A Guide to the Albert Bustamante Papers, 1980-1992

Biographical Sketch

Albert Garza Bustamante's public service career culminated in four consecutive terms as a Democratic Congressman representing Texas from 1985-1992. Born April 8, 1935 in Asherton, Texas, Bustamante was the son of migrant farm workers and the oldest of eleven children. After graduating from Asherton High, Bustamante became a paratrooper in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956. Following his discharge, he attended San Antonio College and later Sul Ross State College where he earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education in 1961. Upon graduation, Bustamante was hired as a teacher and a sports coach at Cooper Junior High School in the San Antonio I.S.D.

In 1968, following seven years as a teacher at Cooper, Bustamante became an aide to U.S. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez. Bustamante won his own elective office in 1972 as County Commissioner of Precinct One in Bexar County, defeating the sixteen-year incumbent Albert Pena, Jr. Bustamante served as a forceful County Commissioner from 1973-1978, however the collection does not contain papers from this time period.

In 1978, Bustamante was elected Bexar County Judge. Bustamante was known for his ability to connect with people and deliver on his promises to help them. While judge, he was appointed by Governor Briscoe to serve on the nine-member Jail Standard Commission of Texas. He was also active in health planning, having served on Camino Real and the State Health Coordinating Committee, where he chaired the sub-committee on the State Health Plan. As County Judge, Bustamante represented over one million people residing in Bexar County. His responsibilities included policy-making and administration of county affairs, approving the county budget and payroll, adopting all orders and resolutions pertaining to county business, supervising county road maintenance and appointing individuals to represent the county on various boards and commissions. He was a member of the Bexar County Mental Health Mental Retardation Board of Directors, the Bexar Metro Transportation Committee and Chair of the Alamo Area Council of Governments.

Bustamante entered the national political scene in 1984 when he won the seat for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas, soundly defeating eighteen-year incumbent Abraham "Chick" Kazen, Jr. in the Democratic primary. In the House, Bustamante won a seat on the Armed Services Committee where he hoped to protect the interests of San Antonio's military bases. In 1989, he was appointed to the House Task Force on Crime and Drugs, where he pushed to increase drug interdiction efforts along the Mexican border. He also served on the Government Operations Committee and on the Select Committee on Hunger. He supported the death penalty and prioritized spending for deficit reduction, education and health care. Bustamante was a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Democratic Leadership Council, Democratic Study Group and legislative caucuses concerned with border and human rights issues.

Despite his dedication to promptly addressing the needs of his constituents and his reputation for prodding bureaucracy when asked, he lost a bid for re-election in 1992 while headlines of criminal investigations loomed. In 1993 Bustamante was convicted of two counts of racketeering and accepting bribes while in Congress and sentenced to forty-two months at the Federal Prison Camp in El Paso. He began serving his sentence in May 1995. Bustamante always adamantly maintained his innocence. The collection does not contain any documentation on the investigation, conviction or appeal, nor does it document his life since the conviction.

Since his release, Bustamante and his wife Rebecca, continue to live in San Antonio where Bustamante manages the Los Indios shopping center on Pleasanton Road. He has reconnected with the people of San Antonio and is still drawn to public service. He has been involved in educational and housing programs and expressed interest in improvements to the South and West sides of San Antonio.

Sources:

San Antonio Express News, June 9, 1998, p. 8B.

San Antonio Express News, July 19, 1998, p. 1H.

San Antonio Light, March 16, 1992, p. A1.

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Content Note

The collection documents Bustamante's career from 1980-1992 as a Bexar County Judge and as a U.S. Congressman. The bulk of the collection consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence from constituents and colleagues. The remainder of the records compile Congressman Bustamante's legislative record through vote books, a legislative profile and his weekly newspaper column. The collection is divided into two series: Bexar County Judge and U.S. Congressman.

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Bustamante collection must be obtained from the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Albert Bustamante Papers, 1980-1992, MS 91, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Information

All the materials in this collection were donated by Albert Bustamante on November 10, 1999 (Acc. 1999-30).

Processing Information

Processed by Toni Jeske, Assistant Archivist, March 2001.

Return to the Table of Contents

Detailed Description of the Collection

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents