JOHN CARTER

Far to the Southeast of Texas lies the South American country of Colombia. This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Colombia with U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and other members of Congress. The purpose of this trip was to witness first-hand the importance of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has decided, however, that there will be no trade agreement with Colombia, and in fact, has changed the rules in the House causing this solid, good-faith agreement that took years to mold and months to negotiate, to completely disappear.

Seven years ago, Colombia was nearly a failed state. Violence was rampant, Colombians were fleeing their country, and economic activity was plummeting. Colombia and the United States have worked to combat this violence over the years, and together we have made substantial progress. President Uribe has made major progress in stemming the tide of violence in his own country and the shipment of drugs into ours. Colombia is doing a good job fighting terrorists despite support for Colombian guerillas by Hugo Chavez, the dictator in Venezuela. Yet, we refuse to pass this agreement. We are sending the wrong message to one of our strongest South American allies and to those countries who are working to follow Colombia’s example.

The Colombia Free Trade Agreement would have represented the completion of a trade relationship-not the beginning of a new one. Through unilateral preference programs already approved by Congress, nearly 92 percent of Colombian imports enter the U.S. duty-free. American exported goods face heavy tariffs, which can run as high as 35 percent for our manufactured goods and even higher for our agricultural products, putting our Texas farmers, ranchers, workers and small businesses at a sever disadvantage. The current status is unbalanced. This agreement would have created a free and fair trade system for both parties.

Traveling to Colombia with Ambassador Schwab gave me an opportunity to witness the benefits our global competitors reap because of their expanded exports to Colombia through trade agreements. The United States cannot afford to fall behind, and killing this agreement will create further uncertainty for our fragile economy.

Since September 11th we have made this nation’s prosperity our number one priority. Halfway around the world, we fight terrorism and promote freedom with the strength of our military. Within our own hemisphere we hold different weapons in the strength of our economy, our business and our trade. We must utilize these tools to prevent tyranny and evil from gaining power in our own backyard. Instead, Nancy Pelosi and the party in control of Congress put the prosperity of our nation on hold for purely political reasons. When will these games stop? When will this Congress stop working towards their own agenda and start working for the country and the people we represent?

What do a rock star and the Congressman from Central Texas have in common? Trust me, I was asking myself that same question on my way to meet with Bono, lead singer of the rock group U2 and founder of the One Campaign established to eliminate poverty and global disease. Our common ground wasn’t that hard to find. We both agree that America is a blessed nation, and we believe it is our moral obligation to help those that cannot help themselves.

During the State of the Union address, President Bush called on Congress to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and double our historic commitment with an additional $30 billion over the next five years.

The statistics of the HIV/AIDS crisis are truly alarming. This pandemic kills an estimated six million people every year. According to the Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS, an estimated 33.2 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2007. Of these, more than two million were children and some 330,000 of the 2.1 million that died in 2007 were under the age of 15. Nearly 90 percent of all children infected with HIV reside in sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to 2.2 million of the estimated 2.5 million children living with HIV worldwide. Each day in 2007, approximately 1,000 children worldwide became newly infected with HIV, due in large part to little access to treatment that prevents the transmission of HIV from mother to child.

Equally startling, if current rates of infection continue to rise, we could begin to see new epicenters for the disease arise out of India, China and Eastern Europe with numbers that could surpass Africa in just a few years.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic poses a real threat to our national security. If not addressed, this plague will continue to weaken nations throughout the third world, crippling countries and economies leaving them vulnerable to extreme violence.

This is truly a global crisis and because the United States can provide timely assistance, I believe have a moral responsibility to do so.

This week Congress voted to authorize billions of dollars for the president’s global AIDS initiative, a program started in 2003 that has been successful for millions around the world suffering from AIDS or are at risk of contacting the HIV virus. Originally I had concerns about another foreign aid program, but after seeing these funds produce such large success, I knew they were worthwhile.

According to the Congressional Research Service, through September 30, 2007, the president’s global AIDS initiative has supported anti-retroviral treatment for approximately 1.4 million people; prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services for women during more than 10 million pregnancies and an estimated 152,000 infant infections; care for nearly 6.7 million people, including more than 2.7 million orphans and children; and counseling and testing services for over 30 million people.

