Rubén Hinojosa: “although the occasion for these remarks is a sad one, I am honored to be able to participate in this special order…”

“although the occasion for these remarks is a sad one, I am honored to be able to participate in this special order paying tribute to Texas legend Henry B. Gonzalez. As he did for countless others since first being elected in 1960, Henry B. truly paved the way for my being here in Congress. His invincible will, demonstrated so many times during so many battles, served as an example to me, that while the fight may not always be easy, it is always worth waging. His example set the bar for which all of us aspire. He was a great American, a selfless and principled public servant, the best of the best, a champion for the poor, a voice for the under-represented in Washington. Only briefly did I have the pleasure of serving with him here in the House. During that all too short time, I can assure you I was eager to glean whatever I could from his treasured house of invaluable knowledge. In fact, not a day passes that I am not mindful of how he commented to me early on that he would never recommend I rope a cow as it is going down the mountain. It was sage counsel indeed, and it has served me well these past several years, as I know it will continue to do in the years to come. To me, nothing is more important than standing up for what you believe in and having the fortitude to tackle the tough issues. Henry B. did exactly that, and he did it on his own terms and with the utmost integrity.”