Robert E. Jones Jr.

Robert E. Jones Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama
In office January 28, 1947 – January 3, 1977
Preceded by	John J. Sparkman
Succeeded by	Ronnie Flippo
Constituency	8th District (1947-1963) At-large (1963-1965) 8th District (1965-1973) 5th District (1973-1977)
Personal details
Born	Robert Emmett Jones Jr. (1912-06-12)June 12, 1912 Scottsboro, Alabama
Died	Florence, Alabama
Political party	Democratic

Robert Emmett Jones Jr. (June 12, 1912 – June 4, 1997) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from the 8th district of Alabama. He was the last to represent that district before it was removed as a result of the 1970 United States Census. Presently there are seven U.S. House districts in Alabama.

Early life

File:VonBraunBobJones2.jpg

Congressman Robert Jones and Wernher von Braun review a huge map illustrating the layout for a Research Institute at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. (1961)

File:VonBraunBobJones.jpg

Wernher von Braun's 50th Birthday Party was celebrated at the Officers Club at Redstone Arsenal on March 23, 1962. Dr. von Braun cuts his birthday cake while Congressman Bob Jones looks on.

Robert Emmett Jones Jr. was born on June 12, 1912 in Scottsboro, Alabama in Jackson County. He attended public schools and the University of Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama law department on January 7, 1937, and was admitted to the bar the same year. His early years saw much legal work in Scottsboro. Jones was elected judge of Jackson County Court in July 1940 then reelected in absentia in May 1945 where he served until October 1946. Jones served in the United States Navy as a gunnery officer in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters from December 1943 until February 1946.

Congressional career

Jones first entered the United States Congress by special election in 1947 when he was elected as a Democrat to the seat vacated by John Sparkman who had been elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1949, he actively supported the Housing Act of 1949, and played a key role in Section V of the bill which provided money for rural farm housing. He also supported the renewal of the act in 1961. He advocated legislation that led to the Federal Highway Act of 1956, which helped create the modern interstate system. Having been a signatory to the 1956 Southern Manifesto that opposed the desegregation of public schools ordered by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, he voted against HR 6127, the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He also voted against the 1960 and 1964 Civil Rights Acts. Jones was an advocate for the economic development of north Alabama, and supported military, NASA, and Tennessee Valley Authority projects in his district. Jones served as Chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee. Jones served 14 consecutive terms until his retirement on January 3, 1977. Jones was not a candidate for reelection in 1976. His papers are housed at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Achievements

Among his legislative achievements was his principal sponsorship of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972. He was also instrumental in passage of the 1965 Appalachian Regional Development Act.

Honors and memorials

Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, is named in his honor, as is the Bob Jones Bridge over the Tennessee River in his native Scottsboro.

After Congress

Jones died June 4, 1997 in Florence, Alabama.

External links

• Robert E. Jones Jr. at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Robert E. "Bob" Jones Collection, The University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives and Special Collections

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by John Sparkman	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 8th congressional district 1947–1963	Succeeded by District eliminated
Preceded by District inactive	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's at-large congressional district 1963–1965 all representatives elected at-large on a general ticket	Succeeded by District inactive
Preceded by District inactive	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 8th congressional district 1965–1973	Succeeded by District inactive
Preceded by Walter Flowers	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 5th congressional district 1973–1977	Succeeded by Ronnie Flippo
Political offices
Preceded by John Blatnik Minnesota	Chairman of House Transportation Committee 1975–1977	Succeeded by James J. Howard New Jersey