Bentsen, Lloyd Millard Jr.

Bentsen, Lloyd Millard Jr.

(1921– ) U.S. senator, cabinet officer; born in Mission, Texas. He studied law at the University of Texas: Austin and served as a combat pilot in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (Dem., Texas; 1948–55) and then built a substantial fortune as president of Lincoln Consolidated Insurance Company. He served in the U.S. Senate (Dem., Texas; 1971–93) and was the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 1988. Regarded as an influential elder statesman, he served as secretary of the treasury (1993–94) under President Bill Clinton.