The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HONORING RICK PERRY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8944-H8949 on Nov. 18, 2019.
The Department oversees energy policies and is involved in how the US handles nuclear programs. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department's misguided energy regulations have caused large losses to consumers for decades.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING RICK PERRY
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rose of New York). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight with a number of my colleagues from Texas because Governor Rick Perry, as we Texans refer to him, will be stepping down in a few weeks as the Secretary of Energy of the United States of America.
I have had the honor of serving on his staff, working with him on a number of projects, including a book, and working on his campaigns. He has been a State Representative in Texas, the Agriculture Commissioner in Texas, Lieutenant Governor, Governor of Texas, but I always think of Rick Perry first and foremost as a proud Texan, an Aggie, an Eagle Scout, a husband, an Air Force veteran, a father, and a grandfather. But for me personally, I always remember the Governor as a friend, a loyal friend who would help those who needed it, whether it was a veteran, suffering after battle, who needed a home, which the Governor and his lovely bride, Anita, would welcome them into their home, or whether it was praying for me when I had cancer as a staffer for him. Governor Perry literally called me from a Presidential debate to check on me while I was going through chemotherapy. And he stood with me and my family through it all. He is above all a good and decent man.
There are few people in this world who cause you to want to charge the hill behind him, and you know it will be for fighting a just cause, but Governor Perry is one of those people. And he learned this from his family and his community.
Governor Perry grew up in Paint Creek, Texas, with no indoor plumbing for the first 5 years of his life in 1950s west Texas. His dad, Ray, was a World War II veteran, who along with Perry's wonderful mom, Amelia, were ranchers in Texas. And his wife Anita, whom he met in elementary school, was his high school sweetheart and has been the love of his life and by his side ever since. He is a proud dad to Griffin and Sydney and granddad to their wonderful children.
Governor Perry is fairly famous for being an Aggie. He received his bachelor of science degree in animal science from A&M. He was commissioned to second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force upon graduation. He was a member of Squadron 6 and served as a junior and senior Yell Leader and was immersed in all aspects of Aggie student life. A strong supporter of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M, Governor Perry has been a speaker at countless Aggie musters since 1990 and was the principal speaker at the main campus ceremony in 2002. And he was also the key note speaker at the 125th anniversary celebration of the Corps of Cadets in 2001. He exemplifies the Aggie values, selfless service, respect, loyalty, integrity, and excellence in leadership.
Before I yield to my colleague, I would be remiss if I did not note that it was 20 years ago today that the historic tradition at Texas A&M, the A&M bonfire that is always built in preparation for and lit the night before the game against the University of Texas, one of the greatest rivalries in sports, which is long overdue for renewal, 20 years ago today it collapsed at 2:42 a.m. where 11 students and one former student died and 27 others were injured. Fifty-seven Aggies were working on the bonfire at the time when they heard a crack, and it collapsed. My wife was a senior at the time. And as we commemorate Governor Perry tonight, we also commemorate the lives of those great Aggies who were carrying on the spirit of that great institution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I rise today to honor Rick Perry in his final days as Secretary of the Department of Energy. It makes sense that those lined up to speak would be from our shared home State, the great State of Texas. We have served with him. We have benefited from Rick's leadership. We call him friend. Much can be said and will be said of Rick Perry in these next few weeks.
As already mentioned, Rick is a fifth generation Texan, an Aggie, Air Force pilot, state representative, agricultural commissioner, lieutenant governor, longest serving Texas Governor, Secretary of Energy. He will be rightfully lauded for a life well given to public service.
In every stage of his life, Rick Perry sought to do the best for Texas and for the people of this Nation. As a state representative, he was one of the most effective legislators pushing for more strict budgeting. As Agricultural Commissioner, Perry showed his skill at sales and started what would be a lifelong career as the number one top salesman for the great State of Texas.
As Governor, Rick helped make Texas a destination for business and industry and for families and people. There is a reason why we still see an average influx of people, a thousand a day in our great State.
As Secretary of Energy, we continue to see the benefits of Rick Perry's unabashed love of Texas and these United States. Thanks to his leadership, the United States is now the largest energy producer in the world with a greatly expanded footprint in the international market.