Not only does this plan address the crisis by providing medicine and health benefits to those infected, but also addresses the crisis at its core. The bill passed by Congress is consistent with our values and will maintain a continued focus on HIV/AIDS treatment, care and prevention goals, including meaningful funding resources for evidence-based programs that teach abstinence. We cannot send billions of dollars to Africa without initiating programs that will help prevent the transmission of this disease by changing behavior.

I believe that it is possible to be both fiscally responsible and be obedient to our moral calling. History is filled with great moments of mankind’s enduring compassion to help those in need. Now it is Congress’ turn to put politics aside and do something truly great to help those humans who desperately need America to step in and help them survive.

Securing our borders is the backbone of our national security, and something I have dedicated my years in Congress to protecting. Unfortunately there are those in Congress who don’t seem to think it is a priority.

Porous borders pose a grave threat to the security of America, and to the economic stability of cities and towns, especially in Texas. Concerned members from both parties, including myself, believe this issue demands action now and should not wait for a new president or a new decade. Unfortunately Nancy Pelosi has stopped legislation that I have co-sponsored that would protect our borders from coming to the House floor for a vote and being signed into law. To that end, Representative Thelma Drake has filed a discharge petition to force a vote on H.R. 4008, the SAVE Act. This bipartisan bill would address the security loopholes in our borders. If 218 Members sign the petition, Democrat leaders will be forced to hold a vote on this bill.

The SAVE Act, which is sponsored by Representative Heath Shuler, a Democrat, has 145 co-sponsors, including myself and 48 of my Democrat colleagues. The bill provides for a number of things that will drastically improve the security of our borders including:

• An increase in border patrol agents by 8,000 over the next five years; and additional 1,150 ICE agents, 140 Criminal Alien Program officers, and 250 state and local law enforcement for immigration support.

• Strengthening of alien smuggling penalties.

• Expedited removal of and increased detention facilities for illegal aliens.

• Authority for additional border infrastructure and aerial vehicles/surveillance equipment.

• Strengthened Employer Enforcement: (1) mandates usage of the E-Verify system which allows employers to make an efficient and accurate check of a hire’s employment eligibility; (2) requires employer/employee notification of Social Security number mismatches and multiple users; (3) requires establishment of electronic birth and death registration databases; (4) penalizes specified employers for failure to correct information returns; and (5) prohibits employers from deducting from gross income wages paid to unauthorized aliens.

Not only does this bill help to strengthen our borders immediately, but it is a good step towards reforming our immigration process. Last year, I introduced the Secure America for Everyone (SAFE) Act which consists of four straightforward bills addressing law enforcement, border security, and a secure ID system, ultimately leading to a practical immigration process that will make it easier to come into this country legally and harder to come illegally. Our country was founded on the principles of freedom and opportunity for all citizens, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues to create a system that makes sense.

Securing our borders should be at the heart of our national security strategy. Although we are in an era where common sense legislation too often gets caught up in partisan gridlock, this is not an issue we can afford to delay on any further. The American people have called on Congress repeatedly to act to secure our borders, and the Democratic Leadership should listen to them.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Over the past five years, Iraq has become a nation that lives in freedom, not fear. The efforts of our men and women in uniform serving in Iraq have made the World and America safer from terrorists.

I have had the opportunity to visit Iraq four times since the beginning of the war. During my visits, I have had the great honor of visiting with our troops from Fort Hood, and I have been able to see first hand the progress we have made. We owe eternal gratitude to the brave men and women fighting for the safety of America and the freedom of the Iraqi people.

Violence has declined throughout Iraq, particularly in Baghdad and al-Anbar Province. Total civilian deaths and coalition deaths have dropped by more than 70% since July of 2007, according to the House Armed Services Committee. Coalition forces have captured or killed thousands of extremists and key al-Qaeda leaders. This major reduction in violence has been made possible by the troop surge and the Sunni rejection of al-Qaeda.

