Russell B. Long

Russell Billiu Long (November 3, 1918 – May 9, 2003) was an American Democratic politician and United States Senator from Louisiana from 1948 until 1987.

Russell Billiu Long was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on November 3, 1918, the son of Huey Long and Rose McConnell Long.

Originally named Huey Pierce Long III, his father arrived shortly after his birth and changed his name to Russell.

He was named for Russell Billiu, his mother's favorite cousin.

Long received his bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University in 1939 and his law degree from Louisiana State University Law Center in 1942.

He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Zeta Zeta chapter).

During his undergraduate years, he served as freshman class president, sophomore arts and sciences president and chairman of the sophomore presidents, and student body president.

In June 1942, during World War II, Long entered the United States Navy Reserve.

He participated in the Allied invasions of Northern Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France and commanded a landing craft transport (LCT) vessel in the first-wave landing at Cavalaire-sur-Mer.

He was awarded four campaign medal battle stars for his service.

He was discharged as a lieutenant in December 1945.

In 1947, he was elected first vice commander of Louisiana's AMVETS organization.

Upon his return from the war, Long practiced law.

In 1947, he campaigned for the return of his uncle, Earl Long, to the governorship.

When Earl Long took office in 1948, he appointed Russell Long as his executive counsel.

Russell Long was elected in 1948 to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created by the death of John Overton, which had been filled temporarily by the appointment of William Feazel.

In winning election to the Senate, Long became the only person in U.S. history to be preceded in that chamber by both his father and his mother.

He was elected on November 2, 1948, one day before his 30th birthday, and took office on December 31, thus meeting the Constitutional requirement that Senators be at least 30 years old upon taking office.

Because he had filled a vacancy, Long gained a few days of seniority over others in the Senate class of 1948, including Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert Humphrey, whose terms began January 3, 1949.

From 1953 to 1987, Long was a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee; he served as its chairman for 15 years, from 1966 until 1981, when Republicans assumed control of the Senate and took over the chairmanships.

Long also served as Assistant Majority Leader (Senate Majority Whip) from 1965 to 1969.

The son of Senators Rose McConnell Long and Huey Long, Russell Long served during the administrations of eight U.S. presidents, from Truman to Reagan.

According to biographer Bob Mann, Long "became a leading voice for the plight of the elderly, the disabled, the working poor and the middle class."

Long quietly wielded enormous power in the Senate and shaped some of the most significant tax legislation of the twentieth century.

While a student at LSU, Long met and married Katherine Hattic.

They had two daughters, Kay and Pamela.

Long served as President Lyndon B. Johnson's Senate floor leader, helping gain passage of the bills that enacted many of the Great Society programs, including the 1965 creation of Medicare.

He served as the Democratic Assistant Majority Leader (whip) from 1965 to 1969.

Because of his seniority, he advanced to chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, serving for fifteen years, from 1966 to 1981, during the implementation of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and War on Poverty programs.

In 1969 they divorced and he married Carolyn Bason.

As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Long held jurisdiction over 100 percent of all federal revenue and 40 percent of all government spending, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, welfare and food assistance programs, foreign trade, and tariffs.

In 1980 he was voted the most effective chairman and most effective debater by his colleagues in a U.S. News & World Report survey.

In a 1982 survey, Long was voted the most influential Democrat by his Senate colleagues.

The Wall Street Journal once called him "the fourth branch of government."

As the Democratic ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, he served alongside Republican chairmen Bob Dole and Bob Packwood, and was instrumental in the passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

Long had an encyclopedic knowledge of the federal tax code.

He realized that he could achieve his legislative goals most effectively by attaching his priorities as amendments to tax bills rather than sponsoring legislation under his name.

With all federal revenue and forty percent of all government spending controlled by the Senate Finance Committee, Long exercised authority over all major revenue bills and entitlement programs, as well as foreign trade and tariffs.

According to biographer Bob Mann, "For almost four decades, no single revenue measure passed through Congress without [Long's] influence."

Upon his retirement in 1987, Long had a 75 percent approval rating among Louisiana voters.