Gallego Sees a Need for a Kinder Washington

Congressman Pete Gallego shared that for a guy from a small town, decisions in Washington seem to be more complicated than they have to be. He told the group that he has a different approach than many leaders in DC. He told of the birth of his first child and how everything he does is focused on what he wants to teach to his young son about honesty and integrity. He told the SA to DC attendees that he feels it should be ok to work with everyone in Washington, regardless of political party. He said relationships are important because we need everyone to build a stronger country for our children's future. He noted that Texas has the most to loose in the budget cuts to the military that came with the sequester. He also said we need help from all parties to fix the problem we created. The audience laughed when he asked, "Have you ever asked a favor of someone you just beat up?" He then said that Washington needs leaders who take care of the people of the nation, as well as a small business leader takes care of their customers. He recalled that he felt people have been rude to him when they find out he was a Congressman. He hopes to help change the attitude around the country about Congress.

Congressman Smith Working on Bipartisan Projects

Rep. Lamar Smith, chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Committee, has a poster in his office from the Hubble Space Telescope’s Ultra-Deep Field survey. The image depicts a small area of the sky notable for its low density of bright stars – a dark area, The Hubble image reveals that this dark area actually contains thousands of galaxies each consisting of billions of stars.

Smith suggested that there’s a metaphysical interpretation of that image for today’s dysfunctional environment in Washington: Even in the darkest times, it’s possible to find sources of light. As a committee chairman, Smith has been a trailblazer in hosting bipartisan committee retreats.

Congressman Doggett Talks Tourism and Economic Development

Rep. Lloyd Doggett told SA to DC participants that San Antonio’s Spanish colonial missions aren’t just artistically and historically important, they’re also a source of economic development for the South Side and a magnet for tourists. The effort to expand the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, he said, was being hampered by a “fanatical belief” by some members of Congress that the federal government should not acquire another inch of land.

Doggett complimented the work of Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority on the Mission Reach of the river improvements project and said that a proposal to restore San Antonio’s West Side creeks would be another important step for economic development.