts to express how grateful they are for our men and women on the front lives of battle by decorating and personalizing holiday cards for the troops. In my opinion, there's no better way than spreading the joy of the holidays overseas to the ones that can't be with their families for Christmas dinner and unwrapping gifts from under the tree. Each year is better than the last.

There is no greater sight than watching our troops open up the colorful, heartwarming cards. It wasn't until a few years ago that I witnessed firsthand what it means to them. One year, I decided to pack my bags and visit the Landstuhl Military Base in Germany, a hub for wounded Americans who come from Afghanistan and Iraq. With me, I carried two suitcases full of 6,000 handmade cards piled high from third, fourth, and fifth graders of the Second Congressional District.

I checked one of my suitcases but decided to carry on the smaller of the two. The temptation to read the cards overtook me. I couldn't hold back so about half way through the flight, I opened the bag and began reading some of the cards. Curiosity sparked the person in the seat next to me so I shared a few of the cards with him. Then the person next to him wanted to see the cards, too. Before I knew it, the whole plane was reading them. The cards were being passed up and down the aisles, and some tears were shed. You wouldn't believe the kind words written in those cards by these Texas school children.

When I arrived at the base and hand-delivered these cards, I was amazed to see what they meant to our troops. They didn't personally know the child who the card was from but every one of them read it and smiled proudly at the words of support. Soon, nurses were scrambling to tape as many cards as they could to the hospital walls above their beds. Red, green, yellow, and blue cards were decorated with snowmen, gingerbread men, candy canes, menorahs, or even their favorite football team. There is something about a homemade card that doesn't compare to anything else, especially when it's from a child.

This year was our most successful card drive yet with a record- breaking collection of 113,000 cards. A special thank you City of Baytown, Goose Creek CISD, Humble ISD, Spring ISD, Huffman ISD, Klein ISD, Cy Fair ISD, Spring Branch ISD, as well as area Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, local churches and non-profits. It could not have been done without them.

In a few weeks, hundreds of thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines will open up their packages from Operation Interdependence, along with their holiday card from a fellow Texan. Although the military member has never met the child or person on the other side of the world who took the time to create the card, there is nothing like receiving the holiday cheer from the land of the free and home of the brave.

And that's just the way it is.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, all around Israel things are in tremendous turmoil.

To Israel's south, Egypt is experiencing its worst period of unrest in 50 years. There is no elected government, and there won't be until next year. The economy is on a ventilator in Egypt. It is propped up only by billions of dollars of aid from Gulf countries.

The Muslim Brotherhood is openly fighting the interim government with armed mobs. Terrorists and vagabonds in the always lawless Sinai Peninsula are only encouraged by the weakened state of Cairo.

To Israel's north, Syria has become the world's hotspot for terrorists. Terrorists like al Qaeda and Hezbollah are streaming in, with no end in sight. Out-of-town criminals have come into the country to wreak havoc.

To Israel's east, already fragile Jordan is being overrun with Syrian refugees and infiltrated by terrorists as well.

A little further east, al Qaeda is wreaking havoc in Iraq. There is more violence there than at any point since 2008.

And to the far east, mischief regime of the desert, Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon that can enable it to fulfill its threat to wipe Israel off the map.

When I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu 2 weeks ago, he was clear that Israel cannot accept Iran as a nuclear threshold power if Israel wants to continue to exist as a people. He called our interim deal with Iran the worst deal of the century. I agree with him. It seems that we not only gave away the farm; we gave away the mineral rights as well. We took our best diplomatic tool, sanctions, off the table. The biggest problem with the deal was that it made a peaceful solution more unlikely.

With all of these threats surrounding it, we need to stand side by side and let the world know--our enemies and our friends--that we are allies of Israel. They are the U.S.'s strongest ally.

Israel is the only democracy in the region and the only one that respects human rights. It is in their national security interest and our national security interest to ensure Israel can defend itself from the ever-changing military threats. The enemies they have in the neighborhood are enemies to us as well.

