[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 150 (Monday, September 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING FRANK BARRIOS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Stanton) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life and legacy 
of a great Phoenician, Frank Barrios.
  Frank was a giant among us, a champion for the Latino community, a 
renowned conservationist, and a historian who preserved the legacy of 
generations gone by.
  A second-generation Arizonan, Frank spent his career working to 
preserve our most precious resource, water.
  As a young hydrologist, he worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 
and later the Arizona Department of Water Resources. He played pivotal 
roles during key moments in Arizona's water history, from planning the 
Central Arizona Project to groundwater management. Even after 
retirement, Frank found many ways to serve.
  He was appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to the Central Arizona 
Water Conservation District Board of Directors, where he served with 
distinction, ensuring that even amidst the State's rapid growth, our 
water resources were well managed.
  A man of deep faith, he spent his later years caring for our most 
vulnerable neighbors as president of the enormously impactful St. 
Vincent de Paul Society. Frank knew the healing power of St. Vincent de 
Paul.
  His deep love for Phoenix was obvious to anyone who had the good 
fortune of crossing paths with him, particularly through his work 
chronicling and preserving the rich Mexican-American history in the 
valley. He fought to restore the historically Latino Sotelo-Heard 
Cemetery in south Phoenix, after years of neglect, to honor those who 
found eternal rest there.
  He is perhaps best known for writing the book ``Mexicans in 
Phoenix,'' documenting more than a century of Mexican-American life, 
culture, and political activism in our valley. His meticulous research, 
gathered oral histories, and archival photographs were endowed to the 
Arizona Historical Society, a priceless gift for future generations.
  There is no doubt that Frank Barrios lived a full and remarkable 
life. What stands out most was not just his achievements on paper but 
the way he achieved them--through his unwavering kindness, generosity, 
and humility.
  We lost Frank at the age of 81 on September 11, 2023, but his 
profound legacy will always live on.

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