Congressman Spencer Bachus served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Jefferson County for 22 years. He was an outstanding Congressman from his very Republican District from 1983 – 2015. His 6th Congressional District was made up of the upscale suburban enclaves of Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Hoover, Homewood, and Gardendale as well as the affluent surrounding counties of Shelby and St. Clair and the silk-stocking Highway 280 communities. It was and still is one of the highest income and most Republican districts in the nation.
Spencer was born in Birmingham in December of 1947. He grew up in and has spent his entire life in the district he represented in Congress for over two decades. He finished high school at an over the mountain high school and then he went to Auburn University where he graduated in 1969. He then went to the University of Alabama Law School, graduated from law School in 1972, and soon thereafter began practicing law in Birmingham.
While at the University of Alabama Law School Spencer was awarded the Somerville Law Prize for Excellence in research and writing. The head of the selection committee, who presented him with the award was Professor Cohen. Spencer told me that he visited with Professor John Cohen. Spencer, like every Auburn alumnus I know, loves Auburn University.
Besides practicing law prior to going to Congress in 1993, Spencer served in the Alabama National Guard and was an officer. He was elected to the Alabama legislature the same year I was in 1982. We served together for four years. He was a very effective, diligent, and conservative legislator. In 1986 he was elected to the Alabama State School Board from a district similarly paralleling his 6th Congressional District. In 1991, he became Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party serving in that position until his campaign and election to Congress in 1992.
Spencer Bachus was a stellar Congressman. He knew his district and served them well. For several decades prior to Spencer’s election to Congress our senior members of Congress had been laying the stakes and working on building a northern beltline around Jefferson County. It had already been called the I-22 corridor. The powerful and legendary 4th District Congressman Tom Bevill had done some heavy lifting and gotten the project started. However, it was Spencer Bachus who got it completed and this gives him a living legacy in the annals of Alabama political accomplishments. This major I-22 corridor in Jefferson County has been properly named the “Spencer Bachus Highway”.
As a member of Congress representing Alabama’s 6thCongressional District for 22 years, Bachus was the Dean of Alabama’s House delegation and has been a champion of the construction of I-22. Alabama Department of Transportation Director John Cooper said, “There’s no doubt Congressman Bachus championing I-22 accelerated its completion.”
This I-22 corridor is a 202-mile-long interstate highway serving as a connection between Birmingham and Memphis, Tennessee. It is a vital economic expansion for Jefferson County which will reduce costly congestion and enhance motorist safety. It is only fitting and proper that the I-22 Jefferson County beltline isnamed the Spencer Bachus Highway.
When Spencer first went to Congress in 1992 there were four major national bank holding companies headquartered in Birmingham. Therefore, it was important if not imperative that the Congressman from the Birmingham area strive to get a seat on the House Banking Committee. Spencer accomplished this feat in his first term. The Banking Committee eventually became the House Financial Services Committee. Spencer served on this committee his entire 22 years in Congress. He served as ranking member for four years, then he was Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee his final four years in the U.S. Congress.
Therefore, it is only perfect and fitting that Spencer be given a seat on the prestigious Export-Import Bank of the United States. He has just been appointed to another three-year term on his distinguished panel.
Steve Flowers
Alabama’s premier columnist and commentator, Steve has analyzed Alabama politics for national television audiences on CBS, PBS, ABC and the British Broadcasting Network. Steve has been an up close participant and observer of the Alabama political scene for more than 50 years and is generally considered the ultimate authority on Alabama politics and Alabama political history.