# States in the Senate | Arizona Timeline

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**Introduction****Senators****Timeline**

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1848

## March 10

The Senate approved the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the Mexican-American War. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexico ceded a vast amount of territory to the United States, including about 70 percent of present-day Arizona.

1850

## September 9

The Senate passed the act organizing the New Mexico Territory, which included much of present-day Arizona. The act was the first of five known collectively as the Compromise of 1850.

1853

## December 30

U.S. Minister to Mexico James Gadsden negotiated with Mexico leader Santa Anna to purchase more territory, including the remaining 30 percent of Arizona. This became known as the Gadsden Purchase.

1863

## February 20

The Senate passed legislation organizing Arizona as a separate territory. Four days later, the president signed the bill.

1911

## August 15

President William Howard Taft vetoed a joint resolution for the admission of Arizona to statehood because he objected to a provision in the Arizona constitution permitting the recall of judges. In December the people of the territory voted to remove the recall provision but after admission to statehood in 1912, the voters reinstated the provision.

1912

## February 14

Arizona became the 48th state in the Union.

1912

## April 2

Henry Fountain Ashurst of Prescott and Marcus Smith of Tucson presented their credentials, took the oath of office, and were seated as Arizona's first United States senators. Both had been elected by the state legislature on March 26. The senators then drew lots to determine their class assignments. Senator Ashurst drew Class 1, with a term to expire March 3, 1917. Senator Smith drew Class 3, with a term to expire March 3, 1915.

1914

## March 6

Henry Fountain Ashurst became chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, serving until 1919.

1925

## February 23

Senator Henry Ashurst delivered George Washington's Farewell Address to the U.S. Senate, a Senate tradition dating to 1862.

1927

## March 4

Carl Hayden of Phoenix, who had represented Arizona in the House of Representatives since 1912, began his Senate career. Hayden became Arizona’s longest-serving senator on December 11, 1955, surpassing Henry Ashurst’s total of 28 years, 9 months, and 7 days. Upon his retirement in 1969, Hayden had served in the Senate for 41 years and 9 months, and 30 days.

1930

## May 24

A statue of John C. Greenway, a Rough Rider and military officer, sculpted by Guzon Borglum, was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol as Arizona's first contribution to the National Statuary Hall Collection. In 2015 Arizona replaced Greenway's statue with one of Barry Goldwater.

1933

## March 9

Henry Fountain Ashurst became chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, serving until 1941.

1944

## June 22

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the "GI Bill." Originally proposed by Senator Ernest William McFarland of Florence and unanimously passed by both the House and Senate, the legislation helped returning veterans pay for education and housing to re-enter civilian life.

1949

## January 3

Joseph C. Duke of Bisbee, Arizona, was elected Senate sergeant at arms, serving from 1949 to 1953, and again from 1955 to 1965.

1949

## January 10

Carl Hayden became chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, serving until 1953.

1949

## January 20

As chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, Senator Carl Hayden accompanied President Harry Truman from the White House to the inaugural ceremonies at the Capitol.

1951

## January 2

Senate Democrats elected Ernest McFarland as their floor leader and Conference chairman and as the Democratic Policy Committee chairman. McFarland held these posts until 1953. He was defeated for reelection to the Senate in 1952 by Barry M. Goldwater of Phoenix.

1954

## November 2

Former senator Ernest McFarland was elected governor of Arizona and served from 1955 to 1959.

1955

## January 11

Carl Hayden became chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and held that position until 1969, becoming the committee's longest-serving chair.

1957

## February 22

Senator Barry Goldwater delivered George Washington's Farewell Address to the U.S. Senate, a tradition dating to 1862.

1959

## January 7

Carl Hayden was elected Senate president pro tempore, serving until 1969.

1960

## April 15

Senator Barry Goldwater published *The Conscience of a Conservative*, promoting a revival of conservatism.

1962

##  

Former senator Henry Fountain Ashurst played the part of an elderly senator in the motion picture Advise and Consent.

