On the recordFebruary 24, 2021
I also rise today to recognize the tremendous the strength of the people in Houston, who I am honored to represent in Congress. As we all know, last week, an historic arctic blast hit most of the South, including the great State of Texas, plunging millions of Texans into darkness. In the middle of freezing cold temperatures, people weren't able to heat their homes or access water. I personally had to gather water from a swimming pool in our apartment complex after our water was shut off. I know that many had it much, much worse than I did. But through it all, the community came together. My friend Jim McIngvale, known as Mattress Mack, in Houston opened up his furniture store as a shelter last week to give people in need a warm place to sleep, eat or just get out of the cold for a few hours. There are countless others who stepped up. Plumbers helped their neighbors repair their pipes free of charge; food and water distribution centers opened up across the city, including in my district office; and people who had power used it minimally so electricity could flow back to their neighbors faster. This is what we call Houston strong. It got us through Harvey and Imelda, and it is what will get us through this difficult time as well. Happy Anniversary to Federal Protective Service
