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Roman Hruska | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hruska in 1969 | |
| United States Senator fromNebraska | |
| In office November 8, 1954 – December 27, 1976 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel W. Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Edward Zorinsky |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNebraska's2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 1953 – November 8, 1954 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Buffett |
| Succeeded by | Jackson B. Chase |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Roman Lee Hruska (1904-08-16)August 16, 1904 David City, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 1999(1999-04-25) (aged 94) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Victoria Kuncl Hruska |
| Children | Jana Hruska Quentin Hruska Roman Hruska, Jr. |
| Alma mater | University of Omaha University of Chicago Creighton University |
Roman Lee Hruska (/ˈrʌskə/) (August 16, 1904 – April 25, 1999) was an American attorney and politician who served as aRepublicanU.S. senator from the state ofNebraska. Hruska was known as one of the most vocalconservatives in the Senate during the 1960s and 1970s.
Hruska was also co-founder of theDouglas Theatre Company, based in Nebraska.
Hruska was born inDavid City, Nebraska, one of 11 children ofCzech immigrant parents. In 1917, his family moved toOmaha, Nebraska, where he graduated from high school. He attended the University of Omaha (nowUniversity of Nebraska–Omaha) and theUniversity of Chicago Law School and graduated from theCreighton University School of Law in 1929. He returned to Omaha to practice law.[1]
In 1944, Hruska first entered politics when he accepted a seat on theDouglas County, Nebraska, Board of Commissioners in place of a friend who recently resigned. He served as a regular member from 1944 to 1945 and as chair from 1945 to 1952.[1] During his time on the board of commissioners, Hruska also sat on the advisory committee of the Nebraska Board of Control from 1947 to 1952.[2] He was president of the Nebraska Association of County Officials from 1950 to 1951 and vice president of the National Association of County Officials from 1951 to 1952.[2]
Hruska was elected to theUnited States House of Representatives from the Omaha-dominated second district of Nebraska in1952. He served only part of one term, as he ran for aUnited States Senate seat in 1954, which was vacated by the death ofHugh Butler.[1] Hruska won, was reelected in 1958, 1964 and 1970, and served in the Senate until his retirement in 1976. His opponent in 1958 and 1970 wasFrank B. Morrison. Hruska did not run for reelection to a fourth full term.
Even after Nixon resigned, Hruska defended him and claimed Watergate only became a scandal as part of a partisan effort to attack Nixon.[3]
Hruska became an influential member of theSenate Appropriations Committee and theSenate Judiciary Committee. Hruska voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957,[4]1960,[5]1964,[6] and1968,[7] as well as the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,[8] theVoting Rights Act of 1965,[9] and the confirmation ofThurgood Marshall to theU.S. Supreme Court.[9][10] Though Congress was controlled by Democrats for his entire tenure in the Senate, he was known as a skillful legislator and was said to have influenced many of the federal criminal justice system's changes during his era. He was ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee at the time of his retirement.
On October 10, 1978, President Carter signed into law a bill that renamed theU.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), located inClay County, Nebraska, for Hruska. The Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse in Omaha is also named in his honor. Additionally, the Roman L. Hruska Law Center inLincoln, Nebraska houses theNebraska State Bar Association.
In 1970, Hruska addressed the Senate, urging it to confirm Richard Nixon's nomination ofG. Harrold Carswell to theSupreme Court. Responding to criticism that Carswell had been a mediocre judge, Hruska argued:
Even if he were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren't they, and a little chance? We can't have allBrandeises,Frankfurters andCardozos.[11]
Democrats seized upon these remarks, and the Carswell nomination failed.[11]
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Hruska moved back to Omaha in 1976 and lived there until his death. On April 10, 1999, he fell and broke his hip. He died fifteen days later from complications during treatment. He was buried in Bohemian Cemetery in Omaha.
Hruska was married to Victoria Kuncl Hruska. They had three children: Jana, Quentin and Roman, Jr.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromNebraska (Class 1) 1954,1958,1964,1970 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNebraska's 2nd congressional district 1953–1954 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 1) from Nebraska 1954–1976 Served alongside:Hazel Abel,Carl T. Curtis | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
