Sunday, May 9, 2004

Max Ortiz Rep. John D. Dingell

2OO3 Michiganians of the Year

Rep. John D. Dingell: His work aims to please future generations by meeting the challenge of a past generation

By Deb Price / The Detroit News

Rep. John D. Dingell Age: 77 Residence: Dearborn Occupation: United States congressman Why honored: For 48 years of service to the people of Michigan Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

A new wildlife refuge stretching 48 miles along the Detroit River owes its existence to the vision — and passion — of a congressman’s son who grew up to become one of the most powerful politicians in Washington.

John D. Dingell, a Democrat from Dearborn and dean of the U.S. House of Representatives, is best known as a canny and effective champion of issues important to his home state: the auto industry, labor, energy, the environment, issues affecting seniors and others. But the hunting trophies decorating his Washington office testify to an even broader sense of responsibility.

“God gave us a wonderful world. We each have a duty to protect that world,” said Dingell, now in his 24th term.

Less than a year ago, Dingell worked to add 153 acres of migratory waterfowl habitat in Monroe County to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The refuge, a longtime personal dream of Dingell’s that he managed to have signed into law in 2001, has grown dramatically. It now extends from the mouth of the Rouge River to the Ohio line.

Friends say the refuge spotlights a key Dingell strength: the ability to bring warring sides together.

“He does one of the best jobs in Congress in walking that balance beam,” said John Berry of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “He understands the importance of making sure we have a rich and abundant population of wildlife. If we are successful, everybody wins, whether they want to view wildlife or fish and hunt.”

Dingell speaks fondly of summers as a park ranger as a young man, when he learned to trap bears, fight fires and identify wildflowers. But politics was in his blood. He served as a congressional page, received his undergraduate and law degrees from Georgetown University, worked as a prosecuting attorney for Wayne County, then was elected in 1955 to the seat previously held by his father and mentor. He has four adult children and three grandchildren. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress, that oversees auto and health issues.

Dingell showed his spunk in 2002. At age 76, thrown into a grueling Democratic primary contest, he crushed his 45-year-old rival, 59-to-41 percent.

His competitive spirit is also seen in his animal trophies, including a marlin, elk, duck, antelope and wild boar.

The boar was an especially worthy rival, he recalls.

“He got very unpleasant. They are built like tanks. But I shot him with a handgun. We finished off that discussion.”

Dingell says he sometimes fancies retiring and becoming a “wood rat,” watching the world go by with his wife, whom he always calls “the lovely Deborah.” But he says he’d regret giving up what they accomplish as an “extraordinary team”: She’s head of the General Motors Foundation and a Democratic National committeewoman, in addition to “being one of the main reasons I have been successful.”

Dingell says “fighting for the little guy,” a value instilled in him by his father, keeps him going.

“What matters to me is that I will know that I did my best about things that were important to me — like health care, the old folks, caring for the outdoors. I’d like to feel I carried a few things forward from my pop, and that he would say, ‘Well, my boy, you did a pretty good job.’ ”