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74-521: The water in the Rio Chama brings the canyon area to life. Lush vegetation that supports abundant wildlife contrasts with the seemingly bare rocky slopes that lead to the mesa tops. The wilderness area surrounds much private property along the waterways. The wilderness area includes the site of the Cañon de Chama land grant. A large area of northern New Mexico was included in the original Mexican land grant, but

148-585: A write-in candidate , labeling Church as a candidate of the "corporate interests". Church won the race, defeating both Welker and Taylor, with a plurality of 46,315 votes. This was despite a number of factors that might have inhibited Church's campaign, including the Republican's fundraising advantage and Eisenhower's large victory in the presidential election. Upon entering the Senate in January 1957, Church voted against

222-656: A dissenter from an earlier period, who proclaimed: 'Our country right or wrong. When right, to be kept right: when wrong, to be put right." Church gained national prominence during his service in the Senate through his chairmanship of the U.S. Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities from 1975 through 1976, more commonly known as the Church Committee, which conducted extensive hearings investigating extra-legal FBI and CIA intelligence-gathering and covert operations. The committee investigated CIA drug smuggling activities in

296-797: A junior in 1941, he won the American Legion National Oratorical Contest, which resulted in him receiving sufficient funds to provide for his four-year enrollment at Stanford University in California , where he joined the Theta Xi fraternity . Church left Stanford in 1942, at the age of 18, and enlisted in the Army following the attack on Pearl Harbor . He was called up the following year and attended officer candidate training at Fort Benning in Georgia . He trained at Camp Ritchie , as one of

370-543: A major role in the creation of the nation's system of protected wilderness areas in the 1960s. In 1964, Church was the floor sponsor of the national Wilderness Act . In 1968, he sponsored the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and gained passage of a ten-year moratorium on federal plans to transfer water from the Pacific Northwest to California . Working with other members of Congress from northwestern states, Church helped establish

444-465: A number of voting irregularities in the canvassing of the primary. During the general election campaign, Church and his campaign hit the road. Church shook around 75,000 hands over the entire course of the campaign. Church also conducted an astute campaign, by contrasting his fitness with that of Welker. His slogan, "Idaho Will Be Proud of Frank Church", was a major asset to his campaign. Church also campaigned on an internationalist plank , in favor of

518-539: A procedural motion on the Civil Rights Act of 1957 against the wishes of Democratic Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson . This angered Johnson, who punished Church by all but ignoring him for the next six months. However, Church managed to find his way into Johnson's good graces by voting for an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 that would grant the right to a trial by jury to anyone charged with violating

592-415: A publicly owned Hells Canyon Dam and was conservative on money matters. This was in stark contrast to Welker's campaign, which focused heavily on anti-Communism , a decision that proved to be a weak political foundation. The Welker campaign also ran on his record, as well as the "Herman letter", in which President Eisenhower endorsed Welker's candidacy. Glen Taylor also ran in the general election as

666-561: A quick choice had been required as in past conventions, Carter later recalled, he would probably have chosen Church. But the longer period for deliberation gave Carter time to worry about his compatibility with the publicity-seeking Church, who had a tendency to be long-winded. Instead, Carter invited Senators Edmund Muskie , John Glenn , and Walter Mondale to visit his home in Plains, Georgia , for personal interviews, while Church, Henry M. Jackson , and Adlai Stevenson III would be interviewed at

740-576: A seat in the state legislature in 1952. In 1956 , he was elected to the United States Senate, defeating former Senator Glen Taylor in a closely contested primary election and incumbent Herman Welker in the general election. As a senator, he was a protégé of then-Senate majority leader Lyndon B. Johnson , and was appointed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . In 1960, Church received national exposure when he gave

814-471: A technological capability that enables us to monitor the messages that go through the air. These messages are between ships at sea, they could be between units, military units in the field. We have a very extensive capability of intercepting messages wherever they may be in the airwaves. Now, that is necessary and important to the United States as we look abroad at enemies or potential enemies. We must know, at

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888-561: A youngster, where he went by the nickname "Frosty." In his youth, Church admired William Borah, who represented Idaho in the United States Senate from 1907 until his death in 1940. When Borah died, Church walked by the open coffin in the rotunda of the State Capitol. He stated that "Because he was a senator, I wanted to become one, too." Church graduated from Boise High School in 1942, where he served as student body president. As

962-402: Is not related to the value(s) that made it worthy of designation. For instance, recreation may not be an outstanding value on a river with a recreational classification, nor scenery on a river classified as scenic. Notably, Wild and Scenic Rivers receive the same standard of protection regardless of classification. Frank Church Frank Forrester Church III (July 25, 1924 – April 7, 1984)

1036-637: Is such a chancy proposition that the only way to live is by taking great chances." In 1950, Church graduated from Stanford Law School and returned to Boise to practice law and teach public speaking at Boise Junior College (now Boise State University ). Frank and Bethine Church had two sons, Frank Forrester Church IV , who died in 2009, and Chase Clark Church, who lives in Boise. Both boys were named for their grandfathers. Following his return to Idaho, he became active in Democratic Party politics, and he became

1110-605: Is the last Democrat to represent Idaho in the U.S. Senate. Following his 24 years in the Senate, Church practiced international law with the Washington, D.C. , firm of Whitman and Ransom, specializing in Asian issues. Three years after leaving the Senate, Church was hospitalized for a pancreatic tumor on January 12, 1984. Less than three months later, he died at his home in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 7 at age 59. A memorial service

1184-546: Is the only Idaho Democrat to be popularly elected for more than one term in the Senate. In 1967, a recall campaign was waged against Church by Ron Rankin, a Republican county commissioner in the northern Idaho county Kootenai who co-founded the Victory in Vietnam Committee to coordinate the recall. Rankin unsuccessfully sued Idaho's secretary of state to accept recall petitions. The U.S. District Court for Idaho ruled that

1258-627: Is widely quoted as also stating regarding the NSA: I don't want to see this country ever go across the bridge... I know the capacity that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within the law and under proper supervision, so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return. Commentators such as Glenn Greenwald have praised Church for his prescient warning regarding this turning around by

1332-463: The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ; this is less than one-quarter of one percent of the nation's rivers, which flow over 3.5 million miles (5,600,000 kilometers) across the United States. By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams across the country have modified at least 600,000 miles (970,000 km), or about 17 percent of American rivers. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of

1406-611: The Democratic nomination for president and announced his candidacy on March 18 from rustic Idaho City , his father's birthplace. Although he won primaries in Nebraska, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana, he withdrew in favor of the eventual nominee, former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter . Church remains the only Idahoan to win a major-party presidential primary election following the reforms of the McGovern–Fraser Commission . Prior to

1480-719: The Golden Triangle and secret U.S.-backed wars in Third World countries. Together with Senator Sam Ervin 's committee inquiries, the Church Committee hearings laid the groundwork for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Daniel Ellsberg quoted Church as speaking of the NSA as follows: "I know the capacity that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within

1554-612: The Hells Canyon National Recreation Area along the Oregon-Idaho border, which protected the gorge from dam building. He was also the primary proponent in the establishment of the Sawtooth Wilderness and National Recreation Area in central Idaho in 1972. Church also was instrumental in the creation of Idaho's River of No Return Wilderness in 1980, his final year in the Senate. This wilderness comprised

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1628-546: The National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC), based in Washington, D.C. ABC and NCPAC had no formal connection with the 1980 Senate campaign of conservative Republican congressman Steve Symms , which permitted them, under former Federal election law, to spend as much as they could raise to defeat Church. Church lost his bid for a fifth term to Symms by less than one percent of

1702-793: The National Landscape Conservation System , and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska . State-managed Wild and Scenic Rivers are subject to the same protections as federally administered rivers. These state rivers can be added to the National System by the Secretary of the Interior following an application by the governor of the state the river flows through. Designated rivers are assigned one or more classifications: Wild, Scenic, or Recreational. These classifications are based on

1776-583: The Ritchie Boys , and was commissioned a lieutenant on his 20th birthday. In the army, he served as a military intelligence officer in the China Burma India Theater. He was inducted to the Infantry Hall of Fame at Fort Benning. Following the end of the war, he was discharged in 1946. In June 1947 he married Bethine Clark , daughter of Chase Clark , a former Democratic governor of Idaho and

