[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14116]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            VOICE OF TEXAS, JEFFREY FROM LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Poe) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Texans have been sharing with me their 
stories and lives about their businesses that they have built without 
the help of an out-of-control government. The responses were a 
testament to the tenacity of the American people.
  Jeffrey, from League City, Texas, wrote me this:

       I am the son of a single mother. I grew up watching my mom 
     work two and sometimes three jobs to support us. She never 
     took one penny of government assistance.
       When I was 8 years old, I lied about my age and took three 
     paper routes that had morning/evening and Sunday delivery.
       At the age of 11, I took a job as a short-order cook at a 
     24-hour diner working from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., went to school, 
     played sports, went home, grabbed a quick dinner, slept for a 
     few hours, and went back to work.
       I did my homework while standing over a grill in the 
     kitchen.
       In the summer months, I would squeeze in a second job 
     working in a service station.
       I went into the Marine Corps upon high school graduation at 
     the age of 17. I spent 6\1/2\ years in the military.
       Upon being honorably discharged, I entered the Houston 
     Police Academy. I have been an officer in Houston, Texas, for 
     the past 27\1/2\ years. I worked 17 years undercover in the 
     narcotics division, the rest has been in patrol.
       My wife is an educator. We have two sons, a 19-year-old 
     Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps on his way to Afghanistan 
     and a 7-year-old. We live day to day, paycheck to paycheck, 
     and are on the verge of losing everything if our taxes go up 
     along with the cost of living.
       Meanwhile, I see folks on government (giveaway programs) 
     with Smart phones, flat screen TVs and newer cars than I can 
     afford, cable TV, and Internet, and living in nicer 
     apartments than I could afford while I was trying to save 17 
     years for my first house.
       Sir, my family and I have built this life. Don't tell me 
     that government built this life for me. That is a lie.

  Mr. Speaker, Jeffrey is not alone. Contrary to the misinformed views 
of some, the American people are the backbone of this Nation, not 
government. Government is not the solution. It's the problem. 
Government encourages some Americans to live off the hard work of 
others. Government promotes a social philosophy that it will give away 
more free stuff to some while it takes and punishes people who work.
  People, not government, take business risks. People work and make 
sacrifices in an effort to pursue the American Dream, and people, not 
government, suffer the loss if the business is not a success. But Big 
Government wants to take credit for what American workers have done.
  Government doesn't make America, Mr. Speaker. People make America.
  And that's just the way it is.

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