Speaks in presence of dozens of state lawmakers touring the Valley
And back row standing: Rep. John Wray, Rep. Eric Johnson, and Rep. Travis Clardy.
Texas Border Business –
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
The newly elected governor of Texas Greg Abbott visited the Rio Grande Valley precisely when the RGV Legislative Tour was underway. This marks its 21st anniversary. This is probably one of the proudest days for the Valley when House and Senate members from around Texas tour the Valley under a very tight schedule of multiple activities.
Governor Abbot said, “If I could I’d like to start out by thanking whomever is responsible for the largest American flag I have ever seen that is flying outside.”
There was a large flag in the parking lot of the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, which was very visible because of its size. He said, “It is an immense flag.”
He asked, “Is there someone here? Is it the fire department? First thank you, God bless you for your service for what you do for the people of this community but also for your patriotism for elevating the stars and stripes of the United States of America showing that we are a unified country. So a very big round of applause.”
Gov. Abbot demonstrated satisfaction at being in the Valley and said, “It’s great to be back, and to get to see so many people in this room. Some legislators who are in this room and some people I saw just earlier this week.” He said, “I won’t call out everyone here but I see a table of great senators.” He named Senator Eddie Lucio Jr., Senator ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa and he thanked them for being here. “You are tremendous for the great state of Texas,” he stated.
He added that for him it was interesting as much as he has been to the Rio Grande Valley, to be able to recognize far more than half of the faces in the room. He said, “There is one person in particular that I do want to call out. It is my recognition of the pivotal role that the Rio Grande Valley does, and will play for the future of this state because of this, the first person I chose to serve along my side as governor, and the first person whose name I set up for nomination to serve the great state of Texas is the current but hopefully soon to be past county judge from Cameron County Carlos Cascos.”
He stated that he had nominated Cascos to serve as his Secretary of State. He said, “He will ensure that the voice of the Rio Grande Valley is more than well represented. That he will be ensuring that the future of the state of Texas is guided by the people of the Rio Grande Valley and I dearly and deeply want to compliment, and express my deepest gratitude to Senator Lucio for his very kind words that I saw in the paper about a week ago about what he said about Carlos Cascos. It means the world to me. So senator thank you so very, very much.”
Gov. Abbot said, “We are here for what you all know already is a monumental moment and I want to thank Steve Helmsley of United Health Group not only for this tremendous grant they are providing to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley but for their efforts to make Texas better.” He said, “I want to thank the Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, as I was coming in I had this recollection of a series of Texas history making moments. Because I think it was in this room itself where the first ever-gubernatorial debate in the Rio Grande Valley was held right in this location.” He also said, “And the very first trip that I took after my election as your next governor was to the Rio Grande Valley, and the first trip that I had taken since being inaugurated as governor is to the Rio Grande Valley.”
He said that there were two reasons for that, “One because of my promise and commitment that I would keep the Rio Grande Valley to me, and I would shorten the distance between the Rio Grande Valley and the leadership in Houston. Two and more important to you is because of the important role that the Rio Grande Valley is playing in the future of the state of Texas.”
The governor said that he could see the vision and the vision of UTRGV when you look back 10 or 20 years from now you will see it as one of the grandest, boldest, and best decisions made by the state of Texas.
“It will be completely transforming in what it does for education, for uplifting everyone not just in the Rio Grande Valley but transnationally what we are going to be able to achieve.” He said, “Of course, with the coming of the medical school at UTRGV, these are transformative events that will continue the evolution of what we are seeing in the Rio Grande Valley that is elevating it higher than it’s ever been before.”
He said that even though Texas is number one in many rankings, we have to face reality. “It’s the reality that our number one rankings don’t touch the lives of everyone. There are people who live on the fringes of opportunity. Some of the people who don’t get to benefit from us being ranked number one in jobs are people who suffer from serious health issues, and challenges. Those who are in need for better health care and frankly that probably is no more true than what we see in our colonias, some of which are near where we are at this time.”
He pointed out that in order to build healthier families in the Rio Grande Valley it is important to expand access to improved health care especially for those who are most at risk. He said, “That’s why I’m so pleased to be here to join in the celebration of the announcement by the United Health Foundation, and the granting of the $2.8 million that is going to the UTRGV Medical School and the tremendous impact that it will make.”
He said, “These funds will jumpstart the new medical school that will create a multi-year program that will help coordinate the services of doctors, of healthcare providers, of academic health institutions as well as hospitals. This program as mentioned will also improve the healthcare delivery too to at risk colonias but the true measure of United Health Foundation’s generation grant is not in the dollars. Instead it is in the healing power that it will bring to families who are struggling to meet even the most basic of needs.”
He also mentioned that this grant advances among other things team based healthcare by building an even stronger partnership between the UTRGV, the president Dr. Guy Bailey and medical school dean Dr. Francisco Fernandez. “The UTRGV Medical School will educate the doctors of tomorrow offering students in among other places right here in the Rio Grande Valley to do more than learn but also the power to heal.” He finalized.
Written by Roberto Hugo Gonzalez, the 2009 SBA Journalist of the Year award winner and the 2009 and 2012 Paul Harris Fellow award recipient. TBB