1850-734: The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 1979 to 1981. Following the instinct that led him to ask questions early on (see above), Church was one of the first senators to publicly oppose the Vietnam War in the 1960s, although he had supported the conflict earlier. He was the co-author of two legislative efforts to curtail the war: the Cooper–Church Amendment of 1970, and the Case–Church Amendment of 1973. In September 1970, Church announced on television and in speeches across

1924-486: The U.S. Congress or the Secretary of the Interior . In 1968, as part of the original act, eight rivers were designated as National Wild and Scenic Rivers ( Clearwater , Eleven Point , Feather , Rio Grande , Rogue , St. Croix , Salmon , and Wolf ). As of November 2018 , 209 rivers, totaling 12,754 miles of river in 40 states and Puerto Rico, have Wild and Scenic status. By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams across

1998-547: The U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. The Act is notable for safeguarding the special character of these rivers, while also recognizing the potential for their appropriate use and development. It encourages river management that crosses political boundaries and promotes public participation in developing goals for river protection. The Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in

2072-689: The United States Marine Corps , and retired as a colonel . Another branch of the Church family included Rear Admiral Albert T. Church II, as well as Vice Admiral Albert T. Church III , the author of the Church Report . His father co-owned a sporting goods store and took the sons on fishing , hunting , and hiking outings in the Idaho mountains . The family was reportedly very Catholic and conservative , with Church attending St. Joseph's School as

2146-565: The federal judge for the state . The wedding took place at the secluded Robinson Bar Ranch ( 44°14′49″N 114°40′41″W  /  44.247°N 114.678°W  / 44.247; -114.678 ), the Clark family's ranch in the mountains east of Stanley (and now owned by singer Carole King , since 1981). The two had a happy marriage and often showed their affection in public. He entered Harvard Law School that fall and after one year, Church transferred to Stanford Law School , when he thought

2220-578: The 1970s. In 1976, it was publicly revealed that Lockheed had paid $ 22 million in bribes to foreign officials in the process of negotiating the sale of aircraft including the F-104 Starfighter, the so-called "Deal of the Century." Church also sponsored, along with Pennsylvania Republican John Heinz , the "conscience clause," which prohibited the government from requiring church-affiliated hospitals to perform abortions. In 1976, Church belatedly sought

2294-819: The 50th Anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. On August 2, 2018, 20 miles (32 km) of East Rosebud Creek in Montana were designated as a Wild and Scenic, the first Wild and Scenic designation in Montana in over 40 years. Designation as a Wild and Scenic River specifically protects the free-flowing nature of rivers in both federal and non-federal areas, something the Wilderness Act and other federal designations cannot do. Despite misplaced fears, WSR designation does not alter private property rights. Federally administered National Wild and Scenic Rivers are managed by one or more of

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2368-467: The American people during his career in public office. His papers, originally given to his alma mater Stanford University in 1981, were transferred to Boise State University at his request in 1984. As of 2024 , Church remains the last Democrat to serve in the U.S. Senate from Idaho; his final election victory was in 1974 , 50 years ago. Church was stunned by what the Church Committee learned about

2442-493: The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to protect and enhance rivers found to be regionally and nationally significant. Rivers may be designated by Congress or, if certain requirements are met, the Secretary of the Interior . Each designated river is administered by either a federal, state, or tribal agency, or as a partnership between any number of these government entities and local NGOs . Designated segments need not include

2516-450: The U.S. Government confirmed only a small area along the river. The village cemetery is in the wilderness area. The Rio Chama is a Wild and Scenic River and is not part of the wilderness area. A Forest Service road parallels the river and in some places the wilderness area is only 100 yards from the road. The easy road access means that rafting is a popular activity when water levels are adequate. The Continental Divide Trail traverses

2590-422: The act. Church also added a provision to that amendment requiring that juries in such cases be desegregated. Johnson was so grateful he made the young Idahoan a veritable protégé, rewarding him with plum assignments, such as a seat on the prestigious Senate Foreign Relations Committee , a position which allowed Church to follow in the footsteps of his idol, William Borah . Recently declassified documents show that

2664-497: The benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes." (Wild & Scenic Rivers Act) The Act established

