Barbara Vucanovich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Vucanovich
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| Secretary of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1997 |
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| Leader | Newt Gingrich |
| Preceded by | Tom DeLay |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Dunn |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | James Santini (At-Large) |
| Succeeded by | Jim Gibbons |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Barbara Farrell
June 22, 1921 Camp Dix, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | June 10, 2013 (aged 91) Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Henry Bugden
(m. 1939; div. 1949)Kenneth Dillon
(m. 1950; died 1964)George Vucanovich
(m. 1965; died 1998) |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Manhattanville College |
Barbara Farrell Vucanovich (born June 22, 1921 – died June 10, 2013) was an important American politician. She was a member of the Republican Party. She made history as the first Latina woman to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. She represented the state of Nevada in Congress from 1983 to 1997.
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Early Life and Family
Barbara Vucanovich was born in Camp Dix, New Jersey. Her father, Thomas Farrell, was from Troy, New York. He had Irish family roots. He was a chief engineer for New York State. During World War II, he became a general in the United States Army. He worked on the Manhattan Project, which was a secret project to build the first atomic bombs.
Barbara's mother, Maria Ynez White, had English and Mexican family roots. Her great-grandmother became a U.S. citizen in 1848 when California joined the United States.
Barbara grew up in Albany, New York. She married James Henry Bugden when she was 18. They separated when he went overseas during the war. She worked for different businesses in New York in the 1940s. In 1949, she moved to Reno, Nevada, and got a divorce.
In 1950, she married Kenneth Dillon. They had five children: Patricia, Michael, Kenneth, Thomas, and Susan. Kenneth Dillon passed away in 1964. In 1965, Barbara married George Vucanovich. They met while working on a political campaign. George passed away in 1998.
Political Journey
Barbara Vucanovich's second husband, Ken Dillon, helped her get involved in Nevada politics in the 1950s. He introduced her to Paul Laxalt, who was a young district attorney. Barbara worked on Laxalt's campaigns. She helped him win a close election for the U.S. Senate in 1974.
After Laxalt became a Senator, he hired Barbara as his district director. In 1980, Nevada was given two congressional districts instead of one. Laxalt encouraged Barbara to run for the 2nd District. This district covered all of Nevada except for Las Vegas.
Becoming a Congresswoman
Barbara won her first election with the slogan, "What Congress needs is a tough grandmother." She served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 until she retired in 1997. She faced a tough election in 1992. Even though Bill Clinton won Nevada's votes for president, Barbara still won her race.
Soon after starting her first term in 1983, Barbara was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery. Because of her own experience, she strongly supported funding for early checks, detection, and treatment of breast cancer. She also believed in equal pay and fair treatment for women.
Key Work in Congress
Barbara Vucanovich served on important committees in the House of Representatives. For many years, she was on the House Interior Committee. She later became the top Republican on the Mining and Minerals Subcommittee. She also served on the House Administration Committee. In 1991, she joined the Appropriations Committee, which decides how government money is spent.
When Republicans gained control of the House in 1995, she became the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Military Construction. This committee deals with building projects for the military.
Barbara helped pass a law to remove the 55 mph speed limit. This was very popular in the American West. She also worked on a measure to stop more than one state from taxing pensions and retirement benefits. When she ran for her seventh term, she spoke out against new taxes on casinos.
Leadership Role
Barbara Vucanovich decided to run for Secretary of the Republican Conference. This is a leadership position within the Republican Party in the House. She won this close election.
She was known as a conservative leader. She worked with a group of members, including Newt Gingrich, who wanted Republicans to gain more power in the House. She helped write parts of the Contract with America. This was a plan of ten bills that Republicans promised to pass if they won control of Congress. She also served on the Presidential Debate Commission from 1987 to 1997.
Retirement and Legacy
After she retired from Congress, Barbara Vucanovich continued to be involved in politics. She served on different committees. Her daughter, Patricia Dillon Cafferata, also became a politician in Nevada. She served as the Nevada State Treasurer and in other roles. Patricia also wrote a book about her mother's life.
Death
Barbara Vucanovich passed away on June 10, 2013, just before her 92nd birthday.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval honored her. He compared her to Margaret Thatcher, who was known as "the Iron Lady" of Great Britain. Governor Sandoval said: "Barbara Vucanovich was the matriarch of her political generation ... Nevada's 'Silver Lady'. ... First and foremost, however, Barbara was a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family was always her priority, even as she served the entire Nevada family in the United States Congress."
See also
In Spanish: Barbara Vucanovich para niños
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
