Blatnik, John Anton, 1911-1991

BLATNIK, John Anton, a Representative from Minnesota; born in Chisholm, St. Louis County, Minn., August 17, 1911; attended the public schools and was graduated from Chisholm High School in June 1929; taught a one-room rural school in St. Louis County in 1930 and 1931; State Teachers College, Winona, Minn., B.E., June 1935; also attended the University of Chicago during summer of 1938 and the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis in 1941 and 1942; engaged in CCC work in Superior National Forest in Minnesota 1935-1937; taught chemistry in high school at Chisholm, Minn., 1937-1939; assistant county superintendent of schools of St. Louis County, Minn., 1939-1941; member of the State senate 1941-1946; served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Office of Strategic Services from August 1942 until his discharge as a captain on January 1946 with eighteen months' service overseas; awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal; elected as a Democrat to the Eightieth Congress; reelected to the thirteen succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1947, until his resignation December 31, 1974; chairman, Committee on Public Works (Ninety-second and Ninety-third Congresses); was not a candidate for reelection in 1974 to the Ninety-fourth Congress; became a part-time consultant for shippers; environmental and economic development consultant; was a resident of Forest Heights, Md., until his death there on December 17, 1991.

<p>John Anton Blatnik (August 17, 1911 – December 17, 1991) was a United States Congressman from Minnesota. He was a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), which is affiliated with the Democratic Party.</p>

<p>From 1940 to 1944, he served in the Minnesota State Senate and volunteered to serve in the United States Army Air Corps in 1942. While in the Army Air Corps (the predecessor to the Air Force), he was chief of the Office of Strategic Services's mission with Tito's Yugoslav partisans for almost a year.</p>

<p>In 1946, Blatnik was elected to Congress representing Minnesota's 8th District in the northeastern part of the state, running on the newly unified ticket of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. He was reelected 13 times without much difficulty. He served in the 80th, 81st, 82nd, 83rd, 84th, 85th, 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd, and 93rd congresses, (January 3, 1947 – December 31, 1974).</p>

<p> 1963, Blatnik, introduced a bill to make Leif Erikson Day a nationwide observance. The following year Congress adopted this unanimously.</p>

<p>Blatnik voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was an early supporter of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and helped develop the original legislation to build it. He served as chairman of the Public Works Committee (now known as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee) during his last two terms in Congress. As chairman, he shepherded the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, better known as the Clean Water Act, to passage in 1972.</p>

<p>Upon retirement, Blatnik endorsed his long-time administrative assistant, Jim Oberstar, to replace him in Congress; Oberstar won easily in the 1974 election.</p>

<p>In 1955, Blatnik married the former Gisela Hager. They had three children. Blatnik died in Forest Heights, Maryland on December 17, 1991. He was survived by his second wife, the former Evelyn Castiglioni.</p>

<p>The bridge for Interstate 535 crossing the Superior Bay and the Saint Louis Bay between Wisconsin and Minnesota was renamed the John A. Blatnik Bridge in his honor on September 24, 1971.</p>