I support H.R. 1992. The bill will make sure, too, that Israel's enemies do not gain a military advantage over the State of Israel. I urge its passage.

And that's just the way it is.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Not all lawsuits in the patent business are done by trolls, but some are, and these are obvious frivolous lawsuits on their face. The first time it appears in the system is when that small business owner gets that demand letter in the mail, and it is nothing more than legalized extortion where the letter basically says, You will settle for $10,000 or we will sue you and it will cost you more money to defend yourself; settle. What small business owners do, they are faced with that, many of them settle or they go out of business.

That is what this legislation tries to prevent, the extortion racket in the patent infringement business, and it is done by some people that we call trolls. This legislation protects the small business owner. It gets the troll, the frivolous lawsuit folks out of the extortion racket early on in the system. That is why this piece of legislation is good for small business, and that is why it is good for the patent industry.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, when you and I are thirsty, we walk 3 feet to the nearest faucet or grab a bottle of water out of the fridge; but that isn't so for thousands of people living around the world.

Each morning in Africa, women and young girls, like this girl in Tanzania, wake up and walk for miles just to collect water for their family. The walk can be dangerous because some wells

are controlled by violent thugs. These thugs often assault women and children in exchange for water. Often this water is dirty and leads to sickness and disease.

This is unimaginable for many Americans, but a reality for 780 million people on Earth who do not have access to clean water. We can fix this. That is why Congressman Earl Blumenauer and I have introduced the Water for the World Act. This bill uses existing taxpayer money to more effectively make clean water available to those who need it, such as digging wells in villages in Africa. According to the World Bank, for every dollar spent, at least $4 is returned in saved health care costs and increased economic productivity.

We have it in our power to help people have clean water. It is something America can and should do. No one should be assaulted when they try to get water. It is 2013. It is time to turn on the faucet and make water universal for little girls like this.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the President has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution, but this President has refused to follow and enforce certain laws.

He doesn't enforce all immigration laws. He doesn't enforce the mandatory minimum punishments. He doesn't enforce the work requirement for welfare recipients. He doesn't enforce the marijuana laws.

He illegally made recess appointments. He illegally changed ObamaCare by postponing implementation for Big Business, Small Business and individuals, and granting arbitrary waivers to special people.

He unconstitutionally took America to war in Libya.

All of these actions are unilateral, unlawful, and unconstitutional. The Constitution requires the President to execute and enforce law, not create his own laws or ignore the rule of law. However, this President, the former constitutional law professor, seems to think the Constitution is a mere suggestion, and he will do as he pleases.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United States, Vladimir Petrovic is not just a great Ambassador but a great person.

He is passionate about Serbia.

And he also loves the USA.

Working with the Ambassador was easy because we speak the same language.

Many people don't know that Texans and Serbs are a lot alike.

We are both independent, vocal, and opinionated.

We don't back down.

And I think that's why the Ambassador and I get along so well.

As co-chair of the Serbian Caucus along with my good friend from Missouri, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, I am sad to see the Ambassador leave.

We know that with his Serbian spirit, there are only good things to come.

Happy Trails Ambassador Petrovic.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the innovativeness of American enterprise flies off the radar.

According to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the company is fixing to deliver packages to its customers via drones. It is called ``Amazon Prime Air.''

That's right. In just a few years, Bezos said people will be able to order something online and have it in their hands within 30 minutes by the use of drones. It sounds like something out of the Jetsons, doesn't it? Gone will be the days of the neighborhood mail carriers. Soon there will be a drone to replace them. According to Amazon, these drones can deliver packages up to 5 pounds, which makes up 90 percent of their deliveries.

Mr. Speaker, thousands of Americans use Amazon every year, especially around the holiday season. Amazon, unlike the glitch-ridden government Web sites, can efficiently use online Internet services that get a timely product to market. Think of how many drones could soon be flying around the sky. Here a drone, there a drone, everywhere a drone in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, Amazon is just one of many companies that will be looking to take advantage of this cost-effective drone technology in the coming years. And good for Amazon. I congratulate them.