Still, my favorite story which defines the man that is Rick Perry is one told by a former rival turned friend, and that would be Senator Rick Santorum. Former Senator and Presidential candidate Rick Santorum told of the regular frantic note taking of candidates while they were on the debate stage, all except for Rick Perry. Instead, Rick recounted, Perry only wrote one note. It was when Rick Santorum told about the health difficulties his beloved daughter, Bella, had faced from her birth.
Following the debate, Rick said the two men spoke and Rick said as he looked over Perry's shoulder at the single note written, it had three words: ``Pray for Bella.'' That, Mr. Speaker, is a man of faith, compassion, and integrity. It speaks to his character. It speaks to his effectiveness. It speaks to his dedication to public service and to his love of this great country.
I am grateful for having served under Governor Perry in the State house for 4 years and with Secretary Perry in the Department of Energy. The great State of Texas and our Nation are better for his service.
As Rick Perry moves away from public life, his leadership will be missed, but the legacy he leaves behind will endure.
I thank my friend, Governor Perry, for all he has done. I thank Anita for loaning Texas and then America a true Texas treasure, a true statesman, and a truly fine individual. Rick and Anita both deserve a rich time together. Blessings to them both and please enjoy the private life.
{time} 1945
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), my friend.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman so much for yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a privilege to rise today in honor of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, a devoted statesman, a proud Texan, and a longtime friend of mine.
In his early years, Governor Perry became an Eagle Scout and was taught what a strong work ethic looked like, and he has practiced it in every office he has held since, and those are numerous.
I first met Rick Perry back when he was Agriculture Commissioner for Texas in the mid-1990s. In the 25 years since, he and I have worked together in various roles, including working together on the campaign trail. As a matter of fact, Governor Perry appointed me to the Lower Neches Valley Authority, where I served the State for many years. My son Leif, a Navy SEAL, is also friends with Governor Perry's Navy SEAL son-in-law.
I had the privilege of working with Rick Perry when he served as the longest-serving Governor of Texas in history, where he successfully earned the reputation as one of the most successful Governors that our State has ever had.
While serving as Governor of the great State of Texas, he oversaw incredible economic growth, low unemployment rates, low taxes, the creation of thousands of jobs, and commonsense reform that has brought tremendous success to our State. Texas has become a mecca for out-of-
State Americans looking for jobs and prosperity.
His tremendous leadership in Texas and his role in the expansion of America's energy sector helped carry him to the position of Secretary of Energy, which he leads now with character and strength, expanding our economy while protecting our environment.
I was proud to work alongside him on energy reform, and I will continue to push strong energy policies that he has advocated for at the Department of Energy.
Rick Perry has dedicated his life to the service of his State and this country while living as a devoted man to God and to his family.
Mr. Speaker, I have the utmost respect for Governor Perry, for what he has accomplished and the way in which he has done so.
May God bless him, his beautiful wife, Anita, and the rest of his family, and may God bless Texas and the United States of America.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for those kind remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), my friend.
Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
I join my colleagues tonight in honoring a devoted public servant and friend, Rick Perry.
Rick has dedicated his life to making Texas and America even greater, exemplified by his service in the U.S. Air Force and his record as the longest-serving Governor in Texas history.
Over two decades ago, I served under then-Governor Perry as his secretary of state, where we worked to create a better Texas. Together, we sold our home State to America and the world by ushering in unprecedented economic growth and creating one of the strongest economies in the United States and, frankly, the world. We would often tell prospects: Texas wasn't open for business; Texas was wide open for business.
We traveled across the Nation, visiting our communities and even stopping by a few ballparks along the way, where I played catcher as he threw out the first pitch. I would tell you that he threw more balls than he threw strikes.
I also have fond memories of our families spending quality time together over the years. Running the river in Austin wasn't bad either.
Rick's principled and sharp leadership has been a great asset to our Nation while serving as the United States Secretary of Energy, paving the way for greater economic growth and energy independence. Who better to serve as Energy Secretary than the former Governor of the leading energy State in our country?
It has been an honor to play on his team and to have his support.
