Joseph Montoya

Joseph Montoya

Joseph Manuel Montoya (born September 24, 1915 in Pena Blanca , Sandoval County , New Mexico - †  June 8, 1978 in Washington, DC ) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) who represented the state of New Mexico in both chambers of Congress represented.

Political career in New Mexico

Joseph Montoya's ancestors immigrated from Spain to what is now the state of New Mexico in the 18th century . He attended the public schools in Sandoval County as a boy and graduated from Bernalillo High School in 1931 ; then he continued his education at Regis College in Denver . In 1934 he began to study law at the Law School of Georgetown University in Washington; four years later he passed his exam there. From 1939 he practiced in Santa Fe . While still a student, Montoya was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 1936 , making him the youngest member in the history of this House of Representatives. In 1938 he was re-elected; the following year he rose to the chair of the democratic majority group ( Majority Leader ).

In 1940 Montoya moved within the New Mexico Legislature to the State Senate , where he became its youngest member. He ran twice successfully for re-election, was Whip of the Democratic majority faction and chairman of the judiciary committee. From 1947 to 1951 he was Vice Governor of Governor Thomas J. Mabry's deputy . A first attempt to be elected to the United States House of Representatives failed in 1950. Instead, he sat again in the Senate of his state from 1953 to 1954 and was lieutenant governor again from 1955 to 1957, this time under Governor John F. Simms .

Congressman and Senator

Montoya ran in 1957 for a by-election for the mandate of longtime Congressman Antonio M. Fernández , who had previously died just one day after his re-election. He emerged victorious and took the seat for the second constituency of New Mexico in the House of Representatives from April 9, 1957 . As a result, he was confirmed in office three times. In Congress, Montoya earned a reputation as a representative of the political center, who carried out his duties with great conscientiousness. His focus was on education policy; Among other things, he was the author of a bill on vocational education ( Vocational Education Act ). He was also involved in the 1964 Wilderness Act , which served to protect the wilderness areas in the United States.

In the same year Montoya ran for the seat of the late Dennis Chavez in the US Senate . In the by-election, he prevailed against the republican ex-governor Edwin L. Mechem , who had resigned from his office specifically to take over the Senate mandate. With 54.7 percent of the vote, Montoya achieved a secure lead. He moved to the Senate on November 4, 1964, where he served on numerous committees, including the Watergate Committee of Inquiry .

His participation in the Agriculture Committee , where he sought quality standards for inspection and regulation in the meat packaging industry, was sustainable . With the Wholesome Meat Act of 1967, the Wholesome Poultry Act of 1968 and the Clean Hot Dog Act of 1974, he drafted bills to eliminate unsanitary conditions in this industrial sector. Other areas of activity Montoya were civil rights and health care; he supported the Medicare and Medicaid institutions . He was also involved in environmental protection and government programs for the elderly.

After he was confirmed in 1970, Montoya ran for re-election in 1976, but lost 16 percentage points to the Republican Harrison Schmitt , a former astronaut who was the last person to step on the moon in 1972. After 20 years he had to leave Congress on January 3, 1977; Joseph Montoya died the following year in the federal capital.

Web links

• Joseph Montoya in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Joseph Montoya in the database of Find a Grave (English)