Dan Lipinski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dan Lipinski
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Lipinski |
| Succeeded by | Marie Newman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Daniel William Lipinski
July 15, 1966 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Judy Lipinski |
| Relatives | Bill Lipinski (father) |
| Education | Northwestern University (BS) Stanford University (MS) Duke University (PhD) |
Daniel William Lipinski, born on July 15, 1966, is an American politician and expert in political science. He served as a U.S. Representative for Illinois's 3rd congressional district for eight terms, from 2005 to 2021.
As a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, Lipinski was known for being one of the more socially conservative Democrats in Congress. This means he held views that were often more traditional than many other members of his party. His district became more liberal over time, which eventually led to his defeat in the 2020 election by Marie Newman.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dan Lipinski was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father, Bill Lipinski, was also a U.S. Congressman. Dan went to St. Ignatius College Prep and graduated in 1984.
He continued his education at several universities. He earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University in 1988. Then, he received a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in engineering-economic systems from Stanford University in 1989. Later, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in political science from Duke University in 1998.
Before becoming a Congressman, Lipinski worked in government and taught at universities. He interned at the United States Department of Labor and for U.S. Congressmen George E. Sangmeister and Jerry Costello. He also worked for Cook County State's Attorney Richard A. Devine and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt. From 2000 to 2004, he taught at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Tennessee.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 2004, Dan Lipinski's father decided to retire from Congress. His father helped arrange for Dan to take his place on the ballot for the Democratic Party. This was a bit unusual because Dan had not lived in Illinois regularly since 1989 and had not run for office before. However, the district was very Democratic, so winning the primary election was the main challenge. Dan won the general election and was re-elected seven more times.
He faced tough challenges in later elections. In 2018, he narrowly won against Marie Newman in the Democratic primary election. She challenged him again in 2020 and won, ending his time in Congress.
Committee Work
During his time in Congress, Lipinski served on two important committees:
- Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure: This committee deals with things like roads, bridges, airports, and railways. Lipinski was the most senior member from Illinois on this committee. He also led the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, & Hazardous Materials.
- Committee on Science, Space & Technology: This committee focuses on science, research, and technology. The 3rd district he represented includes Argonne National Laboratory, a major science and engineering research center.
Groups He Joined
Lipinski was part of several groups in Congress, called caucuses. These groups bring together members of Congress who share similar interests or goals. Some of the caucuses he joined include:
- Blue Dog Coalition: A group of conservative Democrats.
- Congressional Arts Caucus: Supports the arts.
- Afterschool Caucuses: Supports after-school programs for kids.
- Congressional Buy American Caucus: He helped start this group, which encourages buying products made in the U.S.
- Blue Collar Caucus: Focuses on issues important to working-class people.
- Climate Solutions Caucus: Works on finding solutions to climate change.
- Problem Solvers Caucus: A group of Democrats and Republicans who try to find common ground on issues.
Political Views
Dan Lipinski was known as one of the most socially conservative Democrats in Congress. This means his views on social issues were often more traditional than many other Democrats. His district, however, became more liberal over time.
Lipinski believed that the Democratic Party was moving too far to the left. Despite his conservative social views, he voted with the Democratic Party most of the time while in Congress.
American Jobs and Manufacturing
Lipinski strongly supported American manufacturing. He wrote a bill called the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. This law requires the U.S. government to create a plan every four years to help boost advanced manufacturing in the country. This plan helps make sure more products are made in the U.S.
He also proposed a "Five-Point Jobs Plan." This plan aimed to make manufacturing stronger, improve infrastructure (like roads and bridges), educate workers, ensure fair trade with other countries, and invest in new ideas and technology.
Foreign Policy and National Security
Lipinski supported people fighting for democracy around the world. For example, he supported the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2014. He helped introduce a law called the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which aimed to support Hong Kong's freedom.
He also supported strong laws for fighting terrorism and for government surveillance (watching for threats). He voted for laws like the Patriot Act re-authorization, which gives the government more power to investigate potential threats.
Healthcare
Lipinski was the only Democrat from Illinois in Congress who voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. This law aimed to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for Americans. In 2017, he said he was trying to prevent Republicans from getting rid of Obamacare.
Immigration
Lipinski's views on immigration changed over time. In 2018, he supported creating a way for "DREAMers" to become citizens. DREAMers are undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. He later co-sponsored and voted for the American Dream and Promise Act, which would create a path to citizenship for these individuals.
Relationship with Barack Obama
In 2008, Lipinski supported Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention. However, he reportedly did not officially support President Obama for re-election in 2012.
Post-Congressional Career
After leaving Congress in 2021, Lipinski has continued to share his experiences. He has appeared on podcasts and published articles about his time in government. In 2021, he hinted that he might run for his old congressional seat again, but he did not run in the 2022 election.
Images for kids
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Dan Lipinski's official portrait from the 115th Congress.
