Jack Bascom Brooks (born December 22, 1922) is a retired politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who served for more than 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Brooks was born in Crowley, Louisiana. Brooks attended Lamar University and University of Texas at Austin. Brooks served in the United States Marine Corps in World War II. Brooks served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1947 to 1951.
In 1952, Brooks was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 2nd district as a Democrat. During the 1950s and 1960s he was one of the more liberal Southern Congressmen on issues like labor and civil rights while remaining conservative on issues like the death penalty and gun control. In 1966, he changed to representing Texas's 9th congressional district. Brooks was the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Government Operations from 1975 through 1988 and the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary from 1989 until 1995.
Congressman Brooks expressed alarm at the 1967 move of the US Patent Office to attempt to introduce guidelines for software patentability.
When the House first began requiring financial disclosures in the late 1970s, Brooks became known as one of the richest men in Congress, having acquired a number of banks and other businesses during his years in office.
In 1994, Brooks was defeated by Republican Steve Stockman. Brooks's sponsorship of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which was ultimately passed with the Federal assault weapons ban incorporated as an amendment, probably contributed to his defeat, despite Brooks's life membership in the National Rifle Association.
A park in Galveston County and a federal courthouse in Beaumont, Texas are named in his honor.
| Preceded by William L. Smith |
Member of the Texas
House of Representatives from District 16-1 (Beaumont) 1947–1951 |
Succeeded by William C. Ross, Sr. |
| Preceded by Jesse M. Combs |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 2nd congressional district 1953–1965 |
Succeeded by John Dowdy |
| Preceded by Clark W. Thompson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 9th congressional district 1965–1995 |
Succeeded by Steve Stockman |
| Preceded by Peter Rodino |
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee 1989–1995 |
Succeeded by Henry Hyde |
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