[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 46 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    READY TO BEGIN DUTIES AS NEW MEMBER OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  (Mr. RODRIGUEZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues put this function 
together just for me; right?
  Let me first of all introduce my wife and my daughter. I want to ask 
them to stand up. Carolina, my wife, is a teacher, and we are real 
proud she got Teacher of the Year in San Antonio last year.
  My daughter, Xochil. And my daughter, Xochil, is a 14-year-old. I 
also want to recognize some of the other members that have been real 
supportive, and I ask them to stand up for me today.
  Let me just briefly thank my colleagues. There is no doubt that I am 
here with mixed emotions. I had the pleasure of being in high school 
when Congressman Tejeda was there, in the same high school in 
Harlandale. I had the pleasure of being in classes with him when we 
were in Saint Mary's University.
  I also had the pleasure of being in the Texas House when he was in 
the Texas Senate. And I have had the pleasure of working on a variety 
of projects with him. And we all mourn the loss of Congressman Tejeda.
  Today, I am also humbled in having been elected to this body. I know 
that my colleagues probably felt the same way I feel now, coming in, 
kind of in awe. It has not hit me yet. But I do want to thank all my 
fellow colleagues for allowing me to come in today and allowing my 
family to come in.
  I do want to just indicate a few things. As I ran for office, one of 
the key things, one of the basic principles I have always had, when I 
ran for the school board 12 years ago, and I spent 12 years on the 
school board when I ran for the legislature, was that education is key.
  I know President Kennedy once commented, in this same body 35 years 
ago, on the importance of human development, the importance of 
recognizing the individual, and in being able to do whatever we can to 
enhance the quality of that individual. I have always worked from that 
perspective.
  I want to continue to work on that principle, that as far as I am 
concerned, as we move on to the next century, what is going to be the 
strength of this country is going to be its people, and we need to 
invest in ourselves and in our people. With that, come the investment 
in human development and investment in education and investment in 
training.
  I want to take this opportunity to say it was a big honor for me 
growing up in San Antonio and having as my Congressman the gentleman 
from Texas, Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez. And for him to have given 
the introduction, I just want to thank him very much. I have always 
admired his hard work and his dedication.
  So I say to my colleagues, I will be here representing the 28th 
Congressional District of the State of Texas, and I am looking forward 
to working with my colleagues. I will try to hit it running as quickly 
as I can. Muchas gracias.

                          ____________________