[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 127 (Monday, November 13, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INTRODUCING DR. SHELLEY SEKULA-GIBBS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 13, 2006

  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to introduce and welcome 
Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, the newly elected Member of Congress from the 
22nd Congressional District who will be sworn in tonight.
  Dr. Sekula-Gibbs is a 5th generation Texan and a medical doctor and 
teacher. Tonight, she will make history when she becomes the first 
female physician to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  She has dedicated herself to serving the citizens of Houston for 
several years. Before her election, she served for three terms as an 
At-Large member of the Houston City council. In that role, she helped 
advance property tax reform and strengthen the city's police force. She 
also helped found the Ellington Field Task Force, which kept Ellington 
Field open and operating as a Joint Reserve Base.
  She has also volunteered countless hours to serve the citizens of 
south Texas. She served as a volunteer medical doctor and teacher at 
the Baylor College of Medicine, she shapes the next generation of 
healers.
  She helped found the Provider Health Network, a group that cares for 
uninsured patients. As president of the ``Healthy Houston Foundation'' 
she raised money for clinics that provide medical care to the needy. 
She has also volunteered her time to take care of our Nation's veterans 
in several Veterans Hospitals across the Nation.
  As a businesswoman and community leader, Dr. Sekula-Gibbs has brought 
together municipalities, organizations, and businesses to create jobs 
and economic development in the south Texas region. She understands the 
importance of reforming our current tax code and reducing our debt.
  As a founding member of the Sylvan Rodriguez Foundation--an 
organization that provides students in the Houston area with the 
opportunity to study space, medicine, and science--she is committed to 
advancing America's technological and scientific leadership. As a 
mother and grandmother, she also understands the importance of 
strengthening families and communities.
  While Dr. Sekula-Gibbs will be sworn in today, she will only be with 
us in Washington for a short time. She had a very successful special 
election--she received over 77,000 votes en route to victory. She ran a 
good campaign for the 110th Congress, but she faced many difficult 
procedural challenges.
  Despite her short run, the future looks bright for Dr. Sekula-Gibbs. 
I look forward to working with her in the final weeks of this Congress, 
and I wish her the best of luck in the future.

                          ____________________