Congressman Barney Frank
Massachusetts 4th Congressional District
Congressman Barney Frank, representative of his district since 1981, is the most prominent openly gay politician in the United States and is known for his witty candor and his dedication to liberal causes.
Frank had been in Washington six years before he “came out� to his colleagues and the nation in 1987. Frank’s constituency has voted him back into office 12 times. Most recently he has introduced legislation that would allow unmarried federal government employees to apply for benefits for their domestic partners.
As a Jewish American, Frank believes in making a commitment to achieving peace in the Middle East that will fully protect Israel’s right to exist as a secure, Jewish democratic state. He also supports direct aid to the Palestinian Authority.
As the senior Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, Frank’s big issues include the GSE bill and housing policy generally, predatory lending, OCC preemption, data security and consumer protection.
Prior to the U.S. Congress, Frank was a Massachusetts State Representative and an assistant to the Mayor of Boston. He has also taught at several Boston area universities. Frank received a BA and his JD from Harvard University.