Clair Armstrong Callan (March 29, 1920 – May 28, 2005) was an American politician from

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

for

Nebraska's 1st congressional district Nebraska's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Nebraska that encompasses most of its eastern quarter, except for Omaha and some of its suburbs, which are part of the 2nd congressional district. It includ ...

for a single term from 1965 to 1967.

Early life, education, and career

Born in

Odell, Nebraska 'Odell'' is a village in Gage County, Nebraska, Gage County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 260 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Before the southwest corner of Gage County was home to Odell, it was part of the ...

, Callan graduated from Odell High School in 1938 and Nebraska State Teachers College (now

Peru State College Peru State College (Peru) is a public college in Peru, Nebraska, United States. It was founded by members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1865, making it the first and oldest institution of higher education in Nebraska. The college is org ...

) in 1942. His father, John Callan, served in Nebraska's first state legislative session. He served as lieutenant in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

on a destroyer in the Pacific Theater. After the war, Callan returned to Odell to work for his family's hardware business, Callan Hardware and Implement.

Political career

He served on the Odell Village Board, Odell School Board, Gage County School Reorganization Board, Gage County Fair Board, and the Gage County Extension Board. He was chairman of both the Governor's Committee on State Government Reorganization Board and the Nebraska Power Review Board. He also worked as a farmer. After losing his first race for

Nebraska's 1st Congressional District Nebraska's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Nebraska that encompasses most of its eastern quarter, except for Omaha and some of its suburbs, which are part of the 2nd congressional district. It includ ...

in 1962 to incumbent

Ralph Beermann Ralph Frederick Beermann (August 13, 1912 – February 17, 1977) was an American United States Republican Party, Republican politician and US Representative for Nebraska. Early life Born near Dakota City, Nebraska, Beermann graduated from Mornin ...

, Callan was narrowly elected to the Eighty-ninth United States Congress in 1964, serving from January 3, 1965, to January 3, 1967. While in Congress, Callan helped develop legislation that led to the creations of Medicare and

Medicaid Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by U.S. state, state governments, which also h ...

, as well as the

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights move ...

. He was defeated for reelection to the

Ninetieth United States Congress The 90th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 19 ...

in 1966 by Robert Vernon Denney and lost a rematch to him in 1968.

Post-political career

In 1970, when Denney decided not so seek reelection, Callan ran as an independent when he failed to receive the Democratic nomination, winning 26% in a three way race and finishing ahead of the Democratic nominee. He was Deputy Administrator of the

Rural Electrification Administration The United States Rural Utilities Service (RUS) administers programs that provide infrastructure or infrastructure improvements to rural communities. These include water and waste treatment, electric power, and telecommunications services. It i ...

from 1967 to 1968 and president of the Allied Industries International, Inc. and Agri-Tech in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. He died on May 28, 2005, in

Fairbury, Nebraska Fairbury is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 3,942 at the 2010 census. Fairbury has been closely connected with railroading for much of its history. It was founded on the projected ...

References

# # * {{DEFAULTSORT:Callan, Clair Armstrong 1920 births 2005 deaths 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century Methodists 21st-century Methodists United States Navy personnel of World War II American people of Irish descent American United Methodists Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska Farmers from Nebraska People from Gage County, Nebraska Peru State College alumni School board members in Nebraska