Congressional Record—House H4018

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Congressional Record—House H4018 H4018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 14, 2003 again, giving North Korea more assist- Tracy wrote: ‘‘Congress should ap- Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speak- ance to stop making nuclear weapons. prove the Unborn Victims of Violence er, I rise in strong support of legisla- This time we should not be intimi- Act. Opponents of the bill have put tion introduced by the gentlewoman dated into making concessions to a forth a counterproposal known as the from Pennsylvania (Ms. HART): H.R. rogue regime because they want to ex- Lofgren amendment. I have read it,’’ 1997, the Unborn Victims of Violence tract more assistance. Kim Jong Il uses she goes on to say, ‘‘and it is offensive Act. whatever money he can get to terrorize to me, because it says that there is The parents and family of Laci Peter- his people and threaten the security of only one victim in such a crime; the son have asked that the name of this the entire region. China, Japan, Rus- woman who is pregnant. bill be changed to Laci and Connor’s sia, and South Korea all should make ‘‘Please hear me on this: On the Law. I think for most Americans, this an effort to contain this rogue dictator night of February 8, 1992, there were is, shall we say, a no-brainer. People and help put an end to his blackmail two victims. I was nearly killed, but I are committing acts of violence games. survived. Little Zachariah died.’’ against pregnant women, and, unfortu- f Mr. Speaker, in a recent Fox News- nately, in some jurisdictions there is Opinion Dynamics poll, 84 percent said no way to prosecute in a situation TEXAS PATRIOTS that homicide charges are appropriate where there has been the death of the (Mr. FROST asked and was given per- in the deaths of Laci Peterson and her unborn baby. We are talking about ba- mission to address the House for 1 unborn son Connor in the much-pub- bies that are wanted by their mothers. minute and to revise and extend his re- licized Peterson murder case in Cali- Indeed, we had a case of a military marks.) fornia; only 7 percent said that a single servicemember who specifically was Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise this homicide charge would be appropriate. trying to kill the baby inside his preg- morning to honor 51 Texas patriots, Mr. Speaker, Congress must pass the nant wife and succeeded in doing that. members of the Texas Legislature cur- Unborn Victims of Violence Act, also He did so on Federal property, and we rently in Ardmore, Oklahoma, who are known as Laci and Connor’s Law. had to prosecute in State court in that standing tall to defend Texas against f situation. the thirst of additional power of the I think this law is very, very badly TEXAS STATE LEGISLATORS— gentleman from Texas (Mr. DELAY), needed. It is the right thing to do. I en- HEROES IN THE TEXAS TRADITION the House majority leader. courage all of my colleagues on both Congressional district lines are nor- (Mr. GREEN of Texas asked and was sides of the aisle to support it. mally drawn only every 10 years, and given permission to address the House f the current 32 Texas congressional dis- for 1 minute and to revise and extend tricts were put in place just 2 years ago his remarks.) PRAISE FOR TEXAS LEGISLATORS and approved by the U.S. Supreme Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Court. earlier this week, 53 Texas Democratic Texas asked and was given permission The gentleman from Texas (Mr. legislators exhibited real courage when to address the House for 1 minute and DELAY) was not happy with those lines. they refused to participate in an un- to revise and extend her remarks.) He now wants to force the Texas Legis- precedented redistricting power grab. Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of lature to draw new lines to remove This is a Texas kind of courage like Texas. Mr. Speaker, I stand this morn- Democrats from office. Until now, re- General Sam Houston, who marshaled ing to praise the 51 members of the districting in the middle of a decade his resources to win the Battle of San Texas House of Representatives and, has not been done anywhere in the Jacinto. What Joe Moreno, Rick most especially, those from Dallas country in the last 50 years. Noriega, Jessica Farrar, Kevin Bailey, County. Representative Roberto I want to salute the following heroes and the rest of these heroes did was Alonzo, Representative Yvonne Davis, from the Dallas/Fort Worth area who stand up to this charade. Representative Terri Hodge, Represent- are standing up to the gentleman from In a statement delivered from Okla- ative Jesse Jones, Representative Texas (Mr. DELAY): Roberto Alonzo of homa, these Texas heroes said, ‘‘We did Steve Wolens, and our neighbor, Rep- Dallas, Yvonne