34 Facts About Richard Schweiker

Richard Schultz Schweiker was an American businessman and politician.

Richard Schweiker previously served as a US Representative and a US Senator from Pennsylvania.

In 1976, Schweiker was Reagan's running mate during his unsuccessful presidential campaign.

Richard Schweiker was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on June 1,1926.

Richard Schweiker was the son of Malcolm Alderfer Schweiker, Sr.

Richard Schweiker was born into a family of Schwenckfelders and was a member of the church himself.

Richard Schweiker received his early education at public schools in Worcester, and graduated from Norristown Area High School as valedictorian in 1944.

Richard Schweiker received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Penn State in 1950, graduating as a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma.

Richard Schweiker then joined his family's business, American Olean Tile Company, rising from an assistant in the personnel department to the company's president within a few years.

Richard Schweiker became active in local Republican politics, serving as a precinct committeeman, and founded the Montgomery County chapter of the Young Republicans, of which he was president from 1952 to 1954.

Richard Schweiker was selected as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1952 and in 1956.

On September 10,1955, Richard Schweiker married Claire Joan Coleman, a former host of the children's television show Romper Room, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1960, Richard Schweiker was elected to the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district.

Richard Schweiker sponsored legislation, signed into law in 1965, that provided cash awards to United States Armed Forces personnel for cost-cutting ideas.

Richard Schweiker voted for the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Richard Schweiker supported the creation of Medicare, increases in Social Security, and federal rent subsidies.

Richard Schweiker considered running for governor of Pennsylvania in 1966, but state Republican leaders persuaded him not to in favor of then-Lieutenant Governor Raymond P Shafer.

In 1968, Schweiker was elected to the US Senate, defeating two-term Democratic incumbent Joseph S Clark, Jr.

Richard Schweiker was the only successful Republican statewide candidate in an election that saw Hubert Humphrey win Pennsylvania by over 170,000 votes.

Richard Schweiker was a pioneer in increasing government spending on diabetes mellitus research, authoring and sponsoring of the National Diabetes Mellitus Research and Education Act.

From 1975 to 1976, Richard Schweiker was a member of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, headed by Idaho Senator Frank Church, investigating illegal domestic activities of the United States government's intelligence agencies.

On May 14,1976, Richard Schweiker told CBS Morning News that he believed the CIA and FBI had lied to the Warren Commission.

Richard Schweiker said that he felt it was possible that the White House was involved in a cover-up.

Immediately before the opening of the 1976 Republican National Convention, Reagan attempted to attract moderate delegates by promising to name Richard Schweiker, who had a moderate voting record in the Senate, as his running mate.

In 1980, Richard Schweiker announced he would not seek reelection to the Senate.

Richard Schweiker accepted President Reagan's appointment as US Secretary of Health and Human Services in January 1981.

Richard Schweiker held the post until he resigned in February 1983.

Richard Schweiker proposed reducing Social Security benefits to recipients who retired before age 65, but both Democrats and Republicans in Congress rejected the idea.

Richard Schweiker coauthored the book How to End the Draft, eventually used as the blueprint for shifting the country to a fully volunteer army.

Richard Schweiker pushed for the Schweiker Act of 1965, which gave cash awards to military personnel who suggested money-saving ideas, ultimately resulting in savings of more than $1 billion to taxpayers.

Richard Schweiker focused heavily on diabetes and authored bills creating the National Commission on Diabetes Advisory Board, pushing for passage of the National Diabetes Act in 1972.

Some who worked with Richard Schweiker or benefited from his initiative called him the "Patron Saint of the Pancreas" for his devotion to the cause.

From 1983 to 1994, Richard Schweiker served as president of the American Council of Life Insurance, now known as the American Council of Life Insurers.

On July 31,2015, Richard Schweiker died of complications from an infection at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, New Jersey.