[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13838-13839]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DOYLE WILLIS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 10, 2006

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
offer my deep heart-felt regrets for the loss of a great Texan, Doyle 
Willis, who dedicated 42 years of his life to Texas politics, and was 
fondly described as ``one of the last remaining war horses in Texas,'' 
by former Fort Worth City Councilman Jim Lane.
  Mr. Willis was a World War II veteran who proudly represented central 
Fort Worth as both a State Senator and as a House Representative 
between 1947 and 1997, marking his 42 year career as the second longest 
tenure in Texas history.
  Often referred to as a legend in Texas politics, Mr. Willis, was well 
known for looking after the best interests of his constituents, his 
fellow veterans, and in his own words, ``the two classes of people I 
need to worry about in the Texas Legislature are the old and young 
people.''
  His accomplishments included helping establish laws that let victims 
of child abuse give court testimony by videotape and enabling them to 
avoid face-to-face confrontations with their abusers.
  He earned the Bronze Star medal in World War II when he fought in the 
Pacific, and later became a strong voice for advocating veteran's 
causes.
  During his tenure in the Texas Legislature, he was instrumental in 
drafting many of Texas'

[[Page 13839]]

civil service laws protecting police officers and firefighters. As a 
Texas legislator, Mr. Willis made it a felony to steal someone's dog.
  Born August 18, 1908, on a farm near the small town of Peeltown 
located in rural Kaufman County southeast Dallas, Mr. Willis attended 
the University of Texas and earned degrees in education and economics 
and later attended Georgetown School of Law where he earned his JD.
  Since retiring from the Texas House of Representatives in 1997 and 
until a few months before his death, he remained an active lawyer and a 
stagnant participant in his civic duties.
  Mr. Willis was known as a friend to every man and woman who ever wore 
a uniform and spent the majority of his tenure making life better for 
all veterans.

                          ____________________