Illness Ends Lawmaker’s 40-Year Streak of Votes

Rep. William H. Natcher’s record of never missing a vote in his 40-year House career ended Thursday when the 84-year-old Kentucky Democrat was too sick to leave the hospital.

His streak of 18,401 consecutive votes on the House floor has never been approached, and House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) said it was a record “I believe will stand forever. Obviously this is a sad moment for all of us because of the unparalleled public service of Mr. Natcher.”

House members gave a standing ovation for their absent colleague, who began serving in Congress in January, 1954, and is now chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

President Clinton visited Natcher’s hospital room Thursday and presented him the Presidential Citizen’s Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian award.

House Library records show that Natcher cast his first vote on Jan. 21, 1954--in favor of establishing an Air Force academy.

The end came on a simple procedural vote that opened the House session Thursday. His last four votes Wednesday were his most difficult, with the frail octogenarian, suffering from intestinal and other ailments, being wheeled onto the House floor on a hospital gurney, complete with oxygen and intravenous tubes.

The day before, House leaders had agreed to suspend all legislative action at Natcher’s request so the streak could be maintained.

Natcher has advised new members against trying to emulate him. “When you’ve been here as long as I have and never missed a day or vote, it’s right around your neck,” he once said.

Often it was not easy. His wife, Virginia, died in 1991 after 53 years of marriage. When she was seriously ill, he routinely flew home to be with her and then back to Washington the next day, day after day, to keep the streak going. Voting even kept him from making an appearance when President Jimmy Carter visited his district in 1979.

Natcher issued a statement Thursday that said after consulting with his physicians, “I have very reluctantly decided to remain at Bethesda Naval Hospital for continued treatment, and I will not be able to return to Capitol Hill today.

“Throughout my entire public service,” he said in the statement, “I have never missed a single day of work, and during my tenure as a member of Congress, I never missed a day or a vote.”