lost control of the House in 1995. Prior to leading the full committee, Gibbons chaired the subcommittee on trade. He was much more supportive of trade liberalization throughout his career than most House Democrats, who have leaned toward protectionism since the early 1970s. Gibbons had a few verbal showdowns with the newly elected Republican congress during his last term. During a taped Ways and Means Committee hearing, after being denied the opportunity to speak several times, Gibbons stormed out of the room shouting about how the Democrats were being railroaded and given no time to speak. He compared the new Republicans to dictators and shouted that he had "to fight you guys 50 years ago," referring to Nazi Germany in World War II. He retired from office in 1997. The United States Courthouse at 801 North Florida Avenue in Tampa was named in his honor. Death Gibbons died October 10, 2012, aged 92. He was interred at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park in Tampa. References External links Biographical Directory of the US Congress Gibbons & Company USF Oracle: "Creating a local alternative for learning" The University of South Florida Tampa Library Special & Digital Collections maintains the Papers of Congressman Sam Gibbons 1920 births 2012 deaths United States Army personnel of World War II Democratic Party Florida state senators Henry B. Plant High School alumni Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Politicians from Tampa, Florida United States Army officers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida University of Florida alumni 20th-century American politicians Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni Members of Congress who became lobbyists