Charles Rangel
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 15th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1971
Preceded by	Adam Clayton Powell
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Alma Rangel

Charles Bernard "Charlie" Rangel (born June 11, 1930) is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1971, representing the Fifteenth Congressional District of New York (map) Rangel's district, the smallest in the country in geographic size, encompasses Upper Manhattan and includes such neighborhoods as Harlem, Spanish Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, and part of the Upper West Side, as well as a small portion of Queens in the neighborhood of Astoria. In January 2007, he became chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He is the first African-American to chair the committee. Rangel earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in the Korean War.

Early life

Charles Rangel was born in Brooklyn in New York City. His family was Roman Catholic. His father left the family when he was six years old; his mother worked as a maid and as a seamstress in a factory. Rangel attended DeWitt Clinton High School but dropped out at age 16 during his junior year and worked in various jobs.^[1]

Rangel then enlisted in the United States Army, and served from 1948 to 1952. During the Korean War, he was a sergeant in the all-black 503rd Field Artillery Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Division. In late November 1950, this unit was caught up in heavy fighting in North Korea as part of the U.N. forces retreat from the Yalu River. In the Battle of Kunu-Ri, Rangel led some 40 men from his unit, during three days of freezing weather, out of a Chinese Army encirclement; nearly half of the battalion was killed in the overall battle.^[2] Rangel was awarded a Purple Heart for a shrapnel wound to his foot and the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for his actions in the face of death. In 2000, Rangel reflected with CBS News that "Since Kunu Ri — and I mean it with all my heart, I have never, never had a bad day."^[3]

After an honorable discharge from the Army, Rangel returned to finish high school, completing two years of studies in one year and graduating in 1953. Rangel then received a B.S. from the New York University School of Commerce in 1957 and, on full scholarship, obtained a degree in Law from St. John's University in 1960.^[4]

Rangel is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-Americans. He is a member of the fraternity's World Policy Council, a think tank whose purpose is to expand Alpha Phi Alpha's involvement in politics and social and current policy to encompass international concerns.^[5]

After graduating law school, Rangel passed the state bar exam and worked in private practice for a year. Rangel was then appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York working under then U.S. Attorney Robert Morgenthau.

Political career

Rangel was elected to and served in the New York State Assembly from 1966 to 1970, representing the 72nd Legislative District in Central Harlem. In 1970 he ran for election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating long-time Congressman Adam Clayton Powell in the Democratic primary and then winning the general election. He has won re-election every two years since, often with over 90% of the vote.^[6] His district was numbered the Eighteenth District from 1971 to 1973; the Nineteenth District from 1973 to 1983; and the Sixteenth District from 1983 to 1993.

In Congress, Rangel's first committee assignment was on the House Judiciary Committee where he participated in the impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon.

Rangel co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus, where he has also served as chairman, and of which he continues to be a member.

In late 1998, when longtime New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan announced his retirement, Rangel was one of the first to advocate that then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton move to New York and run for the seat, which she did successfully.

In August 2006, Rangel had stated he would resign his seat if the Democrats did not take the House that November, which they did.^[7]

As of January 2007, Rangel is the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means and Chairman of the Board of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He is currently the fourth-longest serving Democratic House member, behind John Dingell, John Conyers and Dave Obey.

Rangel and his wife Alma live in Harlem. They have two children, Steven and Alicia, and at least one grandchild.

Political views

Rangel is generally thought of as an ideologically committed liberal, but also someone who can be a pragmatic deal-maker. In particular, he is known for support of free trade agreements.^[6]

The draft

Rangel has repeatedly called for the government to bring back the draft. According to Rangel, "There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way." ^{[citation needed]}

He has also argued that reinstating the draft is a way to make the military more representative of the American public at large. "A disproportionate number of the poor and members of minority groups make up the enlisted ranks of the military, while most priv­ileged Americans are underrepresented or absent."^[8]

In 2003, Rangel introduced HR 163; legislation that would draft both men and women between the ages of 18-26 starting as early as June 2005. It was defeated 402-2 the following year in the House of Representatives, with Rangel voting against his own bill.^[9]

In November 2006, he outlined his proposed bill to reinstate the draft. The bill, H.R. 393 (2007), if passed, would require a draft of all men and women in the United States between the ages of 18-42. Polls show 70% of Americans oppose a reinstatement of the draft.^[10] In an interview on Face the Nation, Rangel emphasized that people could fulfill their draft obligations through non-military services, such as port and airline security.^[11]

Human and civil rights actions

Rangel is also noteworthy for his willingness to risk arrest for participating in political protests.

