Claude Pepper

Claude Pepper
Pepper, c. 1940
Chair of the House Rules Committee
In office January 3, 1983 – May 30, 1989
Preceded by	Richard W. Bolling
Succeeded by	Joe Moakley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida
In office January 3, 1963 – May 30, 1989
Preceded by	Bob Sikes
Succeeded by	Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Constituency	3rd district (1963–1967) 11th district (1967–1973) 14th district (1973–1983) 18th district (1983–1989)
United States Senator from Florida
In office November 4, 1936 – January 3, 1951
Preceded by	William Luther Hill
Succeeded by	George Smathers
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the Taylor County district
In office 1929–1931
Preceded by	W. T. Hendry
Succeeded by	Anton H. Wentworth
Personal details
Born	Claude Denson Pepper (1900-09-08)September 8, 1900 near Dudleyville, Alabama, U.S.
Died	May 30, 1989(1989-05-30) (aged 88) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mildred Webster ​ ​ (m. 1936; died 1979)​
Education	University of Alabama (AB) Harvard University (LLB)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1918
Rank	Private
Unit	Student Army Training Corps
Battles/wars	World War I
Claude Pepper's voice Claude Pepper on homelessness in the United States Recorded March 24, 1984

Claude Denson Pepper (September 8, 1900 – May 30, 1989) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented Florida in the United States Senate from 1936 to 1951, and the Miami area in the United States House of Representatives from 1963 until 1989. He was considered a spokesman for left-liberalism and the elderly.^[1][2]

Born in Chambers County, Alabama, Pepper established a legal practice in Perry, Florida, after graduating from Harvard Law School. After serving a single term in the Florida House of Representatives, Pepper won a 1936 special election to succeed Senator Duncan U. Fletcher. Pepper became one of the most prominent liberals in Congress, supporting legislation such as the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. After World War II, Pepper's conciliatory views towards the Soviet Union and opposition to President Harry Truman's 1948 re-nomination engendered opposition within the party. Pepper lost the 1950 Senate Democratic primary to Congressman George Smathers, and returned to private legal practice the following year.

In 1962, Pepper won election to a newly created district in the United States House of Representatives. He emerged as a staunch anti-Communist, and strongly criticized Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Pepper served as chairman of the House Committee on Aging, and pursued reforms to Social Security and Medicare. From 1983 to 1989, he served as chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee. He died in office in 1989, and was honored with a state funeral. In 2000, the United States Postal Service issued a 33¢ Distinguished Americans series postage stamp honoring Pepper.