A neighborhood watch program called the “Sons of Iraq” movement is now 90,000 strong and has been the inspiration for other Iraqis to take up the fight. This neighborhood watch program has helped protect communities from terrorists and insurgents. During the past year, the Iraqi government has added its own surge of 100,000 new Iraqi soldiers and police officers, and the Iraqi government is now responsible for the security in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces. The increase in Iraqi forces has also enabled them to become more capable of executing their own missions.

Political progress is also taking place in Iraq. The Iraqi Council of Representatives and the Presidency Council are working through key pieces of legislation that will balance the central government in Baghdad with the strong local governments. They are also working to pass election laws and legislation that would set the framework for foreign investment in Iraq’s energy sector.

While the surge has enabled us to reduce the amount of violence, the stakes in Iraq are still great. We are witnessing the first large scale Arab uprising against Osama bin Laden and his terror network. Defeating al-Qaeda in Iraq will show that we are capable of defending liberty and defeating terrorists.

In the past five years, we have learned that when we pull our forces out too fast terrorists and extremist step in and spread violence. General Petraeus has warned that too quick of a withdrawal could result in a surge in violence again. I believe that we must listen very carefully to our experts on the ground in Iraq and trust that their advice to Congress is in the best interest of America, our troops, and the people of Iraq.

I cannot talk about the success in Iraq without mentioning our troops. Brave American men and women have fought and sacrificed for the freedom of the Iraqi people and the War on Terror. Back home, many families are sacrificing while their loved one serves in Iraq. We should all remember our military families and be thankful for their contribution to our freedom. This has been a long struggle – frankly, longer than many of us realized. But we owe it to the Iraqi people, and to the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to finish the job. Our military needs to leave Iraq in victory under the American flag, not in defeat under a white flag. I ask that the residents of the 31st District continue to show support for these brave souls by flying your flag, thanking a troop and their family, and letting them know that you stand behind them.

I am told the Canadian Northlands experience only two seasons, winter…and July. As the back roads begin to thaw, they become muddy and vehicles traveling through the backcountry leave deep ruts. The ground freezes hard during the winter months, and the highway ruts become part of the traveling challenges. For vehicles entering this undeveloped area during the winter, there is a sign which reads, “Driver, please choose carefully which rut you drive in because you’ll be in it for the next 20 miles.”

I often tell this story when talking about budget season in Washington. Every year, Congress passes a budget resolution that sets the spending levels for the year. The budget is a sizeable document, funding everything from agricultural to veterans’ affairs. Like Central Texas families, I am mindful that some things in the budget are “needs,” while others are “wants”. As a fiscal conservative, I have worked to eliminate wasteful government spending and keep taxes low.

Unfortunately Washington Democrats don’t see things the way common sense Central Texans see them.

This week, the Majority introduced their yearly budget plan. Much like last year’s budget proposal, this one includes major tax hikes. In fact, it nearly doubles the tax hikes from last year totaling a whopping $683 billion in new taxes for working families and small business owners. On top of this, the Democrats’ budget once again refuses to address the looming crisis in the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid entitlement programs.

Families in Texas are feeling the strain of sky-rocketing gas prices, decreasing home values, and increasing health care costs piled high on the back of a slowing economy. The last thing they need is to pay more taxes. If this budget passes, Texas families and small business owners will once again pick up the check for billions in new wasteful Washington spending -“wants” if you will. How can this happen you might ask? Simple, Democrats will allow the Republican tax relief, such as the repeal of the death tax and the marriage penalty to expire over the next four years. While you won’t see your tax bill rise substantially immediately, in a few short years, 116 million taxpayers will see their taxes increase an average of $1,833-the largest single tax increase in American history.

According to The Heritage Foundation, between now and January 1, 2001 many critical tax provisions will expire, “Tax rates will rise substantially in each tax bracket, some by 450 basis points; Low-income taxpayers will see the 10-percent tax bracket disappear, and they will have to pay taxes at the 15-percent rate; Married taxpayers will see the marriage penalty return; Taxpayers with children will lose 50 percent of their child tax credits; Taxes on dividends will increase beginning on January 1, 2009; Taxes on capital gains will increase, also beginning on January 1, 2009; and Federal Death taxes will come back to life in 2011, after fading down to nothing in 2010.”

