30 Facts About Bruce Morrison

Bruce Andrew Morrison was born on October 8,1944 and is an American attorney, lobbyist and Democratic Party politician who represented Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991.

Bruce Morrison has been an advocate for Irish-American causes and American involvement in the Irish peace process, including acting as a key intermediary between Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and President Bill Clinton.

Bruce Morrison attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and graduated in three years in 1965 with a degree in chemistry.

Bruce Morrison received a master's degree in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1970.

Bruce Morrison was elected and re-elected as the first chairman of the group.

Bruce Morrison received a JD from Yale Law School in 1973.

In June 1973, Bruce Morrison became a staff attorney with New Haven Legal Assistance Association, one of the earliest programs to provide civil legal services to the poor.

Bruce Morrison was promoted to managing attorney a year late and became executive director in 1976.

Bruce Morrison was lead counsel in numerous successful class action cases based on federal Constitutional and statutory claims.

Bruce Morrison repeatedly argued in the Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts.

Bruce Morrison lobbied on behalf of low income clients in the Connecticut legislature and helped draft landmark Landlord-Tenant reform legislation.

Bruce Morrison advocated for these programs before the federal Legal Services Corporationa and the Congress, including the successful campaign that prevented the defunding of legal services proposed by President Ronald Reagan.

In 1982, Bruce Morrison mounted a successful grass roots campaign for Congress in.

Bruce Morrison defeated the party-endorsed Democrat in a primary and then defeated Republican incumbent Larry DeNardis by 1,687 votes in the general election.

Bruce Morrison was the first chairman of the Freshman Democratic Caucus of the 98th Congress.

Bruce Morrison was selected to serve on the House Banking Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, as well as the Veterans Affairs and DC Committees, and the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.

Bruce Morrison was an expert on housing issues and authored numerous amendments to improve housing opportunities for the poor.

Bruce Morrison was a leader in efforts to reduce deficits and balance the federal budget.

Bruce Morrison was the Democratic sponsor of floor amendments to freeze spending in 1984 and 1985.

Bruce Morrison was the House author of the Immigration Act of 1990, one of only two major immigration bills in the country's history to increase legal immigration.

In 1992, Bruce Morrison supported Bill Clinton's campaign by forming Irish Americans for Clinton-Gore, which recruited Clinton to support an activist agenda to assist in ending the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Bruce Morrison formed the Americans for a New Irish Agenda to support and encourage these efforts.

Bruce Morrison continued to play an active role in the Peace Process throughout the 1990s and conducted negotiations leading to the renewed IRA ceasefire in 1997.

Bruce Morrison's work included the successful advocacy of the passage of the Federal Home Loan Bank Modernization Act of 1999, a bi-partisan effort which provided for new powers for the Banks, devolution of management, and a modern risk-based capital structure.

Bruce Morrison represented the Irish community on the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee, an official committee of the Democratic National Committee.

Bruce Morrison served as one of three Co-Convenors of the Council.

Bruce Morrison supported Representative Keith Ellison in his bid for DNC chairman.

In 2008, Bruce Morrison appeared at the National University of Ireland, Galway to participate in a debate on the 2008 US Presidential election in support of Senator Barack Obama.

Bruce Morrison's opponent was Grant Lally, head of Irish-Americans for John McCain.

Bruce Morrison currently serves as co-chair of the committee alongside fellow co-chair, Republican James Walsh.