Meet Rodney

Rodney P. Frelinghuysen is serving his 12th term as the Representative for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.  In the 115th Congress, Frelinghuysen Chairs the House Committee on Appropriations and is New Jersey's only member.

Frelinghuysen graduated from Hobart College in 1969 and did graduate work at Trinity College.  After college, Frelinghuysen completed basic training at New Jersey’s Fort Dix and served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army.  He was a member of the 93rd Engineer Battalion (Construction) stationed in the Mekong Delta.

Frelinghuysen’s career has been marked by public service and a zeal for a more effective government. He served three-terms as a member of the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, prior to his election to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1983 where he rose to become Chairman of the State Assembly Appropriations Committee.  In 1994, he was elected to the 104th Congress and to the eleven succeeding Congresses.

During his tenure on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Frelinghuysen has served on seven different subcommittees (Defense, Energy and Water Development, Commerce, Justice and Science, Homeland Security, VA-HUD, State-Foreign Operations and the District of Columbia).  He has chaired three of these panels, most recently, the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee where he developed, drafted and passed the nearly $600 billion funding bill for the Pentagon and the 16 agencies of the Intelligence Community.   

His approach to public service is simple: Frelinghuysen battles every day to improve New Jersey’s future and change the way business is done in Washington. He has been a strong voice in Congress for fiscal responsibility, economic growth, a strong national defense, and a prosperous future for America. His focus on making ‘every dollar count,’ keeping the tax burden low and encouraging economic development has earned him accolades from business and taxpayer advocates.

Frelinghuysen is also well known for championing the important work being done at New Jersey’s vital military installations, especially Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, the Army’s premier research and development facility. To make VA health care more accessible for local veterans, he secured federal funding to open VA outpatient clinics in Morris and Sussex Counties.  He also worked to establish a transitional Homeless Veterans Treatment program at the VA Lyons Medical Center to improve supportive housing for veterans.   

Frelinghuysen is a life member of American Legion Post 59 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3401.

He resides in Harding Township, New Jersey, with his wife, Virginia.  He was born on April 29, 1946.