Rodney Frelinghuysen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rodney Frelinghuysen
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Official portrait, 2016
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| Chair of the House Appropriations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Hal Rogers |
| Succeeded by | Nita Lowey |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 11th district |
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| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Dean Gallo |
| Succeeded by | Mikie Sherrill |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 25th district |
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| In office January 10, 1984 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | James J. Barry Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Bucco |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rodney Procter Frelinghuysen
April 29, 1946 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Virginia Robinson
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Education | Hobart College (BA) Trinity College |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1969–1971 |
| Rank |  Specialist 5 |
| Unit | 93rd Engineer Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Rodney Procter Frelinghuysen (born April 29, 1946) is an American former politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for New Jersey from 1995 to 2019. This means he was elected by people in his district to represent them in the U.S. Congress.
His district included most of Morris County, a wealthy area near New York City. He was a member of the Republican Party. From 2017 to 2019, Frelinghuysen led the House Appropriations Committee. This committee is very important because it decides how the government spends money. He announced in January 2018 that he would not run for re-election.
During his time in Congress, he supported some rules about medical procedures and sometimes voted to limit access to them. He was against federal money for certain health organizations. He also opposed some ideas like "sanctuary cities," which are places that limit cooperation with federal immigration laws. He was against strict gun control and federal rules about greenhouse gas emissions. He supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. He voted to change the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rodney Frelinghuysen was born in New York City. His father, Peter Frelinghuysen Jr., was also a politician from New Jersey. His mother, Beatrice Sterling Procter, came from the family that started Procter & Gamble, a very large company.
A Family of Politicians
The Frelinghuysen family has a long history in New Jersey politics. They are known as one of America's important political families. Rodney's father, Peter Frelinghuysen Jr., was also a U.S. Representative. He represented a similar area in New Jersey from 1953 to 1975.
Rodney's family also has ties to other famous families. His great-grandfather helped start the American Sugar Refining Company. His great-great-great-grandfather started the Ballantine Brewery. On his mother's side, his great-great-grandfather, William Procter, co-founded Procter & Gamble. His grandfather, William Cooper Procter, was president of Procter & Gamble for many years.
School and College Years
Rodney Frelinghuysen went to St. Mark's School, a private school in Massachusetts. He then attended Hobart College in New York. He studied American history and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969.
After college, he started a graduate program at Trinity College. However, he was soon drafted into the United States Army.
Military Service in Vietnam
After basic training, he was sent to Vietnam. He worked as a clerk for the commanding officer of the 93rd Engineer Battalion. This group was mainly responsible for building roads and water systems in Vietnam. He received the Vietnam Service Medal for his time in the military.
Local and State Political Career
After his military service, Frelinghuysen began working in local government. He was hired by Dean A. Gallo, who was a leader in Morris County. Frelinghuysen helped the county get state and federal aid.
Serving Morris County
In 1974, he was elected as a Morris County Freeholder himself. A Freeholder is like a county commissioner. He served three terms on the board. In his last term, he was the director of the board.
New Jersey State Assembly
In 1983, Frelinghuysen was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly. This is part of New Jersey's state legislature. He represented the 25th legislative district. He served in the Assembly until 1994. During 1988–89, he was the Chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. This committee handled the state's budget.
U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Congressman
In 1994, the U.S. Congressman for New Jersey's 11th district, Dean Gallo, decided not to run again due to health reasons. Gallo had been a Republican for six terms. Frelinghuysen, who had worked for Gallo before, was chosen by the Republican Party to run for the seat.
Frelinghuysen won the election in November 1994. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Frank Herbert, by a large margin. The 11th district was known for being very Republican. Winning the Republican nomination usually meant winning the election.
Re-elections and Influence
Rodney Frelinghuysen was re-elected nine times after his first win. He always won with a strong majority of the votes. He faced challenges in the Republican primary elections a few times, but he always won. Even when his district changed slightly to include more Democratic areas after the 2010 census, he still won easily.
His position on the Appropriations Committee helped him a lot. He was known as a "Cardinal" because of his power over the budget. It is usually very hard to defeat a member of the Appropriations Committee, especially a chairman.
