» Texans in Congress react to Ryan’s announcement,

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., will end his 20-year political career on Capitol Hill, he announced Wednesday. Ryan said he would complete the rest of his term, which ends in January.

Members of Congress from Central Texas reacted to Ryan’s announcement. Here’s what they said: “As speaker of the House, Paul has served our country honorably. I appreciate his leadership in both policy and in character, and I was proud to work with him to achieve historic tax reform. I wish him well in his future aspirations and thank him for his service.” U.S. Rep. Roger Williams R-Austin “Speaker Ryan, long mute in the face of increasingly erratic and dangerous Trump behavior, should now find his voice and allow a vote to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from being fired.” U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett D-Austin “Speaker Ryan has provided conservative leadership needed to enact important legislation for the American people. His legacy in Congress will be that of fighting for taxpayers – last year the House passed and the president signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the biggest update to the tax code in more than 30 years. The bill reduced taxes, has given bigger paychecks to families and is continuing to result in new jobs for Americans.” U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith R-San Antonio “Speaker Ryan has served with distinction for almost 20 years and because of his leadership, the House has pursued a bold agenda that has ushered in a new tax code, ended sequestration and worked to rebuild our military. It has been a privilege to work alongside him and call him my friend. While his remarkable leadership in the House will be greatly missed, I wish him the very best as he embarks on this new journey with his family.” U.S. Rep. John Carter R-Round Rock “Paul dedicated his legislative career to overhauling our broken tax code. Under his leadership, House Republicans passed the first comprehensive tax reform in three decades, delivering real relief to hardworking Americans across the country, but especially here at home in Texas. His steadfast leadership has also been crucial in rebuilding our broken military and restoring America’s leadership on the global stage.” U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul R-Austin “Under Paul Ryan’s leadership as speaker, we have been able to provide hardworking American families and businesses with much-needed tax reform and regulatory reform, we have begun rebuilding our military, and we have put forward an agenda to restore confidence in America. I am grateful for his bold leadership, his commitment to conservative principles and, especially, for his friendship. I wish him the best of luck as he moves on to be with his family after 20 years of public service. I will deeply miss him in Congress.” U.S. Rep. Bill Flores R-Bryan