Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I rise in honor of Senora Dona Cruz Cortez, who passed away on May 30, 2019 at the age of 98. Senora Cortez hails from my hometown of San Antonio, Texas and is survived by four generations of Cortez family members. An entrepreneurial icon, her impact in our community is unparalleled after decades of work that has contributed to the overall success of San Antonio's economy, tourism, and workforce. She will be greatly missed.

Senora Cortez was born on May 2, 1921 near the banks of San Pedro Creek. Senora Cortez started from humble beginnings but held strong convictions from the beginning of the importance of family, culture and community.

In 1941, shortly after marrying her husband Senor Pedro ``Pete'' Cortez, the family opened Mi Tierra Cafe in San Antonio's El Mercado. From what began as a small three-table venue, Mi Tierra Cafe grew into a well-established community hub.

After 75 years, Mi Tierra still stands as one of San Antonio's cultural institutions. Today, La Familia Cortez Restaurants represent iconic local establishments throughout San Antonio and serves thousands per year.

At the age of 90, Senora Dona Cruz Cortez retired from La Familia Cortez Restaurants and left the booming family enterprise to her grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, the San Antonio community mourns the loss of this icon. Senora Dona Cruz Cortez embodied the American Dream and its impact on San Antonio better than most. She was truly remarkable.

I am proud to have known her and seen the immeasurable impact her warmth, commitment and dedication had on our community. Although we have lost a pillar in our community, her legacy will live on.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment requires the Office of Refugee Resettlement to report all deaths of children in their custody.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. Chairman, I want to repeat what my amendment is. My amendment is to make sure that if a child dies in government custody, that that death is reported to the Congress. I am shocked that anybody in this Chamber would disagree with that provision.

I am saying that if somebody dies in ORR custody, they are going to tell us. So to be opposed to this amendment means that you want to be part of a coverup and make sure that the government does not say anything about a child's death.

The reason that this is so important is because last September a young 10-year-old girl died. This Congress and the American people were not told for 7 or 8 months about that young girl's death.

Today, we offer an amendment to make sure that the Congress is told, that the American people know what is going on with their government. And when I offer that amendment on the other side, I am opposed, people are against it. They want to cover up these deaths? They don't want the American people to know that people are dying?

There have been, in the last few years--actually, in less than a year--six children who have died in government custody, and more adults over the last few years.

This is already the rule with the Department of Homeland Security with ICE. This is extending it to ORR.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, we have a disagreement. I don't believe this is the law right now. If it already is the law, then what is the big deal with supporting this amendment? All it does is reaffirm the law. I am surprised that we can't agree to it.

I want to give you an example and a story of why this is so important. Last September, when Darlyn Valle died in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, news of this death was not revealed to the American public or Members of Congress until just a few weeks ago because of a CBS investigation.

Darlyn Valle was 10 years old when she died while in ORR custody. She was in ORR custody in my hometown of San Antonio when she became gravely ill and staff sent her to the hospital. However, beyond those few details, we have limited information surrounding her death because the administration has decided to deny it to Congress, even after we asked the officials repeatedly about any injuries, abuse, or deaths on their watch.

This amendment seeks to end this confusion and enhance transparency in our government. I want to repeat that again. Last fall, when we were asking this administration whether any child had died or been seriously injured in government care and custody, their answer was no.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Lofgren for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the most powerful movements in American history, those that have made the most change in our country, have often been started by young people.

More than a dozen years ago, many young Dreamers took to the streets of cities like Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, New York, and so many other places throughout our country asking that they be recognized fully as Americans. Many of these are folks who were brought here when they were 6 months old, 5 years old, or 3 years old and have only known the United States as their home country.

Today, the House of Representatives recognizes their Americanness and takes a step forward to move them out of the legal limbo in which they have found themselves and, unfortunately, in which they have lived their lives. These are folks who are servicemembers, they are teenagers, they are engineers, and they are workers in the fields. They are people who are producing for our country, who are making this Nation strong. They are people who we can be proud of. They are, like us, Americans. And today, most of all, we give them something to celebrate as we acknowledge their Americanness.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Speaker Pelosi for her hard work. This is the second time, under her tenure as Speaker, that a Dream Act has passed. I thank Lucille Roybal-Allard, Pramila Jayapal, and everybody on the Judiciary Committee who has also done the hard work of shepherding this bill through.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 6.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System on its 150th anniversary year serving the health care needs of San Antonio and South Texas. Three Catholic Sisters left their families and native country of France 150 years ago in 1869, and traveled to San Antonio, Texas to answer a call to care for victims of a deadly cholera outbreak. This marked the beginnings of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio and the Santa Rosa Infirmary, which still serves the community today. A century and a half later, the infirmary, now known as CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and The Children's Hospital of San Antonio, has grown and expanded to meet the new health care needs of diverse populations throughout the south Texas region.

From those three founding Sisters, a network of hospitals and clinics has grown around the world, employing thousands of health care professionals who are still responding with compassion and love to Bishop Dubuis' call 150 years ago.

In 2019, we celebrate the Congregation's Sesquicentennial in CHRISTUS Health locations throughout Texas, Mexico, South America and the United States. And during this celebration, we remember the first ministry, where it all began--CHRISTUS Santa Rosa. CHRISTUS Health is now one of the top ten Catholic health systems in the United States and a leading provider of uncompensated care among not-for-profit health care systems.

I congratulate CHRISTUS Santa Rosa on its 150th anniversary and recognize its significant contribution to the state of Texas as a leader

and provider of quality, faith-based compassionate healthcare. Patients served by CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, including my constituents of the 20th District, are grateful to each of the thousands of nurses, doctors, associates and volunteers who have helped their communities through the years with a commitment to the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa mission of ``extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.''

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1952) to amend the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 to require the Secretary of State to report on intercountry adoptions from countries which have significantly reduced adoption rates involving immigration to the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1952, as amended.

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

First of all, I thank Mr. Collins and Mr. Langevin for their hard work on this bill that would help ease some of the problems parents face when they are trying to adopt children from other countries.

Madam Speaker, the process of adopting a child is a tough one, especially when that child is overseas. It is expensive and often emotionally taxing for the parents. It is filled with legal twists and turns and often difficult requirements, but it is worth it for these loving parents who want to give children from faraway places a home and the chance to be part of a family and a good future.

What can make this process even more daunting is when foreign governments change their laws without any sort of notice or explanation. For parents who have to deal with this, it is like having the rug pulled out from under them.

In 2018, the number of intercountry adoptions to the United States declined by roughly 600. We saw a similar decline the year before. Part of the reason is that China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo changed their policies, for example.

I can't imagine the frustration and anxiety of parents who learned their adoption has been delayed or derailed. This bill helps to make things easier on those families.

It would require the State Department to stay up to date on laws and policies dealing with intercountry adoptions and make sure American

families get that information. This will make the adoption process safer and more transparent for both parents and children.

This is a good bill. It passed the House last Congress. After we pass it again today, I hope the other body, the Senate, will act quickly as well to pass it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, we hear far too many gut-wrenching stories about American families who have trouble adopting children overseas. This legislation will help make that easier, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, this is a bipartisan bill, and I urge support from all Members.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 753) to promote international exchanges on best election practices, cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 753.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 753, the Global Electoral Exchange Act of 2019. I would first like to thank my colleague Representative Mark Meadows for his important work on this measure that he and I introduced.

We passed this bill last Congress, and I urge my colleagues to do the same

this Congress. This time, I hope that the Senate acts on this small but important measure that will promote best practices in election administration worldwide.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of State to establish an exchange program for election officials like poll workers, judges, ballot designers, and civil society to promote best practices in election administration around the world.

We would send U.S.-based election administrators and officials abroad or bring foreign administrators and officials to the United States in order to train and exchange best practices when it comes to election administration.

This bill is a good idea and is needed now more than ever. Election irregularities, voter fraud, election manipulation, discriminatory registration, access to polls, intimidation and harassment while voting, and violence at polling stations are problems that have plagued countries around the world. This bill brings people together to tackle some of these problems and to ensure that best practices are promoted worldwide.

Credible, transparent, and peaceful elections are the cornerstones of a stable and robust democracy. This bill furthers that principle.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support the passage of H.R. 753, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure. Once again, I thank my colleague Mark Meadows from North Carolina for his support and hard work on this bill.

The exchanges under this bill would be administered by the State Department and by USAID and would promote best practices and strengthen electoral institutions around the world.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 106) denouncing female genital mutilation/cutting as a violation of the human rights of women and girls and urging the international community and the Federal Government to increase efforts to eliminate the harmful practice.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 106, denouncing female genital mutilation, or cutting.

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

I rise in strong support of this resolution.

First, I want to thank my colleagues, Ms. Frankel and Mr. Perry, for introducing this important bipartisan measure.

