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6 Things You Can Thank Late Senator Frank Lautenberg For
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Jun 4, 2013
Modified Jun 4, 2013
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By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Jun 4, 2013
Modified Jun 4, 2013
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Self-made millionaire turned liberal New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg died yesterday at the age of 89. He was the last World War II veteran serving in the Senate, and an unabashed supporter of old-school New Deal liberalism, leaving his mark on public health laws, gun control, and labor policy.
Here are six things you can thank Frank Lautenberg for:
1) That you can't drink until you're 21. Well, it's a little bit of a bummer, but Lautenberg pushed for a higher drinking age when he helped pass the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984.
2) That we know what chemicals companies are releasing into the air. Lautenberg wrote a bill that established the Toxics Release Inventory, which is a publicly available database that tracks toxic chemical releases into the air. This inventory empowered the EPA in its regulation of polluters like nuclear power plants, which were releasing tons of mercury into the atmosphere.
3. That America has a public transportation system. We all agree: it's not the best. But without Lautenberg championing Amtrak, there wouldn't be much of an Amtrak left after Republican efforts to privatize the transportation network and cut its funding. Lautenberg pushed for large infrastructural changes, like the ill-fated ARC tunnel, which his rival Chris Christie, tragically killed.
In a fitting tribute to Lautenberg's devotion to Amtrak, the body of the deceased Senator will be taken to Washington on Amtrak after his Manhattan funeral tomorrow before being buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
4. That perpetrators of domestic violence can't buy guns. Named the "Lautenberg Amendment" after its Senate sponsor, the Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban makes it illegal for people convicted of crimes of domestic violence to buy guns. Lautenberg fought the powerful gun lobby, who has repeatedly tried to overturn the law, and the law still stands, even making it illegal for police officers who have been convicted of DV from carrying a weapon. In fact, for the unfortunate officer who finds themselves terminated not because they committed DV, but because they can no longer carry a weapon, the term is being "Lautenberged."
5. That there's no smoking on airline flights. As a former two-pack-a-day smoker, he led the fight to ban smoking on planes. His response to the tobacco industry was, "My message is to grow soybeans or something else. It's not my message; it's the people's message."
6. There could soon be a new, higher minimum wage. Lautenberg fought on behalf of unions and the working people of America, even breaking with other prominent Democrats on the signing of the industry-gutting North American Free Trade Agreement. To that end, even in his final days, Lautenberg was working on raising the Federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour within three years.
In the meantime, NJ Governor Christie announced there would be an October special election to fill Lautenberg's seat; Democrats are criticizing the move, saying it should be held in November.
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Max Rivlin-Nadler
Max Rivlin-Nadler has been a contributor to Gothamist since 2013. He has also reported for the New York Times, NPR, and The Intercept. His years-long investigation into New York City's arcane civil forfeiture laws led to a series of reforms which altered a practice that had been taking millions from poor communities for decades. Recently, he brought back a surfing habit from a few years on the west coast, and would love to see you all out in the Rockaways.
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