Eliot Engel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eliot Engel
Official portrait, 2003
Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Ed Royce
Succeeded by	Gregory Meeks
Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Howard Berman
Succeeded by	Michael McCaul
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Mario Biaggi
Succeeded by	Jamaal Bowman
Constituency	19th district (1989–1993) 17th district (1993–2013) 16th district (2013–2021)
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 81st district
In office March 7, 1977 – January 1, 1989
Preceded by	Alan Hochberg
Succeeded by	Stephen B. Kaufman
Personal details
Born	Eliot Lance Engel (1947-02-18) February 18, 1947 (age 77) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Patricia Ennis
Children	3
Residences	The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Education	Lehman College (BA, MS) New York Law School (JD)

Eliot Lance Engel (/ˈɛŋɡəl/; born February 18, 1947) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from New York from 1989 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented a district covering portions of the north Bronx and southern Westchester County.

In 2019, following Democratic gains in the 2018 elections, he took over as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; he previously was its ranking member from 2013, following Howard Berman's reelection defeat in 2012.

He had won his first congressional election in 1989 by defeating Mario Biaggi, who did not campaign though his name was on the ballot. In 2020, after 16 terms in office, Engel was defeated in the Democratic primary by middle school principal Jamaal Bowman.

Early life and education

Engel was born in the Bronx, the son of Sylvia (née Bleend) and Philip Engel, an ironworker. His grandparents, of Ukrainian Jewish background, were immigrants from the Russian Empire. He grew up in a city housing project, Eastchester Gardens, and attended New York City public schools.

In 1969, Engel graduated from the Bronx campus of Hunter College with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He subsequently received a Master of Science in guidance and counseling in 1973 from the same institution, by now renamed Lehman College following the severance of its relationship with Hunter College. In February 1987, he earned a Juris Doctor from New York Law School.

Early career

He began his political career in local Democratic clubs. He taught in the New York City School District and was a school counselor. He taught at Intermediate School 52 from 1969 to 1976, and then at Intermediate School 174.

New York State Assembly

In 1977, Engel entered the special election for a seat in the New York State Assembly after the incumbent Democrat Alan Hochberg was forced to resign. He was the Liberal Party nominee in the special election, and on March 1, 1977, he won by 103 votes, defeating Democratic nominee Ted Weinstein and Republican nominee Arlene Siegel.

Engel was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1988, sitting in the 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, and 187th New York State Legislatures. .....

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In 1988, Engel ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 19th congressional district. His state assembly district covered much of the congressional district's southeastern corner. He defeated ten-term incumbent Democrat Mario Biaggi in the primary with 48% of the vote, as Biaggi had resigned his seat and did not campaign for office, though his name remained on the ballot since election petitions were already filed. Biaggi had been charged by Rudy Giuliani with racketeering in the Wedtech scandal, and was eventually jailed. Biaggi was unopposed for the Republican nomination (he had run on both the Republican and Democratic lines since 1972), which Engel won with 56% of the vote.

Engel's district, which became the 17th in 1993 and has been the 16th since 2013, had historically been one of the more conservative districts in New York City. Republicans represented much of its territory at the state level as late as 2004. However, reflecting the increasing Democratic trend in the Bronx at the federal level, Engel would never face another general election contest nearly as close as his first one. He was re-elected 14 more times by at least 61 percent of the vote, and only dropped below 70 percent of the vote twice. As a measure of the district's growing Democratic trend, Biaggi is the last candidate running on the Republican line to clear the 40 percent mark.

By the 1990s, as in much of the rest of New York City, the Democratic primary had become the real contest in this district. From 1990 to 2018, Engel only faced two competitive primary contests (getting less than 70%). In 1994, he defeated musician Willie Colón 62%-38%. In 2000, Engel defeated State Senator Larry Seabrook, who had the support of Bronx County Democratic Party Chairman Roberto Ramirez, 50%-41%.

In 2020, Engel was challenged in the primary by Yonkers school principal Jamaal Bowman, who ran well to Engel's left. Engel initially received an endorsement from New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Mario Biaggi's granddaughter. However, in early June, after a hot mic gaffe by Engel, where he insisted on speaking at a press conference and said, "If I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care," Biaggi withdrew her support of Engel and instead endorsed Bowman.

