[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18561]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO IKE SKELTON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege and an honor to be here 
this evening to honor a great American. I have had the privilege of 
traveling throughout the world with Ike Skelton. One of my first trips 
was with Ike Skelton. We went to the Far East. We had Thanksgiving with 
our troops at the DMZ in South Korea. Subsequent to that, we also took 
a trip to Bosnia several times, spent one Easter with the troops. So 
many memories of trips to visit the troops and their families to look 
at the facilities, to make sure they had all the equipment they needed 
to have, all the support that we could possibly have been able to give 
them on the committee.
  I have had the privilege and honor of visiting Ike's district in 
Missouri, and I invited Chairman Skelton to come to El Paso. I grew up 
in a little town right outside of El Paso by the name of Canutillo. The 
main street of this little town was Doniphan Drive. Never did I dream 
that I had grown up in this environment with a direct connection to 
Missouri, because when Ike Skelton came to my district, he immediately 
recognized the connection. He said, This street was named after Colonel 
Alexander Doniphan, who was a Missourian and came to Texas to save 
Texas. Immediately a connection there.
  Chairman Ike Skelton is, in my eyes, a professor of history, a 
professor of, particularly, military history. We all famously have a 
list of recommended readings from Ike Skelton. I have to confess I 
haven't read all those books yet, but I am working on it. It gives you 
a better understanding; but for me, it gives me a unique perspective on 
who the man, Ike Skelton, is.
  I couldn't agree more with my colleagues here this evening in paying 
tribute to a great American, a giant that has served this institution 
with dignity, with honor, with great passion, and with great love and 
care for our military men and women and for their families.
  Ike, it has been a tremendous honor to serve with you. I have learned 
so much from you that I think, by any measure, if there is a new Member 
coming here, my recommendation would be to emulate the great Chairman 
Ike Skelton.
  Thank you. And thanks to the people of Missouri for sharing you for 
over three decades of great public service to this great country. For 
me, an honor; for this country, an American legend. Thank you, Ike.
  God bless you, and God bless this country.

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