McMahon, Brien (James O'Brien McMahon), 1903–52, American statesman, b. Norwalk, Conn. After practicing law, he became a judge in Norwalk, and from 1933 to 1936 he served in the office of the U.S. Attorney General. McMahon, a Democrat, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1944 and reelected in 1950. He was chairman (1945–47) of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy and the author of the McMahon Act for the control of atomic energy, which led to the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies
