his opposition to Ford's raising food stamp prices and he introduced a resolution in the state senate calling for Congress to reject Ford's proposed increase. Amendments The state senate voted thirty-four to sixteen, with Clay in favor, against ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment in 1973. In 1975, Clay introduced a resolution in the state senate calling for the United States Congress to pass an amendment to the United States Constitution to make the president elected through the popular vote instead of through the electoral college. Crime and legal The state senate voted forty to nine, with Clay against, in favor of maintaining the death penalty. In 1973, the state senate voted thirty-one to eighteen, with Clay against, in favor of legislation to allow local, county, and state police access to certain types of wire taps. Clay asked for George Phend, the Superintendent of Indiana State Reformatory, to allow prisoners to kiss their wives citing results from the policy at the prison in Terre Haute, Indiana where it helped rehabilitation and lowered homosexuality. Clay opposed a resolution by Senator Marlin McDaniel which would have the state legislature be put on record as opposing amnesty for people involved in prison disturbances. Superintendent Robert L. DeBard promised to Clay that forty more minorities would be admitted to the state police. Civil rights Clay opposed desegregation busing. Clay introduced legislation to recognize a state holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1974. Electoral history References 1935 births 2013 deaths African-American male actors African-American mayors in Indiana African-American people in Indiana politics American male actors County commissioners in Indiana Democratic Party Indiana state senators Mayors of Gary, Indiana Military personnel from Indiana Deaths from cancer in Indiana Deaths from prostate cancer People from Lawrence County, Alabama United States Army soldiers 20th-century African-American politicians African-American men in politics 21st-century African-American politicians 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians