As many of you know, the Alamo is very important to me. I have studied it for years, collected lots of artifacts and have established the “Alamo Room” outside my office in the Texas Capitol so that visitors can learn more about this pivotal battle — a cornerstone of Texas history that impacted the future of America and the world. I will be testifying at the Texas Historical Commission meeting on Tuesday regarding the next phase of the Alamo preservation plan, particularly why I believe the Alamo Cenotaph should remain inside the battle walls. In case you missed it, I released this short video on Friday, in advance of the THC meeting. To view, click here.
Houston Loses a Hero, Fire Department Captain Tommy Searcy: Rest in Peace
Texas lost a great public servant this week when Houston Fire Department Captain Tommy Searcy was laid to rest after a long battle with COVID-19.
Tommy was universally respected for his pride, leadership and heroism as a firefighter. He was known as a fireman’s firefighter – a master at his craft. He served with his twin brother Tony, another great Houston firefighter. Tommy was the third Houston firefighter to die of COVID. He was only 45 and in excellent health before catching the virus.
Listening to his fellow firefighters speak at his funeral service last week, you understood what an incredible brotherhood being a firefighter truly is. They live together at the firehouse for days at a time. They fight fires together, saving the lives of civilians and each other. They are some of our finest Americans. It was a great honor for me to be at the service and to meet his family. He left behind 3 young girls and a large family who loved him.
Please keep the Searcy family, their friends and station crew in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn this unspeakable loss. It may be a cliché to say “when others run out of a burning building, they run in.” The fact is it’s not a cliché, it’s a fact. They put their life on the line everyday for all of us.
Thanks to Texans Working Together
I joined Governor Abbott and other state leaders at the Capitol on Thursday at a press conference where the Governor announced that because hospitalizations have continued to decline, he has expanded the capacity of restaurants to 75% in most areas of the state. He also established new visiting guidelines for nursing homes. If you missed the press conference, you can click here to watch a short clip.
Trump Victory Campaign: Economic Roundtable
I was proud to host several business leaders in Houston last week for a Business Roundtable talking about the presidential election. Nobody understands better than Texas business owners and job creators what President Trump has done for our economy. They also know Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would be a disaster — raising taxes and decimating the oil and gas industry, not to mention removing protections for life, liberty, free speech and trashing the Second Amendment. I was interviewed by ABC 13 in Houston after the Roundtable. Here’s a brief video.
Please continue to keep our state and our nation in your prayers. Pray for all the families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus and for our heroic health care workers. And, as always, keep our law enforcement officers in your prayers. May God bless you and your family, and may He continue to bless the greatest state of all—Texas.
Sincerely,
Dan Patrick
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
