John O. Pastore

John Orlando Pastore (March 17, 1907July 15, 2000) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Pastore served as a United States Senator from Rhode Island from 1950 to 1976. He served as the 61st Governor of Rhode Island from 1945 to 1950. He was the first Italian American to be elected as a senator.

Pastore was best known taking part in a 1969 hearing involving a $20 million grant for the funding of PBS. President Richard Nixon had wanted to cut the proposed funding to $10 million due to the demands of the Vietnam War. Fred Rogers, host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, appeared before the committee to argue for the full $20 million. After hearing Rogers's testimony Pastore restored the funding.Fred Rogers Center: Video of Mr. Rogers' testimony. Retrieved on 2013-07-05 from http://exhibit.fredrogerscenter.org/advocacy-for-children/videos/view/969/ . The following year's appropriation increased PBS funding from $9 million to $22 million.

Pastore won his final Senate race in 1970 by a 68%–32% margin over John McLaughlin. McLaughlin later became the host of the television program The McLaughlin Group.

Pastore died in Cranston, Rhode Island on July 15, 2000 of kidney failure at the age of 93.

References

Category:1907 births
Category:2000 deaths
Category:Deaths from renal failure
Category:United States senators from Rhode Island
Category:Governors of Rhode Island
Category:Politicians from Providence, Rhode Island
Category:People from Cranston, Rhode Island
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:Lieutenant Governors of Rhode Island