Farewell To Congress
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of the Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may…
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of the Special Order.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Members of the House of Representatives, and my fellow Americans, lend me your ear.
``We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
Since 1776, the people of this great Nation have bestowed the responsibility of fulfilling that declaration and setting the course of the future of our Nation in the collective hands of Congress which is comprised of both Members of the House of Representatives and Members of the United States Senate.
Since that time, every Member willingly raises their hand and publicly makes that sacred pledge to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
It is my belief that the American people look for the principles of respect, collaboration, friendship, unity, and statesmanship in every Member of Congress.
I encourage all Members of Congress to subscribe to and remember this quote from Henry Ford: ``Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.''
The issues our Nation faces today are not Republican or Democrat issues. They are people issues. One issue I have repeatedly highlighted during my time here has been our national debt and the broken way in which Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, continue to support reckless spending.
Spending the people's money irresponsibly has created a $36 trillion national debt which grows by $1 trillion every 100 days. A $1 trillion national debt equates to $107,594 per person, $272,546 per household, and $493,233 per child.
Quite frankly, it is an embarrassment, and it needs to stop. Something must be done.
I join the millions of Americans who pray that on January 20, the President in the 119th Congress will seriously focus on the budget crisis and make the right decisions to remove this heavy burden off the backs of hardworking people of this great Nation and the backs of our children.
I thank my good friend, Jodey Arrington, chairman of the Budget Committee, and my friends on the Committee for sounding the alarm and for their efforts to help right this ship.
Mr. Speaker, this evening I rise for the last time in this hallowed Chamber to bid my farewell. Even though my time here pales in comparison to the joy I find in family and faith, I proudly say that being among all of you has been more than an honor. It has been a privilege.
Yes, this place has its problems, but it has so much worth celebrating. I made friends across the aisle and have gotten to know a few of you through the early morning congressional football practices or prayer groups.
I have been blessed to know and learn from intelligent, loyal, and long-suffering staff that guided me through my journey. I have spoken on the House floor about issues that matter to the people of Colorado's Fourth Congressional District, also known as the eastern plains of Colorado.
On January 2, my 6-month term as a sitting Member of Congress will come to an end. In just 6 months, my staff in D.C. and I have: Passed H.R. 9714 out of the Budget Committee, introduced a commonsense red card bill that would allow immigrant workers to remain in our labor force, introduced legislation that would place the national debt on every Federal voting ballot, highlighted and advocated for important local issues, presided over the House floor, played in the congressional football game, and drew national attention to the dangerous Tren de Aragua apartment takeover in Aurora, Colorado.
I joined the DOGE Caucus and worked as a constructive Member of the Republican caucus to support commonsense legislation that will help families in Colorado.
From July 21 to December 15, 147 days, my district staff back in Colorado have closed 401 cases, had 58 walk-in appointments, referred 1,116 constituent calls for further help, helped 21 constituents with grant requests, and helped return $564,760 back to constituents with $3,914,000 yet to be deposited into individual accounts for a total of $4,478,760 or, better yet, $30,468 a day.
I recommended 52 individuals to the military academies. They assisted me in traveling to all 21 counties of the Fourth Congressional District at least twice within the last 5 months.
Arriving in Congress wasn't a high point, and leaving isn't a low point either. It is life. You see, I describe my short time in Congress as that of a foreign exchange student. I arrived in July during the middle of the year. I missed the yearbook pictures. No one knew me. So both sides of the aisle liked me. I will not be coming back next year.
As a veteran, I describe my time here as a TDY, better known as a temporary duty assignment. Now it is time to return home.
Mr. Speaker, I treasure, Lisa, my wife, my children, Michael and Christina, my service in the Air Force, and my Lord more than any amount of time in Congress. I am proud to define my life by service to my Lord, my family, the Armed Forces, and now to the people of Colorado's Fourth Congressional District.
To my wife, Lisa, I thank her for joining me in this unexpected and unbelievable opportunity of serving in Congress. Having her by my side every day here in D.C., along with her support, encouragement, and love, has made the hours in travel, the early mornings in briefings, the afternoons in meetings, the evenings with receptions, studying memos, and racing to late-night votes made it both productive and bearable.
Lisa is my soulmate and my rock. I love her more than she will ever know.
To my son, Michael, and my daughter, Christina, I love them both. I hope that I have made them both proud.
One day I hope to bring my grandkids here. We will fly into Reagan airport and fight through the afternoon traffic. I will point out the never-ending construction on Cannon and lead the little ones to Statuary Hall before walking through the tunnels and eventually heading up to Rayburn's fourth floor where my office was.
I will hold them close there and say that their granddaddy was a part of this. I will say that government for and by the people isn't an abstraction. It is in their bloodline. I speak of generations because that is what the government is for, to protect, preserve, and pass along a legacy for our children.
At the end of my oath of office, I bound myself to my pledge by saying, ``So help me God.'' He has indeed helped me the same way that he has shepherded and guided this still-young Nation.
As I prepare to depart, I am reminded of my parents, Gregorio and Victoria Lopez. They taught me the value of hard work, laboring in the fields under the Texas Sun. When the day was over, the foreman would come out and yell, ``Ya Vamenos. Ya cavamos de trabajar,'' which translated means, ``Let's go. Our work is done,'' then my parents would finish up and head home.
Colorado is calling me home, and I must answer. My work here is done. I now depart.
With immense gratitude to God, my family, Colorado's Fourth Congressional District, the friends I have made here, my staff, and this institution, I bid them all a fond farewell.
In my story, this is just a chapter, and every chapter ends. That is for the best because we can see what happens next.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.