William V. Roth, Jr.

William V. Roth, Jr.


United States Senator from Delaware
In office January 1, 1971 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	John J. Williams
Succeeded by	Thomas R. Carper
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
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance
In office October 1, 1995 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Bob Packwood
Succeeded by	Max Baucus
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	Abraham A. Ribicoff
Succeeded by	John Glenn
In office January 3, 1995 – October 1, 1995
Preceded by	John Glenn
Succeeded by	Ted Stevens
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
Profession	lawyer
Religion	Episcopalian
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1943–1946
Unit	Intelligence
Battles/wars	World War II

William Victor "Bill" 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, who served as U.S. Representative and 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 V. 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.

Roth lost the election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 1960. In 1966, he defeated incumbent U.S. Representative Harris B. McDowell, Jr., 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 Thomas R. Carper.

Roth was known as a fiscal conservative. Critics blamed him for national deficits under Reagan.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Began office	Ended office	notes
U.S. Representative	Legislature	Washington	January 3, 1967	January 3, 1969
U.S. Representative	Legislature	Washington	January 3, 1969	December 31, 1970
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	January 1, 1971	January 3, 1977
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	January 3, 1977	January 3, 1983
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	January 3, 1983	January 3, 1989
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	January 3, 1989	January 3, 1995
U.S. Senator	Legislature	Washington	January 3, 1995	January 3, 2001

United States Congressional service
Dates	Congress	Chamber	Majority	President	Committees	Class/District
1967–1969	90th	U.S. House	Democratic	Lyndon B. Johnson		at-large
1969–1971	91st	U.S. House	Democratic	Richard Nixon		at-large
1971–1973	92nd	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Richard Nixon	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1973–1975	93rd	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Richard Nixon Gerald R. Ford	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1975–1977	94th	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Gerald Ford	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1977–1979	95th	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Jimmy Carter	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1979–1981	96th	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Jimmy Carter	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1981–1983	97th	U.S. Senate	Republican	Ronald Reagan	Governmental Affairs, Chair Finance	class 1
1983–1985	98th	U.S. Senate	Republican	Ronald Reagan	Governmental Affairs, Chair Finance	class 1
1985–1987	99th	U.S. Senate	Republican	Ronald Reagan	Governmental Affairs, Chair Finance	class 1
1987–1989	100th	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Ronald Reagan	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1989–1991	101st	U.S. Senate	Democratic	George H. W. Bush	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1991–1993	102nd	U.S. Senate	Democratic	George H. W. Bush	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1993–1995	103rd	U.S. Senate	Democratic	Bill Clinton	Governmental Affairs Finance	class 1
1995–1997	104th	U.S. Senate	Republican	Bill Clinton	Governmental Affairs, Chair Finance, Chair	class 1
1997–1999	105th	U.S. Senate	Republican	Bill Clinton	Governmental Affairs Finance, Chair	class 1
1999–2001	106th	U.S. Senate	Republican	Bill Clinton	Governmental Affairs Finance, Chair	class 1

Election results
Year	Office	Election	Subject	Party	Votes	%	Opponent	Party	Votes	%
1960	Lt. Governor	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	96,671	50%	Eugene Lammot	Democratic	97,826	50%
1966	U.S. Representative	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	90,961	56%	Harris B. McDowell, Jr.	Democratic	72,142	44%
1968	U.S. Representative	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	117,827	59%	Harris B. McDowell, Jr.	Democratic	82,993	41%
1970	U.S. Senator	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	94,979	59%	Jacob W. Zimmerman	Democratic	64,740	40%
1976	U.S. Senator	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	125,454	56%	Thomas C. Maloney	Democratic	98,042	44%
1982	U.S. Senator	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	105,357	55%	David N. Levinson	Democratic	84,413	44%
1988	U.S. Senator	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	151,115	62%	Shien Biau Woo	Democratic	92,378	38%
1994	U.S. Senator	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	111,074	56%	Charles M. Oberly, III	Democratic	84,540	42%
2000	U.S. Senator	General	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	142,891	44%	Thomas R. Carper	Democratic	181,566	56%

Works

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

Notes

↑ "Roth, William Victor, Jr., (1921 - 2003)". United States Congress. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
↑ http://www.hsd.org/Library/RothPapers/Roth_Biography.htm
↑ "Sen. William Roth, 82; Created Popular Retirement Account". LA Times. 15 December 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
↑ Dustin, Woodard. "About: Mutual Funds: The Roth 401k".
↑ http://www.nato-pa.int/Default.asp?SHORTCUT=2880
↑ "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

Government of Delaware

U.S. Senators U.S. Representatives Delegations Governors Lt. Governors Attorneys General State Senators State Representatives Judges Mayors

General Assembly Counties Hundreds Politics Elections Politicians Lawyers History

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 TC 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 TC du Pont Hastings Hughes Buck Frear Boggs Biden Kaufman Coons

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

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

United States Senate
Preceded by John J. Williams	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Delaware 1971–2001 Served alongside: J. Caleb Boggs, Joe Biden	Succeeded by Tom Carper
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Harris B. McDowell, Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large congressional district 1967-1970	Succeeded by Pierre S. du Pont IV

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 17306010 LCCN: n82244394 ISNI: 0000 0001 1510 8581 SUDOC: 03298636X BNF: cb12390167c (data) US Congress: R000460

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