[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 149 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5704-H5705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1745
                     MICHEL O. MACEDA MEMORIAL ACT

  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 5302) to designate the Air and Marine Operations 
Marine Unit of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection located at 101 Km 
18.5 in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, as the ``Michel O. Maceda Marine 
Unit''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5302

       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 ``Michel O. Maceda Memorial 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

        Congress finds the following:
       (1) Marine Interdiction Agent Michel O. Maceda served 
     honorably in the United States Army as a wheeled vehicle 
     mechanic prior to joining the United States Border Patrol as 
     an Agent in Douglas, Arizona, in April 2016.
       (2) Agent Maceda became a Marine Interdiction Agent with 
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations 
     in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, in 2021.
       (3) On November 17, 2022, Agent Maceda and 2 other agents 
     were conducting a drug interdiction stop off the coast of 
     Puerto Rico, during which the agents boarded the target 
     vessel.
       (4) During the stop, Agent Maceda was mortally wounded when 
     1 of the occupants of the vessel shot the boarding agents 
     with a firearm.
       (5) Agent Maceda is survived by his daughter, brother, and 
     parents.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION.

       The Air and Marine Operations Marine Unit of the U.S. 
     Customs and Border Protection located at 101 Km 18.5 in Cabo 
     Rojo, Puerto Rico, shall forever be known and designated as 
     the ``Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit''.

     SEC. 4. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the marine unit 
     referred to in section 3 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     the ``Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Green) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5302, the Michel O. Maceda 
Memorial Act.
  On November 17, 2022, Marine Interdiction Agent Michel Maceda was 
conducting a drug interdiction stopped 14 miles off the coast of Puerto 
Rico when he was tragically mortally wounded in a firefight with drug 
smugglers. Agent Maceda's heroism and service to our country is a debt 
that can never be repaid.
  This legislation would designate Air and Marine Operations Unit in 
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, as the Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit. I urge all 
of my colleagues to support this gesture, recognizing a monumental 
hero.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are considering H.R. 5302, the 
Michel O. Maceda Memorial Act. This legislation reminds us of the men 
and women in law enforcement and the risks that they face every day to 
keep our communities safe. Marine Interdiction

[[Page H5705]]

