[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 103 (Thursday, June 18, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING CHAMBERS COUNTY JUDGE FRANK JAMES ``JIMMY'' SYLVIA, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BRIAN BABIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2026

  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a good friend and 
respected leader of Chambers County, Texas--County Judge Frank James 
''Jimmy'' Sylvia, Jr. For three decades, Judge Sylvia has guided 
Chambers County through a remarkable period of growth and 
transformation. On December 31, 2026, Judge Sylvia will retire from 
public office as the longest-serving county judge in Texas, concluding 
a distinguished career.
  Judge Sylvia was born on October 5, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, but 
moved to Texas as soon as he could. The Sylvia family has been a pillar 
of the Old River community in Chambers County for decades. Jimmy was a 
standout athlete on the 1971 Barbers Hill High School football team, 
which won the Class 1 A co-state championship. He graduated from 
Barbers Hill in 1974 and was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2010. 
Judge Sylvia continued his football and academic pursuits at Sam 
Houston State University, where he graduated in 1979. Jimmy has often 
attributed the values he learned playing team sports to his success in 
serving the public. Anyone who has worked with him knows that to be 
true. Judge Sylvia's service to Chambers County began in 1993, when he 
was elected Commissioner for Precinct 3. Following the untimely passing 
of County Judge Oscar Nelson, he was appointed to serve as County 
Judge, assuming the responsibilities as the chief administrator and 
budget officer of Chambers County. He was later elected to the position 
in 1998 and concludes his seventh consecutive four-year term at the end 
of this year.
  Over the last decade, Chambers County has been one of the fastest-
growing counties in the nation and has become one of the most desirable 
places to live in the Greater Houston area. During his tenure in 
office, the county population has more than doubled, as has the number 
of county employees. Additionally, the county budget expanded from $8.5 
million in 1993 to $75.7 million today. Judge Sylvia has balanced the 
needs of rural rice-farming communities, one of the largest and most 
critical petrochemical complexes in the world, and the development of 
once-rural communities as the Houston region migrates further east.
  In addition to his administrative and judicial responsibilities, 
Judge Sylvia serves as the county's chief emergency management 
official. During his tenure, Jimmy has been a steady hand overseeing 
responses to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Humberto, Gustav, Ike, Harvey, 
Imelda, Laura, Beta, and Beryl, as well as the 2019 Atlas Air Crash, 
COVID-19, Winter Storm Uri, and many others. His expertise has been 
widely recognized across Texas, and he has frequently been invited to 
speak at training programs for county judges, offering guidance on 
disaster response and emergency operations. For 17 years, Judge Sylvia 
has hosted a Hurricane Workshop that brings together local, state, and 
federal organizations to prepare for hurricane season. In May of this 
year, he was awarded the Texas Emergency Management Leadership Award in 
recognition of his achievements that have demonstrated a positive and 
significant impact on emergency management programs or community 
resilience, a well-deserved honor for a public servant who leads with 
integrity and a servant's heart.
  I have worked closely with Judge Sylvia on many projects, and the 
most significant was the de-obligation of $9 million of Hurricane Ike 
cleanup debt that FEMA erroneously charged to Chambers County. His 
diligence and advocacy were instrumental in resolving that issue. Mr. 
Speaker, on December 31, 2026, Judge Jimmy Sylvia will conclude three 
decades of distinguished public service. I extend my heartfelt 
congratulations to my friend and offer my best wishes to his wife, 
Laura Lou, their children, and grandchildren as they embark on the next 
chapter of their lives. May God bless Chambers County, and may He 
continue to bless the Sylvia family.

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