[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 102 (Friday, June 22, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2641) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Fiscal Year 2008 
State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, through which this 
Congress and this government speak to the world about our international 
priorities.
  The past decade has seen this nation pull into a shell like a turtle, 
something the rest of the world took as not caring about the 
fundamental challenges elsewhere in the world . . . before those 
challenges became full-fledged hot spots. We are a great Nation, a 
leader among nations. We must only act in that fashion. Today, we begin 
a new direction in foreign policy.
  While this Foreign Operations bill deals specifically with our global 
footprint, it also has benefit for those that live near international 
borders. For instance, I am pleased the bill includes $15.5 million for 
the Rio Grande Flood Control System Rehabilitation, a matter my border 
colleagues and I have been working on for several years.
  These funds will allow the International Boundary and Water 
Commission to begin repairing and restoring the 270 miles of levees 
along the Rio Grande River. This is only a first step to fully restore 
the integrity of the levees, the cost for restoration is estimated at 
$125 million. These funds were requested by the South Texas Delegation, 
including Congressman Hinojosa and Congressman Cuellar.
  Over the last few years, budget limitations have not allowed the IBWC 
to properly maintain the levees. Used by Border Patrol to patrol the 
border and farmers to manage their land, the levees have severely 
deteriorated to the point that some areas are flat. In their current 
form, the IBWC is unable to certify the levees meaning the 1.3 million 
residents along this area are in danger of severe flooding. Hurricane 
Katrina showed us the awesome and dangerous power of Mother Nature. 
This funding is critical to prevent an international flooding disaster 
. . . a disaster that will remain possible until all the levees are 
repaired so IBWC can certify them. This is--quite literally--the least 
we can do to begin to fix this damage.
  I thank the appropriators for including this funding and their 
recognition of the danger that is as far away as a powerful flooding 
event. I urge the House negotiators to keep this amount of funding 
included in this bill through conference.

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