[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 88 (Tuesday, May 21, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3386-H3387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JAMES R. DOMINGUEZ MEMORIAL ACT OF 2023
Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5799) to designate the checkpoint of the United States
Border Patrol located on United States Highway 90 West in Uvalde
County, Texas, as the ``James R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5799
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``James R. Dominguez Memorial
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) A native of San Antonio, Texas, Border Patrol Agent
James R. Dominguez--
(A) proudly and honorably served his country as an agent of
the U.S. Border Patrol for more than 12 years;
(B) began his service with the U.S. Border Patrol in 2000;
and
(C) graduated as part of the 434th session of the Border
Patrol Academy.
(2) Agent Dominguez served at the Uvalde Station in the Del
Rio Sector.
(3) On July 19, 2012, Agent Dominguez stopped to clear
debris from the roadway that posed risks to road and
community safety along Highway 90 near Cline, Texas. While on
scene, Agent Dominguez was struck and killed by a passing
vehicle.
(4) Agent Dominguez is survived by his wife and 4 children.
[[Page H3387]]
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION.
The checkpoint of the United States Border Patrol located
on United States Highway 90 West in Uvalde County, Texas,
shall be known and designated as the ``James R. Dominguez
Border Patrol Checkpoint''.
SEC. 4. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the checkpoint
described in section 3 shall be deemed to be a reference to
the ``James R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Molinaro) and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 5799.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5799, a bill that honors
the service and sacrifice of Border Patrol Agent James R. Dominguez by
naming the United States Border Patrol checkpoint in Uvalde County,
Texas, after him.
Border Patrol Agent Dominguez served our country for more than 12
years. On July 19, 2012, Agent Dominguez stopped to clear debris out of
the roadway when he was tragically struck and killed by a passing car.
It is fitting that we honor Agent Dominguez by naming this Border
Patrol checkpoint after him.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 5799, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5799, a bill to designate the
checkpoint of the U.S. Border Patrol located on United States Highway
90 West in Uvalde County, Texas, naming it the James R. Dominguez
Border Patrol Checkpoint, and I thank Mr. Gonzales for bringing the
bill.
In 2012, 41-year-old United States Border Patrol Agent James R.
Dominguez was struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting a disabled
motorist on U.S. 90 near Cline, Texas.
Agent Dominguez had served with the U.S. Border Patrol for 12 years.
He is survived by his wife and four children. Agent Dominguez' brother
and father were also members of the Border Patrol.
I support this legislation to rename the Border Patrol checkpoint
located on U.S. Highway 90 West in Uvalde County, Texas, as the James
R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales), who is the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
my bill, H.R. 5799, the James R. Dominguez Memorial Act. I thank this
Chamber for bringing this bill to the floor for a vote today.
I have the privilege of serving Texas 23 and the people of Uvalde. I
was in Uvalde yesterday. It has been a tough couple of years for us in
the district.
Just outside of Uvalde is a checkpoint called the Uvalde Checkpoint
Station. Very soon that checkpoint will be known as the James R.
Dominguez Checkpoint.
When I met with Border Patrol agents that day, it was nothing but
smiles, whether they had been in for 2 years or they had been in for 30
years, like Agent Moreno, it was all smiles. They were smiling because
they knew that they weren't going to be forgotten, whether they passed
away during service over 12 years ago, they were not going to be
forgotten. Their families weren't going to be forgotten.
In 2012, Border Patrol Agent James Dominguez tragically passed away
in the line of duty when he was struck by a vehicle along Highway 90 in
Texas.
Agent Dominguez was a loving father, a husband, a friend to all that
knew him, and a strong man of faith. He dedicated 12 years of his life
as a Border Patrol agent, the last serving in the Uvalde station in the
Del Rio sector.
Today is a special day for this Chamber. We will move forward tonight
on legislation that will honor the memory of Border Patrol Agent James
Dominguez by renaming the checkpoint in Uvalde in his honor.
I am proud to work very closely with Chief Owens and his wife, Cassy
Garcia, as well as the family members of Agent Dominguez, his brothers
and sisters, his widow, to rename this Uvalde station and make this
memorial possible.
Agent James Dominguez' legacy will live on for generations to come,
and his service will never be forgotten.
{time} 1745
Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this legislation, as
I said, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MOLINARO. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill to honor the
service and sacrifice of U.S. Border Patrol Agent James R. Dominguez by
designating the United States Border Patrol checkpoint in Uvalde
County, Texas, as the James R. Dominguez Border Patrol Checkpoint.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Gonzales, for his
advocacy.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Molinaro) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5799.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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