Bernard J. Dwyer

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Bernard James Dwyer (January 24, 1921, Perth Amboy, New Jersey – October 31, 1998, Metuchen, New Jersey) was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as a United States Representative from New Jersey from 1981 to 1993.

Dwyer was born in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey. A Roman Catholic, he attended public elementary and high schools. Dwyer attended Rutgers University-Newark, earning a business degree. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1940 to 1945.

Dwyer's profession was that of an insurance broker. His political career began when he successfully ran for a seat on the Edison, New Jersey Township Council, serving from 1958 to 1969. He was elected as mayor the city that year, serving a single four-year term. Dwyer served as a member of the New Jersey Senate, where he represented the 18th Legislative District from 1974 to 1980.

He was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving in office starting on January 3, 1981, and he served six terms until January 3, 1993. His represented New Jersey's 15th congressional district during his first term, but in redistricting after the 1980 Census, he was shifted to the 6th district.

Dwyer served in Congress until his retirement in 1993. His papers of 1981 to 1992, are stored at the Rutgers University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in New Brunswick, New Jersey, include congressional office files consisting chiefly of documentation accumulated while he was a member of the United States House Committee on Appropriations.

Dwyer died on October 31, 1998, of a heart attack while driving his car in Metuchen, New Jersey. He is buried at St. Gertrude's Cemetery in Colonia, New Jersey.

[edit] External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Bernard James Dwyer at The Political Graveyard
• Bernard James Dwyer at Find A Grave

Preceded by Edward J. Patten	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 15th congressional district 1981–1983	Succeeded by District eliminated
Preceded by Edwin B. Forsythe	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 6th congressional district 1983–1993	Succeeded by Frank Pallone