| The Honorable Rosa DeLauro |
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|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 3rd district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Bruce Morrison |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rosa Luisa DeLauro March 2, 1943 New Haven, Connecticut |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Stan Greenberg |
| Residence | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Alma mater | Marymount College, Columbia University, London School of Economics |
| Occupation | Political assistant, nonprofit program coordinator |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Rosa Luisa DeLauro[1] (born March 2, 1943) is the U.S. Representative for Connecticut's 3rd congressional district, serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in New Haven, and includes most of that city's suburbs.
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DeLauro was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the daughter of Luisa "Louise" (née Canestri) and Theodore J. "Ted" DeLauro. All of her grandparents were Italian immigrants.[2] She earned her high school diploma from The Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall in Milford, Connecticut. She earned a bachelor's degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, as well as separate master's degrees from the London School of Economics and Columbia University.
DeLauro worked as an administrative assistant and chief of staff for Senator Chris Dodd and executive director of EMILY's List before entering the House.
In 1990, four-term incumbent Democrat U.S. Congressman Bruce Morrison of Connecticut's 3rd congressional district decided to retire to run for governor of Connecticut. She ran for the open seat and defeated Republican State Senator Thomas Scott 52%-48%.[3] After that she never won re-election with less than 63% of the vote.[4]
In the 2006 election she was re-elected to a ninth term, defeating Republican challenger Joseph Vollano with 76% of the vote.[5]
She won re-election to her tenth term with 77% of the vote.[6] The top campaign contribution to DeLauro in 2007-2008 was $14,600 from employees of United Technologies.
DeLauro won re-election to her eleventh term with 65% of the vote against Connecticut Republican Party treasurer Jerry Labriola Jr.[7] [8]
DeLauro is one of the most Progressive members of the House. She is a founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Rosa DeLauro is active on health policy issues, particularly women's health. She has introduced numerous bills aimed at improving cancer treatment and research and women's health policies. As chair of the appropriations subcommittee that funds the Food and Drug Administration, she has been an outspoken critic of that agency's failures to protect the public from unsafe foods and medical products.
On October 3, 2008, DeLauro voted a second time in the House in favor the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to help stabilize an economic crisis.[9] She worked to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. She has urged politicians to be "big thinkers" on the issue of universal health care.[10]
DeLauro was strongly critical of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which places limits on taxpayer-funded abortions in the context of the November 2009 Affordable Health Care for America Act.
The Wall Street Journal reported on December 17, 2008, that DeLauro was "a top contender" for the position of Labor Secretary in the Obama administration.[11] However, President-elect Obama announced the nomination of fellow congresswoman Hilda Solis for the position on December 19.[12]
In May 2006, she was linked in press reports to U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd's potential bid for President in 2008. On February 2, 2008, DeLauro endorsed Illinois Senator Barack Obama for President at her home in New Haven, Connecticut.[13]
DeLauro is pro-choice. She supports the availability of abortions in the case of incest, rape, as well as when the woman is endangered. Additionally, representative DeLauro supports the use of federal subsidies for abortion procedures. In 2006 DeLauro voted against HR 6099, a bill that would require abortion providers to follow specific procedures and formalities before performing abortions. She also voted no in 2006 on a bill that makes the transportation of pregnant women under the age of 18 across state lines in order to obtain an abortion illegal. [14]
She strongly supports and has consistently voted for increased gun control in the United States. In 2006 she voted against the Trigger Lock Amendment that ends the use of funds from the Commerce Department FY2007 Appropriation bill to enforce laws requiring guns to be sold with locks.[15] Additionally, DeLauro voted in 1999 to increase the amount of time given to perform background checks from 24 hours to 72 hours.[16] Earlier, in 1998 she voted to increase the minimum gun crime sentence.[17]
In June 2010 representative DeLauro voted in favor of a bill for new disclosure requirements for political advertising. She voted against the 527 Reform Act of 2005, an act that put an end to party spending limits for candidates during general elections and again against the 527 Reform Act of 2006. DeLauro also helped to pass the Lobbying and Donation Regulations bill that put in place new regulations about lobbyists and donations for Congress members.
In 2002 DeLauro voted for the Help America Vote Act of 2002. This act provided, from Federal funds, $3.9 billion to modernize technology and create new programs to reach a higher standard and to make voting an easier process for disabled citizens, military personnel, citizens living abroad, and first-time voters without valid identification. Once again in 2006 representative DeLauro voted to simplify the voting process by casting her vote against the Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 that required voters to show a government-issued photo identification before voting.[18]
DeLauro recently sponsored the Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2010 (H.R. 5462). This bill allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a birth defects prevention, risk reduction, and awareness program that will cost Americans less than one dollar from 2011 to 2015. The program will increase awareness about pregnancy and breastfeeding by starting a nationwide media campaign and provide grants for research on certain exposures that effect pregnancy and breastfed infants. Most recently, on the fifteenth of November, 2010, this bill was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, labor, and Pensions.[19]
DeLauro introduced HR 875,[20] The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009. This legislation is aimed at reforming the food safety responsibilities handled by the FDA. The introduction of this bill represents a potential conflict of interest, because of her husband's, Stanley Greenberg, current relation to agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto.[21]
In August 2011 the 3rd District suffered extreme damage when Hurricane Irene made landfall along the Connecticut coastline. Numerous homes were destroyed in East Haven [22] and other shore communities and the vast majority of Connecticut residents lost power for many days.[23] At the time Hurricane Irene hit the state and during the immediate aftermath, DeLauro was vacationing along Italy's Amalfi Coast and was not anticipated to return to the state until 5 days after the storm had passed. [24] A Hartford Courant column rated DeLauro's storm response an "F"[25] Nonetheless, DeLauro told the New Haven Register she had "no apology for taking a vacation" and being out of state during the storm. [26]
DeLauro is married to political strategist Stan Greenberg. They are close friends with former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
DeLauro is one of the fifty richest members of Congress [27]
She is an honorary board member of the National Organization of Italian American Women. She is a leader in the group Catholic Democrats,[28] which is a pro-choice organization.
In May 2010, DeLauro became a brief internet sensation after the popularization of a website highlighting her allegedly Hipster wardrobe choices. Several news services picked up the story, eventually leading DeLauro to admit that while she had visited the site, she disagreed with its premise.[29][30]
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bruce Morrison |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 3rd congressional district 1991–present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Dave Camp R-Michigan |
United States Representatives by seniority 57th |
Succeeded by Jim Moran D-Virginia |
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