As irresponsible as the enormous amount of unnecessary spending and reinstated taxes, the deliberate refusal to address the entitlement crisis is equally as irresponsible. It’s been said too many times without being heard-the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid entitlement programs are quickly dying. Without immediate action by Congress, these programs will go belly-up in the next few decades, leaving millions of Americans without the Social Security and Medicare benefits they earned through years of hard work.

The Democrats’ budget will leave Americans with nothing but empty pockets and a crushed economy. As we officially begin the budget debate, we must remember that the choices we make today will affect our nation for years to come. The last thing we should do is make a choice that will leave our country in a rut. You can bet that I will be working with Republicans and fiscally responsible Democrats to fight for a fiscally responsible budget resolution that balances the federal budget without raising taxes and keep this country out of a rut.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Over the past five years, Iraq has become a nation that lives in freedom, not fear. The efforts of our men and women in uniform serving in Iraq have made the World and America safer from terrorists.

I have had the opportunity to visit Iraq four times since the beginning of the war. During my visits, I have had the great honor of visiting with our troops from Fort Hood, and I have been able to see first hand the progress we have made. We owe eternal gratitude to the brave men and women fighting for the safety of America and the freedom of the Iraqi people.

Violence has declined throughout Iraq, particularly in Baghdad and al-Anbar Province. Total civilian deaths and coalition deaths have dropped by more than 70% since July of 2007, according to the House Armed Services Committee. Coalition forces have captured or killed thousands of extremists and key al-Qaeda leaders. This major reduction in violence has been made possible by the troop surge and the Sunni rejection of al-Qaeda.

A neighborhood watch program called the “Sons of Iraq” movement is now 90,000 strong and has been the inspiration for other Iraqis to take up the fight. This neighborhood watch program has helped protect communities from terrorists and insurgents. During the past year, the Iraqi government has added its own surge of 100,000 new Iraqi soldiers and police officers, and the Iraqi government is now responsible for the security in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces. The increase in Iraqi forces has also enabled them to become more capable of executing their own missions.

Political progress is also taking place in Iraq. The Iraqi Council of Representatives and the Presidency Council are working through key pieces of legislation that will balance the central government in Baghdad with the strong local governments. They are also working to pass election laws and legislation that would set the framework for foreign investment in Iraq’s energy sector.

While the surge has enabled us to reduce the amount of violence, the stakes in Iraq are still great. We are witnessing the first large scale Arab uprising against Osama bin Laden and his terror network. Defeating al-Qaeda in Iraq will show that we are capable of defending liberty and defeating terrorists.

In the past five years, we have learned that when we pull our forces out too fast terrorists and extremist step in and spread violence. General Petraeus has warned that too quick of a withdrawal could result in a surge in violence again. I believe that we must listen very carefully to our experts on the ground in Iraq and trust that their advice to Congress is in the best interest of America, our troops, and the people of Iraq.

I cannot talk about the success in Iraq without mentioning our troops. Brave American men and women have fought and sacrificed for the freedom of the Iraqi people and the War on Terror. Back home, many families are sacrificing while their loved one serves in Iraq. We should all remember our military families and be thankful for their contribution to our freedom. This has been a long struggle – frankly, longer than many of us realized. But we owe it to the Iraqi people, and to the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to finish the job. Our military needs to leave Iraq in victory under the American flag, not in defeat under a white flag. I ask that the residents of the 31st District continue to show support for these brave souls by flying your flag, thanking a troop and their family, and letting them know that you stand behind them.

The American economy, as resilient as it is, is charting rough waters, while soaring cost of living have forced working families to tighten their belts in order to make ends meet.

So why isn’t the federal government doing the same thing?

Many of you have heard or read about the budget which recently passed Congress. What you may not realize is the impact this budget will have on you as an individual and on families across Central Texas.

