Statement by the Vice President on the Death of Jack Brooks

I'm deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Jack Brooks. He was a Texan through and through – tough, bold, and bigger than life. He lived by principles that were carved into his heart, and he was never afraid to fight for what he believed in. In the sixties, he was one of the few southerners to boldly support civil rights. And throughout his career, Jack was always determined to do right by the people who sent him to Congress, whether that meant investigating Iran Contra, or fighting to root out government waste. He was a great man, and one of the privileges of my Senate career was working side-by-side with Jack when I was Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and he was Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jack's family today.