Mr. Speaker, I wish Rick, Anita, Griffin, Sydney, and their new grandbaby all the best in the next season of their lives.
Mr. Speaker, again, I remind Secretary Perry how much I appreciated his call on the night of the baseball shooting to simply tell me, ``I am with you, brother.''
May God bless Texas. May God bless the Perry family. May God bless this greatest country in the world, the one that Rick Perry helped create and maintain, the United States of America.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for those great remarks about the Governor.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I am happy to come to the floor tonight to reflect on a great Texan, a great American, Secretary Rick Perry.
It has been an honor to have served the people of Texas alongside Secretary Perry. In fact, my first political race in 2002 was alongside then-Governor Perry, who had succeeded Governor Bush when Governor Bush won the Presidential election and Governor Perry was running for his first full term as Governor. Then, as we know, he went on to serve a full 14 years as Governor of the State of Texas.
He began serving our country as a C-130 pilot in the United States Air Force. More recently, he has been leading the United States Department of Energy. With each task, Secretary Perry has shown true leadership and fought to uphold the Constitution.
Most recently, as Secretary of the Department of Energy, Secretary Perry was dedicated to putting forward innovative ideas while reducing Federal overreach and the regulatory burden on Americans.
Back in 2007, in the Subcommittee on Energy and the full Committee on Energy and Commerce, I worked to prevent a mandate on light bulbs that I thought was ill-advised. I thought it would be better to let the consumer make these determinations rather than the government. I continued this fight during the appropriations process to delay rulemaking at the Department of Energy.
Then, after assuming office, Secretary Perry took steps to protect consumer choices and rolled back the mandates on light bulbs. I appreciate Secretary Perry's efforts in this area to reduce Federal overreach.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to wish the departing Secretary and his wife, Anita, the very best, the very best for their family as they embark on this new journey.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Secretary Perry for many years of dedicated service to our State and our country. As the song says, ``God bless you, Texas.''
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Taylor), who represents the town in which my lovely bride grew up, Plano, Texas.
Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give my well-wishes to Governor Rick Perry. I think a lot has been said about his career, so I will just share a few stories about him.
I was in the Texas House chamber when he gave his farewell address, and he noted that he had served his first three terms in the Texas House as a Democrat and had changed parties to become a Republican to run for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. His comment was, ``I probably made both parties happy,'' when he made that change, which I think was a pretty funny comment. It certainly brought down that house.
I got to know Governor Perry when he was Agriculture Commissioner. I had just graduated from high school, spent a gap year, spent some time, in Austin, and I had the privilege of working for him as an intern in his Intergovernmental Affairs Department. There, I learned that to craft good policy, it takes time, effort, focus, and hard work.
I worked with him on NAFTA. I worked with him on aquaculture. I worked with him on high-speed rail, where he asked me to go back and double-check the numbers to make sure that he was making the right decision when he became the first statewide elected official opposing high-speed rail in Texas.
I was certainly a beneficiary, having represented Collin County for almost a decade, for what Rick Perry has done for the Texas economy. Between 2007 and 2014, in that 7-year period, Texas created 1.4 million new jobs, more than the entire country combined.
Clearly, Rick Perry's efforts to keep taxation low, keep regulation reasonable, and keep litigation at a minimum, those three things that he drove over and over and over again--I think we can all remember how many times he said that, whether it was on the stump, whether it was in legislation, that he was trying to get these three things done, and how successful our State has been as a result of that.
I will also share that Governor Perry had a special knack. He was a very smart man in many ways. The very first bill I filed in the Texas Legislature was a bill to increase military voting. This bill was something that I knew the Governor cared about because his staff would ask about it occasionally.
I remember the second to last day in the legislative session of 2011. I was literally walking across the floor of the Texas House, holding the bill in hand. I saw Governor Perry out of the corner of my eye, and he actually reached over and grabbed me, and he said: Where's my bill?
I said: The bill I am holding, Governor?
He said: Good. Go get it filed with the clerk.
And I went in and filed it.
It was that kind of ability to know intuitively what he needed to focus on and how he needed to focus on it that I think made him such an effective leader and one that we all respect.
We are so grateful for Governor Perry's service. We are so grateful that Anita would lend him to us and for the service that he has given to our State and to our Nation. We are all truly grateful for him.
Mr. Speaker, I say to Governor Perry: Partner, we will see you over the next ridge.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for joining us here this evening and lauding the service and accomplishments of Governor Perry, Secretary Perry.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson), my former colleague in the United States Senate and my friend.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend from Austin, Texas, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, on March 4, 1950, in the Texas Panhandle metropolis of Haskell, Texas, Rick Perry was born. Haskell lately has a population of 3,322. That was too much big city for Rick Perry, so his family moved to Paint Creek, Texas, current population somewhere around 324.
As was mentioned, he became an Aggie yell leader. He said he knew A&M was where he had to go because: ``I was probably a bit of a free spirit. . . . I would have not lasted at Texas Tech or the University of Texas. I would have hit the fraternity scene and lasted about one semester.''
As was mentioned, he served our country in uniform, flying a C-130 Hercules, a large aircraft that carries cargo all over the world that has the same engine as my P-3 Orion I flew in the Navy, the Allison T56-A14. We share that common bond.
Rick was elected to serve in the Texas House in 1984. He became what was known as a pit bull. The Texas House has a place they go called the pit to have strong, strong, strong debates. Rick wanted to go off on people who wanted to spend, spend, spend. The pit bulls in Texas had a raging bull in Rick Perry.
In 1990, he became our Agriculture Commissioner. In 1998, he allowed American history to be changed in a very positive way. He ran against a guy named John Sharp to become our Lieutenant Governor. It was very close, Aggie versus Aggie. Rick won by about 1.7 points, but that victory enabled George W. Bush to leave his beloved Texas and become America's 43rd President. Governor Bush knew he could leave with Texas in great hands of prosperity and with a bright future, and Rick Perry did not disappoint.
As our longest-serving Governor with 14 years in Austin, Texas, on his watch, great things happened in our State that are the models for America and the world.
He got true medical liability reform passed in Texas that changed our provision of healthcare for our citizens because doctors were fleeing our State because of unjustified lawsuits. They came back in droves when this bill was passed and became an amendment to our constitution, all because of Rick Perry's leadership.
He changed our energy market to a market with competition, driving prices down and giving people the cheapest, most reliable energy in America.
{time} 2000
He had Texas squared away, so when America went into recession in 2007, our State, one State, created half the private-sector jobs in America over 2007 and 2008.
And he also got a big start with technology, a place in Houston called Celltex, which uses human beings' own stem cells to repair broken bones and long-term injuries. They are thriving, and that is all because of Governor Rick Perry.
On March 2 of 2017, the Senate confirmed him to be America's Secretary of Energy. He tried to make D.C. just like Texas. On his watch, the only viable carbon capture-enhanced oil recovery operation in the entire world, in Texas 22, the Petro Nova project with NRG, was started.
On his watch, we started exporting American crude oil all over the world.
On Rick Perry's watch, we have sent liquified natural gas--we call that liquid ``American freedom''--all over the world, helping allies in need, allies like India, like South Korea, like Japan, and like Eastern Europe break the hold on energy that comes from Russia or OPEC.
I will close with a statement from a Texas legend that applies directly to Governor Rick Perry. Bum was talking about Earl Campbell, the famous Heisman Trophy winner, a Hall of Famer in the NFL who played for the Houston Oilers for just under a decade. Bum was asked: Is Earl in a class by himself? And Bum's answer applies to Earl and applies to Governor Rick Perry. Rick may not be in a class by himself, but whatever class he is in, it don't take long to call the roll.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Rick and Anita for their service to America and the great State of Texas. They will never, ever be forgotten.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas. I know that he appreciates the Governor's military service because he, too, is a veteran. I thank him for his service, and I thank him for the kind remarks for the Governor. I know he will cherish and appreciate those.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from west Texas (Mr. Arrington), who represents my father's alma mater, Texas Tech University, and ask his indulgences after the NCAA basketball championship.
Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend and fellow Texan, Mr. Chip Roy.
Get your guns up, Mr. Roy. I thank you for that introduction, and I thank you for hosting tonight's Special Order for our friend and fearless leader for Texas and for this great Nation, Rick Perry.
