Mayor Ron Jones, LeAnn Rimes, and Douglas Athas in the Dirksen Senate Office Building

 
Mayor Ron Jones, Transportation Director Robert Wunderlich, and I are in Washington, DC, for the 2nd Annual Transportation & Infrastructure Convention. While there are representatives from 30 states, this is very much a Texas affair. Organized by Irving, there are many representatives from Texas. Mayor Jones and I attended a Texas High Speed Rail & Tranportation Corp. meeting early this morning before moving to the convention, which was meeting in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
 
As we were entering, it was impossible to not notice another Garlandite, LeAnn Rimes. I introduced myself, mentioned Garland, and she was very enthusiastic and polite. I gave her a little history of recent happenings in the city and told her we'd love to have her come back for a community homecoming event. She said she would love to. I also gave her my Garland lapel pin. Mayor Jones joined us for the picture above and they chatted for a few moments. He remembered being at a Garland event with her when she was 12-years-old. [I'm not sure she remembered.] She was then escorted her direction and we were hussled ours.
 
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was the opening speaker. Because she serves on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, she was able to address a wide range of transportation issues. The only two individuals she mentioned during her address were District 1 residents: Mayor Jones and Gary Thomas, President/Executive Director, DART.
 
Today we heard from a wide range of industry speakers. It was a good day setting the stage for tomorrow. There was a reception afterwards in the newly constructed Capitol Visitors Center.
 
Tomorrow we will hear from numerous members of Congress: Rep Ralph Hall (TX), Rep Louie Gohmert (TX), Rep John Mica (FL), Rep John Boozman (AR), Rep Howard Coble (NC), Rep Elijah Cummings (MD), Rep Peter DeFazio (OR), Rep Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep James Oberstar (MN), Rep Nick Rahall (WV), Rep Timothy Bishop (NY), Rep Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Rep Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX), Rep Tom Perriello (VA), Rep Albio Sires (NJ), and Rep Donna Edwards (MD).
 
All in all, I thought it was a very Garland day!