[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 45 (Friday, April 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E656-E657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     REYNALDO G. GARZA AND FILEMON B. VELA UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 2005

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
483, a bill to rename the courthouse in Brownsville, Texas as the 
Reynaldo Garza and the Filemon B. Vela courthouse.

[[Page E657]]

  Filemon Vela was born in Harlingen, Texas in 1935. He served as state 
district judge in Texas for Cameron and Willacy counties in 1975 until 
he was appointed as a federal judge by President Jimmy Carter in 1980. 
He served until 2000 when he retired.
  Filemon Vela was a strong advocate of education because of his 
father's strong belief in education. As one of nine children he 
believed that he would not finish high school, but when his mother died 
his father motivated him to continue his education. He graduated from 
Harlingen High School and then went to University of Texas Austin. 
After serving in the U.S. Army Filemon Vela went to St. Mary's Law 
school and Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1962. Throughout his career he 
taped more than 200 radio programs urging children to stay in school 
and promoting literacy programs.
  Reynaldo Garza was the first Mexican-American federal judge in the 
U.S. when he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to the 
South Texas bench. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the 
U.S. Court of Appeals, making him the first Mexican-American appointed 
to that court. He served his lifetime appointment in Brownsville, 
Texas.
  Reynaldo Garza contributed many things to the Hispanic community, he 
was the first Mexican American elected to the Brownsville school board, 
and he worked with the League of United Latin American Citizens to 
improve the civil rights of Mexican Americans in Texas.
  The lifetime accomplishments of both of these men are truly 
inspirational to us all. By naming the courthouse in Brownsville after 
them we recognize not only their contribution to the judicial 
community, but also to the city of Brownsville.

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