E1090 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks July 18, 2013 SAFE RETURN OF ARMANDO find ways to better protect Americans from documenting the military service of Latino vet- TORRES identity theft. erans. He also helped Anaheim Latino youth One of the most troubling forms of identity gain scholarships through his membership and HON. FILEMON VELA theft is fraud involving a deceased individual, participation in the LULAC Anaheim Council. OF TEXAS which victimizes grieving families. Our sub- A 26-year veteran of Northrop Grumman, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES committee learned about a family that not only John was a true patriot who carried out his du- lost their young daughter to a terrible cancer— ties with passion and integrity. Thursday, July 18, 2013 but then was dealt another blow when they John and his wife, Linda, founded the His- Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join found that their child’s identity had been stolen panic Advisory Council to CASA (Court Ap- my colleagues in urging the State Department and used to collect a fraudulent tax refund. pointed Special Advocates of Orange County). and the government of Mexico to do every- Our bill aims to stop this fraud in its tracks. Their efforts continue to impact the thing that they possibly can to ensure the safe It is named in honor of the child whose family youth that CASA serves. return of Armando Torres. asked our Subcommittee to make sure what John Lopez was a true public servant to his It has been over two months since Armando happened to them did not happen to another community. While he will be greatly missed, was taken captive by armed gunmen while family: the ‘‘Alexis Agin Identity Theft Protec- his contributions will benefit future genera- visiting his father in Mexico. A native of South tion Act of 2013.’’ No one should have to en- tions. Texas, Armando served 7 years in the Marine dure both the loss of a loved one and then the Corps including combat tours in Iraq. Though financial stress of dealing with identity theft f he survived a war zone, a greater threat to his because a fraudster has appropriated the per- safety came closer to home when he drove son’s identity. HONORING THE NAPA COUNTY across the Los Indios Bridge into Mexico. The Death Master File, DMF, a prime FARM BUREAU What should have been an uneventful trip source of SSNs used in identity theft, is a became a nightmare for the Torres family database of death information reported to the HON. MIKE THOMPSON when Armando has kidnapped. This is a sadly Social Security Administration, SSA. However, OF all too common occurrence in Mexico with as a lawsuit forced SSA to make this database IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES many as 70 kidnappings occurring every day. available to anyone who wants it. SSA needs The cartel violence in Mexico has had a this information—it is used to make sure Thursday, July 18, 2013 profound impact on the entire nation with over earned benefits from the Social Security Trust Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, 60,000 killed. Fund are only paid to the living. But SSA does I rise today to honor the Napa County Farm The unprecedented level of violence has not want to make it available to fraudsters, Bureau on the occasion of its centennial anni- greatly affected the as well. Re- and they should not be required to do so. versary. lations with our neighbor to the south have Our bill would restrict access to the DMF to The Napa County Farm Bureau was initi- been strained as the free flow of lawful com- legitimate users and release to the general ated in 1913 when at a meeting of the Napa merce and visitors has been threatened by public only death data that is older than three Grange, H. J. Baade stated that the University crime and illegal trafficking. Over 600 U.S. citi- years, at which point it is relatively useless to of California at Berkeley would hire a scientif- zens have been murdered in Mexico. We talk ID thieves bent on using it for fraud. Over ically trained man with at least four years of about the Global War on Terror, but the cartel time, our bill also enables the States to take practical farming experience and place him in violence in Mexico has proven to be a far back the responsibility of handling their death any county that would agree to organize a more deadly threat. We cannot and we will not data and ends SSA’s public release of the Farm Bureau. The Napa Grangers instructed sit idly by and watch our ally Mexico fight this DMF for good. The President’s budget pro- the District Attorney to assist the Secretary of war alone. We are committed to working to- poses a similar approach that the Joint Com- the Napa Chamber of Commerce to organize gether to address the problems which face our mittee on Taxation projects would save $793 a Bureau of at least one-fifth of all the farmers two nations. million over ten years by reducing the potential in the county. The number of victims of this deadly war is for fraudulent tax refunds. The National Tax- Today, the mission of the Napa County staggering, but Armando Torres is not just a payer Advocate and the SSA Inspector Gen- Farm Bureau is to ensure the proper political, statistic. He is not just one of the victims of eral have also called for the public release of social, and economic climate for the continu- the cartel violence which has ravaged Mexico. the DMF data to end. ation of a strong, vibrant and sustainable agri- He is a Marine, a son, a nephew, a cousin, a I applaud the bipartisan approach we took cultural economy. The Farm Bureau is one of husband, and a father. And our nation must to resolving this problem for the American the county’s major voices for land steward- do everything in our power to bring him home. people. I hope we can learn from the Agin I stand with my colleagues in the United family’s tragic experience and move swiftly to ship, agricultural sustainability, and open States Congress today in support of Armando. enact this bipartisan, commonsense measure space preservation and conservation. Over the We will not rest until he is returned safely to to reduce the harm of identity theft. last four decades, the Napa County Farm Bu- his family and friends. reau has led the resistance to the trend to- f ward paving over farmland across the state f CHAMPION OF HISPANIC YOUTH and nation, and worked with County govern- INTRODUCTION OF THE ‘‘ALEXIS JOHN LOPEZ ment leaders to designate agriculture as its AGIN IDENTITY THEFT PROTEC- most precious resource—the highest and best TION ACT OF 2013’’ HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ use of the land. OF CALIFORNIA Countless members of the community have given much of their time and talent to help im- HON. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA prove the agricultural conditions of Napa Thursday, July 18, 2013 County. The organization is guided by a Board IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. of Directors and supported by a multitude of Thursday, July 18, 2013 Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. John Lopez, dedicated volunteers. The Napa County Farm Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased a resident of my district who passed away on Bureau will honor 52 Centennial Napa County to join with my friend and colleague, SAM July 2, 2013. farm families who have been farming in the JOHNSON, to introduce this bipartisan legisla- John was born and raised in Santa Ana, county for 100 or more years on August 3rd. tion to protect Americans from identity theft. California. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s Mr. Speaker, throughout its 100 year his- I have long been concerned about the prob- Degree from University of California, Irvine tory, the Napa County Farm Bureau has lem of identity theft, where all too often the and a Masters from the University of La worked to protect family farms and ranches, Social Security number, SSN, which is as- Verne. maintain and enhance Napa’s rich agricultural signed to make sure Americans get their One of his proudest affiliations was through heritage, and promote good stewardship of earned Social Security benefits, is the key to the work he did with the American GI Forum, Napa’s soils, watersheds, wildlife habitat and committing fraud. For a number of years, where John rose to serve as the California open space. It is therefore appropriate that we Chairman JOHNSON and I have worked to- State Treasurer for the organization. acknowledge the Napa County Farm Bureau gether on a bipartisan basis with other mem- John was also a member of the Latino Ad- today and wish it great success in future bers of our Social Security Subcommittee to vocates for Education, where he worked on years.

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