12 Facts About Oren Harris

Oren Harris was a United States representative from Arkansas and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.

Oren Harris was admitted to the bar in 1930 and commenced practice in El Dorado, the seat of government of Union County, Arkansas.

Oren Harris served as deputy prosecuting attorney in Union County from 1933 to 1936 and as prosecuting attorney of the 13th Judicial Circuit of Arkansas from 1937 to 1940.

Oren Harris served as delegate to the Democratic state conventions in 1936 and 1940, and the Democratic National Conventions in 1944,1952,1956, and 1960.

In 1940, Oren Harris was elected as United States Representative for Arkansas's 7th congressional district, which in 1950 was redistricted to, encompassing the southern portion of the state.

Oren Harris served without interruption for more than twenty-five years, from January 3,1941, until February 2,1966.

Oren Harris was the lead House sponsor of the Kefauver Harris Amendment, an amendatory act to the federal Pure Food and Drug Act, the law that mandates that pharmaceutical companies disclose the side effects of medications approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale in the United States.

Oren Harris was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 11,1965, and received his commission on August 12,1965.

Oren Harris took the judicial oath and commenced service on February 3,1966.

Oren Harris served as Chief Judge of the Western District from 1967 to 1973.

Oren Harris assumed senior status on February 3,1976, but maintained a full docket of cases until about the last year of his life, when his health began to fail.

Oren Harris's service terminated on February 5,1997, due to his death of pneumonia in Little Rock, Arkansas.