Every year, 3 million girls around the world are at risk of facing female genital mutilation, or cutting, also known as FGMC. It is a horrific practice that mutilates girls without their consent and can lead to chronic, long-term health problems, and it can even be fatal.

Madam Speaker, the United States rightly considers female genital mutilation, or cutting, a violation of women's rights. Here in the United States, it is a Federal crime to perform this procedure on girls under the age of 18, and many other countries have similar laws banning the practice.

But despite a rising global awareness about the egregious nature of FGMC, it is still a reality for millions of women around the world. It is estimated that over 200 million women and girls today have been subjected to this heinous mistreatment.

We need to speak out against this injustice. That is why I am pleased to support H. Res. 106, a resolution that denounces female genital mutilation, cutting, as a violation of the human rights of women and girls and urges the international community and the Federal Government to ramp up our efforts to eliminate this harmful practice.

We need to do everything we can to combat the systemic mistreatment and injustice women face around the world. So I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to denounce FGMC.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel), the author of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

We all agree that female genital mutilation, or cutting, is a horrific form of child abuse and a violation of women's rights.

The resolution before us today is a signal to the rest of the world that the United States Congress is paying attention to this issue; we stand with the millions of women who are still being

subjected to this practice; and we will not stop fighting for their right to dignity and respect.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 106, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Susan Mary Maheu Guerra, who passed away on May 20, 2018. Ms. Guerra hales from my hometown of San Antonio. She is survived by her husband, Eliberto Guerra; son, Christopher Guerra; daughters, Jessica Guerra and Trina Bacon; and seven grandchildren. Her contributions to the San Antonio community will last for many years to come. She will be greatly missed.

Mrs. Susan Guerra was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 12, 1951 to Donald and Marilyn Maheu. Mrs. Guerra's journey began after being accepted at the age of 18 to the Order of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul at Guardian Angel Settlement in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended St. Louis University, receiving a bachelor's degree in social work.

After serving nine years as a nun, Mrs. Guerra heard another calling to care for those in her community. She began working with juvenile probations and at-risk families. Upon marrying Eliberto Guerra and starting a family of their own, Mrs. Guerra desired to do more for children in need. In 1986, The Guerra Family established the Guardian Angel Child Development Center.

With over 30 years of persistence and determination, Guardian Angel flourished enrolling over two generations of children. The center has provided many with a second home. Guardian Angel is now a beacon of hope in San Antonio and its Southside community. The center offers a broad range of after school and summer programs such as computer classes and performing arts.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to be part of a community that cherishes our future generations. Mrs. Susan Guerra's legacy will be felt by many as her commitment to child development has inspired many. To know of her work in bettering the lives of our kids is truly remarkable. I have no hesitation in saying that her legacy will endure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the passing of Mr. Andres D. Sarabia, a community leader in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Sarabia dedicated his life to advocating on behalf of others and guiding people to use their own voice to hold their elected officials accountable. He passed away on Friday, May 3, 2019, and will be missed by the San Antonio community.

Mr. Sarabia served as the first president of Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) and was actively involved with the organization's advocacy efforts for more than four decades. Through COPS, he worked to organize and empower local residents to

speak up on issues that affected their communities, working to address inequities in how local government services and resources were allocated. Mr. Sarabia and COPS successfully advocated across a diverse portfolio of issues, ranging from improvements in neighborhood infrastructure to the establishment of Palo Alto College on San Antonio's south side. The organization continues to serve as forum for residents to discuss and amplify their voices on important issues.

Perhaps Mr. Sarabia's most enduring legacy will be the foundation he helped establish through COPS and the steady stream of local leaders, activists and residents who have been empowered through the organization's work to engage with their government, advocate for the betterment of their community, and continue the important work of holding elected officials accountable.

I join my fellow residents of San Antonio in honoring Mr. Andres Sarabia's legacy of civic engagement, leadership and service.

Madam Speaker, I first want to say thank you to my colleagues in the House, Republicans and Democrats, and also in the United States Senate who voted to terminate the President's emergency declaration to build a border wall across the U.S.-Mexico border.

There is a humanitarian crisis at the border, but there isn't an invasion, and there is not an emergency of the sort that the President speaks of. What we have here is an act of constitutional vandalism, the President trying to take the power away from the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, the executive trying to steal the power of the purse from the Congress.

If Congress allows this to stand, then 15, 20 years, 30 years from now, we will look back upon this as a time that gave both Democratic and Republican Presidents incredible power to ignore Congress and completely go around this body to do the things that they will in terms of domestic politics.

