[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8979]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  MOURNING THE PASSING OF REPRESENTATIVE JOE. E. MORENO, TEXAS STATE 
                 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--DISTRICT 143

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. AL GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 9, 2005

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my heart is heavy as I pause 
today to pay tribute to my colleague and an outstanding public servant, 
Joe Moreno who died tragically this past Friday, May 6, 2005.
  A native of Houston, Texas, Mr. Moreno represented District 143 in 
the Texas State House for more than seven years after being elected 
with overwhelming grassroots support in November, 1998. A graduate of 
St. Thomas High School, he attended St. Thomas University and Texas 
Southern University. His unexpected death leaves a huge void in the 
lives of all of us who knew and respected him. As a dedicated community 
activist, Representative Moreno will be remembered as a champion who 
never wavered in his commitment to improving the lives of his 
constituents. An active member of the Resurrection Catholic Church, the 
Harris County Tejano Democrats and the League of United Latin American 
Citizens Council, Joe was awarded the prestigious title of ``Legislator 
of the Year'' in 2003 in recognition of his skills as a Member of the 
State House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, throughout his career, Representative Moreno has been 
honored by the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, the East Harris 
County Manufacturing Association, the Houston Gulf Coast Chapter of the 
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and the Hispanic 
Contractor's Association of the Greater Houston Area, Inc. During the 
79th Legislative Session, he served on the Juvenile Justice and Family 
Issues Committee as well as the Borders and International Affairs 
Committee.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day, and I hope my colleagues 
will join me in saluting Joe Moreno, a pillar of the community whose 
contributions will not be forgotten.

                          ____________________