Davis of Dallas, Dr. not choose our path, TOM DELAY did. resentative Lon Burnam from Tarrant Jesse Jones of Dallas, Terri Hodge of We are ready to stand on the House County. I cannot forget my original Dallas, Steve Wolens of Dallas, and Floor and work day and night to deal classmate from the class of 1972 in the Lon Burnam of Fort Worth. I want to with the real issues facing Texas fami- Texas House, Representative Senfronia call on Governor Perry to stop using lies. At a time when we are told we do Thompson, and Representative Pete the Department of Public Service to not have time to deal with school fi- Laney. They stand for courage, com- harass the families of these brave legis- nance, and when we must still resolve mitment, integrity, and principle. lators. issues like the State budget crisis and They will not be forgotten, because Leading Texas newspapers across the insurance reform, the fact that an out- we know that they are the ones who State are siding with the 51 patriot leg- rageous partisan power grab sits at the stand by children, their education, and islators, and when the annals of Texas top of the House calendar is uncon- health care. They care about working history are recorded, these courageous scionable.’’ families and all of our senior citizens. legislators will be long remembered. But not all Texans consider them he- Again, we thank them and we praise f roes. Yesterday the Associated Press them for looking out for regular Tex- reported that the gentleman from ans. SUPPORT THE UNBORN VICTIMS Texas (Mr. DELAY) was investigating OF VIOLENCE ACT f whether or not the FBI and U.S. Mar- PRESIDENT BUSH RALLIES FOR (Mr. SMITH of New Jersey asked and shals could be used to track down and INDIANA was given permission to address the arrest these Texas legislators. House for 1 minute and to revise and We should not use Federal resources (Mr. PENCE asked and was given per- extend his remarks.) committed to the war on terrorism and mission to address the House for 1 Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. protecting our homeland. Not since minute and to revise and extend his re- Speaker, last year I met a courageous Richard Nixon have we seen such a marks.) woman named Tracy Marciniak who Federal power grab. Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday had been beaten by her husband when f I had the profound honor of being the she was 9 months pregnant. She sur- first Hoosier to welcome President vived, but her baby Zachariah died SUPPORT FOR THE UNBORN George W. Bush to the great State of from the beating. Her attacker was VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT Indiana on his very first visit there. convicted of the assault on Tracy, and (Mr. WELDON of Florida asked and As the President trod the sawdust of he did minimal time. No charges were was given permission to address the the Indiana State Fair Grounds, he was brought against him for the murder of House for 1 minute and to revise and greeted with ovation after ovation Zachariah. extend his remarks.) from a State full of conservative, VerDate Jan 31 2003 03:50 May 15, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K14MY7.003 H14PT1.
Recommended publications
  • 1030201895310PM.Pdf
    Dwight A. Boykins Houston City Council Member, District D October 29, 2018 Beth White President & CEO Houston Parks Board 300 North Post Oak Blvd. Houston, TX 77024 RE: Houston Parks Board / Houston Parks and Recreation Department submissions for H-GAC Call for Projects 2018 Dear Ms. White, I am pleased to send this letter in support of Houston Parks Board’s application for Transportation Improvement Project funding. As a City of Houston Council Member, I support uniting the city by developing a network of off-road shared use paths where residents can walk and bike safely. Expanding our network of greenways that reach jobs, education, and other services makes it easier for residents to rely on biking and walking to go about their daily lives. This reduces stress on people, on our roads, and on household budgets. The Beyond the Bayous Regional Connector Network of Greenways offers a vision to broaden the reach of Bayou Greenways 2020. Its inclusion in the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan will provide a roadmap for a comprehensive network of connected greenway trails throughout Harris County. The Port Connector Greenway project links the Port of Houston Turning Basin to Buffalo, Brays and Sims Bayou Greenways, and ultimately to Hobby Airport. It also creates a link to the west along Navigation, connecting to the trails at Buffalo Bayou Park East leading to downtown. These projects create neighborhood connections to existing parks, METRO lines, employment centers and residential areas in District D, and both are deserving. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.
