Al Ullman
Encyclopedia
Albert Conrad "Al" Ullman (March 9, 1914 - October 11, 1986), was a Democratic
member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represented from 1957 to 1981. One of the most influential Oregonians ever to be elected to Congress, along with Senator Wayne Morse
, Ullman presided over the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means
during a period of time in which he was deeply involved in shaping national policy on issues relating to taxation, budget reform, federal entitlement programs, international trade
, and energy.
, and raised in Snohomish, Washington
, where his father was a farmer and carpenter. In 1935, he graduated from Whitman College
in Walla Walla, Washington
(where he played football
as a running end) with a degree in political science
. After teaching American history and government at Port Angeles High School in Washington for two years, Ullman earned a master's degree
in public law
from Columbia University
in 1939.
Later, from 1942 to 1945, he served as a communications officer with the United States Navy
in the South Pacific
during World War II
. After the war, Ullman settled in Baker, Oregon (now known as Baker City) where, having taught himself how to design and build houses, he worked as a builder and real estate developer in the early 1950s.
in 1954. In a year that was generally good for Democrats – especially in Oregon – he lost to Republican Sam Coon
, following the resurrection of a two-year-old charge of a violation of the Real Estate Code. Even the Republican-leaning Oregonian considered the allegations to be politically motivated. Ullman ran successfully for the seat in 1956, defeating Coon. Ullman won by waging a populist
campaign focused on issues regarding public power, of which Ullman was a fierce proponent, and whether the hydroelectric development of Hells Canyon
on the Snake River
should be turned over to private interests, which Ullman opposed. During his service in Congress, the vast and diverse -- which included alpine forest, rangeland
, and desert
, as well as the urban area in the Willamette Valley
containing the state capital of Salem, Oregon
-- encompassed roughly 70000 square miles (181,299.2 km²), an area larger than any state east of the Mississippi River. (As the result of redistricting
based on the 1980 Census, the Second District was later divided into two smaller Congressional districts.) While in Washington, he devoted himself to the development of Oregon’s water resources and the improved management of public lands and national forests.
Committees Ullman served on:
Ullman, who for most of his Congressional career was viewed as a moderate Democrat. Among other things, Ullman is regarded by many as the father of the present-day United States budget process
. In 1973, he initiated and later co-chaired the Joint Study Committee on Budget Control, leading to major budget reforms which, for the first time, required Congress to reconcile spending with revenues in order to address mounting federal deficits. He also served as chairman of the new House Budget Committee in 1974.
In 1975, Ullman ascended to the chairmanship of the House's powerful Ways and Means Committee
, on which he had served since 1961 (and as acting chairman since 1973). As chairman, he oversaw the drafting and enactment of numerous major tax reform bills. For example, as the New York Times noted, "Among Mr. Ullman's most important actions as committee chairman was his sponsorship of sweeping legislation to cut taxes in an effort to help shore up the United States economy. His bill, which gave more than $20 billion in income tax rebates to Americans in the spring of 1975, brought the Oregon Democrat national recognition after almost two decades of relatively quiet Congressional service." Ullman also played a central role with respect to other key legislation, including the Windfall Profits Tax
Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-223), which redirected an estimated $79 billion (according to the Congressional Research Service
) of oil companies' profits resulting from price deregulation toward support for mass transit, oil price relief for poor families, and the development of alternative energy sources.
On many regional issues, Ullman was a de facto leader of the Pacific Northwest
's Congressional delegation, along with Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson (D-Wash.) and Representative (later to be House Speaker) Tom Foley
(D-Wash.). In addition, Ullman was well known for his longstanding advocacy on behalf of American Indian
tribes in Eastern Oregon
, which he felt had historically been treated unjustly by the federal government with respect to treaty, land and other issues.
In the midst of the "Reagan landslide" -- which also led to the defeat of President Jimmy Carter
and the Republican takeover of the United States Senate
-- Ullman narrowly lost his bid for a thirteenth term from the Second District in the November 4, 1980 general election. (See United States presidential election, 1980
.) Ullman's electoral defeat was widely attributed to the nationally prevalent anti-incumbent and anti-government mindset; the presence in his House race of an independent candidate; the increasing conservatism of the Second District; and to his advocacy for a value-added tax similar to that now used in the European Union
and other nations as a partial alternative to what he viewed as inequities in the existing Federal income tax
system.
, with his wife Audrey and former members of his Capitol Hill staff. In 1981, Ullman gifted his extensive Congressional papers to the University of Oregon
. He lived in Arlington, Virginia and Falls Church, Virginia
until his death on October 11, 1986.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represented from 1957 to 1981. One of the most influential Oregonians ever to be elected to Congress, along with Senator Wayne Morse
Wayne Morse
Wayne Lyman Morse was a politician and attorney from Oregon, United States, known for his proclivity for opposing his parties' leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds....
, Ullman presided over the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
during a period of time in which he was deeply involved in shaping national policy on issues relating to taxation, budget reform, federal entitlement programs, international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
, and energy.
Background
Ullman was born in Great Falls, MontanaGreat Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
, and raised in Snohomish, Washington
Snohomish, Washington
Snohomish is a city in Snohomish County founded by the british, Washington, United States. The population was 9,098 at the 2010 census. The mayor of Snohomish is Karen Guzak, and the City Manager is Larry Bauman...
