25 Facts About Bill Pascrell

The grandson of Italian immigrants, Pascrell was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of Roffie J and William James Pascrell.

Bill Pascrell attended St George's Elementary School, and in 1955 graduated from St John the Baptist High School, where he was elected student council president.

Bill Pascrell served in the United States Army and United States Army reserves.

Bill Pascrell attended Fordham University in New York City and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in philosophy.

Bill Pascrell spent 12 years as a high school teacher in Paramus, New Jersey, teaching several subjects including psychology, before being hired as a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Bill Pascrell was appointed to the Paterson Board of Education, and served as president of the board.

Bill Pascrell served on Passaic County Community College's board of trustees.

Bill Pascrell first ran for elected office in 1987, when he ran for the New Jersey General Assembly seat being vacated by the retiring Vincent O Pellecchia.

Bill Pascrell resigned from the General Assembly in January 1997 in order to take his seat in the House of Representatives; his replacement was Nellie Pou.

Bill Pascrell ran for a second term in 1994 and faced two challengers, his former District 35 rival Martin Barnes and long-standing Sixth Ward councilman and former mayor Tom Rooney.

Bill Pascrell resigned as mayor on January 3,1997, in order to take his congressional seat.

In 1996, Bill Pascrell ran for the Democratic nomination in New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District.

Bill Pascrell raised more money than any other congressional candidate in the nation in 2012, $2.6 million, 10x what Boteach raised.

On October 10,2002, Bill Pascrell was among 81 Democratic House members to vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq.

Bill Pascrell was one of the original members of the Homeland Security Committee, eventually rising to the post of ranking member on the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee.

Bill Pascrell has a particular interest in fire safety, and authored the bill that created the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which gives federal grants directly to all fire departments, including volunteer fire departments, which he calls "the forgotten part of the public safety equation".

Bill Pascrell was a member of the House Transportation Committee, where he worked to modernize roads, bridges, airports and mass transit systems.

Bill Pascrell has secured funding for reconstructing various dangerous New Jersey roads and bridges, including the Route 46 corridor.

Bill Pascrell is an Italian American and has been outspoken about Italian Americans' stereotypical representation in shows such as HBO's The Sopranos.

Bill Pascrell subsequently introduced federal legislation, the "BOSS ACT", to require primary ticket sellers to disclose how many tickets were being held back from sale, prohibit ticket brokers from buying tickets during the first 48 hours on sale, and prohibit primary ticket sellers, promoters, and artists from entering the secondary market.

In October 2008, after the death of a young boy in his district who returned to playing football without having fully recovered from a concussion sustained earlier in the season, Bill Pascrell introduced the Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act, which has been endorsed by the National Football League, the National Football League Players Association, and the Brain Injury Association of America.

Bill Pascrell is the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, which was founded in 2001 and now includes more than 100 members of Congress.

In 1997, Bill Pascrell was one of 77 House Democrats to vote in favor the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

Bill Pascrell voted for the legislation again in 2003, when it was signed into law by President George W Bush.

In 2013, Bill Pascrell voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act despite noting that he has "been against any government funding of abortion" throughout his congressional tenure.