    [Show full text]
  • Officers and Officials of the House
    OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS OF THE HOUSE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER H–232 The Capitol, phone 225–0600, fax 226–1996 http://speaker.house.gov The Speaker.—J. Dennis Hastert. Chief of Staff.—Scott B. Palmer, H–228, The Capitol, 225–5555. Assistant to the Chief of Staff.—John Russell. Deputy Chief of Staff.—Michael Stokke, H–227, The Capitol, 225–0305. Chief Counsel.—Theodore Van Der Meid. Special Assistant.—Tim Kennedy. Director of Special Events.—Rachel Perry, H–419C, The Capitol, 225–0600. Staff Assistant (Room Reservations).—Courtney Franke. Staff Assistant.—Erin Mitchell. Policy Director.—Bill Hughes, 225–0510. Assistants to the Speaker for Policy.—Sally Canfield, Kevin Fromer, Kiki Kless, Bill Koetzle, Margaret Peterlin, Andy Tiongson, Chris Walker. Assistant to the Director of Policy.—Tripp Guess. Staff Assistant.—Ja’Ron Smith. Director of Speaker Operations.—Samuel Lancaster, H–232, The Capitol, 225–6398. Executive Assistant.—Kathleen O’Connor. Executive Staff Assistant.—Luke Hatzis. Scheduler.—Helen Morrell, H–229, The Capitol, 225–2774. Assistant Scheduler.—Chris Stottman. SPEAKER’S PRESS OFFICE H–326 The Capitol, phone 225–2800 Communications Director.—Ron Bonjean. Assistant to the Speaker for Communications and Outreach.—Charles Chamberlayne. Speechwriter.—Larry Farnsworth. SPEAKER’S FLOOR OFFICE H–210 The Capitol, phone 225–2204 Senior Floor Director.—Seth Webb. Floor Assistants: Dave Bellis, Karen Haas, Jay Pierson. OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER H–107 The Capitol, phone 225–4000, fax 225–5117 Majority Leader.—Tom DeLay. Chief of Staff.—Tim Berry. Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff.—Elizabeth Pauls. Deputy Chief of Staff.—Dan Flynn. Policy Director.—Brett Shogren.
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Record—House H4021
    May 14, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4021 stand, especially those heroes from CELEBRATING FUNNY CIDE’S RUN ate and the Texas House, I know the south Texas: Kino Flores, Jim Solis, (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given value that the 53 Texas Democrats who Rene Oliveira, Aaron Pena, Miguel permission to address the House for 1 are in Ardmore, Oklahoma, today place Wise, Ryan Guillen and Juan Escobar. minute.) on the proud tradition of placing prin- We support them. Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to ciple above partisanship. When the Re- applaud the accomplishments of a man publican leader of the Texas House f from my hometown in Marion County, agreed to the political handiwork of Florida, the Sixth Congressional Dis- the majority leader of the U.S. House, ARMED FORCES DAY trict, because Tony Everard has been he abandoned a tradition that has (Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked training horses in Marion County for served Texas well. and was given permission to address over 35 years. When Texas House Republicans drew the House for 1 minute and to revise He purchased a remarkable horse, a a redistricting map without public and extend his remarks.) gelding, in 2001 in Saratoga, New York, hearings, behind closed doors, a map Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. This and he trained it, but on May 3, this handed to them by Washington, they weekend is Armed Forces Day, and are horse became champion at the pinnacle trampled on a tradition in Texas, and not our men and women in uniform of horse racing, the Kentucky Derby.
    [Show full text]
  • Texas House of Representatives
    Texas House of Representatives September 9, 2013 Major General John F. Nichols Adjutant General of Texas National Guard of the United States Dear General Nichols, On September 3 the Department of Defense began including the same-gender spouses of American military personnel in spousal and family benefits offered through the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). This action comes in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn the federal Defense of Marriage Act on the grounds that the act wrote inequality into federal law and violated the Fifth Amendment’s protection of equal liberty. According to press reports, you have instructed facilities operated by Texas Military Forces to ignore the instruction of the Department of Defense and refuse to enroll the families of the men and women who risk their lives to serve this country. You stated, via memo, that to do so would conflict with the Texas Constitution’s and Family Code’s prohibition against the freedom to marry. In relying on your own interpretation of the law, and ignoring both federal law and the directions of the Department of Defense, Texas would join only Mississippi in this position. Seventeen other states with laws similar to Texas’ – including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin – have complied with the Department of Defense. You have directed members of the Texas National Guard who wish to enroll their same-gender spouses in the DEERS program to travel to one of the federally operated military installations in Texas, rather than allow them to simply enroll their families on the same campuses where they serve our state and country.
