[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 200 (Wednesday, November 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6322-H6323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING HERB BARRET FOR A REMARKABLE LIFE OF SERVICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ruiz). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, last week, we celebrated Veterans Day. In 
that spirit, I rise today to honor a man of exemplary service, 
unwavering dedication to our country, and someone I am proud to call a 
constituent, Mr. Herb Barret.
  Mr. Barret is someone who has lived a remarkable life of service. He 
is a veteran and a former member of the Marine Corps who risked his 
life for our country in the Korean war--sadly, but often known, as 
``the forgotten war.'' Marines live by a set of values and principles, 
such as honor, courage, commitment. They are the bedrock of our 
Nation's character, and what Mr. Barret embodies every single day in 
our community. Throughout his esteemed career, Mr. Barret has shined 
bright as a beacon of perseverance and commitment, inspiring all of us 
with his valor along the way.
  Mr. Barret is a dedicated member of our community in New York City 
and has laid the groundwork for the next generation of public servants 
to follow in his footsteps. He is a living example that anything that 
is possible in this country through hard work, dedication, and 
perseverance, through the physical, mental, and moral battles faced 
during combat and while serving in our communities on behalf of our 
great Nation. He is a man of great integrity, courage, and humility, 
and I am proud to call him a member of our community.


                    Honoring Dr. Juan Tapia-Mendoza

  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today to honor Dr. Juan 
Tapia-Mendoza, a fellow Dominican immigrant and New Yorker who has 
fought tirelessly to achieve the American Dream--and that he did.
  Before Dr. Tapia-Mendoza opened his pediatric practice, he was a 
graffiti artist known only as ``C.A.T. 87,'' whose work was found all 
over the subway cars and across the city of New York in empty lots, 
particularly in northern Manhattan and beyond.
  Though he dropped out of school at a young age, his art showcased a 
strong motivation, and he was able to channel that motivation into his 
studies and return back to Santo Domingo to study medicine.
  Upon his return, Dr. Tapia-Mendoza, opened Pediatrics 2000 group, 
which now has two locations in my district and serves over 20,000 
children, supporting not only the health of our children, but their 
education and literacy as well, fostering the next generation of young 
leaders in our community.
  His clinic is also an art gallery, a center that brings together 
young people in our neighborhood for healthy activities; uniting 
medicine and art to uplift our children.
  Dr. Tapia-Mendoza's incredible story was the subject of a recent 
documentary titled, ``The Graffiti Artist Who Became a Doctor,'' which 
was recently awarded an Emmy award.
  Mr. Speaker, I am here not only because he won that Emmy but because 
he also was there for the entire community during this horrible 
pandemic.
  He is a shining example of how tenacity, artistry, and community 
intersect. I commend Dr. Tapia-Mendoza for his work and for using his 
story to inspire a new generation of our Latino youth.

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