Maxwell Frost: “it was with great regret that I learned of the retirement of Representative Sam Gibbons. One of our most esteemed…”

“it was with great regret that I learned of the retirement of Representative Sam Gibbons. One of our most esteemed Members, and the dean of the Florida delegation, Sam Gibbons has decided to retire after spending 34 years working on behalf of America's families. As a young man, Sam Gibbons won the Bronze Star for parachuting into Normandy during World War II. After the war, he became a lawyer and served in both the Florida State House and Senate before being elected to Congress. During his tenure in Congress, Sam Gibbons has worked to enact meaningful legislation concerning Medicare, Medicaid, pension reform, and trade. In fact, Sam Gibbons was the floor manager during the 1960's for President Johnson's antipoverty package, which created Head Start and the Job Corps among other programs. In addition, as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in 1994, Sam guided a new world trade pact, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, through House passage. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in the House with Representative Gibbons. Clearly, Sam's hard work and dedication to public service have improved the lives of all Americans, and he will be sorely missed. I wish him well in his retirement.”