Vandenberg, Arthur

Vandenberg, Arthur (Hendrick) (1884–1951) U.S. senator; born in Grand Rapids, Mich. A reform-minded journalist and editor of the Grand Rapids Herald, he was appointed and then elected to the U.S. Senate (Rep., Mich.; 1928–51). He conceived of the federal bank deposit insurance system, and led a successful fight for congressional reappointment. His greatest fame came in foreign affairs. Originally the leader of the isolationist bloc in the Senate, he coauthored the 1937 Neutrality Act. During World War II he abandoned isolationism, and helped secure American membership in the United Nations. As the ranking Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he proved a valuable supporter of President Truman's cold war policies.