Peter DeFazio

Infobox_Congressman
name = Peter DeFazio


date of birth = birth date and age|1947|05|27 [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=d000191 DeFazio's biography] in the "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress"]
place of birth = Needham, Massachusetts
state = Oregon
district = 4th
term_start = January 6, 1987
preceded = Jim Weaver
succeeded = Incumbent
party = Democrat
spouse = Myrnie L. DeFazio
religion = Roman Catholic
residence= Springfield, Oregon
alma_mater= Tufts University, University of Oregon
occupation= gerontologist

Peter Anthony DeFazio (born May 27, 1947) is an American politician. He serves as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Oregon, representing the ushr|Oregon|4|4th Congressional District and is currently serving his 11th term. DeFazio is Oregon's most senior member of Congress, which makes him the dean of Oregon's House of Representatives delegation. A native of Massachusetts and a veteran of the United States Air Force, he previously served as a county commissioner for Lane County, Oregon.

Political career

From 1977 to 1982, DeFazio worked as an aide for U.S. Representative Jim Weaver. DeFazio was elected as a Lane County commissioner in 1983 and served as chairman from 1985 to 1986. In 1986, DeFazio was elected to Weaver's House seat when Weaver did not seek reelection to the House, taking 54 percent of the vote. He hasn't faced another contest nearly that close, and has been reelected ten times.

After Senator Bob Packwood resigned in 1995, DeFazio ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate in a special primary, losing to Ron Wyden. He served as a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention.

In the 2006 election, DeFazio won re-election to an 11th term, defeating Republican Jim Feldkamp. DeFazio serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Natural Resources committees, and subcommittees of each; he chairs the Transportation subcommittee on Highways and Transit. [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=H3341103 DeFazio's profile] from Project Vote Smart]

DeFazio has a liberal voting record, [ [http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Peter_DeFazio.htm On the Issues — Peter DeFazio] issue positions and quotes] [ [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/d000191/ Congress Votes Database: Peter DeFazio] voting record from "the Washington Post"] supporting federal government intervention in health care, the environment, labor, and education. He opposes the Iraq War, free trade agreements, and tax cuts.

DeFazio reportedly considered and re-considered running against incumbent Senator Gordon Smith for the 2008 Senate election. [cite news|title=Rep. DeFazio pulls name from 2008 Senate-bid speculations
first=Aaron|last=Blake|url=http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/010407.html
date=January 4, 2007|accessdate=2007-03-12] [ [http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/26/17030/2078 Daily Kos: OR-Sen: DeFazio beats Smith - DSCC poll ] ] cite news |first=Diane|last=Dietz|title=DeFazio ponders U.S. Senate run|url=http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/04/03/a1.defazio.0403.p1.php?section=cityregion|work=Eugene Register-Guard|date=April 3, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-03] On April 20, 2007, DeFazio announced he would not run for Smith's seat.cite web|title=DeFazio will not run for Senate|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/politics/2007/04/defazio_will_not_run_for_senat.html|work=OregonLive.com|date=April 20, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-20]

On September 25, 2008, DeFazio and California representative Pete Stark signed a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proposing a one quarter of one percent transaction tax on all trades in financial instruments including stocks, options, and futures. The proposal was made following the failure of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.fact|date=October 2008 Subsequently DeFazio introduced the [http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/366574/house_progressives_propose_bailout_alternative No BAILOUT Act] .

Personal life

DeFazio was born in Needham, Massachusetts. He served in the United States Air Force from 1967 to 1971. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University in 1969 and a Master of Science degree from the University of Oregon in 1977, and worked as a gerontologist.

DeFazio is a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He and his wife, Myrnie Daut, reside in Springfield.

References

External links

* [http://defazio.house.gov/ Congressman DeFazio] official U.S. House site
* [http://www.defazioforcongress.org/ DeFazio for Congress] official campaign site
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_DeFazio Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia