[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 54 (Monday, April 16, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ERIKA GARZA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2012

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share these with my House colleagues.
  Erika Garza is a senior at Pasadena Memorial High School in Harris 
County, Texas. Her essay topic is: In your opinion, what role should 
government play in our lives?
  The role of the government is to represent, help, and speak out for 
its people. Specifically, when dealing with the government of the 
United States, it is basically supposed to be ruled by the people, for 
the people. The public, although not everybody does it, participates in 
the government by voting. We vote representatives into office, with the 
thought that they have the intention to make a difference in our 
country, dealing with specific issues that we believe need to be 
changed. The government has many different levels to it, yet it is 
composed of people who come from similar backgrounds and wanted to be 
the voice for their fellow people. This is not an easy task, as it 
takes a lot of hard work and time to be elected into office. Once a 
person is elected into office, their job becomes even more difficult. 
They then have to try and do what is best for the people but also have 
to deal with other representatives as well who have the complete 
opposite opinions. Not all the elected think alike, nor do they have 
the same goals, which makes making laws or setting standards difficult. 
Yet, their main focus is to represent the people who have chosen them 
to do what others in the past have failed to do. That is basically the 
role of the government and how people participate it in daily.

                          ____________________