Hawkins, Augustus F.

Augustus Freeman Hawkins was born in Shreveport, LA, on Aug. 31, 1907; his family moved to Los Angeles in 1918; AB, UCLA, 1931; graduated from USC, 1932; member, CA State Assembly, 1935-63; Democrat, US Congress, 1963-91; Chairman, Committee on House Administration, 1981-84; Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor (98th-101st Congresses); member, Joint Economic Committee, 1984-90; member, Joint Committee on Printing, 1977-84; member, Joint Committee on the Library, 1981-84; retired from public service in 1990.

Biography

Augustus Freeman Hawkins was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on August 31, 1907; his family moved to Los Angeles in 1918; AB, UCLA, 1931; graduated from USC, 1932; member, California State Assembly, 1935-63; Democrat, U.S. Congress, 1963-91; Chairman, Committee on House Administration, 1981-84; Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor (98th-101st Congresses); member, Joint Economic Committee, 1984-90; member, Joint Committee on Printing, 1977-84; member, Joint Committee on the Library, 1981-84; retired from public service in 1990.

Biographical Narrative

Augustus F. Hawkins was born August 31, 1907, in Shreveport, Louisiana. At age eleven his family moved to Los Angeles, California, where he later attended Jefferson High School, graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a degree in Economics, and attended graduate school at the University of Southern California.

Congressman Hawkins represented south, central Los Angeles for fifty-six years. He served from 1935 to 1962 in the California State Assembly before coming to Washington in 1963 as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He will retire from elected public service at the end of 1990.

He has compiled a remarkable record of legislative achievement. As a State Assemblyman he authored over 100 laws, including many important social welfare and anti-discrimination bills. As a United States Congressman, he has enacted legislation in the areas of child care; elementary, secondary, vocational and higher education; job training and employment; and Civil Rights. Significant bills passed into public law include the Civil Rights Act Amendment establishing the Equal Employment opportunity Commission, 1975; the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Amendments, 1978; the Full Employment and Balanced Growth (Humphrey-Hawkins) Act, 1978; the Job Training partnership Act, 1982; the School Improvement (Hawkins-Stafford) Act, 1988; and the Civil Rights Restoration Act, 1988.

Prior to his chairmanship of the Education and Labor Committee, Congressman Hawkins served as chairman of the House Administration Committee from 1981 to 1984, where he was responsible for House of Representatives procurement, personnel, printing, elections, and automation issues. Additionally, he served as a member of the Joint Economic Committee from 1984 to 1990, the Joint Committee on Printing from 1977 to 1984, and the Joint Committee on the Library from 1981 to 1984.

Congressman Hawkins' view of public service is best expressed by his own words: The leadership belongs not to the loudest, not to those who beat the drums or blow the trumpets, but to those who day in and day out, in all seasons, work for the practical realization of a better world --those who have the stamina to persist and to remain dedicated. To those belong the leadership.