[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8237-H8241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MOURNING THE PASSING OF FORMER FIRST LADY, LADY BIRD JOHNSON
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 553) mourning the passing of
former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, and celebrating her life and
contributions to the people of the United States.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 553
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson was born Claudia Alta Taylor in
Karnack, Texas on December 22, 1912, the daughter of Minnie
Pattillo Taylor and Thomas Jefferson Taylor;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson received her nickname ``Lady
Bird'' from a nurse who thought she was as ``purty as a lady
bird'';
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson was known for her academic
accomplishments, graduating from high school at 15 years of
age and graduating from the University of Texas in Austin in
1933 as one of the top 10 students in her class;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson married President Lyndon Baines
Johnson on November 17, 1934;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson was a dedicated wife to President
Johnson and a devoted mother to their two daughters, Lynda
Bird Johnson and Luci Baines Johnson;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson served with honor and dedication
as the wife of President Johnson throughout his service as a
congressional secretary, United States Representative, United
States Senator, Vice President of the United States, and
President of the United States;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson was known for expanding the
position of First Lady by taking a visible role in President
Johnson's administration;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson served as President Johnson's
personal adviser throughout his career, and was a champion of
civil rights and programs for children and the poor,
including the educational Head Start programs;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson was known for her passion for
environmental causes and the preservation of native plants
and wildflowers;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson paved the way for the
environmental movement of the 1970s through her efforts to
replace urban blight with flowers and trees;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson established the capital
beautification project and played a major role in the passage
of the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, which was the first
major legislative campaign initiated by a First Lady;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson and President Johnson retired to
their ranch located near Austin, Texas following the
completion of President Johnson's term as President;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson continued her dedication to
education through her service on the Board of Regents for the
University of Texas and through her work planning the Lyndon
B. Johnson Library and Museum at the University of Texas in
Austin;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson was awarded the Medal of Freedom
in 1977 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1988;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson co-founded the Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center in 1982 in order to protect and preserve
North America's native plants and natural landscapes;
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson leaves behind an honorable legacy
that represents her gentle nature and strong spirit though
her dedication to her family and her passion for the
environment; and
Whereas Lady Bird Johnson died on July 11, 2007, at 94
years of age at her home in Austin, Texas, and was survived
by her 2 daughters, 7 grandchildren, and 10 great-
grandchildren: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives mourns the
passing of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, and
celebrates her life and contributions to the people of the
United States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) each
will control 20 minutes.
[[Page H8238]]
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, I'm pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.
Res. 553, a bill that mourns the passing of former First Lady, Lady
Bird Johnson, and celebrates her life contributions and achievements.
H. Res. 553, which has 58 cosponsors, was introduced by
Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson on July 17, 2007. H. Res. 553 was
reported from the Oversight Committee on June 19, 2007, by a voice
vote.
Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague and Representative Eddie Bernice
Johnson for seeking to honor the former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson,
and celebrating her life contributions to the people of the United
States.
I urge swift passage of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure to honor a remarkable First
Lady and great conservationist, Lady Bird Johnson. And it is with much
sadness that the House continues to note her recent passing.
Born in 1912 in Karnack, Texas, in an era when women were not
expected to accomplish great things, Mrs. Johnson came to represent
strength of character that was the hallmark of her life.
After graduating from the University of Texas in 1933, she married
Lyndon Baines Johnson. Mrs. Johnson became the mother of two daughters,
certainly her most important work, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines Johnson.
She spent the next few decades raising her children and supporting her
husband in his political career, which, of course, led him to the
Presidency. She was a trusting sounding board for her husband through
all his years in the House and Senate and in the White House.
Mrs. Johnson led a nationwide effort to call attention to the beauty
and the goal of highlighting historical sites and highways by planting
flowering plants and wildflowers. While First Lady, she visited
numerous public sites and scenic areas, thus bringing local and
national attention to her beautification and conservation initiatives.
As we all have seen each spring in Washington, Mrs. Johnson has left
a lasting legacy for all American and foreign visitors to this great
city, who can now see incredible numbers of flowers throughout the
area. She not only helped beautify Washington, but was also responsible
for the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, calling for control of outdoor
advertising, as well as the clean-up of junkyards along the national
highways.
It is partly because of her efforts that we now have the Surface
Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987, requiring
at least one-quarter of 1 percent of funds expended for landscaping
projects in the highway system to be used to plant native flowers,
plants and trees.
After leaving Washington, Mrs. Johnson enthusiastically continued her
conservation efforts throughout her beloved home State of Texas right
up until the date of her death on July 11, 2007.
I urge my colleagues to please join me in honoring this great woman
of Texas and First Lady of the United States, Lady Bird Johnson, for
her untiring efforts in educating a Nation on the benefits of
conservation and beautification throughout her lifetime.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes
to the author and sponsor of this resolution, the gentlewoman from
Texas, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me thank these
two distinguished gentlemen on the floor, Mr. Davis of Illinois and Mr.
Duncan of Tennessee, for helping us with this today.
I rise today to honor the life and accomplishments of Lady Bird
Johnson. I would like to thank my colleagues Mr. Hall, Mr. Barton and
Mr. Ortiz for their sponsorship, and the entire Texas delegation for
joining me in sponsoring and honoring Mrs. Johnson.
Mrs. Johnson was known as a woman of class and integrity. She was
strong in spirit and always represented herself with dignity and grace.
For decades Lady Bird Johnson served with honor and dedication as the
wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, throughout his service as a
staffer to Representative Kleberg, as he served in the U.S. House of
Representatives, as a U.S. Senator, as Vice President, and as President
of the United States. She served as President Johnson's personal
adviser throughout his career and was known for expanding the position
of the First Lady by taking a visible role in President Johnson's
administration.
Lady Bird Johnson dedicated much of her life to the preservation of
our environment. Perhaps she could be considered the first
environmentalist in this era. This passion led her to create the
Capital Beautification Project to improve physical conditions in
Washington, DC, both for residents and tourists. Her efforts inspired
similar programs throughout the country. She also played a major role
in the passage of the 1965 Highway Beautification Act. This was the
first legislative campaign begun by a First Lady. The trees and flowers
we see along our American highways today are a testament to her work
and her dedication.
After leaving Washington, President and Mrs. Johnson moved back to
Austin, Texas, where Mrs. Johnson continued to work for environmental
causes. And that is, perhaps, the most environmentally sensitive city
in Texas right now. Today we can all admire her legacy through the Lady
Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.
Mrs. Johnson died on July 11, 2007, at the age of 94 at her home in
Austin, and was survived by her two daughters, seven grandchildren, and
10 great-grandchildren.
I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the Johnson family.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to honor Lady Bird
Johnson's incredible life and legacy.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I know that Representative Gene
Green had intended to be here. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to
make it yet.
It is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to Representative Chet Edwards
from the 17th District of Texas.
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, Lady Bird Johnson was a true Texas
treasure. She graced the Lone Star State, our Nation, and the world
with her beauty and grace.
While she is no longer with us, the masterpiece of her vision can be
seen along the highways and byways of America. Lady Bird's wildflowers
symbolize her life, a quiet, enduring beauty that will enrich our lives
for generations to come. With our highways as her canvas, she painted
with a brush of God's hand a landscape that brings peace to us in our
day-to-day lives.
The beauty of Lady Bird Johnson's vision did not stop with the
highways and parks of our Nation, for she also envisioned a world not
blighted by the ugliness of poverty and discrimination. As a partner to
the President who fought for a great society, she helped make ours a
better society. For that we are all her beneficiaries. I thank God for
the life and spirit of Lady Bird Johnson.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2
minutes to Lady Bird Johnson's Representative, the gentleman from
Texas, Representative Lloyd Doggett.
Mr. DOGGETT. With heavy hearts, the thousands of Texans who
participated in memorials to Lady Bird Johnson, especially those who
filled the streets of Austin, Dripping Springs and Johnson City, attest
to our affection and respect for her compassion, warmth and leadership.
And with unusually heavy rainfall this year, Texas is literally alive
with her legacy, the beautiful wildflowers along our roadways, and
filling the photo albums and scrapbooks with children smiling in a bed
of bluebonnets or Indian paintbrush for one family after another.
[[Page H8239]]
She knew a better America was one that gives all of its citizens an
opportunity to succeed. And with the reauthorization this year of Head
Start, more young Americans can access quality early education,
ensuring that no child starts behind.
When my predecessor, Representative Jake Pickle, spoke on this floor
after the death of President Johnson, he said that Mrs. Johnson was her
husband's ``wisest adviser'', and that her daughters, Lynda Bird and
Luci, had brought ``so much credit to their family and to our
country.''
