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 July 15, 1966) is an American politician and expert in political science. He served for eight terms as a U.S. representative for Illinois's 3rd congressional district. This means he was a lawmaker in the U.S. government from 2005 to 2021.
Lipinski was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of Democrats who often hold more traditional or conservative views. He had strong beliefs that were considered more conservative than many other Democrats in Congress. For example, he did not support President Barack Obama in the 2012 election. ..... He was one of only 39 House Democrats who voted against the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Over time, the voters in his district became more liberal. This led to his defeat in the Democratic primary election in 2020 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, Bill Lipinski, decided to retire from Congress. Bill Lipinski was a powerful figure in the local Democratic Party. He helped his son, Dan, get chosen to run for his seat. This was a bit unusual because Dan had not lived in Illinois regularly since 1989 and had not run for office before.
However, because the district was very Democratic, winning the Democratic nomination was almost like winning the election itself. Dan Lipinski bought a home in Western Springs to show he lived in the district. He then won the general election against his Republican opponent. He was re-elected seven more times after that.
Re-election Campaigns
Lipinski won his re-election campaigns several times. In 2006, he won the Democratic primary with 55% of the vote. He then won the general election with 77% of the vote. He continued to win his elections in 2008 and 2010 with large majorities.
In 2018, he faced a tough challenge from Marie Newman in the Democratic primary. He won by a very small margin, getting 51.2% of the vote. However, Newman challenged him again in 2020. This time, she won the primary election, ending Lipinski's time in Congress.
Committee Work
While in Congress, Lipinski served on two important committees:
- Committee on Science, Space & Technology
- He worked on subcommittees dealing with research and energy. The district he represented includes Argonne National Laboratory, a major science lab.
- Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
- He was a senior member and even chaired the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. He also worked on subcommittees for aviation and highways.
Group Memberships
Lipinski was part of several groups in Congress, called caucuses. These groups focus on specific issues. Some of the caucuses he joined include:
- Blue Dog Coalition (Democrats with more conservative views)
- Congressional Buy American Caucus (he helped start this group)
- Climate Solutions Caucus (focused on climate change solutions)
- Problem Solvers Caucus (works to find common ground between parties)
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.
After Congress
After leaving Congress in 2021, Dan Lipinski has shared his experiences from his time as a lawmaker. He has appeared on podcasts and given speeches.
In October 2021, he hinted that he might run for his old congressional seat again. However, he did not run in the 2022 election.
Personal Life
Dan Lipinski is Catholic and has encouraged people of his faith to prioritize their beliefs. He is the son of William "Bill" Lipinski, who held the same congressional seat before him.
