LANDGRAF: Happy West Texas Father’s Day

By State Rep. Brooks Landgraf

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out here in West Texas! (Special shout out to John F. Landgraf, in particular.)

By the way, if you’re still looking for a Father’s Day gift, the Texas Legislature has a few ideas. Maybe consider a Colt .45, which we named the official State Gun of Texas, or a new Bowie knife, which we also made the official State Knife of Texas. Or, if you’re still deciding where to take dad out to eat, consider bringing food in, as now—thanks to House Bill 1024–you can permanently get dad’s favorite beverage to go from his favorite restaurant.

I know that this past year was a difficult one, filled with many hardships, and many of you—for various reasons—were at home more or less over the last year, but I want to encourage you to remember the good things rather than dwell on the bad.

If you were spending more time at home, maybe you also got to spend extra time with your loved ones. I’m grateful for the extra time my wife and I got to spend with our young daughter. We’ve been able to make some memories that I’ll cherish forever. Or if you were working on the frontlines, be proud of yourself for knowing that your hard work was helping to get your family through hard times.

We were hit harder than most when it came to job loss and the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just over a year ago today the closing cost of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil was $10.01 a barrel, and so many of the hardworking men and women out here saw really hard times. One year later, however, the price stands at $72.08 a barrel. This highlights that not only are we through the worst of it, but we came out stronger than before. These encouraging prices indicate that many people have been able to return to their oil and gas jobs and bring much needed revenue back into homes throughout the Basin.

The men and women who live out here in West Texas are the hardest working people I know, and how you made it through this past year shows your resilience and true Texas grit.

So to all you dads, stepdads, grandfathers, moms who take on the role of both parents, I hope you get to enjoy a relaxing Father’s Day after the hard work you have done to bring the Basin and all of Texas back on our feet and standing tall.

God Bless Texas!