Floor SpeechNeutral2025-04-07

HONORING WES WATKINS

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Context

On 2025-04-07, Representative Frank D. Lucas (R-OK-3) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING WES WATKINS" in the House.

Full Text

HONORING WES WATKINS

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [House] [Page H1424] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING WES WATKINS (Mr. Lucas of Oklahoma was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend and colleague, the great Oklahoma Congressman, Wes Watkins. Wes originally took office as a Member of Congress in 1976 after serving 2 years in the Oklahoma Senate. He succeeded former Speaker Carl Albert, who notably endorsed Wes after retiring. However, Wes' legacy of service started long before he made his way to Washington. As a young boy, Wes was involved in 4-H and FFA while working several jobs to help support his family. He then graduated high school at the top of his class before attending Oklahoma State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education and a master's degree in educational administration. At Oklahoma State University, he served as the southeast district vice president for the Oklahoma FFA Association. He was so successful in that position that he would later be chosen to be the State president of the Oklahoma FFA Association. But he didn't stop there. He continued to prove himself to his peers and was also elected as the chair of the student senate. Winning the student senate election would become a monumental moment for Wes because it was becoming quite clear to everyone that he had an ability to motivate and to lead his peers. In a 2017 interview with the Oklahoma Historical Society, Wes reflected on the moment he won the student election. A friend asked him if he was going to run for office one day. This made Wes stop and think about a life in public service. He thought to himself: What is your mission? What are you all about? What is your passion? It is evident that these questions guided Wes through his time in Congress. He was a strong public leader who advocated for Oklahomans above all else. He was raised during a difficult time, where many families were leaving Oklahoma in search of jobs and a chance for economic prosperity. Instead of following suit, he ran for office to change this and help the State. When he arrived in Washington in 1976, he came with a clear mission: Make life better for the neighbors. Wes knew that in order to do this, he needed to work on financial policy, so he made his case to join the Banking Committee. Like everything else Wes did, he was so successful that his peers chose to elevate him to the House Appropriations Committee, one of the most important committees in the United States House. Later, during his second stint in Congress, based on that same track record of success, he secured his spot on the Ways and Means Committee, not only the longest standing committee of the United States House, but the committee of jurisdiction over all tax policy. This made Wes the first Member of Congress to serve on both the Ways and Means Committee and the Appropriations Committee. Wes ultimately knew that these committee assignments would give him the opportunity to provide access to capital to Oklahomans, and he was right. While Wes Watkins' legacy in Congress cannot be overstated, to Oklahomans, his kindness, generosity, and love for his community might be what we remember most. Now remember, Mr. Speaker, Wes received his degree in agricultural education, and he was certainly an educator and a mentor to his very core. In his later years, he spent time counseling young people who sought his guidance. He would ask these young people the same questions that he had once asked himself: What is your mission? What are you all about? What is your passion? Oklahomans will remember Wes Watkins as a dedicated public servant who fought hard to bring abundant opportunities and true prosperity to his neighbors. He never forgot his original mission of serving Oklahoma, and the work of his lifetime will continue to benefit the State for literally centuries to come. One last thought: When his time in D.C. was done, Wes went straight back to Oklahoma. ____________________

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HONORING WES WATKINS Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [House] [Page H1424] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING WES WATKINS (Mr. Lucas of Oklahoma was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend and colleague, the great Oklahoma Congressman, Wes Watkins. Wes originally took office as a Member of Congress in 1976 after serving 2 years in the Oklahoma Senate. He succeeded former Speaker Carl Albert, who notably endorsed Wes after retiring. However, Wes' legacy of service started long before he made his way to Washington. As a young boy, Wes was involved in 4-H and FFA while working several jobs to help support his family. He then graduated high school at the top of his class before attending Oklahoma State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education and a master's degree in educational administration. At Oklahoma State University, he served as the southeast district vice president for the Oklahoma FFA Association. He was so successful in that position that he would later be chosen to be the State president of the Oklahoma FFA Association. But he didn't stop there. He continued to prove himself to his peers and was also elected as the chair of the student senate. Winning the student senate election would become a monumental moment for Wes because it was becoming quite clear to everyone that he had an ability to motivate and to lead his peers. In a 2017 interview with the Oklahoma Historical Society, Wes reflected on the moment he won the student election. A friend asked him if he was going to run for office one day. This made Wes stop and think about a life in public service. He thought to himself: What is your mission? What are you all about? What is your passion? It is evident that these questions guided Wes through his time in Congress. He was a strong public leader who advocated for Oklahomans above all else. He was raised during a difficult time, where many families were leaving Oklahoma in search of jobs and a chance for economic prosperity. Instead of following suit, he ran for office to change this and help the State. When he arrived in Washington in 1976, he came with a clear mission: Make life better for the neighbors. Wes knew that in order to do this, he needed to work on financial policy, so he made his case to join the Banking Committee. Like everything else Wes did, he was so successful that his peers chose to elevate him to the House Appropriations Committee, one of the most important committees in the United States House. Later, during his second stint in Congress, based on that same track record of success, he secured his spot on the Ways and Means Committee, not only the longest standing committee of the United States House, but the committee of jurisdiction over all tax policy. This made Wes the first Member of Congress to serve on both the Ways and Means Committee and the Appropriations Committee. Wes ultimately knew that these committee assignments would give him the opportunity to provide access to capital to Oklahomans, and he was right. While Wes Watkins' legacy in Congress cannot be overstated, to Oklahomans, his kindness, generosity, and love for his community might be what we remember most. Now remember, Mr. Speaker, Wes received his degree in agricultural education, and he was certainly an educator and a mentor to his very core. In his later years, he spent time counseling young people who sought his guidance. He would ask these young people the same questions that he had once asked himself: What is your mission? What are you all about? What is your passion? Oklahomans will remember Wes Watkins as a dedicated public servant who fought hard to bring abundant opportunities and true prosperity to his neighbors. He never forgot his original mission of serving Oklahoma, and the work of his lifetime will continue to benefit the State for literally centuries to come. One last thought: When his time in D.C. was done, Wes went straight back to Oklahoma. ____________________