Between now and 2011 there are a number of tax cuts that are set to expire unless Congress extends them, including the Death Tax, the Child Credit Tax and the Marriage Penalty Tax.

Unfortunately Texans know far too much about the effects of the Death Tax. Under a 2001 tax relief law, the federal Death Tax is gradually being phased-out until it is eliminated completely in 2010. Because of Senate procedural roadblocks, however, the Death Tax will only be gone for one year, coming back to life in 2011. That means when small business owners, farmers and other American working families wake up on New Year’s Day 2011, they’ll be subject to one of the more burdensome taxes on the books today. It also means that it is nearly impossible for families to make long-term financial decisions related to the Death Tax because they do not know when they are going to die.

Across the street from my church is a 400 acre farm. Right now, the second generation of that family is farming the land, and someday they hope to pass it down to their children, the third generation. Due to the growth in the area, the value of the land has increased dramatically since the family first started farming the land. This is not an extremely wealthy family, but the value of their land has increased so they will be required to pay the Death Tax once it is passed down, which, from 2010 to 2011, will jump from 0 to 55 percent. The Democrats FY 09 Budget will resurrect the Death Tax in 2011 for families such as this one.

It wasn’t too long ago when almost half of married couples found that on April 15th, because they were married, they were required to pay more in taxes. This so called Marriage Penalty Tax showed up in 1969 to equalize what used to be an unfair tax advantage for married couples. In 2003, Congress passed the Jobs and Growth Relief Reconciliation Act in order to reduce the crippling impact of the tax on married couples. The problem is this reduction wasn’t permanent, and the Democrats new budget has no plans to keep this critical tax provision in place. Since this tax cut won’t be extended, roughly 23 million taxpayers will see their taxes increase, on average, $466 in 2011, simply because they are married.

Over the past few years families have received welcomed tax relief thanks to the Child Tax Credit, which allows many families to reduce the amount of federal taxes owed by $1,000 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. The Child Tax Credit is an actual reduction of your taxes, not just a deduction from your taxable income. In 2005, the Child Tax Credit was set to be reduced to $700, but recognizing the need to maintain the current amount, Congress passed the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 in order to keep the credit at $1,000 per child through 2010. Unfortunately, the new Democratic budget will slash this credit by 50 percent in 2011 raising taxes on families who benefit from the tax credit by $500 per child. Across the country, approximately 31 million taxpayers with children will see their taxes increase, on average, $859 in 2011.

While these three tax provision will affect many Central Texans, they are not the only tax increases that Democrats have in store for Texans. On top of reinstating the Death Tax and Marriage Penalty, and rolling back the Child Credit Tax, the FY 2009 budget will raise the 10-percent tax rate bracket to 15 percent, affecting more than 6 million individuals and families who previously owed no taxes.

All in all some 116 million taxpayers nationwide will see their taxes increase, on average, $1,833 in 2011 alone. In Texas and District 31, taxpayers will see an increase of $2,100 to their tax bill. Elderly couples with $40,000 in income will see their tax bill rise by 156 percent in 2011, from $583 to $1,489 and a family of four earning $60,000 will face a 70 percent tax hike, with their income tax bill rising from $2,733 to $4,634, an increase of $1,900.

Last year’s budget was bad, but this year’s budget breaks all the records by imposing the largest tax increase in American history, roughly $683 billion, mainly to finance the Majority’s hundreds of billions in new spending. The Democrats’ economic policies today bear a striking resemblance to the failed tax-and-spend policies of the 1970s.

Back then, it took a Republican president and the conservative revolution he founded to do away with those high-dollar, high-tax liberal policies. In a 1986 radio address, Ronald Reagan said, “You know, our Founding Fathers considered the power of the purse the most important responsibility of the legislative branch. If that power is abused, it can have very serious consequences for our nation, not only threatening our prosperity with huge budget deficits but, ultimately, undermining the economic foundations of our safety and national security.”

President Reagan was absolutely right-a budget is much more than a set of numbers on a slate, it is a reflection of our national priorities. It is a test of whether we have a strategic vision for America’s future. On that score, Washington Democrats have failed the American people.

