H11766 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 26, 2009 City after its request for TARP funding was eran elite Airborne Special Forces border. Immediate action is necessary, denied. PNC didn’t comment. Group. The Zetas also include former and the United States should conduct ‘‘We are in fact lending to creditworthy members from the Guatemalan training on the southern border with customers,’’ said Wells spokeswoman Julia Kaibiles Special Forces organization. our military. This will help deter in- Tunis Bernard. She said Wells extended $471 billion in new loan commitments between We trained them here in America, at cursions. Plus the Governors from October 2008 and the end of the second quar- the School of the Americas, in the lat- Texas and New Mexico have asked for ter—some 19 times the bank’s TARP take. est and best tactics and weaponry. the National Guard to be sent to the Even Citi, which sat out last fall’s frenzied When they got back home, they de- border. So more National Guard troops game of banking musical chairs, still posted serted from the military, and they should be sent to protect the dignity double-digit deposit growth as Americans went to work for the drug cartels. In and the sovereignty of our Nation, be- fled other investments for the safety of fed- essence, they declared war on the Mexi- cause the first duty of government is erally insured banks. Citi didn’t reply to a can Government, and they became part to protect the people, to protect us request for comment. The top five firms—dubbed too-big-to-fail, of what they were trained to fight. from the invasion of the crime cartels. or TBTF, for their implicit government sup- They make a lot more money in traf- The people who live on the border on port—now control 37% of the nation’s depos- ficking guns, drugs and people than both sides of the Rio Grande have a its. they would ever have in working as a right to expect their government to That’s well above their average from ear- Mexican or a Guatemalan soldier, and protect them from the Zetas and from lier this decade, reviving questions about the they’re using superior military train- all other criminal cartel enterprises risks of a financial system that’s even more ing—that training they received at the which illegally cross the border. concentrated than the one that imploded expense of the United States. Traf- last fall. And that’s just the way it is. ‘‘The TBTF problem has not only moved ficking in drugs, arms and human f beyond the banking system, it has become beings is a very lucrative business. Bil- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a much too costly for taxpayers and the U.S. lions of dollars worth of merchandise is previous order of the House, the gentle- moved across our southern border economy,’’ University of Massachusetts re- woman from (Ms. WOOLSEY) searcher Jane D’Arista wrote in an August every year. is recognized for 5 minutes. paper. The Zeta international trafficking (Ms. WOOLSEY addressed the House. cartel has evolved into a privately f Her remarks will appear hereafter in funded military army. They have the BORDER WAR—THE ZETAS the Extensions of Remarks.) best military equipment money can The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a buy, and they have transformed into an f previous order of the House, the gen- international gang, working even in The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a tleman from Texas (Mr. POE) is recog- the United States. Without a secure previous order of the House, the gen- nized for 5 minutes. southern border, the violence will con- tleman from Oregon (Mr. DEFAZIO) is Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I tinue in Mexico, and only those who recognized for 5 minutes. bring you news from the second front— live in never-never land will think the (Mr. DEFAZIO addressed the House. the war on the border between Mexico problem will not get to the United His remarks will appear hereafter in and the United States. Dangerous drug States. The Zetas are an urban guer- the Extensions of Remarks.) cartels are already in control of major rilla organization which threatens to f stretches of the U.S.-Mexico border, topple any semblance of law and order. H.R. 268—MILITARY CHAPLAINS and they’re taking over whole Mexican According to the Houston Chronicle, BILL border towns. the ‘‘Zeta gunmen and their accom- The Zeta drug cartel is the most vio- plices routinely blockade Matamoros’ The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a lent and the most feared of the Mexi- downtown streets. Last winter, the previous order of the House, the gen- can drug cartels. Zetas have attacked gangsters mobilized thousands of peo- tleman from (Mr. Mexican towns in military-style oper- ple to briefly close the region’s bridges JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. ations at platoon-strength numbers. across the Rio Grande, halting trade’’ Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, it is a They have massacred hundreds of their with the United States into Browns- sad day in America when our chaplains competitors, often beheading and dis- ville. in the military cannot pray according membering them. They have fought Now, the administration’s strategy is to their faiths and consciences. Our hour-long battles with the Mexican to look the other way and to pretend troops are risking their lives in dan- military in the streets of Matamoros. it’s not happening. Well, we cannot gerous countries to protect the reli- Madam Speaker, Matamoros is a bor- wish away this threat to public safety gious freedoms of others, but our own der town on the Rio Grande River and to America’s national security. We military does not always permit that across from Brownsville, Texas. must not allow the situation to con- our military chaplains can pray ac- Recently, shots came over that bor- tinue