There are landowners in Texas who are going to lose their land. This is the largest Federal land taking of Texas land, I believe, in history. Many people in Texas will lose their land. Many people will have their land values devalued, some of them very significantly, because of this.

Military construction projects in Texas are also at stake: $265 million worth of Texas military construction; projects at Joint Base San Antonio, which includes those in my district, $76 million; Fort Bliss, over $50 million; $42 million at Fort Hood; Red River, $71.5 million; Galveston Naval Reserve, $8.4 million gone because the President has decided--and this Congress will have submitted to his will--to go around Congress and unilaterally build a border wall.

Even those who support a wall should agree with us that this is not the way to do it. Congress funded over $1 billion, yet the President has gone around them to do more.

Madam Speaker, I hope my colleagues will stand with us and override this veto.

Mr. Speaker, about 6 weeks ago, when the rumors began that the President might declare a national emergency to build his border wall, my staff and I began working with legislative counsel to make sure that Congress would have a say in what amounts to constitutional cannibalism by the President.

This is the most consequential vote we will take in a generation on the balance of powers between the legislative and the executive branches of government, whether we will respect the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution, stand up for Congress, for this country, and for the Constitution, or whether we will stand down, in favor of the President.

The precedent that may be set today and this week, or next week when the Senate votes if Congress allows this President's emergency declaration to stand will not have ramifications only on this matter or the building of a border wall. If the President is successful, he will likely come back for more. He will likely circumvent Congress again, in the same unconstitutional way.

Not only will this President do it, future Presidents will do it.

I ask you this: How are we to tell a future President, if this President is successful, that gun deaths, which number in the tens of thousands, are not a national emergency, that opioid deaths are not a national emergency, that climate change is not a national emergency?

This will allow a President to sideline Congress from much of domestic policy.

Bear in mind, over the years, Congress has already, on its own, I believe, given up a lot of its authority with respect to foreign policy.

It is also clear that there is no emergency at the border. Border crossings are at a four-decade low. The folks who are coming today are presenting themselves to Border Patrol agents seeking asylum, not trying to get around the border.

There are more law enforcement officers at our border--Federal, State, and local officers--than at any time in our Nation's history.

Since its founding, this country has become the most powerful and prosperous on the face of the Earth without a border wall. That is why most Americans disagree with the President usurping the power of Congress to build his border wall.

In fact, not only do they disagree with that, they disagree with using military construction money on this border project. Cities like mine, San Antonio, stand to lose millions of dollars in military construction.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this resolution.

Madam Speaker, to be clear, my introduction of this resolution of disapproval should in no way be interpreted as an indication that the President's declaration of an emergency, or his invocation of specific statutory powers pursuant to that declaration, is even lawful in the first place.

The Constitution provides Congress with the power of the purse and expressly prohibits the President from spending funds that Congress has not appropriated. Here, Congress has not authorized or appropriated funding to build a wall on the southern border. Indeed, Congress has repeatedly chosen not to do so in response to the President's multiple requests for such funding since becoming President.

While my resolution disapproves and terminates the President's emergency declaration, the record should be clear that I do not believe the President's declaration, or his invocation of specific statutory powers pursuant to that declaration, was lawful to begin with.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. Rita Vidaurri Eden, who passed away on January 16, 2019. A true Latina musician and icon, Ms. Vidaurri Eden hails from my hometown of San Antonio. She is survived by her daughter, Linda Palewich Alvarado; her sister Henrietta Rodriguez; a stepbrother, Ruben Vidaurri; four stepsisters, Yvan, Rita, Sofia, and Ellena Vidaurri; numerous nephews, nieces, and 5 generations of grandchildren. She will be greatly missed.

Ms. Rita Vidaurri Eden was born in San Antonio on May 22, 1924 to Juan and Maria Castillo Vidaurri. At an early age, Ms. Vidaurri Eden showed a keen interest in the performing arts and was encouraged most notably by her mother who passed when she was a teenager.

Left with the care and responsibility of her younger siblings, Ms. Vidaurri Eden persisted, keeping her passion for singing alive while attending night school by performing on Mexican radio, competing in music contests, and working as an advertising model.

