Pat Williams Papers, 1979-1997

John Patrick Williams was born in Helena on October 30, 1937. He attended Montana State University (now The University of Montana--Missoula) from 1956-1957 and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Denver in 1961. He served in the Colorado and Montana National Guards from 1961 to 1969 and taught high school in Butte from 1963 to 1969. In 1966, he was elected to the Montana State House of Representative for the 1967 session. He became executive assistant to U. S. Representative John Melcher of Montana in 1969. He maintained that position during John Melcher's first term, 1969-1971. He was a member of the Montana Governor's Employment and Training Council from 1972-1978 and a member of the Montana Reapportionment Commission for 1972-1973.

Williams was first elected to the U.S. House of Representative in 1978 and served the people of Montana in the House from 1979 to 1997. In his last two terms, 1993-1997, he represented the entire state after Montana's previous two congressional districts were combined due to national reapportionment. In 1985, he was appointed as deputy whip of the House Democratic Leadership. He chaired several committees, including the Higher Education Committee. During his tenure in the U. S. House of Representatives, Williams served on the Education, Labor, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and House Budget committees. His tenure in office is noted for his activism on behalf of education, libraries, Native American tribal sovereignty, the National Endowments for the Arts and for the Humanities, worker's concerns, wilderness protection, and environmental integrity for the future of the Western states.

Williams was especially involved in wilderness issues. During the late 1970's President Carter requested a second review of the Federally owned roadless lands throughout the United States. The Forest Service in conjunction with other Agencies completed a comprehensive Roadless Area Evaluation and Review (RARE II) and recommended that these lands be placed in timber production, multiple use or wilderness. The ultimate discussion was the responsibility of the congressional delegations of each state. Most States, having few acres of roadless land, quickly drafted, introduced and passed legislation determining the fate of the land within their borders.

By the mid 1980's Montana was one of the handful of states yet to complete the process. This lack of completion was due to the number of acres being considered and the disagreement among the legislators concerning the percentage of land to be allocated for each purpose. Early bills attempted to "release" lands to the discretion of the Forest Service as to the use. These were quickly defeated by Representatives from other States. They reasoned that such vast amounts of majestic land, in the national interest, deserved closer attention. The delegates of Montana realized that a minimum amount of wilderness would need to be associated with any successful Bill. In 1984 a Bill was agreed upon by the legislators from Montana, passing both the House and Senate, this Bill would have set aside close to 1.4 million acres of wilderness with the remainder of Montana's 6.5 million acres placed in multiple use or timber production. This Bill subsequently was vetoed by President Reagan. Congressman Pat Williams continued to introduce his version of a wilderness Bill, reflecting an equal amount of wilderness protection, until his retirement in 1996. As of 1997, Montana was the only state which has failed to resolve this issue.

After his retirement, Williams moved to Missoula, joined the Political Science faculty at The University of Montana--Missoula, and became a senior fellow at the Center for the Rocky Mountain West. Pat Williams passed away in Missoula, Montana on June 25, 2025.