Joseph Montoya

Joseph Manuel Montoya (* September 24 1915 in Pena Blanca, Sandoval County, New Mexico, † June 8, 1978 in Washington DC ) was an American politician (Democratic Party), who represented the state of New Mexico in both chambers of Congress.

Political career in New Mexico

Joseph Montoya's ancestors had immigrated from Spain in the 18th century in what is now the State of New Mexico. He attended as a boy first public schools in Sandoval County and made in 1931 graduated from Bernalillo High School; after which he continued his education at Regis College in Denver continued. In 1934 he began studying law at the Law School of Georgetown University in Washington; four years later he was there his exams. From 1939 he practiced in Santa Fe. While still a student, Montoya was elected in 1936 in the House of Representatives from New Mexico, which he was the youngest member in the history of this Parliament chamber. In 1938, the re-election; the following year he was promoted to chairman of the Democratic majority fraction ( Majority Leader ).

1940 Montoya moved within the New Mexico Legislature in the state Senate, where he was its youngest member there. He entered twice successfully for reelection on, Whip of the democratic majority and chairman of the Judiciary Committee. From 1947 to 1951 he served as Deputy Governor of the deputies of Governor Thomas J. Mabry. A first attempt to be elected to the House of Representatives of the United States proposed in 1950 failed. Instead, he sat from 1953 to 1954 again in the Senate of his State and was from 1955 to 1957 one more time lieutenant governor, this time under Governor John F. Simms.

Congressman and Senator

Montoya came in 1957 for election to the mandate of longtime Congressman Antonio M. Fernández, who had previously died just a day after his re-election. He emerged as the winner and took from 9 April 1957 seat for the second electoral district of New Mexico, a House of Representatives. As a result, it was confirmed three times in office. In Congress, Montoya earned a reputation as a representative of the political center, which performed his duties very conscientiously. His focus was on the education policy; among other things, he was the author of a bill for professional education (Vocational Education Act ). He was also involved in the 1964 Wilderness Act, which served to protect the Wilderness Areas in the United States.

That same year, Montoya competed for the seat of the late Dennis Chavez in the U.S. Senate. In the election he won against the former Republican governor Edwin Mechem, who was specially resigned from his post to take over the Senate mandate an interim basis. With 54.7 percent of the vote Montoya scored a secure lead. He switched on 4 November 1964 in the Senate, where he worked on numerous committees, including the Watergate investigative committee.

Sustainability was his participation in the Committee on Agriculture, where he sought to quality standards in inspection and regulation in the meat packing industry. With the Wholesome Meat Act, 1967 and the Wholesome Poultry Act of 1968 and the Clean Hot Dog Act of 1974, he authored bills to eliminate unsanitary conditions in this industrial sector. Other fields Montoya were the civil rights and health care; he supported the institutions Medicare and Medicaid. Moreover, he was committed to protecting the environment and government programs for seniors.

After he was confirmed in 1970, Montoya turned again in 1976 for re-election, but lost by 16 percentage points behind the Republican Harrison Schmitt, a former astronaut who in 1972 entered so far as the last man on the moon. After 20 years, he had to leave the Congress on January 3, 1977; the following year died, Joseph Montoya in the federal capital.