Lee Metcalf
Encyclopedia
Lee Warren Metcalf was an American politician of the Democratic Party
and was a United States Representative
, and a United States Senator
(1961 until 1978) from Montana
.
He graduated from Stanford University
in 1933 where he had joined the Sigma Chi
Fraternity and received a law degree from University of Montana
Law School (then known as the Montana State University Law School) in 1936; admitted to the Montana bar in 1936 and commenced the practice of law; member, State house of representatives 1937; assistant attorney general
of Montana 1937 – 1941. In December 1942 enlisted in the Army, attended officers’ training school, was commissioned, went overseas in 1944, and participated in the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge
.
After V-E Day he was concerned with the care and repatriation of displaced persons; helped in drafting ordinances for the first free local elections in Germany
and supervised the free elections in Bavaria
; discharged from the Army as a first lieutenant
in April 1946; associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court
1946 - 1952; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-third Congress; reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1953–January 3, 1961); was not a candidate for reelection but was elected in 1960 to the United States Senate
; reelected in 1966 and 1972 and served from January 3, 1961, until his death; co-chairman, Joint Committee on Congressional Operations (Ninety-third and Ninety-fifth Congresses);
He died in Helena, Montana
on January 12, 1978, aged 66 and was cremated; his ashes were scattered in one of his favorite areas in the wilderness of the State of Montana. Metcalf's passing was overshadowed by the death the next day of his colleague from Minnesota
, former Vice President
Hubert H. Humphrey.
In 1983, by act of Congress, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness
area was created in southwestern Montana in honor of the late Congressman. The Great Bear Wilderness
and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
areas were also created as a result of Metcalf's efforts in Congress, in addition to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge
http://www.fws.gov/Refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=61560/ in Montana.
Metcalf was ranked number 15 on a list of the 100 Most Influential Montanans of the Century http://www.missoulian.com/specials/100montanans/list/015.html/ by the Missoulian
newspaper.
Carl Hayden (D-AZ
), Senator Metcalf was designated Permanent Acting President pro tempore of the United States Senate to fill his duties at this time. No term was imposed on this designation, so Metcalf retained it until he died in office in 1978. He was the only person to hold this title.
Permanent Acting President pro tem should not be confused with the office of Deputy President pro tempore.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and was a United States 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...
, and a United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
(1961 until 1978) from Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
He graduated from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1933 where he had joined the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity and received a law degree from University of Montana
University of Montana - Missoula
The University of Montana ‒ Missoula is a public research university located in Missoula, Montana, in the United States. Founded in 1893, the university is the flagship campus of the four-campus University of Montana System and is its largest institution...
Law School (then known as the Montana State University Law School) in 1936; admitted to the Montana bar in 1936 and commenced the practice of law; member, State house of representatives 1937; assistant attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of Montana 1937 – 1941. In December 1942 enlisted in the Army, attended officers’ training school, was commissioned, went overseas in 1944, and participated in the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
After V-E Day he was concerned with the care and repatriation of displaced persons; helped in drafting ordinances for the first free local elections in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and supervised the free elections in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
; discharged from the Army as a first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in April 1946; associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court
Montana Supreme Court
The Montana Supreme Court is the highest court of the Montana state court system in the U.S. state of Montana. It is established and its powers defined by Article VII of the 1972 Montana Constitution...
1946 - 1952; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-third Congress; reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1953–January 3, 1961); was not a candidate for reelection but was elected in 1960 to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
; reelected in 1966 and 1972 and served from January 3, 1961, until his death; co-chairman, Joint Committee on Congressional Operations (Ninety-third and Ninety-fifth Congresses);
He died in Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
on January 12, 1978, aged 66 and was cremated; his ashes were scattered in one of his favorite areas in the wilderness of the State of Montana. Metcalf's passing was overshadowed by the death the next day of his colleague from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, former Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Hubert H. Humphrey.
In 1983, by act of Congress, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Lee Metcalf Wilderness
The Lee Metcalf Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Montana. Created by an act of Congress in 1983, the wilderness is in four separated parcels: Bear Trap Canyon unit, Spanish Peaks unit, Taylor-Hilgard unit, and Monument Mountains unit. The Bear Trap Canyon unit is managed by the U.S....
area was created in southwestern Montana in honor of the late Congressman. The Great Bear Wilderness
Great Bear Wilderness
The Great Bear Wilderness is located in northern Montana, United States, within Flathead National Forest Created by an act of Congress in 1978, the wilderness comprises 286,700 acres and borders the Bob Marshall Wilderness on the north...
and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness was created from existing National Forest lands in 1975 and is located in Montana and Wyoming, United States. The wilderness is partly in Gallatin, Custer and Shoshone National Forests and is composed of . The wilderness encompasses two distinct mountain ranges, namely...
areas were also created as a result of Metcalf's efforts in Congress, in addition to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge
Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge
The Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Montana. Renamed after the late U.S. Senator Lee Metcalf from its original title in 1978, the refuge encompasses 2,800 acres . The refuge was primarily established to protect habitat for migratory...
http://www.fws.gov/Refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=61560/ in Montana.
Metcalf was ranked number 15 on a list of the 100 Most Influential Montanans of the Century http://www.missoulian.com/specials/100montanans/list/015.html/ by the Missoulian
Missoulian
The Missoulian is a daily newspaper printed in Missoula, Montana. Its circulation is 34,855 on Sundays, 30,466 on weekdays. The newspaper is owned by Lee Enterprises. The Missoulian is the 2nd largest published newspaper in Montana, just behind the Billings Gazette...
newspaper.
Permanent Acting President pro tempore of the Senate
In June 1963, because of the illness of President pro temporePresident pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
Carl Hayden (D-AZ
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
), Senator Metcalf was designated Permanent Acting President pro tempore of the United States Senate to fill his duties at this time. No term was imposed on this designation, so Metcalf retained it until he died in office in 1978. He was the only person to hold this title.
Permanent Acting President pro tem should not be confused with the office of Deputy President pro tempore.