1. John Joseph LaFalce was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of New York from 1975 to 2003.
19 Facts About John LaFalce
1. 2.
John LaFalce retired in 2002 after his district was merged with that of a fellow Democrat.
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John LaFalce served as Chairman of the United States House Small Business Committee from 1987 to 1995, and as Ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Financial Services from 1999 to 2003.
4.
John LaFalce declined to seek re-election to the 108th Congress.
5.
John LaFalce was born in Buffalo, New York, on October 6,1939.
6.
John LaFalce graduated Canisius High School before earning a bachelor's degree from Canisius College and Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law.
7.
From 1965 to 1967, John LaFalce served in the United States Army, leaving active duty with the rank of captain.
8.
In 1974, at the age of 35, John LaFalce became the second Democrat, and the first since 1912, to win election to what was then the 36th congressional district of New York, which was based in Niagara Falls and included much of northern Buffalo and the western suburbs of Rochester.
9.
John LaFalce was elected as part of the "Watergate babies", the large Democratic freshman class elected in the wake of the Watergate scandal.
10.
John LaFalce was reelected 13 times, rarely facing substantive opposition.
11.
John LaFalce played a key role in airing the grievances of the displaced residents of Love Canal, which was part of his district, and spearheading the federal government's subsequent response to the environmental disaster.
12.
John LaFalce played a key leadership role in introducing and championing what ultimately became the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, signed by President Bush in July 2002.
13.
John LaFalce was generally a liberal Democrat, but strongly opposed abortion.
14.
At the time of his death John LaFalce served on the National Advisory Board of Democrats for Life of America.
15.
John LaFalce served on the Board of Directors of State Bancorp, Inc.
16.
John LaFalce was Banking Board Member at the New York State Banking Department from 2008 to 2011.
17.
John LaFalce served as the Chairman and Director of Erie County Industrial Development Agency from April 1,2012, to May 2013 and was a member of the advisory board to the Canadian American Business Council.
18.
John LaFalce was married to Patricia Fisher and had one son, Martin, who is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.
19.
John LaFalce died from kidney failure on April 11,2025, at a hospice in Lockport, New York.