Robert Freeman Smith

Robert Freeman Smith
Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999
Speaker	Newt Gingrich
Preceded by	Pat Roberts
Succeeded by	Larry Combest
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Wes Cooley
Succeeded by	Greg Walden
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Denny Smith
Succeeded by	Wes Cooley
52nd Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office 1969–1973
Preceded by	F. F. Montgomery
Succeeded by	Richard O. Eymann
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 26th district
In office 1963–1973
Preceded by	Clinton P. Haight, Jr.
Succeeded by	Denny Jones
Personal details
Born	June 16, 1931 Portland, Oregon
Political party	Republican

Robert Freeman "Bob" Smith (born June 16, 1931) in Portland, Oregon, is an American politician.

Early life

Smith grew up in Burns, Oregon. He attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, graduating in 1953 with an agricultural degree. He worked as a rancher until his election to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1960.

Career

He served in the state House until he retired in 1972 to return to his ranch, and was Speaker of the House for the 1969 and 1971 sessions.^[1] Between 1965 and 1969, Smith was the president of the Oregon Public Land Commission.

Smith, a Republican, was a United States Congressman from Oregon's 2nd congressional district from 1983 to 1995. After a brief retirement, he returned to Congress in 1997. Wes Cooley, the Republican who had succeeded Smith in the House, had been caught in several lies about his military service and Smith was persuaded to come out of retirement.^[2] The Republicans promised him the chairmanship of the House Agriculture Committee if he won. He won easily and was duly appointed Chairman, but only served one term before retiring for good.

References

1. Oregon Blue Book: Speakers of the House of Representatives of Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on June 9, 2008.
2. Fattig, Paul (March 1998). "Former congressman, felon Cooley may run for office again". Mail Tribune News.

External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress