Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014 No. 150 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO WASHINGTON, DC, called to order by the Speaker pro tem- TEMPORE December 10, 2014. I hereby appoint the Honorable DAVID W. pore (Mr. JOLLY). The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- JOLLY to act as Speaker pro tempore on this fore the House the following commu- day. JOHN A. BOEHNER, nication from the Speaker: Speaker of the House of Representatives. NOTICE If the 113th Congress, 2nd Session, adjourns sine die on or before December 24, 2014, a final issue of the Congres- sional Record for the 113th Congress, 2nd Session, will be published on Wednesday, December 31, 2014, to permit Mem- bers to insert statements. All material for insertion must be signed by the Member and delivered to the respective offices of the Official Reporters of Debates (Room HT–59 or S–123 of the Capitol), Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through Tuesday, December 30. The final issue will be dated Wednesday, December 31, 2014, and will be delivered on Monday, January 5, 2015. None of the material printed in the final issue of the Congressional Record may contain subject matter, or relate to any event, that occurred after the sine die date. Senators’ statements should also be formatted according to the instructions at http://webster/secretary/conglrecord.pdf, and submitted electronically, either on a disk to accompany the signed statement, or by e-mail to the Official Reporters of Debates at ‘‘[email protected]’’. Members of the House of Representatives’ statements may also be submitted electronically by e-mail, to accompany the signed statement, and formatted according to the instructions for the Extensions of Remarks template at https://housenet.house.gov/legislative/research-and-reference/transcripts-and-records/electronic-congressional-record-inserts. The Official Reporters will transmit to GPO the template formatted electronic file only after receipt of, and authentication with, the hard copy, and signed manuscript. Deliver statements to the Official Reporters in Room HT–59. Members of Congress desiring to purchase reprints of material submitted for inclusion in the Congressional Record may do so by contacting the Office of Congressional Publishing Services, at the Government Printing Office, on 512–0224, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. By order of the Joint Committee on Printing. CHARLES E. SCHUMER, Chairman. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE leaders and the minority whip limited Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I rise The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- today to say thank you to the wonder- ant to the order of the House of Janu- bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. ful people of the 23rd District of Texas ary 7, 2014, the Chair will now recog- who, for the last 2 years, have given me nize Members from lists submitted by f the great privilege of serving as their the majority and minority leaders for voice here in the people’s House. morning-hour debate. THANKING THE PEOPLE OF THE I am living proof that this is a nation The Chair will alternate recognition 23RD DISTRICT OF TEXAS of opportunity and that the American between the parties, with each party The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Dream still exists. God has blessed me limited to 1 hour and each Member Chair recognizes the gentleman from in many ways. I was born into a warm other than the majority and minority Texas (Mr. GALLEGO) for 5 minutes. and loving family. My parents, Pete b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H8933 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:39 Dec 11, 2014 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A10DE7.000 H10DEPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H8934 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 10, 2014 and Elena, taught me to work hard and A robust democracy requires active ing two concurrent wars while solely respect others. I am married to a won- participation. Congress—indeed, Amer- remaining dedicated to the mission at derful wife, Maria Elena, who has stood ica—needs all of us. It needs Democrats hand. with me through the peaks and valleys and Republicans and Libertarians and As the Pentagon continues to imple- of the last 25 years. We are the parents Latinos and Anglos and African Ameri- ment a drawdown policy, provisions in of a phenomenal son, Nicolas Miguel, cans and Asians—Americans all. the law could create unwarranted and who has brought us joy we never knew Soon I will have the highest title unnecessary reductions to military re- possible and has taught us the true that any American can have—not the tirement pay for thousands of involun- meaning of love. In addition, though title of an elected official, but the title tarily separated servicemembers. my roots are humble, I have had the of citizen. And as a citizen, I hope to Mr. Speaker, these men and women privilege of working in this Chamber. continue to remind Congress of the im- have honorably served our country and Few people get the privilege to serve portance of governing well and our fel- deserve better. For example, some here. low Americans of the importance of prior enlisted soldiers who received a Yet Congress isn’t what it once was. participating in our electoral system. commission into the officer corps are Agreements are few, partisan rancor is I have faith that ours is a resilient now facing a difficult situation. Years common, statesmanship is rare. Who Nation blessed by God. Despite our after being commissioned, the Army are the giants of history among us? frustrations and our fears and our has made the determination to relieve Where are the statesmen and -women failings, despite ourselves, we still live these experienced soldiers from mili- who accomplished historic feats in the greatest Nation the world has tary service. through significant signature legisla- ever known. To make the situation worse, many tive achievements? Sure, times are tough, but they were of these individuals do not have the re- But we know that progress is still tougher for our parents and our grand- quired time in the officer corps and are possible. We saw this session that when parents. If you think back a moment forced to receive a lesser retirement Congress puts party labels aside and and you compare your life to theirs, pension. Mr. Speaker, after having gets to work, like we did on VA reform, you can see how far you and all of us earned an officer’s rank, these soldiers we can accomplish some great things have come. have been reduced in rank for retire- for the American people. But those oc- The job now is not to be mad about ment purposes. Mr. Speaker, our soldiers have honor- casions were far too rare. and continually relive the old battles ably served our country and deserve More often, this Chamber saw bick- of the past nor to be afraid of the fu- better. These men and women deserve ering and pettiness, and this Congress ture, but to look forward and to build to collect full pension and benefits made history as the least productive our future together. equivalent to their service in uniform and most unpopular Congress in the I leave this institution with no re- and not subjected to an arbitrary re- history of this proud Nation. The grets and many accomplishments for duction in rank and pay after being in- American people responded by making the people of home, particularly grate- history of their own. On election day, a voluntarily separated from the mili- ful for the opportunity to work with record number of them simply threw tary. and serve our veterans and our Active up their hands, wondered what is the To prevent this injustice, I will soon Duty military and amazed at the in- point, and didn’t go to the polls. be introducing the Proudly Restoring It is easy to see why Americans are credible and still untapped potential of Officers of Prior Enlistment Retire- so tired of politics, to understand why our amazing democracy. ment, or PROPER, Act. The PROPER many of us don’t check in on election I want to say thank you to each of Act does not prevent further troop re- day; when our democracy needs us the my employees and thank you again to duction. It merely assures these sol- most, we check out. all the people of the 23rd District of diers and those affected, through each Polarization, discontent, dissatisfac- Texas, especially to those I have had military branch, can be made finan- tion, disappointment, dismay—all now the privilege of representing since I cially whole with due respect for their normal in the course of our public dis- first became a State legislator in 1991. service. I wish my successor well, and I offer course. Old-fashioned values like truth f and good manners and respect for oth- my prayers for all the Members of the ers’ views and appreciation are no 114th Congress. You are capable of IMMIGRATION REFORM longer in vogue.