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July 9, 2009
PROVIDING FOR ENGRAVEMENTS IN CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER Washington - Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. This legislation basically directs the Architect of the Capitol to quit ignoring history, just like the last piece of legislation where it is not mentioned anywhere in Emancipation Hall or the Visitor Center that this Capitol was built in due part by slave labor. Neither does that expensive Visitor Center mention any religious history that this country has. I don't know if the Architect of the Capitol doesn't like the Pledge or approve of the national motto ``In God We Trust''; otherwise, both of those would already be in this expensive Visitor Center. Both mention God, and it appears that the Visitor Center, the way that it is conducted and constructed, wishes to disown and deny our religious heritage. - Full Release - 
July 9, 2009
THE IRANIAN MASSACRE HAS BEGUN Mr. Speaker, the people of Iran are embroiled in a noble struggle against tyranny. The Government of Iran is engaged in the massacre of its own people. And what is their crime? They dare to speak out against fraud and corruption in their own government. They question the results of an election steeped in fraud. Their peaceful dissent has resulted in violent and brutal crackdowns from the hard-line government, a government that has shed the blood of the innocent. The people of Iran have boldly and bravely exercised the first basic human right, the right of free speech. The crackdown is startling news to the students who believed their government, despite its flaws, had the best interests of its people at heart. That veil has been forever lifted from their eyes. In America, we faced a similar awakening to the brutality of the Government of England when that ruled us. The city of Boston was occupied by British troops to enforce harsh taxes and punishments intended to exert control over American colonies by force and intimidation. Citizens took to the streets to vocally decry the tyranny. Tense words were exchanged, and the British soldiers opened fire on a group of unarmed patriots. Five people were killed and eight others were injured. - Full Release - July 9, 2009 THE GREEN RELIGION SUPPRESSES FREE SPEECH Mr. Speaker, the most toxic atmosphere today is the political climate. At the EPA, scientists are not allowed to disagree with the rabid dogma about climate change. Recently, Alan Carlin, a 35-year veteran scientist at the EPA, issued a report that challenged the theory of global warming. Carlin pointed out serious problems with the science used to draw false EPA conclusions. He revealed new research that contradicts dire predictions that mankind is destroying the world. He pointed to evidence that the Earth is actually cooling. The EPA suppressed the report. Carlin's boss warned him that he had better not talk about the report or disagree with the EPA's green agenda. The suppression of speech and information undermines the very foundation of self-governance. Yet there is a systematic suppression of information that contradicts what has become a green religion at the EPA. Thousands of scientists have challenged the claims of global warming. Science is supposed to be about the uncorrupted search for the truth and the facts. The EPA's actions are reminiscent of those who said the Earth was flat and persecuted the ``heretics'' who said it was round. And that's just the way it is. - Full Release - July 8, 2009 HONORING PRIVATE FIRST CLASS PETER CROSS Mr. Speaker, Private First Class Peter Kyle Cross wanted to be a missionary, but he decided he needed to mature a little bit first, so he joined the United States Army in August, 2008. He was born in Texas, but he and his family later moved to New York. Private First Class Cross was deployed to Afghanistan in February with the 10th Mountain Division of New York. Private First Class Cross and his unit were out on patrol, and he went to get supplies for his fellow soldiers. Returning to platoon, driving on a narrow mountain pass, he saw a group of Afghan children herding sheep on the road. Peter swerved his Humvee to avoid hitting the kids and went off the side of the mountain. Peter Cross was 20 years of age. This young American soldier's first instinct was to sacrifice his life for a group of children he did not know in a land far from home. Peter's father said of his son's sacrifice: ``His last act in life showed what kind of man he was, selflessly thinking of others.'' Last week, the governor of New York ordered all flags flown at half staff in honor of this Texan and New Yorker, Peter Cross. Amazing breed these young bucks of the United States Army. And that's just the way it is. - Full Release - July 8, 2009 THE FIGHTING AGGIES OF TEXAS A&M Madam Speaker, Texas A&M University was founded in 1876 as a land grant college under the Morrill Act. The university began as an all male military school until after World War II. Aggies have been serving with honor in the armed forces since the Spanish American War of 1898. In fact, Texas A&M is the largest provider of military officers outside of the Nations service academies. General George S. Patton said, Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war. During the Spanish American War, eighty-nine Aggies served in the Army, and sixty-three Aggies served as officers. When the United States became involved in World War I, 702 A&M graduates served in the military, and 668 graduates were officers. Texas A&M trained over 4000 troops during World War I. It was World War II, however, when Texas A&M exhibited its expertise in training soldiers as well as scholars. Twenty thousand Aggies served in World War II; fourteen thousand of these men were officers, and twenty-nine were generals. In order to speed up the process of sending more Aggies to the front lines of the war, Texas A&M instituted a twelve-month, three semester training program to prepare its soldiers. The entire graduating classes of 1941 and 1942 enlisted in the armed services immediately following graduation. Seven Congressional Medal of Honor winners during the second world war were graduates from Texas A&M. They included MAJ Horace S. Carswell, Jr., class of 1938; LT Thomas W. Fowler, class of 1943; LT Eli Whitely, class of 1941; SGT William Harrell, class of 1942; 2LT Lloyd D. Hughes, class of 1943; LT Turney W. Leonard, class of 1942; and SGT George D. Keathley, class of 1937. Six Aggies were survivors of the 131st Texas National Guard Field Artillery, best known as the Lost Battalion because it was three years before the fate of the men was known. They were captured on Java in 1942, and then transported to Burma, where they were forced to build the infamous Railway of Death depicted in the movie Bridge Over River Kwai. Membership in the Corp of Cadets is now voluntary at Texas A&M; however, the university continues its tradition of training men and women to serve their country through military service. And that's just the way it is. - Full Release -
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