Jerry Nadler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerry Nadler
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Jordan |
| Succeeded by | Jamie Raskin |
| In office December 20, 2017 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | John Conyers |
| Succeeded by | Doug Collins |
| Chair of the House Judiciary Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Goodlatte |
| Succeeded by | Jim Jordan |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York |
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| Assumed office November 3, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Ted Weiss |
| Constituency | 17th district (1992–1993) 8th district (1993–2013) 10th district (2013–2023) 12th district (2023–present) |
| Member of the New York State Assembly | |
| In office January 1, 1977 – November 3, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Albert H. Blumenthal |
| Succeeded by | Scott Stringer |
| Constituency | 69th district (1977–1982) 67th district (1983–1992) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jerrold Lewis Nadler
June 13, 1947 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Josephine Langsdorr Miller
(m. 1976) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Columbia University (BA) Fordham University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Jerrold Lewis Nadler (born June 13, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician. Since 2023, he has been a U.S. representative for New York's 12th district, which includes parts of Manhattan. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Nadler was first elected to Congress in 1992. Before that, he served for eight terms in the New York State Assembly. He also led the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023. As the longest-serving member of New York's U.S. House team, he is known as the "dean" of the delegation.
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Early Life and Education
Jerrold Nadler was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 13, 1947. His family was Jewish. When he was seven, his father lost his poultry farm.
Nadler went to Crown Heights Yeshiva, a Jewish school. He is the only member of Congress who has attended a yeshiva. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1965.
He earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1969. After college, Nadler worked as a legal assistant and clerk for different law firms. In 1972, he was a legislative assistant for the New York State Assembly.
While taking evening classes, Nadler was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1976. He finished his law degree (J.D.) from Fordham University in 1978.
New York State Assembly
Nadler served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1992. During this time, he worked on many important issues for New York State.
He also tried to become Manhattan Borough President in 1985 and New York City Comptroller in 1989. He founded and led the Assembly Subcommittee on Mass Transit and Rail Freight, which focused on public transportation and cargo trains.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections to Congress
In 1992, a Democratic representative named Ted Weiss was expected to run for reelection. However, Weiss passed away just before the primary election. Jerrold Nadler was then chosen to take his place.
On Election Day, Nadler ran in two elections. He ran in a special election to finish Weiss's term and in a regular election for a full two-year term. He won both elections easily. Since then, he has been reelected 15 times, usually without much competition.
In 2022, Nadler ran against his longtime colleague Carolyn Maloney. They were both placed in the newly drawn 12th district after new district maps were created. Nadler won the Democratic primary with 56% of the votes.
Nadler's district has changed over the years. From 2013 to 2023, his district included many famous New York City landmarks. These included the Statue of Liberty, the New York Stock Exchange, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Central Park.
What He Does in Congress
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Jerry Nadler is a very important member of the House Committee on the Judiciary. He is currently the leading member of the minority party on this committee. He also serves on the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Nadler has been involved in important discussions about the impeachment process. Impeachment is when a government official is accused of serious wrongdoing. He has said that for an impeachment process to be fair, the accusations must be very serious, and the evidence must be very clear. He also believes lawmakers must consider if the offense is serious enough to put the country through the difficulty of an impeachment.
In 2019, Nadler was the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He later served as an impeachment manager (like a prosecutor) during the first impeachment trial of President Trump. For his work as chairman, he received a good grade from the non-partisan Lugar Center's Congressional Oversight Hearing Index.
Nadler is also a member of the Vote Blue Coalition. This group supports Democrats in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania by helping people vote.
Committee Assignments
Current Committees
- Committee on the Judiciary
Former Committees
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
Other Groups He Belongs To
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption
- Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment
- Rare Disease Caucus
Political Positions
Government Surveillance
Nadler has expressed concerns about government surveillance. He was not happy with a bill called the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. He believed it did not protect people's privacy enough and allowed some actions to avoid legal review.
Income Taxes
Nadler has spoken about income taxes. He has suggested changing tax rules to consider the different costs of living in various regions. This would mean people in places like New York City, where living is expensive, might pay less tax. He generally opposes tax breaks for people who earn very high incomes, saying the country cannot afford them.
Immigration
In 2019, Nadler spoke about a situation where President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. Nadler stated that he believed the president's actions were against the law. He explained that a basic rule of government is that the president cannot spend taxpayer money without the approval of the legislature (Congress).
Housing
In 2020, Nadler supported a judge's decision about a tall luxury building in New York City. The judge ruled that part of the building might need to be removed because the building permit should not have been given. Nadler praised this decision.
Voting Record
Nadler is known for having a liberal voting record in the House of Representatives. He became well-known during the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He has consistently voted in favor of policies that align with his progressive views.
Personal Life
Jerrold Nadler married Josephine Langsdorr "Joyce" Miller in 1976. As of 2013, they lived in Lincoln Square, New York City. They have one child.
In 2002 and 2003, Nadler had surgery that helped him lose more than 100 pounds (about 45 kg).
See also
- List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
