Henry S. Reuss
Encyclopedia
Henry Schoellkopf Reuss (February 22, 1912 - January 12, 2002) was a Democrat U.S. Representative
from Wisconsin
.
and grew up in that city's German section. Reuss earned his A.B.
from Cornell University
in 1933 and was a member of the Sphinx Head Society. He then earned his LL.B. from Harvard Law School
in 1936.
from 1941 to 1942.
who earned a master's degree
from the University of Chicago in 1944, and a Ph.D.
from George Washington University
in 1968, both in economics
. She worked at the Office of Price Administration
in the 1940s, and taught at Federal City College from 1970. University of District of Columbia took over FCC in 1977, and she continued teaching there until she retired in 1985, as department chairman. She served mayor
Marion Barry
in several capacities, supported the Community For Creative Non-Violence, Emily's List
, and various Democrats. They had four children, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
from 1943 to 1945, leaving as a major. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in the infantry
. He served as chief of price control, Office of Military Government
for Germany
in 1945, and deputy general counsel for the Marshall Plan
, Paris, France in 1949.
for Milwaukee County in 1950.
He left the Republican party
in 1950 due to antipathy for Senator
Joseph McCarthy
. As a Democrat, Reuss waged an unsuccessful primary
election campaign to become McCarthy's opponent in the 1952 general election. He attended the 1952 Democratic National Convention
as an alternate delegate.
He served as member of the school board for Milwaukee from 1953 to 1954. He served as member of legal advisory committee, United States National Resources Board
from 1948 to 1952. He was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor
of Milwaukee
in 1948 and 1960, losing to Frank Zeidler and Henry Maier, respectively.
from the 5th district
to the Eighty-fourth
and to the thirteen succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1955-January 3, 1983). He served as chairman of the Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing
in the Ninety-fourth Congress
. He served as chairman of the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs in the Ninety-fifth
and Ninety-sixth Congresses
. He served as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee in the Ninety-seventh Congress
.
After the 1974 post-Watergate Democratic landslide victories in Congress, Reuss defeated the more senior Wright Patman
of Texas as chairman of the House Banking Committee.
He opposed the war in Vietnam, and supported the campaign of U.S. Senator Eugene J. McCarthy for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination. He served as an at-large delegate for McCarthy at the Democratic National Convention that year.
He watched as planning, land acquisition, and utility relocation activities occurred for the Park West Freeway in his district (1955–1972). These activities cost the federal, state, and county governments almost $25 million dollars. Only after the Milwaukee County electorate approved construction of the Park West in November 1974 did he come out in opposition to the Park West in May 1975.
in 1982.
His name graces the Reuss Plaza Federal Office Building in Milwaukee, and the National Park Service
's Henry Reuss Ice Age Center near Dundee, Wisconsin
.
He donated to Senator Russ Feingold
's and Paul Tsongas
's campaigns in 1992. Mrs. Reuss was a bigger and more active donor to Democrats and related groups.
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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Childhood and education
He was born in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
and grew up in that city's German section. Reuss earned his A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1933 and was a member of the Sphinx Head Society. He then earned his LL.B. from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1936.
Early career
He was a lawyer in private practice and business executive. He served as assistant corporation counsel for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin from 1939 to 1940 and Counsel for United States Office of Price AdministrationOffice of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
from 1941 to 1942.
Marriage
In 1942 he married Margaret Magrath (about 1920 - 2008 September 30). She was an alumna of Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
who earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from the University of Chicago in 1944, and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1968, both in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. She worked at the Office of Price Administration
Office of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
in the 1940s, and taught at Federal City College from 1970. University of District of Columbia took over FCC in 1977, and she continued teaching there until she retired in 1985, as department chairman. She served mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Marion Barry
Marion Barry
Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia, representing DC's Ward 8. Barry served as the second elected mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991, and again as the fourth mayor from 1995...
in several capacities, supported the Community For Creative Non-Violence, Emily's List
EMILY's List
EMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....
, and various Democrats. They had four children, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
World War II
He was in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1943 to 1945, leaving as a major. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. He served as chief of price control, Office of Military Government
Office of Military Government, United States
The Office of Military Government, United States was the United States military-established government created shortly after the end of hostilities in occupied Germany in World War II. Under General Lucius D...
for 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...
in 1945, and deputy general counsel for the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
, Paris, France in 1949.
