IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 585 

Honoring the extraordinary life of legendary reporter, television personality, 

international humanitarian, and Houston icon Marvin Harold Zindler, 

who championed the cause of the economically powerless, politically 

underrepresented, and physically ill and disabled in Houston, across 

the Nation, and around the world. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 30, 2007 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas (for herself, Mr. POE, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE

JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. 

GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. REYES, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. 

RODRIGUEZ, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. CARTER, 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. MCCAUL

of Texas, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. PAUL, 

Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. BURGESS, and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the extraordinary life of legendary reporter, television personality, international humanitarian, and Houston icon Marvin Harold Zindler, who championed the 

cause of the economically powerless, politically underrepresented, and physically ill and disabled in Houston, 

across the Nation, and around the world. 

Whereas Marvin Harold Zindler was an iconic and influential 

American television news reporter for television station 

KTRK in Houston, Texas, and his hard-hitting investigamstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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HRES 585 IH 

tive journalism, through which he mostly represented the 

city’s elderly and working class, made him one of the 

city’s most influential and well-known media personalities; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler helped pioneer consumer advocacy 

and reporting in 1973 when he came to Channel 13 after 

having spent 10 years as a Harris County Sheriff’s deputy during which time he created the department’s consumer fraud division; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler is best known as the kind-hearted, 

grandfatherly figure who delivered the weekly ‘‘rat and 

roach reports’’ based on health department restaurant inspections and his most famous catch phrase from the frequent health inspector findings of ‘‘SLI-I-IME in the ice 

machine’’; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler received over 100,000 requests yearly from Houston viewers in need of his assistance; 

Whereas generations of low-income Houstonians turned to 

Marvin Zindler as their champion and public voice when 

bureaucracies seemed indifferent and businesses tried to 

take advantage of their economic situtation; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler was best known for his work championing ‘‘the little guy’’ and helping secure medical care 

for needy children; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler was the founder of Marvin’s Angels, 

a group of doctors who provided free medical care for 

thousands of children and the less fortunate in dire financial or physical health; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler also reported international stories 

and brought to the attention of the American people the 

plight of amputated Iraqi prisoners; 

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HRES 585 IH 

Whereas seven of these men had their hands restored because 

of the mobilization efforts of Marvin Zindler, who encouraged private donations of medical facilities and professional care; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler’s humanitarian efforts encouraged a 

plastic surgeon in Houston to surgically remove black 

crosses tattooed on the foreheads of maimed Iraqis under 

the control of Saddam Hussein; 

Whereas Marvin Zindler traveled the world with a team of 

Houston-based doctors conducting heart surgery for 

small children and eventually helped build Russia’s second largest heart institute; 

Whereas, in his 80s and in failing health, Marvin Zindler 

continued to honor his lifetime of commitment to the people of Houston, Texas, by continuing to file news reports 

from his hospital bed; and 

Whereas, on July 29, 2007, Marvin Harold Zindler died at 

the age of 85 after more than three decades as the pioneer of consumer reporting: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) extends our deepest condolences to the be3 loved family members of Marvin Harold Zindler and 

4 his Channel 13 KTRK family; and 

5 (2) mourns the passing of Marvin Harold 

6 Zindler and honors him for his service to the people 

7 of Houston, the American citizenry, and the inter8 national community, particularly the politically 

9 underrepresented, the economically powerless, and 

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HRES 585 IH 

1 physically ill and disabled through his extraordinary 

2 entrepreneurial journalism. 

Æ 

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