Bob Menendez: “I rise to honor a great man and a genuine leader whom we lost one week ago today: Henry B. Gonzalez. Henry B.--as his…”

“I rise to honor a great man and a genuine leader whom we lost one week ago today: Henry B. Gonzalez. Henry B.--as his friends affectionately knew him--was a pioneer who came from the most humble beginnings. His parents, Mexican immigrants, raised him in San Antonio's West Side in a home with dirt floors and no running water. He experienced discrimination and segregation firsthand during his childhood and youth in Texas. He defied all odds by putting himself through college, serving his community while at the San Antonio Housing Authority, and later in San Antonio's City Council. He went on to serve as a Texas state senator-- the first Texan of Hispanic-descent to do so in over 100 years. He later achieved another first, becoming the first Mexican-American to serve the state of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives. Throughout his nearly 40-year congressional career, Henry B. served with distinction--always faithful to his morals and beliefs--and as a true Texan--with courage and determination. He was a tireless advocate of the poor and the disenfranchised in our country, and always carried in his heart a special place for the people of his hometown of San Antonio.”