Congressman Barney Frank Archives Collection

Barnett "Barney" Frank was born March 31, 1940, and grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey. He graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and worked as Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Kevin White for 3 years (1968-1971) and Administrative Assistant to Congressman Michael J. Harrington for one year He was elected in 1972 to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he served for eight years. In 1980 he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 4th congressional district and won, succeeding Father Robert Drinan. In 1982 his district was redistricted and Frank was challenged by incumbent Margaret Heckler. He won that election after a heated campaign, and went on after that to serve 14 more terms in Congress, for a total of 16, from 1981-2013. Frank is best known for his role as chair of the House Financial Serivces Committee, which passed sweeping legislation in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Pub.L. 111-203, H.R. 4173)in 2010. He has also been outspoken on issues of civil rights, including lesbian, gay and transgender rights, affordable housing, and regulation of the fishing industry. He retired in 2013.