    [Show full text]
  • Feingold Says Hard Work Is Key to Political Landscape Change New
    In This Issue: Supporting Vets........4 Feingold......................1 Supporting Troops ..4 New Poll Shows Kirk Can Be Beat in ‘06 New Poll....................1 Barton Bill ................5 by John Hmurovic Obama ........................2 IWIL ............................6 Truth Hurts ................3 Calendar ....................7 After two elections in which he received over 60 percent of the vote, no one denies that Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is a formidable candidate in a district that was drawn to make his seat in Congress For information or to volunteer call: safer. But a new poll conducted by the Washington, D.C. polling firm 847.266.VOTE (8683) Penn, Schoen and Berland shows that despite his past performance Or write to: and the advantages of incumbency, Mark Kirk is vulnerable in 2006 and Lauren Beth Gash, Chair, Tenth Dems PO Box 523, Deerfield, IL 60015 can be defeated by a strong Democratic candidate. Visit the website: www.tenthdems.org Kirk receives a high favorability rating from 10th District residents, but Newsletter: [email protected] once they begin to hear the details of how Kirk voted in Congress (see Editor John Hmurovic “When the Truth Is Told” on page 3), his support drops. It drops even Editorial Staff Lauren Beth Gash, Ellen more when they hear about some of the prospective Democratic Gill, Paul Kelly, Leslie Lipschultz, Ross candidates lining up to oppose him in 2006. Nickow, Mark Paul, George Rosenblit, Ben Kirk is being hurt by two factors: the sinking popularity of fellow-Republican, President George W. Struhl, Ron Weiner Bush; and by his own votes on a variety of issues.
    [Show full text]
  • New York's Political Resurgence
    April 8, 2015 New York’s political resurgence by JOSHUA SPIVAK New York, once a center of America's political world, long ago fell on hard times. Where the state was once practically guaranteed a slot on at least one of the presidential tickets, it has been many years since a New Yorker was a real contender for the presidency. And the record in Congress has been even worse — there the state always underperformed. But that may all be changing in a hurry. Former Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination and now, thanks to the retirement of Sen. Harry Reid, (D-Nev.), Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) is the likely next Democratic Leader in the Senate. For the first time in decades, the Empire State may be a state on the political rise. Schumer’s ascension may be the biggest break with history. For the better part of a century, New York was the presidential incubator. But the state has never been particularly successful in Congress. No New Yorker has ever served as Senate Majority or Minority Leader. It had one Minority Whip — the first one ever, back in 1915. Since then, no other New Yorker has served in the top two positions in the upper chamber. New Yorkers haven’t exactly grabbed the reigns in the House either — the state has only elected two Speakers of the House — the last one, Theodore Pomeroy, left office in 1869. Even the lower leadership positions have been bereft of New Yorkers. The state has provided one House Majority Leader — the very first one, Sereno Payne.
