Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a former Member of the House, Robert Garcia, or, as we used to call him, Bobby, who passed away nearly 2 months ago. I had the opportunity to serve with Bobby for only a few months before his retirement, but during that short time, I was able to see firsthand his commitment to our great Nation. Bobby was a patriot. After graduating from high school, Bobby joined the Army and went on to serve as part of the Third Infantry Division in the Korean war, where he earned two Bronze Stars. As the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, I have been invigorated by Bobby's unwavering passion to fight for better opportunities for our Hispanic community. He was a founding member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and NALEO, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, to ensure that more Hispanics become involved in our political arena. Bobby was also instrumental in guaranteeing that Hispanics were counted in the U.S. Census. One of Bobby's legacies, Mr. Speaker, was the creation of free enterprise zones designed to spur job creation and economic opportunities in inner city neighborhoods. Bobby also led the effort to establish the Martin Luther King national holiday. The loss of Bobby's experience and knowledge is felt in New York, in Puerto Rico, and all across our country by everyone who benefited from his contributions.…”