Ruth Jones McClendon has served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for the past 11 years, representing District 120 in San Antonio.  A strong advocate for the welfare of children, she is the recipient of the 2006 Regional and State “Legislator of the Year” awards from the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards.

Christian, humanitarian, stateswoman, and committed to helping others, are all descriptions used when speaking of the Representative.  Her tenure and genuine dedication to serving her constituents have earned her leadership roles in the Texas Legislature.  McClendon is Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Resolutions.  Additionally, she holds a coveted seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee which writes the $160 billion budget for the state of Texas.  She serves on the Education Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and is Chair of Budget and Oversight for the Pension and Investments Committee in the Texas House of Representatives.

Her appointment to the influential Sunset Advisory Commission makes her one of only five members of the Texas House serving on the panel.  The Commission can recommend the abolition of a state agency, and evaluates the performance of state agencies to make recommendations for improved operations and She is a member of the Advisory Council of the Women's Legislative Network of the National Coalition of State Legislators.

Representative McClendon has authored, sponsored, co-sponsored and passed nearly 150 bills, excluding resolutions, during her tenure in the Texas House.  Her legislative priorities include improving educational opportunities for students throughout the state, fighting for health care for children and the frail and elderly, creating a climate for businesses to flourish and keeping our neighborhoods safe.

She served as a San Antonio Councilwoman and mayor pro tempore from June 1993 - August 1996.  Since her election to the Texas Legislature in 1996, she has also served on the following committees:  Economic Development, Local & Consent Calendars, Public Safety, Juvenile Justice and Family Issues, State Affairs and Public Health Committees.  She is founder of the Community Crime Prevention Network, Inc., and President and CEO of RJMcClendon and Co.

McClendon says, “when seeking a career in politics, you must first obtain as much education as possible.  In the world of politics, you need to be equipped with a breadth of knowledge on just about everything.”

Putting her words into action, McClendon created the McClendon Scholars Program in August, 2004.  The program is a collaborative initiative between the Representative and the University of Texas at San Antonio.  Coordinated by the UTSA Institute of Law and Public Affairs headed by Dr. Richard Gambitta, the program provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to serve as interns in the Texas House of Representatives during regular legislative sessions.  Each intern receives a stipend of $10,000 for the session.

Representative McClendon considers her greatest accomplishments are being a mother, having a rewarding family life in the midst of the rigors of public service and being able to serve her community as a state representative, because they all take hard work and the rewards are tremendous.  The late Congressman Barbara Jordan is the historical leader that had the greatest influence on McClendon’s life as a child growing up in Houston’s Fifth Ward.  McClendon says the formidable obstacle that she has faced have been few, “but discrimination has been an ongoing obstacle that we all must fight.”

A native Texas, born in Houston, and a graduate of Phillis Wheatley High School and Texas Southern University, she received a Master of Arts degree from Webster University and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Guadalupe College Theological Seminary.

Representative McClendon is listed in Who’s Who in American Politics, Who’s Who of American Women, World’s Who’s Who of Women, International Who’s Who of Professional & Business Women and Who’s Who in Texas History.  She has received more than 425 awards and honors for her legislative, public service and professional work.

As a member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, she serves as a Lector and Extraordinary Minister.  She is married to Lt. Colonel (retired) Denver McClendon, Chairman of the Alamo Community College Board of Trustees, and together they have four children.

Education
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• Master of Arts-Webster University
• Bachelor Degree-Texas Southern University
• Honorary Doctorate-Guadalupe College Theological Seminary

Biographical Listings
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• Who’s Who in American Politics
• Who’s Who of American Women
• World’s Who’s Who of Women
• International Who’s Who of Professional & Business Women.
• Who’s Who in Texas History

Achievements
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“Ruth Fights For Us!”

• Created the Neighborhood Cellular On Patrol program, which has won acclaim from the President of the United States for its effectiveness in reducing crime
• Founded the Community Crime Prevention Network, dedicated to fighting neighborhood crime
• Conducted over 2,500 meetings, responded to over 10,000 phone calls while on City Council
• Allocated over $250 million in District 2 benefits
• Actively worked to bring $48.5 million to Eastside to redevelop Springview community
• Coordinated the construction of the first new subdivision on the Eastside in generations- Coliseum Oaks
• Founder of Ruth’s Kids Corner, a mentoring program, for over 700 youngsters

Community Involvement and Service

• Aided Texas flood victims by passing legislation that exempts materials and labor for flood repairs from the state sales tax.
• Attends numerous Neighborhood Association meetings to become aware of the existing constituent needs and priorities.
• Actively opposes BFI’s landfill expansion
• Actively supports increased fines and penalties for Basse Truck Line’s pollution of the neighborhood and lack of compliance with state laws and regulations
• Requested that four specific locations near schools be denied alcohol beverage licenses

Crime Prevention Measures

• Sponsored legislation providing for stricter penalties for church burnings. The law also prohibited insurance companies from canceling policies due to church burnings.
• Hosted District 120 Seminar “Gang 101" discussing with constituents what they need to know about the psychology, operations, and identity of neighborhood gangs
• Actively worked to bring community policing to San Antonio (S.A.F.F.E. officers)

Economic Development Support

• Passed “Better Jobs” legislation to upgrade the earning
  ability of Texans
• Hosted the first Legislative Small Business Economic Development Summit in San Antonio.
• Hosted the first “Sub-Saharan African Business Round Table” in San Antonio

Justice For All

• Supported “hate-crimes”legislation providing for harsher “enhanced” penalties for crimes against children, the elderly, the disabled, and any crime proven to have been motivated by prejudice against a person based on race, color, disability, religion, national origin, ancestry, or sexual preference
• Supported the right of students to gather in a Moment of Silence in school
• Supports legislation to erase the execution of juveniles

Legislative Initiatives at a Glance

• Passed two children’s asthma bills to allow children to have inhalers at school and to study disease management programs for children’s asthma. Was awarded the American Lung Association of Texas Public Policy Award for 2001.
• Education grant programs (Toward EXcellence Access & Success grant and the Teach for Texas program) were expanded both in scope and funding
• Passed bill that would insure that Adult Nursing Homes are more modern, safer, and more responsive to the needs of their clients.
• Worked to pass bill to dedicate $400 million a pediatric cancer center in San Antonio
• Passed bill to provide harsher penalties for crimes against Senior Citizens.
• Increased pay and benefits for all state employees and teachers.
• Held a Video-Electronic Town Hall meeting connecting the Capitol in Austin with constituents at St. Philip’s College in San Antonio; a first for the Texas House of Representatives.
• Created a medical academy to prepare students to become physicians to practice in inner city neighborhoods.