Chaka Fattah
Encyclopedia
Chaka Fattah is the U.S. representative
for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
.
The district includes North Philadelphia
, West Philadelphia
, and a small part of Northeast Philadelphia
and Cheltenham Township
in Montgomery County
.
and the University of Pennsylvania
's Fels Institute of Government
, where he received an MGA
in 1986. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
fraternity.
His parents, David Fattah (born Russell Davenport) and Sister Falaka Fattah (born Frances Brown, also known as Queen Mother Falaka Fattah), are community activists in West Philadelphia, where they are building an "urban Boys' Town" through their organization, the House of Umoja. He has four brothers.
from 1983 to 1988, and as a State Senator
from 1988 to 1994.
Fattah has represented the 2nd district in Pennsylvania, an overwhelmingly Democratic district, in the United States House of Representatives
since 1995.
titled the "Transform America Transaction Fee," (H.R. 3759) which proposed to have the U.S. Treasury conduct a one-year feasibility study of a 1 percent transaction fee imposed on transactions made at any financial institution. He touted the possibility that such a system would bring in so much money it would allow for greatly increased federal spending, saying the "excess funds" would "provide universal health care, support an equitable public school finance system, and fund economic development in urban and rural areas," in addition to extinguishing the national debt and eliminating all other federal taxes. The bill died without becoming law, or even attracting a single co-sponsor. In 2005, Fattah introduced the bill again with H.R. 1601, and again in 2007 with H.R. 2130 which had a single cosponsor, Democratic Rep. Brian Baird
of Washington. Both bills died without any action being taken. In 2009, Fattah introduced a fourth bill to require having a study conducted, H.R. 1703, which attracted no cosponsors. On February 23, 2010, Fattah reincarnated the bill as the "Debt Free America Act," (H.R. 4646) which proposed to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a 1 percent "transaction tax" on every financial transaction — whether paid by cash, credit card or any form of financial transfer, the only exception being transactions involving the purchase or sale of stock. The latest bill places more focus on eliminating the federal debt. Fattah has also added a 1 percent tax credit designed to eliminate the impact of the measure on couples making less than $250,000 a year. As of Sept. 5, 2010, none of the House committees have scheduled any action on the latest bill.
In 2005, Fattah opposed the War in Iraq and supported Congressman John Murtha
's call for troop withdrawal. He publicly supported the “Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act” a bill that called for bringing the troops home within six months and transitioning the Iraqis to self government.
in a 1991 special election for the 2nd district, but later defeated him in the 1994 U.S. House election.
was barred from re-election by term limit
s, amid pressure from Democratic voters to keep his Congressional seat in order to maintain a Philadelphia representative on the powerful Appropriations Committee in the House. His candidacy announcement took place next to the recently-completed Microsoft School of the Future
in the city's Parkside neighborhood to emphasize his campaign platform of better educational opportunities for city youth.
After emerging as a mayoral candidate, Fattah came under fire from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police
for his repeated calls to grant a new trial to Mumia Abu-Jamal
, who was convicted of murdering police officer Daniel Faulkner
in 1981; he also was criticized for possibly unethical campaign spending, based on new campaign finance rules adopted by the city of Philadelphia. The Fattah campaign defended itself, claiming that it had followed less restrictive federal rules in spending the money, but eventually returned a portion of the excess contributions to the exploratory committee
following a settlement with the city's Board of Ethics. Fattah eventually came in fourth in the Democratic primary, close behind fellow Congressman Bob Brady
but well behind former city councilman Michael Nutter, who went on to win the fall general election handily.
for President in 2008.
, a local Philadelphia television news broadcaster on WCAU-TV
(NBC 10). He is the father of three daughters, Frances, Cameron and Chandler, and one son, Chaka Fattah Jr.
His two youngest daughters go to private school.
In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA
list of Best Dressed Legislators, noting his "excellence in haberdashery."
He has also proclaimed that NASA
's voting contest for naming rights for a module
on the International Space Station
should be honored by naming one "Colbert" in honor of TV personality Stephen Colbert
.
Fattah is a Prince Hall Freemason, Scottish Rite.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He previously served in the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
.
The district includes North Philadelphia
North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is immediately north of Center City...
, West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
, and a small part of Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
and Cheltenham Township
Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania
Cheltenham Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1977 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
.
Early life, education and career
Fattah has lived all his life in the city, attending Overbrook High School, the Community College of PhiladelphiaCommunity College of Philadelphia
The Community College of Philadelphia is a community college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The main campus is located at 1700 Spring Garden Street in a building that was the former Philadelphia Mint...
and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
's Fels Institute of Government
Fels Institute of Government
The Fels Institute of Government is the University of Pennsylvania’s graduate program in public policy and public management. Its practical approach to public management education, its Ivy League pedigree and its relatively small size make it one of the nation's leading boutique programs in public...
