Former U.S. Rep. Gaydos Dies; Was First Slovak-American in Congress

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
February 11, 2015
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Former U.S. Rep. Joe Gaydos Sr., who represented the McKeesport area in Congress for 24 years, died Feb. 7, his family has announced. He was 88.

The first American of Slovak descent elected to the U.S. Congress, Gaydos represented the Mon-Yough area during the collapse of the American steel industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when thousands of workers were left unemployed by the closure of plants in McKeesport, Duquesne, Homestead and elsewhere.

In response, Gaydos founded the Congressional Steel Caucus to investigate and fight against non-U.S. steel companies, some of which were subsidized by their governments, who were accused of "dumping" steel and finished products on the U.S. market below cost in order to hurt American steel companies.

He fought for the 1970 creation of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration to protect workers from injuries suffered on the job, and later chaired the House subcommittee that oversaw the agency.

In 1974, Gaydos also helped to draft the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, ERISA sets minimum standards for pension and health plans to provide protection for the people covered by those plans.

. . .

Gaydos was born July 3, 1926, in Braddock, the son of the late Joann (John) Gaidosh (Gaydos) and Helen (Elena) Megella Gaydos. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

A graduate of Duquesne University, Gaydos earned his law degree at the University of Notre Dame in 1951 and began his legal career as general counsel to District 5 of the United Mine Workers of America.

He later worked as assistant solicitor for Allegheny County and as state senator for the 45th District, representing the McKeesport area.

. . .

In 1968, Gaydos, a Democrat then living in Liberty Borough, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 20th Congressional District to fill the unexpired term of U.S. Rep. Elmer J. Holland, who died in office.

Gaydos was elected to the office for a full term the same year and served on the House Printing Committee and House Labor and Education Committee, and the House Administration Health and Safety Subcommittee.

Gaydos kept a relatively low profile in Congress, though he often found himself clashing behind the scenes with better-funded and better-known national figures. During his first term, Gaydos was critical of legendary Speaker of the House John McCormack and challenged decisions made by U.S. Rep. Wilbur Mills, then the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

From the early 1970s on, Gaydos expressed concern about the rising threat of imported steel, often criticizing the White House for ignoring America's growing trade imbalance. "I'm fearful that a lot of problems we set aside (now) will be permanently overlooked," he said in 1973.

That same year, Gaydos led a small group of House members who fought unsuccessfully against a Congressional pay raise, and in the late 1970s, while overseeing OSHA, Gaydos defended himself against charges of ineffectiveness from consumer advocate Ralph Nader.

"My conscience is clear," Gaydos told a Pittsburgh Press reporter, adding that Nader was ignoring the role of labor unions and their members, and that he didn't need Nader's advice on how to run his committee.

. . .

A 1990 profile in the Post-Gazette quoted lobbyists and other members of the House of Representatives as saying Gaydos purposely avoided the limelight while he did the dirty work that other higher-profile representatives avoided. "Joe can be tough as hell," one noted.

He retired from Congress in 1992, saying that "my fires are beginning to burn a little low."

The 20th Congressional District was eliminated due to population losses. Many of the communities formerly represented by Gaydos wound up being represented by then-U.S. Rep. Rick Santorum, until he stepped down to run for U.S. Senate.

. . .

Gaydos was preceded in death by his wife, the former Alice Gray, who died in 2001; his brother, Frank Gaydos; and sisters, Ethel Gaydos, Margaret Cooper, Helen Murray, and Elsa Finn.

Gaydos is survived by his son, Joseph M. Gaydos Jr., of Elizabeth Twp.; daughters, Kelly M. Gaydos-Constantino of Greenock, Elizabeth Twp.; Kathleen M. Gaydos of Grand Ledge, Mich.; Coleen Gaydos Tomcik of Venetia, Peters Twp.; and Tammy L. Caye of Oakdale; a sister, Mildred Barry of Kennerdale; grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Gilbert Funeral Home and Crematory Inc., 6028 Smithfield St., Boston, Elizabeth Township, where a service will be held in the funeral home chapel at 10 a.m. Thursday (Feb. 12). Interment with military honors will follow at Good Shepherd Cemetery, Monroeville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Nathan Arenson Fund for Cancer Research at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, c/o Dr. Olivera Finn, E1040 Biomedical Science Tower, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh 15261.

Originally published February 11, 2015.

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