Floor SpeechCeremonial2026-06-10

HONORING CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALIA MOSES

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On 2026-06-10, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-5) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALIA MOSES" in the House.

Full Text

HONORING CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALIA MOSES

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4062-H4063] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALIA MOSES (Mr. Biggs of Arizona was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. BIGGS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Alia Moses, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas. I first met Chief Judge Moses in May 2022 in my capacity as co-chair of the Congressional Border Security Caucus. The United States was seeing an unprecedented wave of illegal immigration across the southern border, and Members of the House were actively trying to understand the impacts on our Nation, including the impact on our Federal court system. A member of the caucus who was aware of Judge Moses and her caseload recommended we seek her input, inviting her to virtually participate in our monthly meeting. Since that first connection, she has become a good friend and has been a wealth of information. My staff and I have traveled to Del Rio, Texas, the division in which she sits, on multiple occasions, even bringing fellow Members of the House with us to meet her in person. It gives me joy to share her story with you today. Chief Judge Moses is a story of firsts and one that should inspire us all. The chief was the youngest of six children born to her dear parents, Amelia and Abdalla Moses, and raised in the small farming community of Quemado, Texas, a mere 35 miles from where she would ascend to chief judge. With the support of her parents and siblings, she graduated from Texas Woman's University and became the first in her family to attend law school, choosing the University of Texas. In 1990, only a few years out of law school and working as an assistant county attorney in Austin, Chief Judge Moses was tapped to establish the U.S. Attorney's Office in Del Rio, Texas, where she continued until she was appointed as a magistrate judge in 1997. On July 11, 2002, she was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as a U.S. district judge for the Western District of Texas. On November 18, 2002, she took the oath of office, becoming the first female district judge for the Western District of Texas and the first district judge to reside in the Del Rio Division. Exactly 20 years later, on November 18, 2022, Judge Moses became the first female chief judge of the district. Her impressive legal career isn't the only enduring aspect of her life. She has served as a mentor and guidepost for those around her. During her time as district judge, she has placed a priority on lifting up the young lawyers working for her, saying: ``My ambition now is to have a legacy of helping others, who will then turn around and help the next generation . . . `' I could tell you her ambition is true, and she has made good on that ambition, aim, and goal. I have personally interacted with a handful of her law clerks who possess great admiration and gratitude for her. On her 20th anniversary of serving as a district judge, some of her former law clerks have offered heartfelt sentiments, including: I didn't understand the jackpot I was hitting until after I got to Judge Moses' court. . . . Her confidence and command of the courtroom are inspiring. I take something I have learned from her and use it every day in my professional career. Another said: It is like a mentorship for life. A member of my own staff had the privilege of interning with her for a few weeks after completing his first year of law school and continues to sing her praises. In my experience, her teaching and guidance aren't exclusive to those under her legal tutelage. In 2024, my staff organized a delegation of staffers from other Capitol Hill offices interested in learning more about the border and Federal court system. Among their many meetings, Chief Judge Moses welcomed them to her Del Rio courtroom. She provided them with the opportunity to attend court proceedings and to meet with the head of each of the court's components. We still hear from staff about the impact of that experience and how it better prepared them to serve their elected Representatives here in Washington, D.C. Some years ago, Chief Judge Moses reflected on influences in her life, saying: ``It is amazing how God puts these mentors in your life. I wonder if they realize what kind of impact they are having on you when they are your mentors.'' I am confident she has had that same effect on many generations of law clerks and those who have had the opportunity to learn from her. I know she has had that impact on my own chief of staff, who speaks of her example, guidance, devotion, and friendship often. Chief Judge Moses is an inspiration to all young women dreaming of what they can achieve. While I have only known her for a small portion of her 24 years on the bench, her dedication, her patriotism, and her love for the law [[Page H4063]] and the Constitution are evident to me. Our great Nation is blessed by her service, and my family, my staff, and I are blessed by her friendship. This month, Chief Judge Moses will be honored by having her official portrait hung in the United States Federal Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas. This tribute is well deserved. It further cements her place in history and her example for all those following in her footsteps. I say this only once and only for Chief Judge Moses: Hook `em Horns. I congratulate her on this immense honor. ____________________

