George H. Mahon

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George H. Mahon
Mahon, c. 1965
41st Dean of the United States House of Representatives
In office
March 7, 1976 – January 3, 1979
Preceded byWright Patman
Succeeded byJamie Whitten
Chair of the House Appropriations Committee
In office
April 12, 1964 – January 3, 1979
Preceded byClarence Cannon
Succeeded byJamie Whitten
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 19th district
In office
January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1979
Preceded byJoseph Weldon Bailey Jr.
Succeeded byKent Hance
Personal details
Born(1900-09-22)September 22, 1900
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedNovember 19, 1985(1985-11-19) (aged 85)
San Angelo, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Helen Stevenson
​
(m. 1923)​
Children1
Parents
  • John Kirkpatrick Mahon (father)
  • Lola Willis (mother)
Alma materHardin–Simmons University
University of Texas School of Law
Occupation
  • Lawyer
  • politician

George Herman Mahon (September 22, 1900 – November 19, 1985) was an American politician and attorney. A Democrat, he served 22 consecutive terms as a member the United States House of Representatives from Texas.

Biography[edit]

Born near Haynesville, Louisiana, Mahon's family moved to Texas when he was a child. He graduated from Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, in 1924, and from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin in 1925. Mahon was elected county attorney for Mitchell County, Texas, in 1926, and he served as district attorney of the 32nd judicial district of Texas from 1927 to 1933.

Mahon was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1934. He was a delegate to each Democratic National Convention from 1936 to 1964.

Mahon voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[1] 1960,[2] 1964,[3] and 1968,[4] which were directed at enforcing constitutional rights for African Americans and other minorities. He also opposed ratification of the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution[5] and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,[6] which gave the federal government oversight and enforcement over state practices that discriminated against minority voters.

He was the chairman of the Appropriations committee from 1964 until his retirement from the House in 1979, as well as the Dean of the House for his last three years. Mahon was also appointed on the panel for the Manhattan Project.[citation needed]

After his years in the House, Mahon stayed in Washington to work with the Smithsonian Institution, for which he had served as a regent from 1964 to 1978.[citation needed]

Mahon died on November 19, 1985, in San Angelo, Texas, due to complications from surgery. He is interred in the Loraine City Cemetery in Loraine, Texas.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. -- House Vote #42 -- Jun 18, 1957". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  2. ^ "HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE … -- House Vote #106 -- Apr 21, 1960". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  3. ^ "H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A … -- House Vote #182 -- Jul 2, 1964". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  4. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR … -- House Vote #113 -- Aug 16, 1967". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  5. ^ "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF … -- House Vote #193 -- Aug 27, 1962". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  6. ^ "TO AGREE TO CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 1564, THE VOTING … -- House Vote #107 -- Aug 3, 1965". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2024-01-12.

External links[edit]

Wikisource has original works by or about:
George H. Mahon
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Representative from the 19th Congressional District of Texas
1935–1979 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations
1964–1979 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Dean of the House
1976–1979 		Succeeded by
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