Ted Poe: “Elm from Houston, Texas, wrote me this: My grandparents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in the…”

“Elm from Houston, Texas, wrote me this: My grandparents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in the sixties. They spoke no English, had very little money and virtually no contacts, yet they were able to create a legacy. They legally became American citizens. They built a strong life and worked hard. Our family became successful through self-dedication, self-worth, self-drive, and self-perseverance--similar to many immigrants before them. We did this without the help and having to rely on government handouts or legislative attempts to redistribute wealth through mass programs. In return, our family gave back to this great country. Since then, we have had four generations of military service in the United States Navy or the United States Army. We worked hard. We beat adversity. We gave back and we served this country. Mr. Speaker, Elm and Elm's family worked hard for their American Dream. This is an immigrant success story in spite of and without the help of big, oppressive government. And that's just the way it is. ____________________”