Attorney after World War II
Reuss became a special prosecutorSpecial prosecutor
A special prosecutor generally is a lawyer from outside the government appointed by an attorney general or, in the United States, by Congress to investigate a government official for misconduct while in office. A reasoning for such an appointment is that the governmental branch or agency may have...
for Milwaukee County in 1950.
He left the Republican party
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...
in 1950 due to antipathy for 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...
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
. As a Democrat, Reuss waged an unsuccessful primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
election campaign to become McCarthy's opponent in the 1952 general election. He attended the 1952 Democratic National Convention
1952 Democratic National Convention
The 1952 Democratic National Convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois from July 21 to July 26, 1952, which was the same arena the Republicans had gathered in a few weeks earlier for their national convention...
as an alternate delegate.
He served as member of the school board for Milwaukee from 1953 to 1954. He served as member of legal advisory committee, United States National Resources Board
National Security Resources Board
The National Security Resources Board was a United States board created by the National Security Act of 1947. It was a part of Cold War Civil defense, and obviously United States Civil Defense in particular...
from 1948 to 1952. He was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
in 1948 and 1960, losing to Frank Zeidler and Henry Maier, respectively.
Congressman
Reuss was elected as a DemocratDemocratic 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...
from the 5th district
Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
Wisconsin's 5th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin, covering all of Ozaukee and Washington counties, almost all of Waukesha County and portions of Milwaukee and Jefferson counties. The district includes the northern...
to the Eighty-fourth
84th United States Congress
The Eighty-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 January 3, 1955 to January 3, 1957, during the third and...
and to the thirteen succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1955-January 3, 1983). He served as chairman of the Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing
United States House Committee on Financial Services
The United States House Committee on Financial Services is the committee of the United States House of Representatives that oversees the entire financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries...
in the Ninety-fourth Congress
94th United States Congress
The Ninety-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 January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1977, during the administration...
. He served as chairman of the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs in the Ninety-fifth
95th United States Congress
The Ninety-fifth 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 January 3, 1977 to January 3, 1979, during the first two years...
and Ninety-sixth Congresses
96th United States Congress
The Ninety-sixth 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 January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1981, during the last two years...
. He served as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee in the Ninety-seventh Congress
97th United States Congress
The Ninety-seventh 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 January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...
.
After the 1974 post-Watergate Democratic landslide victories in Congress, Reuss defeated the more senior Wright Patman
Wright Patman
John William Wright Patman was a U.S. Congressman from Texas in Texas's 1st congressional district and chair of the United States House Committee on Banking and Currency .-Early life:...
of Texas as chairman of the House Banking Committee.
He opposed the war in Vietnam, and supported the campaign of U.S. Senator Eugene J. McCarthy for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination. He served as an at-large delegate for McCarthy at the Democratic National Convention that year.
He watched as planning, land acquisition, and utility relocation activities occurred for the Park West Freeway in his district (1955–1972). These activities cost the federal, state, and county governments almost $25 million dollars. Only after the Milwaukee County electorate approved construction of the Park West in November 1974 did he come out in opposition to the Park West in May 1975.
Life after Congress
He was not a candidate for reelection to the Ninety-eighth Congress97th United States Congress
The Ninety-seventh 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 January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...
in 1982.
His name graces the Reuss Plaza Federal Office Building in Milwaukee, and the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
's Henry Reuss Ice Age Center near Dundee, Wisconsin
Dundee, Wisconsin
Dundee is an unincorporated community located in the town of Osceola, in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on Wisconsin Highway 67 in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. The Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive runs through the community....
.
He donated to Senator Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as a Democratic party member of the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. From 1983 to 1993, Feingold was a Wisconsin State Senator representing the 27th District.He is a recipient of the John F...
's and Paul Tsongas
Paul Tsongas
Paul Efthemios Tsongas was a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1985. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1992 presidential election. He previously served as a U.S...
's campaigns in 1992. Mrs. Reuss was a bigger and more active donor to Democrats and related groups.