Bill Frenzel
Encyclopedia
William Eldridge "Bill" Frenzel (born Saint Paul
, July 31, 1928) is a former Republican
Congressman from Minnesota
, representing Minnesota's Third District, which included the southern and western suburbs of Minneapolis.
in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and earned both a B.A.
(1950) and M.A.
(1951) from Dartmouth College
. He served as a lieutenant
in the United States Naval Reserve during the Korean War
from 1951 to 1954.
Frenzel served eight years in the Minnesota House of Representatives
from 1962 to 1970, prior to serving in the U.S. Congress. He was president of the No. Waterway Terminals Corp. (1965-70) and of Minneapolis Terminal Warehouse Company (1966-1970). He was a member of the executive committee for Hennepin County, Minnesota
(1966-1967).
, 93rd
, 94th
, 95th
, 96th
, 97th
, 98th
, 99th
, 100th
, and 101st congresses
, serving from January 3, 1971 to January 3, 1991, and was the ranking Republican
on the House Budget Committee and a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee
. He was a Congressional Representative to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) in Geneva for 15 years. Frenzel became known as an expert in budget and fiscal policy, election law, trade, taxes and congressional procedures, and was a negotiator in the 1990 budget summit. He also served as vice chairman of the Committee on House Administration, and vice chairman of the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. He did not run for re-election to the House in 1990.
, a Republican think-tank, from the 1990s until March 2004. He has been a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution
in Washington, DC, since January 1991, and was named director of the Brookings Governmental Affairs Institute on July 18, 1997.
President William J. Clinton appointed Frenzel (1993) to help sell NAFTA.
In 2001, President George W. Bush
appointed him to a commission to study the Social Security
system, and, in 2002, to the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN), which he chairs. He was interviewed on NPR's All Things Considered
, on December 20, 2004, as an advocate of President Bush's plan fpr Social Security privatization.
He is currently chairman of the Pew Commission
on Children in Foster Care
, the Vice Chairman of the Eurasia Foundation
, Chairman of the Japan-America Society of Washington, Chairman of the U.S. Steering Committee of the Transatlantic Policy Network, Co-Chairman of the Center for Strategic Tax Reform, Co-Chairman of the Bretton Woods Committee, Co-Chairman of the Committee For A Responsible Federal Budget, a member of the Executive Committee of the Committee on U.S.-China
Relations, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Tax and Investment Center.
He is an alternate board member of the Office of Congressional Ethics
(as of 2011.)
(Checks and Balances, 8)
, written by Peter W. Galbraith
to impose economic sanctions against Iraq for the gassing of the Kurdish
city of Halabja
in northern Iraq
during the Anfal Campaign of the Iran–Iraq War, in 1988. Frenzel said:
The bill passed the U.S. Senate but in the face of President Reagan's threatened veto, the House adjourned without passing the bill.
, Gold and Silver Star, by the Emperor of Japan
. In 2002, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Hamline University
.
In 1984 The National Coalition for Science and Technology named him a "friend of science."
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, July 31, 1928) is a former Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Congressman from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, representing Minnesota's Third District, which included the southern and western suburbs of Minneapolis.
Early life and career
Frenzel was educated at the Saint Paul AcademySt. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul Academy and Summit School is a college preparatory independent day school in St. Paul, Minnesota, for students in grades K–12....
in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and earned both a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1950) and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1951) from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
. He served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant (naval)
LieutenantThe pronunciation of lieutenant is generally split between or , generally in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries, and or , generally associated with the United States. See lieutenant. is a commissioned officer rank in many nations' navies...
in the United States Naval Reserve during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
from 1951 to 1954.
Frenzel served eight years in the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
from 1962 to 1970, prior to serving in the U.S. Congress. He was president of the No. Waterway Terminals Corp. (1965-70) and of Minneapolis Terminal Warehouse Company (1966-1970). He was a member of the executive committee for Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
(1966-1967).
House of Representatives
Frenzel was elected as a Republican to the 92nd92nd United States Congress
The Ninety-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives...
, 93rd
93rd United States Congress
The Ninety-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1973 to January 3, 1975, during the end of Richard...
, 94th
94th United States Congress
The Ninety-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1977, during the administration...
, 95th
95th United States Congress
The Ninety-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1977 to January 3, 1979, during the first two years...
, 96th
96th United States Congress
The Ninety-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1981, during the last two years...
, 97th
97th United States Congress
The Ninety-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...
, 98th
98th United States Congress
The Ninety-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1985, during the third and...
