[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16539]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING FORMER CONGRESSMAN JACK BROOKS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2012

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
honor the life of former Congressman Jack Brooks, the renowned Member 
of Congress from Beaumont, Texas. Congressman Brooks served the 
American people in the U.S. Congress for 42 years of his life. He was 
89 years of age when he passed away last night.
  Congressman Brooks was first elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives in 1952. Almost immediately, Congressman Brooks turned 
his attention to increasing government transparency and efficiency, and 
this devotion became a guiding principle of his career. Congressman 
Brooks was pivotal in the passing of legislation that established the 
independent Offices of Inspector General, which oversee federal 
agencies in an effort to prevent fraud and waste. Congressman Brooks 
also crafted the standard by which the government must award federal 
contracts in an openly competitive process. By the end of his career, 
he was attributed with saving the American taxpayer billions of dollars 
by curbing government excess, and streamlining operations within the 
Executive and Legislative branches of the U.S. Government.
  Congressman Brooks was also a renowned leader of social justice. 
Defying most of his colleagues in the Texas delegation, Congressman 
Brooks saw a greater future for America through equality, and helped 
draft the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
As a true public servant devoted to the pursuit of the greater good, 
Congressman Brooks earned the support of labor unions, minorities, and 
pro-choice activists in a region that otherwise lacked the unified 
support for such progressive views at the time.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman Brooks was a leader among leaders, and was 
well regarded for his uncompromising character and integrity. As a 
fierce advocate for the American people, Congressman Brooks has left a 
lasting legacy and the indelible mark of progress in U.S. history. A 
true statesman, he set the bar to which all Members of Congress should 
aspire. I wish to extend my appreciation for his contributions to this 
body and to his country.

                          ____________________