Sam M. Gibbons (born January 20, 1920) is a politician from the state of Florida; having served in the Florida State House of Representatives, Florida State Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Gibbons was born in Tampa, Florida and he graduated from the University of Florida. He then served in the United States Army in World War II as a captain of the 101 Airborne Division and earned a Bronze Star. He is a member of the Democratic Party and he served in the Florida State House of Representatives from 1953 to 1958. While in the state legislature, he spearheaded the effort to create the University of South Florida. He then served in the Florida State Senate from 1959 to 1962. Gibbons served in the United States House of Representatives from 1963 to 1997. He was the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means from 1994 to 1995. Gibbons's brief term at the helm of Ways and Means followed the sidelining of longtime Chairman Daniel Rostenkowski as a result of scandals. Prior to leading the full committee, Gibbons chaired the subcommittee on trade. He was much more supportive of trade liberalization throughout his career than most House Democrats, who have leaned toward protectionism since the early 1970s.
