John J. LaFalce

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John J. LaFalce
U.S. Representative, New York
In office January, 1975–2002
Preceded by	Henry P. Smith III
Born	October 6, 1939 Buffalo, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Patricia Fisher

John J. LaFalce (b. October 6, 1939) was a congressman from the state of New York from 1975-2002.

John J. LaFalce was first elected to the 94th United States Congress in 1974 and re-elected to each succeeding Congress through the 107th, serving his Western New York congressional district for 28 years, from 1975-2002. He served as Chairman of the House Small Business Committee from 1987-1994, and as Ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee from 1998-2002. He declined to seek re-election to the 108th Congress.

[edit] Personal Background

John LaFalce was born in Buffalo, New York, on October 6, 1939. He graduated from Public School 49 (1953), Canisius High School (1957), Canisius College (1961), and Villanova University School of Law in 1964. From 1965 to 1967, Rep. LaFalce served in the United States Army during the Vietnam era, leaving active duty with the rank of Captain. He returned from military service to practice law in Western New York with the law firm of Jaeckle, Fleischman and Mugel, and soon became active in public service. In 1970, he ran successfully for the New York State Senate, and in 1972 was elected to the New York State Assembly.

He is married to the former Patricia Fisher and they have one son, Martin, now a student at Georgetown University Law Center.

[edit] Congressional Service

In 1974, at the age of 35, Rep. LaFalce became only the second Democrat, and the first since 1912, to win election to what was then the 36th Congressional District of New York. During his career in the House of Representatives, he served on both the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs (now the Committee on Financial Services). In January 1987, he was elected by the Democratic Caucus as Chairman of the Committee on Small Business, thus becoming the first member of his class (those elected in 1974) to chair a full, standing committee of the House. Following the change in control of Congress in 1994, he continued to play the key role as the Committee's Ranking Democrat. In February 1998, he was elected the Ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee and served in that capacity through 2002.

Preceded by: Henry P. Smith III	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 36th congressional district 1975–1983	Succeeded by: District 36 eliminated after the 1980 Census
Preceded by: George C. Wortley	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 32nd congressional district 1983–1993	Succeeded by: District 32 eliminated after the 1990 Census
Preceded by: Frank Horton	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 29th congressional district 1993–2003	Succeeded by: Amo Houghton