Meet Republican Senator Mac Mathias
Charles Mac Mathias, Jr. was born in Frederick, Maryland. He grew up in the state of Maryland, specifically in the city of Frederick.
Prior to the US Senate, Mac served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1959 to 1963, and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1963 to 1969, representing Maryland’s 6th congressional district. He was a member of the Republican Party during his tenure in the House of Representatives.
Before entering politics, he was a lawyer, practicing law in Frederick, Maryland. He also served in the United States Navy during World War II as a naval officer, participating in the invasions of Normandy and Southern France.
Charles McCurdy “Mac” Mathias Jr. was a politician from the state of Maryland who served as a United States Senator from 1969 to 1987. He was a Republican and represented Maryland in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1987. Mathias was elected to the Senate in 1968, defeating incumbent Democrat Daniel Brewster. He was re-elected in 1974 and 1980.
During his tenure in the Senate, he focused on several key initiatives, including:
Environmental protection: Mathias was a strong advocate for environmental protection, and helped to pass several key pieces of legislation, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Air Act, which helped to improve the nation’s air and water quality.
Civil rights: Mathias was a strong supporter of civil rights and helped to pass several key pieces of legislation, including the Fair Housing Act and the Voting Rights Act, which helped to improve the rights of minority groups.
Education: Mathias was a strong supporter of education and helped to pass several key pieces of legislation, including the Higher Education Act and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, which helped to improve the quality of education in the United States.
Human rights: Mathias was a strong advocate for human rights, and worked to promote the rights of oppressed people both in the United States and around the world.
Fiscal responsibility: Mathias was a vocal advocate for balanced budgets and fiscal responsibility, and worked to reduce government spending and improve the nation’s financial situation.
Republican Senator from Maryland who served from 1969 to 1987. During his tenure, he was known for his moderate stance on many issues, and was a vocal advocate for civil rights, the environment, and campaign finance reform. Some of his accomplishments include:
Sponsoring the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, which provides for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites.
Co-sponsoring the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, which established stricter emissions standards for automobiles and industrial facilities.
Sponsoring the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, which established an independent counsel to investigate allegations of corruption in the executive branch.
Sponsoring the Mathias Amendment, which strengthened the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by requiring bilingual voting materials in areas where more than 5% of the population spoke a language other than English.
Opposing the Vietnam War and supporting the rights of LGBT individuals.
He also served as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Overall, Charles McCurdy “Mac” Mathias Jr.’s tenure as a United States Senator was marked by a number of significant accomplishments, particularly in the areas of environmental protection, civil rights, education, human rights, and fiscal responsibility.