Date: 1993-06-28
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I respectfully would like to be heard on the point of order. Mr. Chairman. one. it has been mentioned by my colleague. the gentleman from Texas . that we presented this argument before the Committee on Rules as to intent. which is of such importance when ther Is a gray area. I would concede to the fact that we have a gray area here. But. the Rio Grande Pollution Correction Act of 1987. Public Law 101465. does authorize In fact. working through the State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. any funds to provide for the cost of plants. construction. operation. and maintenance of the facilities recommended in the agreement. Now. I again go back to the words of my colleague. the gentleman from Texas . that under the La Paz Agreement. that Is the agreement that begins the process throughout the border. from BrownsvIlle to Tijuana. That was further ratified in the Monterrey accords. But you cannot have. and this would be through the Intent of the legislation which I and other of my colleagues have the honor of being authors. that you cannot specify an Individual colona. because many of them do not have names. They are just a bunch of shacks on the side of the river. as the picture that the gentleman from Texas has shown in his explanation thereof. I know. and I wholeheartedly approve of what has been said by the gentleman from Ohio . our chairman. and I commend the gentleman for it. and I have told him of my respect and admiration for what he tried to do. that in this legislation. no moneys would be appropriated unless authorized. I agree with that. I support that. The gray area Is that here we say these were authorized under the Rio Grande correction bill. because there Is going to be a hint that there Is no specific agreement. Yes. there is. There Is the La Paz agreement. It does not specify this particular colonia. because many of them do not have names. They may not even be on an Identifiable road. They may not eveil be in an Identifiable area of town. So we are in a situation where we come down to this. How. I know that we have to abide by the law. I know that we have to work under the rules. But we say. probably with a little stretch of the imagination. but the author of the legislation Is telling this chamber very respectfully that the intent was to authorize. now and forever more. because it has no limitation therein. funds to provide for projects along this river on the Mexican border. And we say It Is authorized because of the La Paz Agreement. There is your agreement. The Monterey accord. there is your accord. The funds are meager. Now. I do not know that we really would address this on the point of order. but we are talking about a need which is desperate. We are speaking about a process wherein citizens of this country of ours are living in worse conditions than the worst of Third World countries. for a multiplicity of reasons. For a multiplicity of reasons. Some of them might possibly be emanating from here. And we should not stop the process of trying to remedy this situation on a very stretched point of order on this amendment. Mr. Chairman. I commend my colleague. the gentleman from Texas and all who have worked in this endeavor. I say that we are talking about life. We are talking about health. We are even imposing on Individual liberty. For when you do not have a place to sleep and a place to get water from. you are imposing on Individual liberties. I think that reading of this act and listening to the Intent of the sponsor of this act would allow the Chair. very respectfully. even though it may be a little bit of a stretch because you cannot identify specific colonies. and I would hope that the Chairman would so rule.