Marilyn Lloyd
Encyclopedia
Rachel Marilyn Laird Lloyd (born January 3, 1929) is a Tennessee
businesswoman and 10-term member of the United States House of Representatives
(1975–95).
in 1929, the daughter of a Church of Christ pastor. She graduated from Western Kentucky College High School, a high school that associated with what is now Western Kentucky University
, in Bowling Green, Kentucky
, in 1945. She attended Shorter College in Rome, Georgia
. She owned radio station WTTI in Dalton, Georgia
, and Executive Aviation in Winchester, Tennessee
.
in Chattanooga, who had entered the 1974 Democratic
primary
for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district
, to oppose two-term incumbent Republican
Congressman LaMar Baker
. Lloyd won the primary in the Chattanooga-based district, but he was killed in an airplane crash on his way to celebrate the victory, and the Democratic Party selected his widow to replace him on the ballot. She went on to defeat Baker in the General Election in November.
That election saw many Republicans, in competitive and marginal districts, defeated, in large part because of the Watergate scandal
. She became the first woman ever elected to Congress
from Tennessee for a full term. Irene Baker
and Louise Reece were both elected in special elections to succeed their husbands as caretakers and didn't run for a full term in the next election. Lloyd was considered a conservative Democrat by national standards, but a moderate by Tennessee standards. She often broke with the Democratic Party's national leadership, her views reflecting those of her conservative-minded district. She routed Baker in a 1976 rematch and, thereafter, faced serious opposition only three more times (1984, 1986, 1992).
Lloyd served on the House Science Committee for her entire congressional career. That committee had jurisdiction over legislation related to nuclear power
facilities at Oak Ridge
in her district. By the time of her retirement from Congress, she was the second-ranking Democrat on the committee. She was a strong advocate for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor project in Oak Ridge. She also served on the Committee on Public Works
(1975–87), on the Armed Services Committee (1983–95), and on the House Select Committee on Aging for much of her congressional career.
When women members of the House formed a Women's Caucus in 1977, Lloyd was one of three congresswomen who declined membership, presumably because she feared alienating her constituents. She later joined the caucus but resigned in 1980 over political disagreements.
After she was diagnosed with breast cancer
in 1991 and was denied a silicone breast implant because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had removed them from the market, Lloyd became an advocate for breast cancer treatment and women's health. She advocated for the availability of breast implants for reconstructive surgery.
Lloyd cosponsored legislation related to women's health, notably the Mammography
Quality Standards Act, which was enacted in 1992. Lloyd also reversed her position on abortion
, announcing on the floor of the House that she would no longer oppose abortion but would, instead, vote for a woman's right to choose
.
In 1992, her Republican opponent was real estate broker Zach Wamp
. While she defeated Wamp, her victory was by just one percent (2,900 votes) and only then because of the withdrawal of underground environmental candidate Peter Melcher. Lloyd lost badly in Hamilton County
, home to Chattanooga, and retained her seat only with a strong showing in the Oak Ridge area. Despite Tennessee's Senator
Al Gore
being elected Vice President as Bill Clinton
's running mate, the Clinton-Gore Democratic ticket won the 3rd District by only 39 votes out of 225,000 cast, one of their worst performances in the state. The closeness of the race is believed to have influenced her decision not to stand for an 11th term in 1994. She endorsed Wamp's bid for Congress that year, which may have contributed to his narrow victory.
.
The Marilyn Lloyd Environmental and Life Sciences Research Complex at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
was named in her honor in 1999. Her Congressional papers are archived in the library of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
businesswoman and 10-term member of the United States House of Representatives
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...
(1975–95).
Biographical information
Rachel Marilyn Laird was born in Fort Smith, ArkansasFort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
in 1929, the daughter of a Church of Christ pastor. She graduated from Western Kentucky College High School, a high school that associated with what is now Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
, in Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
, in 1945. She attended Shorter College in Rome, Georgia
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
. She owned radio station WTTI in Dalton, Georgia
Dalton, Georgia
Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is the county seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of both Murray and Whitfield counties. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,128...
, and Executive Aviation in Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester, Tennessee
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
.