, where he received an MGA
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...
in 1986. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
fraternity.
His parents, David Fattah (born Russell Davenport) and Sister Falaka Fattah (born Frances Brown, also known as Queen Mother Falaka Fattah), are community activists in West Philadelphia, where they are building an "urban Boys' Town" through their organization, the House of Umoja. He has four brothers.
Pennsylvania Legislature
Fattah served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesPennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
from 1983 to 1988, and as a State Senator
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
from 1988 to 1994.
Committee assignments
- Committee on AppropriationsUnited States House Committee on AppropriationsThe Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States...
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related AgenciesUnited States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related AgenciesThe United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies is a standing committee of the U.S. House subcommittees and is within the United States House Committee on Appropriations.-Members, 112th Congress:...
(Ranking Member) - Subcommittee on Energy and Water DevelopmentUnited States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water DevelopmentThe House Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:* Official page...
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Fattah has represented the 2nd district in Pennsylvania, an overwhelmingly Democratic district, in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
since 1995.
Political positions
In 2004, Fattah introduced a billBill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
titled the "Transform America Transaction Fee," (H.R. 3759) which proposed to have the U.S. Treasury conduct a one-year feasibility study of a 1 percent transaction fee imposed on transactions made at any financial institution. He touted the possibility that such a system would bring in so much money it would allow for greatly increased federal spending, saying the "excess funds" would "provide universal health care, support an equitable public school finance system, and fund economic development in urban and rural areas," in addition to extinguishing the national debt and eliminating all other federal taxes. The bill died without becoming law, or even attracting a single co-sponsor. In 2005, Fattah introduced the bill again with H.R. 1601, and again in 2007 with H.R. 2130 which had a single cosponsor, Democratic Rep. Brian Baird
Brian Baird
Brian Norton Baird is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1999 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district comprises the counties of Thurston, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, and Skamania....
of Washington. Both bills died without any action being taken. In 2009, Fattah introduced a fourth bill to require having a study conducted, H.R. 1703, which attracted no cosponsors. On February 23, 2010, Fattah reincarnated the bill as the "Debt Free America Act," (H.R. 4646) which proposed to repeal the federal income tax and replace it with a 1 percent "transaction tax" on every financial transaction — whether paid by cash, credit card or any form of financial transfer, the only exception being transactions involving the purchase or sale of stock. The latest bill places more focus on eliminating the federal debt. Fattah has also added a 1 percent tax credit designed to eliminate the impact of the measure on couples making less than $250,000 a year. As of Sept. 5, 2010, none of the House committees have scheduled any action on the latest bill.
In 2005, Fattah opposed the War in Iraq and supported Congressman John Murtha
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
's call for troop withdrawal. He publicly supported the “Bring Our Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Act” a bill that called for bringing the troops home within six months and transitioning the Iraqis to self government.
Political campaigns
Fattah unsuccessfully challenged fellow Democrat Lucien E. BlackwellLucien E. Blackwell
Lucien Edward Blackwell was a United States Congressman who represented West Philadelphia and parts of Delaware County, Pennsylvania from 1991 to 1995. He was a Democrat.-Early life:...
in a 1991 special election for the 2nd district, but later defeated him in the 1994 U.S. House election.
2007 mayoral campaign
In November 2006, he declared his candidacy for Mayor of Philadelphia, where two-term incumbent Mayor John F. StreetJohn F. Street
John Franklin Street was the 97th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. He was first elected to a term beginning on January 3, 2000, and was re-elected to a second term beginning in 2004...
was barred from re-election by term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s, amid pressure from Democratic voters to keep his Congressional seat in order to maintain a Philadelphia representative on the powerful Appropriations Committee in the House. His candidacy announcement took place next to the recently-completed Microsoft School of the Future
Microsoft's School of the Future
Microsoft's School of the Future is a collaborative project between the Microsoft Corporation and the School District of Philadelphia. The school opened on September 7, 2006 with 170 freshmen enrolled, expected to be the first graduating class in 2010....
in the city's Parkside neighborhood to emphasize his campaign platform of better educational opportunities for city youth.
After emerging as a mayoral candidate, Fattah came under fire from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police
Fraternal Order of Police
The Fraternal Order of Police is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters , organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge...
for his repeated calls to grant a new trial to Mumia Abu-Jamal
Mumia Abu-Jamal
Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted of the 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner and sentenced to death. He has been described as "perhaps the world's best known death-row inmate", and his sentence is one of the most debated today...
