about Congressman Reyes

Congressman Silvestre Reyes was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, becoming the first Hispanic to represent El Paso in Congress. Reyes was born and raised in the community of Canutillo in El Paso’s Upper Valley. One of nine children of Rafael and Estela Reyes, Reyes has been married to his beautiful wife Carolina for 42 years. Together they have three children and four grandchildren. He is known as "Silver" by his friends and colleagues.

After serving his country in Vietnam, Reyes committed his life to public service, beginning his 26 ½ years of service in the U.S. Border Patrol in 1969. Beginning his career as an agent, he was tapped to be the Assistant Regional Commissioner in Dallas, where he administered $100 million in programs over a 13 state area before being promoted to Sector Chief. From 1984 to 1995, Reyes led Border Patrol efforts in McAllen and then El Paso, two of the agency’s busiest and most important sectors.

As a chief, he quickly became known as one of the government’s strongest, most effective and innovative border policy leaders. In McAllen and El Paso, Reyes initiated forward-thinking programs such as the Border Patrol's National Anti-Drug School Education Program, the Border Patrol's Canine Program, and Operation Hold the Line. Operation Hold the Line continues as part of the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Customs and Border Protection strategy for the entire Southwest border and earned Reyes recognition from the White House, Congress, Department of Justice, and Immigration and Naturalization Service, as well as numerous local, state, national and international organizations.

Reyes came to Congress to give the border region a higher profile in Washington and to secure needed resources for El Paso. During his seven terms on the job, he has emerged as a leader on intelligence, immigration and border, military, and veterans issues, often authoring key provisions of major legislation. As the second highest ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Reyes is the top Ranking Member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee which has jurisdiction over Army programs. A senior member of the Readiness Subcommittee, Congressman Reyes supported over $5 billion in military construction for Fort Bliss and secured legislative authorization of a new $1 billion William Beaumont Army Medical Center. As the 3rd most senior Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee and a member of the Health Subcommittee, Congressman Reyes works to improve care for El Paso veterans.

Much of Reyes’ hard work in Washington culminated in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision which directed that the 1st Armored Division, four brigade combat teams, and a combat aviation brigade be stationed at Fort Bliss. The addition of 24,000 soldiers at Fort Bliss has increased the annual impact of the post on the El Paso economy from $1.7 billion to a $6.7 billion annual economic boost beginning in 2013.

In addition, Reyes is proud of his accomplishments for El Paso, the border, and the country in other fields, such as immigration and border security, border commerce, small business, education, water and flood control, and healthcare, among others. He has focused on reducing wait times at El Paso’s international bridges; legislated to broaden opportunities for El Paso small businesses; fought to bring good teachers to high-need areas like El Paso and millions of dollars to Hispanic Serving Institutions like UTEP and EPCC; secured tens of millions of dollars for El Paso water, wastewater, storm water, and flood control infrastructure; and advocated for doctors and patients and healthcare along the border.

On January 3, 2007, as Democrats took back control of Congress, Reyes assumed the Chairmanship of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the influential committee that oversees the nation’s intelligence community. He was one of two Hispanic Members of Congress to chair full committees. Reyes worked to protect your security and personal freedoms. Moreover, after the nation was misled into an ill-advised war on the back of flawed intelligence, he has reestablished effective and responsible Congressional oversight of the nation’s 16 intelligence agencies. Reyes is a past Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), was appointed Vice Chair of the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security by the House Democratic Leadership, and serves on the Democratic Faith Working Group and the Democratic Whip Team. He is also a founding member of the Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, the Congressional USO Caucus, and the Diversity and Innovation Caucus, and serves on a variety of other caucuses and coalitions. In addition, he is an active member of the U.S.-Mexico Inter-parliamentary Group.

Reyes has been honored many times by organizations such as the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Mexican-American Bar Association, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the Border Environmental Cooperation Commission, the Pan American Health Organization, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the National Association of Public Hospitals, among many others. He was El Paso Inc.’s 2006 "El Pasoan of the Year."

Congressman Reyes lives in El Paso with his wife Carolina and works in Washington to represent you. up in Canutillo in El Paso's Upper Valley, I learned a lot about values like hard work, service to our community and country, and the blessings of family and friends.