A Senator and a Representative from Mississippi. Born in Pontotoc, Pontotoc County, Miss. , December 7, 1937. Educated in the public schools of Mississippi. Graduated, University of Mississippi, Oxford 1959 and the University of Mississippi Law School 1965. Studied international law and jurisprudence at Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland 1963-1964. Served in the United States Navy 1959-1961. Admitted to the Mississippi bar in 1965 and commenced practice in Jackson. Elected as a Republican to the Ninety-third Congress in 1972. Reelected to the Ninety-fourth and Ninety-fifth Congresses and served from January 3, 1973, until his resignation on December 26, 1978. Was not a candidate for reelection to the House of Representatives, but was elected in 1978 to the United States Senate for the term commencing January 3, 1979. Subsequently appointed by the Governor, December 27, 1978, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James O. Eastland for the term ending January 3, 1979. Reelected in 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, and again in 2014 and served from December 27, 1978, until his resignation on April 1, 2018. Chair, Senate Republican Conference (1991-1997), Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (One Hundred Eighth Congress). Committee on Appropriations (One Hundred Ninth, One Hundred Fourteenth and One Hundred Fifteenth [January 3, 2017-April 1, 2018] Congresses). Was a resident of Oxford, Miss. , until his death on May 30, 2019. Interment in New Albany Cemetery, New Albany, Miss.
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