[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E13]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE OF HON. RICHARD F. ``RIC'' WILLIAMSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 15, 2008

  Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a wonderful friend 
and a great leader in transportation, both in Texas and our Nation, the 
Hon. Richard F. (``Ric'') Williamson. His sudden passing on December 
30, 2007 was an incredible loss to his family, the State of Texas and 
our country.
  It has been my honor to know and work with Ric during his service as 
Texas Commissioner of Transportation. From our first meeting, I knew I 
had a found a friend, a leader, and a key supporter of building our 
Nation's infrastructure. Rick's passing is a tremendous loss to all 
those who respected his leadership and brilliance in government's 
important work to build the national transportation system. I join the 
Texas Congressional Delegation and all who knew and worked with Ric in 
extending our sincere condolences to his wife and family.
  As chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission, Ric crafted 
creative, major, and often controversial decisions about the future of 
the State's transportation system. He was a strong proponent of toll 
roads and public-private partnerships as a solution to meet the State's 
transportation needs and funding shortfalls.
  Ric's policies and positions were always well thought-out and 
passionately defended. He always did what he thought would best serve 
the transportation needs of the State, and many believe that his 
support for public-private partnerships was instrumental in inspiring 
other States to consider similar deals as a way to finance new highway 
construction or to provide long-range, predictable State revenues.
  Ric was a native of Abilene, Texas and graduated from University of 
Texas at Austin in 1974. In 1985, Ric was elected to the Texas 
Legislature, as a Democrat, and served 13 years until he left in 1998 
as a Republican. Serving on the legislature's House Appropriations 
Committee, he was one of the ``Pit Bulls,'' conservative lawmakers who 
questioned how the state spent its money. He believed that agencies 
should get money based on the goals they set and met, a concept known 
as performance-based budgeting, which is used today in the Texas budget 
process.

  During his State House years, Ric was known as a maverick, and earned 
the nickname ``Nitro'' for his energy. He was an independent and 
aggressive leader who preferred making good policy over playing 
politics.
  In 2001, Governor Perry appointed Ric to serve on the five-person 
Commission that oversees statewide activities of the Texas Department 
of Transportation. In 2004, he became the Commission's chairman. His 
tenure at the Commission was sometimes controversial, but, as my friend 
and colleague from the 26th district in Texas, Dr. Michael Burgess, 
said, Ric Williamson was ``unafraid to challenge the status quo, and 
was a highly regarded leader bringing innovative ideas to provide safe, 
economic and reliable transportation to improve the daily lives of 
Texans.''
  Ric is survived by his wife Mary Ann Williamson and three daughters, 
Melissa Meyer, Katherine Strange, and Sara Williamson, as well as two 
grandchildren.
  In closing, I will quote another friend of Ric's, the Administrator 
of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway 
Administration. ``Texas has lost a proud son, as has the nation's 
transportation community.'' Ric Williamson was a visionary leader and a 
straight talker. He will be sorely missed.

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