Changes

Along with the rest of the Louisiana congressional delegation, Brooks signed the 1956 [[Southern Manifesto]] in opposition to school desegregation as ordered by the [[United States Supreme Court]] in the ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' ruling.<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/84/crecb/1956/03/12/GPO-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf GOI-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf]. ''Congressional Record''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> He likewise voted against the [[Civil Rights Act]]s of [[Civil Rights Act of 1957|1957]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/h42 HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> and 1960.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/86-1960/h106 HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>

Along with the rest of the Louisiana congressional delegation, Brooks signed the 1956 [[Southern Manifesto]] in opposition to school desegregation as ordered by the [[United States Supreme Court]] in the ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' ruling.<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/84/crecb/1956/03/12/GPO-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf GOI-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf]. ''Congressional Record''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> He likewise voted against the [[Civil Rights Act]]s of [[Civil Rights Act of 1957|1957]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/h42 HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> and 1960.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/86-1960/h106 HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>

Although a segregationist, Brooks angered many people in his district after voting to expand the House Rules Committee from twelve to fifteen members,<ref>Glover, Cedric (November 1, 2020). [https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2020/11/01/cedric-glover-shreveport-triumvirate-inside-lbj-white-house/6075244002/ Cedric Glover: The Shreveport triumvirate inside LBJ's White House]. ''Shreveport Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> most notably causing the [[Ku Klux Klan]] and other like-minded diehard racists to burn crosses on his lawn in violent protest. The committee expansion, which was pushed by House Spaker [[Sam Rayburn]],<ref>FascinatingPolitics (May 26, 2021). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2021/05/26/texas-legends-3-sam-rayburn/ Texas Legends #3: Sam Rayburn]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> allowed for passage of some New Frontier programs under the presidency of [[John F. Kennedy]], as previously liberal legislation was blocked by the committee due to the power of the [[Conservative Coalition]].<ref>FascinatingPolitics (December 6, 2020). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2020/12/06/howard-w-smith-the-great-obstructionist/ Howard W. Smith: The Great Obstructionist]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> However, the attributed reason for anger towards Brook's vote was because the expansion also paved the way for approving civil rights legislation. The Southern bloc as a whole was split between their loyalty to Rayburn and their loyalty to Smith.

Although a segregationist, Brooks angered many people in his district after voting to expand the House Rules Committee from twelve to fifteen members,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/87-1961/h3 H. RES. 127. ENLARGE RULES COMMITTEE TO 15, INCREASING DEMOCRATS BY TWO AND REPUBLICANS BY ONE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> most notably causing diehard racists like the [[Ku Klux Klan]] to burn crosses on his lawn in violent protest.<ref>Glover, Cedric (November 1, 2020). [https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2020/11/01/cedric-glover-shreveport-triumvirate-inside-lbj-white-house/6075244002/ Cedric Glover: The Shreveport triumvirate inside LBJ's White House]. ''Shreveport Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> The committee expansion, which was pushed by House Spaker [[Sam Rayburn]],<ref>FascinatingPolitics (May 26, 2021). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2021/05/26/texas-legends-3-sam-rayburn/ Texas Legends #3: Sam Rayburn]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> allowed for passage of some New Frontier programs under the presidency of [[John F. Kennedy]], as previously liberal legislation was blocked by the committee due to the power of the [[Conservative Coalition]].<ref>FascinatingPolitics (December 6, 2020). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2020/12/06/howard-w-smith-the-great-obstructionist/ Howard W. Smith: The Great Obstructionist]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> However, the attributed reason for anger towards Brook's vote was because the expansion also paved the way for approving civil rights legislation. The Southern bloc as a whole was split between their loyalty to Rayburn and their loyalty to Smith.

During his last few years in office, Brooks was the chair of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. There, he criticized the Nike-Zeus anti-missile missile,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1959/03/02/archives/brooks-criticizes-missile-decision.html BROOKS CRITICIZES MISSILE DECISION]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> expressed satisfaction over a Discoverer satellite that went into orbit around Earth,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1959/03/24/archives/brooks-is-satisfied-discoverer-orbited.html BROOKS IS SATISFIED DISCOVERER ORBITED]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> and opposed a space budget proposed by the Kennedy Administration.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1961/04/12/archives/brooks-unsatisfied-with-space-budget.html BROOKS UNSATISFIED WITH SPACE BUDGET]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>

During his last few years in office, Brooks was the chair of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. There, he criticized the Nike-Zeus anti-missile missile,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1959/03/02/archives/brooks-criticizes-missile-decision.html BROOKS CRITICIZES MISSILE DECISION]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> expressed satisfaction over a Discoverer satellite that went into orbit around Earth,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1959/03/24/archives/brooks-is-satisfied-discoverer-orbited.html BROOKS IS SATISFIED DISCOVERER ORBITED]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref> and opposed a space budget proposed by the Kennedy Administration.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1961/04/12/archives/brooks-unsatisfied-with-space-budget.html BROOKS UNSATISFIED WITH SPACE BUDGET]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 23, 2021.</ref>