Like many American families, my family started out in a small town and through hard work and sacrifice we were able to fight our way into the middle class. We trace our roots back to the late 1800’s around Alpine, Texas, the town where I was born and raised. There my parents owned a small family restaurant which was where I began to learn the value of a hard day’s work. My dad was a proud WWII vet
eran who refused any veterans benefits because he believed his military service was just a matter of meeting his obligation to his country. My sisters and I were expected to do well in school while also pitching in at the family restaurant. Once I got to high school I added on a job at a local clothing store. I graduated from high school in 1980 and graduated from Sul Ross State University two years later. Finishing college in two years while balancing three jobs wasn’t easy by any means but like I said – we were raised to be hard workers. After graduation, I went on to earn a degree from The University of Texas School of Law. After graduating from law school I served as an assistant attorney general before heading back to Alpine to serve as a local felony prosecutor. It was a great job, but I was frustrated to find that the Texas prison system was too often a revolving door - prisoners sometimes serving only one month for each year of their sentence. My parents saw how frustrated I was with the system as it existed and convinced me to pursue change by running for the state legislature. And so I did and when I was 28 years old I was elected to the Texas House to represent my West Texas neighbors and friends. I am a father, husband, son and brother. Family made me the man I am today and it’s still the most important thing in my life. Pete with his familyTwo weeks after my very first election, I married the most beautiful and wonderful woman I'd ever met, María Elena. She and I have now been married for 24 years. It's gone by in a flash. We're also the parents of a nine-year old son. The last nine years have gone by especially fast. Nicolás is hilarious and fun. Though he's only nine, he thinks he's already twenty-five. In the state legislature I was able to get a lot done by sticking to two simple guidelines – to always put the needs of the people I represent ahead of any political concerns and to always be willing to work with anyone to solve a problem, regardless of party affiliation. I used my experience as a prosecutor to write laws to make them tougher on criminals, including passing Texas' "Life Without Parole" law and creating the state's DNA data base which helps make sure criminals are convicted of their crimes. "I’m just as determined as ever that we can be successful in duplicating what I did in Texas – bring people together to reach a good result." I proposed legislation to cut taxes for many small businesses in Texas and fought efforts to preserve the natural gas tax exemption, an industry that provides many jobs to the families in the district. In the legislature Pete worked to increase investments in public education and universities, took on insurance companies on behalf of disabled children and helped build roads and schools in low-income areas of West Texas. I also worked to secure our border, reform our criminal justice system and support Texas veterans. During my time in the legislature I was proud to lead the 43 members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and to chair numerous legislative committees. I was also deeply honored to be recognized for my work as a recipient of the Advocate for Justice award from a coalition of Texas victims' groups, the Star of Texas public service award by Common Cause of Texas and to be named to Texas Monthly’s lit of Ten Best Legislators. "There’s an unquestionable connection between access to education and a better future. Education opened the door to opportunity in my life, and I believe all Texas should have a shot at a better future." As a legislator, I considered it my job to bring people together to reach a good result and I’m proud of the results I was able to achieve but as I looked to the U.S. Congress in D.C., I found myself again feeling the same frustration that bothered me as a young prosecutor. I felt like I was able to make a difference in Austin and it just didn’t make sense to me that the U.S. Congress in D.C. never seemed to be able to reach a good result. We do a lot of things better in Texas and I thought for sure I could do a better job than some of the people in Washington. Maria Elena listened to my concerns and eventually told me I should just go do it. And so I did. It took a lot of help from a lot of people but by doing what I always did – working hard and working together – we won! For someone used to getting things done, Congress has been a big change, but I’ve refused to give up the work ethic and morals that got me here. In fact, when the government shut down I sponsored a bill prohibiting Congress from accepting a paycheck because, like you, I don’t think anyone deserves to get paid when they’re not doing their job. In Congress, I've tried to focus on helping our men and women in uniform and our veterans, as well as our seniors and our kids. I lost my dad several years ago and that experience taught me a lot. Our country has made commitments to those, like my dad, who have formed and forged our country. We must keep those commitments to our veterans and our elderly. At the same time, we have to make sure we pass on to our kids a strong nation full of dreams and opportunities. I'm just nearing my first term in Congress, but already I can tell you that we face many challenges. Be that as it may, I’m just as determined as ever that we can be successful in duplicating what I did in Texas – bring people together to reach a good result. Ours is a resilient country and with your help, I know we can put our country back on the right track.
