Lloyd Millard Bentsen

Democrat Senator of Texas

Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

January 1, 1921 (85 years old)

Birthday

January 1, 2006

Death

Served as a four-term United States Senator from 1971 to 1993
Was the Democratic Party nominee for vice president in 1988
Served as the 69th United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton
Graduated from the University of Texas School of Law
Served in the Air Force during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Served in the United States House of Representatives from 1948 to 1955
Defeated incumbent Senator Ralph Yarborough in the 1970 Democratic Senatorial primary and won the general election against George H. W. Bush
Served as the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from 1987 to 1993
Played a role in the creation of the individual retirement account (IRA)
Sought the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination but did not win
Famous for his retort to Dan Quayle during the 1988 vice presidential debate: “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy”
Helped win the ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the passage of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 as Treasury Secretary
Retired in December 1994 and was succeeded by Robert Rubin
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999
Died in 2006 at the age of 85 from stroke-related complications