2738-477: The bridge. I know the capacity that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within the law and under proper supervision so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return. In a secret operation code-named " Project Minaret ," the National Security Agency (NSA) monitored

2812-532: The chairman of the Young Democrats of Idaho. In 1952, he ran for a seat in the then-Republican dominated Idaho state legislature , but lost the election. In 1956, Church ran for the Class-3 Senate seat held by Herman Welker, who had alienated many Republicans for his opposition to President Dwight D. Eisenhower 's programs and his alleged affiliation with McCarthyism . Church entered the primary race, which

2886-426: The cold Massachusetts winter was the cause of a pain in his lower back. The pain did not go away and the problem was soon diagnosed as testicular cancer . After one of his testicles and glands in his lower abdomen were removed, Church was given only a few months to live. However, he rebounded from the illness after another doctor started X-ray treatments. This second chance led him to later reflect that "life itself

2960-609: The communications of leading Americans, including Senators Church and Howard Baker , Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , and others, including prominent U.S. journalists and athletes, who criticized the U.S. war in Vietnam. A review by NSA of the NSA's Minaret program concluded that Minaret was "disreputable if not outright illegal." Church is also remembered for his voting record as a strong progressive and environmental legislator, and he played

3034-527: The concurrent presidential election where Republican candidate Richard Nixon got nearly 57 percent of the popular vote in Idaho. James Risen attributes Church's victory to the 1967 recall effort backfiring: "Most Idaho voters were angered by the recall effort, and it generated sympathy for Church throughout the state." Church was a key figure in American foreign policy during the 1970s, and served as chairman of

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3108-623: The convention in New York. Of all the potential candidates, Carter found Mondale the most compatible. As a result, Carter selected Mondale as his running mate. In the late 1970s, Church was a leading congressional supporter of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties , which proposed to return the Panama Canal to Panama . The scheme proved to be widely unpopular in Idaho, and led to the formation of the "Anybody But Church" (ABC) committee, created by

3182-677: The country have modified at least 600,000 miles, or about 17%, of American rivers. Selected rivers in the United States are preserved for possessing Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) that fall into the 8 categories: Scenic, Recreation, Geologic, Fish, Wildlife, Historic, Culture, or Other similar values. These values can be considered synonymous with ecosystem services , or those goods and services that nature provides freely and that ultimately benefit society. Rivers (or sections of rivers) so designated are set out for protection and enhancement in perpetuity by preserving their free-flowing condition from dams and development that would otherwise diminish

3256-414: The country that "the doves had won." Author David F. Schmitz states that Church based his assertion on the fact that two key propositions of the anti-war movement , "A negotiated peace and the withdrawal of American troops," were now official policy. The only debate that remained would be over when to withdraw, not whether to withdraw, and over the meaning of the war. Church concluded: So the last service

3330-412: The developmental character of the river's surroundings on the date of designation. Wild rivers are the most remote and undeveloped while Recreational rivers often have many access points, roads, railroads, bridges, and homes located within the designated corridor. Scenic rivers tend to fall somewhere between the Wild and Recreational level of development. It is important to note that a river's classification

3404-465: The doves can perform for their country, is to insist that President Nixon 's withdrawal program truly leads to a " Vietnamization " of the war. It must not become a device for lowering—and then perpetuating—an American military presence in South Vietnam for the indefinite future. Our long ordeal in this mistaken war must end. The gathering crisis in our own land, the deepening divisions among our people,

3478-417: The entire river and may include headwaters and tributaries. For federally administered rivers, the designated boundaries generally average one-quarter mile on either bank in the lower 48 states and one-half mile on rivers outside national parks in Alaska in order to protect river-related values. As of August 2018, the National System protects over 12,700 miles (20,400 km) of 209 rivers in 40 states and

3552-543: The festering, unattended problems here at home, bear far more importantly on the future of our Republic than anything we ever had at stake in Indochina . Church argued that the opponents of the Vietnam War needed to prevent the corruption of the nation and its institutions. To Church, the anti-war opposition was the "highest concept of patriotism—which is not the patriotism of conformity—but the patriotism of Senator Carl Schurz ,

