Chaka Fattah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chaka Fattah
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1995 – June 23, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Lucien Blackwell |
| Succeeded by | Dwight Evans |
| Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 7th district |
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| In office January 3, 1989 – August 31, 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Freeman Hankins |
| Succeeded by | Vincent Hughes |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 192nd district |
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| In office January 4, 1983 – November 30, 1988 |
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| Preceded by | Nick Pucciarelli |
| Succeeded by | Louise Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Arthur Wesley Davenport
November 21, 1956 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Renee Chenault |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Community College of Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania (BA, MPA) |
Chaka Fattah (born Arthur Wesley Davenport; November 21, 1956) is an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served in the U.S. House for Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2016. This area included parts of North Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, and West Philadelphia. It also included Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County. Before this, he worked in the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
In 2016, Fattah faced legal issues and resigned from his position. He was later sentenced to prison. He was released in 2020.
Today, Fattah is the President and CEO of Fattah Neuroscience Global Advisors. This company helps advance brain science and health research. He also leads the National Brain Council.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chaka Fattah was born Arthur Davenport in Philadelphia. He was the fourth of six sons. His mother, Frances Davenport, worked as an editor. His father, Russell Davenport, was a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
When he was young, his parents divorced. His mother remarried in 1968. She and her new husband changed their family name to Fattah. They also changed Arthur's name to Chaka, after a Zulu king. His parents were very involved in community work. This greatly shaped his interest in politics.
His adoptive father, David Fattah, and mother, Falaka Fattah, are known for their community work. They founded the House of Umoja. This organization helps young people in West Philadelphia.
Fattah went to Overbrook High School. He also attended the Community College of Philadelphia. He earned a bachelor's degree in business and economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He later received a master's degree in government from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government. He also studied at Harvard University.
He received many awards and honors. Time magazine once called him one of the 50 most promising leaders in the country.
Pennsylvania State Legislature
Fattah served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1983 to 1988. He then became a State Senator from 1988 to 1994.
In 1987, Fattah started the Graduate Opportunity Initiative Conference. This event helps students from under-represented groups. It encourages them to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM fields) in graduate school. The conference helps minority students learn about and apply to STEM programs.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections and Service
In 1991, Fattah ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He lost that election. However, in 1994, he ran again and won. He was re-elected every two years after that. He served in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2016. In 2016, he lost his re-election bid to Dwight E. Evans.
During his time in Congress, Fattah supported Barack Obama for President in 2008.
Helping Students and Education
Chaka Fattah is known for creating the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). This program helps students prepare for college. Since it started, over $4 billion has been given out. It has helped 12 million students across the U.S. and its territories.
He also worked on the American Dream Accounts Act. This bill would create online accounts for students. These accounts would track their progress toward college. They would also include college savings.
Fattah introduced the "Student Bill of Rights" in 2002. This bill aimed to make sure all public school students have good teachers. It also sought to provide early childhood education and fair resources.
The ESEA Fiscal Fairness Act was another bill he introduced. It would require school districts to spend money fairly among all their schools. This would help schools in poorer areas get the same resources as wealthier ones.
He also wrote the legislation for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). This tax credit helps college students and their families pay for school. It can provide up to $2500 in tax credit. This credit has helped millions of students since 2011.
Beyond laws, Fattah created local education programs. One is the College Opportunity Resources for Education (CORE) initiative. This program gives scholarships to over 18,000 students. It also helps families apply for other financial aid. Students in CORE are more likely to finish college in four years.
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Supporting Young People
Fattah played a key role in getting money for youth programs. These included groups like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. He helped increase funding for these programs.
In 2012, he helped create a partnership between FIRST (a robotics program) and Boys & Girls Clubs. This partnership aimed to bring robotics programs to millions of young people.
Advancing Brain Science
Fattah was a leader in funding major science agencies. These included NASA and the National Science Foundation. He pushed for more research into the human brain.
In 2011, he helped create the Interagency Working Group on Neuroscience (IWGN). This group works within the White House. It brings together different government agencies to plan future brain research.
The Fattah Neuroscience Initiative aims to understand the human brain better. It encourages federal agencies, private companies, and universities to work together. This initiative supports research into brain health, development, diseases, and injuries.
Boosting Manufacturing
Fattah believed in helping small and medium-sized businesses. He worked to make sure they could succeed in a global market. He helped fund the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. This program helps manufacturers create jobs and increase profits. He also supported the SelectUSA program. This program encourages U.S. businesses to bring jobs back to America.
Cooperative Development
Fattah was a strong supporter of cooperative businesses. These are businesses owned and run by their members.
In 2013, he introduced the Creating Jobs through Cooperatives Act. This law would help start new cooperatives. It would also provide training and support to entrepreneurs. The bill asked for $25 million in federal money to help these businesses grow.
Key Legislation and Stances
As a state lawmaker, Fattah wrote the law for Pennsylvania's Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). This program helps homeowners who are struggling to make mortgage payments. It gives them loans to prevent them from losing their homes. Fattah later helped create a similar program for homeowners across the U.S.
In 2013, Fattah was part of the House Gun and Violence Taskforce. He supported stricter gun control measures. He also started gun-buyback programs in Philadelphia. These programs allow people to exchange firearms for vouchers.
Fattah also proposed a "Transform America Transaction Fee" bill. This bill suggested studying a small fee on financial transactions. He thought this fee could help fund things like healthcare and education. It could also help reduce the national debt.
In 2005, Fattah was against the War in Iraq. He supported bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq.
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Committee Work
Fattah served on important committees in the U.S. House.
- Committee on Appropriations (This committee decides how government money is spent)
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (He was the lead Democrat on this subcommittee)
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Later Career
2007 Mayoral Election
In 2006, Fattah ran for Mayor of Philadelphia. He wanted to improve education for young people in the city. He faced criticism during his campaign. He eventually came in fourth place in the Democratic primary election. Michael Nutter won that election and became mayor.
Fattah Neuroscience Global Advisors
In 2016, Fattah started his own company, Fattah Neuroscience Global Advisors (FNGA). This company works with universities, non-profits, and businesses. Its goal is to advance brain science and research around the world. Fattah had a strong interest in neuroscience research during his time in Congress.
FNGA has partnered with the Brain Wellness Initiative of Africa. They work together to improve brain research in Africa. They also help African brain scientists share their work globally. FNGA also hosts online discussions about brain research.
Fattah also leads the National Brain Council. This group works to increase government funding for brain research.
Personal Life
Chaka Fattah is married to Renee Chenault-Fattah. She was a television news broadcaster. They have one daughter, Chandler. He is also a stepfather to her daughter, Cameron. Fattah has another daughter, Frances, and a son, Chaka Fattah Jr.
See also
Images for kids
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Chaka Fattah's official headshot.
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Fattah with Senator Bob Casey Jr. and then-Vice President Joe Biden in 2014.
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Fattah in 2002.
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Fattah in 2013.
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Fattah with President Barack Obama at an executive order signing in 2012.