It is fiscal priority debates like these that so define the difference between House Democrats and Republicans. I will to work on behalf of Texas families to implement forward-looking fiscal policies that hold the line on spending and keep taxes low for hardworking Americans.

In 1938, Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered one of America’s first nation-wide radio addresses. In that historic address he said, “The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.” These words of our past should serve as a reminder to every member of Congress. Our primary goal is to protect the interests of the American people, and keep them informed about where and how their tax dollars are being spent.

Last November, the American people sent a clear message to members of Congress. You want an honest, open government that isn’t spending your tax dollars, through earmarks for secret projects, anonymously buried in lengthy legislation and hidden from the public. The American people deserve transparency in spending, and that means transparency across the board.

We can look to Congressman Charlie Rangel, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for a perfect example of why we need earmark reform in government bills. He earmarked $2 million for the “Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York. The center is seeking donations through a ‘20-page glossy brochure’ to restore a ‘magnificent Harlem limestone townhouse’ that will provide a ‘well-furnished office for Congressman Rangel.’” (OpinionJournal’s Political Diary, 7/20/07).

And let’s not stop there. Congressman Paul Kanjorski is under fire for steering $9.25 million in tax dollars to a company owned by his family. According to one leading Washington newspaper, the company, Cornerstone Technologies, ‘was formed by his nephew, Peter Kanjorski, and a scientist Bruce Conrad, who were joined in the company by four of the congressman’s other nephews and his daughters…[S]eparate from House rules, federal law prohibits members of Congress from contracting with the federal government.’ (Politico, 9/5/07)

We all remember the news reports concerning the “Bridge to Nowhere”. To address these loopholes, Republicans reformed the earmark process, requiring full transparency and the ability to challenge earmarks in all types of bills. Unfortunately, the Democrats chose to roll back these reforms at the beginning of this Congress.

Time after time, Washington liberals continue to show they are more concerned with funding their own private interests secretly than living up to the promises they made about open government at the beginning of this Congress.

In June, I joined my conservative colleagues to introduce a resolution, H.Res. 479, that would fully restore the reforms implemented by Republicans in 2006. But so far, Democrat leaders refuse to put the resolution to a vote.

That is why we began a legislative procedure, known as a discharge petition, that would override Democratic Leadership and bring this earmark reform legislation to the House Floor. I am seeking to close all loopholes that allow the current system to remain broken. If a member of Congress is willing to spend your hard-earned money on a project, they have an obligation to stand by that project and explain its value and purpose.

The American people need someone to stand up for them, and it is clear that the new Majority in Congress isn’t willing to give up their hidden handouts and do the right thing by reforming and making the earmark process honest. I have signed this petition to prove to the people of Central Texas that I will fight relentlessly to give them the open, honest government that was promised at the beginning of this Congress. I hope that my fiscally conservative colleagues from both political parties will join me and sign this discharge petition, showing the American people we will not stand for the continued fleecing of this nation.

This week we remember the brave men and women who lost their lives in the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. We remember the courageous policemen and firemen who rose to the call of duty on that day, and we remember the families whose grief has resurfaced with the memories of their lost loved ones. The total number of United States citizens killed in that single day was 2,974, the vast majority of whom were civilians, not military. They were not attacked by a country’s army. In fact, as we all remember, the attack was just the opposite. America was “sucker punched” out of the blue by a group of radical terrorists whose goal is to bring their violent way of life to our free country.

This great tragedy united our country in its aftermath, but has left us drastically divided on its meaning. It is sad that during this week of remembrance, liberal political group MoveOn.org “sucker punched” our own military forces by launching a personal attack on General David Petraeus, a respected U.S. Army figure who has dedicated thirty years of his life to the service. On the day General Petraeus delivered his congressionally mandated report to Congress on the progress being made in Iraq, MoveOn.org placed a full page advertisement in the New York Times accusing him of treason. The ad alleged, without evidence, that Petraeus would not give an honest assessment of the situation in Iraq, but instead would be “cooking the books” giving a testimony pre-spun and pre-scripted by the White House. To push the dagger a little deeper, the title of the ad was a pun on Petraeus’s name: General Betray Us?

