July 23, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H8241 was also an advocate of the Head Start pro- incorporate the 279 acre Wildflower Center Atlantic during 1941, fighter pilots aboard gram. into the University. the USS Hornet in the South Pacific during Johnson’s press secretary from 1963–1969 For twenty years Lady Bird Johnson spent 1942, and American forces in China during was Liz Carpenter, a fellow University of her summers on the island of Martha’s Vine- 1943; Whereas many of Tom Lea’s paintings Texas alumna. Carpenter was the first profes- yard renting the home of Charles from World War II are in the United States sional newswoman to be press secretary to a Guggeinheim for many of those years. She Army Center for Military History in Wash- First Lady, and she also served as Lady Bird’s said she had greatly appreciated the island’s ington, DC, and are loaned to exhibitions staff director. natural beauty and flowers. worldwide; In 1970, A White House Diary, Lady Bird On October 13, 2006, Lady Bird Johnson Whereas, when accepting the Republican Johnson’s intimate, behind-the-scenes account made a rare public appearance at the renova- nomination for President of the United of Lyndon Johnson’s presidency from Novem- tion announcement of the Lyndon Baines States in 2000, George W. Bush quoted Tom ber 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969, was pub- Johnson Library and Museum. Sitting in a Lea about living on the ‘‘sunrise side of the mountain’’; lished. Beginning with the tragic assassination wheelchair and showing signs of recent health Whereas Tom Lea’s painting Rio Grande of John F. Kennedy, Mrs. Johnson recorded problems, Lady Bird seemed engaged and today hangs in the Oval Office at the White the momentous events of ber times, including alert, and clapped along with those present at House; the Great Society’s War on Poverty, the na- the ceremony. Whereas Tom Lea’s works are found tional civil rights and social protest move- Mr. Speaker, in the last year the state of throughout Washington, DC and Texas, in- ments, her own activism on behalf of the envi- Texas has lost several of its greatest sons and cluding in the Rayburn House Office Build- ronment, and the Vietnam War. Indeed, Lady daughters: Governor Ann Richards; Senator ing, which displays his portrait of Sam Ray- Bird Johnson and her husband were cham- and Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen; col- burn; the Smithsonian American Art Mu- seum; the Dallas Museum of Art; the El Paso pions of civil rights and were instrumental in umnist and progressive icon Molly Ivins; and Museum of Art; the University of Texas at El the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 now Lady Bird Johnson. Paso; Texas A&M University; and the Uni- and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I know that The Lone Star State mourns the loss of our versity of Texas at Austin; her comforting words and her encouragement favorite daughter and it will be grieving for Whereas Tom Lea painted several notable were part of the decision making of President some time. But the memory of Lady Bird murals, including the Texas Centennial Johnson as he made some critical decisions Johnson will never be forgotten so long as the mural and, under the Department of Treas- during some difficult times regarding the civil flowers bloom in the capital city of our nation ury’s Section of Fine Arts mural competi- rights of individuals who had been discrimi- and along the highways and byways of the tion programs, The Nesters mural for the several states, especially her beloved Texas. Benjamin Franklin Post Office in Wash- nated against for most of the history of this ington, DC; the Pass of the North mural for country. Long out of print, the paperback edi- I strongly support H. Res. 553 and urge my the Federal Courthouse in El Paso, Texas; tion of A White House Diary will be available colleagues to do the same. the Stampede mural for the Odessa, Texas again through the University of Texas Press in Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. Speaker, I Post Office; the Comancheros mural for the Fall 2007. yield back the balance of our time. Seymour, Texas Post Office; and the Back She was acquainted with a long span of fel- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Home mural for the Pleasant Hill, Missouri low First Ladies, from Eleanor Roosevelt to question is on the motion offered by Post Office; Laura Bush, and was protected by the United the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Whereas Tom Lea was also an accom- States Secret Service for forty-four years, DAVIS) that the House suspend the plished author and illustrator whose works rules and agree to the resolution, H. included the two-volume annotated history longer than anyone else in history. The King Ranch (published in 1957), in addi- Lady Bird Johnson was awarded the Presi- Res. 553. tion to four novels and two non-fiction dential Medal of Freedom by Gerald Ford on The question was taken. books, of which, The Brave Bulls (published January 10, 1977. The citation for her medal The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the in 1949) and The Wonderful Country (pub- read: opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being lished in 1952), were adapted as screenplays ‘‘One of America’s great First Ladies, she in the affirmative, the ayes have it. for motion pictures; claimed her own place in the hearts and his- Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Whereas Tom Lea during his life was hon- tory of the American people. In councils of on that I demand the yeas and nays. ored with several awards, including the Navy power or in homes of the poor, she made gov- The yeas and nays were ordered. Distinguished Public Service Award, the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- United States Marine Corps’ Colonel John W. ernment human with her unique compassion Thomason, Jr. Award, and the National Cow- and her grace, warmth and wisdom. Her lead- ant to clause 8 of rule XX and the boy and Western Heritage Museum’s Great ership transformed the American landscape Chair’s prior announcement, further Westerners Award; and preserved its natural beauty as a national proceedings on this motion will be Whereas President and Mrs. George W. treasure.’’ postponed. Bush are serving as Honorary Chairs of the Johnson then received the Congressional f International Advisory Board for the 2007 Gold Medal on May 8, 1984. In addition to the Tom Lea Centennial Celebration, a month- HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOM- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, her long series of events in the Southwest that PLISHMENTS OF RENOWNED seeks to ensure that the richness and diver- name has been lent to the Lady Bird Johnson ARTIST TOM LEA ON THE 100TH sity of Tom Lea’s legacy will nourish genera- Park on Columbia Island in Washington, D.C., ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH tions to come; and which was founded as a result of her efforts Whereas Tom Lea’s war diaries are to be as First Lady to beautify the capital. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I published by Texas A&M Press in 2008: Now, After former President Johnson died in move to suspend the rules and agree to therefore, be it 1973, Lady Bird Johnson remained in the pub- the resolution (H. Res. 519) honoring Resolved, That the House of Representa- lic eye, honoring her husband and other Presi- the life and accomplishments of re- tives honors the life and accomplishments of dents. In the 1970s, she focused her attention nowned artist Tom Lea on the 100th an- Tom Lea. on the Austin riverfront area through her in- niversary of his birth. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- volvement in the Town Lake Beautification The Clerk read the title of the resolu- ant to the rule, the gentleman from Il- Project. From 1971 to 1978, Johnson served tion. linois (Mr. DAVIS) and the gentleman on the board of regents for the University of The text of the resolution is as fol- from Connecticut (Mr. SHAYS) each will Texas System. lows: control 20 minutes. On December 22, 1982 (her 70th birthday), H. RES. 519 The Chair recognizes the gentleman she and actress Helen Hayes founded the Na- Whereas, 100 years ago on July 11, 1907, from Illinois. tional Wildflower Research Center, a nonprofit Tom Lea was born in El Paso, Texas, to GENERAL LEAVE organization devoted to preserving and reintro- former El Paso Mayor Tom Lea, Sr., and his Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ducing native plants in planned landscapes, wife Zola Utt Lea and spent the majority of ask unanimous consent that all Mem- located east of Austin, Texas. The Center his life in El Paso; bers may have 5 legislative days in Whereas Tom Lea served as an accredited which to revise and extend their re- opened a new facility southwest of Austin on war artist correspondent for Life magazine La Crosse Avenue in 1994. It was officially re- during World War II, traveled over 100,000 marks. named The Lady Bird Johnson Wildtlower miles as an eye-witness reporter, landed with The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Center in 1998. On June 20, 2006, The Uni- the First Marines on Peleliu during 1942, and objection to the request of the gen- versity of Texas at Austin announced plans to accompanied American forces in the North tleman from Illinois? VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:43 Aug 15, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD07\H23JY7.REC H23JY7 mmaher on PROD1PC70 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H8242 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 23, 2007 There was no objection.