HONORING SHERIFF JOE GOODSON

Mr. McCaul of Texas- Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell the Nation about one of the finest and most dedicated members of America's law enforcement community, and one of the best sheriffs to ever have served in the 10th Congressional District of Texas.

For 29 years, the good people of Lee County, Texas, trusted Joe Goodson to be their sheriff. He passed away last month, but left those he protected with a safe, friendly and God-fearing community.

Sheriff Joe, as he was known to the thousands of people who called him a friend, worked hard, not just for the people of his county, but for all Texans and for all Americans.

His fellow Texas sheriffs chose him to lead the Sheriffs' Association of Texas. He was a member of the Auto Theft Task Force, the Narcotics Task Force, and he was the head of the cold case review people team.

But it wasn't just that he was among the finest lawmen in Texas that made Sheriff Joe so well liked and so respected. Sheriff Goodson always treated others the same way he wanted to be treated, and the thousands of people who knew him respected him for it.

Law enforcement ran in Sheriff Joe's blood. His dad, Vernon Goodson, served as sheriff in Lee County for 25 years before his son Joe was elected and took over the position. And as Buddy Price, the editor of the Giddings Times and News in Lee County, will tell you, they were both dedicated to their jobs and loved the people they served. While they both enforced the law vigorously, they also used commonsense and resolved situations peacefully whenever they could.

One of the things Sheriff Joe is best known for is a responsible, some would even say the conservative way in which he ran his sheriff's office. He saw the money entrusted to him and his deputies as the people's money. He ran a tight ship and accounted for every dollar his department spent.

But once again, I have to go back to who Sheriff Goodson was as a person, his family will tell you, one of the things he loved most was leading the Blue Santa Program to provide gifts for needy families during the Christmas season. He helped raise money for Blue Santa with auctions, and he even served as an auctioneer.

To Joe's wife, Robyn, and Joe's entire family, and to the good people of Lee County, you have the thanks of a grateful Nation. We are indebted to you, and we mourn your loss.

So to the good Lord above, I hope you are ready for one more angel up there because Sheriff Joe is on his way.