[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 26, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING CONGRESSMAN HENRY B. GONZALEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOAQUIN CASTRO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 2016

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Congressman 
Henry B. Gonzalez, a treasured son of San Antonio and legendary Latino 
leader. May 3 of this year marks the 100th anniversary of Congressman 
Gonzalez's birth, a milestone I look forward to celebrating with his 
family and the broader San Antonio community.
  From an early age, Gonzalez took an interest in academics. He was an 
avid reader, and a graduate of Jefferson High School, San Antonio 
College, and St. Mary's University Law School. After graduating law 
school, Gonzalez dedicated his talents to helping his city and its 
residents. He served as Bexar County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer 
and worked for the San Antonio Public Housing Authority.
  In 1953, with a broad base of support, Gonzalez was elected to the 
San Antonio City Council where he served as mayor pro-tem for part of 
his first term. He was a courageous fighter for justice, leading the 
successful effort to desegregate all city facilities, protecting 
residents from undue utilities rate increases, and inspiring his peers.
  Some of Gonzalez's most notable stands against injustice occurred 
during his 1956-1961 tenure in the State Senate. He led the longest 
filibuster in the history of the Texas Legislature, speaking out 
against 10 racial segregation bills for 22 hours. Later, he 
filibustered for 20 hours against a bill seeking to circumvent the 
Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling against segregated 
schools. Gonzalez's legislation reflected his commitment to the people 
of San Antonio. He sponsored bills for a state minimum wage, for the 
establishment of a medical school in San Antonio, for the creation of a 
domestic relations court for Bexar County, and for authorizing urban 
renewal in our city. Gonzalez was not just a principled state 
legislator, he was a prolific one too. A total of 42 of the bills he 
sponsored, cosponsored, or handled in the Texas Senate became law.
  Following his time in the state legislature, Gonzalez went on to 
become the first Hispanic representative from Texas to serve in the 
United States Congress. For a remarkable 37 years, he was the voice of 
San Antonians in Washington. His ``20th Century Program for the 20th 
District'' helped markedly improve life for folks in our city. 
Gonzalez's tireless efforts bolstered our local universities, supported 
small businesses, and grew our military installations, bringing 
thousands of new jobs to San Antonio. He fought poverty, spearheaded 
projects like HemisFair that spurred our city's tourism industry, 
expanded San Antonio kids' access to early education, and stood up for 
our veterans, particularly with the construction of Audie Murphy 
Veterans Hospital. More broadly, Gonzalez supported and contributed to 
landmark legislation that fundamentally changed our nation for the 
better, including the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the 
Equal Opportunities Act.
  Beyond his work in legislative chambers, Gonzalez took care to 
connect personally with his constituents. He kept the people of San 
Antonio well-informed of his work, and he made sure each individual's 
problem received the time and attention needed to be resolved. In a 
touching tribute to the dedication Gonzalez showed his city throughout 
his career, the people of San Antonio lined the streets to view his 
funeral procession and pay their respects after his death in 2000.
  Henry B. Gonzalez's legacy has been a guiding light throughout my 
career, and it is an honor to serve in the seat he once filled as the 
current representative for Texas' 20th District. I offer my best wishes 
to his family and to the entire San Antonio community as we take time 
on this anniversary to celebrate his illustrious life.

                          ____________________