In a mid-June poll, Engel trailed Bowman by ten percentage points and, after the election, with early and election day votes counted, Bowman led Engel by almost 12,000 votes, 61.8% to 34.9%. Absentee ballots were scheduled to be counted on June 30, 2020, though some sources called the race for Bowman before the counting of absentee ballots. After the absentee ballots were counted, Bowman's lead was 55.4%-40.6%, or 13,218 votes. The race was called for Bowman on July 17, 2020, with the New York State Board of Elections certifying the results on August 6, 2020.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Power
  • Subcommittee on Health
• Committee on Foreign Affairs (Chair, 116th Congress) (Ranking Member, 113th, 114th, 115th Congress)

Party leadership

• Vice Chair of the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security
• Assistant Democratic Whip

Caucus memberships

• Arab-Israeli Peace Accord Monitoring Group
• Congressional Albanian Caucus
• Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety
• Congressional Hellenic-Israeli Alliance
• Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs
• Democratic Leadership Council
• Democratic Task Force on Health
• House Oil and National Security Caucus (Founder and Co-Chair)
• Israel Allies Caucus
• New Democrat Coalition
• House Caucus on Human Rights
• House Caucus on the Hudson Valley
• United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
• Congressional Arts Caucus
• Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
• Congressional Medicare for All Caucus (Founding Member)
• Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
• Climate Solutions Caucus
• U.S.-Japan Caucus
• Congressional Argentina Caucus (Founder)

Attendance at the State of the Union address

Engel could be seen shaking hands with the President at a number of televised State of the Union addresses during his time in Congress. Along with other Members of Congress, Engel showed up at the Capitol early in order to guarantee that he would get an aisle seat. Engel managed to shake hands with the President at every address, and be seen by his constituents on live television, starting when he arrived in Congress in 1989. He expressed that, "It's an honor to shake the hand of the president of the United States no matter who it is."

This tradition ended in 2017 when Engel decided not to shake then President Donald Trump's hand.

Political positions

Healthcare reform

A strong supporter of single payer healthcare, Engel supported quality access to health care. Engel was a co-sponsor of the United States National Health Care Act, which would implement a single-payer health care system in the United States. In 2010 he was a strong supporter of the landmark Affordable Care Act once he secured provisions that New York would not be penalized for providing more generous benefits than other states.

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.

In 2010, Engel wrote the Partnering to Improve Maternity Care Quality Act to improve maternity care for mothers and newborns, and to do so in partnership with doctors, advocates, payers, and purchasers. In 2010 he also wrote the Gestational Diabetes Act of 2010, which passed the House, but didn't come to a vote in the Senate. In 2018, he reintroduced the legislation in the 115th Congress for consideration. It was not voted on. The legislation would provide for better tracking and research into gestational diabetes, which, if untreated, could lead to Type 2 diabetes for both mother and child.

Global health

Engel supported an improved re-authorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Within the PEPFAR bill, Engel included his bill, the Stop Tuberculosis Now Act. This measure would provide increased U.S. support for international Tuberculosis control activities, and promotes research to develop new drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines.

Energy

In 2005, Engel, along with Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA), introduced the Fuel Choices for American Security Act (H.R. 4409), later modified and re-introduced in 2007 as the DRIVE Act (H.R. 670) - the Dependence Reduction through Innovation in Vehicles and Energy Act - with more than 80 bi-partisan co-sponsors. It was designed to promote America's national security and economic stability by reducing dependence on foreign oil through the use of clean alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. It also called for increased tire efficiency - to increase a vehicle's gas miles.

Many provisions of the DRIVE Act were included in the Energy Independence and Security Act, which was signed into law on December 19, 2007, and became Public Law No. 110-140. This law mandates increased fuel efficiency standards from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The law also requires improved energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings, and the development of American-grown biofuels like cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and biobutanol.

Engel introduced the Open Fuel Standards Act, alongside Congressmen Kingston, Steve Israel (D-NY) and Bob Inglis (R-SC). This bill would have required 50 percent of new cars sold in the United States by 2012 (and 80 percent of new cars sold by 2015) to be flexible-fuel vehicles capable of running on any combination of ethanol, methanol, or gasoline. Flex fuel vehicles cost about $100 more than the same vehicle in a gasoline-only version.

Engel on the Energy and Commerce Committee and Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment. He played a key role in negotiating the American Clean Energy and Security Act, HR 2454, which passed the House on June 26, 2009. That legislation was intended to revitalize the economy by creating millions of new jobs, increase American national security by reducing dependence on foreign oil, and preserve the planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It passed the House in 2009, but was not voted on by the Senate in the 111th Congress.

