Chet Holifield

This book tells the story of Chet Holifield, a poor Arkansas farmboy who became a crucial leader in the U.S. House of Representatives during America's postwar years. It describes his 32 years in Congress (from 1943 to 1974) and how he became known as "Mr. Atomic Energy." The book details Holifield's work with the House-Senate Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE) and the House Committee on Government Operations. Discussions focus on his opposition to military control of the atom, including his influence on: the May-Johnson bill, the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, and Truman's 1950 decision to develop the atomic bomb. The study also looks at Holifield's actions to develop national energy security. It concentrates on his prediction (years before the 1973 OPEC-Arab oil embargo) that a domestic energy crisis would occur, and leads into Holifield's encouragement of energy research and development and his leadership for programs to use atomic energy peacefully in medicine, food processing, agriculture, and environmental protection. Finally, the book shows the importance of Holifield's work with Government Operations. It centers on significant actions, such as his help in creating three cabinet-level departments—Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Defense—and his committee's consideration of more than sixty Presidential reorganization plans for the Executive Branch. This book serves as an excellent tribute to a man of an era now passed. It will bring to light Holifield's importance as a statesman, legislator, and role model for Congress. Chet Holifield will appeal to students and scholars of history, government, and political science, as well as anyone who wants to know more about the true legends who have served our country.