Leonard Boswell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leonard Boswell
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 3rd district |
|
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2013 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim Lightfoot |
| Succeeded by | Tom Latham |
| President of the Iowa Senate | |
| In office January 11, 1993 – January 3, 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Michael Gronstal |
| Succeeded by | Mary Kramer |
| Member of the Iowa Senate | |
| In office 1985–1997 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Leonard Leroy Boswell
January 10, 1934 Harrison County, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | August 17, 2018 (aged 84) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Dody Boswell
(m. 1955) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Graceland College |
| Profession | Farmer |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Bronze Star (2) Soldier's Medal |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1956-1976 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Leonard Leroy Boswell (born January 10, 1934 – died August 17, 2018) was an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Iowa from 1997 to 2013. His district was mainly around Des Moines. He was a member of the Democratic Party. In 2012, he lost his re-election bid to Tom Latham. Latham was another representative whose district changed. Boswell left Congress in January 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Leonard Boswell was born in Harrison County, Missouri. He grew up on a farm and went to Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.
Boswell spent twenty years serving in the United States Army. He joined the Army in 1956. He started as a private, which is the lowest rank. Later, he became an officer and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. This is a high leadership position.
During his time in the military, he earned several important awards. These included two Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Bronze Stars. He also received the Soldier's Medal. He flew helicopters during two one-year tours in Vietnam. He also served in Europe for seven years, in Germany and Portugal. He even taught at the United States Army Command and General Staff College.
Starting in Politics
Leonard Boswell began his political career in Iowa. He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1984. He served three terms there, which means he was elected three times.
In 1986, he tried to become a U.S. Representative. However, he lost in the Democratic primary election. This is when members of the same party compete to be the main candidate. From 1993 to 1996, he was the President of the Iowa Senate. This is a leader in the state's law-making body. In 1994, he also ran for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
As a U.S. Representative, Leonard Boswell helped make laws for the country. He worked on different topics in Congress.
Working on Committees
In Congress, representatives work in special groups called committees. These groups study specific topics and create new laws. Boswell was part of two main committees:
- Committee on Agriculture
- This committee deals with farming and food issues. Boswell was a ranking member on one of its subcommittees. This means he was a senior member of the minority party.
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- This committee focuses on roads, bridges, and other public structures.
Important Issues and Votes
Boswell voted on many important issues during his time in Congress.
Taxes
In 2012, Boswell said he did not support extending the Bush tax cuts. These were tax reductions put in place by President George W. Bush. He believed that people with high incomes should pay more taxes. He thought that tax cuts for the wealthy did not help everyone.
Health Care
Boswell supported the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. This law aimed to make health insurance more available and affordable. In a 2012 discussion, he said the law was working. He mentioned that people in Iowa appreciated parts of it.
He also voted to give more money to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This program helps provide health care for children. He voted twice to approve SCHIP funding, even when the President tried to stop it.
Education
Boswell supported efforts to help students pay for college. He voted to double the amount of Pell Grants. These are funds given to students who need financial help for college. He also supported the 2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act. This law provided the biggest increase in college aid since the GI Bill. The GI Bill helps military veterans pay for education. In 2001, he voted for the No Child Left Behind Act. This law aimed to improve education standards in schools.
Foreign Policy and National Security
In 2002, Boswell voted to allow the invasion of Iraq. This was a major decision about the country's involvement overseas.
For national security, he voted for the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001. He also voted to renew it in 2005. This law was passed after the 9/11 attacks to help prevent terrorism. In 2008, he supported the FISA bill. This bill gave legal protection to phone companies. It was related to how the government could listen to communications for security reasons.
Gun Rights
Boswell was a strong supporter of gun rights. This is a popular issue in Iowa. He even wrote an article criticizing another politician for changing their views on gun rights.
During his 2010 re-election campaign, he received a high rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA is a group that supports gun rights. They even supported him over his opponent.
Economic Support
Boswell supported laws to help the economy during tough times. He voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. He also supported the 2009 stimulus bill. These laws aimed to boost the economy and prevent a deeper financial crisis. Some groups criticized his votes on these issues.
Political Campaigns and Challenges
Leonard Boswell first won his seat in Congress after the previous Republican representative decided not to run again. He won by a small number of votes. He was helped by Bill Clinton winning the district in the presidential election. He also had support from the Iowa Farm Bureau, a group that usually supports Republicans. He was easily re-elected in 1998 and 2000.
Early in his career, Boswell had said he would only serve for eight years. But by 2004, he changed his mind. He said that "A thinking person is allowed to change their mind."
After the 2000 census, the boundaries of his district changed. His home was moved into a district that mostly voted Republican. Instead of facing a likely loss, Boswell moved to Des Moines. This put him in a newly created district.
In 2005, Boswell had surgery to remove a growth from his stomach. This made him miss more time in Congress than any other member that year. There were rumors that his party might try to replace him for the next election. But he returned to work and seemed healthy, so the rumors stopped. He was re-elected for his seventh term in 2008.
After the 2010 census, his district was redrawn again. It now stretched across the southwestern part of Iowa. In the 2012 election, he ran against Tom Latham. Latham was another sitting congressman. They both ended up in the same district because of the new boundaries. This made their race a "bellwether" race, meaning it was closely watched. Boswell joked that he was running against Latham, the Speaker of the House Boehner, and political strategist Karl Rove. However, Latham won the election.
Personal Life and Family
Leonard Boswell was a member of the Community of Christ church. He married Dody Boswell in 1956. They had three children together, and he had another daughter from a previous marriage. He ran a farm in Davis City that had been in his family for many years. He also served on the board of a local farmer's cooperative.
In 2011, Boswell and his family experienced a home invasion. An armed man entered their farmhouse and attacked his daughter. Boswell struggled with the man until his grandson pointed a shotgun at the intruder. The intruder then ran away.
Leonard Boswell passed away in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 17, 2018. He had been dealing with a rare form of cancer for over 13 years. His wife, Dody, died just eight days later. They were both buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Lamoni, Iowa.
Images for kids
-
Official portrait of Leonard Boswell.
-
Insignia for a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army.
