Tom Bevill

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title: "Tom Bevill" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1921-births", "2005-deaths", "democratic-party-members-of-the-alabama-house-of-representatives", "alabama-lawyers", "people-from-walker-county,-alabama", "united-states-army-personnel-of-world-war-ii", "united-states-army-soldiers", "university-of-alabama-alumni", "democratic-party-united-states-representatives-from-alabama", "20th-century-american-lawyers", "20th-century-united-states-representatives", "20th-century-members-of-the-alabama-legislature"] description: "American politician (1921-2005)" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Bevill" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician (1921-2005) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
name	Tom Bevill
image name	tombevill.jpg
birth_name	Tom Donald Fike Bevill
birth_date	March 27, 1921
birth_place	Townley, Alabama, U.S.
death_date
death_place	Jasper, Alabama, U.S.
state1	Alabama
district1	4th
term_start1	January 3, 1973
term_end1	January 3, 1997
preceded1	Bill Nichols
succeeded1	Robert Aderholt
state2	Alabama
district2	7th
term_start2	January 3, 1967
term_end2	January 3, 1973
preceded2	James D. Martin
succeeded2	Walter Flowers
office3	Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
term3	1958–1966
party	Democratic
alma_mater	University of Alabama
module
::

| name = Tom Bevill | image name = tombevill.jpg | birth_name = Tom Donald Fike Bevill | birth_date = March 27, 1921 | birth_place = Townley, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Jasper, Alabama, U.S. | state1 = Alabama | district1 = 4th | term_start1 = January 3, 1973 | term_end1 = January 3, 1997 | preceded1 = Bill Nichols | succeeded1 = Robert Aderholt | state2 = Alabama | district2 = 7th | term_start2 = January 3, 1967 | term_end2 = January 3, 1973 | preceded2 = James D. Martin | succeeded2 = Walter Flowers | office3 = Member of the Alabama House of Representatives | term3 = 1958–1966 | party = Democratic | spouse = | children = | religion = | alma_mater = University of Alabama | module =

Tom Donald Fike Bevill (March 27, 1921 – March 28, 2005) was an American attorney, politician, and Democratic fifteen-term U.S. congressman who represented Alabama's 4th Congressional District and Alabama's 7th congressional district from 1967 to 1997.

Early years and education

Bevill was born in Townley, Alabama, on March 27, 1921. He attended Walker County High School, the University of Alabama School of Commerce and Business Administration, and the University of Alabama School of Law. Bevill was an initiate of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha at UA. He served in the United States Army during World War II. He also privately practiced law.

Political career

In 1958, Bevill was elected to the Alabama Legislature, serving there until his election to Congress in 1966. Bevill served 15 two-year terms in the House of Representatives from Alabamas 4th and 7th Congressional districts, from 1967 to 1997. In Congress, Bevill was known for securing federal money and development projects for his district. This earned him the nickname "The King of Pork", a term which he actually turned into a positive. After fifteen terms in Congress, he retired in 1997. Bevill is credited with answering the world's very first 9-1-1 emergency call on February 16, 1968, made from Haleyville by then-Alabama House Speaker Rankin Fite at the invitation of the Alabama Telephone Company. He also sponsored the Bevill Amendment to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act which excludes mining wastes from the act's jurisdiction.

Bevill voted for the Abandoned Shipwrecks Act of 1987. The Act asserts United States title to certain abandoned shipwrecks located on or embedded in submerged lands under state jurisdiction, and transfers title to the respective state, thereby empowering states to manage these cultural and historical resources more efficiently, with the goal of preventing treasure hunters and salvagers from damaging them. President Ronald Reagan signed it into law on April 28, 1988.

Personal life

Bevill died on March 28, 2005, in Jasper, Alabama, the day after his 84th birthday. He had been in declining health for several years due to heart problems. In 2004, he received triple-bypass heart surgery.

His son Don Bevill ran for his old seat in 1998. He lost 56%-44% to his father's Republican successor Robert Aderholt.

Honors

Bevill was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 1986.

References

References

1. [http://alabamanewscenter.com/2016/11/18/70390/ "Little River Canyon has $16 million economic impact on Alabama"] ''Alabama NewsCenter''. Retrieved 2017-02-02.
2. Estrada, Louie. (March 31, 2005). "Rep. Tom Bevill, 84; Alabama Democrat". [[Washington Post]].
3. [http://mountaineagle.com/stories/conversation-leads-to-i-22-back-story,7630 "Conversation leads to I-22 back story"] ''Daily Mountain Eagle''. Retrieved 2017-02-02.
4. "Town Marks E-911 Anniversary". February 17, 1993.
5. Barringer, S. G. (2003). The RCRA Bevill Amendment: A Lasting Relief for Mining Wastes? ''Natural Resources & Environment'', ''17''(3), 155–194. {{JSTOR. 40924275
6. "TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS S 858, ABANDONED SHIPWRECK … -- House Vote #532 -- March 29, 1988".
7. "Laws - Division of Historical Resources - Florida Department of State".
8. Archives, L. A. Times. (2005-03-31). "Tom Bevill, 84; Congressman Called the 'King of Pork'".
9. (June 8, 1998). "House Races to Watch, and Why". The Washington Post.
10. "Tom Bevill".

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