It is, I think, pretty telling that every Texan who has taken the mike to pay tribute to our friend Rick Perry has spoken with the fondness of a deep friendship, and I think that is a tribute to Secretary Perry. He was a man who could connect with just about anybody--not because he had the special political gift; it is because he had genuine love for people. That was his gift. I am glad that God saw fit to allow him to deploy that as our Governor, as Secretary, and in public service for many, many years.
My favorite Rick Perry quote: If you want to make America great again, make it more like Texas.
Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 2017, Energy Secretary Rick Perry unveiled a vision for our Nation, not only to become energy independent, but energy dominant. Predictably, some in the mainstream media responded by dismissing it as overly ambitious and unrealistic.
The Washington Post said about his vision that it was ``dominated by misleading claims.'' The Los Angeles Times said that the plan
``threatens the entire planet.'' Not only did their criticism miss the mark on both accounts, but, fortunately, for the American people, they were definitively disproven by our friend and fearless leader, Secretary Rick Perry.
We were once a nation reliant on foreign sources of energy. Today, we are on track to become a net energy exporter by 2020. By 2025, U.S. oil production is expected to equal that of Saudi Arabia and Russia, combined.
Under Secretary Rick Perry's leadership, the United States has become a net exporter of natural gas for the first time since 1957. In fact, the U.S. is on track to more than double its LNG export capacity by the end of this year.
Not only were we able to increase our energy production and export capacity in these United States, we have done it while leading the world in reducing carbon emissions, decreasing our output of CO2 by 42 million tons, while, at the same time, the European Union increased its carbon by about the same amount, China increased theirs by almost three times the amount that we reduced our carbon, and India twice as much of an increase to our decrease.
I would say that is a heck of a track record for our Texas Secretary of Energy.
Mr. Speaker, our Nation's energy security is and always will be a matter of national security. And thanks to the skilled leadership of Secretary Perry, I am proud to say that America is, indeed, safer and more secure today than, well, than it was before he took office.
I am especially proud, Mr. Speaker, that our Nation's leading voice for energy dominance was born and reared in west Texas, right smack in the middle of my district, Texas 19.
I think Mr. Roy would agree with me that, if you are a Texan, no matter what your title is and how far up the chain you go in political leadership, the Governor is always the highest title of all. So I am going to call him Governor Perry. I can't wait to refer to him as Governor Perry again.
Rick Perry is a fifth-generation Texan. He is from Haskell, USA, which is 50 miles north of Abilene.
I remember introducing him once in Lubbock, saying that there are some people and politicians who have street cred, and then there are some who have farm-to-market cred. Where I come from, Mr. Speaker, farm-to-market cred is more important.
He had a bead on all things rural America because he was rural America. He understood that the small towns and the highways and the byways of this country were not just producing our food, fuel, and fiber; they were producing a people with a substance and a character that this Nation desperately needed.
He understood that west Texas, where he hails from and where I hail from and have the honor of representing, that our greatest contribution wasn't as the energy basin or as the breadbasket, but as the backbone of American traditional values. I so appreciate that. Nobody was a greater champion or a stronger voice.
We heard his background tonight. I want to thank him for his service to our country wearing the uniform. He served at Dyess Air Force Base, which is the largest B-1 bomber base in the country, and it is also in my district.
Of course, he went on to serve as State representative, agriculture commissioner, Lieutenant Governor, and, of course, the longest serving Governor in the history of Texas.
I think Mr. Roy would agree with me that he was the quintessential Texas Governor. He had that boldness, that optimism, that indomitable spirit that embodied Texas. He had that Texas swagger. He was confident, but he was humbled to know that he needed the right team and that he needed help from everybody to take Texas to that next level.
Nobody could sell Texas like him. I mean, he recruited some of the best and brightest talent from around the world. He brought businesses in of all sectors from around the world. He was a true believer in the Texas miracle, and we are all the better in Texas for his leadership.
Like all good west Texans, I would say to Mr. Roy that the bottom line is he was a salt-of-the-earth guy, and he was a straight-shooting guy.