Ms. Vidaurri Eden was known for her unrivaled performance in Ranchera, a traditional Mexican country music genre that often features love ballads and odes to home. She soon earned the nickname ``La Calandria,'' or the ``Lark'' whose powerful voice resonated throughout every venue where she performed. By the late 1950s and at the height of her career, Ms. Vidaurri Eden retired from the stage, only later reviving her singing career at the age of 80. In 2001, Ms. Vidaurri Eden along with Beatriz Llamas, Blanca Rodriguez and Janet Cortez, formed a group of elder cantantes--referred to as ``Las Tesoros del Westside,'' or the beloved ``the Treasures of the Westside.''

Ms. Vidaurri Eden performed across Latin America and the nation. She performed on stage with Mexican artists such as Jorge Negrete, Cantinflas, and sang alongside Nat King Cole, Eydie Gorme, and Celia Cruz. She continued to sing until the end of her life.

Madam Speaker, I stand with confidence knowing that the passing of Ms. Rita Vidaurri Eden does not mark the conclusion of her legacy. Ms. Vidaurri Eden's journey will be forever carried by her timeless music, by fans, and the countless aspiring singers who look to her as a beacon of possibility.

Ms. Vidaurri Eden's passion for music could only be matched by her perseverance. Her

legacy will forever be marked by countless admirations and accolades. I am proud to call ``La Calandria'' a pillar in our San Antonio community.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for Chairman Engel's leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I look forward to continue working with Chairman Engel to advance U.S. foreign policy and national security this Congress.

I'd also like to thank my colleague from Texas, Ranking Member Michael McCaul, for authoring this measure with me.

Mr. Speaker, U.S. Foreign Service Offices voluntarily serve in some of the most dangerous pockets of the world to advance U.S. national interests and security abroad.

Changing technologies force us to adapt our security practices to ensure our diplomats' safety.

This includes threats posed by location-tracking consumer devices that reveal physical locations and movements.

I was glad to reintroduce the Protecting Diplomats from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act last week with Ranking Member McCaul.

This legislation requires the State Department to account for location-tracking consumer devices in broader U.S. embassy and consulate security policies.

As lawmakers, we have a moral obligation to ensure our men and women in the line of duty have the protections they deserve.

This legislation does just that.

Protecting our nation's frontline civilians is not a partisan issue, it's an American issue.

We must ensure our security policies and practices nimbly adapt to evolving technologies and tactics used by our enemies.

That's why I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Antonio Gonzalez, who passed away on November 11, 2018. Mr. Gonzalez hailed from my hometown of San Antonio, and shared his life with his wife of 26 years, Alma Martinez, and their two daughters Ysabel and Sara. He will be greatly missed.

Mr. Gonzalez was born in Norwalk, California on December 17, 1956, and put great emphasis on his education. Mr. Gonzalez completed undergraduate coursework at the University of California San Diego from 1975 to 1977, completed graduate coursework in Latin American History at the University of California Berkeley from 1981 to 1982, and graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio where her studied American history.

Mr. Gonzalez has been a longstanding advocate for the underrepresented and the less fortunate.

Throughout his career, he was a champion of voter and minority rights, building relationships with Latino communities throughout Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, El Salvador, and Haiti.

In 1994, Mr. Gonzalez also assumed the presidency of the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI), a nonpartisan national Latino public policy and research nonprofit organization, and the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP), the oldest non-partisan Latino voter participation organization in the U.S. During his tenure, Mr. Gonzalez conducted extensive survey research on Latino voter behavior, Latino voter mobilization, and helped triple Latino voter registration from 5.4 million in 1994 to 15.3 million in 2016. With the help of WCVI, Mr. Gonzalez founded the National Latino Congreso in 2006 where thousands of Latino Organizations meet annually.

Mr. Gonzalez was also a fierce advocate for equal representation under the law. Mr. Gonzalez led SVREP in protecting Latino voting against suppressive ``Voter ID'' laws in Texas and Arizona. From 2015 to 2017, Mr. Gonzalez led a successful campaign which resulted in more than 50 California school boards and cities to replace their outdated election systems with ``single member'' district election systems.

From 2004 to 2016, Mr. Gonzalez hosted a weekly radio show on Pacifica's KPFK in Los Angeles called ``Strategy Session with Antonio Gonzalez,'' and steered a nonpartisan coalition of 55 organizations during the Los Angeles City Mayoral election that resulted in the first Latino Mayor in America's 2nd largest city.

With the passing of Mr. Antonio Gonzalez, we have truly lost a pillar in the Latino community and a beacon of home in our nation. Mr. Gonzalez's legacy will leave a lasting impact for many years to come, and his lifelong dedication changed the lives of San Antonioans, Texans, and people around the world.