Frank Lautenberg

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Frank Lautenberg
United States Senator from New Jersey
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 7, 2003 Serving with Bob Menendez
Preceded by	Robert Torricelli
In office December 27, 1982 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Nicholas F. Brady
Succeeded by	Jon Corzine
Born	January 23, 1924 (1924-01-23) (age 85) Paterson, New Jersey
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Lois Lautenberg (divorced) Bonnie S. Englebardt
Children	Ellen Lautenberg Nan Lautenberg Lisa Lautenberg Joshua Lautenberg
Residence	Cliffside Park, New Jersey
Alma mater	Columbia University
Occupation	information processing executive
Religion	Jewish
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1942-1946
Unit	Signal Corps
Battles/wars	World War II

Frank Raleigh Lautenberg (born January 23, 1924) is an American businessman and Democratic Party politician. Now the senior United States Senator from New Jersey, he is in his second non-consecutive term in office, first serving from 1982 to 2001, and again since 2003.

He is the only sitting Senator to have returned to office after having left the Senate. Lautenberg is the second oldest (after Robert Byrd of West Virginia) member of the Senate.

[edit] Early life, career, and family

Lautenberg was born in Paterson, New Jersey to poor Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia; his father Sam, who worked in silk mills, sold coal, farmed and once ran a tavern, died of cancer when Frank was 19. Lautenberg served overseas in the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II after graduating from Nutley High School.^[1] Then, financed by the GI Bill, he attended and graduated from Columbia Business School in 1949 with a degree in economics. He was the first salesman at successful Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) and was its chairman and CEO. He was the executive commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 1978 to 1982.

From his first marriage to Lois Lautenberg, which ended in divorce, Lautenberg has four children: Ellen, Nan, Lisa, and Joshua. In 2001, he married his companion of nearly 16 years, Bonnie S. Englebardt. He has a summer home on Martha's Vineyard.

[edit] U.S. Senator

In 1982 he received the Democratic nomination for a US Senate seat from New Jersey for that year's election after spending a considerable sum of his own money. The seat had been occupied by Democrat Harrison Williams who resigned on March 11, 1982 after being implicated in the Abscam scandal. After Williams' resignation, Republican Governor Thomas Kean appointed Republican Nicholas F. Brady to the seat. Brady served in the Senate through the primary and general elections but did not run for the seat himself.

Lautenberg won the election, defeating popular Republican congresswoman Millicent Fenwick by 52% to 48%. Brady, who had just a few days left in his appointed term, resigned on December 27, 1982, allowing Lautenberg to take office several days before the traditional swearing-in of senators, which gave him an edge in seniority over the other freshmen senators.

In 1988, Lautenberg was opposed by Republican Wall Street executive and former college football star Pete Dawkins, who won the 1958 Heisman Trophy for the Army Black Knights. After trailing in early polls, the Lautenberg campaign, headed by Democratic consultant James Carville, ran an aggressive advertising campaign enumerating Lautenberg's legislative accomplishments and questioning whether Dawkins' candidacy was intended solely as a stepping stone to the presidency, as well as his lack of roots in New Jersey. Lautenberg ultimately came from behind to win reelection by a 54% to 46% margin.

Following reelection, Lautenberg became a member of the President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism (PCAST), which was set up in September 1989 to review and report on aviation security policy in light of the sabotage of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988.^[2]

Lautenberg was again reelected in the Republican landslide year of 1994, defeating New Jersey State Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian by 51% to 47%. Lautenberg announced his retirement in 2000, and his fellow Democrat and businessman, Jon Corzine, was elected to replace him.

[edit] 2002 election

Sen. Lautenberg (center) is joined by Sen. Harry Reid (right) and outgoing Sen. Jon Corzine (second to left, with red tie) to welcome the new Senator Bob Menendez (between Corzine and Lautenberg) on Capitol Hill.

Lautenberg unexpectedly returned to politics in 2002, when the other New Jersey senator, Democrat Robert Torricelli, withdrew his candidacy for reelection because of corruption charges. It was rumored, however, that Lautenberg was the second choice to run, the first choice being former Senator Bill Bradley, who turned it down.

The selection of Lautenberg came with some irony, as there had been notoriously bad blood between Lautenberg and Torricelli when the two had served together in the Senate.^[3]

The New Jersey Republican Party challenged the replacement of Torricelli's name on the ballot with Lautenberg's, arguing that it came too late according to state election laws. The ballot name change was unanimously upheld by the New Jersey Supreme Court,^[4] and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case. Lautenberg won the election, defeating his Republican challenger, businessman Doug Forrester, by 54% to 44%. That victory made Lautenberg one of very few who in recent times returned to the Senate after leaving it.

[edit] Back in the Senate

Sen. Lautenberg meets with Associate Justice Samuel Alito prior to his confirmation hearings. Sen. Lautenberg eventually voted against the nominee.

Lautenberg is considered to be one of the Senate's most liberal members. He is pro-choice, supports gun control, has introduced many bills increasing penalties for carjacking and car theft, and has criticized the Bush administration on national security issues. He has been very involved in various anti-smoking legislation, anti-alcohol legislation as well as airline safety legislation, and is probably best known for being involved with, and authoring some of, the legislation that banned smoking from most commercial airline flights. He also is known for authoring the Ryan White Care Act, which provides services to AIDS patients. His name is also associated with the Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban (sometimes called the Lautenberg Amendment), which prohibits any persons convicted of misdemeanor or felonious domestic violence from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Upon his return to the Senate, Lautenberg was the first U.S. senator to introduce legislation calling for homeland security funds to be distributed solely on the basis of risk and vulnerability.

In 2005, he became a leading voice within the Senate in calling for an investigation into the Bush administration payment of columnists.^[5]

When Jon Corzine resigned from the Senate to become Governor of New Jersey, Lautenberg became the Senior Senator, again, in 2006. This also makes him the only person to have been both the junior and senior senator from New Jersey twice.

Lautenberg received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.^[6]

In 2007, Lautenberg proposed the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2007, designed to close loopholes that permit weapons purchases by persons that the executive branch has classified as "dangerous terrorists".

On June 21, 2007, Lautenberg passed Clifford Case for the most votes on the Senate floor of any United States Senator in New Jersey history.

Sen. Lautenberg (center) along with Barbara Boxer (right) and Maria Cantwell (left) at a news conference discussing whether oil executives lied during a recent Congressional testimony regarding price gouging.

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
  • Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection
  • Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health
  • Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality (Chairman)
• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety
  • Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security (Chairman)
• Committee on the Budget

[edit] Political positions

Senator Lautenberg is a strong supporter of public transportation. He has been instrumental in pushing for stronger federal support for Amtrak.

Lautenberg is also a proponent of the Container Security Initiative which would screen cargo containers bound for the United States for radiological contents.^[7] This policy is intended to identify threats before they arrive at U.S. ports. The Bush administration has argued that the policy would be too expensive to implement (U.S. inspection teams, with equipment, would need to be installed in 700 foreign ports).

Senator Lautenberg co-sponsored the Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008, which would have repealed $17 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and reinvesting the $17 billion in renewable energy development and energy efficiency technology.^[8] The bill would also have added a 25% windfall profits tax on oil companies that failed to invest in increased capacity and renewable energy sources. Furthermore, it would have placed limits on market price speculation for crude oil, allowed the U.S. Attorney General to bring enforcement action against countries and companies attempting to set the price of petroleum products, and made "price gouging" for gasoline a federal crime.^[9] However, the Senate rejected a cloture motion on the bill in June 2008.^[10]

Lautenberg is pro-choice and has voted against banning partial-birth abortions in 1999. He has voted in favor of expanding embryonic stem cell research. The Human Rights Campaign and NAACP have both given him 100% ratings, indicating his strong support for gay marriage and affirmative action, respectively. Lautenberg has voted against repealing and restricting the Alternative Minimum Tax and estate tax.

[edit] Key legislation

Lautenberg is primary sponsor of the S-294 "Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007" (Full Text), which would fund Amtrak for the next five years and provide opportunity for expansion. With the dramatic rise of gasoline prices in 2007-2008, Amtrak ridership has reached record levels.^[11] Despite a veto threat from President Bush, the legislation is expected to pass the House.

[edit] 2008 election

In February 2006, Lautenberg announced his intention to run for reelection in 2008, saying that deciding not to run for reelection in 2000 "was among the worst decisions of his life."^[12] Lautenberg formally announced his candidacy on March 31, 2008.

