William Natcher
William Natcher | |
---|---|
Chair of the House Appropriations Committee | |
In office January 3, 1993 – March 29, 1994 | |
Preceded by | Jamie Whitten |
Succeeded by | Dave Obey |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 2nd district | |
In office August 1, 1953 – March 29, 1994 | |
Preceded by | Garrett Withers |
Succeeded by | Ron Lewis |
Personal details | |
Born | William Houston Natcher September 11, 1909 Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S. |
Died | March 29, 1994 Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. | (aged 84)
Political party | Democratic |
William Huston Natcher (September 11, 1909 – March 29, 1994) was a Democratic congressman, serving in the United States House of Representatives from 1953 until his death from heart failure in Bethesda, Maryland in 1994.[1] He is the second longest-serving member ever of the United States House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Early life
Natcher was born on September 11, 1909, in
Natcher practiced law in Bowling Green. From 1936 to 1937 he was U.S. Conciliation Commissioner for Kentucky's Western District, and he served as
He served in the
Congressional career
He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1953 from the
Natcher did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto, and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1968,[4][5] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965,[6][7] but voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1964.[8][9]
Natcher holds the record for the longest perfect voting record in the history of Congress. He did not miss a single vote for nearly the entirety of his 40 years of service, casting 18,401 consecutive votes from his 1953 swearing to his last appearance on the House floor on March 3, 1994. On the day of his last vote, he arrived at the Capitol from Bethesda Naval Hospital by ambulance and was wheeled onto the House floor on a gurney. He missed the first vote of his career the next day, when doctors advised him not to return to the Capitol. He died a few weeks later, never having returned to the House floor again.
On March 4, 1994, Natcher was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President of the United States Bill Clinton.[10] He continued to serve in Congress until his death on March 29, 1994, in Bethesda, Maryland.
Legacy
Natcher was a champion of road projects within Kentucky, especially the construction of a
Also named in Natcher's honor is
During his congressional career, Natcher was a passionate believer in libraries and literacy. He fought for continued federal funding for library construction and initiatives. These programs continue today; the Kentucky Library Association presents the William H. Natcher Award annually for acts of philanthropy and support of libraries within the Commonwealth.
Washington, DC, Metrorail Funding
Natcher was a pro-highway Congressman, encouraging road projects, including in the District of Columbia. From 1970 to 1973, he repeatedly held up funding for the Washington Metro system, delaying its construction until 1973, when he lost a vote to block Metro funding.[11] Natcher refused to allow federal funding for the Washington DC Metro until Arlington County officials agreed to have I-66 go through North Arlington neighborhoods.[12]
In addition, Natcher sought construction of the controversial
See also
- List of members of the United States Congress by longevity of service
- List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99)
References
- ^ "William H. Natcher Dies at 84; Held Voting Record in Congress". New York Times. March 31, 1994.
- ^ William H. Natcher papers — Georgetown University
- ^ "Susan Collins Casts 5,000th Vote Without a Miss - Roll Call".
- ^ "HR 8601. PASSAGE. -- House Vote #102 -- Mar 24, 1960". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR … -- House Vote #113 -- Aug 16, 1967". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT. -- House Vote #87 -- Jul 9, 1965". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE. -- House Vote #128 -- Feb 10, 1964". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "Statement on the Death of Representative William H. Natcher | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu.
- ^ The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro - Zachary M. Schrag
- ^ "Where's Metro Going? - Washingtonian". November 1, 2004.
- ^ Zachary Schrag, 139
- ^ Zachary Schrag, 140.
External links
- United States Congress. "William Natcher (id: N000009)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Appearances on C-SPAN