Of her many gifts, perhaps her most meaningful legacy is her spirit
of giving that lives on in her children and grandchildren. In Austin,
her daughter Lucy and her grandchildren, Catherine Robb and Nicole
Covert, among others, give their time, support and leadership to causes
such as SafePlace, Seton, the University of Texas, and the Children's
Medical Center Foundation.
Mrs. Johnson promoted native species. They have strong roots and
improve and beautify our land. The same, and more, can be said of the
human legacy that she leaves.
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, let me just close by saying it has been a
privilege for me to handle this resolution on our side.
I know that most of us heard and read and saw some of the beautiful
and moving tributes that were made to Mrs. Johnson in her funeral
ceremony just a few days ago, especially the tributes from her
daughters. And so I think this is a very fitting and appropriate
resolution. I commend my good friend, the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms.
Johnson, for bringing this resolution to the floor, and also my friend
Mr. Davis.
I urge passage of this resolution.
And Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1630
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2
minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez).
Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to personally thank both the
gentleman from Tennessee and the gentleman from Illinois, Chairman
Davis, for allowing me this opportunity. I also want to take this
opportunity to thank the Honorable Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
for bringing forth this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Claudia Taylor ``Lady Bird''
Johnson. Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson was a woman of incredible caliber, a
woman whose contributions of admirable causes have bettered not only
Texas, but the entire Nation as a whole.
She redefined what it meant to be a First Lady. Along with
championing the environment, Lady Bird Johnson was a confidante to her
husband, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and was invaluable to his efforts,
improving not only health care but education. She, like no one else,
understood the importance of early intervention when it came to
education. Her efforts in Head Start to this day are there to show that
Head Start has been a program that reaches out to these poor
youngsters. Head Start has also proven that those youngsters that
participate in Head Start are less likely to drop out than those that
don't. She understood that from the very beginning.
Lady Bird Johnson knew and had that Texas charm and wit. Her passion
for the environment has left a lasting mark on America. Thanks to her
tenacious effort in initiating beautification projects, the Nation's
highways are more pleasant to drive on and the Nation's Capital is a
lovelier sight. The city of San Antonio, where Lady Bird married
President Johnson, has also benefited from the First Lady's efforts.
Her highway beautification projects had a lasting impact not only in
San Antonio, but throughout Texas. The Texas Department of
Transportation says Lady Bird Johnson's Highway Beautification Act that
became law in 1965 annually dispenses over 5.6 billion wildflower seeds
of some 30 varieties, including our State flower, the bluebonnet. Lady
Bird devoted much of her later life to beautifying her home and the
State of Texas with admirable work.
With eternal gratitude from all of us, I ask you to join me today in
remembering the magnificent work Lady Bird Johnson has done for all of
us. I want to thank her for what she has done for all of us.
Let me just say that every spring as we go along the highways and as
the flowers bloom, we will remember her for what she has done for all
of us. She now rests near the Pedernales River in Texas. Her legacy
will forever be with us.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2
minutes to another son of Texas, the chairman of the Intelligence
Committee, the Honorable Silvestre Reyes.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I want to add my condolences to Lady Bird's family and
tell everyone that while she will be missed, her legacy lives on in
Texas.
I think her contribution to Texas gives us a unique insight into who
the former First Lady was; a person who used her gifts, her position,
her talents and her status to expand the world for everyday people, to
make the world better for the inner city residents of D.C., and for the
public that was traveling along the interstates of our great country,
and, of course, for Texas.
She had vision and gave people a reason to be proud of their
surroundings, to take ownership of their neighborhoods and communities,
and to make them better places to live. This is meaningful and
important on so many different levels for all of us that are Texans. In
doing this, she was ahead of her time. She helped bring the cause of
conservation to the forefront and drew our Nation's attention to the
importance of creating and nurturing beauty.
I am honored and privileged that I met Mrs. Johnson many years ago
when I was a college student at the University of Texas at Austin. I am
proud of the legacy that she created and that she leaves with all of
us. May she rest in peace among the hills, the streams, and especially
the flowers that she so loved in Texas.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I simply want to thank the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) for his participation in
processing this legislation. I want to thank all of the Members from
Texas who spoke.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today, we honor the memory and
celebrate the life of former First Lady, Claudia Taylor (Lady Bird)
Johnson, and the contributions she has given to the people of a country
she so dearly loved. I had the privilege of knowing Lady Bird through
the White House Fellows program and as anyone who knew her as an
individual would agree, she was a person of grace, charm, and an
absolute delight to know. As a native Texan, a wife, a mother, a
businesswoman, and First Lady, she emitted beauty through her presence
and through her actions leaving a legacy that will not soon be
forgotten.