, who was convicted of murdering police officer Daniel Faulkner
Daniel Faulkner
Daniel J. Faulkner was a police officer in the American city of Philadelphia who was shot and killed in the line of duty. Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted of first-degree murder for the shooting and sentenced to death...
in 1981; he also was criticized for possibly unethical campaign spending, based on new campaign finance rules adopted by the city of Philadelphia. The Fattah campaign defended itself, claiming that it had followed less restrictive federal rules in spending the money, but eventually returned a portion of the excess contributions to the exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
following a settlement with the city's Board of Ethics. Fattah eventually came in fourth in the Democratic primary, close behind fellow Congressman Bob Brady
Bob Brady
Robert A. "Bob" Brady is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998, and the ranking Democrat on the United States House Committee on House Administration since 2007...
but well behind former city councilman Michael Nutter, who went on to win the fall general election handily.
2008
Fattah endorsed Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for President in 2008.
2010
Fattah was challenged by Republican Rick Hellberg, the CEO of a small financial firm.Electoral history
- 2008 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (DDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) (inc.), 89% - Chris Kunc (RRepublican 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...
), 11%
- Chaka Fattah (D
- 2007 Democratic Primary for Mayor of Philadelphia
- Michael Nutter 106,805 36.64%
- Tom KnoxTom KnoxTom Knox is an American businessman and politician. He was second in the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Philadelphia on May 15, 2007. He is notable for his pledge to spend up to fifteen million dollars of his own money in the race. After considering a run in 2008 for state treasurer, Knox...
71,731 24.61% - Bob BradyBob BradyRobert A. "Bob" Brady is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1998, and the ranking Democrat on the United States House Committee on House Administration since 2007...
44,474 15.26% - Chaka Fattah 44,301 15.20%
- Dwight EvansDwight E. EvansDwight Evans is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 203rd District . He currently serves as Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman.-Early life and education:...
22,782 7.82% - Totals 291,492 100%
- 2006 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D) (inc.), 89%
- Michael Gessner (R), 9%
- 2004 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D) (inc.), 88%
- Stewart Bolno (R), 12%
- 2002 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D) (inc.), 88%
- Tom Dougherty (R), 12%
- 2000 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D) (inc.), 98%
- Ken Krawchuk (LLibertarian Party (United States)The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
), 2%
- 1998 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D) (inc.), 86%
- Anne Marie Mulligan (R), 14%
- 1996 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D) (inc.), 88%
- Larry Murphy (R), 12%
- 1994 Race for US House
- Chaka Fattah (D), 86%
- Lawrence Watson (R), 14%
Personal life
Fattah has been married twice. His current wife is Renee Chenault-FattahRenee Chenault-Fattah
Renee Chenault-Fattah is the co-anchor of the of WCAU NBC 10 News at 4, 6, and 11 p.m. on weeknights in Philadelphia. She is married to U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah of the 2nd Congressional District of Pennsylvania....
, a local Philadelphia television news broadcaster on WCAU-TV
WCAU
WCAU, channel 10, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. WCAU has its studios on the border between Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 34 from a transmitter in the...
(NBC 10). He is the father of three daughters, Frances, Cameron and Chandler, and one son, Chaka Fattah Jr.
Chaka Fattah Jr.
Chaka Fattah Jr. is an American entrepreneur. Fattah is President of 259 Strategies, LLC, a management consulting firm. In September 2007, Fattah was named one of the Young Entrepreneurs of Rittenhouse Square by Rittenhouse Magazine...
His two youngest daughters go to private school.
In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA
PoliticsPA
- Content :The website focuses on news aggregation, linking to major political news making headlines across the state. The editors write occasional features, like the weekly "Up & Down" scorecard and one-off lists like "Harrisburg's Smartest Staffer" and "Best Dressed Lobbyist" lists...
list of Best Dressed Legislators, noting his "excellence in haberdashery."
He has also proclaimed that NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's voting contest for naming rights for a module
ISS node 3
Tranquility, also known as Node 3, is a module of the International Space Station . ESA and the Italian Space Agency had Tranquility built by Thales Alenia Space. A ceremony on November 20, 2009 transferred ownership of the module to NASA...
on the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
should be honored by naming one "Colbert" in honor of TV personality Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
.
Fattah is a Prince Hall Freemason, Scottish Rite.
External links
- Congressman Chaka Fattah official U.S. House site
- Fattah for Congress official campaign site