Bill Barrett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Barrett
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Virginia Smith |
| Succeeded by | Tom Osborne |
| Member of the Nebraska Legislature | |
| In office 1979–1991 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Edgar Barrett
February 9, 1929 Lexington, Nebraska |
| Died | September 20, 2016 (aged 87) Lexington, Nebraska |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Hastings College |
William Emery Barrett (born February 9, 1929 – died September 20, 2016) was an important politician from Nebraska. He was a member of the Republican Party. He served five terms in the United States House of Representatives. This means he helped make laws for the entire country. He represented a part of Nebraska called the 3rd congressional district from 1991 to 2001.
Contents
Who Was Bill Barrett?
Early Life and Career
Bill Barrett was born in Lexington, Nebraska. This is a town in the state of Nebraska. After high school, he went to Hastings College. He later earned a special license. This license allowed him to work as a real estate broker. This means he helped people buy and sell homes and land.
Before becoming a politician, Bill Barrett joined the United States Navy. He also worked for a long time as a real estate agent. He was very active in the Republican Party. He even worked as an administrator at his old college. In the 1960s, he was part of the Nebraska Republican State Executive Committee. He also led President Gerald Ford's campaign in Nebraska in 1976.
Serving Nebraska
In 1978, Bill Barrett was elected to the Nebraska Legislature. This is the group of people who make laws for the state of Nebraska. Nebraska has a special "unicameral" legislature. This means it has only one house, unlike most states that have two. He served in the state legislature until 1991.
From 1987 to 1991, he was the Speaker of the Legislature. This is a very important leadership role. It means he was in charge of how the legislature worked. He helped guide important discussions about the state's budget.
Going to Congress
In 1990, the person who held Nebraska's 3rd congressional district seat decided to retire. Her name was Virginia D. Smith. Bill Barrett decided to run for her spot. He won the primary election, which is when people from the same party vote for their favorite candidate.
Then, he ran against another state senator, Sandra Scofield. Even though his district usually voted Republican, the election was very close. Bill Barrett won by only 4,400 votes. After this first close race, he was reelected four more times. He won by a lot of votes each time. In 1998, no one from the other major party even ran against him.
Making a Difference in Washington
While in Congress, Bill Barrett was a quiet but steady member. He usually supported what the Republican leaders wanted to do. He served on two important committees. One was the House Agriculture Committee. This committee deals with farming and food laws. He helped write a big law called the Freedom to Farm Act in 1996. He eventually became the vice chairman of this committee.
He also served on the Education and the Workforce Committee. This committee works on laws about schools, jobs, and workers' rights.
Later Years
Bill Barrett decided to retire from Congress in 2000. He moved back to his hometown of Lexington, Nebraska. He passed away on September 20, 2016. He was 87 years old. He died at a special living facility in Lexington.