I wonder how a group of American people could be so vicious towards a respected and credible general. After all, this man is a four-star general, a Princeton Ph. D, a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Metal, and not to mention he has led our troops in the fight to protect our freedom, the very freedom that allows members of MoveOn.org the ability to speak so freely. To hear personal, intentional attacks like this on our military during the anniversary week of September, 11, raises one disturbing question. Why are we pointing the gun at our own soldiers rather than at the terrorists who killed so many innocent Americans? Because this attack on Petraeus was so public and so deliberate, it cannot be ignored by either side of the aisle. It is shameful and disrespectful, and any member of Congress, regardless of party affiliation, should denounce something so outright distasteful.

Despite the attacks, General Petraeus held his head high when he walked into the hearing room to deliver his testimony, seemingly unscathed by the ad. He delivered an honest, straight-forward assessment of the realities in Iraq. He discussed the importance of building on our current progress in Iraq and avoiding the consequences that would be sure to follow a precipitous withdrawal of support forces from the region. Not a single member of Congress wants to see our soldiers stay in Iraq one day longer than is necessary, and General Petraeus made clear his intention to suggest a modest drawdown of troop levels in response to the success that has been achieved.

After returning from my fourth trip to Iraq, I can testify that what General Petraeus reported about the significant progress is true. I have witnessed first-hand the American soldiers working with the Iraqi forces to bring their country to a more secure state. Our soldiers on the ground believe strongly in what they are fighting for and we should allow them the opportunity to succeed and return home.

General Petraeus is a man of integrity and he is doing exactly what Congress has asked him to do by delivering an honest report. His testimony reminds us that progress in Iraq has not come without a price. That’s why it remains more important than ever that Congress cast aside political calculations and work together for the security of our nation. We need to adopt a bi-partisan policy that is worthy of our troops’ continued sacrifice and consistent with their single minded determination to succeed.

A newspaper reporter once asked Sam Rayburn, “Mr. Speaker, you see probably a hundred people a day. You tell each one ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ or ‘Maybe.’ You are never seen taking notes on what you told them, but I have never heard of you forgetting anything you have promised them. What is your secret?”

Rayburn carefully eyed his questioner and replied, “If you tell the truth the first time,” he replied, “you don’t have to remember.”

These words of the famous Texas Speaker who served for 48 years in Congress remind me of the importance of honesty, especially when walking up and down the halls of Congress. If all Members of Congress acted honestly and honorably, they would never need to cover their tracks.

For example, in an unprecedented move last week on the House floor, Democrats illegally maneuvered to reverse the outcome of a vote that would have blocked them from granting taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants. The vote which occurred late one night passed 215-213 in favor of the Republican motion to stop undocumented immigrants from receiving housing and benefits. However, a Democrat member from New York, who was presiding in the chair at the time, did not read the official vote tally, but upon a signal from his leaders, announced that the motion had failed. In the chaos that followed, three Democrats were strong armed into switching their vote so the official tally became 212-216.

These are the kinds of corrupt political tactics that people back in Texas are sick of seeing in Washington. The constituents of the 31st District elected me to represent them and fight to prevent their hard-earned tax dollars from being spent on benefits for illegal aliens. We won the fight last week, both Republicans and Democrats voted in favor of saving American taxpayer dollars, but Nancy Pelosi and her liberal allies maneuvered the vote illegally so that you, the American taxpayer, is now responsible for paying for benefits to illegal aliens.

I have long fought to secure our borders and punish those who would breach the security of our nation by coming into America illegally. This vote does nothing except encourage more illegal aliens to come to America, and why wouldn’t they, because taxpaying Americans will be picking up the check.

By illegally switching a vote that had already been won against their favor, the Democratic leadership has proven that they will go to any lengths to ensure that illegal immigrants take precedence when it comes to your money. Please know, that as your Congressman I will continue to fight on behalf of the good people of Central Texas to make sure this wrong is rectified.