Jeff Duncan: “Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure to honor a remarkable First Lady and great conservationist, Lady Bird Johnson.…”

“Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure to honor a remarkable First Lady and great conservationist, Lady Bird Johnson. And it is with much sadness that the House continues to note her recent passing. Born in 1912 in Karnack, Texas, in an era when women were not expected to accomplish great things, Mrs. Johnson came to represent strength of character that was the hallmark of her life. After graduating from the University of Texas in 1933, she married Lyndon Baines Johnson. Mrs. Johnson became the mother of two daughters, certainly her most important work, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines Johnson. She spent the next few decades raising her children and supporting her husband in his political career, which, of course, led him to the Presidency. She was a trusting sounding board for her husband through all his years in the House and Senate and in the White House. Mrs. Johnson led a nationwide effort to call attention to the beauty and the goal of highlighting historical sites and highways by planting flowering plants and wildflowers. While First Lady, she visited numerous public sites and scenic areas, thus bringing local and national attention to her beautification and conservation initiatives.”