Al Swift
Encyclopedia
Allan Byron Swift an Emmy award–winning broadcaster, served as a member of the United States House of Representatives
from 1979 to 1995. He represented the Second Congressional District
of Washington as a Democrat.
Swift was born in Tacoma, Washington
on 12 September 1935. He received a bachelor's degree from the Central Washington College of Education
in 1957.
He was first elected to the House in 1978, replacing the retiring Lloyd Meeds
, for whom Swift had served as an administrative assistant from 1965 to 1969. Swift won re-election in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, and 1992. Swift served on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, of which he was the 5th ranking member during his final term and chair of the subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials. He also chaired the Subcommittee on Elections
of the House Administration Committee. Among his accomplishments was authorship of Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
, which was designed to support emergency planning regarding Superfund
sites. Swift also authored and led the passage of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
, otherwise known as motor-voter, which expanded voter registration options nationwide including drivers license offices and mail-in registration. He retired and did not run for re-election in 1994, an election in which the Democrats lost this seat.
Previous to his sixteen years in Congress, Swift was a broadcaster in several stations throughout Washington State in the towns of Walla Walla (KUJ), Ellensburg (KXLE) and Bellingham (KVOS). At KVOS, he was Director of News and Public Affairs, producing a series of weekly public interest programs and documentaries and earning an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
.
Following his final term in Congress, Swift was Vice President of Governmental Affairs with Burlington Northern Railroad
until its merger with Santa Fe Railroad in 1996. He is now a principal with the Washington DC political strategy firm Colling, Swift & Hynes. He and his wife, Paula, have two grown daughters, Amy Swift Donovan and Lauri Swift, and reside in Alexandria, Virginia.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1979 to 1995. He represented the Second Congressional District
Washington's 2nd congressional district
Washington's 2nd congressional district encompasses the northern portion of Western Washington from the vicinity of the King/Snohomish county line to the Canadian border, including the San Juan Islands. Since 2001, it has been represented by Democrat Rick Larsen.Originally created in 1909 when...
of Washington as a Democrat.
Swift was born in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
on 12 September 1935. He received a bachelor's degree from the Central Washington College of Education
Central Washington University
Central Washington University, often abbreviated CWU, is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States.This location was selected by the state legislature as a consolation prize after Ellensburg lost its bid to be state capital...
in 1957.
He was first elected to the House in 1978, replacing the retiring Lloyd Meeds
Lloyd Meeds
Lloyd Meeds , an American politician, served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1965 to 1979. He represented the Second Congressional District of Washington as a Democrat....
, for whom Swift had served as an administrative assistant from 1965 to 1969. Swift won re-election in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, and 1992. Swift served on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, of which he was the 5th ranking member during his final term and chair of the subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials. He also chaired the Subcommittee on Elections
United States House Administration Subcommittee on Elections
The House Administration Subcommittee on Elections is a subcommittee within the House Committee on House Administration. The subcommittee was created for the 110th Congress, along with the Subcommittee on Capitol Security at the urging of the late Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, then the...
of the House Administration Committee. Among his accomplishments was authorship of Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 is a United States federal law passed by the 99th United States Congress located at Title 42, Chapter 116 of the U.S. Code, concerned with emergency response preparedness....
, which was designed to support emergency planning regarding Superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
sites. Swift also authored and led the passage of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
National Voter Registration Act of 1993
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 , also known as The Motor Voter Act, was signed into effect by United States President Bill Clinton on May 20, 1993, however, compliance did not become mandatory until 1995...
, otherwise known as motor-voter, which expanded voter registration options nationwide including drivers license offices and mail-in registration. He retired and did not run for re-election in 1994, an election in which the Democrats lost this seat.
Previous to his sixteen years in Congress, Swift was a broadcaster in several stations throughout Washington State in the towns of Walla Walla (KUJ), Ellensburg (KXLE) and Bellingham (KVOS). At KVOS, he was Director of News and Public Affairs, producing a series of weekly public interest programs and documentaries and earning an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences or NATAS was created in 1955 to advance the arts and sciences of television. Headquartered in New York, NATAS's membership is national and the organization has local chapters around the country....
.
Following his final term in Congress, Swift was Vice President of Governmental Affairs with Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
until its merger with Santa Fe Railroad in 1996. He is now a principal with the Washington DC political strategy firm Colling, Swift & Hynes. He and his wife, Paula, have two grown daughters, Amy Swift Donovan and Lauri Swift, and reside in Alexandria, Virginia.