Bob Packwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Packwood
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| Chair of the Senate Finance Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – October 1, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel Patrick Moynihan |
| Succeeded by | William Roth |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Dole |
| Succeeded by | Lloyd Bentsen |
| Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Howard Cannon |
| Succeeded by | John Danforth |
| United States Senator from Oregon |
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| In office January 3, 1969 – October 1, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Wayne Morse |
| Succeeded by | Ron Wyden |
| Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 6th district |
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| In office January 14, 1963 – January 3, 1969 |
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| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Multi-member district |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert William Packwood
September 11, 1932 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | June 6, 2026 (aged 93) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Georgie Oberteuffer
(m. 1964; div. 1992)Elaine Franklin
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Willamette University (BA) New York University (JD) |
Robert William Packwood (September 11, 1932 – June 6, 2026) was an American lawyer and politician. He came from Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1963 to 1969. Later, he became a U.S. Senator from 1969 to 1995. He was a member of the Republican Party. Senator Packwood stepped down from his role in the Senate in 1995. This happened after serious questions arose about his behavior.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert William Packwood was born in Portland, Oregon, on September 11, 1932. His parents were Frederick William Packwood and Gladys Taft. He attended Willamette University and graduated in 1954. One of his professors there was Mark Hatfield, who later became a U.S. Senator. Packwood then studied law at New York University School of Law. He graduated in 1957.
Packwood's great-grandfather, William Packwood, was also involved in politics. He was the youngest member of the Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857. From a young age, Robert Packwood showed interest in politics. He joined Young Republican activities during college. He also worked on political campaigns. This included Mark Hatfield's first campaign for the Oregon House. Packwood was elected student body president at New York University. He also won national awards in moot court competitions.
Starting in State Politics
In 1960, Packwood became Chairman of the Multnomah County, Oregon, Republican Central Committee. He was the youngest person to lead a major city's party committee. In 1962, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives. This made him the youngest member of the Oregon Legislature. His campaign was very effective. Many volunteers helped by going door-to-door. They distributed leaflets and put up lawn signs.
Because his campaigns were so successful, Packwood helped other Republicans. He organized a political action committee. This group found good Republican candidates for the Oregon House. They also taught them "Packwood-style" campaigning. His candidates' success helped Republicans take control of the Oregon House in 1964. This was a big win for the party that year.
Packwood served in the Oregon House from 1963 to 1968. In 1965, he started the Dorchester Conference. This was an annual political meeting held in Seaside, Oregon.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
In 1968, Packwood ran for the United States Senate in Oregon. He was the Republican candidate. He challenged the Democratic Senator Wayne Morse. Morse had been a Senator for a long time. Packwood was not well-known at first. However, he won the election by a small margin of 3,500 votes. After this win, Packwood became the youngest member of the U.S. Senate.
Packwood was known for his moderate political views. He supported rules for gun owners. He also backed civil rights laws. For example, he voted to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday. He also supported the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. He even voted to override President Ronald Reagan's veto of this act.
He sometimes disagreed with President Richard Nixon. Packwood voted against Nixon's choices for the Supreme Court of the United States. These included Clement Haynsworth and G. Harrold Carswell. He also opposed some of Nixon's military spending plans. Packwood was the first Republican Senator to support holding President Nixon accountable. This was before Nixon resigned from office. Packwood told Nixon in 1973 that the public no longer trusted his administration.
Packwood also had strong views on individual rights. He voted against the nominations of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. He did this because he disagreed with their views on certain individual rights.
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Environmental and Economic Work
Packwood was a champion for the environment. He played a big part in creating the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. This law protected Hells Canyon, a very deep river gorge. It became a 652,488-acre (2,640.5 km2) National Recreation Area. This area is on the borders of Oregon and Idaho. Environmental groups also praised his support for solar energy. He also advocated for container-deposit legislation and bike paths.
Another area of interest for Packwood was Deregulation. In the late 1970s, he strongly supported making trucking rules simpler. He became a well-known voice for these reforms. He was also a strong supporter of Israel. He opposed selling F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during President Reagan's time.
Packwood is most remembered for his work on the 1986 tax reform. He was the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. President Ronald Reagan first suggested tax reform in 1984. Packwood then took a leading role. He helped create a new tax code. This plan increased business taxes by about $120 billion over five years. It also lowered personal income taxes by a similar amount.
Packwood was known for his excellent debating skills. USA Today gave him an A+ rating in 1986. His skills helped pass important bills. They also helped stop others. For example, his leadership helped prevent President Bill Clinton's 1993 health care bill from passing. He was also very determined. In 1988, Capitol Police had to carry him into the Senate Chamber. This was for a vote on campaign finance reform.
Resignation from the Senate
In 1995, serious questions arose about Senator Packwood's conduct. The Senate Ethics Committee investigated these concerns. After their findings were released, the committee recommended that he leave the Senate. They found that he had behaved improperly. They also found he had tried to hide information.
Facing strong pressure from both political parties, Senator Packwood announced his resignation. This happened on September 7, 1995. He stated that he was "aware of the dishonor" that had occurred. He also said it was his "duty to resign." After his departure, Ron Wyden won the special election for his Senate seat.
A Republican Senator, Mitch McConnell, later spoke about the situation. He said that Republicans knew they might lose the Senate seat. However, they felt it was important to uphold the Senate's integrity.
Later Life and Passing
Soon after leaving the Senate, Packwood started a lobbying firm. It was called Sunrise Research Corporation. He used his knowledge of taxes and trade. His experience as a former Senate Finance Committee chairman was valuable. He secured contracts with many clients. These included companies like Freightliner Trucks and Marriott International.
In 2015, Packwood returned to the Senate as a witness. He spoke to the Committee on Finance. They were discussing tax reform again. He and former Senator Bill Bradley talked about the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
Robert William Packwood passed away at a hospice facility. This was in Rancho Mirage, California. He died on June 6, 2026, at the age of 93.
