E. L. Henry
Encyclopedia
Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry (born February 10, 1936) is a Baton Rouge attorney
, lobbyist, and partner of the high-powered firm Adams and Reese who served as a Democrat
in the House of Representatives
from 1968-1980. He was Speaker
from 1972–1980. Henry was Governor
Edwin Washington Edwards's choice for Speaker. Though he was considered reform-minded, some conservatives
still questioned Henry's commitment to reform. In 1979, Henry finished in a weak fifth place in the jungle primary
in his bid to succeed Edwards as governor. Thereafter, he was commissioner of administration for the new governor, Republican
David C. Treen
, then of Jefferson Parish. After Treen left office, Henry retired from elective and appointive office to concentrate on his law practice and lobbying activities. He joined Adams and Reese in 1987. One of his major clients is State Farm Insurance
.
and obtained his bachelor of arts
degree from Baptist
-affiliated Baylor University
in Waco, Texas
, in 1957. Thereafter, he procured his law
degree from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge. Henry won his legislative seat on February 6, 1968, with a solid victory over his Republican
opponent and personal friend, businessman Bob Reese
of Jonesboro, later of Natchitoches Parish
, where he ran unsuccessfully in 1972 for the state senate
against the Democrat Paul L. Foshee
. The House seat in Jackson Parish was vacated by a one-term member, Marvin T. Culpepper (1908–1970) of Jonesboro.
In his first term in the legislature, Henry, at thirty-two, led a group of younger members who advocated reforms. Called the "Young Turks," the members urged spending cuts, a decrease in the number of state employees, and reducing the amount of bonded indebtedness. Henry stopped lobbyists from going onto the House floor, and he opened up the committee process, but overall the priorities of the legislature are usually tied to those of the institutionally "strong" governor.
In addition to Henry, the "Young Turks" included then Representative Robert G. "Bob" Jones of Lake Charles
, son of former Governor Sam Houston Jones. Jones would later become a state senator and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1975. Other "Young Turks" from around the state who participated in this session were the late John Hainkel, Jr.
, Ben Bagert
, and Thomas Casey, all of New Orleans, P.J. Mills
of Shreveport, R. W. "Buzzy" Graham
of Alexandria
, and Donald Wayne "Don" Williamson
of Vivian
in north Caddo Parish.
Henry won the Speaker's position after John Sidney Garrett
of Haynesville
in northern Claiborne Parish was defeated in the primary by Louise B. Johnson
. Representative Frank Fulco
of Shreveport was attempting to win commitments for Speaker too, but he was unseated in the general election by the Republican Arthur W. "Art" Sour, Jr.
was rejected by the House Civil Law Committee. At the national level, 35 of the required 38 states had ratified ERA, and advocates of the amendment were targeting Louisiana, Florida
, and Illinois
as the final three. Social conservative groups opposed the amendment, arguing that it would federalize family law and pre-empt the states in areas dealing with the family.
Henry had placed what he believed was a majority of ERA backers on the Civil Law Committee. One of those was his future law partner with Adams and Reese in Baton Rouge, Sam LeBlanc III, a Metairie
(Jefferson Parish) Democrat. LeBlanc, who served in the legislature from 1972–1980, was in fact the committee chairman. Previously, the committee had given ERA an "unfavorable" report, which had rendered it nearly impossible for the measure to be passed on the House floor. There were believed to have been nine ERA backers on the committee, based either on their past votes in the previous legislative session or on how the lawmaker had stood on ERA in the 1975 election campaign. There were only five ERA opponents on the panel, including Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey
, then a young Ferriday
(Concordia Parish) Democrat, but later a Republican political activist in Baton Rouge. Supporters expected ERA would receive a "fair" hearing and a "favorable" report to the full House.
ERA generated nearly as much attention from legislators as the simultaneous consideration of the successful right-to-work law
. Supporters of the amendment seemed to think that it was a foregone conclusion that Speaker Henry had found a way to get the amendment out of the previously "obstructionist" committee. Meanwhile, a small group of social conservatives, unknown to Henry or LeBlanc, was giving speeches in parts of the state where they sought to switch the votes of four Democratic representatives on the committee. These lawmakers were John W. "Jock" Scott
of Alexandria
, Michael F. "Mike" Thompson of Lafayette
, Lane A. Carson
of New Orleans, and A. J. McNamara
of Metairie. It was believed that the Pentecostal Church, which opposed ERA and which was influential in Rapides Parish, convinced Scott to reverse his position. pro-life and anti-feminist groups in Lafayette
and New Orleans, persuaded Thompson to oppose the ERA, and conservative women in Jefferson Parish pleaded with McNamara, later a Ronald W. Reagan-appointed U.S. district judge, to switch his vote as well.
