[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 52 (Monday, April 13, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: HONORING DR. JULIETA V. GARCIA AND IRMA RANGEL

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                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 13, 2015

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in honor of Women's History 
Month. The 34th Congressional District of Texas is home to 
inspirational women who have broken barriers and significantly improved 
the quality of life for countless South Texas families. Today, I take 
the time to honor two of them--Julieta V. Garcia and Irma Rangel.
   Dr. Julieta V. Garcia built her legacy on making higher education 
accessible to South Texans. She served as the president of the 
University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) from 1992 to 2014. In 2009, 
Time Magazine listed Dr. Garcia among the top ten college presidents, 
and last year, she was named by CNN Money/Fortune as one of the World's 
50 Greatest Leaders. During Dr. Garcia's tenure, her relentless 
advocacy for increasing access to higher education in South Texas is 
reflected in UTB's enrollment statistics. The UTB student body is 91% 
Hispanic, and 71% are first-generation college students. Her forward-
thinking leadership laid the foundation for establishment of the 
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Recently, Julieta Garcia took on 
a new role as the first executive director of The University of Texas--
Americas Institute, which focuses on developing the next generation of 
leaders through a non-partisan venue that convenes discussions on 
critical issues of global significance.
   Irma Rangel, a St. Mary's Law School graduate, served in the Texas 
State Legislature from 1976 to 2003. She was the first Mexican American 
woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Her legislative 
career focused on the concerns of women and children and how to provide 
them a mechanism for progress. She established education and employment 
programs for mothers on public assistance, built centers to protect 
victims of abuse, and labored to make voting more accessible for all 
Texans. In 1994, Irma Rangel was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall 
of Fame. Rangel's contributions will live on through the many families 
her work brought into the middle class. She died on March 18, 2003, 
from cancer. The Irma Rangel College of Pharmacy opened its doors at 
Texas A&M University-Kingsville on August 10, 2006.
   During Women's History Month, we are reminded of those who broke 
down barriers for future generations. I encourage all to take a moment 
today to reflect on the contributions women have made to our nation. I 
thank these women and others who have dedicated themselves to service.

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