Mr. Speaker, April 21 is known as San Jacinto Day in Texas. In 1836, Texas was in a fight for independence from the dictator of Mexico, Santa Anna. On March 6, 1836, 186 volunteers from all races had fought and died at the Alamo trying to hold off the massive invading armies of Santa Anna. Meanwhile, General Sam Houston was forming an army of Texans and Tejanos--Tejanos were Texans of Mexican descent--to stand and fight the three invading armies of Mexico.

Finally, on the swampy, marshy plains of southeast Texas where the San Jacinto River meets Buffalo Bayou, General Sam and the boys took a stand. In broad daylight in midafternoon on April 21, 1836, the volunteers for Texas freedom charged a Mexican army over twice their number. This fierce bunch of frontiersmen from all the States overwhelmingly defeated the invaders.

In 18 minutes, Texas had won independence and the largest amount of land in North American history changed hands because of a single battle.

Texas remained a free and independent republic for 9 years, electing General Sam as its first president. Then Texas was admitted to the U.S. by just one vote. And the rest, as they say, is Texas history.

And that's just the way it is.