3626-650: The four principal land-managing agencies of the federal government. Of the 209 National Wild and Scenic Rivers, the majority are managed by the United States Forest Service , followed by the National Park Service; ten of those managed by the NPS are official units , while most are part of other parks. The remaining WSR are managed under the Bureau of Land Management 's National Conservation Lands, originally called

3700-426: The government could enable it to impose total tyranny, and there would be no way to fight back because the most careful effort to combine together in resistance to the government, no matter how privately it was done, is within the reach of the government to know. Such is the capability of this technology. Now why is this investigation important? I'll tell you why: because I don't want to see this country ever go across

3774-498: The height of the United States environmental era, states: "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for

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3848-456: The immense operations and electronic monitoring capabilities of the National Security Agency (NSA), an agency whose existence was unknown to most Americans at the time. Church stated in 1975: That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people, and no American would have any privacy left, such is the capability to monitor everything: telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesn't matter. There would be no place to hide. He

3922-536: The keynote speech at the 1960 Democratic National Convention . Considered a strong progressive and environmental legislator, he played a major role in the creation of a system of protected wilderness areas. Church was highly critical of the Vietnam War , despite initially supporting it; he co-authored the Cooper–Church Amendment of 1970 and the Case–Church Amendment of 1973, which sought to curtail

3996-447: The law and under proper supervision, so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return." More specifically on August 17, 1975, Senator Frank Church stated on NBC's "Meet the Press" without mentioning the name of the NSA about this agency: In the need to develop a capacity to know what potential enemies are doing, the United States government has perfected

4070-476: The measure in the Senate in late February, and President Reagan signed the act on March 14, less than four weeks before Frank Church's death on April 7. Frank Church was considered a progressive (remarkable considering that he represented one of the most conservative states in the nation), though he was a strong opponent of gun control and was pro-life. In 1979, he was the first in Congress to disclose and protest

4144-621: The nation's rivers. Many waterways and the fish in them were toxic, rendering them unusable by surrounding communities. Populations of aquatic species were declining and people were being relocated from their communities due to rampant dam building. All across the country people were writing letters imploring the President and First lady to protect their beloved rivers. Ultimately, the act was sponsored by Sen. Frank Church ( D - Idaho ) and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 2, 1968. A river , or river section, may be designated by

4218-544: The old Idaho Primitive Area, the Salmon River Breaks Primitive Area, plus additional lands. At 2.36 million acres (9,550 km ), over 3,600 square miles (9,300 km ), it is the largest wilderness area in the nation outside of Alaska. It was renamed the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in 1984, shortly after the diagnosis of his pancreatic cancer. Idaho Senator Jim McClure introduced

4292-597: The party's liberal wing. Born and raised in Boise , Idaho, he enrolled at Stanford University in 1942 but left to enlist in the Army , where he served as a military intelligence officer in the China Burma India Theater of World War II. Following the end of the war, he completed his law degree from Stanford Law School and returned to Boise to practice law. Church became an active Democrat in Idaho and ran unsuccessfully for

4366-682: The presence of Soviet combat troops in Cuba. According to the Christian Science Monitor , this stance somewhat disarmed his opponent's charge in the 1980 campaign that Church's performance on the Foreign Relations Committee had helped to weaken the US militarily. In 1974, Church joined Senator Frank Moss , D-Utah, to sponsor the first legislation to provide federal funding for hospice care programs. The bill did not have widespread support and

4440-453: The primary elections of 1972, William Borah had won several contests in the 1936 Republican primaries . By June, Carter had the nomination sufficiently locked up and could take time to interview potential vice-presidential candidates. The pundits predicted that Church would be tapped to provide balance as an experienced senator with strong liberal credentials. Church promoted himself, persuading friends to intervene with Carter in his behalf. If

4514-523: The quality of their remarkable values. National Wild and Scenic designation essentially vetoes the licensing of new dams on, or directly affecting the designated section of river. It also provides strong protection against federally funded bank and channel alterations that adversely affect river values, protects riverfront public lands from new oil, gas, and mineral development, and creates a federal reserved water right to protect flow-dependent values such as fish habitat. In 2018, America continues to celebrate

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4588-450: The recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC). Among other things, the commission recommended that the nation protect wild rivers and scenic rivers from development that would substantially change their free-flowing nature and values. At this time, the country was also experiencing rapid degradation of its water resources due to municipal and industrial effluent being released into

