Governor Abbott Addresses Houston Hispanic Chamber Of Commerce
Governor Greg Abbott traveled to Houston today to address the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, America’s largest Hispanic Chamber comprised of over 4,000 Hispanic business owners and community leaders.
“The truth is Texas continues to be exceptional, and you are a big reason why,” said Governor Abbott in his remarks. “You are the entrepreneurs and the risk takers, the people with a vision and the work ethic to achieve it. Texas remains the land of opportunity; opportunity that attracts people here from other states and other countries.”
Gov. Abbott Speech to Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce:
**Gov. Abbott often deviates from prepared remarks.
Thank you, Dr. Laura Murillo and Chairman Armando Perez. It is great to be here with the largest Hispanic Chamber in the country.
It’s great to be back in the place where I began my career. After law school I came to Houston because I knew then that even though I wasn’t from Houston, this was the kind of town that welcomed all and provided unlimited opportunity. Where anyone can achieve anything if they are willing to work hard and dream big. I’m honored to be your Governor, and I’m proud that the path that took me there began right here.
As Governor, I get to do bold things like chart a course for a greater Texas. I also get to do fun things, like see Flaco Jimenez receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Grammys, meet Phil Collins, and accept the Governor’s Cup on behalf of the State of Texas for the most new and expanded corporate facilities.
And I get to meet some genuine American heroes. I met our nation’s oldest World War II veteran, Mr. Richard Overton. He’s 108 and a Texan. It’s because of those who fought on battlefields around the globe that we have the freedom to fight on the battleground of ideas in Capitols like Austin.
We never say thank you enough to those who’ve served our country. If there is anyone in the room today who has ever worn the uniform of the U.S. Military, will you please stand or wave?
Thank you for the powerful role you’re playing in propelling Texas to the economic pinnacle of the United States. Texans created more jobs last year than in any year in the history of Texas. Texas has been the top exporting state for 12 years and has been ranked the best state for doing business for 10 years in a row.
Despite the fall in oil, Forbes continues to call Houston “America’s Economic Miracle,” stating that the “Houston of 2015 will drive Texas’ economic engine through many more industries than oil and gas.”
Benefitting from the most business-friendly state in the U.S., Houston is now about economic diversity. Houston has more than 150 companies involved in aircraft or space vehicle manufacturing and space research and technology. Houston is a huge center for biotechnology research and development, including oncology, genomics and medical devices.
The truth is Texas continues to be exceptional, and you are a big reason why. You are the entrepreneurs and the risk takers, the people with a vision and the work ethic to achieve it. Texas remains the land of opportunity; opportunity that attracts people here from other states and other countries.
It’s the same opportunity that brought my wife’s grandparents to Texas from Monterrey, Mexico. Like so many, they wanted to raise their children in a place where opportunity knows no limits. Now their granddaughter is the first Hispanic First Lady of Texas.
Not long after we were married, we faced a daunting challenge.
I realized that our lives aren't measured by how we are challenged; instead, we are measured by how we respond to challenges.
That’s the same principle that you apply every day. You have to deal with increasing challenges: challenges in making your businesses grow, meeting a payroll and navigating a maze of regulations and taxes.
I want to help you respond to those challenges. I believe that government should be on your side – not riding your back. As Governor, I’m focusing on policies that will make doing business in Houston and Texas even more inviting and more rewarding.
That includes lowering your taxes. It’s a proven fact that lowering the business franchise tax is one of the best ways to stimulate job growth. I will reject any budget that does not include tax relief to Texas businesses. We’re on track to pass at least $4 billion in tax cuts.
I will also help economic development by building more roads. It’s a sad day in Texas when a guy in a wheelchair can go faster than traffic. I declared building more roads as one of my emergency items, and the Senate and House have acted swiftly.
I will be your strongest ally in economic development. Houston is already a jobs magnet – you have mastered economic development. Texas must also cast a larger vision. We must not only be the leader in the domestic competition for business and job growth; we must make Texas the hub of global commerce, with HOUSTON and the port of Houston playing a pivotal role.
Let me mention just one more thing we must do. We must do a better job of educating our children. They are the workforce for our future.
I want every child to read and do math at or above grade level by the third grade. I want more students graduating from high school and going on to college or jobs.
We are already seeing successes; the U.S. Department of Education reported Texas had the highest high school graduation rate in the nation for black and Hispanic students.
I want to emphasize building a skilled workforce, ensuring our graduates are prepared for a career or college. For many, a two-year degree is far more than a piece of paper. It’s a key that opens the door to economic freedom.
We need to expand and support our community colleges that serve as the gateway to better jobs. I know the San Jacinto College System can get the job done.
I also want to elevate our colleges and universities higher than they’ve ever been. I proposed a program will help our colleges and universities recruit the best and brightest researchers and scholars from across the country, especially those focused in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and math. These great minds will work with universities like the University of Houston, and partner with the private sector to develop the ideas that will transform the next generation.
I visited with a Latina business owner about the role of education. Like my wife, her grandparents came to Texas from Mexico. She was the first in her family to go to college. She was a single mom. Now she runs one of the most prominent real estate companies in the state.
She told me that kids need role models who demonstrate why it’s important to stay in school, to strive, to aim for success. You are those role models.
We want you to succeed. We need you to succeed. When you succeed, Texas succeeds. All that we ask is that you keep growing your businesses, keep hiring and keep Texas prosperous.
May God bless you and your families, and may God forever bless the great State of Texas.