(Austin) February 8, 2006 –Vinson & Elkins is proud to present "Rediscovering Barbara Jordan," a one-hour special radio documentary on the life and legacy of the first African-American woman from the South to serve in Congress. The program will be broadcast this Sunday morning at 11 a.m. on KUT 90.5 FM in Austin.

Produced by Austin public radio station KUT with significant financial support from Vinson & Elkins, the program mixes historical speeches delivered by Rep. Jordan with commentary and analysis from many of her colleagues, including former President Bill Clinton, former Lt. Governor of Texas Ben Barnes, former Texas Governor Ann Richards, Washington Post Reporter Bob Woodward, and former CBS News anchor Dan Rather.

"Rediscovering Barbara Jordan is a radio documentary that provides an entertaining and educational look back at the inspiring personal life and career of one of Texas' most influential and important political leaders," said Vinson & Elkins' partner Joe Bill Watkins, a member of the firm's expanded Public Policy Practice Group. "Barbara Jordan had one of the strongest, most recognized voices in Texas politics. Her words were so powerful and her tone so distinctive, it was like listening to the voice of God. When KUT shared its plans to celebrate the extraordinary life of Ms. Jordan, we knew we had to be a part of it."

Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, now a partner in V&E;'s Public Policy Practice Group, said Ms. Jordan truly opened the door for thousands of women, African-Americans and other minorities who aspired to public service and to participate in the debate over public policy in this country.

"The depth of her intellect and the clarity of her thought were interwoven with her amazing public demeanor and speaking style," said Mayor Kirk. "Americans had not witnessed such attributes from a woman before, and certainly not from an African-American woman. I'm so proud that Vinson & Elkins financial support could help make this excellent documentary possible."

Born in the Fifth Ward of Houston during the days of segregation, Barbara Charline Jordan was elected to the Texas Senate in 1966. In 1972, she became the first African-American woman from the South to be elected to the U.S. Congress. Ms. Jordan rose to national prominence when, as a freshman member of the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate inquiry, she delivered a nationally televised speech that resonated with the whole nation. Ms. Jordan's historic comments began with reference to slavery, and her role as presidential inquisitor. "My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." Two weeks later, President Nixon resigned.

In 1994, Barbara Jordan was awarded the Presidential Metal of Freedom. She died on January 17, 1996 and is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

"Rediscovering Barbara Jordan" was produced by Wayne Bell, who has produced award-winning features and documentaries for KUT Radio, including "The Oil Century: Stories from Spindletop" and "Texas City Fire Disaster." The documentary was planned and developed by KUT News Director Emily Donahue, a veteran broadcast journalist who has worked for Marketplace, Monitor Radio and NBC News in London.

More than 100 public radio stations across the country are expected to air the Austin-produced special throughout February and March, including KUHF-FM in Houston and KERA-FM in Dallas. The special will air in Austin at 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, and again at 11 a.m. on March 26 on KUT 90.5 and KUTX 90.1 in San Angelo. The program can be heard on the Internet or downloaded to an MP3 player by visiting www.kut.org. The program will run on KUHF 88.7 in Houston on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. and on KERA 90.1 in Dallas on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.

About KUT Austin and KUTX San Angelo

For more than 40 years, KUT 90.5 (KUTX 90.1), Austin's listener-supported public radio, has been enriching the lives of Central Texans with local and national programming that mirrors the unique nature of its audience. In addition to providing news from National Public Radio and Public Radio International, KUT is home to the national program, "Latino USA," and KUT News, which produces award-winning news programming, special features series and documentaries that have been broadcast nationally. For more information, visit www.KUT.org.

About Vinson & Elkins LLP

Vinson & Elkins' Public Policy Practice Group includes more than 20 lawyers, including Bill Jones, who was General Counsel to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and former Federal Environmental Executive John Howard, who was recently appointed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the new chair of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy an d Technology. The group is led by Dallas partner Monty Humble, who is the past president of the National Association of Bond Lawyers.

For more information, please contact Brad Harwick, Marketing and Business Development Manager, at 512.542.8708 or via e-mail at bharwick@velaw.com. Or you may contact Brian Dolezal of Tate Austin at 512.344.2035 or via e-mail at bdolezal@tateaustin.com, or Erin Geisler, KUT at 2.475.8071 or via e-mail at egeisler@mail.utexas.edu.

Vinson & Elkins was established in 1917 and is one of the world's largest international law firms. The firm has about 700 lawyers practicing in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, London, Moscow, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington D.C. Vinson & Elkins offers a wide range of legal services. Clients include public and private companies, financial institutions, municipalities, governments of sovereign nations, entrepreneurs, families and individuals.