Dante Fascell

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Dante Bruno Fascell (March 9, 1917 – November 28, 1998) served an American politician from the state of Florida.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Early life

Fascell, born in Bridgehampton, New York in 1917, moved to Florida in 1925. He graduated from the University of Miami law school in 1938. While a University of Miami law student, Fascell was inducted him into the prestigious Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor awarded at the university.

While attending the University of Miami, Fascell was a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Fascell served in the Florida National Guard during World War II, serving in the African, Sicilian, and Italian Campaigns.

[edit] Political career

Fascell's constituents elected him to the Florida House of Representatives in 1950. In 1954 he was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat in a district representing Dade County, Florida. Fascell refused to sign the Southern Manifesto in 1956. Fascell began as a supporter of the Vietnam War, but he soon spoke out against the war. Fascell cosponsored the War Powers Act of 1973 and he won aid for Cuban-Americans who had settled in his district. He served as the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee from 1984 to 1993.^{[citation needed]} He worked to repeal the Clark Amendment, allowing the U.S. government to send aid to UNITA rebels in Angola, as a partner in the Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly lobbying firm.^[1]

Fascell worked to champion the creation of Biscayne National Park, south of Miami. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. The visitor center in the park is named after Representative Fascell.

Fascell retired from the House after his 19th term ended in 1993. He died from colorectal cancer five years later, in 1998, at the age of 81.

Preceded by William C. Lantaff	United States Representative for the 4th Congressional District of Florida 1955–1967	Succeeded by Albert S. Herlong, Jr.
Preceded by William C. Cramer	United States Representative for the 12th Congressional District of Florida 1967–1973	Succeeded by J. Herbert Burke
Preceded by District Created	United States Representative for the 15th Congressional District of Florida 1973–1983	Succeeded by E. Clay Shaw, Jr.
Preceded by District Created	United States Representative for the 19th Congressional District of Florida 1983–1993	Succeeded by Harry Johnston

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Dante Fascell biography at U.S. Congress Web Site.