Sean Reyes: “I rise today in honor of a great El Pasoan and a great American. His name is Tom Lea. He hails from my district of El…”

“I rise today in honor of a great El Pasoan and a great American. His name is Tom Lea. He hails from my district of El Paso, Texas, and has left a lasting impression on the Nation as a whole. One of these paintings, "Rio Grande," was specifically chosen by President Bush to hang in the Oval Office. As you can see, this is a beautiful representation of the rugged landscape and the environment of our wonderful Southwest. The other is a portrait of Sam Rayburn. It is probably the most familiar to many of you, as it hangs in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building. I venture that you would be hard-pressed to find another artist who could so capture the tenacity and formidable nature of this great Texas lawmaker and former Speaker of the House of Representatives. This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of this acclaimed El Pasoan. The 2007 Tom Lea Centennial Celebration, which is a month-long series of events, is currently underway all along our beautiful Southwest.”