to escalate unchecked, because cording to his or her faith. der, hitting buildings and a parking lot violence is actually spilling out into For this reason, I have introduced at a University of Texas branch in the streets of America near our border H.R. 268, which is a bill to ensure that Brownsville. Authorities presumed this towns. Our local law enforcement is every military chaplain has the prerog- violence was from the drug cartels, overwhelmed. The border sheriffs need ative to close a prayer outside of a reli- themselves. The Zetas have moved into more assistance. They are not equipped gious service according to the dictates Matamoros. They also claim to control or trained to handle these military- of the chaplain’s own conscience. Nuevo Laredo, which is across from the style incursions by the Zetas and by I have spoken with many, many Texas town of Laredo. other drug cartels. chaplains who have served in conflicts The Zetas have no fear of the au- While the administration is stalling from Vietnam to Desert Storm, and thorities. There is no law or order in and deliberating about what to do in there never was any restriction on any of the towns they control, and they Afghanistan, the government is also chaplains and on how they prayed until have assassinated police chiefs and giving little attention to our southern the mid-1990s. This suppression of reli- local politicians. They own the towns. border, but this is not the first admin- gious freedom, the very principle on They have raised terror throughout istration to neglect enforcing the rule which this country was founded, is a Mexico—fighting their rivals, the of law on the southern border. There pervasive problem that is affecting Mexican Army and the police. The suc- has been much rhetoric for years from every branch of our Armed Forces and cess of the Zeta cartel has forced other the government about protecting the that is affecting chaplains of every de- Mexican drug cartels into an arms race border, but like my grandfather used to nomination. As of 2008, 76 percent of with military weaponry and tactics. say, ‘‘When all is said and done, more the chaplains were Protestant, 9 per- Who are these Zetas, and where do is said than done,’’ and that is espe- cent Catholic, 1 percent Jewish, and they come from? cially by the government. 14.1 percent were of some other faith. Well, the Zetas were formed by de- The Nation needs to understand About 5 years ago, I was introduced serters from the Mexican Army’s vet- there is a border war on our southern to the case of Army Captain Chaplain

VerDate Nov 24 2008 03:25 Oct 27, 2009 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A26OC7.027 H26OCPT1 wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with HOUSE October 26, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H11767 Jonathan Stertzbach, an independent ask three times, God, please, God, I am concerned that Chaplain Stertzbach Baptist by training. Chaplain please, God, please continue to bless was removed without justification. Again, I Stertzbach was called to perform a me- America. am requesting that you investigate this inci- dent and provide an explanation. morial service for a fallen soldier. In FEBRUARY 6, 2005. Sincerely, that division, he had to e-mail his Department of the Army, The Inspector General, 1700 Army Pentagon, WALTER B. JONES, prayer to the divisional chaplain. In Member of Congress. the prayer, the divisional chaplain Washington, DC. DEAR LTG STANLEY GREEN: It has come to f struck through the words ‘‘Jesus my attention that in all branches of the TRI-CAUCUS WELCOMES ALL Christ.’’ He sent back the prayer with military it is increasingly difficult for chap- the strike-through of ‘‘Jesus Christ’’ to lains to pray in adherence to their faith. I INTERNS AND STAFF Jonathan Stertzbach. Chaplain have read reports, received letters, and seen The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Stertzbach went to the company com- documentation which verifies that suppres- previous order of the House, the gen- mander, and asked permission not to sion of religious freedom throughout our tleman from (Mr. ELLISON) pray. Armed Forces is a pervasive problem, affect- is recognized for 5 minutes. The company commander says, Why ing military chaplains from all denomina- Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I tions and religions. Of particular concern is not? an incident involving Army Captain Chap- come here to read a statement that He says, Because I’ve been ordered lain Jonathon Stertzbach of the 3–6 FA HHB was recently issued by an organization not to close my prayer as I see fit, in Iraq. I am writing to request that the here in our own Congress, our own based on my conscience, and knowing Army Inspector General investigate whether body, known as the Tri-Caucus. The that the deceased soldier had attended Chaplain Stertzbach was illegally removed Tri-Caucus includes members of the his chapel, a Christian chapel. from his chapel. Black Caucus, Hispanic Caucus and the So the company commander said to This chaplain who is serving our troops in Asian Caucus, and is made up of about Chaplain Stertzbach, You will pray, harm’s way in Iraq was asked by another 87 Members of this body. unit, whose chaplain had to return home to and you will pray as you see fit. start chemotherapy after cancer was discov- The statement says as follows: He did, and he closed his prayer in ered, to serve the spiritual needs of the ‘‘Four of our colleagues, Representa- the name of his Savior, the Lord Jesus unit’s soldiers in weekly movement to an un- tives of , PAUL Christ. From that, the divisional chap- disclosed FOB (Forward Operating Base) as BROUN of , of Ar- lain removed Chaplain Stertzbach from well as his own battalion. During one of the izona and of North Caro- his chapel. missions, tragically, one of the soldiers was lina recently requested the House Ser- In 2005, when I heard this story, I killed in action. The unit’s Commanding Of- geant at Arms to launch an investiga- wrote a letter to Lieutenant General ficer asked this chaplain to perform the me- tion of the civil rights group CAIR, or morial ceremony because he had bravely Council on American-Islamic Rela- Stanley Green, the inspector general of served the soldiers, and gone to the risk of the United States Army, and I asked convoying to the FOB (Forward Operating tions, to determine whether it was for an investigation into this case in- Base) weekly. placing staff and interns in key con- volving Chaplain Stertzbach. I am Before the memorial ceremony, the chap- gressional offices who they fear are pleased to say, Madam Speaker, that lain submitted two prayers and a meditation acting as ‘spies.’ Chaplain Stertzbach was returned to for the Division Chaplain and his direct su- ‘‘This proposed investigation coin- his chapel. The inspector general found pervising chaplain to review and was ap- cides with the launch of a book by that he should never have been re- proved. The Brigade Chaplain, having just Dave Gaubatz, an anti-Islamic activist arrived from Fort Drum, attempted to re- and author of the book ‘Muslim Mafia: moved. move the chaplain from administering the Madam Speaker, very briefly, I just prayers of the memorial ceremony because Inside the Secret Underworld that’s want to read the bill, which is so sim- he concluded his prayer in the name of Jesus Conspiring to Islamize America.’ It fea- ple. This is what it says: to ensure that Christ in a public forum. The chaplain, ad- tures an introduction by Representa- every military chaplain has the prerog- hering to his conscience and faith tradition, tive MYRICK and was written after ative to close a prayer outside of a reli- said he would not strike the words Jesus Gaubatz posed as an intern at CAIR in gious service according to the dictates Christ. an effort to ‘infiltrate’ the group. of the chaplain’s own conscience. The unit’s Commanding Officer intervened, ‘‘These charges smack of an America explaining that Chaplain Stertzbach volun- 60 years ago where lists of ‘un-Amer- Madam Speaker, this is a sad day in teered to serve a different unit outside of his America. I would be on this floor for a assigned unit and placed his life in harm’s ican’ agitators were identified. We Jewish rabbi. I would be on this floor way to provide for the needs of the unit’s sol- should be affirming the importance of for a Muslim who happened to be a diers. The Commanding Officer instructed diversity and tolerance for all interns chaplain in the military. I hope that that Chaplain Stertzbach would pray accord- and staff who serve in Congress with- my colleagues on both sides of the aisle ing to his faith tradition and the prayers out suspicion of being identified as will look at this bill, because all it says that he had already submitted. The Brigade ‘spies.’ is that you can close your prayer based Chaplain told him to qualify his prayer at ‘‘The idea that we should investigate the beginning with ‘‘Please pray according on your heart, based on the dictates of Muslim interns as spies is a blow to the to your faith tradition, as I pray according very principle of religious freedom that your faith outside the church on base, to mine’’ and then close the prayer with ‘‘in even over the body of a dead soldier. thy name we pray, and in Jesus’ name I our Founding Fathers cherished so dearly. If anything, we should be en- b 1945 pray.’’ Chaplain Stertzbach delivered the memorial meditation and prayers for the couraging all Americans to engage in Madam Speaker, as I close, I want to fallen hero, but still followed orders with the the U.S. political process, to take part make it clear, because I see my friend ‘qualifier’ remaining in place. in, and to contribute to, the great on the floor who is of the Muslim faith, After the incident, Chaplain Stertzbach’s democratic experiment that is Amer- that I would be on this floor tonight story reached the media. The Chaplain was ica. for a Muslim chaplain who was told directly contacted by ‘‘We all have experienced the sting of that he, an imam, could not close a and referenced in a Washington Times Janu- ary story. Chaplain Stertzbach’s incident discrimination and we know that there prayer based on their faith. was not printed, but he was quoted as saying will be challenges ahead. But our mes- Madam Speaker, I close by asking the following: sage should be firm that the America God to please bless our men and women ‘‘You need to allow people to pray accord- we believe in welcomes people of all in uniform. I ask God to please bless ing to their faith group. Many faith groups backgrounds to the U.S. Congress. the families of our men and women in do not pray in general and generic ‘‘We ask these charges be disavowed our uniform. I ask God in His loving terms.... For Christian groups, the name and we issue a hearty welcome to in- arms to hold the families who have of Jesus is from where all the power comes.’’ terns and staff of all creeds, color, given a child dying for freedom in Af- I believe Chaplain Stertzbach answered questions fairly, accurately, and within his ethnicities and sexual orientation.’’ ghanistan and Iraq. legal rights. Consequently, his answers to I read this statement and will submit Madam Speaker, I ask God to give the media and the incident surrounding the it for the RECORD and again thank the wisdom, strength and courage to the memorial ceremony resulted in Chaplain leadership of the Tri-Caucus, Congress- President of the United States. And I Stertzbach’s removal from his chapel. woman BARBARA LEE, Congresswoman

VerDate Nov 24 2008 03:25 Oct 27, 2009 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K26OC7.060 H26OCPT1 wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with HOUSE