    [Show full text]
  • 106Th Congpicdir Texas
    TEXAS Sen. Phil Gramm Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of College Station of Dallas Republican—Jan. 3, 1985 Republican—June 5, 1993 Max Sandlin Jim Turner of Marshall (1st District) of Crockett (2d District) Democrat—2d term Democrat—2d term 127 TEXAS Sam Johnson Ralph M. Hall of Dallas (3d District) of Rockwall (4th District) Republican—5th term Democrat—10th term Pete Sessions Joe Barton of Dallas (5th District) of Ennis (6th District) Republican—2d term Republican—8th term 128 TEXAS Bill Archer Kevin Brady of Houston (7th District) of The Woodlands (8th District) Republican—15th term Republican—2d term Nick Lampson Lloyd Doggett of Beaumont (9th District) of Austin (10th District) Democrat—2d term Democrat—3d term 129 TEXAS Chet Edwards Kay Granger of Waco (11th District) of Fort Worth (12th District) Democrat—5th term Republican—2d term William (Mac) Thornberry Ron Paul of Clarendon (13th District) of Surfside Beach (14th District) Republican—3d term Republican—6th term* 130 TEXAS Rubén Hinojosa Silvestre Reyes of Mercedes (15th District) of El Paso (16th District) Democrat—2d term Democrat—2d term Charles W. Stenholm Sheila Jackson Lee of Abilene (17th District) of Houston (18th District) Democrat—11th term Democrat—3d term 131 TEXAS Larry Combest Charles A. Gonzalez of Lubbock (19th District) of San Antonio (20th District) Republican—8th term Democrat—1st term Lamar S. Smith Tom DeLay of San Antonio (21st District) of Sugar Land (22d District) Republican—7th term Republican—8th term 132 TEXAS Henry Bonilla Martin Frost of San Antonio (23d District) of Dallas (24th District) Republican—4th term Democrat—11th term Kenneth F.
    [Show full text]
  • Interim Report to the 82Nd Texas Legislature
    InterIm report to the 82nd texas LegisLature House Committee on EnvironmEntal rEgulation December 2010 HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES INTERIM REPORT 2010 A REPORT TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 82ND TEXAS LEGISLATURE REPRESENTATIVE BYRON COOK CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE CLERK AMANDA FLORES Committee On Environmental Regulation December 6, 2010 Representative Byron Cook P.O. Box 2910 Chairman Austin, Texas 78768-2910 The Honorable Joe Straus Speaker, Texas House of Representatives Members of the Texas House of Representatives Texas State Capitol, Rm. 2W.13 Austin, Texas 78701 Dear Mr. Speaker and Fellow Members: The Committee on Environmental Regulation of the Eighty-first Legislature hereby submits its interim report for consideration by the Eighty-second Legislature. Respectfully submitted, _______________________ Representative Byron Cook _______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Warren Chisum, Vice Chairman Lon Burnam Jim Dunnam _______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Jessica Farrar Kelly Hancock Ken Legler _______________________ ______________________ Marc Veasey Randy Weber Warren Chisum Vice-Chairman Members: Lon Burnam, Jim Dunnam, Jessica Farrar, Kelly Hancock, Ken Legler, Marc Veasey and Randy Weber TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 9 INTERIM CHARGES .................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Hobby Fellows 2013
    Hobby Fellows 2013 The Hobby Center for Public Policy (HCPP) at the University of Houston (UH) serves the Houston region and the state of Texas with timely and objective research on key public policy issues. In addition to its research and graduate training, HCPP is dedicated to providing educational and leadership opportunities to the diverse UH undergraduate population through its public service internship programs. Introducing Hobby Fellows The majority of University of Houston students work while attending col- lege. Few UH students can pursue public service careers in Austin or Washington, D.C., because internships—the primary gateway to perma- nent jobs in these cities—are available only to students who can afford to live away from home. The Hobby Fellows program seeks to offer UH undergraduate students the opportunity to work as full-time state interns in our state capitol during Former Hobby Center interns Mirel Herrera, regular legislative sessions beginning in 2013. Hobby Fellows will earn a Debra Gonzales and Lesley Nelson at the monthly stipend, have guided academic assignments, regular site visits state capitol. They now work as legislative by HCPP faculty and staff, and perhaps most importantly, enter a fast- staff: Mirel in Washington; Debra in Austin; and Lesley in Houston. paced learning track to becoming a leader in public service. Additional benefits include the following: ▪ Encouraging academic achievements and community involvement; ▪ Polishing oral and written communication skills; STUDY ▪ SERVE ▪ SUCCEED ▪ Providing leadership training; Record of Success ▪ Developing a strong sense of civic responsibility; ▪ Fostering relationships with interns from other Texas universities; & The Hobby Center for Public Policy has ▪ Increasing the positive exposure of UH’s Tier One students in Austin.
