[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13816-13817]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         TRIBUTE TO LATE TEXAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BOB BULLOCK

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, whenever I fly home to Texas 
and my plane approaches the State of Texas, I often hear the sound of 
rising thunder drifting across our land. The rumble is and can be known 
as the echoes of Texans, past and present, voicing their solid beliefs 
in individuality, independence and State pride. For the past few days, 
however, that thunder has been stilled, for the voices of all Texans 
have been silent in quiet reverence for the passing of our former 
Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, a great Texan and a great American.
  After courageously fighting lung cancer and heart disease, Bob 
Bullock passed away this past Friday. As we Texans like to say, he 
fought a good fight, but he simply ran out of time.
  Bob Bullock's long and proud legacy of service to Texas stands as a 
striking and fitting monument. In addition to his post as Lieutenant 
Governor, Bullock served 16 years as State Comptroller. He also served 
Texas as the Secretary of State, as a member of the Texas House of 
Representatives, and as an Assistant Attorney General. He truly loved 
public service and loved his State. From his early days as a Texas 
State Representative in 1956 to his final days as a retired Lieutenant 
Governor, Bob Bullock placed the interests of his State even before his 
own. He would often work when he was ailing, but he was committed to 
the values of our State and of this country.
  As Secretary of State he strove to attain campaign and election law 
changes as well as voting rights for 18-year-olds. Bullock headed the 
first consumer protection division at the Attorney General's office as 
an Assistant Attorney General. And while he was a great admirer of 
history, particularly Texas history, Bob Bullock also knew the value of 
foreseeing the future, something quite evident when he became one of 
the first elected officials to use computers in his office.
  Because I have known discrimination, I appreciate and applaud Bob 
Bullock's steadfast commitment to equal opportunity. He would let no 
one turn him around. As the Texas State Comptroller, he was the first 
elected official to enact an equal opportunity employment policy in his 
office. I can recall the many times that Bullock shared political 
alliances with the late Barbara Jordan, the first black woman elected 
to the Texas State Senate. Bullock also and always looked beyond a 
person's race or gender. To him, it was only the person's spirit and 
character that mattered. He was also a friend of our first historically 
black State school in the State, one born out of segregation, Texas 
Southern University.
  As a mother of children who have grown up in the Texas school system, 
I am also grateful for his successful efforts to enhance the quality of 
Texas education by implementing improvements. As Lieutenant Governor in 
1991, Bullock helped pass a school plan that encouraged wealthy school 
districts to share their money with districts less fortunate.
  Yet it seems that Bob Bullock, like all Texas heroes, transcends his 
mere accomplishments. It is his character that we will cherish and 
remember. Bob Bullock was a force. He had a fiery temper that could put 
even the hottest Texas chili to shame, and he was as demanding on his 
staff as he was on himself. Bob Bullock, however, won the position of 
Lieutenant Governor and he had the respect of all the Senators.
  He was one who appreciated a good joke. Although I have not completed 
my tribute to this great leader, this great Texan, let me say, Madam 
Speaker, to his wife and to his children, we have truly lost an 
American hero, a Texas hero, but most of all we have lost a friend who 
cared and loved for his fellow man and woman more than he cared for 
himself.
  God bless you, Bob Bullock, God bless America, and God bless Texas.
  Whenever I fly home to Texas and my plane approaches the Texas State 
line, I often hear the sound of rising thunder drifting across the 
land. That rumble is the echoes of Texans, past and present, voicing 
their solid beliefs in individuality, independence, and State pride. 
For the past few days, however, that thunder has been still, for the 
voices of all Texans have been silent in quiet reverence for the 
passing of former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.
  After courageously fighting lung cancer and heart disease, Bob 
Bullock passed away this past Friday. As we Texans like to say, he 
fought a good fight. He simply ran out of time.

[[Page 13817]]

  Bob Bullock's long and proud legacy of service to Texas stands as a 
striking and fitting monument. In addition to his post as Lieutenant 
Governor, Bullock served 16 years as State Comptroller. He also served 
Texas as the Secretary of State, as a member of the Texas House of 
Representatives, and as an Assistant Attorney General. And from his 
early days as a Texas State Representative in 1956 to his final days as 
a retired Lieutenant Governor, Bob Bullock placed the interests of his 
State even before his own.
  As Secretary of State, he strove to attain campaign and election law 
changes, as well as voting rights for 18 year-olds. Bullock headed the 
first consumer protection division at the Texas attorney general's 
office as an assistant attorney general. And while he was a great 
admirer of history, particularly Texas history, Bob Bullock also knew 
the value of foreseeing the future, something quite evident when he 
became one of the first elected officials to use computers at his 
office.
  Because I have known discrimination, I appreciate and applaud Bob 
Bullock's steadfast commitment to equal opportunity. As the Texas State 
Comptroller, he was the first elected official to enact an equal 
opportunity employment policy in his office. I can recall many times 
where Bullock shared political alliances with the late Barbara Jordan, 
the first black woman elected to the Texas State Senate. Bullock always 
looked beyond a person's race or gender. To him, it was only the 
person's spirit and character that mattered. He was also a friend of 
our first historically black State School in the State, one born out of 
segregation--Texas Southern University.
  And as a mother whose children were a part of the school system in 
Texas, I am also grateful for his successful efforts to enhance the 
quality of the Texas education system by implementing improvements. As 
Lieutenant Governor in 1991, Bullock helped pass a school plan that 
encouraged wealthy school districts to share their money with districts 
less fortunate.
  Yet, it seems that Bob Bullock, like all Texas heroes, transcends his 
mere accomplishments. It is his character that we will cherish and 
remember. Bob Bullock was a force. He had a fiery temper that could put 
even the hottest Texas chili to shame, and he was as demanding on his 
staff as he was on himself. When Bullock won his position as Lieutenant 
Governor, he took many Texas Senators to task, and soon the Senators 
deemed his fiery and confrontational demeanor as The Bullock Treatment.
  As many know, however, in the midst of the Bullock storm stood a 
gentle calm. And it is his great capacity for kindness and 
consideration that most remember. Bob Bullock always had an intense 
loyalty for his friends and loved ones. He was known for his corps of 
aides composed of a vast mix of individual talents, a group he 
affectionately called ``the world's largest group of born losers.'' 
Through his belief in their abilities, he found ways to optimize the 
skills and personalities of each person. Perhaps because Bullock stood 
behind each and every member of his staff, they, too, stood behind him 
with determination and die-hard loyalty. He also was always ready for a 
good joke and a hearty laugh.
  Bob Bullock learned early in his career that the good of the State 
often rose well above mere polities. When Governor George W. Bush first 
entered office, Bullock quickly forged a friendship with the new 
Governor. Bob Bullock was keen enough to realize that in-fighting with 
the Capitol could not help his State. He built a foundation for 
bipartisanship that now drives the State forward.
  Bob Bullock now rests in the State Cemetery, which, ironically, now 
stands in renewed glory thanks to Bullock's renovation efforts. This 
past Sunday, a crowd of mourners stood below the gray sky and said 
their quiet goodbyes. People from all walks of life attended, a tribute 
to Bullock's ability to touch a great cross-section of society. And 
although the entire state claimed him, he loved his beloved Hillsboro 
and they loved and admired him.
  Like all Texas heroes, Bob Bullock embraced the very ideal of Texas. 
His personality was tough, incendiary, yet compassionate. He was great, 
and he was grand. And for that, Texas embraced, and still embraces, 
him.
  To his wife Jan, his son and daughter, his stepdaughter, his grandson 
and all his other family members, we all lost a great Texan and a Great 
American, long may his legacy be remembered.

                          ____________________