William Proxmire

William Proxmire was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Wisconsin from 1957 to 1989. A member of the Democratic Party, he gained national fame for his relentless criticism of wasteful government spending through his monthly Golden Fleece Award. Known for his frugality and intense work ethic, he became one of the most recognizable figures in the United States Congress during his lengthy tenure.

Early life and education

He was born in Lake Forest, Illinois, on November 11, 1915. His father, Dr. Theodore Proxmire, was a prominent surgeon. He attended the prestigious The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Yale University in 1938. He subsequently received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1940. During World War II, he served as a captain in the United States Army's Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency.

Political career

After moving to Wisconsin, he began his political career by winning a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1950. Following the death of controversial Senator Joseph McCarthy in 1957, he won a special election to fill the vacant seat, defeating Walter J. Kohler Jr., the former Governor of Wisconsin. He was re-elected to full terms in 1958, 1964, 1970, 1976, and 1982, often by wide margins. He served on influential committees including the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Senate Appropriations Committee. He set a notable record by casting 10,252 consecutive roll-call votes from 1966 to 1988, never missing a single vote.

Golden Fleece Award

He inaugurated his famous Golden Fleece Award in March 1975 to publicly highlight examples of what he deemed frivolous or wasteful expenditure of taxpayer dollars by federal agencies. Awards targeted projects funded by entities like the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the United States Department of Defense. One famous award criticized a $87,000 study by the United States Department of Justice on why prisoners want to escape. The monthly announcements garnered massive media attention, making the award a potent tool for shaping public debate on fiscal responsibility and influencing the Congressional appropriations process.

Policy positions and legislative work

Despite his fiscal conservatism, he was a staunch liberal on many social and environmental issues. He was a leading advocate for the Truth in Lending Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act, major pieces of consumer protection legislation. He vigorously supported the Equal Rights Amendment and was a proponent of strengthening the Securities and Exchange Commission. He fought against costly weapons systems like the B-1 Lancer bomber and was a persistent critic of wasteful Pentagon spending. He also championed causes such as animal welfare and was instrumental in passing the Humane Slaughter Act.

Personal life and death

He was married twice: first to Ellen Hodges, with whom he had two sons, and later to Elsie Rockefeller, a member of the prominent Rockefeller family. Known for his austere personal habits, he famously jogged daily and often slept in his Senate office to save money. After retiring from the Senate, he remained active in public policy debates. He died on December 15, 2005, in Sykesville, Maryland, from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He is interred at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Category:1915 births Category:2005 deaths Category:United States Senators from Wisconsin Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:Yale University alumni