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HONORING CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALIA MOSES Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 10, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4062-H4063] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ALIA MOSES (Mr. Biggs of Arizona was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. BIGGS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Alia Moses, Chief U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas. I first met Chief Judge Moses in May 2022 in my capacity as co-chair of the Congressional Border Security Caucus. The United States was seeing an unprecedented wave of illegal immigration across the southern border, and Members of the House were actively trying to understand the impacts on our Nation, including the impact on our Federal court system. A member of the caucus who was aware of Judge Moses and her caseload recommended we seek her input, inviting her to virtually participate in our monthly meeting. Since that first connection, she has become a good friend and has been a wealth of information. My staff and I have traveled to Del Rio, Texas, the division in which she sits, on multiple occasions, even bringing fellow Members of the House with us to meet her in person. It gives me joy to share her story with you today. Chief Judge Moses is a story of firsts and one that should inspire us all. The chief was the youngest of six children born to her dear parents, Amelia and Abdalla Moses, and raised in the small farming community of Quemado, Texas, a mere 35 miles from where she would ascend to chief judge. With the support of her parents and siblings, she graduated from Texas Woman's University and became the first in her family to attend law school, choosing the University of Texas. In 1990, only a few years out of law school and working as an assistant county attorney in Austin, Chief Judge Moses was tapped to establish the U.S. Attorney's Office in Del Rio, Texas, where she continued until she was appointed as a magistrate judge in 1997. On July 11, 2002, she was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as a U.S. district judge for the Western District of Texas. On November 18, 2002, she took the oath of office, becoming the first female district judge for the Western District of Texas and the first district judge to reside in the Del Rio Division. Exactly 20 years later, on November 18, 2022, Judge Moses became the first female chief judge of the district. Her impressive legal career isn't the only enduring aspect of her life. She has served as a mentor and guidepost for those around her. During her time as district judge, she has placed a priority on lifting up the young lawyers working for her, saying: ``My ambition now is to have a legacy of helping others, who will then turn around and help the next generation . . . `' I could tell you her ambition is true, and she has made good on that ambition, aim, and goal. I have personally interacted with a handful of her law clerks who possess great admiration and gratitude for her. On her 20th anniversary of serving as a district judge, some of her former law clerks have offered heartfelt sentiments, including: I didn't understand the jackpot I was hitting until after I got to Judge Moses' court. . . . Her confidence and command of the courtroom are inspiring. I take something I have learned from her and use it every day in my professional career. Another said: It is like a mentorship for life. A member of my own staff had the privilege of interning with her for a few weeks after completing his first year of law school and continues to sing her praises. In my experience, her teaching and guidance aren't exclusive to those under her legal tutelage. In 2024, my staff organized a delegation of staffers from other Capitol Hill offices interested in learning more about the border and Federal court system. Among their many meetings, Chief Judge Moses welcomed them to her Del Rio courtroom. She provided them with the opportunity to attend court proceedings and to meet with the head of each of the court's components. We still hear from staff about the impact of that experience and how it better prepared them to serve their elected Representatives here in Washington, D.C. Some years ago, Chief Judge Moses reflected on influences in her life, saying: ``It is amazing how God puts these mentors in your life. I wonder if they realize what kind of impact they are having on you when they are your mentors.'' I am confident she has had that same effect on many generations of law clerks and those who have had the opportunity to learn from her. I know she has had that impact on my own chief of staff, who speaks of her example, guidance, devotion, and friendship often. Chief Judge Moses is an inspiration to all young women dreaming of what they can achieve. While I have only known her for a small portion of her 24 years on the bench, her dedication, her patriotism, and her love for the law [[Page H4063]] and the Constitution are evident to me. Our great Nation is blessed by her service, and my family, my staff, and I are blessed by her friendship. This month, Chief Judge Moses will be honored by having her official portrait hung in the United States Federal Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas. This tribute is well deserved. It further cements her place in history and her example for all those following in her footsteps. I say this only once and only for Chief Judge Moses: Hook `em Horns. I congratulate her on this immense honor. ____________________