Houston and Rayburn are two prominent figures in American history. Sam Houston was a politician and soldier who served as the seventh Governor of Texas and was instrumental in the state's independence from Mexico. He also served as a United States Senator and was the first President of the Republic of Texas. John Nance Garner, better known as Rayburn, was an American politician who served as the 32nd Vice President of the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1931 to 1933. The term SAMS is an acronym for the two men, Sam Houston and John Nance Garner.