Lady Bird met Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1934 and in seven short
months, had captured his heart as he asked for her hand in marriage.
Mrs. Johnson stood by her husband and supported his endeavors with a
perseverance and tenacity that one rarely finds. When LBJ volunteered
for naval service during World War II, Lady Bird stepped in and kept
his congressional office running and except for voting, served the need
of every constituent. She again came to the rescue in 1955 helping
staff keep things under control when her husband suffered a severe
heart attack while serving as Senate Majority Leader. The former
President once remarked that voters ``would happily have elected her
over me.''
In 1960 Mrs. Johnson traveled over thirty-five thousand miles of
campaign trail as she pushed LBJ towards a successful bid for the Vice-
Presidency. During this tenure, she visited thirty-three foreign
countries as an ambassador of goodwill. Lady Bird again stood by and
supported her husband as he became the thirty-sixth President of the
United States and helped console the hearts and minds of an entire
country as they mourned the loss of President John F. Kennedy.
As First Lady, Mrs. Johnson was highly involved in the President's
initiatives supporting education and working to alleviate poverty.
Under her own ambition, she created a First Lady's Committee for a More
Beautiful Capital which later expanded to include an entire nation.
Lady Bird was also the inspiration behind the Beautification Act of
1965 which transformed the landscape of our national highways. Never
tiring in her life's work, at the age of 70, Mrs. Johnson founded the
National Wildflower Research Center which is dedicated to the
preservation and re-establishment of native plants in natural and
planned landscapes.
[[Page H8240]]
Lady Bird Johnson should be remembered by all as a person with
elegance, grace and a tireless work ethic. She dedicated her life in
service to others and gave so much of herself in support of her
husband, family, and country. Today, as we celebrate the life of Lady
Bird Johnson, we honor her contributions to the people of the United
States and recognize that we have lost a great American that will be
dearly missed.
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, when Texans think of their home state, and
frankly non-Texans do as well, a few key symbols come to mind. There is
the instantly recognizable outline of Texas, along with the Lone Star,
the Alamo, cowboy hats, barbecue, and so many other great traditions
and institutions. Among them is the Texas state flower, the bluebonnet.
The bright blue bloom of that flower throughout the roads and lands of
southeast Texas is instantly recognizable. The reason why, of course,
is that Lady Bird Johnson led the beautification movement to protect
and grow our state flower, setting a fine example of state pride for
all Texans. We Texans feel the loss of the former First Lady when we
think of this symbol, but as future flowers bloom, so too will her
memory live on for our great nation.
Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 553, to
pay special tribute to Lady Bird Johnson. I am proud to recognize the
accomplishments of a fellow Texan and a true Renaissance woman.
For much of her life, Lady Bird Johnson acted as the graceful wife of
a congressional secretary, U.S. Representative, Senator, Vice President
and President. She devoted herself to her husband's political campaigns
and lived in the public eye throughout the turbulent 1960s and Vietnam
War Era.
But, Lady Bird Johnson was also a scholar, a writer, a politician,
and an advocate for education issues. At the University of Texas in
Austin she studied journalism and qualified as a public school teacher.
Later in life, she wrote A White House Diary and served as a University
of Texas regent.
Lady Bird demonstrated her remarkable talents for public speaking
while on the campaign trail through Southern states, where, as a
product of an East Texas town steeped in traditional southern values,
she was an invaluable spokesperson for the 1960 Kennedy-Johnson
Presidential ticket.
While her husband served as President, Lady Bird Johnson acted as
honorary chairwoman of the national Head Start program. As my
colleagues may note, I am a strong proponent of the Head Start program,
which can make immense differences in the lives of underprivileged pre-
school children by preparing them to enter elementary school on a par
with their peers. Thus, I celebrate Lady Bird's contributions to this
invaluable program.
During this time, Lady Bird Johnson has also been credited with
holding luncheons spotlighting women of assorted careers. As a strong
supporter of women's rights and pay equality, I believe that her
efforts to applaud young women's advancements into traditionally-male-
dominated careers have had a profound effect on women's equality in
general.
Lady Bird was also an adept businesswoman who purchased a small radio
station in 1942 in Austin and built a multimillion-dollar radio
corporation. In today's society, young women interested in business and
the telecommunications industries may look to Lady Bird Johnson as a
trailblazer and a success story.