, seat of Jackson Parish, also the birthplace and burial site of former Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
. In 1972, Henry campaigned for Edwin Edwards, who faced an unusually strong Republican gubernatorial opponent in David Treen. Jackson Parish reelected Henry to the legislature, but it supported Treen for governor in the general election held on February 1 that year.
In 1979, after he had lost out in the primary, Henry endorsed Republican Treen, but Jackson Parish again defied Henry's suggestion and voted for Treen's Democratic gubernatorial challenger, Louis J. Lambert, Jr.
, a public service commissioner from Ascension Parish.
In his 1979 gubernatorial run, Henry received 135,769 votes (9.9 percent). His manager was a future governor: Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III
of Bossier Parish. Henry and Roemer had become friends when both were members of the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1973. Henry was a chairman of the convention and was highly regarded for his ability to bring about consensus on divisive issues.
In 1974, Henry was honored in the Oval Office
in Washington, D.C.
, by President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., who cited his "exemplary leadership," particularly in reference to his chairmanship of the constitutional convention.
In the fall of 2001, Louisiana Life magazine named Henry one of twenty persons who have "most influenced public policy in Louisiana during the past twenty years." And that designation came after his tenure in the legislature had ended.
In 2003, he lent support to an unsuccessful effort by a group attempting to convince President George W. Bush
to release Edwin Edwards from prison. "He has been ruined. There is no purpose to be served by his sitting in prison for 10 years," said the former Louisiana Speaker. Edwards was convicted in May 2000 on conspiracy
, racketeering, and money-laundering charges following a four-month trial.
Henry and his wife, Frances S. Henry (born April 30, 1937), attend the University Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, where Henry has taught the young adults Sunday school class for many years. On the occasion of Henry's 70th birthday in 2006, the state House expressed "enduring gratitude" for his "outstanding contributions to the state." The House resolution also said that Henry "lives his life based on his faith in his Creator." Mrs. Henry is vice chairman of the Louisiana Board of Regents, which directs the state's colleges and universities, except for LSU.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, lobbyist, and partner of the high-powered firm Adams and Reese who served as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1968-1980. He was Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
from 1972–1980. Henry was Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Edwin Washington Edwards's choice for Speaker. Though he was considered reform-minded, some conservatives
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
still questioned Henry's commitment to reform. In 1979, Henry finished in a weak fifth place in the jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
in his bid to succeed Edwards as governor. Thereafter, he was commissioner of administration for the new governor, Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
David C. Treen
David C. Treen
David Conner "Dave" Treen, Sr. , was an American attorney and politician from Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana – the first Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana since Reconstruction. He was the first Republican in modern times to have served in the U.S...
, then of Jefferson Parish. After Treen left office, Henry retired from elective and appointive office to concentrate on his law practice and lobbying activities. He joined Adams and Reese in 1987. One of his major clients is State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance is a group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States. The company also has operations in Canada....
.
Leading the "Young Turks"
Henry graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High SchoolJonesboro-Hodge High School
Jonesboro-Hodge High School is a high school located in North Central Louisiana. It is located in Jonesboro in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. The school mascot is the Tiger, named after LSU. The colors are scarlet and royal blue...
and obtained his bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
-affiliated Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, in 1957. Thereafter, he procured his law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degree from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge. Henry won his legislative seat on February 6, 1968, with a solid victory over his Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
opponent and personal friend, businessman Bob Reese
Bob Reese
Bobby Lynn Reese, known as Bob Reese , was a home builder, architectural designer, portrait painter, and businessman in Natchitoches, Louisiana, who was a co-chairman of the Natchitoches Parish Republican Party from 1968–2004, during an era in which Democrats dominated his region of the state,...
of Jonesboro, later of Natchitoches Parish
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Natchitoches. As of 2000, the population was 39,080. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community...
, where he ran unsuccessfully in 1972 for the state senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
against the Democrat Paul L. Foshee
Paul L. Foshee
Paul Lee Foshee, Sr. , is a retired crop duster from Natchitoches, Louisiana, who served nonconsecutively in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature during the 1960s and 1970s. From 1960 to 1964, beginning at the age of twenty-seven, Foshee served a single four-year term as a state...
. The House seat in Jackson Parish was vacated by a one-term member, Marvin T. Culpepper (1908–1970) of Jonesboro.
In his first term in the legislature, Henry, at thirty-two, led a group of younger members who advocated reforms. Called the "Young Turks," the members urged spending cuts, a decrease in the number of state employees, and reducing the amount of bonded indebtedness. Henry stopped lobbyists from going onto the House floor, and he opened up the committee process, but overall the priorities of the legislature are usually tied to those of the institutionally "strong" governor.
In addition to Henry, the "Young Turks" included then Representative Robert G. "Bob" Jones of Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, son of former Governor Sam Houston Jones. Jones would later become a state senator and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1975. Other "Young Turks" from around the state who participated in this session were the late John Hainkel, Jr.
