On the recordFebruary 27, 2023
I thank the gentleman for his remarks. Mr. Speaker, a little historic perspective of what Congressman LaMalfa was saying. When you think about how Texas came into the Union, he called it annexation, but the truth of the matter is, Texas came into the Union unlike any other State in the history of the world, really. All the other States were annexed. Texas was a republic, so we came in by treaty. Of course we did. We had to do it our own way. If you think back to that time, Mr. Speaker, things were happening really fast. After America won its independence in 1781, the battle of Yorktown, some 30 years later, I guess, or 40 years later, Mexico, in 1821, won its independence from Spain. A scant 15 years later, the Texicans, as we were called, won our independence from Mexico. Now, when Congressman LaMalfa was talking about annexation, how annexation was happening fast--of course, Pete Sessions was right. Texas entered the Union as the 28th State on December 29, 1845. I think about that, Mr. Speaker, from time to time. What was the legislature of Texas thinking back then when we had a chance to annex the rest of the United States? What were they thinking? But nonetheless, that is what they did. It is my distinct pleasure now to bring up another rising star in the Texas delegation, Nathaniel Moran. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran).
