Representative from Texas; born in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Tex., January 29, 1952; graduated from Arlington Heights High School, Fort Worth, Tex., 1970; attended Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga., 1970-1973; B.A., University of Texas, Austin, Tex., 1974; J.D., University of Texas Law School, Austin, Tex., 1978; admitted to the Texas bar in 1978; lawyer, private practice; executive assistant to United States Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen, 1983-1986; unsuccessful candidate for election to the One Hundredth Congress in 1986; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred First Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of United States Representative James C. Wright, Jr., and reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (September 12, 1989-January 3, 1997); was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Fifth Congress in 1996; member of the Dallas/Fort Worth, Tex., Airport board, 1999-2001; Secretary, United States Army, 2007-2009.