Robert Kastenmeier
Encyclopedia
Robert William Kastenmeier (born January 24, 1924) is a United States
politician. He represented Wisconsin
in the United States House of Representatives
from 1959 to 1991, and is a member of the Democratic Party
.
, Dodge County
, Wisconsin
, and attended its public schools. He continued his education at Carleton College
and at the University of Wisconsin Law School
, where he got his LL.B. in 1952, and was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in Watertown, Wisconsin
.
as a private in February 1943 and served in the Philippines
. He was discharged on August 15, 1946 as a first lieutenant. Afterwards, he served in the War Department as a branch office director in the claims service in the Philippines from 1946 to 1948.
for Jefferson
and Dodge
Counties, and he served until 1959.
On January 3, 1959, he began serving in the 86th Congress
in the House of Representatives, and continued serving in fifteen succeeding terms until January 3, 1991. As a congressman, Kastenmeier was one of the managers appointed by the House in 1986 to conduct the impeachment proceedings against Harry E. Claiborne
, a judge of the United States District Court for Nevada.
He was also on the Judiciary Committee
involved in the creation of the Copyright Act of 1976
.
In 1990, Kastenmeier unexpectedly lost his re-election bid to Republican Scott Klug, a political newcomer who was nearly 30 years his junior.
The Robert W. Kastenmeier United States Courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
in Madison, Wisconsin
was named in his honor.
Robert Kastenmeier currently lives in Arlington, Virginia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician. He represented Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in the United States House of Representatives
United 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...
from 1959 to 1991, and is a member of the Democratic Party
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...
.
Education
Kastenmeier was born in Beaver DamBeaver Dam, Wisconsin
Beaver Dam is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States, along Beaver Dam Lake and the Beaver Dam River. The population was 16,243 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in Dodge County, and the largest city fully located within the county. It is the principal city of the...
, Dodge County
Dodge County, Wisconsin
Dodge County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 88,759. Its county seat is Juneau.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and attended its public schools. He continued his education at Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
and at the University of Wisconsin Law School
University of Wisconsin Law School
The University of Wisconsin Law School is the professional school for the study of law at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The law school was founded in 1868.-Facilities:...
, where he got his LL.B. in 1952, and was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in Watertown, Wisconsin
Watertown, Wisconsin
Watertown is a city in Dodge and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Most of the city's population is in Jefferson County. Division Street, several blocks north of downtown, marks the county line. The population of Watertown was 21,598 at the 2000 census...
.
Military service
He entered the ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a private in February 1943 and served in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He was discharged on August 15, 1946 as a first lieutenant. Afterwards, he served in the War Department as a branch office director in the claims service in the Philippines from 1946 to 1948.
Political career
In 1955, Kastenmeier was elected to the position of Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Jefferson
Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 74,021. Its county seat is Jefferson.-Geography:According to the U.S...
and Dodge
Dodge County, Wisconsin
Dodge County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 88,759. Its county seat is Juneau.-Geography:According to the U.S...
Counties, and he served until 1959.
On January 3, 1959, he began serving in the 86th Congress
86th United States Congress
The Eighty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1961, during the last two years...
in the House of Representatives, and continued serving in fifteen succeeding terms until January 3, 1991. As a congressman, Kastenmeier was one of the managers appointed by the House in 1986 to conduct the impeachment proceedings against Harry E. Claiborne
Harry E. Claiborne
Harry Eugene Claiborne was a United States district court judge who was impeached for tax evasion. He was only the fifth person in U.S. history to be removed from office through impeachment by the U.S...
, a judge of the United States District Court for Nevada.
He was also on the Judiciary Committee
United States House Committee on the Judiciary
The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
involved in the creation of the Copyright Act of 1976
Copyright Act of 1976
The Copyright Act of 1976 is a United States copyright law and remains the primary basis of copyright law in the United States, as amended by several later enacted copyright provisions...
.
In 1990, Kastenmeier unexpectedly lost his re-election bid to Republican Scott Klug, a political newcomer who was nearly 30 years his junior.
The Robert W. Kastenmeier United States Courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin sits in Madison at the Robert W. Kastenmeier United States Courthouse. It has two district judges and one full-time magistrate judge. The clerk of the court is a part-time magistrate judge...
in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
was named in his honor.
Robert Kastenmeier currently lives in Arlington, Virginia.