People in the news

Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.)

U.S. Representative (since October 2007)

(Linda Davidson/TWP)

Why She Matters

Although Tsongas was already established in the political world as the wife of former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas (D), since being elected to the same seat in the House as her late husband, she has made an effort to distinguish herself as a lawmaker in her own right.

Tsongas was the first woman from Massachusetts to be elected to the U.S. Congress in 25 years, and just the fourth in state history. In the House, Tsongas has successfully fought to more rapidly produce lighter-weight body armor for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has also worked to provide a support system for Iraqi war veterans.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Elected to Congress by special election (2007-2009); Dean of external affairs, Middlesex Community College, Lowell, Mass. (1997-2007); Attorney; Social worker, New York City Department of Welfare
Birthday: April 26, 1946
Hometown: Lowell, Mass.
Alma Mater: Smith College, bachelor's degree; Boston University Law School
Spouse: Paul Tsongas (deceased)
Religion: Greek Orthodox
Committees: Armed Services ; Budget ; Natural Resources
DC Office: 1607 Longworth House Office Building, 202-225-3411

State/District Office: Acton: 492 Main Street, 978-263-1951; Lowell: 11 Kearney Square, 3rd Floor, 978-459-0101; Lawrence: 305 Essex Street, 4th Floor, 978-681-6200
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Path to Power

Tsongas was born in Chico, Calif., just north of Sacramento, on April 26, 1946. Her father was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and her mother an artist and copywriter.

The eldest of four daughters in a family that lived on air bases in the United States, Europe and Japan, Tsongas says she learned about the ethic of public service and hard work. These experiences instilled in her strong principles that she said influence her career as a congresswoman.

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Tsongas attended Michigan State University for one year before transferring to her alma mater, Smith College. In the summer of 1967, during the break between her junior and senior years at Smith, she met Paul Tsongas. She was interning at an investment bank near Arlington, Va., and Paul was interning with former Massachusetts Rep. Brad Morse. "We knew we were going to get married within a month of meeting one another," Niki Tsongas said.

All in the Family

After graduating from Smith in 1968, Tsongas moved to New York City, where she was a social worker for the City Department of Welfare. She married Paul Tsongas a year later and moved to Lowell, Mass.

The Boston Globe reported on Tsongas' love for her new home. "Tsongas was an Air Force brat, a woman who grew up on three continents and had never seen an old mill town until [her husband] took her to the Merrimack Valley to meet the family. She, too, would come to embrace Lowell, a city that embraced her as well."

In 1974, Paul Tsongas was elected to the House. Four years later, he won a spot in the U.S. Senate. In the fall of 1983, however, he was diagnosed with cancer, and decided not to run for re-election. The couple, along with their two daughters at that time, moved back to Massachusetts from Washington, D.C. Tsongas attended law school at Boston University, while supporting her husband's fight against cancer.

With his cancer in remission, Paul decided to run for president in 1991. Tsongas supported her husband and helped him campaign, though he lost the Democratic Party nomination to Bill Clinton. In 1996, Paul's cancer resurfaced. He died on Jan. 18, 1997, due to liver failure and pneumonia.

On Her Own

Inspired by her husband's devotion to public service, Tsongas continued to serve as a community leader in Lowell. She was also involved with several corporate and non-profit boards. In 2001, then-Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.) appointed Tsongas as the head of a foundation to fund education for children who lost parents in the 9/11 attacks.

In 2007, Meehan resigned from his House seat to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, prompting Tsongas to jump into the 5th district special election to replace him. She ran against Republican Jim Ogonowski, and won with 51 percent of the vote in a reliably Democratic district.

Ogonowski was critical of Tsongas' idealism and inexperience. "[Niki] represents more of the same, tired Washington that continues to fail us," the former lieutenant colonel was quoted as saying. "She calls herself a Washington insider, claiming to know how Washington works. I think Washington has stopped working for the American people and we should not send someone to Congress who thinks a broken system works."

Even though the local paper's stance more often aligned with Ogonowski's positions on issues, the Lowell Sun endorsed Tsongas in the special election.

"Based on her experience, dedication and deep understanding of the 5th District as a whole, we think voters should support Niki Tsongas," its editorial said. "We believe Tsongas has exhibited a willingness to listen to divergent opinions, seek compromises and find consensus. We find her willingness to change the partisan bickering in Washington refreshing."

The Issues

Tsongas' district has a rich military history and a multi-generational tradition of service in the armed forces. There are also several defense contractors in the 5th, including Raytheon, Polartec, Triton Systems, Black i Robotics and American Superconductor, which provide mission support, technology and equipment.

Thus, Tsongas has focused on defense issues such as providing U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with equipment and support. Tsongas sponsored legislation that aimed to provide lighterweight body armor to troops in the Middle East, as well as mental-health services to Iraqi veterans.

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As a tribute to her late husband, Tsongas requested a seat on the House Budget Committee, where she could influence the fight to restore balanced budgets and pay-as-you-go rules that require all spending increases and tax cuts to be offset. Tsongas' husband fought for curbing deficit spending while in government, and helped found The Concord Coalition, a bipartisan interest group that championed balanced federal budgets.

Tsongas wanted to serve on the Natural Resources Committee because of the impact its jurisdiction would have on her district's parks, reserach institutes and businesses. She sponsored legislation that would expand the Minute Man National Historic Park in Massachusetts.

Tsongas supports abortion rights, same-sex marriage and a pathway for illegal immigrants to earn U.S. citizenship.

Health-Care Reform

Tsongas supported the public option in the House Democrats' 2009 health-care plan, and requiring every individual to carry health insurance via mandates. In September 2009, aides were reluctant to state her position on non-profit co-operatives and market-driven reforms, saying it was too early to know what her constituents wanted.

"Congresswoman Tsongas supports the choice of a public option that competes on a level playing field against private insurance companies, and helps to control costs in the health care system," her spokesman, John Noble, wrote in an email.

"With millions of dollars being provided to Americans in the form of subsidies to buy insurance, and an individual mandate to do so, it is critical that an inexpensive, reliable plan such as the public option is made available, particularly in many parts of our country where there is no choice today. She also supports individual mandates."

Defense

Tsongas said she supports withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq on a fixed timeline. "Let's get to work on bringing an end to this war," the Boston Globe quoted Tsongas as saying. "The time is now to set a timetable for withdrawal of our brave servicemen and women from Iraq."

Tsongas visited the troops there in January 2008 and again in April 2009.

"No matter how many stories we read in the paper ... there's nothing like seeing those places firsthand and hearing firsthand from those who are experiencing this very grave situation," Tsongas said.

Tsongas supports better equipment for U.S. military forces in the Middle East. She has authored successful language that would benefit U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I am particularly pleased H.R. 2647 includes legislation I introduced earlier this year which would accelerate the development of lighter weight body armor for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Tsongas.

"By devoting specific accounts to body armor development and procurement, we can more easily address shortcomings with the current body armor program and promote the development of body armor that is best suited to protecting our soldiers against current threats."

The Network

Tsongas has a political friendship with former Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.), whose seat she now holds. She also has ties to former President Bill Clinton, who rallied supporters for her during the 2007 special election.

She is part of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and has worked with Northeastern lawmakers on issues of local importance.

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