[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 15072]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       PASS THE NATIONAL GUARD AND AIR FORCE RESERVE FUNDING BILL

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, Lieutenant 
Colonel Rolando Aguilar was already in the cockpit of his F-16 at 
Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. He was a member of the Texas Air 
National Guard.
  He was in his cockpit when he heard the sound of scrambling horns 
alerting him to fly a mission. He and his wingman took off and they 
headed east, and they intercepted Air Force 1 over the Gulf of Mexico 
and protected the former guardsmen from their unit from any possible 
attack. They stayed guarding him and flying next to Air Force 1 until 
they were relieved. Yes, it was President Bush.
  According to them, the Texas Air National Guard was the first to be 
in the air on September 11. The members of the Guard and Air Force 
Reserve--and, Mr. Speaker, I was a member of the Reserve at the same 
time President Bush was a guardsman, at the same base at Ellington 
Field--kept them flying, have served and are serving our Nation 
honorably since their existence. They are on watch today in places 
around the world. That's why we need to fully fund the Air Force 
Reserve and National Guard like we do the regular military.
  There should be no shutdown for these volunteers that protect 
American. Pass the National Guard and Air Force Reserve funding bill 
and keep Lieutenant Colonel Aguilar flying.
  And that's just the way it is.

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