Donald Manzullo (R-IL-16)i

Congressman Donald Manzullo

House links: Donald Manzullo (R-IL-16)i

Campaign links: Donald Manzullo (R-IL-16)i

Donald A. Manzullo

Donald Manzullo Congressional Candidate Illinois District 16

Biography of Donald Manzullo from House.gov

Born: March 24, 1944

Rockford, Illinois

Education: Juris Doctor – Marquette University (1970)

Bachelor of Arts – American University (1967)

Auburn High School – Rockford, Illinois (1962)

Family: Married – Freda Teslik, 1982

Children – Neil, Noel, Katie
Congressman Don Manzullo is a proven, conservative leader in the U.S. House of Representatives focused on cutting wasteful spending, shrinking the role of government in people’s lives, and leading efforts to strengthen U.S. manufacturing to help put Americans back to work.

Manzullo was first elected in 1992 to serve the people of the 16^th Congressional District of Illinois. In the 112^th Congress, Manzullo continues to pursue his agenda to bolster job creation in northern Illinois and strengthen manufacturing in America. He is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific where he works to identify wasteful foreign aid spending and level the playing field for American manufacturers trying to compete overseas. He is also a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, sitting on the two most important subcommittees dealing with our economic recovery, capital markets, banks, and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac reforms.

LONG TIME CONSERVATIVE VOTING RECORD

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Manzullo has maintained a consistent conservative voting record focused on cutting wasteful spending, keeping taxes low, and shrinking the size and reach of government. He is consistently recognized for his efforts to cut spending and taxes by Citizens Against Government Waste, National Taxpayers Union, and Americans for Tax Reform. Manzullo maintains a lifetime 96 percent rating from the American Conservative Union and a lifetime 100 percent rating form the National Right to Life Committee. Manzullo also maintains lifetime grades of “A” from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners for America for his efforts to protect 2^nd Amendment rights.

STRENGTHENING MANUFACTURING IN AMERICA

In 2012, Congressman Manzullo is continuing his mission to strengthen manufacturing in America and create good-paying jobs for the people of northern Illinois and throughout our nation. As Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Manzullo is focusing his efforts on increasing export opportunities for American business owners while pressuring China and other Asian nations to play by the rules of fair trade. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than 40 percent of world population, over 50 percent of world trade, and 60 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. As Chairman of the U.S.-China Interparliamentary Exchange from 1999 to 2006, Manzullo continually engaged China’s leaders on the country’s unfair trade practices, including currency manipulation, piracy and illegal business subsidies. Manzullo continues to co-chair the 80-member House Manufacturing Caucus, which he founded in 2003. Manzullo is also co-Chair of the House Auto Caucus, chair of the U.S. -Canada Interparliamentary Exchange, and a commissioner on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

As Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business from 2001 to 2006, Manzullo held more than 60 hearings on the state of manufacturing in America and introduced numerous pieces of legislation to make U.S. companies more competitive so they can expand and create jobs. Manzullo earned the reputation as Congress’ champion of manufacturing and a fierce advocate for job creation in northern Illinois. His “American Jobs Agenda” is an ongoing action plan focused on helping employers survive, expand and create jobs..

One of the priorities in the plan, encouraging job creation in America, was accomplished in October 2004 when President Bush signed into law the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, which provides a 9 percent tax deduction for manufacturing production in the United States. Manzullo led the fight in Congress to include the domestic manufacturing benefits, which keep jobs in America, and to share them with small businesses. In 2008, Manzullo helped broker an agreement between the U.S. Depts. of State and Commerce over a disputed export control issue that allows U.S. aerospace companies to sell billions of dollars in extra products overseas. For his efforts, Manzullo was awarded prestigious Wings of Liberty Award by the Aerospace Industries Association.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS

In early 2005, Manzullo was instrumental in convincing federal authorities to put a U.S. Customs facility at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport to allow international flights. As a result, passengers can now fly from Rockford to Mexico and the Caribbean. Direct flights from Rockford to Europe have also been discussed.

In his work to promote Rochelle’s intermodal transportation hub and the numerous job opportunities it is creating in Ogle County and beyond, Manzullo was part of the team that convinced Union Pacific to build the $181 million project that transformed the area into a regional distribution center. He fostered an agreement between the Army and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to clean up unexploded ordnance from the 13,000-acre Savanna Army Depot in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties and transform it into a national wildlife refuge area and Bald Eagle nesting site. A portion of the land will be reserved for industrial uses, which will create thousands of jobs in northwestern Illinois.

With more than 5,000 veterans calling Stephenson County home, Manzullo helped convince the Veterans Administration to locate a satellite medical clinic in Freeport. The new clinic, which eliminates the need for veterans to drive to Rockford or Madison, WI for routine medical care, opened in September of 2004. He had previously convinced the VA to open a satellite clinic in McHenry County.

In 2010, Congressman Manzullo held numerous conferences to help local employers increase their business so they can put Americans back to work. He partnered with Boeing and GE Aviation to hold “supplier fairs” to help local manufacturers learn how to get contracts with the two major aerospace companies. He also held a “grants and contracts fair” with several federal agencies to help local employers learn what it takes to do business with the government. Manzullo has also been active in the community-wide effort to lure Embry-Riddle University to build a new college campus in Rockford.

Congressman Manzullo led a massive grass roots effort and met directly with the U.S. Postmaster General in 2006 to convince the U.S. Postal Service to abandon a plan to move Rockford mail processing operations to the already congested Palatine processing center. A consolidation would have caused massive mail delivery delays for residents and business owners within zip codes starting with 610 and 611. The decision to terminate the proposal allows the people in those eight counties of northern Illinois to maintain their excellent, best-in-the-nation postal service.