    [Show full text]
  • January 1, 2021 the Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker 1236
    January 1, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker Minority Leader 1236 Longworth House Office Building 2468 Rayburn House Office Building U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy: We write today in support of the existing Capitol Police Board regulations that have helped protect Members for more than 50 years and ask that you not include any provisions in the House Rules package that attempt to alter these protections. Currently, Members of Congress are allowed to carry firearms within the U.S. Capitol Complex as a result of U.S. Capitol Police Board’s regulations and 40 U.S.C. § 5104. The current regulations allowing Members of Congress to carry have helped protect these Members and their Second Amendment rights since 1967. There are substantial precedents for this type of regulation throughout the U.S. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than two dozen states allow guns in capitol buildings. Of those states, “nine permit ‘open carry,’ 13 allow firearms owners with permits to carry and four allow legislators or legislative staff to carry in the capitol.’” Washington, D.C. has a violent crime problem and D.C.'s violent crime rate is 158% higher than the national average. In 2020 alone, there have been more than 180 homicides, more than 1,500 assaults with a deadly weapon, and more than 1,800 robberies. Furthermore, there is a history of violent attacks on Members of Congress and Capitol Police.
    [Show full text]
  • House of Representatives Jessica Farrar
    HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES P.O. BOX 2910 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78768-2910 COMMITTEES: (512) 463-0620 (512) 463-0894 FAX JUDICIARY & CIVIL JURISPRUDENCE VICE-CHAIR P.O. BOX 30099 JESSICA FARRAR STATE AFFAIRS HOUSTON, TEXAS 77249 DISTRICT 148 (713) 691-6912 (713) 691-3363 FAX J ESSICA .FARRAR @ HOUSE . TEXAS . GOV October 26, 2018 Beth White President & CEO Houston Parks Board 300 North Post Oak Blvd. Houston, TX 77024 RE: Houston Parks Board / Houston Parks and Recreation Department submissions for H-GAC Call for Projects 2018 Dear Ms. White, Please accept this letter in support of Houston Parks Board’s application for Transportation Improvement Project funding. I am in support of uniting the city by developing a network of off-road shared use paths where residents can walk and bike safely. Expanding our network of greenways that reach jobs, education, and other services make it easier for residents to rely on biking and walking to go about their daily lives. Alternative forms of transportation reduce stress on people, on our roads, and on household budgets. The projects identified below provide a vision for future linkages that connect five separate Bayou Greenways. I support these proposed projects: The Beyond the Bayous Regional Connector Network of Greenways offers a vision to broaden the reach of Bayou Greenways 2020. If included in the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan, the network will provide a roadmap for a comprehensive system of connected greenway trails throughout Harris County. The West Side/Westpark Connector Greenway project will provide safe bicycle/pedestrian access from Gulfton, the densest neighborhood in Houston, to two transit centers, seven high- frequency bus routes, and Brays Bayou Greenway.
    [Show full text]
  • Seizing the Momentum
    Seizing the Momentum Spring 2013 TCADP Advocates for Repeal of the Death Penalty at the 83rd Texas Legislature The Texas Legislature is now in the middle of its biennial, 140-day session, which means marathon floor debates and committee hearings (one recent hearing lasted until 4:30 AM!), amendments and deadlines, and increased competition for constituent voices to be heard. One of the thousands of pieces of legislation that has been filed this session calls for repeal of the death penalty in Texas – House Bill 1703, filed by Representative Jessica Farrar of District 148-Houston. This marks the fourth time that Rep. Farrar has filed such legislation. She is indeed a stalwart supporter for ending the use of capital punishment in our state. The TCADP Lobby Corps, a group of 15 volunteers, has been present in the Capitol each week since the legislative session began in January to meet and talk with legislators and to urge their support for HB 1703. Lobby Corps members, who hail from Austin, Dallas, Houston, Round Rock, and San Antonio, received special training for this role last fall, and each member is assigned as the TCADP liaison to specific legislative offices. Members are equipped with talking points and resources for these weekly visits, including the all-important Texas Legislative Handbook. Through the Lobby Corps, TCADP has greatly expanded its capacity to engage in dialogue with the 181 legislators who serve our state and provide them with information about recent death penalty developments in Texas. Some Lobby Corps members are political novices while others have worked on numerous campaigns.
    [Show full text]