Curtis was elected to the House of Representatives in 1938 on an anti-New Deal platform. He served from 1939 until 1954, being reelected every two years.[3] He ran for the Senate from Nebraska in 1954 and won; subsequently, incumbent Hazel Abel resigned, and Curtis was appointed to the seat on January 1, 1955, getting a two-day jump on seniority. Curtis thus became the last of six Senators to serve during the fifteenth Senate term for Nebraska's Class 2 seat, from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1955. He was reelected threemoretimes to six-year terms, serving from 1955 to 1979.
During the 1963 investigation of bribery allegations against Democratic Party organizer Robert Baker, Curtis supposedly leaked a secret memorandum to advance his own positions.[11]
During the early 1970s, Curtis supported President Richard Nixon's Vietnam War escalation policy, and remained loyal to him throughout the Watergate Scandal. On August 6, 1974, two days before Nixon resigned, he implored Congress not to panic. He warned that the United States would become like a "banana republic" if Nixon was ousted in favor of Vice President Ford, who in turn would then select someone to fill the vice presidential slot. He said "this would mean both Ford and the new Vice President would be men who hadn't been elected to their high office, but merely nominated by a President under procedures for filling the vice presidency when it is vacant."[12]
Following his retirement, Curtis moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he practiced law, served as an officer of the conservative lobby the American Freedom Coalition, and gave occasional interviews to the media.
Curtis died in Lincoln on January 24, 2000, and is interred at Minden Cemetery in Minden, his longtime hometown. Following his death, he was praised on the floor by Strom Thurmond, a contemporary who had also been first elected to the Senate in 1954.
Notes and references
^ ab"CURTIS, Carl Thomas, (1905–2000)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
^"Notable Theta Chi Alumni". Theta Chi. 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
^"Carl Thomas Curtis (1905-2000)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
^"HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
^"TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN SALE OR RENTAL OF HOUSING, AND TO PROHIBIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON EXERCISING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES".
^"S.J. RES. 29. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION BANNING THE POLL TAX AS PREREQUISITE FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
^"TO PASS S. 1564, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965".
^"CONFIRMATION OF NOMINATION OF THURGOOD MARSHALL, THE FIRST NEGRO APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT". GovTrack.us.
^Phillips, Cabell (17 March 1964). "Baker Case Causes Senate Floor Fight". New York Times. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
^Rich, Spencer (August 7, 1974). "Resignation Urged By GOP Senators" (PDF). Washington Post. Retrieved November 17, 2019 – via The Weisberg Collection, Hood College, Frederick, Maryland.
carl, curtis, carl, thomas, curtis, march, 1905, january, 2000, american, attorney, politician, from, state, nebraska, served, republican, united, states, house, representatives, 1939, 1954, later, united, states, senate, 1955, 1979, remains, second, longest, . Carl Thomas Curtis March 15 1905 January 24 2000 was an American attorney and politician from the U S state of Nebraska He served as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives 1939 1954 and later the United States Senate 1955 1979 He remains the second longest serving Senator from Nebraska Carl CurtisUnited States Senatorfrom NebraskaIn office January 1 1955 January 3 1979Preceded byHazel AbelSucceeded byJ James ExonMember of the U S House of Representatives from Nebraska s 1st districtIn office January 3 1943 December 31 1954Preceded byOren S CopelandSucceeded byPhillip Hart WeaverMember of the U S House of Representatives from Nebraska s 4th districtIn office January 3 1939 January 3 1943Preceded byCharles Gustav BinderupSucceeded byArthur L MillerPersonal detailsBornCarl Thomas Curtis 1905 03 15 March 15 1905Minden Nebraska U S DiedJanuary 24 2000 2000 01 24 aged 94 Lincoln Nebraska U S Political partyRepublicanAlma materNebraska Wesleyan University Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Later life 4 Notes and references 5 External linksEarly life EditCurtis was born on his family s farm in Kearney County Nebraska near the county seat of Minden He attended public schools and later attended Nebraska Wesleyan University 1 where he was a member of Theta Chi 2 He studied law on his own passed the bar exam and began practicing he served as the county attorney of Kearney County Nebraska from 1931 to 1934 1 Career EditCurtis was elected to the House of Representatives in 1938 on an anti New Deal platform He served from 1939 until 1954 being reelected every two