Watercolor, Jena Rawley-Whitaker, 1996, Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

de la GARZA, Eligio, II (Kika), a Representative from Texas; born in Mercedes, Hidalgo County, Tex., September 22, 1927; educated at Mission (Tex.) High School, Edinburgh (Tex.) Junior College, and St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Tex., LL.B., 1952; at age 17 enlisted in the United States Navy and served from 1945 to 1946; served as an officer in the United States Army, Thirty-seventh Division Artillery, 1950-1952; graduated as a second lieutenant, St. Mary’s ROTC, in 1951 and from the Artillery School, Fort Sill, Okla., in 1952; was admitted to the bar in 1952 and began practice in Mission, Tex.; member of the State house of representatives 1952-1964; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-ninth and to the fifteen succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1965-January 3, 1997); chairman, Committee on Agriculture (Ninety-seventh through One Hundred Third Congresses); was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Fifth Congress.