Republican congressman John William Byrnes was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on June 12, 1913, the son of Charles W. Byrnes and Harriet Schumacher Byrnes. His early schooling was in Green Bay, after which he attended the University of Wisconsin, receiving a B.A. in 1936 and a law degree in 1938. Although he worked his way through school, Byrnes found time to be active in extra-curricular activities.
Immediately upon graduation Byrnes entered the practice of law in Green Bay and accepted an appointment as special deputy commissioner of banking for Wisconsin. In this capacity he was in charge of liquidation of closed banks in the northeastern part of the state. In January 1941 he resigned this position following his election to the Wisconsin State Senate from the Second District representing Brown and Oconto counties. At age 27 he was one of the youngest members of the Senate. Nevertheless, Byrnes was named chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and in 1943 he was elected majority floor leader.
In 1944 Byrnes chose not to run for reelection. Instead he became a candidate for congress from the Eighth Congressional District. He won the Republican primary in a six way contest and ultimately defeated the Democratic incumbent.
During his second term Byrnes was appointed to the Ways and Means Committee. It was in conjunction with this committee appointment rather than with advocacy of particular legislation that Byrnes was to make his greatest contribution as a legislator. By 1963 Byrnes had become the senior Republican member of the committee. Working closely with chairman Wilbur Mills, Byrnes was a powerful influence on the committee for fiscal responsibility and restraint.
Byrnes served as head of the House Republican Policy Committee during the 86th, 87th, and 88th congresses and was a member of the Joint House-Senate Republican Leadership Committee. As such he was a major influ9ence on congressional party strategy and tactics. In the Wisconsin presidential primary of 1964, Byrnes was the state's favorite son candidate and chairman of the Wisconsin delegation.
In 1972 Byrnes declined to run for reelection. After his resignation he became a Washington lawyer for Foley and Lardner, a Milwaukee-based law firm.
Byrnes married Barbara Preston, a former classmate at the University of Wisconsin, in 1947. They have six children.