In the 1980s, Rangel was arrested for participating in an anti-apartheid rally in front of the South African Embassy in Washington.^[12]

On March 15, 1999, Congressman Rangel was arrested along with two other prominent African-American leaders (civil rights activist Al Sharpton and former Mayor David Dinkins), for protesting the fatal shooting of Amadou Diallo, an African-American, by four white New York City police officers.^[13]

On July 13, 2004, he was the first of three sitting US House members to be arrested on trespassing charges, for protesting alleged human rights abuses in Sudan in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington. Later in the week of July 13, 2004, Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois and Congressman Joe Hoeffel of Pennsylvania were also arrested there.

Controversies

On September 22, 2005, Rangel compared Republican President George W. Bush to Bull Connor, the former Public Safety Commissioner of Birmingham, Alabama, stating: "George Bush is our Bull Connor." In response, Vice President Dick Cheney, during an interview on the Rush Limbaugh radio program on October 3, 2005, stated: "I'm frankly surprised at his comments. It almost struck me — they were so out of line, it almost struck me that there was some — Charlie was having some problem. Charlie is losing it, I guess." Rangel responded by saying, "The fact that he would make a crack at my age, he ought to be ashamed of himself...He should look so good at 75."^[14]

Along with John Conyers, in April 2006 Rangel brought an action against George W. Bush and others alleging violations of the Constitution in the passing of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005^[15]. The case (Conyers v. Bush) was ultimately dismissed^[16].

In response to Hugo Chávez addressing the UN General Assembly on September 20, 2006 and implying that Bush was the devil, Rangel said, "I want President Chávez to please understand that even though many people in the United States are critical of our president that we resent the fact that he would come to the United States and criticize President Bush... you don't come into my country, you don't come into my congressional district and you don't condemn my president."^[17]

Rangel again expressed his displeasure with Vice-President Cheney on October 30, 2006, by opining that Cheney is "a real son of a bitch" who "enjoys a confrontation." He also suggested that Cheney requires professional treatment for mental defects.^[18]

On November 9, 2006, Rangel, in announcing some of his plans as new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he planned to push more funds into his home state of New York. He added to this, "Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?" Mississippi Rep. Chip Pickering demanded an apology and Rangel issued a statement declaring: "I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I just love New York so much that I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want to live here."^[19]

On November 26, 2006, appearing on the television show Fox News Sunday, Rangel stated: "If a young fellow has an option of having a decent career, or joining the Army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq".^[20]

During the China-U.S trade talks of March 2007, Rangel and Louisiana Republican Jim McCrery committed a gaffe when they accidentally insulted the Republic of China by referring to the People's Republic of China's Vice Premier, Wu Yi, as the Vice Premier of the The Republic of China in a letter. The Republic of China is a name for the self-ruling government on the island of Taiwan, which the PRC considers a rogue province.^[21]

Rangel has been harshly criticized by advocates of responsible trade for his support of the Peru and Panama Free Trade Agreements negotiated by the United States Trade Representative under President Bush. On October 1, 2007, the New York City People's Referendum on Free Trade held a protest at his Harlem office, accusing him of killing people with AIDS, displacing small farmers and indigenous people, increasing cocaine production, driving forced immigration, destroying the Peruvian Amazon, and promoting factory farm expansion with this support of the Peru agreement.

In October 2007, Charlie Rangel criticized Republican candidate Rudolph Giuliani's personal life during an interview from Wolf Blitzer on CNN. Rangel stated "Two people, six spouses. It's a little complicated if you're not religious, especially if you're running against a Mormon,". Rangel's comment was perceived by some^{[citation needed]} as an attack on the Mormon religion, hinting that they still practice polygamy (which has not been a mainstream Mormon practice for over 100 years), and brought about criticism and demands for an apology. Rangel apologized for his statement. According to a congressional press release, he said "I was recently quoted being very critical of Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s personal life. I wish I could say those comments were taken out of context, but I cannot. I apologize to him and his family.”^[22]

Legislation sponsored by Rangel

• HR 163 (2003)
• HR 4752 (2006) Universal National Service Act of 2006
• HR 393 (2007) Universal National Service Act of 2007
• HR 623 (2007)
• HR 818 (2007) Ex-Offender Voting Rights Act of 2007*
• [1]

See also

• List of Korean War veterans who are recipients of the Bronze Star

References

External links

• U.S. Congressman Charles B. Rangel official House site
• United States Congress. "Charles Rangel (id: r000053)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Federal Election Commission – Charles B. Rangel campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues – Chuck Rangel issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org – Charlie Rangel campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart – Representative Charles B. 'Charlie' Rangel (NY) profile
• Washington Post – Congress Votes Database: Charlie Rangel voting record
• Charlie Rangel for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• National Visionary Leadership Project – Charles Rangel biography and video interview excerpts