John Hainkel
John Joseph Hainkel, Jr., was a gregarious, ruffled, and raspy-voiced legislator from New Orleans who died in office after thirty-seven years of service...
, Ben Bagert
Ben Bagert
Bernard John "Ben" Bagert, Jr. is a prominent New Orleans attorney who was a member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature from 1970 to 1992. As a legislator, Bagert was known as a politician who did not follow structured party dogma...
, and Thomas Casey, all of New Orleans, P.J. Mills
P.J. Mills
Percy Joseph Mills, Jr., known as P. J. Mills , is a retired businessman residing in New Orleans, Louisiana, who served from 1968-1972 as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish in the northwestern corner of the state.Known as one of the...
of Shreveport, R. W. "Buzzy" Graham
R. W. "Buzzy" Graham
Ralph Warren Graham, known as R. W. "Buzzy" Graham , is an insurance agent in Woodworth in south Rapides Parish, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1968 to 1972. He served alongside T. C. Brister, W. K. Brown, and Robert J. Munson from Rapides and...
of Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, and Donald Wayne "Don" Williamson
Don W. Williamson
Donald Wayne Williamson, usually known as Don Williamson , is a semiretired American businessman in Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish and the largest city in north Louisiana, who served in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature between 1968 and 1980...
of Vivian
Vivian, Louisiana
Vivian, is a town in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States and is home to the Red Bud Festival. The population was 4,031 at the 2000 census...
in north Caddo Parish.
Henry won the Speaker's position after John Sidney Garrett
John Sidney Garrett
John Sidney Garrett was a conservative Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives who served from 1948 to 1972 under four gubernatorial administrations. Garrett was a successful businessman in the small town of Haynesville in Claiborne Parish south of the Arkansas state line...
of Haynesville
Haynesville, Louisiana
Haynesville is a town in northern Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States, located just south of the Arkansas border. The population was 2,679 at the 2000 census....
in northern Claiborne Parish was defeated in the primary by Louise B. Johnson
Louise B. Johnson
Louise Brazzel Johnson was a little-known insurance agent in Bernice in Union Parish who rocketed to state prominence when she upset the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives in the 1971 Democratic primary...
. Representative Frank Fulco
Frank Fulco
Frank J. Fulco, Sr. , was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1956–1972 and a leader of the Italian-American community in his native Louisiana...
of Shreveport was attempting to win commitments for Speaker too, but he was unseated in the general election by the Republican Arthur W. "Art" Sour, Jr.
Art Sour
Arthur William Sour, Jr., known as Art Sour , was a Shreveport businessman and a pioneer in developing a competitive Republican Party in Louisiana. A conservative, Sour served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972-1992. He was born in Shreveport to Arthur W. Sour and Adele Sour . He...
Henry' biggest legislative defeat
Henry's most conspicuous defeat as Speaker of the House occurred in 1976, when the Equal Rights AmendmentEqual Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
was rejected by the House Civil Law Committee. At the national level, 35 of the required 38 states had ratified ERA, and advocates of the amendment were targeting Louisiana, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
as the final three. Social conservative groups opposed the amendment, arguing that it would federalize family law and pre-empt the states in areas dealing with the family.
Henry had placed what he believed was a majority of ERA backers on the Civil Law Committee. One of those was his future law partner with Adams and Reese in Baton Rouge, Sam LeBlanc III, a Metairie
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
(Jefferson Parish) Democrat. LeBlanc, who served in the legislature from 1972–1980, was in fact the committee chairman. Previously, the committee had given ERA an "unfavorable" report, which had rendered it nearly impossible for the measure to be passed on the House floor. There were believed to have been nine ERA backers on the committee, based either on their past votes in the previous legislative session or on how the lawmaker had stood on ERA in the 1975 election campaign. There were only five ERA opponents on the panel, including Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey
Dan Richey
Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey is a Baton Rouge-based political consultant for "pro-family" candidates and organizations, including Louisiana Family Forum. From 1997 to 2004, Richey served under appointment of Republican Governor Murphy J...
, then a young Ferriday
Ferriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
(Concordia Parish) Democrat, but later a Republican political activist in Baton Rouge. Supporters expected ERA would receive a "fair" hearing and a "favorable" report to the full House.
ERA generated nearly as much attention from legislators as the simultaneous consideration of the successful right-to-work law
Right-to-work law
Right-to-work laws are statutes enforced in twenty-two U.S. states, mostly in the southern or western U.S., allowed under provisions of the federal Taft–Hartley Act, which prohibit agreements between labor unions and employers that make membership, payment of union dues, or fees a condition of...
