Unsigned handwritten manuscript by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, three pages, 8.25 x 13.25, [June 19, 1959]. Eisenhower's statement following the Senate's rejection of Lewis Strauss, his appointee to serve as Secretary of Commerce, undoubtedly read before the media: it was published in newspapers and appears in the Public Papers of Dwight D. Eisenhower. In full: "Last night the Senate refused to confirm the nomination as Secretary of Commerce of Lewis Strauss—a man who in war and in peace has served his nation loyally, honorably and effectively, under four different Presidents. I am losing a truly valuable associate in the business of government. More than this—if the nation is to be denied the right to have as public servants in responsible positions men of his proven character, ability and integrity, then indeed it is the American people who are the losers through this sad episode." Eisenhower makes one correction at the head of the second page, revising "have lost" to "am losing." In fine condition.
Banker, philanthropist, and naval officer Lewis Strauss (1896-1974) played a pivotal role in shaping the nuclear policy of the United States as the nation entered the atomic age. As one of the original members of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, he was a major figure in the development of nuclear weapons after World War II, nuclear energy policy, and nuclear power in the United States. Strauss was the driving force in the controversial 1954 hearings that saw J. Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance revoked. Known as an arrogant and temperamental person, Strauss made many enemies on Capitol Hill who turned his Senate confirmation hearings into a prolonged political battle, punctuated by the revelation of Strauss's falsehoods under oath. On June 19, 1959, just after midnight, the Strauss nomination failed by a vote of 46-49. The ordeal was publicly humiliating for Strauss, and effectively ended his career in government.
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