Former U.S. Rep. Bob Walker: No genes for jumping

It's been 14 years since I served in the U.S. House of Representatives, so it's always nice to be remembered by former colleagues. While I was anything but quiet and demure, I would like to correct one aspect of Marjorie Margolies's account of my reaction to her vote on President Clinton's budget bill in 1993 ["Vote your conscience on health care," op-ed, March 18]. She suggested I had jumping skills. In my family, all of the "jumper" genes went to my brother, Wally Walker, who played for nine years in the NBA.

Having received no jumping genes, I ran for Congress.

Bob Walker, Washington

The writer, a Republican, represented Pennsylvania's 16th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1976 to 1996.