Let me do a little straight shooting for the American people with respect to what kind of nation the United States is on account of his leadership over the last couple of years: U.S. energy production reached a record high; the U.S. has become the largest crude oil producer in the world; American natural gas production hit a record high for 2 straight years, both in 2017 and 2018.
When Americans look back on this era in our history, they will know the powerful, lasting impact of Governor Rick Perry and what he has done in terms of handing this country to the next generation of Americans: more prosperous, more free, and more secure. They will know that our producers in west Texas and across this country were empowered to unleash a new era of American energy dominance. They will know that this kid from Haskell, Texas, was at the helm during this historic transformation.
So from one small town west Texas boy to another, I thank Rick Perry for his service; I thank him for the sacrifices that he has made; I thank him for his love for this country; I thank him for his passion for everything good about America; and I thank him for putting that on display with the way he operated, the way he led, and just who he is--
just who he is.
Mr. Speaker, I say to Anita Perry: We know--Mr. Roy and I both, and everybody who has been called to service understands--that she and her children have made a tremendous sacrifice. I just want to say God bless her in this next phase of her life with Rick. I pray that he brings great joy to your lives and to the life of your family.
My last quote is from the first President of Texas Tech University. It goes like this:
Everything that is done on these west Texas plains ought to be done on a big scale. It's a part of the country that lends itself to bigness.
Mr. Speaker, Rick Perry was a small town kid with a big heart, and he has made a big impact on these United States. So God bless Rick Perry, God bless this great Nation, and go west Texas.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for those inspiring remarks about our mutual friend, the former Governor of Texas, although he will always be the Governor of Texas in our hearts. I know he will appreciate those sentiments.
As someone who--my father grew up down the road in Sweetwater, Texas, and is a west Texan, just down the road from where he grew up, and you can share those experiences. There is something special about that part of the world, the people and what it means. I think the United States could learn a lot from spending some time with the good people of west Texas.
I would point out, following what was just said, in 2016, when Governor Perry was thinking about running for President, at that time, he was on the stage, and to his right, when he announced his Presidential campaign, was Marcus Luttrell, a retired member of the Navy SEALs, who was the only survivor of a 2005 attack by the Taliban in Afghanistan. He wrote a book about his experience, called ``Lone Survivor,'' as you know, which has become a movie.
To Mr. Perry, to the Governor, our friend, Mr. Luttrell is more than a military veteran and best-selling author. He is practically a member of the family. Now, why is that?
{time} 2015
Well, as Perry said, ``He is not just the lone survivor. He is a second son.''
Marcus was in physical therapy in San Diego in 2006 when he met the Governor and his wife, Anita, who were there on vacation. And they reconnected in Texas where Mr. Luttrell was from, and Mr. Perry took Mr. Luttrell into his home.
He is living there. He is the Governor, and he took Marcus into his home to live with him while he was dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. They are now friends, and Governor Perry is the godfather of Mr. Luttrell's children. That is who he is. Mr. Speaker, you know that, I know that, and those of us from Texas know that.
I would point out how great this world would be if the E.U. or the U.N. would hire the Secretary to go be in charge of energy for the world. Can you imagine if we were able to export LNG from Texas to China and to India and the places that are polluting the world? Imagine if we could export the kind of entrepreneurship and capability that Texans are doing that are driving the world's economy.
Literally, the tip of the spear for the world's economy is the great State of Texas. And it is largely due to the spirit of the people of Texas which is exemplified by that great Governor.
I would make a few points here. The philosophy of the Governor when I worked for him was, ``I have been guided by a simple philosophy: that job creation, not higher taxation, is the best form of revenue generation.'' And I think this body could learn a lot from that. Follow the model of Texas.
That philosophy served the people of Texas well. In his tenure he added more than 2.2 million jobs, or Texas did. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that is nearly four times the national average during the same timeline. Twenty-three percent in Texas, versus 6 percent in the United States as a whole.
Twenty-nine percent of all new jobs in the United States came from Texas. Employment grew three times faster in Texas than in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, or Pennsylvania. Texas led wage growth across all income levels. Ninety-five percent of all jobs in Texas paid above the minimum in 2013 when he was at the height of being Governor.