. Supporters of the amendment seemed to think that it was a foregone conclusion that Speaker Henry had found a way to get the amendment out of the previously "obstructionist" committee. Meanwhile, a small group of social conservatives, unknown to Henry or LeBlanc, was giving speeches in parts of the state where they sought to switch the votes of four Democratic representatives on the committee. These lawmakers were John W. "Jock" Scott
Jock Scott
John Wyeth "Jock" Scott, II was a lawyer and college professor in Alexandria, who served three terms from District 26 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, first as a Democrat and then as a Republican . He was defeated in a race for the Louisiana State Senate in 1987...
of Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, Michael F. "Mike" Thompson of Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, Lane A. Carson
Lane Carson
Lane Anderson Carson is the head of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs in the administration of Governor Bobby Jindal. Carson is also a licensed building contractor and real estate broker, and an attorney in private practice. He resides in Covington, the seat of St. Tammany Parish...
of New Orleans, and A. J. McNamara
A. J. McNamara
Abel J. "Buddy" McNamara , usually known as A.J. McNamara, is a former Louisiana politician and judge of the New Orleans-based United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, who served full-time from June 21, 1982, until the fall of 2001, when he assumed senior status.The New...
of Metairie. It was believed that the Pentecostal Church, which opposed ERA and which was influential in Rapides Parish, convinced Scott to reverse his position. pro-life and anti-feminist groups in Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
and New Orleans, persuaded Thompson to oppose the ERA, and conservative women in Jefferson Parish pleaded with McNamara, later a Ronald W. Reagan-appointed U.S. district judge, to switch his vote as well.
Gubernatorial politics
Henry represented District 13, which included his native JonesboroJonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, seat of Jackson Parish, also the birthplace and burial site of former Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
. In 1972, Henry campaigned for Edwin Edwards, who faced an unusually strong Republican gubernatorial opponent in David Treen. Jackson Parish reelected Henry to the legislature, but it supported Treen for governor in the general election held on February 1 that year.
In 1979, after he had lost out in the primary, Henry endorsed Republican Treen, but Jackson Parish again defied Henry's suggestion and voted for Treen's Democratic gubernatorial challenger, Louis J. Lambert, Jr.
Louis Lambert
Louis Joseph Lambert, Jr. , is a Louisiana attorney, businessman, former member and chairman of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, and a former Louisiana state senator....
, a public service commissioner from Ascension Parish.
In his 1979 gubernatorial run, Henry received 135,769 votes (9.9 percent). His manager was a future governor: Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
of Bossier Parish. Henry and Roemer had become friends when both were members of the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1973. Henry was a chairman of the convention and was highly regarded for his ability to bring about consensus on divisive issues.
Commissioner of Administration
In 1980, as his legislative term ended, Henry became Treen's commissioner of administration, a high position in state government, which had been filled under Edwards by none other than Roemer's often controversial father, Charles E. Roemer, II, also of Bossier Parish. As commissioner of administration, Henry pushed to fruition the plans and blueprints for the State Capitol Complex and the consolidation of state offices within the Capitol environs.Henry's legacy
Henry's affiliations include the Council for a Better Louisiana, the Public Affairs Research Council, and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.In 1974, Henry was honored in the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, by President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., who cited his "exemplary leadership," particularly in reference to his chairmanship of the constitutional convention.
In the fall of 2001, Louisiana Life magazine named Henry one of twenty persons who have "most influenced public policy in Louisiana during the past twenty years." And that designation came after his tenure in the legislature had ended.
In 2003, he lent support to an unsuccessful effort by a group attempting to convince President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to release Edwin Edwards from prison. "He has been ruined. There is no purpose to be served by his sitting in prison for 10 years," said the former Louisiana Speaker. Edwards was convicted in May 2000 on conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
, racketeering, and money-laundering charges following a four-month trial.
Henry and his wife, Frances S. Henry (born April 30, 1937), attend the University Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, where Henry has taught the young adults Sunday school class for many years. On the occasion of Henry's 70th birthday in 2006, the state House expressed "enduring gratitude" for his "outstanding contributions to the state." The House resolution also said that Henry "lives his life based on his faith in his Creator." Mrs. Henry is vice chairman of the Louisiana Board of Regents, which directs the state's colleges and universities, except for LSU.
External links
- http://www.adamsandreese.com/news_and_events/full_article.html?newsID=84
- http://www.governing.com/poy/1997/ptdowner.htm
- http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2006/02/21/65646.htm
- http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/state/15097806.htm?source=rss&channel=sunherald_state
- http://www.swlahistory.org/newsletterd.htm
- http://www.enlou.com/officeholders/housedistrict13.htm
- house.louisiana.gov/Journals/2006_1stESJournals/061ES%20-%20HJ%200216%2010
- http://sec.edgar-online.com/1999/05/07/14/0000950129-99-002025/Section4.asp
- http://www.regents.state.la.us/Board/regents.htm