Political Career
Bateman was a member of the Senate of Virginia for 14 years, representing a portion of Newport News. He was originally a Democrat, but became a Republican in 1976.
In 1982, he was elected to succeed Paul S. Trible, Jr. as the representative for the 1st District in the United States House of Representatives. While serving in the House, Bateman was a member of the Armed Forces and Transportation Infrastructure Committees, while chairing the Subcommittee on Military Readiness and the House Merchant Marine Panel.
While in the House of Representatives, Bateman's voting record was moderate by Southern Republican standards; he had a lifetime rating of 79 from the American Conservative Union. He was a strong supporter of controlling government spending. However, he was particularly active on defense issues. Since Newport News was a center for military work, he strongly supported military spending. He also served his constituents as a member of organizations such as the Virginia Jaycees, Peninsula United Way and Red Cross Blood Donor Program.
Read more about this topic: Herbert H. Bateman
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