[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 84 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H4901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CONGRESSMAN JAKE PICKLE

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to pay 
tribute to the late Congressman Jake Pickle, who will be funeralized 
today in Austin, TX. What a giant. What a generous spirit. What an 
outstanding patriot and leader. And I am grateful that he served the 
people of Texas and the United States of America.
  Yes, he was someone who had the common touch. In fact, many would 
speak of his travels from Washington to Austin where he worked the 
airplane aisles to shake hands with all the constituents and others who 
were flying back and forth with him.
  He was committed to justice in this country and made a powerful vote 
when he voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He made it out of 
conscience and passion and what was right.
  And then I think what he thought was his greatest achievement because 
of his common touch, he helped fix Social Security in the right way, in 
a bipartisan manner, and had it to last for 40 and 50 years.
  We are grateful for his life and my deepest sympathy to his family 
and friends. But all we can say today is farewell to our friend. We 
thank him for his service. We thank him for being a great patriot. We 
thank him for loving America and thank him for loving Texas.

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