Biographical Note

Neal Edward Smith was born March 23, 1920 in Hedrick, Iowa and has been a farmer since 1937. From 1942 through 1945 he served in World War II in the Army Air Corps. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Air Medal, four Oak Leaf Clusters and nine battle stars. After the war, he attended the University of Missouri (1945-46) and Syracuse University (1946-47) and graduated from Drake Law School in 1950. He was a practicing attorney since his admission to the Iowa Bar in 1950 until his death in 2021.

Smith was the Assistant Polk County Attorney from 1951-52. He served as the U.S. Representative from Iowa’s 5th District from 1959-1973 and the 4th District from 1973-1995. He left Congress as the 6th ranking member of the House of Representatives.

Committee Service

• Approprriations
• Small Business

The Collection & Finding Aid

61 drawers

Neal Edward Smith Congressional Papers

Researcher Access

This collection is located in The Drake University Archives, inside Cowles Library, at 2507 University Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa. For further information, contact Hope Grebner Bibens, Political Papers Archivist (hope.bibens@drake.edu, 515-271-2088). You can also explore this collection's FInding Aid.

Publications

Smith, Neal. Mr. Smith Went to Washington: From Eisenhower to Clinton. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1996.