While Lady Bird's conservation work in our Nation's Capital is
widely-known, Lady Bird's efforts to beautify our great State of Texas
should also be applauded. In 1969, she founded the Texas Highway
Beautification Awards, and hosted 20 annual awards ceremonies, where
she presented personal checks to the winners. And, on her 70th
birthday, she founded the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, to which
she donated acres of her own land.
Lady Bird has indeed left her mark upon Texas, as the namesake of a
golf course, a municipal park, a walking trail, and a street.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues in support of H. Res.
553, celebrating the life of Lady Bird Johnson. She was a remarkable
First Lady, businesswoman, environmental advocate, and trailblazer of
women's rights. She has left a grand legacy of strength of character
and service upon Texas and upon the entire nation.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, the death of Lady Bird Johnson was a sad day
for the country. It was also a sad day for my district, and for me
personally.
Mrs. Johnson also played a key role in drawing my father, California
State Senator Fred Farr, to Washington. She successfully lobbied for
his appointment as the Federal Highway Administration's first Highway
Beautification Coordinator, wisely drawing his energy and insights to
Washington.
Lady Bird was a fervent supporter of so many of the values my
constituents and I hold dear. She was a lifelong supporter of the
environment, an advocate for preserving the special places in
communities around the country. Lady Bird visited California's Central
Coast in 1966, where she dedicated Highway 1--now known to all as the
Big Sur Coast Highway--as the first scenic route in the state. She even
helped plant a redwood tree near Monterey's historic Colton Hall.
Mrs. Johnson was a passionate environmentalist. She argued against
the blight of roadside billboards, instead calling for more trees and
her beloved wildflowers. And many of the beautification projects that
make Washington a gorgeous capital city were the product of Mrs.
Johnson and my father. She was responsible for raising hundreds of
thousands of dollars for the city's streets.
Mrs. Johnson's beautification projects and scenic designation
programs were so important to drawing attention to areas that deserve
protection. I encourage all of our communities to continue her work. We
need more people like Mrs. Johnson in the world, more people who
appreciate the beauty that is around us and who strive to preserve it.
Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
553 recognizing the passing of Lady Bird Johnson and her contributions
to the United States.
Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson,
passed away last week at the age of 94. We will remember this former
First Lady as a woman deeply committed to her husband and his
presidency, as well as a calm and elegant figure during a tumultuous
time in American history.
Lady Bird took an active role during her husband's time in the White
House. Before environmentalism was a part of American political life,
she lobbied Congress to clean up the landscape of the United States.
Through her efforts, the National Highway Beautification Act and the
Clean Air Act became law and the Nation's Capital received a much-
needed makeover to its landscape. After she left the White House, she
founded the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin, Texas, which
was later named in her honor. The center continues Lady Bird's efforts
to preserve this country's natural landscape and beauty.
Lady Bird also influenced many other policies and initiatives during
the Johnson administration, including the War on Poverty, Head Start,
and the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. She was awarded the
Presidential Medal of Freedom by Gerald Ford in 1977 for her efforts
both in and out of the White House. Through her numerous
accomplishments, we will continue to remember her as a wife, mother,
and passionate and dedicated American. While it is with sadness that I
mark the passing of this wonderful individual, I am proud to be able to
commemorate her incredible contributions to our nation.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 553, which puts the House of Representatives on record in
mourning the passing of Lady Bird Johnson, the former First Lady of the
United States. Claudia Alta ``Lady Bird'' Taylor Johnson was the wife
of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an
advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and
conservation of natural resources. The former First Lady was a
recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional
Gold Medal.
Lady Bird Johnson studied journalism and art at St. Mary's Episcopal
School for Girls, a junior college in Dallas. She graduated with honors
from the University of Texas with a Bachelor's degree in Arts in 1933
and a degree in Journalism in 1934--a time when women were hard pressed
to have a career of their own, let alone a college education. Her goal
was to become a reporter but her media career was deferred when a
friend in Austin introduced her to Lyndon Baines Johnson, a young up-
and-coming political hopeful.
On their first date, which was breakfast the next morning at the
Driskill Hotel and a long drive in the country, Lyndon Johnson
proposed. Lady Bird did not want to rush into marriage, but Lyndon
Johnson was persistent and did not want to wait. The couple married on
November 17, 1934, at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in San Antonio,
Texas.
