Howell Heflin
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| Howell Thomas Heflin | |
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Senator, Alabama
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| In office January 1979–January 1997 |
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| Preceded by | John J. Sparkman |
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| Succeeded by | Jeff Sessions |
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| Born | June 19, 1921 Poulan, Georgia |
| Died | March 29, 2005 Sheffield, Alabama |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Religion | Methodist |
Howell Thomas Heflin (June 19, 1921 – March 29, 2005) was a United States Senator from Alabama, and a member of the Democratic Party.
Although born in Poulan, Georgia, Heflin was the nephew of prominent Alabama politician James Thomas Heflin. Following graduation from high school, Heflin attended Birmingham-Southern College (graduated 1942) and the University of Alabama Law School (graduated 1948). During this time he also served as a U.S. Marine officer in World War II and was awarded the Silver Star for combat, seeing action on Bougainville and Guam.
He became a law professor, and then became the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court from 1971 to 1977.
In 1978, Heflin was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate to succeed John Sparkman. He remained in the Senate, where he rose to become Chairman of the Select Committee on Ethics, until January 3, 1997. While on the Ethics Committee, he led the prosecution against fellow Senator Howard Cannon (D-NV) for violations of Senate rules.
Heflin was one of the last conservative Southern Democrats to serve in the U.S. Senate. His stances on cultural issues most often reflected the region he was from. He strongly opposed legal abortion and all gun control laws. Heflin supported prayer in public schools and opposed extending federal laws against discrimination to homosexuals. He voted in favor of the Gulf War and against limiting spending on defense. He was one of only two Democrats in the Senate to vote against the Family and Medical Leave Act. He occasionally voted with Republicans on taxes. On other economic issues he was more in sync with the populist wing of his party. He voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and lawsuit reform measures. He strongly supported affirmative action laws. He memorably voted against the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, complaining of his lack of experience and interest.
During his tenure, Heflin was considered to have bi-partisan support if he was nominated for a vacancy on the United States Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan. Nevertheless, Heflin did not wish to serve on the highest court in the United States.
The University of Alabama School of Law has honored Heflin with the "Howell Heflin Conference Room" in the Bounds Law Library.
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| Preceded by: John J. Sparkman |
United States Senator (Class 2) from Alabama 1979–1997 Served alongside: Donald W. Stewart, Jeremiah Denton, Richard Shelby |
Succeeded by: Jeff Sessions |
