JOHN CARTER

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.