Three years later, when Lyndon decided to run for Congress from
Texas' 10th district in the Hill Country, Lady Bird provided the money
to launch his campaign. She took $10,000 of her inheritance from her
mother's estate to help start his political career. They had two
daughters, Lynda (born in 1944), whose husband Charles S. Robb went on
to become governor of Virginia and a U.S. Senator, and Luci (born in
1947), who married, firstly, Pat Nugent and, secondly, Ian Turpin.
As First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson started a capital beautification
project (Society for a More Beautiful National Capital) to improve
physical conditions in Washington, D.C., both for residents and
tourists. Her efforts inspired similar programs throughout the country.
She was also instrumental in promoting the Highway Beautification Act,
which sought to beautify the nation's highway system by limiting
billboards and by planting roadside areas. She
[[Page H8241]]
was also an advocate of the Head Start program.
Johnson's press secretary from 1963-1969 was Liz Carpenter, a fellow
University of Texas alumna. Carpenter was the first professional
newswoman to be press secretary to a First Lady, and she also served as
Lady Bird's staff director.
In 1970, A White House Diary, Lady Bird Johnson's intimate, behind-
the-scenes account of Lyndon Johnson's presidency from November 22,
1963 to January 20, 1969, was published. Beginning with the tragic
assassination of John F. Kennedy, Mrs. Johnson recorded the momentous
events of ber times, including the Great Society's War on Poverty, the
national civil rights and social protest movements, her own activism on
behalf of the environment, and the Vietnam War. Indeed, Lady Bird
Johnson and her husband were champions of civil rights and were
instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965. I know that her comforting words and her
encouragement were part of the decision making of President Johnson as
he made some critical decisions during some difficult times regarding
the civil rights of individuals who had been discriminated against for
most of the history of this country. Long out of print, the paperback
edition of A White House Diary will be available again through the
University of Texas Press in Fall 2007.
She was acquainted with a long span of fellow First Ladies, from
Eleanor Roosevelt to Laura Bush, and was protected by the United States
Secret Service for forty-four years, longer than anyone else in
history.
Lady Bird Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by
Gerald Ford on January 10, 1977. The citation for her medal read:
``One of America's great First Ladies, she claimed her own place in
the hearts and history of the American people. In councils of power or
in homes of the poor, she made government human with her unique
compassion and her grace, warmth and wisdom. Her leadership transformed
the American landscape and preserved its natural beauty as a national
treasure.''
Johnson then received the Congressional Gold Medal on May 8, 1984. In
addition to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, her name has been
lent to the Lady Bird Johnson Park on Columbia Island in Washington,
D.C., which was founded as a result of her efforts as First Lady to
beautify the capital.
After former President Johnson died in 1973, Lady Bird Johnson
remained in the public eye, honoring her husband and other Presidents.
In the 1970s, she focused her attention on the Austin riverfront area
through her involvement in the Town Lake Beautification Project. From
1971 to 1978, Johnson served on the board of regents for the University
of Texas System.
On December 22, 1982 (her 70th birthday), she and actress Helen Hayes
founded the National Wildflower Research Center, a nonprofit
organization devoted to preserving and reintroducing native plants in
planned landscapes, located east of Austin, Texas. The Center opened a
new facility southwest of Austin on La Crosse Avenue in 1994. It was
officially renamed The Lady Bird Johnson Wildtlower Center in 1998. On
June 20, 2006, The University of Texas at Austin announced plans to
incorporate the 279 acre Wildflower Center into the University.
For twenty years Lady Bird Johnson spent her summers on the island of
Martha's Vineyard renting the home of Charles Guggeinheim for many of
those years. She said she had greatly appreciated the island's natural
beauty and flowers.
On October 13, 2006, Lady Bird Johnson made a rare public appearance
at the renovation announcement of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and
Museum. Sitting in a wheelchair and showing signs of recent health
problems, Lady Bird seemed engaged and alert, and clapped along with
those present at the ceremony.
Mr. Speaker, in the last year the state of Texas has lost several of
its greatest sons and daughters: Governor Ann Richards; Senator and
Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen; columnist and progressive icon Molly
Ivins; and now Lady Bird Johnson.
The Lone Star State mourns the loss of our favorite daughter and it
will be grieving for some time. But the memory of Lady Bird Johnson
will never be forgotten so long as the flowers bloom in the capital
city of our nation and along the highways and byways of the several
states, especially her beloved Texas.
I strongly support H. Res. 553 and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 553.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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