John E. Fogarty Collection

John Edward Fogarty (1913-1967) was a United States Congressman whose advocacy for federal funding for medical research, health education, and health care services earned him the nickname "Mr. Public Health". As a Democratic Representative for Rhode Island, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1941 to 1967. In 1947 he joined the Appropriations Committee and chaired the subcommittee for the Departments of Labor, Health, Education, and Welfare for 16 years. During his tenure in the House of Representatives, Congressman Fogarty championed a major expansion of the National Institutes of Health, as well as aid to medical schools, libraries, and programs for people with disabilities.