Rep. Leland had roots in Rx school

Drug Store News, Sept 11, 1989

Rep. Leland had roots in Rx school

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Congressman George "Mickey" Leland, who died in a plane crash last month in a remote region of western Ethiopia, was a 1970 graduate of Texas Southern University School of Pharmacy and an instructor of Clinical Pharmacy at TSU prior to his entrance into politics in 1973.

A Democrat who earned his spurs as a representative to the Texas Legislature, Leland began his U.S. House of Representatives term in the 96th Congress in 1979 as the freshman majority whip, and was the majority whip at-large during the 97th and 100th Congress. He represented the 18th Congressional District in Houston.

Leland was chairman of the House Select Committee on Hunger, and a member of the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. He served as the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus for the 99th Congress and was chairman of the Democratic National Committee's Black Caucus from 1981-85.

Leland was a key liaison in discussions with McNeil Pharmaceutical and Johnson & Johnson Associated Industries in 1982, when the two organizations made a $50,000 contribution to the Texas Southern University School of Pharmacy. He also participated in the 1979 APhA Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif., as its keynote speaker.

"Mickey Leland was a good friend of ours," Richard Beck, director of public affairs of Texas Pharmaceutical Association, said. "He was very supportive of us for many legislative issues, including the Medicare Catastrophic Drug Benefit, drug product selection and physician dispensing legislation. He always went out of his way to help us."