Sean Reyes: “Mr. Speaker, last week we lost an icon in American life. I, like all of my colleagues here, can reflect back on just…”

“Mr. Speaker, last week we lost an icon in American life. I, like all of my colleagues here, can reflect back on just exactly what Henry B. meant, not just to me and to my family, but to Texans and the Hispanic community at large. We had the privilege of hosting a retirement dinner for him when he retired a couple of years ago, and I can tell you, everyone that attended that retirement dinner, which was, by the way, televised on C-SPAN later on, commented on the fact that Henry B., while a legend, was an individual that had the common man's touch. It has been said that to truly make a difference in your lifetime, you have to have the ability to walk among kings but never lose the common man's touch, and Henry B. had that common man's touch. He fought for the things that were important for all of us. A lot of us here today are here because we stood on Henry B.'s shoulders. A lot of us here recognize that we would not be here had Henry B. not been a pathfinder, had not been an individual that opened the road for the rest of us. While on the one hand it is a sad time to lose a man, a legend, a Texan, an American, truly a hero for all ages and for all this world, on the other hand it is also a time to celebrate his contributions, celebrate what he means to each and every one of us. And let us never forget that as long as he lives in our hearts, he lives in this world.”