Washington, DC (May 23, 2006) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) today issued the following statement on the death of former United States Secretary of the Treasury and United States Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. 

“Senator Bentsen epitomized what it means to be in public service.  He served both his home state and his country with distinction, honor, and grace in a career that lasted nearly a half century.

“A native of the Rio Grande Valley, Senator Bentsen never forgot his roots.  On both the local level as a County Judge, and later in the United States Congress, he was known as a tireless advocate for civil rights, fiscal responsibility, and the disenfranchised.

“I now hold the same seat in Congress as he did in the 1940s, and it has been both a privilege and an honor to follow in his path.  Senator Bentsen always urged those of us who knew him to be true to our convictions and to always listen to the voices of our constituents.  This is something that I’ve always held true, and something I will never forget.

“I extend my sympathies to Senator Bentsen’s entire family and hold them in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”