Harvard Kennedy School notes with sadness the passing of our dear friend, former Iowa Congressman and Senator John Culver. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.
Senator Culver, who passed away on Wednesday, was elected to the United States Senate in 1974. He had served the previous ten years in the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. In the Senate, he served on the Armed Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Small Business. In the House of Representatives, Culver served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Government Operations Committee. Culver was a former chairman of the Democratic Study Group and a member of the National Democratic Advisory Council. In 1974, Culver was named by Time magazine as one of its “200 Leaders of the Future.”
Senator Culver graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. His relationship with the Kennedy School spanned over forty years: He had been an important part of the Institute of Politics since 1975, including 14 years as chair of the Senior Advisory Committee and then as chair emeritus, as well as interim director from July 2010 to January 2011.