[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 118 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8241-H8243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF RENOWNED ARTIST TOM LEA ON THE 
                     100TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 519) honoring the life and 
accomplishments of renowned artist Tom Lea on the 100th anniversary of 
his birth.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 519

       Whereas, 100 years ago on July 11, 1907, Tom Lea was born 
     in El Paso, Texas, to former El Paso Mayor Tom Lea, Sr., and 
     his wife Zola Utt Lea and spent the majority of his life in 
     El Paso;
       Whereas Tom Lea served as an accredited war artist 
     correspondent for Life magazine during World War II, traveled 
     over 100,000 miles as an eye-witness reporter, landed with 
     the First Marines on Peleliu during 1942, and accompanied 
     American forces in the North Atlantic during 1941, fighter 
     pilots aboard the USS Hornet in the South Pacific during 
     1942, and American forces in China during 1943;
       Whereas many of Tom Lea's paintings from World War II are 
     in the United States Army Center for Military History in 
     Washington, DC, and are loaned to exhibitions worldwide;
       Whereas, when accepting the Republican nomination for 
     President of the United States in 2000, George W. Bush quoted 
     Tom Lea about living on the ``sunrise side of the mountain'';
       Whereas Tom Lea's painting Rio Grande today hangs in the 
     Oval Office at the White House;
       Whereas Tom Lea's works are found throughout Washington, DC 
     and Texas, including in the Rayburn House Office Building, 
     which displays his portrait of Sam Rayburn; the Smithsonian 
     American Art Museum; the Dallas Museum of Art; the El Paso 
     Museum of Art; the University of Texas at El Paso; Texas A&M 
     University; and the University of Texas at Austin;
       Whereas Tom Lea painted several notable murals, including 
     the Texas Centennial mural and, under the Department of 
     Treasury's Section of Fine Arts mural competition programs, 
     The Nesters mural for the Benjamin Franklin Post Office in 
     Washington, DC; the Pass of the North mural for the Federal 
     Courthouse in El Paso, Texas; the Stampede mural for the 
     Odessa, Texas Post Office; the Comancheros mural for the 
     Seymour, Texas Post Office; and the Back Home mural for the 
     Pleasant Hill, Missouri Post Office;
       Whereas Tom Lea was also an accomplished author and 
     illustrator whose works included the two-volume annotated 
     history The King Ranch (published in 1957), in addition to 
     four novels and two non-fiction books, of which, The Brave 
     Bulls (published in 1949) and The Wonderful Country 
     (published in 1952), were adapted as screenplays for motion 
     pictures;
       Whereas Tom Lea during his life was honored with several 
     awards, including the Navy Distinguished Public Service 
     Award, the United States Marine Corps' Colonel John W. 
     Thomason, Jr. Award, and the National Cowboy and Western 
     Heritage Museum's Great Westerners Award;
       Whereas President and Mrs. George W. Bush are serving as 
     Honorary Chairs of the International Advisory Board for the 
     2007 Tom Lea Centennial Celebration, a month-long series of 
     events in the Southwest that seeks to ensure that the 
     richness and diversity of Tom Lea's legacy will nourish 
     generations to come; and
       Whereas Tom Lea's war diaries are to be published by Texas 
     A&M Press in 2008: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives honors the 
     life and accomplishments of Tom Lea.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  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?

[[Page H8242]]

