Honoring the life and accomplishments of Sam Houston for his historical contributions to the expansion of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1103) celebrating the life of Sam Houston on the 217th anniversary of his birth, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I present House Resolution 1103 for consideration. This resolution honors the life and accomplishments of Sam Houston for his historical contributions to the expansion of the United States.

Introduced by my friend and colleague, Representative Mike McCaul of Texas, on February 24, 2010, House Resolution 1103 was favorably reported out of the Oversight Committee on April 14, 2010, by unanimous consent. In addition, the legislation enjoys the support of over 50 Members of Congress.

As we all know, Sam Houston, a 19th century American soldier, statesman and politician, played a pivotal role in the development of the State of Texas as well as our collective national history. As a soldier enlisted in the 7th Infantry Regiment, Private and then-First Lieutenant Houston fought courageously in the Battle of 1812 during which he received nearly mortal wounds at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in March of 1814.

As a practicing attorney in the State of Tennessee, Mr. Houston served as a district attorney in 1819, as the State's adjutant general in 1820, and then as a major general in 1821.

As a United States Representative elected to the 18th and 19th Congresses, Mr. Houston proudly represented the State of Tennessee before his service as the State's Governor from 1827 to 1829. As a subsequent resident of the State of Oklahoma, Mr. Houston served as a vocal advocate in support of Native American rights and in 1829 was recognized as a member of the Cherokee Nation by the Cherokee National Council. However, Mr. Houston is best known for his relentless efforts to secure statehood for Texas.

In 1835, Mr. Houston moved to the Texas territory and promptly served as a member of the convention at San Felipe de Austin, a gathering of colonists designed to promote and establish separate statehood for Texas. One year later, Mr. Houston was elected to serve as commander in chief of the Texas army and in this capacity successfully led his volunteer Texas forces against those of Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana in the Battle of San Jacinto. Notably, the battle culminated with the signing of the Treaty of Velasco, which recognized the Republic of Texas.

In recognition of his service, Mr. Houston was subsequently elected to serve as the first President of the Texas Republic, a position that he held from 1836 to 1838 and again from 1841 to 1844. Fittingly, the city of Houston was named after the President of the Texas Republic in 1837.

Mr. Houston also served the Texas Republic as a member of the Texas Congress from 1838 to 1840, and upon Texas' admission as a State into the Union, served as a United States Senator from the 31st through the 34th Congresses. Mr. Houston would also serve as Governor of the State of Texas from 1859 to 1861, making him the only person in the United States to ever have served as the Governor of two different States. Notably, Mr. Houston's tenure as a Texas Governor ended with his refusal to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy following Texas' secession from the Union, an act that Mr. Houston deemed illegal.

Mr. Houston died on July 26, 1863, at the age of 70. Fittingly, his last words, as spoken to his wife, Margaret, were reportedly: ``Texas, Texas, Margaret . . . ''

Mr. Speaker, let us honor the lasting contributions of Sam Houston to the State of Texas and our national history through the passage of this resolution, H. Res. 1103.

I urge my colleagues to join Mr. McCaul of Texas in supporting H. Res. 1103.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again I encourage my colleagues to join Mr. McCaul and Mr. Olson of Texas in supporting H. Res. 1103, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1103--Celebrating the life of Sam Houston on the 217th anniversary of his birth. Sam Houston was born March 2, 1793, in Tiber Ridge, Virginia.

General Houston was an American statesman, politician, and soldier. He is a key figure in the history of Texas, including periods as the 1st and 3rd president of the Republic of Texas, as Senator after annexation, and finally as governor.

In his early life, he moved to Tennessee, where he served in the military during the War of 1812 and later had a successful career in Tennessee politics. A fight with a Congressman led to his move to Texas, where he soon became a leader of the Texas Revolution.

Houston attended the Convention of 1833, representing Nacogdoches, and supported independence from Mexico. He was made a Major General of the Texas Army in November 1835, then Commander-in-Chief in March 1836, at the convention where he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.

At the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, General Houston surprised General Santa Ana and the Mexican forces, and in less than 18 minutes, the battle was over. General Santa Ana was forced to sign the Treaty of Velasco, granting Texas independence. During the battle General Houston was shot, shattering his ankle.

The settlement of Houston was founded in August 1836 by the Allen brothers. It was named in Houston's honor and served as capital.

Houston was twice elected president of the Republic of Texas. He served from October 1836 to December 1838, and again from December 1841 to December 1844. While he initially sought annexation by the U.S., he dropped that hope during his first term.

After the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845, Houston was elected to the U.S. Senate. He served from February 1846 until March 1859.

He twice ran for governor of Texas, unsuccessfully in 1857 and successfully in 1859.

Despite Houston's being a slave owner and against abolition, he opposed the secession of Texas from the Union.

