José E. Serrano

it is a tough time to follow, but I must stay the course and be true to myself. The Republican right wing in this country does not like it when we say coup d'etat, so I will make it easier for them, golpe de estado. That is Spanish for…

I rise in decidedly unenthusiastic support for the conference report on H.R. 4328. This is nominally the Transportation appropriations bill for fiscal year 1999, but in reality it is a monstrous omnibus bill that encompasses eight…

The bill I think speaks to something that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jim Walsh) and I believe in very seriously. That is the fact that in order to be proud of this government, in order to be proud of this democracy, we also have to…

However, those who know me know that I do not like embargoes and I do not like colonialism. This is colonialism at its worst. What it basically says is that on a daily basis, we bash the District of Columbia. We basically say, every time…

I am a loyal member of the Committee on Appropriations and I respect the work done by both the majority and the minority, but it really hurts to see we are cutting education, we are cutting heating for senior citizens, we are cutting…

I rise both with grief and with pride in support of House Concurrent Resolution 311. Like all of my colleagues and, indeed, like all Americans, I am grieving over the tragic, violent deaths on Friday of two valiant U.S. Capitol Police…

I just wanted to reassure the gentleman, both the chairman and the ranking member and members of the committee want to do everything possible to make sure that we do take care of the Capitol Police. That is our intent. We obviously…

Mr. Chairman, a lot has been said here almost in disagreement but yet speaking about statutory citizenship and constitutional citizenship. Make no mistake about it, I have no doubt that my citizenship is different than the one my son who…

I do not function out of fear, in terms of putting fear on anyone else. I function out of fact. The fact of life is that we would not be here dealing with this very good bill unless we understood that there is a unique relationship between…

I would just clarify what my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), said. This is a different kind of vote. I would not propose on this floor to vote for Governor of Puerto Rico or mayor of Mayaguez, my hometown. This is a…

let me first say that I rise in strong opposition to the Solomon amendment and in favor, strong support, of the substitute language. Let me say that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) is very courageous in taking this stance. He…

for half a century our Nation has been committed to political freedom and self-determination around the world. In his special message to Congress on Puerto Rico on October 16, 1945, President Truman said, ``To this end I recommend that the…

first of all, I am confident that both the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) have heard enough comments and concerns today so that they will go into that conference doing what needs to be done on…

in a week-long special series in New York this week, the New York Daily News is documenting what we in the South Bronx district that I represent have been saying for years: The concentration of waste treatment facilities and their fleets…

I rise on behalf of a growing number of folks on both sides of the aisle who are caught in a very delicate situation. We feel good about the bill before us and terrified of what may be coming out of the Senate in a conference report, and…

Whereas Mr. Dornan's unproven allegations and the actions of the Committee on House Oversight have resulted in an unprecedented attack against Latino voters and created a chilling effect with a message to Latinos that their votes do not…

once again we find the Republicans caught in a very big contradiction. On one hand they put out feelers to the Hispanic community saying, ``Come into the party, join us, we want to serve you, we want to help you.'' On the other hand they…

But the one that touches me the most, for someone who just became the ranking member of this committee and who has been on the Committee on Appropriations for a shorter time than most members on that committee, is his understanding and my…

Let me just say that much of the discussion was around the Sanchez case. That is a very crucial case. It is not, in my opinion, crucial because it speaks about a seat in Congress, although I tell my colleagues I love my seat and I know how…

Mr. Chairman, I have with me a letter that is being sent to all Members of the House in a bipartisan fashion by the gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson], the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran], the gentleman from Maryland [Mr…

I think it is a wonderful amendment. I would hope that we do this as a 1-year situation, which I support wholeheartedly and that next year the subcommittee look at possibilities, that Members in their own districts can accomplish what the…

Mr. Chairman, I think what some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have to try to understand is the process which has been used in dealing with this issue. No one argues with the fact that if one party feels aggrieved in any…

I came to this floor that evening under the rules of this House and passed an amendment with a number of people on the floor, no different than when other people have passed amendments. The fact of life is that the only reason we are…

I presented the amendment because I felt it was right. I printed it under the rules of the House. I presented it under the procedures set up by the Republican majority, the amendment was voted on by voice vote and it was passed. I think we…

That is not true, and I am sorry to say that. CNN happens to have been seen in Cuba year after year after year. It is that way that the Cuban people get information about us. No. 2, as the gentleman knows, before CNN could go to Cuba, it…