His wide eyes and beaming smile justifying what he said, Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen told VHS students “I caught the political bug,” says. “And I still have it.”
A U.S. Representative, Mr. Frelinghuysen visited VHS history teacher Chris Tamburro’s U.S. History class on Wednesday, January 30th. He discussed his past as a representative as well as his perspective on current affairs in Congress.
Mr. Frelinghuysen was invited to the class because, although he has been in Congress for many years, recent re-districting added Verona residents to the roughly 730,000 New Jerseyans he represents in Washington D.C. The Congressman of 19 years says he visits approximately 90 schools per year, but does not mind it one bit.
He discussed several issues with the class, which had assembled in the VHS Library Media Center, and was attentive and never hesitant to ask questions. Some of the topics that arose were the 2nd Amendment, property taxes, the fiscal cliff, energy conservation, drilling for oil in Alaska, and various international issues.
“I thought it was interesting,” remarked Sophomore Tyler Peterson. “I’m glad he came because he answered a lot of my questions.”
Mr. Frelinghuysen cited that he’s always wanted to be a Congressman, and his interest in becoming a Congressman stemmed from his father’s own 22 year experience.
“I was always interested in what my father did,” he said. “I think politics is interesting; our job is to represent everybody.”
Mr. Frelinghuysen attends Congressional meetings and often visits each of the towns he represents, but his most favorite part of being a U.S. Representative?
“Exactly what I’m doing now,” he says with a grin. “I hope that (someday) one or more of you will be doing what I’m doing.”