Despite Houston's wishes, Texas seceded from the United States in February 1861 and joined the Confederate States of America in March 1861. This act was soon branded illegal by Houston, but the Texas legislature nevertheless upheld the legitimacy of secession. The political forces that brought about Texas's secession also were powerful enough to replace the state's Unionist governor.

To avoid bloodshed, Governor Houston chose not to resist, and instead retired to Huntsville, Texas, where he died before the end of the Civil War. Today, Governor Houston has a memorial museum, a U.S. Army base, a national forest, a historical park, a university, and the largest free- standing statue of an American figure, in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today in support of H. Res. 1103, introduced by a fellow Texan and colleague, Congressman Mike McCaul, honoring the life and accomplishments of Sam Houston for his historical contributions to the expansion of the United States.

Sam Houston lived an amazing and vibrant life. Shortly after moving to Tennessee from his home in the State of Virginia, Sam was drawn to the Cherokee Indians, a tribe that would have a profound impact on his life.

At the age of 19, Sam Houston enlisted in the military to fight the British in the War of 1812, where he distinguished himself for his bravery and was wounded several times in battle. After the war, his attention shifted to the study of law. In 1823, he was elected to the first of two terms here in this body, the United States Congress, before being elected Governor to the State of Tennessee in 1827. In 1828, Houston resigned from Tennessee politics, returning to live with his longtime friends, the Cherokee Indians.

In 1835, Sam Houston left the Cherokee and his life in Tennessee and moved to Texas, where he quickly gained notoriety for his leadership in seeking independence from Mexico. In the wake of defeat at the Alamo on April 21, 1836, Houston rallied the armies of Texas to victory, decisively defeating Santa Anna and the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, securing independence for Texas and his heroic place in the Nation's history.

Shortly after securing independence, Sam Houston was elected the first President of the Republic of Texas, beginning a long and successful career in Texas politics. He went on to serve a second term as President of the Republic before being elected as a United States Senator after statehood in 1845. In 1859, Houston continued his public service when he was elected Governor of the State of Texas and became the only person in U.S. history to serve as Governor in two States.

Though sometimes embroiled in controversy, Sam Houston was a passionate, dedicated statesman who played an important role in shaping this great Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and honor the accomplishments of this important, if not heroic, figure in American history and the history of my home State, the great State of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I missed the following recorded votes on the House floor the legislative week of Monday, April 26, 2010.

For Monday, April 26, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 221 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4543), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 222 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1103), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 223 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 4861).

For Tuesday, April 27, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 224 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1131), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 225 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 5017), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 226 (on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 5146).

For Wednesday, April 28, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 227 (on agreeing to the Hall (NY) amendment to H.R. 5013), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 228 (on agreeing to the Connolly amendment to H.R. 5013), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 229 (on motion to recommit H.R. 5013 with instructions), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 230 (on passage of H.R. 5013).

For Thursday, April 29, 2010, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 231 (on ordering the previous question to H. Res. 1305), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 232 (on agreeing to H. Res. 1305, providing for consideration of H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 233 (on motion to table the motion to reconsider the vote on H. Res. 1305), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 234 (on agreeing to the Foxx amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 235 (on agreeing to the Gutierrez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 236 (on agreeing to the Gutierrez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 237 (on agreeing to the Burton (IN) amendment to H.R. 2499), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 238 (on agreeing to the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 239 (on agreeing to the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 240 (on agreeing to the Velazquez amendment to H.R. 2499), ``aye'' on Rollcall vote No. 241 (on motion to recommit H.R. 2499 with instructions), ``no'' on Rollcall vote No. 242 (on passage of

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1103, honoring the anniversary of the birth of a great Texan, Sam Houston. Due to a conflict I was unable to cast my vote in support of this bill yesterday.

Sam Houston was a larger than life character who left a lasting impact on the history of Texas. Already an established statesman--as first a member of this body and Governor of the state of Tennessee--Sam Houston's leadership was essential in Texas gaining independence from Mexico and later in achieving statehood. Sam Houston led the Texas Revolutionary forces in the Texas War of Independence and was instrumental in achieving victory over at the Battle of San Jacinto.

The only person to have been the governor of two different states, Sam Houston also was an inaugural Senator from Texas.

I have long been impressed with Sam Houston. In my office, I proudly display two portraits of Houston.

Sam Houston's legacy is important to the people of Texas' Eighth congressional district. A much larger than life statue of Sam Houston greets all who come to Huntsville--the east Texas town where Sam Houston spent his golden years and where his name lives on at Sam Houston State University. At 67 feet tall and 25 tons, the steel and concrete statue aptly named ``A Tribute to Courage'' is a testament to how the Huntsville community continues to cherish Sam Houston.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to celebrate the life of Sam Houston. For all his accomplishments, the people of the great state of Texas remain forever in his debt and will continue to honor his memory and public service on this anniversary of his birth.