1964

## July 16

Senator Barry Goldwater won the Republican Party nomination for president of the United States but was defeated in November by the incumbent president, Lyndon B. Johnson. Although Goldwater did not stand for reelection to the Senate that year, he returned to the Senate after winning election in 1968.

1965

## February 14

A statue of Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit missionary, sculpted by Suzanne Silvercruys, was unveiled in the Capitol as Arizona's second contribution to the National Statuary Hall Collection.

1969

## February 21

Senator Paul J. Fannin of Phoenix delivered George Washington's Farewell Address to the U.S. Senate, a tradition dating to 1862.

1971

## December 10

The Senate confirmed the nomination of William H. Rehnquist of Phoenix, as associate justice of the Supreme Court.

1978

## March 16

The Senate approved the "DeConcini Reservation" to the first of the Panama Canal Treaties. Offered by Senator Dennis DeConcini of Tucson, the provision authorized the use of military force "to reopen the Canal or restore operations to the Canal" if necessary, and helped secure sufficient support to win passage of the treaties.

1981

## January 6

Barry Goldwater became chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, serving until 1985, when he became chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services . He chaired that committee until his retirement in 1987.

1981

## September 21

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor of Arizona as the first woman associate justice of the Supreme Court.

1986

## March 12

Senator Barry Goldwater received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, given by the president of the United States to honor individuals who have made great contributions to either the United States or the world. To date, 30 senators have received the award.

1986

## April 17

The Senate dedicated a portrait bust of former senator Carl Hayden, sculpted by Stafford Rolph. The bronze bust is located in the northwest corner of the Russell Senate Office Building, on the first floor, near the office that Senator Hayden had occupied for more than 20 years.

1986

## September 17

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Supreme Court Associate Justice William Rehnquist as Chief Justice of the United States.

1986

## October 1

President Ronald Reagan signed the Goldwater-Nichols Act. Sponsored by Arizona senator Barry Goldwater and Alabama representative William Nichols, the act reorganized the Department of Defense and streamlined the military chain of command.

1987

## February 16

Senator John S. McCain III of Phoenix delivered George Washington's Farewell Address to the U.S. Senate, a tradition dating to 1862.

1993

## January 27

Dennis DeConcini became chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, serving until 1995.

1995

## January 9

John S. McCain became chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, serving until 1997 and again from 2005 to 2007.

1996

## January 31

Senator Jon L. Kyl of Phoenix received the Golden Gavel Award for presiding over the Senate for 100 hours in a single session.

1997

## January 9

John McCain became chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, serving until 2001, and again from 2003 to 2005.

1999

## September 1

Senator John McCain began a book tour in support of *Faith of My Fathers*, a biography that became a national best seller.

2000

## February 1

Senator John McCain won the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire but lost the presidential nomination to George W. Bush later in the year.

2002

## November 14

Jon L. Kyl of Phoenix was elected chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee for the 108th Congress, a position he held until 2007, when he became Republican Conference chairman.

2007

## December 6

Senate Republicans elected Jon L. Kyl as their party whip to replace Trent Lott, who was resigning, effective December 18, 2007. Kyl served as whip until his retirement on January 3, 2013.

2008

## September 3

Senator John McCain won the Republican Party's presidential nomination but lost in the November election to Senator Barack Obama.

2015

## January 7

John McCain became chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, a position he held until his death in August 2018.

2015

## February 11

A statue of Barry Goldwater was unveiled in the Capitol as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection. Goldwater's statue replaced one of John Greenway that had been unveiled in 1930.

2018

## August 25

Senator John McCain died of a malignant brain tumor, ending his nearly 32-year Senate career. McCain lay in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on August 31, 2018, the 34th person so honored.

2019

## January 3

Kyrsten Sinema of Phoenix and Martha McSally of Tucson became the first women to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate.

2023

## January 3

Kyrsten Sinema  switched her political party affiliation from Democratic to Independent. While she received her seniority and committee assignments through the Democratic Conference for the purposes of organizing the Senate, she indicated she would not participate in either party caucus.

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