[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 87 (Thursday, June 5, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E908-E909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO GRACE GARCIA, VISIONARY, ACTIVIST, AND FIERCE WARRIOR FOR 
                        TEXAS WOMEN AND EQUALITY

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2014

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute and remember one 
of the most influential and prominent leaders in the movement to 
empower women and groom the next generation of women Democratic 
political leaders.
  Grace Garcia died on Monday, June 2, in a traffic accident in 
Waxahachie, Texas. She was 59 years old. She died doing what she loved 
and what she was put on earth to do, and that was to help women gain 
the skills, resources, and opportunities to become leaders in their 
communities.
  Powerful and courageous, compassionate and sympathetic; this was the 
rare and beautiful blend that was Grace Garcia.
  Grace Garcia came from a military family and the ethic of duty and 
service to others was embedded in her soul. Although the family 
relocated often, Grace claimed San Antonio, Texas, as her home.
  Grace Garcia attended Jefferson High School in the San Antonio 
Independent School District and went on to earn her B.A. from the 
University of Texas at Austin, and afterwards, moved on to live out her 
dreams.
  From the start of her career, Grace Garcia was actively involved in 
government and politics. She went on to hold prestigious senior level 
positions from the state to the national level.
  She played prominent roles in the management of President Clinton's 
successful 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns, Senator Hillary 
Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign, and was an advisor and confidante 
of Texas State Senators Wendy Davis and Senator Leticia Van de Putte in 
their bids for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Texas.
  During the Clinton Administration, Grace Garica held the position of 
Deputy Director in the Office of Presidential Scheduling and Director 
of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of 
the Interior.
  Grace Garcia later went on to work in the Obama Administration as 
Senior Advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Office of 
the Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State.
  Upon her return to Texas, Grace Garcia was named Executive Director 
of Annie's List, an organization dedicated to ``advancing progressive 
women in Texas from the ballot box to the halls of power.''
  She was a mentor to many women who had dreams and ambitions to become 
leaders in the Democratic Party. But she was more than that: she was a 
beacon of light.
  Annie's List flourished as a result of leadership and organizational 
genius as reflected in

[[Page E909]]

the unprecedented achievement of nominating women to the two highest 
statewide constitutional offices.
  Grace Garcia was a visionary leader and had tremendous passion for 
advancing equality and opportunity for women in the field of public 
service.
  Women like Grace Garcia are diamonds. They are sharp, shine brightly, 
are unbreakable, and perfectly suited for their mission.
  Grace Garcia loved to defy the odds; where others were deterred by 
obstacles, she saw and seized opportunity.
  As a founder of the National Latina Political Action Committee and 
leading member of the National Latino Finance Council for Hillary 
Clinton's presidential bid, Grace Garcia proved to be an influential 
leader for the Latino community.
  Grace Garcia's modesty belied her remarkable ability to influence 
events and improve people's lives.
  Her departure came all too soon, but the trail she blazed leaves us a 
path to follow.
  Grace Garcia opened doors of opportunity for women, and to honor her 
memory, we must continue that effort.
  Mr. Speaker, today we remember the gift with which we were abundantly 
blessed with, and that is the life of Grace Garcia.
  I hope it is a comfort to her family that so many of us mourn with 
them at this sad time.
  But through our sadness, we draw strength from the legacy she left 
behind.
  Grace Garcia will never be forgotten. She lives on in lives and deeds 
of progressive women political leaders in this generation and those to 
come.
  So long my friend. We will miss you dearly, and forever hold you in 
our hearts.
  I ask the House to observe a moment of silence in memory of the 
remarkable Grace Garcia.

                          ____________________