  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in the 
consideration of H. Res. 519, a bill that honors the life and 
accomplishments of renowned artist Tom Lea on the 100th anniversary of 
his birth.
  H. Res. 519, which has 79 cosponsors, was introduced by 
Representative Silvestre Reyes on June 26, 2007. H. Res. 519 was 
reported from the Oversight Committee on June 19, 2007, by a voice 
vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Representative Silvestre Reyes, 
for seeking to honor the life and accomplishments of renowned artist 
Tom Lea, and urge the swift passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of 
Tom Lea, I ask Members to join me in honoring the life and 
accomplishments of this remarkable American. Tom Lea was a painter, 
muralist, illustrator, writer and war correspondent, whose work 
continues to captivate and inspire us today.
  Born in El Paso, Texas, in 1907, he showed an early talent for art 
and left home to study at the Art Institute of Chicago. While this 
began a pattern of world travel he continued throughout his life, Tom 
Lea's home was always Texas and the American Southwest. His paintings 
capture the spirit of the West and show a vibrant life that thrives in 
seemingly barren land.
  Lea put his education to good use as a muralist for the Works 
Progress Administration. His works include the award winning ``The 
Nesters,'' which adorns the Post Office Department Building here in 
Washington, and the portrait of Sam Rayburn on display in the Rayburn 
House Office Building, and I think on display right now in this 
Chamber. Additionally, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, numerous 
public buildings in Missouri, and educational and government facilities 
throughout Texas exhibit his work.
  In 1942, Time magazine hired Lea to cover the war in the Pacific. 
Finding paint inadequate to capture the full story, Lea began his 
career as a novelist while on assignment. He continued writing after 
the war, and published six works of fiction and nonfiction, including a 
two-volume annotated history of the King Ranch.
  Fans of his work are numerous and include President George W. Bush, 
who honored Lea by using a quote from an autobiography while accepting 
the Republican nomination for President in 2000. Shortly before his 
death in January of 2001, Lea had the great satisfaction of delivering 
one of his paintings, ``Rio Grande,'' to the President, so he could 
hang it in the Oval Office. The painting remains there today.
  In addition to great critical acclaim, Lea's lifetime of work has 
earned him the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the United 
States Marine Corps Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr., Award, and the 
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum's Great Westerners Award.
  Therefore, let us show our respect and gratitude for this great 
American by passing H. Res. 519 to honor the life and accomplishments 
of Tom Lea.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2\1/2\ 
minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), the sponsor of this 
resolution.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member 
for their support of this resolution.
  As a representative of the 16th District of Texas, I rise today in 
honor of a great El Pasoan and a great American.
  I have on the floor beside me two pictures of paintings by this great 
American. His name is Tom Lea. He hails from my district of El Paso, 
Texas, and has left a lasting impression on the Nation as a whole.
  One of these paintings, ``Rio Grande,'' this one right here, was 
specifically chosen, as has been stated by my good friend from 
Connecticut, by President Bush to hang in the Oval Office. As you can 
see, this is a beautiful representation of the rugged landscape and the 
environment of our wonderful Southwest.
  The other is a portrait of Sam Rayburn. It is probably the most 
familiar to many of you, as it hangs in the foyer of the Rayburn House 
Office Building. I venture that you would be hard-pressed to find 
another artist who could so capture the tenacity and formidable nature 
of this great Texas lawmaker and former Speaker of the House of 
Representatives.
  Mr. Lea's legacy extends beyond the paintings that you see here, and 
I rise today because this month marks the 100th anniversary of the 
birth of this acclaimed El Pasoan. The 2007 Tom Lea Centennial 
Celebration, which is a month-long series of events, is currently 
underway all along our beautiful Southwest.
  Mr. Lea is a celebrated illustrator, novelist, historian, war 
correspondent and muralist. His assignment with Life magazine in the 
1940s to draw a cavalry trooper at El Paso's Fort Bliss led to his role 
as an accredited artist correspondent during World War II. Traveling 
over 100,000 miles through very dangerous and faraway theatres of war, 
he captured the American forces in the North Atlantic, the South 
Pacific, China, and Peleliu for the American public and for those of us 
that appreciate his great artistry today. While overseas, he also 
painted a portrait of China's Chiang Kai-shek.
  From painting national and world leaders to his celebrated painting 
of his wife, Sarah, which includes El Paso's Franklin Mountains as the 
backdrop; from his critically acclaimed novels to motion pictures based 
on his written works; from his depictions of the heroism and harrowing 
circumstances of World War II to his award-winning murals in post 
offices in El Paso and across the country, Tom Lea has left a lasting 
impact on our Nation as a whole.
  Obviously, Tom Lea is a national treasure and a creative genius. I 
want to thank my 79 colleagues who have signed on as cosponsors to this 
legislation.
  So today, Mr. Speaker, I urge all colleagues to join me in honoring 
him by passing this resolution. My community of El Paso, Texas, was 
lucky to be home for such an icon, and the Nation as a whole is a 
richer, more interesting and more beautiful place because of his vision 
and his mastery.

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as the most distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) would like to use.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut. I 
also rise with my colleagues who are here from El Paso, Texas, and also 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) to celebrate the 100th 
anniversary of Tom Lea's birth. As a person who lived in El Paso, 
Texas, for a number of years, I also became aware of Tom Lea from 
living in San Antonio. Much of his artwork was displayed in San Antonio 
on a regular basis.
  Tom Lea for many years painted pictures of the mountains and beauty 
that surrounds not only west Texas, but southern New Mexico also. El 
Paso is the beginning of what is called The Pass of the North, where 
two great countries come together, the history of Mexico and the 
history of the United States, and where these two great countries meet 
at the Rio Grande River. Tom Lea spent a lot of time writing, talking, 
thinking, pushing forward thoughts and ideas about these two great 
nations, and embodied a lot of that in artwork that I have several 
copies of. I have bought Tom's books over the years.
  So today it is right and fitting that the United States Congress in 
its looking back, as we do on a regular basis, over many great 
Americans who have added not only to the artwork of America and the 
thought process, but also to the lives that they lived. Tom Lea, a 
great Texan and American, who added not only a spirit to the men and 
women who fought for this country in World War II, but also brought 
that beauty forward in artwork, the Franklin Mountains and places in 
New Mexico with just stunning beauty that have sustained so many 
people. It gives us an idea about why America is a great Nation and why 
we must continue to protect her.

[[Page H8243]]

  Mr. Speaker, I stand today in support of this 100th anniversary of 
Tom Lea, a great man from El Paso and a great community, and people who 
loved him a great deal and miss him even more. It is a great day to say 
thank you to Lady Bird Johnson and Tom Lea, both great Texans, on a 
beautiful day in Washington, D.C.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my 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. 519.
  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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