[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 214 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7581-S7582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO WILL HURD

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as we like to say, everything is a little 
bit bigger in Texas than the rest of the country, and that is true not 
only of Mac's district but also the largest congressional district 
represented by another one of our departing colleagues, Will Hurd. Will 
was a former CIA officer when he was elected to the House of 
Representatives in 2014. One Texan aptly observed: ``He has been 
running a marathon like a sprint for seven years.''
  I think Will's last congressional race he won by 900 votes in this 
sprawling border district.
  His expertise is in cyber security, as well as intelligence matters. 
He has helped steer our efforts to bolster our national security, 
counterterrorism, and strengthen our intelligence community and 
capacity.
  Considering his district includes 800 miles of our southern border, 
you can imagine that he has been a strong advocate for our border 
communities. We have worked together on cross-border trade, modernizing 
our ports of entry, and ensuring communities along the border are safe 
and prosperous.
  We have also been working together on establishing a national museum 
of the American Latino here in Washington, and I hope we will be able 
to push this authorization bill over the line here in the coming days.
  Unlike some folks whom we meet in Washington who seem to be all talk 
and who never seem to listen, Will understands the importance of 
sitting down for a conversation with his constituents and actually 
listening to what they have to say. He launched the highly popular ``DC 
to DQ tour,'' where he met with constituents at local Dairy Queens in 
all 29 counties in his district in only 5 days.
  For everything from healthcare to education, to veterans affairs, 
Texans can sit down with their Congressman and have a real conversation 
about the things that counted for the most in their lives and the 
things they would like to see him pursue on their behalf here in 
Washington, DC.
  I would hate to know how many Blizzards Will ate during that time, 
but these conversations certainly drove his policymaking and ensured 
the people of the Texas 23rd were truly heard here in Congress.
  Last year, Will and I both took part in San Antonio's annual Martin 
Luther King, Jr., March, which is one of the largest in the country. 
Will happens to be the only Black Republican in the House of 
Representatives and has become a trusted voice for those whose 
experience and ideas are too often overlooked or underrepresented.
  That has been especially true over the last several months, when we 
have

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had an honest national conversation about racial reconciliation and 
injustice in this country, and I know that he will continue to use his 
voice as a force for good long after leaving Congress.
  Will has been a steady hand in reminding our colleagues alike that 
good policies should always come before partisan politics, and it is 
fair to say we need more leaders like that in Congress these days, not 
fewer.
  I am grateful for his friendship and service to our country, and I 
know this isn't the end of the road for Will Hurd. I am eager to see 
where his next career takes him, and I will be happy to cheer him along 
the way.

                          ____________________