(Edward) William Proxmire

US senator, born in Lake Forest, Illinois, USA. During his long career in the US Senate (Democrat, Wisconsin, 1957–89), he was considered a maverick politician. He served as chairman of the Committee on Banking as well as chairman of the Committee of Housing and Urban Affairs. He was known as an opponent of wasteful government spending (instituting the ‘Golden Fleece Awards’) and as a ‘hawk’ during the Vietnam War.

William Proxmire
U.S. Senator, Wisconsin
Term of office: August 1957–January 1989
Political party:	Democratic
Preceded by:	Joseph McCarthy
Succeeded by:	Herbert Kohl
Born:	November 11, 1915 Lake Forest, Illinois
Died:	December 15, 2005 Sykesville, Maryland
Spouse:	Ellen Proxmire
Religion:	Unknown

Edward William Proxmire (November 11, 1915 – December 15, 2005) was a member of the Democratic Party who served in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1957 to 1989.

In 1956, Proxmire married Ellen Hodges Sawall, who brought two children of her own to the marriage, Mary Ellen Poulos, now of Milwaukee, and Jan Licht, now of Naperville, Illinois.

Proxmire served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1951 to 1952 and was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Wisconsin in 1952, 1954 and 1956. Senator Proxmire served as the Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs from 1975 to 1981 and again from 1987 to 1989.

Sen. Proxmire was an early, outspoken critic of the Vietnam War.

As Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Proxmire was instrumental in devising the financial plan that saved New York City from bankruptcy in 1976-77.

In his last two Senate campaigns of 1976 and 1982, Proxmire refused to take any campaign contributions, and spent on each less than $200 out of his own pocket — to cover the expenses related to filing for re-election and return postage for unsolicited contributions.

Proxmire was famous for issuing his Golden Fleece Awards identifying wasteful government spending between 1975 and 1988.

One winner of the Golden Fleece Award, Ronald Hutchinson, was so outraged that he sued Proxmire for defamation in 1976.

From 1967 until 1986, Proxmire gave daily speeches noting the necessity of ratifying The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.