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 HENRY B. GONZALEZ” mentioning the Federal Reserve System was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H12514-H12515 on Dec. 15, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING HENRY B. GONZALEZ
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 445) honoring Henry B. Gonzalez, former United States Representative from Texas, and extending the condolences of the Congress on his death, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:
H. Con. Res. 445
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez served his Nation and the people of the 20th District of Texas in San Antonio with honor and distinction for 37 years as a Member of the United States House of Representatives.
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez became an internationally recognized leader in the fields of banking and housing, having held more than 500 hearings as Chairman of the Committee on Banking and Urban Affairs, and having shepherded more than 70 bills from introduction to enactment into law, including landmark legislation to revamp and rescue the United States savings and loan industry;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez focused the attention of the House of Representatives on solving numerous and challenging public policy problems, especially the needs of the poor and the powerless, including making affordable housing available to the poor, making credit more readily available to underprivileged communities and small businesses, making the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System more transparent and accountable to the United States public, and strengthening civil rights for all Americans;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez represents the quintessential American success story by virtue of having become the first American of Mexican descent in Texas history to represent Texas in the United States House of Representatives, and one of the first Mexican-Americans to rise to the position of Chairman of a major congressional committee of the House of Representatives;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez served his country in World War II in military intelligence, and taught math to veterans and citizenship classes to resident immigrants seeking American citizenship;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez leaves a proud legacy to his hometown of San Antonio (in whose public schools he was educated), encouraged the development of public housing, 2 major medical centers, numerous development projects, and the public laws he authored that brought the HemisFair '68 World Fair to San Antonio, thereby making the city a recognized center for international conventions and tourism;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez a champion for the downtrodden and the poor (exemplified, among other things, by his 22-hour long filibuster of segregationist bills in the Texas Senate in the 1950's), consistently brought his skill and passion to bear on behalf of the underprivileged, thereby making our Nation a much better place;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez a modest man of great popularity and of a fervently independent character, was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his display of political courage as a leader who acted on principle throughout his multifaceted career, without fear or favor;
Whereas Henry B. Gonzalez will always remain an enduring symbol of integrity, independence, solid principles, and strength of character, and will always remind us of what it means to give honorable public service, as he did to his San Antonio constituents, the State of Texas, and to all Americans: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) has learned with profound sorrow of the death of the Honorable Henry Barbosa Gonzalez on November 28, 2000, and extends condolences to the Gonzalez family, and especially to his wife Bertha and their 8 children;
(2) expresses its profound gratitude to the Honorable Henry Barbosa Gonzalez and his family for the service that he rendered to his country; and
(3) recognizes with appreciation and respect the Honorable Henry Barbosa Gonzalez's commitment to and example of leadership and commitment to public service and to his constituents, and his serving as a role model for generations to come.
SEC. 2. TRANSMISSION OF ENROLLED RESOLUTION
The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall transmit an enrolled copy of this Concurrent Resolution to the family of the Honorable Henry Barbosa Gonzalez.
Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to insert into the Record material prepared by one of my employees, Susana Benavidez, in support of H. Con. Res. 445 regarding my father, former Chairman Henry B. Gonzalez.
In Honor of the Late Henry B. or Henry B. Gonzalez
(By Susana Benavidez, former employee of the late Chairman Henry B. Gonzalez, Current Caseworker and Service Academies Coordinator for his son, Representative Charlie Gonzalez)
Americans are joined by people from other countries in remembering the many contributions that Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez made in improving the human conditions in this country. In the late 1960s Anglo-Saxons in South Texas were saying that history would prove that one of the greatest American statesmen would be a Texan by the name of Henry B. Gonzalez.
Henry B. Gonzalez will always be remembered for his intelligence, wisdom, strength, honesty, integrity and dignity. Never forgotten will be his ability to treat every human being with respect. He had the talent of taking the time to remember the name of each and every person whom he met, it did not matter if that person was a child, a janitor, or waiter/waitress. One of his many gifts was the ability to see the ``holiness'' in just about every individual whom he ever met. Long remembered will be his compassionate and caring manner. Congressman Gonzalez was a great man perhaps born way ahead of his time. He gave far more genuine love than what he may have received.
I first met Congressman Gonzalez in 1976 while I was working for his colleague the late Congressman Abraham
(Chick) Kazen. It was my honor and privilege to have worked for the honorable Henry B. Gonzalez from 1993-1998. He was an exemplary human being. Congressman Gonzalez definitely left the world a better place not only for people like me but for all Americans. He will always be remembered with abundant love, admiration and respect.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution which honors the life and service of Henry B. Gonzalez who died on November 28 of this year. As Members know, Henry B. as he was affectionately known, served in this body for 37 years and during that time earned a well-deserved reputation as a champion of the little people.
Henry B. Gonzalez dedicated his life to lifting the least among us out of poverty and ensuring that the poor had decent housing, good education, and access to health care. He was a man of strength and integrity and championed the cause of civil rights for all people, but most especially for those Americans who face discrimination because of their race, gender, or ethnicity. He was one of the last of a generation of legislators, but in his honor and in his memory, none of us should ever forget the valuable lessons he taught us.
Mr. Speaker, I have offered this resolution as a token of respect for a man who was the embodiment of character and political courage, a man who was proud to serve as a servant of the people.
The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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