years 3 He ran for the Senate from Nebraska in 1954 and won subsequently incumbent Hazel Abel resigned and Curtis was appointed to the seat on January 1 1955 getting a two day jump on seniority Curtis thus became the last of six Senators to serve during the fifteenth Senate term for Nebraska s Class 2 seat from January 3 1949 to January 3 1955 He was reelected three more times to six year terms serving from 1955 to 1979 Curtis voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 4 1960 5 1964 6 and 1968 7 as well as the 24th Amendment to the U S Constitution 8 the Voting Rights Act of 1965 9 and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U S Supreme Court 10 Curtis was loyal to the Republican Party particularly supporting its anti communist stances and fiscal conservatism which included opposition to social programs such as the New Deal and the Great Society During the 1963 investigation of bribery allegations against Democratic Party organizer Robert Baker Curtis supposedly leaked a secret memorandum to advance his own positions 11 A close ally of both Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon Curtis served as floor leader during the 1964 Republican National Convention when Goldwater won the nomination During the early 1970s Curtis supported President Richard Nixon s Vietnam War escalation policy and remained loyal to him throughout the Watergate Scandal On August 6 1974 two days before Nixon resigned he implored Congress not to panic He warned that the United States would become like a banana republic if Nixon was ousted in favor of Vice President Ford who in turn would then select someone to fill the vice presidential slot He said this would mean both Ford and the new Vice President would be men who hadn t been elected to their high office but merely nominated by a President under procedures for filling the vice presidency when it is vacant 12 Curtis served as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference from 1975 to 1979 13 Later life EditFollowing his retirement Curtis moved to Lincoln Nebraska where he practiced law served as an officer of the conservative lobby the American Freedom Coalition and gave occasional interviews to the media Curtis died in Lincoln on January 24 2000 and is interred at Minden Cemetery in Minden his longtime hometown Following his death he was praised on the floor by Strom Thurmond a contemporary who had also been first elected to the Senate in 1954 Notes and references Edit a b CURTIS Carl Thomas 1905 2000 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved October 6 2012 Notable Theta Chi Alumni Theta Chi 2018 01 19 Retrieved 2021 04 28 Carl Thomas Curtis 1905 2000 The Political Graveyard Retrieved October 6 2012 HR 6127 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957 GovTrack us HR 8601 PASSAGE OF AMENDED BILL HR 7152 PASSAGE TO PASS H R 2516 A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN SALE OR RENTAL OF HOUSING AND TO PROHIBIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON EXERCISING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES S J RES 29 APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION BANNING THE POLL TAX AS PREREQUISITE FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS GovTrack us TO PASS S 1564 THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 CONFIRMATION OF NOMINATION OF THURGOOD MARSHALL THE FIRST NEGRO APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT GovTrack us Phillips Cabell 17 March 1964 Baker Case Causes Senate Floor Fight New York Times Retrieved 9 October 2014 Rich Spencer August 7 1974 Resignation Urged By GOP Senators PDF Washington Post Retrieved November 17 2019 via The Weisberg Collection Hood College Frederick Maryland U S Senate Republican Conference Chairpersons www senate gov Retrieved 2021 04 28 External links EditUnited States Congress Carl Curtis id C001006 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress The Political GraveyardU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byCharles Gustav Binderup Member of the U S House of Representatives from Nebraska s 4th congressional districtJanuary 3 1939 January 3 1943 Succeeded byArthur L MillerPreceded byOren S Copeland Member of the U S House of Representatives from Nebraska s 1st congressional districtJanuary 3 1943 December 31 1954 Succeeded byPhillip Hart WeaverU S SenatePreceded byHazel Abel U S senator Class 2 from NebraskaJanuary 1 1955 January 3 1979 Served alongside Roman Hruska Edward Zorinsky Succeeded byJ James ExonParty political officesPreceded byHazel Abel Republican nominee forU S Senator from Nebraska Class 2 1954 1960 1966 1972 Succeeded byDonald Eugene ShasteenPreceded byNorris Cotton Chair of the Senate Republican Conference1975 1979 Succeeded byBob PackwoodHonorary titlesPreceded byJennings Randolph Most senior living U S representative Sitting or former May 8 1998 January 24 2000 Succeeded byEdwin Arthur Hall Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carl Curtis amp oldid 1135530669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