Personal life
Lloyd's first husband, Mort Lloyd, died in an airplane crash in 1974. In 1978, she married engineer Joseph P. Bouquard and for the next five years was known as Marilyn Lloyd Bouquard. In 1983, the couple divorced, and she resumed using the name Marilyn Lloyd. In 1991, she married Dr. Robert Fowler, a physician who also predeceased her.Political and congressional career
Mort Lloyd was a popular television anchor at WDEF-TVWDEF-TV
WDEF–TV channel 12 is the CBS affiliate television station for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. The station, whose call letters came from its former AM and FM sister stations, is owned by Morris Multimedia. Its transmitter is located in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Syndicated programming on...
in Chattanooga, who had entered the 1974 Democratic
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...
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....
for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district
Tennessee's 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Tennessee is a congressional district in Tennessee. It currently includes a north-south strip in the eastern part of the state. Current Republican Representative Chuck Fleischmann has served since 2011....
, to oppose two-term incumbent 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...
Congressman LaMar Baker
LaMar Baker
LaMar Baker was a Tennessee businessman and Republican political figure who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.-Biography:...
. Lloyd won the primary in the Chattanooga-based district, but he was killed in an airplane crash on his way to celebrate the victory, and the Democratic Party selected his widow to replace him on the ballot. She went on to defeat Baker in the General Election in November.
That election saw many Republicans, in competitive and marginal districts, defeated, in large part because of the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. She became the first woman ever elected to Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from Tennessee for a full term. Irene Baker
Irene Baker
Edith Irene Bailey Baker was a United States Representative from Tennessee, the first woman to represent that state in the United States Congress as a member of the Republican Party...
and Louise Reece were both elected in special elections to succeed their husbands as caretakers and didn't run for a full term in the next election. Lloyd was considered a conservative Democrat by national standards, but a moderate by Tennessee standards. She often broke with the Democratic Party's national leadership, her views reflecting those of her conservative-minded district. She routed Baker in a 1976 rematch and, thereafter, faced serious opposition only three more times (1984, 1986, 1992).
Lloyd served on the House Science Committee for her entire congressional career. That committee had jurisdiction over legislation related to nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
facilities at Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
in her district. By the time of her retirement from Congress, she was the second-ranking Democrat on the committee. She was a strong advocate for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor project in Oak Ridge. She also served on the Committee on Public Works
United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
(1975–87), on the Armed Services Committee (1983–95), and on the House Select Committee on Aging for much of her congressional career.
When women members of the House formed a Women's Caucus in 1977, Lloyd was one of three congresswomen who declined membership, presumably because she feared alienating her constituents. She later joined the caucus but resigned in 1980 over political disagreements.
After she was diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in 1991 and was denied a silicone breast implant because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had removed them from the market, Lloyd became an advocate for breast cancer treatment and women's health. She advocated for the availability of breast implants for reconstructive surgery.
Lloyd cosponsored legislation related to women's health, notably the Mammography
Mammography
Mammography is the process of using low-energy-X-rays to examine the human breast and is used as a diagnostic and a screening tool....
Quality Standards Act, which was enacted in 1992. Lloyd also reversed her position on abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, announcing on the floor of the House that she would no longer oppose abortion but would, instead, vote for a woman's right to choose
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
.
In 1992, her Republican opponent was real estate broker Zach Wamp
Zach Wamp
Zachary Paul "Zach" Wamp is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party...
. While she defeated Wamp, her victory was by just one percent (2,900 votes) and only then because of the withdrawal of underground environmental candidate Peter Melcher. Lloyd lost badly in Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Tennessee
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was named for Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 310,935 . Its county seat is Chattanooga....
, home to Chattanooga, and retained her seat only with a strong showing in the Oak Ridge area. Despite Tennessee's 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...
Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
being elected Vice President as Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's running mate, the Clinton-Gore Democratic ticket won the 3rd District by only 39 votes out of 225,000 cast, one of their worst performances in the state. The closeness of the race is believed to have influenced her decision not to stand for an 11th term in 1994. She endorsed Wamp's bid for Congress that year, which may have contributed to his narrow victory.
Post-retirement
Subsequent to her retirement from Congress, Lloyd has maintained a fairly low profile other than her advocacy for victims of domestic violenceDomestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
.
The Marilyn Lloyd Environmental and Life Sciences Research Complex at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
was named in her honor in 1999. Her Congressional papers are archived in the library of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
.