[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 140 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5101-H5102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF ROY DON CASH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Arrington) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of 
an extraordinary west Texan and legendary Red Raider, Mr. Roy Don Cash 
who passed away recently on August 25.
  Don was born to Billy Roy and Billie Mae Cash in the little west 
Texas town of Shamrock, Texas, in 1942. Let me tell you, there was 
nothing little about big Don Cash--his stature, his presence, his 
character, and his love for God and country.
  He would make his way to Texas Tech where he met and married another 
west Texan who would become his wife, Sondra Kay Burleson.
  After graduating from Texas Tech, he was blazing a trail in the oil 
and gas industry, becoming a titan for United States energy and its 
contributions to our energy independence, and giving our Nation and our 
people a quality of life second to no other nation in the history of 
the world.
  Don was also one of the most generous supporters and donors of Texas 
Tech University, not just with his treasure, but with his time and his 
talents. He gave back by serving on the foundation board. I think he is 
the only emeritus director of the foundation board, which speaks to how 
they perceived Mr. Cash.
  He gave back in scholarships and professorships and buildings and 
research and much, much more.
  Don was the epitome of a Texas cowboy, and he was passionate about 
preserving the history and heritage of ranching through his time on the 
Ranching Heritage Association board of directors.
  Don was a dear friend of mine, and I would refer to him as ``the last 
John Wayne.'' I was vice chancellor of Texas Tech. He and Kay were 
integral to the success that we enjoyed over that roughly decade era 
when Chancellor Kent Hance was at the helm. I think Chancellor Hance 
would say we wouldn't have been able to achieve the level of 
educational excellence, engagement of our community in west Texas and 
beyond, and scholarship and preparing our young people for their 
leadership and pursuit of their dreams in this great country if it 
weren't for people like Don and Kay Cash.
  Don was the last John Wayne in my mind because he was rugged and 
tough. He was fiercely independent, humble, and hardworking, and most 
of all loving and selfless--loving and selfless to his family, to his 
friends and to the community he gave so much to over the many, many 
years of his life back in west Texas.
  They don't make them like Don cash anymore, I can tell you that. They 
don't make them like Don Cash, and it is a crying shame because we need 
the character and caliber of men like Don Cash now in this great Nation 
of ours more than ever.
  I guess what I would say to honor my friend is may Don Cash's cowboy 
spirit and his west Texas values live on forever, not just in his son, 
Clay, his sweet daughter-in-law, Ashley, and his grandchildren, but in 
every single one of us.
  If you want to know what made America great and what will keep it 
great, it is the values of the American people, and nobody embodied 
those like Don Cash.


                         Honoring Bill Pascrell

  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor and 
commemorate Bill Pascrell. I am a Republican, he is a Democrat, but I 
don't know anybody, Republican or Democrat, who loved their country 
more and fought for the people they represented like Billy Pascrell.
  He was a tough guy from New Jersey that stood up for the working 
people in his district and was a loud and proud voice for his 
constituents. I just respect that. I respect that he was authentic in 
this place of so many plastic people--and I hate to say that. People 
just regurgitate the party lines on both sides of the aisle. We hardly 
have any real debate. It is all sort of choreographed.
  Mr. Speaker, God rest Billy Pascrell's soul, bless his family and 
comfort them. I pray we get more Billy Pascrell people who are real and 
love this country and will sacrifice

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for it. I am glad and honored to have served with him.

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