Anthony C. Beilenson

Anthony C. Beilenson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 24th district
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Henry Waxman
Succeeded by	Brad Sherman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 23rd district
In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Tom Rees
Succeeded by	Elton Gallegly
Member of the California Senate
In office 1967-1976
Member of the California State Assembly
In office 1963-1967
Personal details
Born	October 26, 1932 New Rochelle, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dolores Beilenson
Alma mater	Harvard
Religion	Judaism[1]

Anthony Charles "Tony" Beilenson (born October 26, 1932) is a former Democratic Congressman from Southern California who served ten terms in the United States House of Representatives, from 1977 to 1997.

Early Life & Education

Tony, as he is known to his friends, was born in New Rochelle, New York, and grew up in an upscale suburb of New York City. He attended Harvard University, where he earned BA (1954) and JD (1957) degrees. Beilenson then relocated to Los Angeles and became a partner in a prestigious Beverly Hills law firm that represented the film industry.

Political Career

Seal of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Beilenson was elected to the California State Assembly in 1963, serving until 1967, and then served in the California State Senate from 1967 to 1976. Among his accomplishments in the California State Legislature was winning enactment of the "Beilenson Act", which requires public hearings whenever hospitals in California are closed or reduce services.^[2][3]

Beilenson was then elected to and served ten terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in the United States Congress, beginning in 1977, until his retirement in 1997. While in Congress, he served on the House Rules Committee, and as Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 1989–1991.^[4]

Tributes

Balboa Lake in Anthony C. Beilenson Park

In 1998, in tribute to his long career of community and government service to California, Lake Balboa Park in Van Nuys was renamed the "Anthony C. Beilenson Park".^[5] The park, which is located along Balboa Boulevard in Van Nuys, is an 80-acre (320,000 m²) water recreation facility, with Balboa Lake at its center, and containing a universally accessible playground. The 27-acre (110,000 m²) artificial lake is supplied with reclaimed water from the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant.^[6]

He and his wife Dolores had also been honored by the Jewish National Fund, San Fernando Valley Region, in 1991, for Congressman Beilenson's career of service as a public official, and for Dolores Beilenson's service as co-chair of the Congressional Wives for Soviet Jewry.^[7]

References

1. Stone, Kurt F. "The Jews of Capitol Hill: A Compendium of Jewish Congressional Members, (2011). Pages 320–324. ISBN 9780810857315.
2. Stall, Bill (June 10, 1971). "Reagan's Welfare Reform Is Killed". The Daily News. Associated Press. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
3. "California seeks legal abortions". The Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. May 21, 1964. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
4. Congressional Directory, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
5. Yoon, Edward M. - "Park Is Renamed to Honor Beilenson", Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1998.
6. "LAKE BALBOA/ANTHONY C. BEILENSON PARK". laparks.org. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
7. "Rep. Beilenson, Wife to Be Honored Sunday," Los Angeles Times, June 19, 1991.

External links

• Anthony C. Beilenson at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.