He grew Texas' economy to become the world's twelfth largest economy. Today it is the tenth under current Governor Greg Abbott.
It wasn't just about the growth, but as the Governor said in his 2005 address to the people of Texas: ``Our challenge is to make sound, strategic investments that withstand the test of time.''
It was his fiscal conservatism, though, that I think a lot of people looked to the Governor, is how he led that great State, unlike this body, balancing our budgets, and doing so while growing our great economy.
He understands what everyone in Washington can't seem to wrap their head around, that you can't spend money you don't have. While this body racks up $100 million of debt per hour, Texas balances its budget while leading the world in job creation.
While Perry was Governor, Texas cut spending, balanced the budget, and grew the Texas economy exponentially. The State of Texas, under Perry's leadership, finished the `13-'14 legislative session with a
$2.6 billion surplus; things we can only dream of here in Washington right now.
He fought tax hikes, passed the largest school property tax rate decrease in Texas State history at the time; passed extensive property tax breaks for disabled veterans and their spouses; and championed the idea that the people, not the government, are the drivers of growth and innovation.
Governor Perry oversaw perhaps the largest transformation of energy technology and policy in Texas history, setting the foundation for extraordinary achievements to come. Breakthroughs in hydraulic fracturing, which some people use as the bogeyman, creates the engine of the prosperity our Nation is now feeling and that is now being exported around the world.
We are sitting in this great Chamber with lights fueled by natural gas. That is what Texas is doing. That is how Texas is leading the world. It led to an oil and natural gas surge in Texas growing by roughly 260 percent and 50 percent respectively.
Texas is producing more oil than Iraq and Afghanistan, leading the way for America to achieve energy independence, which we only could dream of a mere decade or 15 years ago.
The State's wind power sector hardly existed when the Governor came to office, but Texas became the Nation's leader in wind energy generation during his tenure in his all-of-the-above approach.
Perry took the same progrowth mentality to Washington during his time as Secretary of Energy. As Energy Secretary, Perry focused not only on securing American energy independence, but on our stability and capacity to export LNG, liquefied natural gas, around the world.
Because of his leadership, the U.S. will be able to provide allies and partners with affordable energy that will drive economic growth and prosperity around the world. America has seen this historic growth while leading the world in total CO2 emissions reduction since 2005.
When the Governor stepped down from Texas, briefly thinking he was done with public service before being pulled back as the Secretary of Energy--that is why I am not sure he is done with his public service yet, by the way--``Texas is a State,'' he said, ``where nothing is impossible. Where the sons and daughters of migrant workers can aspire to own the farm; where the children of factory workers can build new-
age manufacturing facilities; and where the son of tenant farmers''--as was the Governor--``can become Governor of the greatest State in the Union.
``In Texas, it's not where you come from that matters, it's where you are going. Texas doesn't recognize the artificial barriers of race, class, or creed.
``The most vivid dreams take flight from the most humble beginnings, and so it was for me,'' said the Governor.
``As many of you know, I grew up in a place called Paint Creek. When I was young, we didn't have electricity or running water. Mom bathed us in a number two washtub. And we attended the Paint Creek Rural School, where some of the teachers lived on campus. Their profession was literally their life, and they inspired me,'' he said.
``In fact, I'm proud to say I graduated in the top 10 of my class of 13 students,'' he added. ``I can assure you none of my teachers knew they were instructing a future Governor.
``But they also have a motto at the Paint Creek School that summarizes the endless possibilities for its students: `No dream too tall for a school so small.' ''
This is the story of Texas. This is the story of America. When will we go back to that story again? When will we talk about those aspirations that America represents, that that flag represents, that this body represents, instead of the games that we play in this place rightly known as the swamp?
He said: ``In this, the people's House,'' referring to the Texas House, ``we're in the business of making dreams possible. Every dream counts, every child matters. . . . And in Texas, every child has a chance. That is the Texas we have built together, a Texas of unlimited opportunity. There's a reason more people move to Texas than any other State, because this is the best place to find a job, raise your family, and pursue your dreams.
``In some respects, this has been true for a long time,'' he said.
