[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 93 (Tuesday, June 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                      IN RECOGNITION OF GUS GARCIA

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. HENRY CUELLAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 2019

  Mr. CUELLAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of 
Gus Garcia, Austin, TX's first Hispanic mayor and the first Hispanic to 
serve on the Austin school board.
  Mr. Garcia was born in Zapata, TX and moved to Laredo when he was ten 
years old. After serving in the Army, he utilized the GI bill to afford 
college and graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a 
degree in accounting. Later, he would become a Certified Public 
Accountant and eventually start his own firm. While searching for 
housing in Austin, he and his wife, Marina, were subject to 
discrimination in neighborhoods around the university. He also faced 
professional challenges from those still reluctant to hire a Hispanic 
accountant. These experiences led Mr. Garcia into the realm of politics 
and shaped his commitment to representing Hispanics in Austin, TX.
  Mr. Garcia served as a member of the Austin School Board, city 
council, and, eventually, as the Mayor of Austin. His colleagues 
remember him as a dedicated and industrious civil servant who always 
inspired those around him through his tireless efforts. The Gus Garcia 
Young Men's Leadership Academy, a middle school in East Austin, was 
named in honor of his groundbreaking career.
  Mr. Garcia is survived by his three sons, five grandchildren, and 
wife, Marina. However, he will be remembered by countless others for 
his commitment to civil rights and a career that changed the face of 
politics in Austin.

                          ____________________