The FAA is charged with the responsibility of coming up with ways to regulate drones for safety reasons, but who is watching out for the privacy of American citizens? Congress has the responsibility and the duty to set clear regulation for all drones in domestic use. Absent legislation to prevent surveillance of Americans, companies could use drones not only for delivery, but other ways that, in my opinion, violate the constitutional right of privacy.

The issue of concern, Mr. Speaker, is surveillance, not the delivery of packages. That includes surveillance of someone's backyard, snooping around with a drone, checking out a person's patio to see if that individual needs new patio furniture from the company.

Photographing swing sets, pools, or the people that are in the pools, or even looking into windows, all of that could be done with the use of drones under corporate America or by individuals. This would all be possible. So Congress must ensure that the expanded use of drones in the coming years does not come at the expense of the individual right to privacy.

After all, this is a right guaranteed to all Americans under the Fourth Amendment. That's why I have, along with Representative Zoe Lofgren (Calif), introduced the bipartisan Preserving American Privacy Act. Our bill would deal with several things, and, once again, Mr. Speaker, we're talking about regulating surveillance and setting guidelines for the expectation of privacy for citizens.

It would, first of all, deal with the government. It would prohibit the government from using drones for targeted surveillance of an individual or their property without a search warrant. The Fourth Amendment applies to the use of drones when the government is involved. It would also prohibit individuals or companies from using drones to take photographs or audio recordings of private individuals without their consent.

This is private surveillance, or spying, or snooping, whatever you want to call it. It would restrict private individuals and law enforcement agencies from arming drones, which can be done.

As we enter this uncharted world of drone technology, Congress must be proactive and establish boundaries for drone use that safeguard the constitutional rights of Americans and not leave this up to the FAA.

Individuals are somewhat concerned that these new eyes in the skies may threaten their privacy, so Congress can and should immediately balance this high-tech development with our constitutional right of privacy.

Boundaries are needed before drones flood the skies of America. Just because Big Brother or individuals or companies can look into someone's backyard or through a window of a house doesn't mean it should be allowed. As the innovativeness of American enterprise flies off the radar, we should be mindful that technology may change, but the Constitution does not.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the secret nuke deal with Iran over Thanksgiving is ``alarming,'' sayeth the Saudi prince.

Prime Minister (Neville) Chamberlain would have been proud after the West gave the snake oil salesman of the desert, Mr. Rouhani, exactly what he wanted--time and money--to pursue his quest for nuclear intimidation.

Although the former Czechoslovakia was not in the trade, it looks like the appeasement West was willing to sell out Israel and Saudi Arabia for ``peace in our time.'' Israel and Saudi Arabia, like the former Czechoslovakia, did not get to vote on this deal of the century. Neither country likes the bad deal because they are the meal in Iran's hostile appetite.

To make matters worse, Iranian state news reports the United States unfroze $8 billion in Iranian assets and reduced sanctions even before the United States gave away the farm and the mineral rights. Isn't that lovely?

Iran left Geneva with a smile, pockets of money, and fewer sanctions. The United States got the promise that Iran will be nice and not nuke its neighbors. Oh, what a deal.

And that's just the way it is.

Mr. Speaker, the world was reminded yesterday why Iran should not get a nuclear weapon--it would be a constant threat to Israel.

In a rally in Iran, the Supreme Leader denounced Israel as ``untouchable rabid dogs.'' He then went on to talk about Iran's nuclear program.

On the same day that negotiators met in Geneva, the Supreme Leader said that Iran will not back down one iota. He vowed that Iranians would slap the aggressors in the face in a way that they would not forget.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot change the Iranians' philosophy of hate, but we can change their actions. They must be forced to stop nuclear weapon development with tougher sanctions. The Supreme Leader made it clear that he does not feel any pressure to give in.

When I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu 2 weeks ago, he reiterated that the West needs to understand that Iran's goal is to destroy Israel and the United States.

Letting up on sanctions increases the chances Iran will get nuclear weapons, and war will result. Now is not the time to appease the bully aggressor from the desert--Iran.

And that's just the way it is.