Donald J. Albosta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donald J. Albosta
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th district |
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| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Elford Cederberg |
| Succeeded by | Bill Schuette |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 86th district |
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| In office 1974–1976 |
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| Preceded by | Robert D. Young |
| Succeeded by | Lewis N. Dodak |
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| Born | December 5, 1925 Saginaw, Michigan |
| Died | December 18, 2014 (aged 89) St. Charles, Michigan |
| Political party | Democratic |
Donald Joseph Albosta (December 5, 1925 – December 18, 2014) was an American farmer and businessman. He was also a politician from Michigan. He served three terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985.
Mr. Albosta was well-known for leading an important investigation. He chaired a special committee that looked into how secret papers from President Jimmy Carter's team were leaked. This happened just before a big debate during the 1980 U.S. presidential election. This event later became known as Debategate.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Donald Albosta was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He went to public schools in Saginaw and Chesaning. He graduated from Chesaning Agricultural School. Later, he attended Delta College in Bay City.
Serving His Country and Community
Mr. Albosta served in the United States Navy. After his military service, he became a farmer. He also owned and developed Misteguay Creek Farms. He was involved in his local community. He served as a Trustee for Albee Township. He was also an associate director for the Saginaw County Soil Conservation District. This role helped protect the land and natural resources.
Political Journey
Donald Albosta was a member of the Democratic Party. He started his political career as a Saginaw County Commissioner. He held this position from 1970 to 1974.
Serving in Michigan
From 1974 to 1976, he served in the Michigan State House of Representatives. He represented the 86th District. In 1976, he first ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. He ran in Michigan's 10th congressional district. He lost that election to the person who held the seat for a long time, Al Cederberg.
Time in Congress
Mr. Albosta ran against Al Cederberg again in 1978. This time, he won by a small number of votes. It was a big surprise because he was the first Democrat to represent that district in 84 years. He was reelected two more times. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1985.
Protecting the Environment
As a member of Congress, Mr. Albosta worked on important issues. He was part of the Public Works and Transportation Committee. He helped improve a law called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. This law is better known as "Superfund." Superfund helps clean up dangerous waste sites.
He added a rule to the Superfund law. This rule required the Center for Disease Control to study the health of people exposed to harmful substances. This was important because Mr. Albosta had seen the effects of a chemical spill in Michigan. This spill, involving PBBs in cattle feed, inspired him to run for Congress.
Investigating Debategate
Mr. Albosta also led a special investigation. He chaired the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee's Subcommittee on Human Resources. This group looked into how secret information was shared during the 1980 Presidential Election. Their findings were published in May 1984.
The investigation found that the campaign for Ronald Reagan had received and used a "pilfered copy" of President Carter's debate briefing book. This book contained secret information. The controversy became known as Debategate. Mr. Albosta's committee worked to understand how this information was leaked.
End of His Political Career
In 1984, Mr. Albosta supported a bill to help people harmed by dangerous substances. This bill was not popular with the Dow Chemical Company. This company was a major employer in his district. Dow Chemical leaders encouraged their employees to vote against Mr. Albosta. He lost his reelection bid by a very small margin to Bill Schuette.
Mr. Albosta tried to win back his seat in 1986. He won the Democratic primary election. However, he lost the main election again in a close race. After this, he decided to retire from politics.
Later Life and Passing
Donald Albosta lived in St. Charles, Michigan. His daughter, Christine C. White, became the Director of Agriculture Policy for the Michigan Department of Agriculture in 2003. Donald Albosta passed away on December 18, 2014, in St. Charles, Michigan.
See also
- Debategate
