 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Brent Spence" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(March 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Brent Spence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromKentucky | |
| In office March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1963 | |
| Preceded by | J. Lincoln Newhall |
| Succeeded by | Frank Chelf (redistricting) |
| Constituency | 6th district (1931-1933) At-large (1933-1935) 5th district (1935-1963) |
| Member of theKentucky Senate | |
| In office 1904-1908 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1874-12-24)December 24, 1874 |
| Died | September 18, 1967(1967-09-18) (aged 92) Fort Thomas, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ida Billerman |
| Alma mater | University of Cincinnati |
| Occupation | lawyer |
Brent Spence (December 24, 1874 – September 18, 1967), was an American politician. He was a long timeDemocraticCongressman,attorney, andbanker fromNorthern Kentucky.
Spence was born inNewport, Kentucky to Philip and Virginia (Berry) Spence. He graduated from theUniversity of Cincinnati in 1894 with a degree in law and was admitted to the bar that same year. He married Ida Bitterman on September 6, 1919.
He was very active in local and state politics, serving first in theKentucky Senate, 1904–1908, then as city solicitor of Newport, 1916–1924. In 1930 he was elected to theU.S. House of Representatives from the 5th District; he held this position from March 4, 1931, until January 3, 1963, when most of his district was merged with the neighboring4th District of fellow DemocratFrank Chelf. He lost the ensuring primary to Chelf. At the time of his retirement, Spence was one of the oldest members to serve in the House; he was 88 years old at the end of his career.[citation needed]
Spence chaired theU.S. House Banking and Currency Committee (1943–1963, except for four years when Republicans controlled Congress). He was a delegate to the 44-nationBretton Woods Conference in 1944, to promote fair commerce. This led to creating theInternational Monetary Fund and Bank, and Spence's sponsoring legislation in Congress. Spence was a strong supporter of theNew Deal and theFair Deal. DuringPresident Roosevelt's administration, he supported theAgricultural Adjustment Act, theNational Industrial Recovery Act, theSocial Security Act, and theReconstruction Finance Corporation. While Spence did not sign the 1956Southern Manifesto and voted in favor of the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,[1] he voted against passage of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957 and1960.[2][3]
Altogether, Spence was a quiet man, and not a good public speaker. However, he was known for his impartial leadership and could get critical legislation passed. His background in banking is credited for leading him to sponsor the Export-Import Federal Deposit Insurance Act, which doubled insured savings accounts from $5,000 to $10,000.[citation needed]
TheBrent Spence Bridge ofI-75/I-71 which crosses theOhio River atCovington, Kentucky is named for him. He resided inFort Thomas, Kentucky at the time of his death. His funeral service was atSt. Paul's Episcopal Church, Newport, where he was a lifetime member,[4] then buried inEvergreen Cemetery (Southgate, Kentucky).
To date, he is the last Democrat to serve as representative from Kentucky's 5th congressional district.
"Brent Spence" inThe Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky), 1993.
Hedlund, Richard. "Brent Spence and the Bretton Woods Legislation",The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society 79 (Winter 1981).
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | U.S. Representative fromKentucky's 6th congressional district March 4, 1931-March 3, 1933 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by New District | U.S. Representative fromKentucky's at-large congressional district March 4, 1933-January 3, 1935 | Succeeded by District Suspended |
| Preceded by | U.S. Representative fromKentucky's 5th congressional district January 3, 1935-January 3, 1963 | Succeeded by |
 | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
