Battle was elected as a Democrat to the 80th and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1955. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1954, but was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate. He served as staff director and counsel of the House Rules Committee from 1966 to 1976. He served as special adviser to the United States League of Savings Associations, Washington, D.C. from 1976 to 1988.