William Lehman, 91; Florida Democrat on House Transit Panel
- Share via
William Lehman, 91, a former used car salesman who became an authority on transportation issues during 20 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, died Wednesday at a hospital in Miami Beach after a bout with pneumonia.
The longtime Democratic congressman, who served from 1973 to 1993, was a member of the Appropriations Committee and chairman of its transportation subcommittee, which distributed billions of dollars in federal projects. He was a champion of public transit, particularly light-rail systems.
He also helped guide the passage of legislation that permitted federal workers to donate their paid leave time to co-workers and went on several mercy trips, including a 1984 flight to Moscow to smuggle an artificial heart valve to a patient who was a relative of one of his south Florida constituents.
The son of a candy entrepreneur, Lehman was born in Selma, Ala., and graduated from the University of Alabama. His business interests led him to Miami, where he entered the car industry.
A member of Mensa International, he later studied at Oxford University and became a high school English teacher.
He won a seat on the Dade County school board before winning election to Congress.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
