Robert Menendez: Two Decades in Congress

Robert Menendez, age fifty-nine, divorced with two children, Democrat, and current Senator for the state of New Jersey has served as an elected representative for over thirty-five years; with a career spanning from a position on a Board of Education, to Mayor, to Congressman. Robert Menendez was born on January 1st, 1954 in New York City, a child of two Cuban Immigrants. Shortly after he was born the Menendez family moved out of New York and to Union City, New Jersey where Robert grew up. Graduating from Union Hill High School Robert then attended Saint Peter's College, in New Jersey, where he graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. Robert went on to attend Newark's Rutgers School of Law where he earned his Juris Doctorate in 1979. And in 1980 Menendez was admitted to the New Jersey Bar Association.

Menendez's political career began in 1974 when he was elected to the Union City Board of Education at the age of 20, while still attending Saint Peter's College. In 1986 Menendez was elected Mayor of Union City, this being his second run for the seat with the first in 1982. In November 1987 Menendez was also elected to represent New Jersey's thirty-third district in the state's General Assembly and served in both positions, mayor and representative, at the same time. In March of 1991 Menendez moved from New Jersey's General Assembly to its Senate after winning a special election after the death of the seats previous holder.

In 1992 redistricting in the State of New Jersey lead to the combination of the previous thirteenth and fourteenth Congressional districts into a new thirteenth district, in which a Hispanic majority resided. With the previous Representative of the thirteenth district retiring and the seat open Menendez decided to run. Winning the Democratic primary with sixty-eight percent of the vote Menendez went on to win the general election with sixty-four percent of the popular vote and became the new representative for New Jersey's thirteenth district and would continue to do so until 2006. While in the House of Representatives Menendez supported many policies also supported by his Republican Colleges. Menendez had a pattern for interventionist policies voting for intervention in the Kosovo War, sponsored the Nuclear Proliferation Act of 1998 , designed for preventing Iran from gaining nuclear capabilities, voting for authorizing military action against Afghanistan. Breaking from hawkish pattern described before Menendez did vote against the Iraq Resolution in 2002, which authorized the in invasion of Iraq. Key domestic issues Menendez voted on during his tenure in the House of Representatives include voting for the PATRIOT Act in 2001, and subsequently its reauthorization in 2006. Menendez also supported financial deregulation, supporting the repeal of key provision of the Glass-Steagall Act.

In January of 2006 Jon Corzine resigned from his seat in the Senate after his election to the position of New Jersey Governor. Corzine appointed Menendez to the now vacant position of Senator from New Jersey, and in November 2006 Menendez was elected to the position, and subsequently reelected in 2012. Senator Menendez currently serves on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of which he is the Chairman.

Senator Menendez has championed Immigration Reform during his time in the Senate, introducing, sponsoring, and co-sponsoring many bills related to it. In 2011 Menendez introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2011 which would have overhauled the U.S immigration system, however the bill failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Menendez also introduced the Orphans, Widows, and Widowers Protection Act, which would grant a path to citizenship for the undocumented spouses and children of U.S citizens. The Dream Act  is another piece of legislation with strong support from Senator Menendez. In 2013 Menendez became a member of the "Gang of Eight", which is a bi-partisan group of Senators seeking comprehensive immigration reform.

Senator Menendez's career as both a politician and as a member of Congress stretches back decades. Starting out on a school board Menendez became a mayor, a state congressman, a member of the House of Representatives, and is now a member of the U.S Senate.  Menendez has become a key player in the Senate holding key Committee assignments in the and actively works with both parties to accomplish reforms.