Melvin Price

Charles Melvin Price (January 1, 1905 – April 22, 1988) was a member of the United States House of Representatives for over 40 years, from 1945 to his death. He represented Metro East, the Illinois portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Most notably, he served as the chairman of the United States House Committee on Armed Services between 1975 and 1985. He lost this position at the beginning of the 99th United States Congress. Overthrowing a committee chairman was not a common occurrence at that time, but a majority of the House Democratic Caucus seemed to feel that the aged Price was no longer up to the job. In addition, Price, while liberal on domestic issues, was notably more supportive of defense spending than most Democrats. When it came to choosing Price's successor, the Caucus bypassed several other old hawkish members of the committee in favor of Les Aspin, who was not only much younger than Price and other more senior members, but also seemed closer in his defense policy preferences to the majority of the Democratic Caucus.

Melvin Price
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois
In office January 3, 1945 – April 22, 1988
Preceded by	Calvin D. Johnson
Succeeded by	Jerry Costello
Constituency	22nd District (1945-1949) 25th District (1949-1953) 24th District (1953-1973) 23rd District (1973-1983) 21st District (1983-1988)
Chair of the House Committee on Armed Services
In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985
Preceded by	F. Edward Hebert
Succeeded by	Les Aspin
Member of the St. Clair County, Illinois Board of Supervisors
In office 1929–1931
Personal details
Born	Charles Melvin Price January 1, 1905 East St. Louis, Illinois
Died	April 22, 1988 (aged 83) Camp Springs, Maryland
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	St. Louis University
Military service
Allegiance	United States Army
Branch/service	Quartermaster Corps
Years of service	1943–1944

Price was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and graduated from St. Louis University High School and Saint Louis University. After graduating, he worked for several years as a journalist before taking work as a secretary for Congressman Edwin Schaefer in 1933. He served there for ten years, after which he joined the U.S. Army in 1943, at the height of World War II; Price served in the quartermaster corps. He was elected to Congress in his own right in 1944. During his time in Congress, he also chaired the Ethics Committee (1967–76) and the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (1973–74). He remained in Congress until his death.

Congressman Price had a role in enacting the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act. He died in 1988 of pancreatic cancer.[1] Price is the namesake of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, near Alton, Illinois on the Upper Mississippi River, and the Melvin Price Federal Building and United States Courthouse in East St. Louis.

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99)

References

1. Rangel, Jesus (April 23, 1988). "Representative Melvin Price, 83, Is Dead of Cancer After 22 Terms". New York Times.

External links

• Congressional Biographical Dictionary entry
• Melvin Price at Find a Grave
• Louisa H. Bowen Special Collections and University Archives at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville houses Congressman Price's papers
• Appearances on C-SPAN