C. William Ramseyer
Encyclopedia
Christian William Ramseyer (March 13, 1875 - November 1, 1943) was a nine-term Republican
U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 6th congressional district
.
Born near Collinsville, Ohio
, Ramseyer moved to Davis County, Iowa
, in 1887 and settled near Pulaski
. He attended the public schools. He graduated from the Southern Iowa Normal School in 1897 and from Iowa State Teachers College
, Cedar Falls, Iowa
, in 1902. He taught school for nine years, and was principal and later superintendent of the Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Iowa
. He was graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law
in 1906. He was admitted to the bar
the same year and commenced the practice of law in Bloomfield. He served as prosecuting attorney
of Davis County from 1911 to 1915.
In 1914, Ramseyer was elected as a Republican
to the Sixty-fourth Congress
. He was re-elected eight consecutive times. However, in 1931, Iowa lost two congressional seats, and the resulting reapportionment placed Ramseyer and former 8th congressional district
congressman Lloyd Thurston
in the same district (Iowa's 5th congressional district
). In 1932 the two incumbents opposed each other for the Republican nomination for that district, but Thurston prevailed in the primary. In all, Ramseyer served in the House from March 4, 1915 to March 3, 1933.
After his defeat, he served as commissioner for the United States Court of Claims
from 1933 until his death in Washington, D.C.
, on November 1, 1943. He was interred in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Congressman Ramseyer originated what is now known as the Ramseyer Rule (Clause 3(e) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives) that requires bills to show exactly how a bill would change existing law. Bills reported out of full House committees now include 'Ramseyering' which shows repealed or deleted portions of existing law surrounded in boldface brackets, and new additions to law shown in italic typeface. These conventions have been adopted by many other legislative bodies. A Ramseyer document shows only those provisions of existing federal statutes which are amended by the bill (as reported) and is included in the House report filed by the full committee. The Ramseyer document precedes House floor action. The accompanying bill could be considered and may be amended followed by a recorded vote on the House floor by all members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Representative
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 Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It existed from 1862 to 1992, when it was lost due to Iowa's declining population....
.
Born near Collinsville, Ohio
Collinsville, Ohio
Collinsville is an unincorporated community in southeastern Milford Township, Butler County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45004. It lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 127 and State Route 73.-References:...
, Ramseyer moved to Davis County, Iowa
Davis County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 8,753 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,600 housing units, of which 3,201 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, in 1887 and settled near Pulaski
Pulaski, Iowa
Pulaski is a city in Davis County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.- Corn Show :The Pulaski Corn Show, held annually on a September weekend, is a citywide celebration with a parade.-Geography:...
. He attended the public schools. He graduated from the Southern Iowa Normal School in 1897 and from Iowa State Teachers College
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
, in 1902. He taught school for nine years, and was principal and later superintendent of the Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Iowa
Bloomfield, Iowa
Bloomfield is a city in Davis County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Davis County.-Geography:Bloomfield is located in the southeastern part of Iowa near the Missouri border....
. He was graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law
University of Iowa College of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law is one of the eleven professional graduate schools at the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River. The law school was ranked as the 27th best law school...
in 1906. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
the same year and commenced the practice of law in Bloomfield. He served as prosecuting attorney
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
of Davis County from 1911 to 1915.
In 1914, Ramseyer was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Sixty-fourth Congress
64th United States Congress
The Sixty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1915 to March 4, 1917, during the third and fourth...
. He was re-elected eight consecutive times. However, in 1931, Iowa lost two congressional seats, and the resulting reapportionment placed Ramseyer and former 8th congressional district
Iowa's 8th congressional district
Iowa's 8th congressional district existed from 1873 to 1963. The district was configured five times. Although the district encompassed four different areas of Iowa in its ninety-year existence, it was always predominantly rural, and elected a Republican lawyer to the United States House of...
congressman Lloyd Thurston
Lloyd Thurston
Lloyd Thurston was a seven-term Republican U.S. Representative from southern Iowa. First elected in 1924, he served until 1938, when he unsuccessfully sought election to the U.S. Senate. By his final term, he had served on three of the most powerful House committees.Born in Osceola, Iowa, Thurston...
in the same district (Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of Western Iowa and includes the cities of Council Bluffs and Sioux City...
). In 1932 the two incumbents opposed each other for the Republican nomination for that district, but Thurston prevailed in the primary. In all, Ramseyer served in the House from March 4, 1915 to March 3, 1933.
After his defeat, he served as commissioner for the United States Court of Claims
United States Court of Claims
The Court of Claims was a federal court that heard claims against the United States government. It was established in 1855 as the Court of Claims, renamed in 1948 to the United States Court of Claims , and abolished in 1982....
from 1933 until his death in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on November 1, 1943. He was interred in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Bloomfield.
Congressman Ramseyer originated what is now known as the Ramseyer Rule (Clause 3(e) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives) that requires bills to show exactly how a bill would change existing law. Bills reported out of full House committees now include 'Ramseyering' which shows repealed or deleted portions of existing law surrounded in boldface brackets, and new additions to law shown in italic typeface. These conventions have been adopted by many other legislative bodies. A Ramseyer document shows only those provisions of existing federal statutes which are amended by the bill (as reported) and is included in the House report filed by the full committee. The Ramseyer document precedes House floor action. The accompanying bill could be considered and may be amended followed by a recorded vote on the House floor by all members of the U.S. House of Representatives.