Bill Text: MI HR0354 | 2019-2020 | 100th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution of tribute offered as a memorial for J. Bob Traxler, former member of the Michigan House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-12-16 - Adopted By Unanimous Standing Vote [HR0354 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2019-HR0354-Enrolled.html
house Resolution No.354
The Speaker, on behalf of the entire membership, offered the following resolution:
A resolution of tribute offered as a memorial for J. Bob Traxler, former member of the Michigan House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives.
Whereas, The members of this legislative body were saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Traxler. He represented the areas around Saginaw Bay and the Thumb region for more than three decades. A skilled negotiator with a big heart, he dedicated his life to public service and improving the communities and state that he loved; and
Whereas, Born in Kawkawlin, Bob Traxler graduated from T.L. Handy High School in Bay City and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Michigan State University. After serving his country in the United States Army, he received a law degree from the Detroit College of Law and became an assistant prosecutor in Bay County. In 1962, he was first elected to the state House of Representatives; and
Whereas, Bob Traxler served as a member of this legislative body for 12 years, distinguishing himself as a conscientious and dedicated public servant. Representative Traxler was an active member on several committees, including serving as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee in his final term. In his second term, his peers elected him majority floor leader. Among his many legislative accomplishments, he is best remembered for his leadership on legalizing bingo games for charitable purposes, for which he received the nickname "Bingo Bob"; and
Whereas, Bob Traxler left the Michigan House of Representatives in 1974 upon his election to the United States House of Representatives. Over the next 19 years, he would rise in Congress to become a leader on the House Appropriations Committee. Earning a reputation as a consummate dealmaker, he was a strong advocate for Great Lakes funding and always worked to ensure Michigan received its fair share of federal funding; and
Whereas, Bob Traxler's public service did not end with his legislative career. He won statewide election to the board of trustees of his alma mater, Michigan State University, in 1992, and, upon his resignation from that board, was appointed to the Mackinac Island State Park Commission in 2000; and
Whereas, Bob Traxler was a tireless advocate for Michigan and the communities he loved. Always willing to listen to the concerns of his constituents, his legacy lives on with the many generations he mentored and the example he set. He will not soon be forgotten; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we offer this expression of our highest tribute to honor the memory of J. Bob Traxler, a member of this legislative body from 1963 to 1974 and the United States House of Representatives from 1974 to 1992; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Traxler family as evidence of our lasting esteem for his memory.
