Congressional Record—House H3168
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H3168 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 27, 2007 regarding the difficult health care deci- local Mexican police officer. He was came after bounty hunters captured a sions that clients must make. also in communications with U.S. offi- gentleman by the name of Humberto In fact, professional social workers cials, who were aware of his activities. Alvarez-Machain, a Mexican physician provide more mental health care than Much to his credit, Mr. Chapman suc- implicated in the torture and execution psychologists, psychiatrists and psy- cessfully located Mr. Luster and appre- of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agent. Al- chiatric nurses combined, making hended him. However, on the way to varez-Machain maintained that his them the largest provider of mental the jail to book Mr. Luster, Chapman’s capture violated the U.S.-Mexico extra- health services in this country. police escort disappeared, strangely. As dition treaty. These services are also extended to a result, Mr. Chapman was detained for The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Al- our Nation’s veterans. Professional so- several days on the relatively minor varez-Machain’s claim in 1992. In the cial workers provide counseling, sub- charge of deprivation of freedom and decision, Justice Rehnquist wrote that stance abuse treatment, crisis inter- conspiracy. Mr. Chapman then re- the treaty ‘‘says nothing about the ob- vention and other services to veterans turned to the U.S. after posting bail. ligations of the United States and Mex- and their families. Thanks to Dog, a serial rapist is now ico to refrain from forcible abductions At a time when our Nation is in- rightly serving a 124-year sentence and of people from the territory of the volved in wars both in Iraq and Afghan- the situation seemed to have worked other nation, or the consequences istan, it is important that our return- out for the best. But now, years after under the treaty if such an abduction ing soldiers have access to the compas- the fact, it seems that the Mexican occurs.’’ That is his quote. sionate care that social workers pro- Government is intent on extraditing Mexico’s Government was upset by vide. The Department of Veterans Af- and prosecuting Mr. Chapman. Incred- the decision which gave rise to its ‘‘in- fairs employs over 4,400 social workers ibly, our State Department seems to formal’’ addition to the treaty. Alan to assist American veterans, including have no problem being complicit in Kreczko, then deputy legal adviser to those returning from combat in Iraq these proceedings. the Secretary of State, then James and Afghanistan. I have written the Department of Baker, said in congressional testimony Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Justice at least once and the Depart- that the U.S. and Mexican govern- my colleagues for joining me in sup- ment of State several times just asking ments had exchanged letters recog- port of H. Res. 266 yesterday and for them to justify what they have done. I nizing that trans-border abductions by honoring and paying their respect to so-called bounty hunters and other pri- our country’s professional social work- wanted to figure out exactly what their vate individuals would be considered ers and the services they provide. reasoning is for handling this specific I want to take this opportunity also case in this way. extraditable offenses by both nations. This international dispute should to indicate that as a former social There are a lot of legitimate ques- have remained amicably resolved by worker, I had the opportunity not only tions. For instance, how is it possible to teach 11 years in the School of So- that the Department of Justice would virtue of the fact that justice has cial Work, but also serve as a case- decide to use taxpayer resources to clearly been served in the case of worker for heroin addicts for about 3 send U.S. Marshals to Hawaii to take ‘‘Dog’’ Chapman. But now that these years, where I had the opportunity to Mr. Chapman into custody? events have been set in motion anew, the best resolution in which we can serve directly with individuals that b 2130 also had substance abuse, including ad- hope for would come from the Mexican This is an administration that rou- government and judiciary when they olescent substance abuse. I also had tinely tells Congress that they cannot the privilege of working in the commu- dismiss the charges pending against secure our borders and immigration the Chapmans and also to withdraw nity mental health area, where I had system due to lack of resources. We are an enjoyable practice and enjoyed their request for extradition. told that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Let’s just say that I am not over op- working with individuals. the border States are simply over- Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the timistic for this stand by Secretary whelmed with cases and cannot pros- social workers throughout this country Rice to refuse extradition to Mr. Chap- ecute all of the violations, even very for the services they provide. man, and I hope this good deed does serious ones. We are told that ICE not go unpunished. f can’t possibly tackle the task of de- f A STRANGE REWARD FOR HEROIC porting illegal aliens from the interior The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. ACTION of our Nation. We are apparently sup- BRALEY of Iowa). Under a previous The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a posed to accept the presence of roughly order of the House, the gentlewoman previous order of the House, the gen- 100,000 criminal aliens inside our bor- from California (Ms. LEE) is recognized tleman from Colorado (Mr. TANCREDO) ders, a number that is growing every for 5 minutes. is recognized for 5 minutes. year, while the U.S. Marshals track (Ms. LEE addressed the House. Her Mr. TANCREDO. Mr. Speaker, I come down a successful bounty hunter in- remarks will appear hereafter in the to the floor as I have so many times in stead. Extensions of Remarks.) After formally apprehending Mr. the past to address an issue dealing f with our extradition policy. Chapman and putting him into a bevy Mr. Speaker, a gentleman by the of new legal proceedings, the question NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL name of Duane Chapman, a bounty of extradition is raised. Though my ob- WORK MONTH hunter that goes by the name of servations of our extradition treaty The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a ‘‘Dog,’’ faces the strangest of rewards with Mexico indicate that it is not ab- previous order of the House, the gen- for heroic action. solutely binding, conventional wisdom tleman from New York (Mr. TOWNS) is In 2003, Mr. Chapman received a tip has seemed to assume that the treaty recognized for 5 minutes. regarding the whereabouts of a million- between the U.S. and Mexico requires Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to- aire by the name of Andrew Luster. Mr. Chapman’s extradition. But it is just night to honor America’s social work- Luster was a convicted felon who had this, conventional wisdom. It is not ers. This month provides us an oppor- fled as an escapee from the California part of the treaty, apparently. tunity to highlight the essential role Department of Corrections 6 months I am not the only one to question that social workers play in alleviating earlier by jumping $1 million bail on whether extradition ought to proceed. some of America’s most difficult prob- charges that he drugged and raped One recent news story reported that al- lems. three women. He was also on the FBI’s though the U.S. and Mexico informally Professional social workers are found Most Wanted List, convicted and sen- agreed to recognize trans-border cap- in every facet of community life, in- tenced to a term of 124 years of impris- tures by bounty hunters as extra- cluding our schools, our hospitals, onment in absentia for 86 counts of ditable offenses, this provision was mental health clinics, senior citizen fa- rape, drug and weapons offenses. never fully incorporated into the extra- cilities, elected office, private prac- Mr. Chapman went to Mexico to act dition treaty. The report indicates that tices, prisons, among our military per- on this tip and was accompanied by a this ‘‘informal’’ addition to the treaty sonnel, and the list goes on and on. VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:59 Mar 28, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K27MR7.141 H27MRPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE.