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Jack Brooks | Texas lawmaker, 89

Jack Brooks, 89, who hounded government bureaucrats, drafted President Richard Nixon's articles of impeachment, and supported civil rights bills in a congressional career spanning 42 years, died Tuesday.

Jack Brooks, 89, who hounded government bureaucrats, drafted President Richard Nixon's articles of impeachment, and supported civil rights bills in a congressional career spanning 42 years, died Tuesday.

Mr. Brooks died at Baptist Hospital of Beaumont after a sudden illness, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department said.

He was among the last links to an era when Democrats dominated Texas politics. First elected to the House in his far southeast Texas district in 1952, Mr. Brooks was returned to office 20 more times. He was on the verge of becoming the dean of the House when he was ousted in the Republican revolution of 1994.

He helped write the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned racial segregation.

A Brooks-authored law required full and open competition to be the standard for awarding federal contracts. The 1965 Brooks Act set policy for the government's computer-acquisition program, requiring competitive bidding and central management. His Inspector General Act established independent Offices of Inspector General in major agencies to prevent fraud and waste.

He also served on the House Judiciary Committee, where he supported Nixon's impeachment and drafted the articles of impeachment the judiciary panel adopted. Nixon referred to Brooks as "the executioner." - AP