On Wednesday, April 2, 2008 US Rep. Rob Andrews announced he would challenge Lautenberg in the June 3 primary for the Democratic nomination. In the 2008 Democratic Party Primary Election Lautenberg defeated Andrews with 59% of the vote to Andrews' 35%.

Senator Lautenberg defeated former Congressman Dick Zimmer in the general election 56% to 42%.^[13]

In both Republican and Democratic primary campaigns, candidates cited Lautenberg's age among reasons to vote against him. Andrews, for example, referenced Lautenberg's own 1982 defeat of Millicent Fenwick, in which Lautenberg himself built his case on his opponent's age (Fenwick was 72 at the time; Lautenberg was 84 in 2008). Lautenberg denies this, claiming he only ever questioned Fenwick's "ability to do the job."^[14]

[edit] Dubai ports deal and "devil" comment

In comparing the devil with Dubai,^[15] Lautenberg drew stern criticism from some Arab American groups after making comments relating to the Dubai Ports World controversy.^[16] Lautenberg was quoted as stating, "We wouldn't transfer the title to the devil, and we're not going to transfer it to Dubai." According to a Foreign Policy In Focus article, Lautenberg defended his remarks due to the UAE's refusal to support U.S. policy toward Israel and Iran.^[15] According to the Arab American Institute, Lautenberg apologized in a letter upon meeting with Arab American Institute representatives.^[17]

[edit] Electoral history

• 1982 election for U.S. Senate
  • Frank Lautenberg (D), 50%
  • Millicent Fenwick (R), 48%

• 1988 election for U.S. Senate
  • Frank Lautenberg (D) (inc.), 54%
  • Pete Dawkins (R), 46%

• 1994 election for U.S. Senate
  • Frank Lautenberg (D) (inc.), 50%
  • Chuck Haytaian (R), 47%

• 2002 election for U.S. Senate
  • Frank Lautenberg (D), 54%
  • Doug Forrester (R), 44%

• 2008 election for U.S. Senate
  • Frank Lautenberg (D) (inc.), 56%
  • Dick Zimmer (R), 42%

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• United States Senator Frank Lautenberg U.S. Senate website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Current Bills Sponsored at StateSurge.com
• Congressional profile at GovTrack.us
• Collected news and commentary from The New York Times
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia

v • d • e United States Senators from New Jersey Class 1 Elmer • Rutherfurd • Davenport • Schureman • Ogden • Condit • Lambert • Wilson • Southard • McIlvaine • Bateman • Dickerson • Southard • W. Dayton • R. Stockton • Thomson • Field • J. Wall • Wright • F. T. Frelinghuysen • J. Stockton • Randolph • Sewell • Blodgett • J. Smith • J. Kean • Martine • J. Frelinghuysen • Edwards • H. Kean • Moore • Milton • Barbour • Walsh • H. Smith • Williams • Brady • Lautenberg • Corzine • Menendez Class 2 Paterson • Dickinson • F. Frelinghuysen • Richard Stockton • J. Dayton • Kitchell • Condit • Dickerson • T. Frelinghuysen • G. Wall • Miller • Wright • Ten Eyck • J. Stockton • Catell • F. T. Frelinghuysen • McPherson • Sewell • Dryden • Briggs • Hughes • Baird • Edge • Baird, Jr. • Morrow • Barbour • Smathers • Hawkes • Hendrickson • Case • Bradley • Torricelli • Lautenberg

v • d • e Current elected statewide political officials of New Jersey U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D) · Robert Menendez (D) State government Jon Corzine (D), Governor Senate Richard Codey (D), President · Shirley Turner (D), President pro tempore · Stephen Sweeney (D), Majority Leader · Thomas Kean, Jr. (R), Minority Leader General Assembly Joseph Roberts (D), Speaker · Jerry Green (D), Speaker pro tempore · Bonnie Watson Coleman (D), Majority Leader · Alex DeCroce (R), Minority Leader Supreme Court (appointed) Stuart Rabner, Chief Justice · Virginia Long · Jaynee LaVecchia · Barry T. Albin · John E. Wallace, Jr. · Roberto A. Rivera-Soto · Helen E. Hoens