William L. Armstrong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William L. Armstrong
President of Colorado Christian University
In office August 2006 – July 5, 2016
Preceded by	Larry Donnithorne
Succeeded by	Donald W. Sweeting
United States Senator from Colorado
In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Floyd Haskell
Succeeded by	Hank Brown
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 5th district
In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Ken Kramer
Personal details
Born	William Lester Armstrong Jr. (1937-03-16)March 16, 1937 Fremont, Nebraska, U.S.
Died	July 5, 2016(2016-07-05) (aged 79) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Resting place	Fairmount Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ellie M. Eaton
Children	2
Education	Tulane University University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1957–1963
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	Army National Guard

William Lester Armstrong Jr. (March 16, 1937 – July 5, 2016) was an American businessman, leader, and politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. He served as a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator for Colorado.

Early Life and First Jobs

William Armstrong Jr. was born on March 16, 1937. His hometown was Fremont, Nebraska. He went to Lincoln Northeast High School. His family had interesting connections. His grandfather was a minister. His great-great-uncle, Alexander Majors, helped start the Pony Express.

A Young Radio Star

When William was just eleven, he loved radio. He got his own show on weekends. He practiced being a DJ at a local radio station in Fremont.

After high school, he met Todd Storz. Storz was famous for creating the Top 40 radio format. Storz hired William to work at KOWH in Omaha, Nebraska. Later, he moved to WTIX in New Orleans. There, William became America's first teenage Top 40 disc jockey.

He briefly attended Tulane University. In 1956, he moved to Minneapolis. He worked at WDGY radio station. He also took classes at the University of Minnesota. He did not finish his degree. At age 20, he became the Program Director at WDGY.

Serving His Country

From 1957 to 1963, William joined the Colorado Army National Guard. He became a First Lieutenant.

Starting His Own Business

After his military service, in 1959, William bought a radio station. It was KOSI-AM in Aurora, Colorado. This station later became KEZW in 1981.

In 1968, he started KOSI-FM. He sold both KOSI stations 25 years later. He also led Ambassador Media. This company owned TV stations like KPVI in Pocatello, Idaho. It also owned satellite stations such as KKVI in Twin Falls, Idaho.

William's Political Journey

In 1962, William married Ellen M. Eaton. In the same year, he was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. He was the youngest person ever elected there at the time. He served one term.

From 1964 to 1972, he served in the Colorado State Senate. He was the President of the Senate for two terms.

Joining the U.S. Congress

In 1972, William was elected to the U.S. Congress. He represented Colorado's 5th congressional district. He was reelected two more times.

Becoming a U.S. Senator

In 1978, William was elected to the U.S. Senate. He won against Floyd Haskell. He was reelected in 1984. He served in the Senate for twelve years.

William worked on important committees. These included the Banking, Finance, and Budget Committees. He helped make a law to link personal income tax rates to inflation. This meant taxes would adjust with rising prices. Robert 'Bob' Dole, a Senate leader, called him "the father of tax indexing."

In 1980, William worked to make GI Bill benefits permanent. These benefits help U.S. military members. In 1982, he helped pass a resolution. It asked the President to declare 1983 the "Year of the Bible." President Ronald Reagan made this official.

In 1983, William led the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security. He also served on a special group. This group looked for ways to fund the Social Security program. He was the only member who voted against the final report. He wanted to change the retirement age. His idea was later included in the law.

William also wrote the foreword for a book. It was about defending America from missiles. He disagreed with the idea of Mutual Assured Destruction. He wanted a new plan to defend against Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.

Working on Welfare Reform

During his time in office, Senator Armstrong worked on welfare reform. He supported the Family Support Act 1988. This law changed welfare rules for the first time in 50 years. He worked with other senators and governors. The new law required able-bodied welfare recipients to work. It also helped unemployed two-parent families. It included rules for child support and school attendance for young parents.

Honoring Veterans

In 1985, William introduced the Korean War Veterans Memorial Act. This law allowed for a memorial to be built. It would be paid for by private donations. He helped raise money for it. His last bill in the Senate was to create a silver dollar coin. The money from selling these coins helped pay for the memorial.

William was against pay raises for Congress members. He also helped pass a law called the "Sodbuster bill." This law stopped federal money for plowing fragile grasslands. It was part of the 1985 Farm Bill.

He led the Republican Policy Committee from 1985 to 1991. He decided not to run for reelection in 1990.

Personal Life

Faith and Public Service

In the 1970s, William had a strong religious experience. He said it made him "more tolerant of other people’s opinions." He believed being a politician and a Christian could work together. For 40 years, he was very involved in Evangelicalism in the United States.

He led the National Prayer Breakfast in 1982. He also gave the main speech with President Ronald Reagan in 1988. He often shared how he learned about the four spiritual laws. These laws are from a booklet by Bill Bright. Bright founded Campus Crusade for Christ.

William had daily Bible studies with his family. He started meetings with prayers. He openly shared his faith. Other politicians asked him for help with laws and spiritual advice. He felt his political work and Christian faith were connected. He was part of many Christian groups. He served on the Board of Directors for Campus Crusade for Christ for 15 years.

Family Life

William and his wife, Ellen, had two children. Their names are Wil Armstrong and Anne Sellman. William died from cancer in 2016. He was 79 years old.

Academic Leadership

At the time of his death, William was the President of Colorado Christian University. He had been in this role since 2006. As president, he was known for his saying, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." His work with Christian groups was a big part of his life. He helped start "The Calling" ministry in 2010. Even though he never finished college, he received eight honorary degrees.

External links

• govtrack.us: Sen. William Armstrong
• Colorado Christian University: Greetings from the President