Page 7 - AARC GALA 2025 Journal

AlbAniAn AmericAn relAtions council
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
The Honorable Keith Self
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM TEXAS'S 3RD DISTRICT
Congressman Keith Self represents Texas’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Before entering Congress, he served a 25-year career in the U.S. Army, retir- ing with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His mili- tary service included deployments to Europe, the Middle East, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, where he gained firsthand experience in the de- fense of democracy and the importance of American leadership on the global stage.
In Congress, Representative Self serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Europe. In this role, he has been a strong voice in defending freedom and stability in the Western Balkans, working to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
Rep. Self has developed a meaningful relation- ship with the Albanian-American community, recognizing the shared values of freedom, re- silience, and democracy. He has consistently supported policies that strengthen ties between the United States, Albania, and Kosovo, ensur- ing that the voices of Albanian-Americans are heard in Washington and that their aspirations for peace and stability in the Balkans are ad- vanced.
ALBANIAN AMERICAN RELATIONS COUNCIL GALA 2025 7