Dante B. Fascell

Dante B. Fascell. Port of Miami-Dade County. , Biographical Profile , Dante B. Fascell was born in Bridgehampton, Long Island, New York in 1917, and moved with his parents to Miami, Florida in 1925. He graduated from Ponce de Leon High School, Coral Gables, Florida in 1933 and earned his J.D. in 1938 from the University of Miami School of Law. In 1941, he married Jeanne-Marie Pelot. The couple had three children , Sandra-Jeanne, Toni Francesca, and Dante Jon Fascell (deceased February 1984)., Mr. Fascell was elected to the 84th Congress in 1954, and then to every Congress thereafter until his retirement effective January 3, 1993. During his 38 years in the United States House of Representatives, Mr. Fascell served on a number of committees, including 36 years in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He was the committee chairman from 1984 until 1992., During his long career of public service, Mr. Fascell has been a strong advocate for measures affecting his south Florida constituency. He was instrumental in obtaining federal financial support for vital community projects including the Miami Harbor, Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Florida Keys’ Bridges, Metrozoo, the Federal Courthouse Annex and the Florida Key Deer Refuge. He was a member of the “We Will Rebuild” committee to aid the community after Hurricane Andrew (1992). He is a founding member of the International Advisory Committee for Hurricane Research. He still maintains a strong commitment for sustainable environmental and economic development matters., As a congressman, Mr. Fascell played a leading role in legislation. His many accomplishments include providing and maintaining aid to Israel, placing and maintaining the trade embargo on Cuba, prohibiting discrimination in foreign commerce, and supporting a nuclear freeze. His legislative efforts also involved providing Congress with review authority and procedure on major arms sales abroad; initiating and supporting the War Powers Act, requiring the President to consult with Congress on actions leading to war; legislative and strong support for a U.S. cultural and international communications effort during and after the Cold War; and, writing and achieving passage of comprehensive anti-terrorism legislation., In 1969 President Nixon appointed Mr. Fascell to serve as a member of the U.S. delegation to the 24th General Assembly of the United Nations. Mr. Fascell was a member of the Fifth Committee which has jurisdiction over the United Nation’s budget. Through this appointment, Mr. Fascell achieved the rank of Ambassador., After his retirement from Congress, Mr. Fascell joined the law firm of Holland and Knight LLP as a practitioner in the international and legislative law areas.