``In the early 1800s, Americans headed west, leaving their troubles behind to find a second chance.''
That is what my family did. Maybe what your family did, my friend from Texas.
My family came from Georgia to Dripping Springs, Texas, in 1853. My great-great-great grandparents are buried just a few miles down the road from where my wife, Carrah, and I have 10 acres outside of Austin, Texas. They came there seeking a better way of life. My great-great grandmother was born in San Marcos, and she married my great-great grandfather who was a Texas Ranger battling Comanches and Comanche incursions at the time signing up in Hays, and Travis, and Blanco Counties. It was a tough country.
There were no handouts. There was no government to go seek some refuge from. You just had to grab yourself up by your bootstraps--yes, we still like that phrase and we still use it in Texas--and figure out how to survive.
``They planted roots; tamed a harsh land; won a revolution; founded a republic; survived droughts; wildfires and hurricanes; discovered crude; started great universities; and took mankind to the Moon.''
In his tenure alone, the Governor said: ``We have been tested by the disintegration of the space shuttle; Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike; devastating wildfires; the spread of Ebola; and a humanitarian crisis at the border.
``Each time, Texans have responded to these tests with great character. As long as there has been a Texas, there has existed a people whose character has been refined by fire, whose souls are resilient, who respond to tragedy with grace, and who look to the future with hope.
``What we have done together is preserve Texas as a land of opportunity, making our economy more diverse and jobs more plentiful.''
I could go on. I will just close out here by saying, all of that is applicable to this, the United States of America. All of that is who we are. And we would do well to remember that again. It is the greatness of this country that we must return to.
The Governor, when he served in the Air Force, flew C-130s. And one time as the Governor, he was over in Iraq or Afghanistan--I don't remember which--and he was flying in a C-130, rattling around as you do you when you fly in those planes. He landed, and as he always did when he was flying around, he went up and talked to those guys flying the plane, because he would have rather been in that cockpit than whatever he was doing as Governor. And he went up there and he talked to them, and then he started looking; they went and looked at the manifest and the history of the airplane, and he had flown that C-130 in the 1970 when he was a pilot in the Air Force. That is who he was. He wanted to go find out and he wanted to talk to those guys.
When the Governor ran for President in 2011-2012, I worked on his Presidential campaign. I had been working in his office, and that was when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, as I referenced earlier. As I said earlier, he called me from a debate stage--literally going on stage--to make sure and check on me and check on my health and see how I was doing during chemotherapy. That is just who he was. That is who he has always been.
When he was launching his campaign in Charleston, South Carolina, I unfortunately had to miss that. I was going to be there, but I was at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston starting treatment. But when he announced, he used a phrase: `` . . . making Washington, D.C., as inconsequential in our lives as possible.''
It is what I aspire to do here as a Member in this body. Not because there are not great things we can do in this body, but because the greatness of this country lies outside of this body. It lies outside of this city. It lies in every town, in every community, in every school, in every business, in every hospital, all around this great country where people wake up every day to make lives better.
Too much of our focus is on what happens here. Too many Sunday mornings are about what is happening on ``Meet the Press'' instead of what is happening in the church pew, instead of what is happening down the street.
Too many people are looking to the VA to solve problems for the veterans instead of wondering, who is the veteran 5 miles down the road who needs help right now?
We solve problems like the Cajun Navy coming over to Houston, like the people of Texas rising up in the wake of floods after hurricanes to solve problems for real people in real time.
Instead of mortgaging our future with fake promises that we can't afford while this body has show votes--no matter who is in charge, by the way--on resolutions and bills, and never sits here and has the real debates and the real work of what we need to do.
The real work is going on outside of this body. Governor Perry represents the greatness of this Nation. Both his life story and who he is, he embodies the greatness of this country.
I wholeheartedly endorse making Washington, D.C., as inconsequential in the lives of Americans as possible, because our country will be ever greater as the State of Texas has been ever greater under his leadership and since our inception as a State in leading this country and leading this world.
I thank the Governor. I thank his lovely wife. I thank his family. I look forward to seeing what he is going to do next.
And with that, and on behalf of all Texans and my colleagues here in the House, I yield back the balance of my time.
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