4662-427: The same time, that capability at any time could be turned around on the American people, and no American would have any privacy left such is the capability to monitor everything—telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesn't matter. There would be no place to hide. If this government ever became a tyranny, if a dictator ever took charge in this country, the technological capacity that the intelligence community has given

4736-412: The state's recall laws did not apply to U.S. senators and that such a recall would violate the U.S. Constitution. State attorney general Allan Shepard , a future chief justice of the state supreme court , agreed with the court's decision. In the 1968 Senate election , Church won with over 60 percent of the vote against Republican challenger and U.S. Representative George V. Hansen , in contrast with

4810-468: The vote. His defeat was blamed on the activities of the Anybody But Church Committee and the national media's early announcement in Idaho of Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan 's overwhelming win. These predictions were broadcast before polls closed statewide, specifically in the Pacific Time Zone in the north. Many believed that this caused many Democrats in the more politically moderate Idaho Panhandle to not vote at all. As of 2024 , Church

4884-516: The war. In 1975, he chaired the Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, better known as the Church Committee , laying the groundwork for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Church belatedly sought the 1976 Democratic nomination for president , and announced his candidacy on March 18, 1976. Although he won primaries in Nebraska , Idaho, Oregon , and Montana , he withdrew in favor of former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter . Church

4958-422: The wilderness area and crosses the river on Scull Bridge. Hiking and horseback riding are other popular activities in the wilderness area. The wilderness area is easily accessible from Santa Fe, New Mexico, along U.S. Highway 84 . National Wild and Scenic Rivers System The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542 ), enacted by

5032-400: The young veteran also challenged his mentor, behind closed doors, after the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident , making this prescient warning: "In a democracy you cannot expect the people, whose sons are being killed and who will be killed, to exercise their judgment if the truth is concealed from them." Church was reelected in 1962, defeating former state representative Jack Hawley . To date, he

5106-400: Was an American politician and lawyer. A Democrat , from 1957 to 1981 he served as a U.S. Senator from Idaho, and is currently the last Democrat to do so. He was the longest serving Democratic senator from the state and the only Democrat from the state who served more than two terms in the Senate. He was a prominent figure in American foreign policy and established a reputation as a member of

5180-410: Was born on July 25, 1924, in Boise, Idaho. He traced his ancestry from the East Coast of the United States , with his grandfather, Frank Forrester Church I, moving to Idaho during the height of the gold rush that followed the end of the Civil War . Church III was the younger of two sons of Frank Forrester Church II and Laura Bilderback Church. His older brother Richard Church became a career officer in

5254-433: Was described as "the most colorful primary in the history of the state". He faced a number of opponents, including Ricks College professor Claude Burtenshaw, bureaucrat Alvin McCormack, and former senator Glen H. Taylor . When the primary came, Church won the Democratic nomination, with only 37.75% of the vote, narrowly edging out Taylor by 200 votes. Though Church won the nomination, Taylor refused to concede, and claimed

5328-721: Was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and then his body was flown home to Idaho, where he lay in state beneath the rotunda of the Idaho State Capitol . His funeral was held in downtown Boise at the Cathedral of the Rockies on April 12 and televised throughout Idaho. Church was buried at Morris Hill Cemetery near his boyhood hero, Senator William Borah. Church received an honorary doctorate from Pennsylvania's Elizabethtown College in 1983 to honor his work for

5402-512: Was not brought to a vote. Congress finally included a hospice benefit in Medicare in 1982. In late 1975 and early 1976, a sub-committee of the U.S. Senate led by Church concluded that members of the Lockheed board had paid members of friendly governments to guarantee contracts for military aircraft in a series of illegal bribes and contributions made by Lockheed officials from the late 1950s to

5476-573: Was re-elected continuously to the Senate, defeating his Republican opponents in 1962 , 1968 , and 1974 , until his defeat during the Republican wave of 1980 . Following the end of his term, he practiced international law in Washington, D.C., specializing in Asian issues. Church was hospitalized for a pancreatic tumor on January 12, 1984, and he died less than three months later at his home in Bethesda , Maryland , on April 7, 1984. Frank Forrester Church III

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