[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 7, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H1884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
            HONORING BORDER PATROL AGENT HECTOR MORENO, JR.

  (Ms. De La Cruz of Texas was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. De La CRUZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Border Patrol 
Agent Hector Moreno, Jr., for his 27 years of service.
  Born and raised in McAllen, Texas, Mr. Hector Moreno, Jr., pursued a 
career of selfless service to our community. He joined the Border 
Patrol in 1997 and, for nearly three decades, set a high standard for 
his fellow agents by upholding their core values: service to country, 
integrity, and vigilance.
  During Mr. Moreno's tenure, he successfully led specialized 
operations in the Rio Grande Valley to combat transnational crime and 
tackle illicit drug trafficking at our southern border.
  I had the opportunity to join Mr. Moreno in south Texas to 
participate in a ride-along, hear from Border Patrol agents, and 
experience their day-to-day assignments to protect our communities.
  Last summer, Mr. Moreno retired as the division chief for the Rio 
Grande Valley Sector. We are grateful for his honorable service and 
exemplary leadership to his fellow agents and our community. In his 
retirement, he continues to serve others as a criminal justice teacher 
at Nikki Rowe High School and leads the student criminal justice club 
in McAllen.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank Mr. Moreno for his selfless service, 
and I congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.


     Honoring Small Business of the Month Matt's Building Materials

  Ms. De La CRUZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Matt's Building 
Materials as Texas' 15th District's Small Business of the Month.
  In the wake of Hurricane Beulah in 1967, Matt's Building Materials, 
then known as Valley Cash & Carry Building Materials, was founded to 
help the community rebuild from the severe damage the hurricane caused 
in the Rio Grande Valley.
  Several years later, Ira Matt took over the company and brought Danny 
Smith on board to manage their various locations. At the time, Matt's 
was the only lumberyard and building material store to cater to the 
Hispanic community.
  Challenges were brought on throughout the decades, but the team at 
Matt's always stayed true to their values and dedication to faith, 
family, and service.
  Four generations of Matt's have operated the business, and today, the 
business is run by Danny's son, Jeremy, alongside his brothers.
  Their team goes above and beyond to help south Texans across our 
communities build and rebuild homes. By providing high-quality service 
and building materials, the family-owned small business has become an 
integral part of our south Texas community.
  In 2022, disaster struck when their flagship location in Pharr caught 
fire. Their physical store was lost, but their commitment to community 
was strong. Through unwavering faith and teamwork, their service to the 
community was able to resume as the team rebuilt their Pharr location.
  Today, their commitment to community lives on. Following the 
devastating flooding in south Texas earlier this year, the team 
immediately launched a flood relief program to help those who are 
rebuilding from the flood damage, just like they did over 50 years ago.
  Through faith and hard work, no challenge is impossible to overcome, 
and we are so grateful to have businesses like theirs in south Texas.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the team at Matt's for all they do for our 
community, for south Texas, and for our State.

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