On January 7, Frank Pallone, Jr. was officially sworn in for his eighth full term in the U.S. House of Representatives, after winning reelection in November 2002 with 69 percent of the vote.

Pallone represents New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District, which covers most of Middlesex County, as well as the Bayshore and oceanfront areas of Monmouth County, the township of Plainfield in Union County and Franklin in Somerset County.

As the 108th Congress begins, Pallone continues to serve as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues pertaining to energy, environment, health care, commerce and telecommunications. Pallone serves on three of the committee's subcommittees: Health Care, Environment and Hazardous Materials, and Energy and Air Quality. Pallone also continues to serve on the House Resources Committee, and, at the beginning of the year, was reappointed as the ranking Democrat on the Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee.

Pallone plays a vital role in developing and implementing the Democratic Party's message as the Communications Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee. In this capacity, Pallone coordinates the party's message on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Pallone's legislative accomplishments have been geared to the protection and restoration of environmental resources and the creation of new job opportunities. Pallone has successfully worked to stop ocean dumping and offshore oil and gas drilling. He has obtained millions of dollars for shore protection and beach replenishment work along a large stretch of the Jersey Coast, for dredging of the area's navigation channels and for the maintenance of his district's National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook. He has also championed issues important to the state's commercial and recreational fishing industries. Pallone co-chairs the locally based Save Our Fort Committee, which he helped to form, to have additional Defense technology commands consolidated at Fort Monmouth.

Pallone is recognized as a leader on such issues as expanding health care access and affordability, protecting the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, ensuring food safety, strengthening the federal Superfund program to clean up toxic waste sites, and strengthening the nation's clean water laws.

Frank Pallone, Jr., was born on October 30, 1951, in Long Branch, New Jersey, where he grew up and where he still resides. The son of a policeman, Pallone attended the local public schools and earned an academic scholarship to Middlebury College. After graduating cum laude from Middlebury in 1973, Pallone received his master's degree in international relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He earned his law degree at Rutgers University in 1978, and has been admitted to the bar in four states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Pallone began his political career in his home city of Long Branch, getting elected to the City Council in 1982 and winning re-election four years later. In 1983, Pallone was elected to the state Senate, representing the Monmouth County coastline. He was re elected in 1987. During his tenure in the state Legislature, Pallone distinguished himself as an advocate for environmental issues and senior citizen concerns, and made a major priority of providing constituent services.

On November 8, 1988, at the age of 37, Frank Pallone, Jr., was elected to the House of Representatives from New Jersey's former Third District, encompassing parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties. In March 1992, a new Congressional district map for New Jersey was adopted. Portions of the former Third District were merged with parts of two other districts to create the Sixth Congressional District, taking in large portions of Middlesex and Monmouth counties. Pallone was first elected to the Sixth District seat in November 1992.

Pallone's Central Jersey district is an ethnically diverse area with a wide range of business and industry. Light and heavy manufacturing facilities provide jobs for thousands of area residents. Central Jersey is on the cutting edge of high technology research and development. The district is home to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Tourism, primarily centered in the coastal areas, is vital to the regional economy. The Army's Fort Monmouth and Camp Kilmer, major civilian employers in their own right, have spurred the growth of the region's significant high technology industry. Naval Weapons Station Earle adds to the important role played by the Defense Department in the area economy. While the district has a predominantly suburban character, the cities of New Brunswick, Asbury Park and Long Branch are key urban centers.

Pallone married the former Sarah Hospodor in 1992. They have three children, daughters Rose Marie and Celeste Teresa, and a son, Frank Andrew.

Rep. Frank Pallone's Official Website

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250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in developing countries – at least 120 million on a full time basis. (Human Rights Watch)