May 19, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 94 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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WELCOMING THE HONORABLE MIKE GARCIA TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 94
(House of Representatives - May 19, 2020)
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[Pages H2266-H2267] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] WELCOMING THE HONORABLE MIKE GARCIA TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) is recognized for 1 minute. There was no objection. Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, by tradition, the dean of the respective State delegation introduces new Members from their State at a swearing in after a special election. Our dean, the dean of the California delegation, is also the Speaker of the House. And while I have seen her do amazing things, I have never seen her be in two places at the same time. So I have the distinct honor of filling in for her here as dean, and the pleasure of introducing Mike Garcia, the new Member from the 25th Congressional District. The election has, as I noted before, not been certified by the Secretary of State, but there is no dispute about the result. Congressman Garcia was born in 1976, and is a native of Santa Clarita, California, and is a first generation American citizen. Congressman Garcia moved to Saugus, which is now part of the city of Santa Clarita, in 1982 with his mother and stepfather at the age of six. Mr. Garcia received his bachelor's degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1998. He was nominated to that academy and to the Navy by our long-time colleague, the former chair of the House Armed Services Committee, our friend, Buck McKeon. He later earned a master of arts in national security policy from Georgetown University. He is a former U.S. naval officer and flew as a pilot in the Navy from 1998 until 2009. After the Navy, Congressman Garcia worked in the aerospace industry, and now owns his own real estate business. Mike is the husband of Rebecca Garcia and the father of Preston, age 13, and Jett, age 3. I represent the district that lies immediately to the south of Mike Garcia, and the gentleman who represents the district immediately to the north is the distinguished minority leader, who I know has additional words to say about our new colleague. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy). Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, in the last 230 years, dating back to the founding of our Republic, fewer than 11,000 Americans have had the privilege to stand here as a Member of Congress. Today it is my honor to welcome one of the newest, Mike Garcia. As a veteran, a businessman, a family man, and a first-generation American, Mike has shown a driven-approach to everything he has taken. If you ever want a definition of America, look to Mike's life. First generation, many like our fathers, mothers, grandparents, wanted something better for their children so they came to America. Mike dreamed, at age six, that one day maybe he could become a Navy fighter pilot. He knew it would not be easy, so he strived, applied himself, and was nominated to the Naval Academy from this body itself. Not only did he excel, he graduated in the top 3 percent, becoming a fighter pilot, something many of us always look to the skies to dream and wonder what it takes to become one. As he became a fighter pilot, his Nation called upon him to defend our freedoms, those that we uphold, that he just raised his hand to defend the Constitution a few short moments ago. He excelled at that because he believes in service. After his service into the Navy he worked as a businessman. He has a beautiful family, Rebecca, sons Preston, who is with us on the floor, and his son Jett, up with his wife Rebecca, and his brother, and sister-in-law. George Washington once said: ``Remember that it is the actions and not the commission that makes an officer, and that there is more expected from him than the title.'' Washington was speaking about being a military officer. But his advice perfectly describes what it means to be a Member of Congress. We are a small group with a big responsibility, to represent the voice of the people in Washington. Ultimately, it is our actions, not our titles, that matter. Mike's feat today is not something people just assumed. Yes, you have to run. Yes, you have to unite people. But he did something that people on my side of the aisle have not done in more than 22 years. He did it in a manner where an election was bigger than most people had thought, and they had to run these races in a time of a crisis in America that they held the elections to be different. He changed the course in a few short times. If there is one person that I believe can unite this body, unite this Nation, it is a man whose life actually defines America. Family comes here, the dreams of a life better for their children. He strives and excels in public education to get nominated by the United States House of Representatives and his own congressman to go to the Naval Academy. He excels at the academy to become a jet fighter pilot and defends our Nation in a time of need. And one more time his Nation called upon him to serve, he rose to the occasion, and unbelievable obstacles that many did not believe he could achieve by uniting a district to help unite a Nation and help unite Congress itself. Madam Speaker, I congratulate Mike, and I look forward to what he is able to achieve in this body, much that he has been able to achieve before he came here. Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia), our newest Member. Mr. GARCIA of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California and Leader McCarthy for that very gracious introduction. I want to thank you all for being here today. First and foremost, I want to thank my beautiful bride and wife, Rebecca, and our two beautiful boys, Preston and Jett, for being the backbone of my survival, and the spirit of this campaign for over a year now. So thank you very much. Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the 715,000 people in California's beautiful 25th Congressional District that helped me get here, and it is a huge honor that has been bestowed upon me to represent you in this body, I do it with humility and with, hopefully, performance that represents all of us in the 25th District. I can think of no better way to serve this country, to serve our district, than [[Page H2267]] to be here today taking this oath and doing the job before me over the course of the next several years. For 244 years, this beautiful Nation has thrived and survived on the back of those who showed up at the right time to do the right thing, and for the right reasons. I, as an American, someone who is a first-generation American who served my country, I show up today, not only as a patriot, but now a citizen legislator, to make sure that we do what is right for our country first, to make sure that we do what is right for my district that I represent, and to, hopefully, get through this crisis as a solid, unified country, becoming stronger as we do so, more cooperative in the efforts and, hopefully, making this Nation the strongest the world has ever seen for several decades, millenniums to come. Madam Speaker, I appreciate all the support. Thank you for being here, and may God bless the United States of America. ____________________
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