In 2018, Frelinghuysen announced he would not seek another term.
Committee Work
- Committee on Appropriations (Chair): This committee is in charge of setting the spending levels for most of the federal government. As chair, Frelinghuysen had a lot of influence over how government money was spent.
Groups and Partnerships
Frelinghuysen was part of several groups in Congress, including:
- Republican Main Street Partnership: A group of moderate Republicans.
- Republicans for Choice: A group that supports a woman's right to choose regarding medical procedures.
- Republicans For Environmental Protection: A group focused on environmental issues.
Laws and Resolutions
Since 1995, Frelinghuysen was the main sponsor for 123 bills. Four of these bills became law:
- H.R. 1366 (104th): Extended a deadline for a hydroelectric project.
- H.R. 459 (106th): Extended another deadline for the same project.
- H.R. 1964 (108th): The Highlands Conservation Act, which helps protect important natural areas.
- H.R. 4850 (108th): The District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2005, which set the budget for Washington, D.C.
He also introduced an amendment to the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013. This amendment added $33.7 billion to the money for Hurricane Sandy relief. The House of Representatives passed his amendment, and it became law.
Political Views
Rodney Frelinghuysen's voting record was often described as moderate. This means he was not always on the far right or far left of his party. He was a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership, which is a group of more moderate Republicans.
Healthcare Decisions
He supported changing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). In January 2017, he voted to repeal Obamacare. In March 2017, he first said he would oppose the new Republican healthcare bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA). He worried it would cost his New Jersey constituents too much and cause many to lose health coverage.
However, on May 4, 2017, he voted for a revised version of the AHCA. He said he voted for an "improved" bill. He emphasized the need to protect people with pre-existing conditions.
Environmental Stance
Frelinghuysen's environmental record, as measured by the League of Conservation Voters, was generally in the middle from 1995 to 2008. After 2009, his scores became much lower, meaning he voted against environmental protection more often. In 2017, he had one of the lowest environmental ratings among New Jersey representatives.
In 2003, Frelinghuysen introduced the Highlands Conservation Act. This law recognized the importance of the natural resources in the Highlands region. It provided money for land preservation and protection in several states. President George W. Bush signed this act into law in 2004. The program ended in 2014 when Congress did not renew it.
By 2014, Frelinghuysen was one of a few Republicans in Congress who agreed that global warming is real and caused by humans. However, he was against federal rules that would limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Immigration Views
Frelinghuysen was against "sanctuary cities." As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, he supported a bill that included $5 billion for a border wall. He stated that the bill provided "necessary funding for critical technology and physical barriers to secure our borders."
Other Political Views
Frelinghuysen supported auditing the Federal Reserve, which is the central bank of the United States. He also supported the Iraq War. He was against marriage equality for all people. He voted against rules that would establish net neutrality, which means that internet providers should treat all internet traffic equally. He also voted for laws that would require photo IDs for voting in federal elections.
Lobbying Career
After leaving Congress, Frelinghuysen became a lobbyist. In 2021, he registered to work for Tatiana Clouthier, who was the Secretary of the Economy of Mexico. He and his firm provided advice and strategy on foreign trade to help Mexico's interests.
Awards and Honors
In June 2013, Frelinghuysen received the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. This is the highest honor the Navy gives to a civilian. He received it for his long service and for making sure the Navy had the resources it needed.
Personal Life
Rodney Frelinghuysen was one of the wealthiest members of Congress. His wealth came partly from family investments in Procter & Gamble stock. He owned several properties, including land in Frelinghuysen Township, New Jersey.
In 2007, Frelinghuysen chased down a pickpocket who had stolen his wallet in Washington, D.C. Police officers saw the chase and arrested the suspect.
He is married to Virginia Robinson, and they have two daughters, Louisine and Sarah. He is an Episcopalian, which is a type of Christian.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2016
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Specialist 5 rank insignia
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Annual LCV ratings for Rodney Frelinghuysen
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Frelinghuysen tours a Superfund site in his district
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Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus speaks with U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen before presenting him with the Navy Distinguished Public Service Medal, at the U.S. Capitol in 2013.
