[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18617]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN MEMORY OF THE LATE LADY BIRD JOHNSON

  (Mr. ORTIZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to announce the 
passing of a great Texan, Lady Bird Johnson. Lady Bird Johnson was the 
essence of a lady so much that it was literally her name. She brought 
grace and light to the State of Texas and in Washington, D.C. She was a 
partner to President Lyndon Johnson in the home, on the campaign trail 
and in the White House. She made things around her prettier, around the 
environment, and she brought light and beauty to Washington, D.C., to 
politics and to our Nation.
  She was so proud of the Department of Education bearing the name of 
her husband, LBJ, to illustrate her dedication to education. Her legacy 
will live on in their beautiful family and in the flowers and beauty of 
the many parks that were inspired by her all over the Nation.
  At this moment I would like to yield to my good friend, Lloyd 
Doggett.
  Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, Lady Bird Johnson cared for all that is 
beautiful and vulnerable in the world. I think every child in a Head 
Start program, every wild flower gracing our highways is testament to 
her service.
  In Austin we think of her years as well as after the White House, the 
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, our Town Lake Trail, which 
families enjoy as a result of her concern.
  Our thoughts and prayers are particularly with her daughters, Lucy 
Baines Johnson and Lynda Bird Robb, their children, who are themselves 
a testament to her tradition and public service. And at an appropriate 
time we would like to ask that the House observe a moment of silence.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I yield to my good friend, Mr. Barton.
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. I thank the dean of the delegation for yielding 
to me.
  On behalf of the minority Republicans from Texas, simply let us say 
that we join in our best wishes to Lady Bird's family. I knew Lady Bird 
through the White House Fellows program. For those of us that were 
privileged to know her as an individual, she was gracious and charming 
and an absolute delight to know.
  We hope we will do a Special Order tomorrow, but we all join our 
colleagues wishing the Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson family our 
sincerest sympathies.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, let me yield for a few seconds to my good 
friend, Mr. Gene Green of Texas.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from 
Texas for yielding to me. And I want to thank this House, Madam 
Speaker, because earlier this year we passed a bill and it has been 
signed by the President naming the Department of Education building for 
Lyndon Baines Johnson. A lot of our goal was to make sure that Lady 
Bird was alive when that was done. And it was. When President Bush 
signed the bill, she actually heard; because of her illness she 
couldn't be in Washington, but she heard the bill signing and the great 
things said about the legacy of President Johnson and the Johnson 
family.
  And all of us share the loss of the Johnson family and the loss of 
Lady Bird. She literally defined the term ``lady'' for those of us who 
knew her.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence in Lady Bird 
Johnson's honor.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will all the Members and visitors in the 
gallery please rise and observe a moment of silence.

                          ____________________