, 99th
99th United States Congress
The Ninety-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1985 to January 3, 1987, during the fifth and sixth...
, 100th
100th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President: George H.W. Bush * President pro tempore: John Stennis - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader, Democratic Conference Chairman, and Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Robert Byrd...
, and 101st congresses
101st United States Congress
The One Hundred First United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1989 to January 3, 1991, during the first two...
, serving from January 3, 1971 to January 3, 1991, and was the ranking Republican
Ranking minority member
In United States politics, the term ranking minority member refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. This position is sometimes referred to as ranking member. On many committees the ranking minority member, along with the chairman,...
on the House Budget Committee and a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
. He was a Congressional Representative to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
(GATT) in Geneva for 15 years. Frenzel became known as an expert in budget and fiscal policy, election law, trade, taxes and congressional procedures, and was a negotiator in the 1990 budget summit. He also served as vice chairman of the Committee on House Administration, and vice chairman of the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. He did not run for re-election to the House in 1990.
Post-Congressional career
Frenzel was chairman of the Ripon SocietyRipon Society
The Ripon Society is an American centrist Republican think tank based in Washington, D.C. They produce The Ripon Forum, the Nation's longest running Republican thought and opinion journal....
, a Republican think-tank, from the 1990s until March 2004. He has been a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
in Washington, DC, since January 1991, and was named director of the Brookings Governmental Affairs Institute on July 18, 1997.
President William J. Clinton appointed Frenzel (1993) to help sell NAFTA.
In 2001, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
appointed him to a commission to study the Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
system, and, in 2002, to the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN), which he chairs. He was interviewed on NPR's All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
, on December 20, 2004, as an advocate of President Bush's plan fpr Social Security privatization.
He is currently chairman of the Pew Commission
The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization , founded in 1948. With over US$5 billion in assets, its current mission is to serve the public interest by "improving public policy, informing the public, and stimulating civic life."-History:The Trusts, a single...
on Children in Foster Care
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
, the Vice Chairman of the Eurasia Foundation
Eurasia Foundation
Eurasia Foundation is a publicly funded, privately managed grantmaker and program implementer working to strengthen civil society, advance private enterprise and promote public policy and administration in the successor states of the former Soviet Union—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,...
, Chairman of the Japan-America Society of Washington, Chairman of the U.S. Steering Committee of the Transatlantic Policy Network, Co-Chairman of the Center for Strategic Tax Reform, Co-Chairman of the Bretton Woods Committee, Co-Chairman of the Committee For A Responsible Federal Budget, a member of the Executive Committee of the Committee on U.S.-China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Relations, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Tax and Investment Center.
He is an alternate board member of the Office of Congressional Ethics
Office of Congressional Ethics
The Office of Congressional Ethics , established by the U.S. House of Representatives in March 2008, is an independent, non-partisan entity charged with reviewing allegations of misconduct against members of the House of Representatives and their staff and, when appropriate, referring matters to...
(as of 2011.)
On political gridlock
Frenzel wrote in 1995:(Checks and Balances, 8)
On the Prevention of Genocide Act
Frenzel took a public stand against the Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988
The Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988 was a United States Senate bill to punish Iraq for chemical weapons attacks on the Kurds at Halabja during the Iran–Iraq War...
, written by Peter W. Galbraith
Peter W. Galbraith
Peter Woodard Galbraith is an author, academic, commentator, policy advisor, and former United States diplomat. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he helped uncover Saddam Hussein's gassing of the Kurds. From 1993 to 1998, he served as the first U.S...
to impose economic sanctions against Iraq for the gassing of the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
city of Halabja
Halabja
Halabja , is a Kurdish town in Northern Iraq, located about north-east of Baghdad and 8–10 miles from the Iranian border....
in northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during the Anfal Campaign of the Iran–Iraq War, in 1988. Frenzel said:
The bill passed the U.S. Senate but in the face of President Reagan's threatened veto, the House adjourned without passing the bill.
Personal
Frenzel and his wife Ruth have three daughters. In 2000, he was awarded the Order of the Rising SunOrder of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, Gold and Silver Star, by the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
. In 2002, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Hamline University
Hamline University
-Red Wing location :Hamline was named in honor of Leonidas Lent Hamline, a bishop of the Methodist Church whose interest in the frontier led him to donate $25,000 toward the building of an institution of higher learning in what was then the territory of Minnesota. Today, a statue of Bishop Hamline...
.
In 1984 The National Coalition for Science and Technology named him a "friend of science."
External links
- the Bill Frenzel Papers, available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society
- Minnesota Legislators Past and Present Biography