[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 133 (Friday, September 9, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO MR. ATANACIO GARCIA OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 9, 2011

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring 
a truly amazing citizen of our country, Mr. Atanacio Garcia of San 
Antonio, Texas.
  Mr. Garcia has dedicated his entire life to serving the United States 
of America. At the age of 22, he enlisted in the military and served 8 
years, including a stint in Korea and Germany. Upon his discharge, Mr. 
Garcia returned to Texas and joined the U.S. Postal Service. In 
addition to working for the Postal Service for 24 years, Mr. Garcia 
also served in the Texas Air National Guard from March 14, 1963-March 
13, 1982.
  Since his retirement in 1984, Mr. Garcia has remained steadfast in 
his commitment to civic duty and civic responsibility, and he has 
continuously worked to help the people of San Antonio. Mr. Garcia 
worked to help bring the first public pool to San Antonio's Westside 
neighborhood, and he has been a constant figure at neighborhood events 
and local community service projects.
  Even after all of these incredible achievements and accomplishments, 
Mr. Garcia has still felt the need to do even more for his country. 
Concerned about America's growing debt, he decided to take matters into 
his own hands. Starting in 2009, Mr. Garcia made a pledge to send $50 
every month to the U.S. Treasury's Bureau of Public Debt in order to 
pay down our national debt. In order to maintain his monthly pledge, 
Mr. Garcia uses money he makes from selling aluminum cans that he 
collects in his neighborhood.
  Obviously, we cannot all have the sense of public service and civic 
duty of Mr. Atanacio Garcia, but it is my hope that we can all strive 
to be a little more like Mr. Garcia. If lawmakers and corporations were 
able to embody just a fraction of his willingness to solve problems by 
putting America first, I do not believe that our country would have the 
problems that it does.
  I want to thank Mr. Garcia for his tireless efforts and dedication to 
his community and to his country. He is a pillar of the San Antonio 
community, and an example for citizens across the country. It is truly 
an honor to represent constituents, such as Mr. Atanacio Garcia, in the 
U.S. Congress, and again, I would like to ask all of my colleagues to 
join me in recognizing this incredible public servant and citizen of 
the United States of America.

                          ____________________