Eliot Engel

Eliot Engel
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 17th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1989
Preceded by	Jerrold Nadler
Born	February 18, 1947 (1947-02-18) (age 62) New York City, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Patricia Ennis
Residence	Bronx, New York City, New York
Alma mater	Lehman College, City University of New York, New York Law School
Occupation	high school teacher, attorney
Religion	Jewish

Eliot L. Engel (born February 18, 1947) is an American Democratic politician who currently represents New York’s 17th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. The district encompasses portions of the Bronx, Westchester County and Rockland County. It includes such neighborhoods as Riverdale, Woodlawn, Norwood, Williamsbridge, Van Cortlandt Park Village and Wakefield in the Bronx; Mount Vernon and parts of Yonkers, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson and Tarrytown in Westchester; and the towns of Ramapo, Orangetown and the southern half of Clarkstown in Rockland County. Rep. Engel won re-election in 2008 for his eleventh term.

Early Life and Career

Rep. Engel was born in the Bronx as the son of an ironworker. He grew up in a city housing project and attended New York City public schools. In 1969, he graduated from Hunter-Lehman College with a B.A. in History and received a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1973 from Herbert H. Lehman College of the City University of New York. In 1987, he received a law degree from New York Law School.

He began his political career in local Democratic clubs. He taught at Intermediate School 52 from 1969-1976 and at Intermediate School 174 after that. In 1977, while a teacher and guidance counselor in New York City public schools. Engel entered the Democratic primary for a seat in the New York State Assembly when the incumbent Alan Hochberg was forced to resign. He risked his life savings and won by 103 votes. He won the general election and served in the New York State Assembly for 12 years from 1977 to 1988. He chaired the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, as well as the Subcommittee on Mitchell-Lama Housing Program.

Election to Congress

In 1988, Engel was elected to the House of Representatives, after defeating Congressman Mario Biaggi in the Democratic primary. Biaggi had been charged with racketeering in the Wedtech scandal; he was eventually jailed by Rudolph W. Giuliani. Biaggi ran against and lost to Engel in 1992.

Engel ran for, and won, re-election in 2008 for his eleventh term.

Political positions

Engel is a supporter of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and has also been an advocate for the causes of Albanian-Americans and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. In 2003, he authored the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which was signed into law by President Bush on December 12, 2003.[1] In this Law, Congress authorized penalties and restrictions on US relations with Syria for its occupation of Lebanon and for its relationship with terrorist groups.

Eliot Engel is a member of the New Democrat Coalition and the Democratic Leadership Council.

Engel received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.

Eliot Engel was a strong supporter of the military campaign against Iraq. On October 10, 2002, he was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq. As the war dragged on, his position changed. He now responds to questions about his support for the war by saying that had he known then what he now knows, he would have acted differently.

Access to Health Care

Engel supports quality access to health care and refers to himself as pro-choice “all the way." Engel is a co-sponsor of HR 676, which would implement a single payer health care system in the United States and give allow patients to choose from participating physicians and institutions and cover every American for all necessary medical care.

In 2008, Engel authored the ALS Registry Act (P.L. 110-373)which established a national registry for the collection and storage of data on those suffering from ALS. He also authored the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Act(P.L. 110-361) which promoted research at Centers of Excellence for Muscular Dystrophy.

Global Health

Rep. Engel supports an improved reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Assistance (PEPFAR). Within the PEPFAR bill, Engel included his bill, the Stop Tuberculosis Now Act. This measure provides increased U.S. support for international TB control activities and promotes research to develop new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines.

Primary challenges

Since his election to Congress in 1988 Engel has faced a series of contentious primary challenges from within the Democratic Party. In 2000, Engel defeated a high-profile challenge from then Bronx State Senator Larry Seabrook, who had received the support of Bronx County Democratic Party Chairman Roberto Ramirez, among others.

In 2006, Engel faced a primary challenge from Jessica Flagg, who based her campaign on the opposition to the Iraq War, and criticism of Engel's refusal to publicly support an immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. In a previous challenge to Engel in 2004, Flagg got 11% of the Democratic primary vote. In her 2006 run she got 18 percent.

Controversy

- Engel drew criticism^[1] for choosing to attend a July 2008 event hosted by the controversial pastor John Hagee, who has suggested that God sent Hitler to bring the Jews to Israel.^[2]

- - In March, 2009, the AP reported that Engel had been taking an annual tax credit on his Maryland residence, despite the fact that the credit is reserved for people who declare Maryland their primary residence. Engel ran for reelection in the Bronx at least five times while claiming a primary residence credit in Maryland.^[3]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Environment
  • Subcommittee on Health
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia
  • Subcommitte on the Western Hemisphere (Chairman)

Party leadership and caucus memberships

• Vice Chair of the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security
• Founder and Co-Chair of the House Oil and National Security Caucus

References

External links

• U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel official House site
• Eliot Engel at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Federal Election Commission — Eliot Engel campaign finance reports and data
• Biographical Information: NNDB
• On the Issues — Eliot Engel issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Eliot L. Engel campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart — Representative Eliot L. Engel (NY) profile
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Eliot Engel profile
• Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Eliot Engel voting record
• Open Congress: Eliot L. Engel
• Eliot Engel Quotes
• Engel’s War Record Draws Red Flagg
• Congressional incumbent Engel and challenger Flagg clash over Engel's record
• 504 Democratic Club — Eliot L. Engel 2008 congressional screening questionnaire response