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Melvin Price

Charles Melvin Price
Charles Melvin Price.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 21st district
In office
January 3, 1983 – April 22, 1988
Preceded by Edward R. Madigan
Succeeded by Jerry Costello
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 23rd district
In office
January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by George E. Shipley
Succeeded by District eliminated
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 24th district
In office
January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1973
Preceded by Charles W. Vursell
Succeeded by Kenneth J. Gray
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 25th district
In office
January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by C. W. Bishop
Succeeded by C. W. Bishop
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 22nd district
In office
January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1949
Preceded by Calvin D. Johnson
Succeeded by Rolla C. McMillen
Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services
In office
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985
Preceded by F. Edward Hebert
Succeeded by Les Aspin
Member of the St. Clair County, Illinois Board of Supervisors
In office
1929–1931
Personal details
Born January 1, 1905
East St. Louis, Illinois
Died April 22, 1988(1988-04-22) (aged 83)
Camp Springs, Maryland
Political party Democratic
Alma mater St. Louis University
Military service
Allegiance United States Army
Service/branch Quartermaster Corps
Years of service 1943–1944

(Charles) Melvin Price (January 1, 1905 – April 22, 1988) was a longtime member of the United States House of Representatives. Most notably, he served as the chairman of the United States House Committee on Armed Services between 1975 and 1985. He lost this position at the beginning of the 99th United States Congress. Overthrowing a committee chairman was not a common occurrence at that time, but a majority of the House Democratic Caucus seemed to feel that the aged Price was no longer up to the job. In addition, Price, while liberal on domestic issues, was notably more supportive of defense spending than most Democrats. When it came to choosing Price's successor, the Caucus bypassed several other old hawkish members of the committee in favor of Les Aspin, who was not only much younger than Price and other more senior members, but also seemed closer in his defense policy preferences to the majority of the Democratic Caucus.

Price was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and graduated from St. Louis University High School and Saint Louis University. After graduating, he worked for several years as a journalist before taking work as a secretary for Congressman Edwin Schaefer in 1933. He served there for ten years, after which he joined the U.S. Army in 1943, at the height of World War II; Price served in the quartermaster corps. He was elected to Congress in his own right in 1944. During his time in Congress, he also chaired the Ethics Committee (1967–76) and the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (1973–74). He remained in Congress until his death.


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