Agent Michel Maceda is one of those heroes.
  For years, Agent Maceda served as a U.S. Army veteran, a former 
Border Patrol agent, and a Marine Corps interdiction agent for CBP's 
Air and Marine Operations. He was a dedicated public servant who put 
his life on the line time and time again.
  On November 17, 2022, Agent Maceda was doing his job stopping drug 
smugglers in the high seas. On that day, Agent Maceda and other marine 
agents interdicted a narcotics-smuggling vessel just 12 miles off the 
coast of Puerto Rico.
  During the ensuing gunfight, Agent Maceda was killed and two other 
agents were seriously injured. Thanks to their heroic actions that day, 
3,000 pounds of cocaine did not reach our country.
  This bill renames the CBP Air and Marine Operations unit in Puerto 
Rico after Agent Maceda.
  A few months ago, I visited Puerto Rico, and Agent Maceda's name came 
up again and again and again. It is clear that Agent Maceda is missed 
by his community and his colleagues.
  With this bill, we honor Agent Maceda's sacrifice and commitment to 
our Nation, as well as the work of others like Agent Maceda, those who 
put their lives at stake on a day-to-day basis to protect the American 
people.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Mrs. Gonzalez-Colon).
  Mrs. GONZALEZ-COLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
bipartisan legislation, H.R. 5302, the Michel O. Maceda Memorial Act. 
This bill will designate the Mayaguez Marine Unit of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection Air and Marine Operations or CBP AMO in Cabo Rojo, 
Puerto Rico, in honor of Marine Interdiction Agent Michel Maceda, who 
died in the line of duty while conducting a drug interdiction operation 
off the island's coast.
  On the morning of November 17, 2022, CBP AMO agents were alerted of a 
suspicious vessel located approximately 13 miles off the southwestern 
coast of Puerto Rico.
  Marine Interdiction Agents Michel Maceda, Jorge Santiago, and Mark 
Lamphere arrived in the area to intercept the boat suspected of 
smuggling cocaine. As they were boarding the vessel, one of the drug 
traffickers opened fire on them.
  Agents Santiago and Lamphere were gravely injured. Agent Santiago has 
thankfully recovered and is back to full duty. Agent Lamphere continues 
the long recovery from his wounds in anticipation of returning to full 
duty soon. It has been 2 years.
  Unfortunately, Agent Maceda was mortally wounded during the shoot-out 
and passed away later that day in the hospital.
  Agent Maceda began his CBP career in April of 2016 as a U.S. Border 
Patrol agent in Douglas, Arizona. In 2021, he transferred to AMO and 
served as a marine interdiction agent with the Mayaguez Marine Unit in 
Puerto Rico until the time of his death. Prior to joining CBP, Agent 
Maceda honorably served our Nation in the U.S. Army as a wheeled 
vehicle mechanic. He is survived by his daughter, brother, and parents.
  Agent Maceda's death is a stark reminder of the dangers our CBP 
agents face each day to secure our Nation's borders, including our 
Caribbean border in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. His 
sacrifice is also a testament to their bravery and unwavering 
commitment to keep our communities safe.
  For the heroic actions during the November of 2022 drug interdiction 
operation off Puerto Rico's coast, which led to the seizure of over 
2,900 pounds of cocaine, the White House Office of National Drug 
Control Policy recognized Agent Maceda, CBP AMO's Caribbean air and 
marine branch, and partners from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Puerto 
Rico Police Bureau with a 2022 Marine Interdiction Award.
  In February of 2023, CBP began construction of a new modernized 
facility for the Mayaguez Marine Unit, Agent Maceda's unit, to support 
its critical border security mission in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean 
region. I had the honor of attending the groundbreaking ceremony and 
made a commitment to work in Congress to rename the unit after this 
American hero. I am glad that today we are one step closer to making 
this a reality.

  Agent Maceda gave his life protecting Puerto Rico and the rest of our 
Nation from the threats posed by drug traffickers and transnational 
criminal organizations. Officially designating the CBP AMO Mayaguez 
Marine Unit as the Michel Maceda Marine Unit will be a fitting tribute 
to his memory and sacrifice.
  I thank the Homeland Security Committee chair, Mr. Green, and the 
ranking member for cosponsoring and helping bring this bill to the 
floor, but I also thank Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who introduced a 
companion version of my bill.
  Let me also thank the men and women of CBP for their work to secure 
our Nation's land and maritime borders and their support for this 
legislation to honor their fallen colleague. In particular, I recognize 
AMO Executive Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Miller and CBP's Office 
of Congressional Affairs for their assistance and advocacy for this 
bill.
  Lastly, I commend the Federal and local law enforcement agencies in 
Puerto Rico who have made it a priority to seek justice for Agent 
Maceda and ensure those responsible for his death face the consequences 
of their crime.
  A joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 
Homeland Security investigations, with the collaboration of CBP, the 
Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 
and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau targeted the drug trafficking 
organizations responsible for killing Agent Maceda and injuring his two 
partners. As of today, Federal agencies have arrested, and the U.S. 
Attorney's office has indicted, 18 individuals.
  As we approach the 2-year anniversary of his death, I urge my 
colleagues in the House to support H.R. 5302 and ensure we honor Marine 
Interdiction Agent Maceda's life, sacrifice, and the legacy of his 
service.
  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  In closing, I thank Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon for introducing this 
legislation and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their 
support. By passing this bill, we honor the memory of Agent Maceda and 
the other men and women of DHS who, like Agent Maceda, risk their lives 
on a daily basis to protect us here in this great country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5302, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time to close.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5302. The frontline 
personnel who work tirelessly to protect our homeland are the reason we 
can all sleep soundly at night. This bill extends our gratitude to 
Michel O. Maceda for his heroism and service to this great Nation. I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5302.
  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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