Helen Delich Bentley
Encyclopedia
Helen Delich Bentley is an American politician and a former Republican
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Maryland
(1985–95).
and George Washington University
, and earned a BA from the University of Missouri
in 1944. She was a maritime reporter and editor of The Baltimore Sun
and served on the Federal Maritime Commission
from 1969 to 1975. Beginning in 1950, while writing for the Sun, she also hosted a local Baltimore TV program on WMAR, The Port That Built A City, presenting maritime and transportation-related news. Later retitled The Port That Built a City and State, the series was produced by Bentley until 1965 and included then-novel live remotes
from the decks of ships in Baltimore harbor during the early years of television.
Bentley was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 97th
and 98th Congress
es in 1980 and 1982, respectively. She was elected as a Republican to the 99th Congress
in 1984, and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1985, to January 3, 1995. During her time in office, Bentley was a strong advocate for protectionist trade policies in support of U.S. manufacturing and the U.S. Merchant Marine fleet.
Being of Serbian
origin, she was known to be sympathetic towards Serbians
during the civil war in Yugoslavia
in the 1990s, and opposed U.S. military involvement in that conflict. A member of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Bentley was recognized by her colleagues as a leading expert on federal maritime policy.
In August 1987, she was the sponsor for the commissioning of the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) at Lockheed Shipyards in Seattle, Washington. During the commissioning and events leading up to it, she repeatedly called the ship's captain, CDR George S. "Dusty" Rhodes, "skipper", much to his annoyance and the wardroom's enjoyment.
She was not a candidate for reelection to the 104th Congress
in 1994, but was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination for Governor of Maryland
. Despite the endorsement from the incumbent Democratic
governor William Donald Schaefer
, she was defeated in the Republican primary by the more conservative Ellen Sauerbrey
. Bentley was then an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 108th Congress
in 2002, losing to then-Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.
Before and since that time she has been an active businesswoman and lobbyist as the president and CEO of Helen Delich Bentley & Associates, Inc., and also as an international trade, business and government consultant. She also is a consultant for the Maryland Port Administration, Port of Baltimore, which was renamed in June 2006 by then-Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. as the "Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore." She also currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Baltimore Museum of Industry
.
Bentley was married to William Roy Bentley, who died in 2003 from a stroke. The couple had no children.
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...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(1985–95).
Life and career
Bentley is of Serbian descent. She attended the University of NevadaUniversity of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
and George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, and earned a BA from the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in 1944. She was a maritime reporter and editor of The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
and served on the Federal Maritime Commission
Federal Maritime Commission
The United States Federal Maritime Commission is an independent federal agency, based in Washington D.C., responsible for the regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign commerce of the U.S.-Mission:The FMC:...
from 1969 to 1975. Beginning in 1950, while writing for the Sun, she also hosted a local Baltimore TV program on WMAR, The Port That Built A City, presenting maritime and transportation-related news. Later retitled The Port That Built a City and State, the series was produced by Bentley until 1965 and included then-novel live remotes
Remote broadcast
In broadcast engineering, a remote broadcast is broadcasting done from a location away from a formal television studio and is considered an electronic field production . A remote pickup unit is usually used to transmit the audio and/or video back to the television station, where it joins the...
from the decks of ships in Baltimore harbor during the early years of television.
Bentley was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 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...
and 98th Congress
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...
es in 1980 and 1982, respectively. She was elected as a Republican to the 99th Congress
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...
in 1984, and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1985, to January 3, 1995. During her time in office, Bentley was a strong advocate for protectionist trade policies in support of U.S. manufacturing and the U.S. Merchant Marine fleet.
Being of Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
origin, she was known to be sympathetic towards Serbians
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
during the civil war in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in the 1990s, and opposed U.S. military involvement in that conflict. A member of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Bentley was recognized by her colleagues as a leading expert on federal maritime policy.
In August 1987, she was the sponsor for the commissioning of the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) at Lockheed Shipyards in Seattle, Washington. During the commissioning and events leading up to it, she repeatedly called the ship's captain, CDR George S. "Dusty" Rhodes, "skipper", much to his annoyance and the wardroom's enjoyment.
She was not a candidate for reelection to the 104th Congress
104th United States Congress
The One Hundred 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, 1995 to January 3, 1997, during the third and...
in 1994, but was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination for Governor of Maryland
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
. Despite the endorsement from the incumbent Democratic
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...
governor William Donald Schaefer
William Donald Schaefer
William Donald Schaefer was an American politician who served in public office for 50 years at both the state and local level in Maryland. A Democrat, he was mayor of Baltimore from 1971 to 1987, the 58th Governor of Maryland from January 21, 1987 to January 18, 1995, and the Comptroller of...
, she was defeated in the Republican primary by the more conservative Ellen Sauerbrey
Ellen Sauerbrey
Ellen Sauerbrey is an American politician from Maryland and the former head of the United States Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. She was nominated to the Bureau in September 2005 by President George W. Bush. On January 4, 2006, Bush placed her in office by way...
. Bentley was then an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 108th Congress
108th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's...
in 2002, losing to then-Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.
Before and since that time she has been an active businesswoman and lobbyist as the president and CEO of Helen Delich Bentley & Associates, Inc., and also as an international trade, business and government consultant. She also is a consultant for the Maryland Port Administration, Port of Baltimore, which was renamed in June 2006 by then-Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. as the "Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore." She also currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Baltimore Museum of Industry
Baltimore Museum of Industry
Baltimore Museum of Industry is a museum at Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Located in an old cannery, the museum has exhibits on various types of manufacturing and industry from the early 20th century...
.
Bentley was married to William Roy Bentley, who died in 2003 from a stroke. The couple had no children.