January 5, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 25 These include a Conference record 38 and rides the bike and does the treadmill. I DEPORTATION OF FOREIGNERS touchdown passes during the regular season. thought, ‘That doesn’t sound like Brett,’ But threw three more touchdown it is now.’’ Steve Mariucci, the Packers’ quarterbacks HON. JULIAN C. DIXON passes in Sunday's 37±20 first-round playoff OF CALIFORNIA victory over the . coach, also has seen the changes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES He has started in 61 consecutive football ‘‘Brett’s image used to be the. . . . Well, you know. Now his image and persona is that Friday, January 5, 1996 games, the longest streak among active NFL he’s an intelligent quarterback. Heads-up. quarterbacks. Gutsy. He’s playing the position very well Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, I want to take the Finally, the resolution recognizes the team's and very smart,’’ said Mariucci. ‘‘He’s play- opportunity to call the attention of my col- commitment to achieving and demonstrating ing a little bit beyond the scheme of our sys- leagues to the following editorial which ap- athletic excellence in the best traditions of the tem at times with his improvising and mak- peared in the Los Angeles Times of Tuesday, State of Wisconsin and of the Nation. ing good things happen. He’s keeping the January 2, 1996. The Times cites encouraging I urge the House to join me in giving special negatives to a minimum.’’ progress by the U.S. Immigration and Natu- recognition to this exceptionally talented team Clearly, Favre is a serious NFL quarter- ralization Service [INS] in the deportation of back. Yet he remains his fun-loving self. and its admirable quarterback. They have foreigners who are in this country illegally. Ob- Medders got a dose of it a few years back proven themselves leaders and top performers viously, illegal immigration is an issue of great in every capacity through one of the most when he came to Green Bay for the Packers’ December game against the Rams. Favre importance to the Los Angeles area as well as competitive professional football seasons in told Medders to be sure to bundle up because the entire State of California, and I commend history. of the sub-zero temperatures. the INS for its recent successes in efforts to I ask that the article about the team and Mr. ‘‘So we step out of the apartment on our confront this pressing problem. Favre and his award that appeared in the way to the game and what does he do? He ENCOURAGING PROGRESS ON DEPORTATIONS Green Bay Press-Gazette on January 2, 1996, comes up behind me and stuffs two handfuls STATISTICS SUPPORT THE STEADY, MEASURED of snow right down the back of my shirt,’’ be printed in the RECORD. APPROACH OF THE INS FAVRE ON HONOR: IT’S SALUTE TO TEAM said Medders, laughing. ‘‘That started my day out right.’’ The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization (By Chris Havel) Service says a record number of foreigners, ‘‘He’s the biggest prankster there is,’’ said Brett Favre bounded into his Ashwaubenon 51,600, were deported in 1995 for being in the Clark Henegan, a college buddy of Favre’s home dying to share the news. United States illegally. While those deporta- who moved to Green Bay and is his personal The ’ quarterback had tions represent only a tiny dent in America’s assistant. ‘‘If you’re not careful, he’ll pull just learned he was voted the National Foot- illegal immigration problems, the number your pants down on the tee box. Trust me.’’ ball League’s Most Valuable Player for the does illustrate that the Clinton administra- 1995 season. Favre actually pulled just such a prank on tion is moving in the right direction on con- ‘‘He was just like a kid winning his first Mariucci at practice. trol of the nation’s borders. trophy ever,’’ said Deanna Tynes, Favre’s ‘‘The worst part was they had it on film,’’ Experts who track immigration trends can longtime girlfriend. ‘‘He said, ‘Do you know said Mariucci. ‘‘That’s just how he is. He’s only guess at how many illegal immigrants how big this is?’ I said, ‘yes, I do.’ He said, the funniest human being I have ever been are living in the country. A rough consensus ‘No, you don’t. You can’t, because I don’t around. To be witty, you have to be intel- currently is between 2 million and 3 million. know.’ ’’ ligent, and he’s very witty. Not that I ever But the INS knows exactly how many it for- Winning the MVP award is one thing. Com- want him to do that again.’’ mally deports each year, and the 1995 figure prehending it is another. The fact that Favre would even consider is 15% more than in 1994 and up nearly 75% That was on Saturday. such a practical joke on his position coach is from 1990. So the INS has shown progress, in- The Associated Press, which conducted the testament to the closeness they share. dicating that its measured approach, pressed balloting in which Favre earned 69 of 88 ‘MUTUAL RESPECT’ methodically despite a prevailing anti-immi- votes from a national media panel, told him grant hysteria, is effective. during an advance interview two days before We have a great mutual respect and when Clearly Congress’ decision to increase the the award was released. I say ‘we’ I mean all the quarterbacks,’’ said amount of money spent on border enforce- On Monday, Favre seemed just as excited Mariucci. ‘‘It’s a constant Barnum & Bailey, ment has paid off. That should provide more as if he’d heard it the first time. but when it’s time to go, we go. We get after political support for the INS spending bill ‘‘This is great,’’ he said. it and there’s no fooling around.’’ now pending in Congress, which calls for a The 26-year-old admitted his NFC record 38 Medders thinks Favre is just beginning to $128.7-million increase in enforcement funds. touchdown passes and NFL-leading 4,413 blossom. In terms of manpower, that means an addi- yards passing obviously played a bit role in ‘‘Now that he has received some respect tional 1,400 INS officers, mostly detention his winning the award. But no greater a role from peers and around the nation, it’ll actu- and deportation officers. than the Packers’ 11–5 record and Central Di- ally make him more confident,’’ said Another wise decision that INS Commis- vision title. Medders, who lives in Birmingham, Ala. ‘‘I sioner Doris Meissner made was to invest in ‘‘The numbers are hard to ignore, but if we think it will make him better. It’ll bring him a computerized identification system for INS had gone 2–14 everyone would have said, ‘So out more.’’ border inspectors at busy ports of entry like what?’ ’’ he said. ‘‘I can’t say enough about Favre’s rock-solid performance in the San Ysidro, south of San Diego, and El Paso. what this award means for me and my team. Packers’ 37–20 victory over Atlanta in Sun- But the most important change in INS pro- You can’t win something like this unless you day’s NFC wild-card game makes a convinc- cedures was Meissner’s decision to expand win and be successful. That’s a salute to all ing argument. Knowing he has been selected and accelerate the procedure for holding for- my teammates.’’ as the NFL’s MVP didn’t affect his approach mal deportation hearings for foreigners who The award was especially impressive in or his performance. had served time on criminal convictions. that it came in the same season San Francis- He completed 24 of 35 passes for 199 yards Most of the 1995 deportees, 62% of the total, co’s Jerry Rice and Dallas’ Emmitt Smith were criminals expelled after completing set NFL records for receiving yards (1,848) and three touchdowns. ‘‘There was no pressure on me,’’ Favre their sentences. and touchdowns (25), respectively. In the past, these foreigners were sent to said. ‘‘I didn’t feel like I had to do anything This is heady stuff. federal detention centers to await deporta- spectacular and I didn’t. I don’t have to put The people closest to Favre know it. They tion hearings. Or, if there was no room in the up big numbers for us to win. Edgar Bennett also know it won’t go to his head. centers, they would simply be set free and had 108 yards. We won. That’s what we would ‘‘The only way he has changed is that he ordered to return voluntarily for the hear- like to do.’’ has grown up a lot,’’ said Tynes, who laughs ings. Obviously many did not show up. Under at the notion that Favre is a ‘‘big ego’’ guy. On some teams, the presence of an MVP the new INS policy an INS judge goes to the ‘‘He’s still a kid at heart. He’ll always be quarterback might breed jealousy. prison, hears the prisoner’s case for remain- that way. More than anything, he loves to In Green Bay, Favre believes it’ll breed ing in the United States and makes a deci- play football and he loves to win. That’s just confidence going into Saturday’s NFC Divi- sion on the spot. Those rejected are taken di- the way he is.’’ sional Playoff against defending rectly to an airport and put on the next MATURITY CITED champion San Francisco. plane to their country of origin. Bryant Medders who played with Favre at ‘‘Our players can say, ‘Hey, if a Packer can With Congress immersed in a new debate Southern Mississippi and is a close friend, win this award, then we’re getting a little about immigration reform, members should said Favre’s maturity—both physically and notoriety and people are starting to recog- acknowledge the INS successes before they mentally—is striking. nize us,’’ he said. try to reinvent the wheel. Washington needs ‘‘He never knew where the weight room ‘‘We’re 11–5. We won our division. We’re a steady, credible immigration policy, not a was at Southern Miss,’’ Medders said. ‘‘Now pretty good. I hope every player feels like we hysterical response to demagogues demand- on Tuesdays (the Packers’ day off) he goes in can go out to San Francisco and win.’’ ing rash, unproven policies.