Recognizing the Archer Center's 20th Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, I rise along with my colleague, Rep. Colin Allred, to recognize the Archer Center at The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

In 2001, Bill Archer of Houston, Texas, retired from the United States House of Representatives (TX-07) where he had served for 30 years, including a six-year tenure as Chairman of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. Immediately upon his retirement, Congressman Archer and his long-time chief of staff, Don Carlson, established the Archer Center and the Bill Archer Fellowship Program. The University of Texas at Dallas, which is in our congressional districts, is the academic home for the Archer Center.

As the Washington, D.C., campus of The University of Texas System, the Archer Center provides talented undergraduate, graduate, and medical students from across the U.T. System's thirteen academic and health institutions with the opportunity to live, learn, and intern in the nation's capital.

The Archer Fellowship Program is a unique academic and experiential learning program that introduces highly accomplished students from the State of Texas to the federal policymaking process. Archer Fellows spend a transformative semester interning for a variety of public and private organizations including the White House, Congress, and the U.S. Supreme Court. More than 1,500 students have participated in the Archer Center's semester-long and summer programs in the past two decades. Over the years and at present, we have each hosted Archer Fellows in our offices. We have even hired Archer Fellow alumni to join our official staffs.

The Archer Fellowship continues to elevate the reputation of the U.T. System and its students. It has served as a springboard for graduate and professional careers at prestigious universities and medical centers such as Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Oxford, as well as virtually every U.T. institution. The program has also enabled students to enter high-impact careers in the public and private sector. Archer Fellows have been awarded many distinguished scholarships, including the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the Marshall Scholarship, the Rhodes Scholarship, the Schwarzman Scholarship, and the Fulbright Scholarship.

Today, Archer Fellow alumni continue Congressman Archer's legacy of public service by working in all branches of state, federal, and local government, and by serving in the military. These young people represent the very best of North Texas and there is no doubt some future members of Congress among them.

As the Archer Center celebrates its twentieth anniversary, we wish to express our gratitude to Congressman Archer and Don Carlson for their vision and enduring support for Texas students. The Center's growth and continued success is fueled by the dedication of the U.T. System leadership, including Chancellor J.B. Milliken, the Board of Regents, and U.T. Dallas President Richard Benson, and steadfast supporters and alumni of the Archer Center.

We send our best wishes to the Arther Center on this important milestone.

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