James H. Scheuer Photographs

James H. Scheuer was born February 6, 1920, in New York City, the son of Simon H. and Helen Rose Scheuer. He attended Swarthmore College, graduating in 1942. He continued his education at Harvard University' s Graduate School of Business Administration, earning a degree in Industrial Relations in 1943 and then received his L.L.B. degree from Columbia University Law School in 1948. He married Emily Malino, an accomplished interior designer, in 1948, and they had four children: Laura Lee (Swarthmore '73), Elizabeth Helen (Swarthmore '75), James Jr., and John William.

Scheuer had a wide range of interests and talents. He was the New York City harmonica champion as a young man, and throughout his career he continued to entertain and impress his constituency and his peers with his ability to play anything from Bach to Sousa marches. In 1943-45, he served as a flight instructor in the U.S. Army. He followed that with a job as an economist for the U.S. Foreign Economic Administration in the critical postwar years. Then came stints as a member of the legal staff for the Office of Price Stabilization (1951-53) and as president of the Citizen's Housing and Planning Council of New York City (1972-74). Scheuer also wrote a book, To Walk the Streets Safely, published by Doubleday in 1969.

Serving as a Congressman ensured Scheuer the varied, challenging career that seemed to suit him best. Scheuer was first elected to the 89th Congress in November 1964 and was reelected most years through the 102nd Congress, when he retired from the House. He faced his stiffest opposition in his unsuccessful bid for a seat in the 93rd Congress, and he was periodically challenged by redistricting maneuvers that altered the groups of people he was to represent. A solution was to switch districts before the districts were switched. At different times, Scheuer represented the 21st Congressional District, the 11th (Brooklyn-Queens) and the 8th (Queens-Bronx-Nassau County).

Evidence of Scheuer's deep concern for the world's people and environment is apparent throughout the collection. At the national level, he introduced bills such as the Maternal and Child Health Bill (H.R. 14822) and proposed amendments to the National Electric Vehicle Act (H.R. 1538) and held hearings on teenage pregnancy. Scheuer also operated at the global level, participating in international organizations and committees, including the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the Global Committee of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, and the Global Survival Conference. His contribution as founding President of the United States arm of the Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) is particularly well-documented in this collection.

Scheuer retired from the House in 1992 and then accepted a post as United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) shortly thereafter. After a stint in London serving that office, he retired, and he and his wife returned to Washington, D.C. James Scheuer died August 30, 2005.