Gun control

A supporter of gun control, Engel in Congress "worked to ban assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and armor-piercing bullets, institute universal background checks, adopt extreme risk protection orders, and restore funding for gun violence research." Engel received an "F" grade from the National Rifle Association and 100 percent ratings from the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. He voted against a 2003 bill that immunized firearm manufacturers and dealers from civil liability for gun misuse, supports "smart gun" technology to prevent guns from being used by unauthorized persons, and voted against a bill to reduce the waiting period to purchase a gun at a gun show. In 2009, Engel was one of 53 members of Congress who signed a letter to President Barack Obama, urging the new president to resume enforcement of a ban on the import of foreign assault weapons (authorized by the Gun Control Act of 1968 and enforced during the administrations of George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton). In 2011, after 400,000 defective gun locks were recalled from the market, Engel introduced a bill intended to protect parents and children from faulty gun locks by instructing the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to set a national quality standard for all child safety devices used on firearms.

Other domestic issues

On December 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Truth in Caller ID Act. The legislation was introduced by Bill Nelson in the Senate, passed the House on December 15, and is virtually identical to Engel's bill. The new law cracks down on the use of caller ID spoofing, often used by criminals to trick their victims into giving out personal information. The legislation will help law enforcement combat identity theft.

Engel originally introduced the Securing our Borders and Our Data Act in July 2008, HR 6702. That bill would ensure that when a traveler enters the United States, a border agent cannot search or seize the traveler's data or equipment without cause. The legislation was re-introduced in the 111th Congress as HR 239. The Department of Homeland Security altered their rules to prevent agents from searching and seizing without cause. This encompassed much of Engel's legislation.

In 2012, Engel introduced SNOPA, the Social Network Online Protection Act. It would guarantee online privacy and ensure that employers and educational institutions cannot use personal data as a bargaining chip for employment or education. Employers/schools would be barred from requesting or requiring usernames or passwords to social media sites as part of the hiring, employment, or enrollment process. The bill was re-introduced in the 113th Congress, with Rep. Michael Grimm as the Republican lead, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky as an original co-sponsor.

International affairs

Engel with Nelson Mandela

Engel before greeting the new King Salman of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in January 2015

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 George W. Bush on December 12, 2003. 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. Syria withdrew all forces from Lebanon in 2005 after the Cedar Revolution.

Human rights

Engel with Hong Kong activists who have become prominent figures in the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests

As a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, Engel supported Albanian-Americans and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. He is co-author of the Harkin-Engel Protocol, along with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), which addresses child labor in the cocoa fields of West Africa.

In early 2001, he wrote the House resolution condemning the Taliban for forcing Hindu citizens to wear distinguishing marks as reminiscent of the Nazis forcing Jews to wear a yellow Star of David. In 2008, he wrote a resolution commending the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Promote Racial and Ethnic Equality.

Engel sponsored a bill to support the Day of Silence, during which students vow to remain silent to bring attention to the harassment and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in schools. That bill has been re-submitted in the 111th United States Congress. He also voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which allowed for states not to be required to recognize same-sex marriages in other states. In 2010, he voted in 2010 to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, enabling homosexuals to serve openly in the U.S. military.

Grades and recognition

Engel received an A on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues. Engel has received positive marks from major environmental groups such as the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club.

Engel received the National Association of Public Hospitals Safety Net Award in 2007 primarily for the introduction of The Public and Teaching Hospital Preservation Act. He also earned the 100% Perfection in the Pursuit of Equality in 2002 from the Human Rights Campaign. Engel was presented with The AIDS Institute National HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Award in 2007 and is the 2008 Distinguished Community Health Superhero as deemed by the National Association of Community Health Centers.

He was honored in 2008 by the American Farm Bureau Federation and the New York Farm Bureau as a Friend of the Farm Bureau for his support of farm issues during the 110th United States Congress. He received an A on the Drum Major Institute's Congressional Scorecards in 2005 and 2008 for supporting middle-class issues. Engel has had a nearly 100% rating from the AFL–CIO over his entire legislative career. On November 11, 2011, the Municipality of Pejë, Kosovo, gave Engel the title of Honorary Citizen of Peje.

In July 2019, the highway section M9.1 between Gjakove, Kosovo and SH22 Fierzë, Albania passing through Bajram Curri, Albania was named Eliot Engel Drive by local authorities.

Electoral history

See also

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress