FORMER MONTANA GOVERNOR MARC RACICOT JOINS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 6, 2001

FORMER MONTANA GOVERNOR MARC RACICOT JOINS
TEXAS LAW FIRM OF BRACEWELL & PATTERSON AS PARTNER

WASHINGTON - Former Montana Governor Marc Racicot will become a partner in
the Washington, DC office of the Texas-based law firm of Bracewell &
Patterson, L.L.P., the firm announced today.

"Governor Racicot will be a tremendous asset to Bracewell & Patterson and its
clients," said Managing Partner Kelly Frels. "He has an extraordinary record
of bringing businesses, government, consumer groups and others together to
find innovative solutions to major problems now facing many states and our
nation. The governor's extensive work dealing with environmental, natural
resource and energy issues will be especially helpful to Bracewell &
Patterson's clients across the nation."

The 2000 edition of The Almanac of American Politics describes Racicot as
"probably the nation's most popular governor" and says that in October 1998
his job approval rating was 87 percent, "about as high as you can go." The
publication also says: "At a time when Americans are eager for consensus and
agreement, Racicot has spoken often about the need for civility and listening
to others."

Racicot, who joins Bracewell & Patterson on Feb. 12, said he decided to work
for the law firm "after extensive discussions with law firms located
throughout the United States."

"Bracewell & Patterson will give me the opportunity to continue working to
resolve some of the toughest public policy issues facing our nation today,
for the benefit of people around the country," Racicot said. "Bracewell &
Patterson's reputation for integrity and for finding bipartisan solutions to
problems are exactly what I was looking for after 27 years of public
service. In addition, practicing law in Washington with Bracewell &
Patterson will enable me to lend support and assistance to President Bush and
his administration in the event that there may be appropriate occasions to do
so."

Racicot, 52, was elected governor of Montana in 1992 and 1996, winning with
79 percent of the vote in his re-election bid on the Republican ticket. His
term as governor expired January 2 this year. Immediately before becoming
governor, he served for four years as Montana's attorney general.

After graduating from Carroll College in 1970 and from the University of
Montana Law School in 1973, Racicot served in the Army Judge Advocate Corps
from 1973 to 1976, as deputy Missoula County attorney from 1976 to 1977, and
as a Montana assistant attorney general and special prosecutor from 1977 to
1988.

Racicot was an early supporter of then-Gov. George W. Bush in 1997 in the
race for the presidency, helped round up support for Bush among fellow
Republican governors, and campaigned for Bush in the presidential race.

Racicot met and worked with a number of lawyers from Bracewell & Patterson
when he joined other lawyers in Florida to assist the Bush campaign in
resolving disputes about the outcome of the presidential election last year.

Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P. was founded in Houston in 1945 and is
headquartered there. The law firm - which is comprised of more than 340
attorneys - has seven offices in Texas. It also has offices in Washington,
DC; Northern Virginia; London; and Kazakhstan. Bracewell & Patterson provides
a broad range of legal assistance and business counsel to clients in all
industries and local governments.

In addition to Racicot, the law firm's public policy practice includes a
number of former government officials, among them: former Congressman Ed
Bethune (R-Arkansas), former Congressman Jim Chapman (D-Texas), and former
Comptroller of the Currency Robert L. Clarke.

More information on Bracewell & Patterson is available at its website at
www.bracepatt.com