[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12904-12905]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE LIFE OF DAN REYNA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 5, 2011

  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and the 
lasting impact that Dan Reyna had on our Nation. As General Manager of 
the U.S. Section of the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, he worked 
to address critical public health issues in the border region, such as 
diabetes and tuberculosis.
  I had the pleasure of working with Dan for the past five years, and I 
was impressed with his dedication and tireless advocacy for improving 
health and quality of life on the border. Dan spent over 25 years as an 
advocate for the U.S.-Mexico border and was a national expert on border 
health issues, working for the Texas Department of Health and the New 
Mexico Department of Health before joining the U.S.-Mexico Border 
Health Commission.
  One example of Dan's positive impact was the Border Health 
Commission's Healthy Border Initiative 2010. The overarching goals of 
the campaign were to improve the quality and increase the years of 
healthy life and eliminate health disparities for border residents. The 
initiative was a success, decreasing the prevalence of diseases, and 
giving individuals the tools they need to lead a healthy lifestyle.
  Dan also served his country proudly for over 21 years in the U.S. 
Army. He retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a colonel, having served 
in Afghanistan as the Senior Health Action Officer and Coalition Forces 
Liaison to multiple national ministries including the Ministry of 
Health in 2003 and 2004. Dan's exemplary military career began early. 
Even as a cadet he was honored as a Distinguished Military Graduate, an 
honor only achieved by the Nation's top cadets. Throughout his career 
he continued to distinguish himself earning awards that included the 
Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion 
of Merit.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with Dan's wife and family during this 
difficult time as well as the staff at the U.S.-Mexico Border Health 
Commission. One thing that I will always remember about Dan is that no 
challenge was

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ever too difficult or complex to conquer, and, if everyone adopted this 
approach, the world would be a better place. Dan's work and impact on 
the border region will always serve as an inspiration for others.

                          ____________________