H.R. No. 699

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a legendary public official
	on December 4, 2012, when the Honorable Jack Bascom Brooks, one of
	the longest-serving Texans in the U.S. House of Representatives,
	passed away at the age of 89; and
	WHEREAS, Elected to office 21 consecutive times, Jack Brooks
	was a staunch advocate for the civil rights and labor movements and
	an outspoken proponent of fiscal responsibility; he played a
	pivotal role in the investigations of the Watergate and Iran-Contra
	scandals, and his close ties to Lyndon B. Johnson placed him at the
	president's side when he was sworn in, a moment that is preserved in
	one of the most iconic photographs in American history; and
	WHEREAS, Jack Brooks was born on December 18, 1922, in
	Crowley, Louisiana, and raised in Beaumont; his father died when he
	was only 13, and Jack worked to support the family as a carhop,
	grocery clerk, and newspaper reporter; he attended Lamar Junior
	College on a scholarship and later transferred to The University of
	Texas, where he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1943;
	during World War II, he served his country as a member of the Marine
	Corps; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Brooks began his career in politics in 1946,
	when he was elected to the Texas Legislature; he represented the
	citizens of Jefferson County for four years, during which time he
	earned a degree from The University of Texas School of Law; in 1952,
	he successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives;
	and
	WHEREAS, The youngest freshman in his congressional class,
	Mr. Brooks became a protege of House Speaker Sam Rayburn and then
	Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson, two eminent statesmen in
	the powerful Texas caucus; a stalwart Democrat, he abided by his own
	code of ethics, and he often broke ranks with his fellow Southerners
	to support civil rights legislation; along the way, he developed a
	reputation for being bold, irascible, and impervious to criticism,
	the latter perhaps best expressed by his nickname, "Sweet Old
	Brooks," which he acquired by co-opting a rival's insult; and
	WHEREAS, On November 22, 1963, Congressman Brooks rode in the
	motorcade that accompanied President Kennedy through downtown
	Dallas, and in the tumultuous hours that followed the
	assassination, he accompanied Vice President Johnson as he took the
	oath of office aboard Air Force One; he remained a close friend and
	supporter of the new president throughout his tenure; and
	WHEREAS, Congressman Brooks led a number of committees and
	subcommittees during his time in office, including the House
	Committee on the Judiciary for six years and the House Committee on
	Government Operations for more than a decade; he amassed an
	extensive record of legislative accomplishments, which included
	helping to author the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights
	Act of 1965; ever loyal to the residents of his home district, he
	worked diligently to secure funds for a number of local programs and
	public works initiatives; and
	WHEREAS, Congressman Brooks was seldom afraid to challenge
	those in power; as a member of the judiciary committee during the
	Watergate scandal, he helped draft the articles of impeachment that
	prompted President Nixon to resign, and he was later involved in the
	investigation of the Iran-Contra affair; he also worked to root out
	wasteful government spending through the Inspector General Act and
	the legislation that became known as the Brooks Act; and
	WHEREAS, When this esteemed Texan concluded his tenure in
	1994, he had served more than four decades in the Texas and U.S.
	Houses; he continued to appear at local political events in his
	retirement and watched with pride as Democrats that he had
	mentored, including Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, rose to national
	prominence; over the years, he saw his legacy memorialized with
	several Southeast Texas landmarks that bear his name: a regional
	airport, a federal courthouse in Beaumont, and a park in Galveston
	County, as well as a statue in his likeness at Lamar University,
	complete with his trademark cigar in hand; and
	WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Brooks enjoyed the love
	and support of his wife, the former Charlotte Collins, with whom he
	shared a rewarding union of more than 50 years; he took great pride
	in his children, Jeb, Kate, and Kim, and cherished spending time
	with his family; and
	WHEREAS, Unfaltering in his principles and unyielding in his
	dedication to his constituency, Jack Brooks made innumerable
	contributions to the state and the country he loved, and the legacy
	that he leaves behind will continue to inspire all those who assume
	the mantle of public service; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Jack
	Bascom Brooks and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his
	family: to his wife, Charlotte Brooks; to his children, Jeb Brooks
	and his wife, Janice, Kate Brooks Carroll and her husband, Rod, and
	Kim Brooks; to his grandchildren, Matthew Carroll and Brooke
	Carroll; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it
	further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
	Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jack
	Brooks.
	Deshotel
	Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
	Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
	Alonzo Gooden Otto
	Alvarado Guerra Paddie
	Anchia Guillen Parker
	Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
	Ashby Harless Perez
	Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
	Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
	Bohac Herrero Pickett
	Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
	Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
	Branch Huberty Raney
	Burkett Hughes Ratliff
	Burnam Hunter Raymond
	Button Isaac Reynolds
	Callegari Johnson Riddle
	Canales Kacal Ritter
	Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
	Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
	Clardy King of Parker Rose
	Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
	Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
	Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
	Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
	Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
	Creighton Krause Simmons
	Crownover Kuempel Simpson
	Dale Larson Smith
	Darby Laubenberg Smithee
	Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
	J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
	S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
	Deshotel Longoria Strama
	Dukes Lozano Taylor
	Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
	Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
	Elkins Martinez Toth
	Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
	Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
	Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
	Farrar Miles Villalba
	Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
	Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
	Frank Moody Walle
	Frullo Morrison White
	Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
	Giddings Murphy Wu
	Goldman Naishtat Zedler
	Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 699 was unanimously adopted by a rising
	vote of the House on March 4, 2013.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House