, where his father was a farmer and carpenter. In 1935, he graduated from Whitman College
Whitman College
Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
in Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
(where he played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as a running end) with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. After teaching American history and government at Port Angeles High School in Washington for two years, Ullman earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in public law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1939.
Later, from 1942 to 1945, he served as a communications officer with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in the South Pacific
Pacific Ocean Areas
Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War, and one of two United States commands in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz of the U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war, Ullman settled in Baker, Oregon (now known as Baker City) where, having taught himself how to design and build houses, he worked as a builder and real estate developer in the early 1950s.
Political career
Ullman ran for the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1954. In a year that was generally good for Democrats – especially in Oregon – he lost to Republican Sam Coon
Sam Coon
Samuel Harrison "Sam" Coon was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represented the 2nd Congressional District of Oregon from 1953 to 1957.-Background:...
, following the resurrection of a two-year-old charge of a violation of the Real Estate Code. Even the Republican-leaning Oregonian considered the allegations to be politically motivated. Ullman ran successfully for the seat in 1956, defeating Coon. Ullman won by waging a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
campaign focused on issues regarding public power, of which Ullman was a fierce proponent, and whether the hydroelectric development of Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon is a wide canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho in the United States. It is North America's deepest river gorge at and part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area....
on the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
should be turned over to private interests, which Ullman opposed. During his service in Congress, the vast and diverse -- which included alpine forest, rangeland
Rangeland
Rangelands are vast natural landscapes in the form of grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundras...
, and desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, as well as the urban area in the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
containing the state capital of Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
-- encompassed roughly 70000 square miles (181,299.2 km²), an area larger than any state east of the Mississippi River. (As the result of redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
based on the 1980 Census, the Second District was later divided into two smaller Congressional districts.) While in Washington, he devoted himself to the development of Oregon’s water resources and the improved management of public lands and national forests.
Committees Ullman served on:
- U.S. House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (now the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources)
- National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission
- U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary
- Joint Study Committee on Budget Control (co-chairman, 1973)
- U.S. House Committee on the Budget (chairman, 1974)
- House Ways and Means CommitteeUnited States House Committee on Ways and MeansThe Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
(chairman, 1975–81; acting chairman, 1973–75) - Joint Committee on Taxation (co-chairman, 1975–81)
- Democratic Committee on Committees
Ullman, who for most of his Congressional career was viewed as a moderate Democrat. Among other things, Ullman is regarded by many as the father of the present-day United States budget process
United States budget process
The process of creating the budget for the United States government is known as the budget process. The framework used by Congress to formulate the budget was established by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and by other budget...
. In 1973, he initiated and later co-chaired the Joint Study Committee on Budget Control, leading to major budget reforms which, for the first time, required Congress to reconcile spending with revenues in order to address mounting federal deficits. He also served as chairman of the new House Budget Committee in 1974.
In 1975, Ullman ascended to the chairmanship of the House's powerful Ways and Means Committee
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
, on which he had served since 1961 (and as acting chairman since 1973). As chairman, he oversaw the drafting and enactment of numerous major tax reform bills. For example, as the New York Times noted, "Among Mr. Ullman's most important actions as committee chairman was his sponsorship of sweeping legislation to cut taxes in an effort to help shore up the United States economy. His bill, which gave more than $20 billion in income tax rebates to Americans in the spring of 1975, brought the Oregon Democrat national recognition after almost two decades of relatively quiet Congressional service." Ullman also played a central role with respect to other key legislation, including the Windfall Profits Tax
Windfall profits tax
A windfall profits tax is a higher tax rate on profits that ensue from a sudden windfall gain to a particular company or industry.-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom, the Windfall Tax was a tax levied on privatised utility companies.-United States:...
Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-223), which redirected an estimated $79 billion (according to the Congressional Research Service
Congressional Research Service
The Congressional Research Service , known as "Congress's think tank", is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a...
) of oil companies' profits resulting from price deregulation toward support for mass transit, oil price relief for poor families, and the development of alternative energy sources.
On many regional issues, Ullman was a de facto leader of the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
's Congressional delegation, along with Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson (D-Wash.) and Representative (later to be House Speaker) Tom Foley
Tom Foley
Thomas Stephen Foley was the 57th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1989 to 1995. He represented Washington's 5th congressional district for 30 years as a Democratic member from 1965 to 1995....
(D-Wash.). In addition, Ullman was well known for his longstanding advocacy on behalf of American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes in Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity, thus the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes...
, which he felt had historically been treated unjustly by the federal government with respect to treaty, land and other issues.
In the midst of the "Reagan landslide" -- which also led to the defeat of President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and the Republican takeover of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
-- Ullman narrowly lost his bid for a thirteenth term from the Second District in the November 4, 1980 general election. (See United States presidential election, 1980
United States presidential election, 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
.) Ullman's electoral defeat was widely attributed to the nationally prevalent anti-incumbent and anti-government mindset; the presence in his House race of an independent candidate; the increasing conservatism of the Second District; and to his advocacy for a value-added tax similar to that now used in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and other nations as a partial alternative to what he viewed as inequities in the existing Federal income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
system.
After politics
After leaving office in 1981, Ullman remained in Washington D.C. and established Ullman Consultants, Inc., a consulting firm in GeorgetownGeorgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
, with his wife Audrey and former members of his Capitol Hill staff. In 1981, Ullman gifted his extensive Congressional papers to the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. He lived in Arlington, Virginia and Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
until his death on October 11, 1986.