Phillip Burton (June 1, 1926 – April 10, 1983) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from California from 1964 until his death in 1983.

During his time in Congress, Burton was known for his liberal views and his strong support for civil rights, environmental protection, and social welfare programs.

Burton was also a strong advocate for environmental protection, and he played a key role in the creation of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California.

He was also involved in the establishment of the Point Reyes National Seashore, a protected area of coastline and wilderness in Northern California.

In addition to his work in Congress, Burton was also a powerful figure in California politics, and he played a key role in shaping the state's Democratic Party.

[citation needed] Burton worked as a lawyer and was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 1956.

At the 1968 convention, he was a part of the delegation pledged to Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated after winning the California Democratic primary in June.

[9] In December 1976, Burton narrowly lost a bid for House Majority Leader to Jim Wright of Fort Worth, Texas, by a vote of 148 to 147.

In the early 1980s, he worked with gay liaison Bill Kraus to create legislation and funding for AIDS research in the San Francisco area.