Bill Roth (politician)

Bill Roth
United States Senator from Delaware
In office January 1, 1971 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	John J. Williams
Succeeded by	Tom Carper
Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance
In office October 1, 1995 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Bob Packwood
Succeeded by	Max Baucus
Chair of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs
In office January 3, 1995 – October 1, 1995
Preceded by	John Glenn
Succeeded by	Ted Stevens
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	Abraham Ribicoff
Succeeded by	John Glenn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large district
In office January 3, 1967 – December 31, 1970
Preceded by	Harris B. McDowell Jr.
Succeeded by	Pierre S. du Pont, IV
Personal details
Born	William Victor Roth Jr. (1921-07-22)July 22, 1921 Great Falls, Montana, U.S.
Died	December 13, 2003(2003-12-13) (aged 82) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Jane Richards
Residence	Wilmington, Delaware
Alma mater	University of Oregon Harvard Business School Harvard Law School
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1943–1946
Unit	Intelligence
Battles/wars	World War II

William Victor Roth Jr. (July 22, 1921 – December 13, 2003) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Republican Party. He served from 1966 to 1970 as the lone U.S. Representative from Delaware and from 1971 to 2001 as a U.S. Senator from Delaware.^[1]

Roth was a sponsor of legislation creating the Roth IRA, an individual retirement plan that can be set up with a broker.

Early life and family

Roth was born in Great Falls, Montana, the son of Clara (née Nelson) and William Victor Roth, Sr., who ran a brewery.^[2] He attended public schools in Helena, Montana, graduating from Helena High School, which is also the alma mater of Senator Max Baucus, who succeeded Roth as Senate Finance Committee Chairman in 2001. Roth graduated from the University of Oregon in 1943, Harvard Business School in 1947, and Harvard Law School in 1949. During World War II he served in a United States Army intelligence unit from 1943 until 1946.

Professional and political career

Roth speaks on the floor of the Senate, c. 2000

After being admitted to the California Bar in 1950, he moved permanently to Delaware in 1954, and began his work as an attorney for the Hercules Corporation. He married Jane Richards in 1965 and they had two children, William III and Katharine. Jane Richards Roth is also a lawyer. She was U.S. District Court Judge, for the District of Delaware from 1985 until 1991 and since was a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. They were members of the Episcopal Church.

After losing the election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 1960, Roth was chair of the Delaware Republican Party until 1964.^[3] In 1966, he defeated incumbent U.S. Representative Harris McDowell, and went on to serve two terms in the United State House of Representatives from January 3, 1967, until December 31, 1970.

He then began his five terms in the United States Senate, succeeding the retiring incumbent U.S. Senator John J. Williams. He served in the U.S. Senate from January 1, 1971, having been appointed when Williams left office 3 days early, until January 3, 2001, having been defeated in the 2000 election by the Democratic candidate, Governor Tom Carper. Many consider Roth's defeat due to his age and health, as he collapsed twice during the campaign, once in the middle of a television interview and once during a campaign event.^[4][5][6]

Roth was known as a fiscal conservative. Critics blamed him for national deficits under Reagan.^[7] He was a longtime member of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Finance, serving as Chairman from September 12, 1995 through January 3, 2001. He was best remembered as a strong advocate of tax cuts, and he co-authored the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, also known as the Kemp-Roth Tax Cut with Jack Kemp. Roth was also the legislative sponsor of the individual retirement account plan that bears his name, the Roth IRA. It is a popular individual retirement account that has existed since 1998. The Roth 401(k), which did not become available until 2006, is also named after Roth.^[8] He was also one of the few Republicans to vote for the Brady Bill and the ban on semi-automatic weapons. Roth strongly supported environmental protections. Roth was also very engaged in international affairs and policy. He served as the President of NATO's parliament, the North Atlantic Assembly, from 1996 to 1998.^[9]

Roth was a witty man but unnatural campaigner. To help himself, he would ease himself into public appearances by bringing along a Saint Bernard dog. His succession of St. Bernards through his 34-year political career became a trademark of sorts.^[10]

Death

Roth died in Washington, D.C. of heart failure on December 13, 2003 at the age of 82. The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Bridge carrying Delaware Route 1 was dedicated as the US Senator William V. Roth Jr. Bridge, and a celebration was held on July 9, 2007. The bridge is a cable-stayed bridge and notable landmark in northern Delaware. Roth helped secure its funding.

Almanac

Elections are held on the Tuesday immediately following the first Monday in November. U.S. Representatives take office January 3 and have a two-year term. U.S. Senators are popularly elected and also take office January 3, but have a six-year term.

Works

• Roth, William V. Jr.; Nixon, William H. (1999). The Power to Destroy: How the IRS Became America. Atlantic Monthly Press. ISBN 0-87113-748-8. 

Notes

1. ↑ "Roth, William Victor Jr. (1921 - 2003)". United States Congress. Retrieved July 23, 2011. 
2. ↑ "Roth Biography". dehistory.org. Delaware Historical Society. Retrieved 8 August 2016. 
3. ↑ Miller, Beth (December 15, 2003). "Roth remembered for 'pure heart'". The News Journal. Archived from the original on December 17, 2003. Retrieved July 29, 2017. 
4. ↑ Gorenstein, Nathan. "In Delaware, Gov. Carper ousts 5-term Sen. Roth". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 12, 2001. Retrieved July 29, 2017. 
5. ↑ "Delaware U.S. Race, 2000 -- Sussex County Online, Delaware". sussexcountyonline.com. Retrieved 6 December 2016. 
6. ↑ Wilkie, Curtis (October 26, 2000). "In tight race, health issues dog Delaware's Roth". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 12, 2001. 
7. ↑ "Sen. William Roth, 82; Created Popular Retirement Account". LA Times. 15 December 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2014. 
8. ↑ Dustin, Woodard. "About: Mutual Funds: The Roth 401k". 
9. ↑ press@nato-pa.int. "NATO PA - PRESIDENTS FROM 1955 TO 2014". Retrieved 8 August 2016. 
10. ↑ "ONLY IN DELAWARE: WILLIAM V. ROTH JR.". 

References

• Barone, Michael & Richard E. Cohen (2005). Almanac of American Politics. Washington: National Journal Group. ISBN 0-89234-112-2. 
• Cohen, Celia (2002). Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State. Newark, DE: Grapevine Publishing, LLC. 
• William W. Boyer (2000). Governing Delaware. Newark: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-721-7. 

External links

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• U.S. Senator William V. Roth, Jr. home page (archived from December 2000)
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware
Vining Patten Latimer Bayard C. Rodney Broom Van Dyke Ridgely Cooper T. Clayton McLane Hall D. Rodney Johns Milligan Robinson G. Rodney J. Houston Riddle Cullen Whiteley Fisher Temple Smithers Nicholson Biggs Lofland J. Williams Martin Lore Penington Causey Willis Handy J. Hoffecker W. Hoffecker Ball H. Houston Burton Heald Brockson Miller Polk Layton Boyce R. Houston Adams Stewart Allen G. Williams Traynor Willey Boggs Warburton McDowell Haskell Roth du Pont Evans Carper Castle Carney Blunt Rochester

United States Senators from Delaware
Class 1	Read Latimer White Horsey C. Rodney Thomas Clayton McLane Naudain R. Bayard John M. Clayton Wales J. Bayard Jr Riddle J. Bayard Jr T. Bayard Sr Gray Ball H. du Pont Wolcott T. C. du Pont T. Bayard Jr Townsend Tunnell Williams Roth Carper
Class 2	Bassett Vining Joshua Clayton Wells J. Bayard Sr Wells Van Dyke D. Rodney Ridgely John M. Clayton Thomas Clayton Spruance John M. Clayton Comegys Bates W. Saulsbury Sr E. Saulsbury Higgins Kenney Allee Richardson W. Saulsbury Jr Ball T. C. du Pont Hastings Hughes Buck Frear Boggs Biden Kaufman Coons

Chairmen of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Expenditures in Executive Departments (1921–1952)	McCormick Reed Sackett Goff Steiwer Lewis Van Nuys Hill Aiken McClellan
Government Operations (1952–1977)	McClellan McCarthy McClellan Ervin Ribicoff
Governmental Affairs (1977–2005)	Ribicoff Roth Glenn Roth Stevens Thompson Lieberman Thompson Lieberman Collins
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (2005–)	Collins Lieberman Carper Johnson

Chairmen of the United States Senate Committee on Finance
Campbell Eppes Sanford Holmes Lowrie Smith Webster Wright Clay Evans Woodbury Calhoun Lewis Atherton Dickinson Hunter Pearce Fessenden Sherman Fessenden Sherman Morrill Bayard Morrill Voorhees Morrill Aldrich Penrose Simmons Penrose McCumber Smoot Harrison George Millikin George Millikin Byrd Long Dole Packwood Bentsen Moynihan Packwood Roth Baucus Grassley Baucus Grassley Baucus Wyden Hatch