Dan Rostenkowski

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Daniel David Rostenkowski (January 2, 1928 – August 11, 2010) was an American politician and convicted felon, most known for his 36-year tenure as a U.S. representative from Illinois, from 1959 to 1995. He became one of the most powerful legislators in Congress, especially in matters of taxation. He was imprisoned in 1996. A Democrat and son of a Chicago alderman, Rostenkowski was for many years Democratic Committeeman of Chicago's 32nd Ward, retaining this position while also serving in Congress. In national politics, he rose by virtue of seniority to the rank of Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in 1981, a role he held until 1994. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he played a critical role in formulating tax policy during the Republican administration of Ronald Reagan, including the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, which cut the top federal bracket to 50%, and the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which further lowered it to 28% and reduced the number of brackets to only...

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