[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 76 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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              HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO RAUL AND MINA BESTEIRO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 1997

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me 
in celebrating the 40th anniversary of two truly great Americans, Raul 
and Mina Besteiro of Brownsville, TX, on June 8, 1997.
  I cannot begin to tell you how much the Besteiros have given to 
Brownsville, the greater south Texas area, and our country. Raul 
Besteiro, an adjunct professor with the Alternative Certification 
program at the University of Texas-Brownsville, was recently elected 
president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a 101-
year-old educational institution. Mr. B began his teaching career in 
1958, moving quickly up through the leadership of the Brownsville 
Independent School District, eventually becoming superintendent and 
introducing a new educational concept at the State's largest high 
school.
  Mr. B, as Raul is known affectionately known around south Texas, has 
spent his entire life working to make our community a better place. He 
has made our community a better place by serving as a consultant to the 
Port of Brownsville, making the local concerns of the community and the 
port authority known to lawmakers. His expertise is focused on matters 
relating to the Gulf of Mexico and the south Texas rail system. He has 
served as a member of the Brownsville Rio Grande International Railroad 
and the Texas Turnpike Authority.
  The love and strength of his wife, Mina, has made all these things 
possible. Without her constant support and understanding, he would not 
be able to do the demanding work he does on behalf of the community. 
Mina is also an educator, starting as a school teacher at BISD. She has 
dedicated her life to her children and her family. Her long-term 
commitment has enabled her husband and her children to be so wildly 
successful.
  People say the measure of a family's character is most evident in 
their children. The Besteiro children are a tribute to the loving 
foundation built by their parents. Mr. B and Mina raised children, all 
of whom are professionals and many of whom have following in their 
father's footsteps and chosen education as a vocation. All the Besteiro 
children--Mina, Pila, Lucy, Adriana, Cess, and Raul III--are valuable 
citizens in the south Texas community.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Raul and Mina for their 
long-lasting journey of marriage and family.

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