Frank McCloskey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frank McCloskey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 8th district
In office May 1, 1985 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	John Hostettler
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1985
Preceded by	H. Joel Deckard
Succeeded by	Himself
Mayor of Bloomington, Indiana
In office 1972–1983
Preceded by	John H. Hooker Jr.
Succeeded by	Tomilea Allison
Personal details
Born	Francis Xavier McCloskey (1939-06-12)June 12, 1939 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Died	November 2, 2003(2003-11-02) (aged 64) Bloomington, Indiana, US
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Roberta Ann Barker ​ (m. 1962)​
Children	2
Alma mater	Indiana University (BA, JD)
Profession	Lawyer journalist
Committees	Armed Services, 1983 to 1995; Small Business, 1983–1985; Post Office and Civil Service, 1985–1995; Foreign Affairs, 1989–1995
Military service
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Years of service	1957–1961
Rank	Sergeant

Francis Xavier McCloskey (born June 12, 1939 – died November 2, 2003) was an American journalist, lawyer, and politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat from 1983 to 1995.

Early Life and Education

Frank McCloskey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Bloomington, Indiana. He studied at Indiana University Maurer School of Law. There he earned degrees in political science and law. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a reporter. He wrote for The Indianapolis Star and the Bloomington Herald-Telephone. He also worked for the City News Bureau of Chicago.

Mayor of Bloomington

In 1971, Frank McCloskey was elected mayor of Bloomington. He won against the current mayor, John H. Hooker Jr. McCloskey served as mayor until 1982. During his time as mayor, he helped the city get money from the government. This money was used to improve city services. It also helped make the downtown area better. His team also started Bloomington Transit, which is the city's bus service. He was re-elected mayor two more times, in 1975 and 1979. In 1981, he became president of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.

Serving in Congress

First Election and Term (1982-1985)

In 1982, Mayor McCloskey decided to run for Congress. He was running against H. Joel Deckard, who was already a representative. McCloskey focused his campaign on how the economy was affecting people. Many people in his district were out of work. He won the election, becoming a U.S. Representative. This was a big win because he was the sixth person to unseat a sitting representative in that district since 1966.

When he arrived in Washington, D.C., McCloskey joined the United States House Committee on Armed Services. He stayed on this committee throughout his time in Congress. He became known for questioning how the government spent money on defense. He often returned to his district to focus on local issues. These included economic growth and supporting local industries.

The Famous Four-Vote Win (1984)

In 1984, Frank McCloskey ran for re-election. His opponent was Rick McIntyre. The election was very close. After the first count, McCloskey was behind by a small number of votes. There were some mistakes in counting the votes. A recount was done, and it was very confusing.

The U.S. House of Representatives decided to do its own recount. This process took almost four months. Finally, on May 1, 1985, the House declared Frank McCloskey the winner. He won by just four votes! The final count was 116,645 votes for McCloskey and 116,641 for McIntyre. This was one of the closest elections in U.S. history.

Working in Congress (1985-1994)

After his close win, McCloskey continued his work in Congress. He used his position on the Armed Services Committee to help local jobs. He also worked to stop the Marine Corps from buying equipment from a company linked to the Libyan government. In 1986, he won re-election against Rick McIntyre by a larger margin.

In his third term, McCloskey became the head of a subcommittee. This group looked at postal services. He held meetings about whether dangerous substances, like anthrax, should be banned from the mail. He also looked into military flight accidents. He won re-election easily in 1988.

McCloskey also wrote laws to protect consumers. One law made sure that mailings that looked like government documents had a clear disclaimer. Another law required child-proof containers for harmful products sent through the mail. He also supported jobs in Indiana by voting for projects that built parts in his home state. He won re-election in 1990 and 1992.

During his time in Congress, McCloskey became very interested in the Balkans region. He visited Bosnia many times. He believed the U.S. should do more to help bring peace there. A bridge in Sarajevo, Bosnia, is now named the "Congressman McCloskey Bridge" in his honor.

1994 Election Defeat

In 1994, McCloskey ran for re-election again. His opponent was John Hostettler. McCloskey lost this election. He was one of many Democratic representatives who lost their seats that year.

Life After Congress

After leaving Congress, Frank McCloskey continued to be involved in politics. He was elected head of the Democratic Party in Monroe County, Indiana. He also kept working on peace efforts in the Balkans. In 2002, he became the director of Kosovo programs for the National Democratic Institute.

McCloskey Fellowship

To honor his work, Indiana University created the McCloskey Fellowship in 2005. This program brings a scholar from the Balkans to Indiana University each year. They come to do research. Sometimes, it is awarded to an Indiana University student who studies the Balkans.

Death

Frank McCloskey passed away in Bloomington, Indiana on November 2, 2003. He had been battling bladder cancer. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force (1957–1961). He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Frank and his wife, Roberta, were married for over 41 years. They had two children, Helen and Mark. A post office in Bloomington and a part of Indiana Highway 45 are named after him.