John Hall Buchanan, Jr.

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John Hall Buchanan, Jr. (born March 19, 1928) served as a United States Congressman from Alabama's 6th congressional district.

[edit] Early life

Buchanan was born in Paris, Tennessee. He served in the United States Navy from 1945-1946 and then came to Alabama where he attended Samford University in Birmingham. After his graduation Buchanan did graduate work at the University of Virginia before transferring to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated in 1957 and served among churches in Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia as a pastor.^[1]

[edit] Politics

Buchanan unsuccessfully sought election to the Congress in 1962 and so continued to serve in a pastoral role. At the same time he served as the Finance Director for the Alabama Republican Party. In 1964 he was elected to Congress from the 6th district and continued to serve in that capacity until his defeat in 1980.^[2]

Among the significant legislation passed during his tenure was the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution which clarifies and refines the office of the Vice President of the United States, the Medicare act which created the new insurance program and which Buchanan voted against^[3] and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.^[4]

He was next appointed by President Ronald Reagan to be a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. He has also served on the [[United Nations Human Rights Committee.^[5] Buchanan is also a member of the board of directors of People for the American Way.^[6]

Buchanan lives today in Bethesda, Maryland.