LOCAL LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES

Congressman Manzullo achieved his number one legislative priority in 2001 when the President signed his legislation into law to help veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome. The legislation was inspired by former Freeport, Illinois resident Dan Steele, a Gulf War veteran who died from the illness in 1999 at age 36. The National Vietnam and Gulf War Veterans Coalition named Manzullo its “Legislator of the Year” in 2001 for his efforts to pass the important legislation. Also in 2001, Congressman Manzullo authored legislation that was signed into law to ease tax reporting requirements that would have cost America’s colleges, universities and trade schools more than $100 million annually.

Manzullo amended the Clean Air Act in 1995, eliminating mandatory carpooling in the Chicagoland area (including McHenry County) and other large cities. The Manzullo amendment made carpooling voluntary while keeping the same high clean air standards. The amendment saves schools, local governments and businesses $1 billion to $2 billion annually in regulatory compliance costs.

Congressman Manzullo also authored a law that forces federally funded family planning clinics to report suspected incidents of child abuse and statutory rape to authorities. Another provision to require those clinics to notify parents before dispensing prescription birth control drugs to young girls was approved in the House but not acted on by the Senate. Manzullo also introduced legislation designed to curb the power of federal judges to raise taxes in state and local governments.

Congressman Manzullo also convinced the United States Navy to stop giving away its deactivated ships to our allies. The Navy now leases or sells these vessels, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue each year.

AWARDS

Congressman Manzullo has been named a “Taxpayer’s Hero” by Citizens Against Government Waste, a “Taxpayer’s Friend” by the National Taxpayers Union, and a “Friend of Agriculture” by the Illinois Agricultural Association. He has also been called “Senior Friendly” by the 60 Plus Association, and he received the “Guardian of Small Business Award” from the National Federation of Independent Business numerous times. He has received several endorsements from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The National Association of Manufacturers has consistently honored him with the “Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence.” He has also received the “True Blue” award from the Family Research Council for his unwavering commitment to family issues, and he has received the National Patriot Legislator Award from the Association for Service Disabled Veterans.

In 2008, the Aerospace Industries Association honored Congressman Manzullo with its prestigious Wings of Liberty award for his efforts to modernize our export control system to help sell more products overseas and create American jobs. Women Impacting Public Policy – the largest bipartisan women’s business group in America – honored Manzullo with its 2005 Congressional Leadership Award for his strong advocacy of women and minority business issues. He was also named Legislator of the Year by the International Franchise Association in 2005, and he received the Champion of Small Business Development by the Association of Small Business Development Centers.

In 2004, he received the Distinguished Community Award from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. In 2002, he was recognized for education leadership by the Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organization and he received the Distinguished Service to Higher Education Award from Northern Illinois University.

Biography of Donald Manzullo from Donald A. Manzullo for Congress

Congressman Don Manzullo is a proven, conservative leader in the U.S. House of Representatives focused on cutting wasteful spending, shrinking the role of government in people’s lives, and leading efforts to strengthen U.S. manufacturing to help put Americans back to work.

Manzullo was first elected in 1992 to serve the people of the 16^th Congressional District of Illinois. In the 112^h Congress, Manzullo continues to pursue his agenda to bolster job creation in northern Illinois and strengthen manufacturing in America. He is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific where he works to identify wasteful foreign aid spending and level the playing field for American manufacturers trying to compete overseas. He is also a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, sitting on the two most important subcommittees dealing with our economic recovery, capital markets, banks, and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac reforms.

Long Time Conservative Voting Record

In November of 2011, Manzullo was endorsed for the March 2012 GOP primary election by Family-PAC Federal of Illinois, the leading pro-family political action committee in Illinois. “Endorsing Don Manzullo for re-election to the United States Congress is one of the easiest choices an organization committed to pro-family values could ever make.” – Paul Caprio, Director of Family-Pac, Illinois.

Strengthening Manufacturing In America

In 2011, Manzullo is continuing his mission to strengthen manufacturing in America and create good-paying jobs for the people of northern Illinois and throughout our nation. As Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Manzullo is focusing his efforts on increasing export opportunities for American business owners while pressuring China and other Asian nations to play by the rules of fair trade. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than 40 percent of world population, over 50 percent of world trade, and 60 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. As Chairman of the U.S.-China Interparliamentary Exchange from 1999 to 2006, Manzullo continually engaged China’s leaders on the country’s unfair trade practices, including currency manipulation, piracy and illegal business subsidies. Manzullo continues to co-chair the 80-member House Manufacturing Caucus, which he founded in 2003. Manzullo is also co-Chair of the House Auto Caucus and chair of the U.S. -Canada Interparliamentary Exchange.
As Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business from 2001 to 2006, Manzullo held more than 60 hearings on the state of manufacturing in America and introduced numerous pieces of legislation to make U.S. companies more competitive so they can expand and create jobs. Manzullo earned the reputation as Congress’ champion of manufacturing and a fierce advocate for job creation in northern Illinois. His “American Jobs Agenda” is an ongoing action plan focused on helping employers survive, expand and create jobs.

Major Accomplishments For Northern Illinois

Local Legislative Victories

Awards

Manzullo, a former family law attorney, lives with his wife, Freda, on a small farm in Egan, IL where they previously raised beef cattle. They have three grown children.