Lester Lionel Wolff (January 4, 1919 – May 11, 2021) was an American politician who served as a
Democratic member of the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
from New York. He also held the position of president of the International Trade and Development Agency. In 2014, Wolff accepted the
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
, the highest civilian award in the United States, on behalf of the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
members of the
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
.
An expert in Asian affairs, Wolff was also the chair of the
Touro College
Touro University is a private Jewish university system headquartered in New York City, with branches throughout the United States as well as one each in Germany, Israel and Russia. It was founded by Bernard Lander in 1971 and named for Isaac an ...
Pacific Community Institute, the author of numerous books on
foreign policy
A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
, and the host of the weekly
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
show ''Ask Congress''.
Wolff was the oldest living current or former member of Congress until his death in May 2021, and the last living member born in the 1910s.
Early life and education
Lester Lionel Wolff was born in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
on January 4, 1919, to the Jewish family of Hannah (Bartman) and Samuel Wolff, a marketer who worked at Ruppert Breweries.
Wolff graduated from
George Washington High School in 1935 and
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
in 1939.
Early career
Wolff lectured at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
from 1939 until 1941,
and later became a department chair at the
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...
. Wolff was part of the
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
during World War II. He was a squadron commander
and a
subchaser.
Wolff worked for the ''
Long Island Press
The ''Long Island Press'' is a free monthly news and lifestyle periodical serving Long Island.
Alternative Weekly
Its previous print incarnation was as a free, independent print and digital monthly news journal with extensive coverage of local a ...
''
and ''
The Bronx Home News
''The Bronx Home News'' (originally ''The Home News'') was a newspaper from The Bronx.
''The Bronx Home News'' was originally known as ''The Home News.'' It was founded in 1907 by James O'Flaherty, Jr. with its initial publication on January 26, ...
''.
Wolff then founded his own firm, specializing in the
food industry
The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditiona ...
, and was executive director of the New York Conference of Retail Grocers.
[ He became the producer and host of ''Between the Lines'', a local television program, and the producer of a celebrity variety show starring ]Wendy Barrie
Wendy Barrie (born Marguerite Wendy Jenkins; 18 April 1912 – 2 February 1978) was a British-American film and television actress.
Early life
Barrie was born in London to English parents. Her father, Francis Charles John Graigoe Jenkin KC ...
.
Wolff remained active in philanthropy as a member of the United Jewish Appeal
The United Jewish Appeal (UJA) was a Jewish philanthropic umbrella organization that existed from its creation in 1939 until it was folded into the United Jewish Communities, which was formed from the 1999 merger of United Jewish Appeal (UJA), Cou ...
and B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith International (, from he, בְּנֵי בְּרִית, translit=b'né brit, lit=Children of the Covenant) is a Jewish service organization. B'nai B'rith states that it is committed to the security and continuity of the Jewish peopl ...
.
U.S. House of Representatives
In 1957, Wolff was selected by the U.S. House of Representatives as chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Subcommittee on Consumer Study. Early in his life, he was a liberal Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, but switched parties, disillusioned with the increasingly conservative direction of the Republican Party under Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...
.[
He was elected to Congress in 1964 and served from January 3, 1965, until January 3, 1981.] He initially represented the 3rd district but later through redistricting the 6th district. Wolff served as Chairman of the Asian and Pacific Affairs Committee, and the Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control. He commanded the Congressional Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
, rising to the rank of colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
.
In Congress, Wolff supported the agenda of President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
. He voted for Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...
and for the creation of Medicare and Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
, and was an active participant in the civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...
, attending the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
Wolff opposed creation of the Long Island Sound link
The Long Island Sound link is a proposed bridge or tunnel that would link Long Island, New York, to Westchester County or Connecticut, across Long Island Sound east of the Throgs Neck Bridge. The project has been studied and debated since the ...
.[ He was an opponent of the ]Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. He was an enthusiastic advocate of stricter gun laws, even the sale of automatic-opening knives.
Wolff was known as one of the most 'travel-happy' representatives of Congress while in office, frequently going abroad on congressional 'fact-finding' tours.[Smith, Harrison, ''Lester L. Wolff, Democrat who influenced U.S.-Taiwan policy, dies at 102'' Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post, 12 May 2021, retrieved 20 March 2022] During Wolff's 1978 visit as a member of a congressional delegation to the People's Republic of China (PRC), he met with Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CC ...
. The Deng-Wolff Conversation conducted during this time was credited for its particular importance in the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the PRC and the United States. Wolff is the author of the Taiwan Relations Act
The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA; ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ''Thôi-van Kwan-hè-fap''; ) is an act of the United States Congress. Since the formal recognition of the People's Republic of China, the Act has defined the officially substantial but non-diplom ...
, signed into law on April 10, 1979. The TRA was born of the need of the United States to find a way to protect its significant security and commercial interests in the Republic of China in the wake of President Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
’s termination of diplomatic relations and a mutual defense treaty of 25 years.[ Wolff later leveraged his experience in Asian affairs to work as a paid lobbyist for ]Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
’s repressive military government.
Wolff introduced amendments to the White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
-sponsored Foreign Assistance Act
The Foreign Assistance Act (, et seq.) is a United States law governing foreign aid policy. It outlined the political and ideological principles of U.S. foreign aid, significantly overhauled and reorganized the structure U.S. foreign assistance p ...
of 1969 to restore the initiative for direct peace talks between Israel and the Arab states
The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western As ...
. He also played a role in the Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were a pair of political agreements signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on 17 September 1978, following twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David, the country retrea ...
.
Wolff was defeated for reelection in an upset by 27-year-old Republican John LeBoutillier
John LeBoutillier (born May 26, 1953) is an American political columnist, pundit, and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York, serving a single two-year term.
Education
LeBoutillier graduated from t ...
in 1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
.
Post-congressional career
Wolff was the president of the International Trade and Development Agency. He was the director of the Pacific Community Institute at Touro College
Touro University is a private Jewish university system headquartered in New York City, with branches throughout the United States as well as one each in Germany, Israel and Russia. It was founded by Bernard Lander in 1971 and named for Isaac an ...
, and published numerous books on foreign policy
A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
. He hosted a weekly PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
show, ''Ask Congress'', continuously since the mid-1980s. Due to his expertise in Asian culture and relations, Wolff was a well sought-after consultant. He was a director of the Griffon Corporation
Griffon Corporation is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in New York City. The company conducts its operations through five subsidiaries: The AMES Companies, ClosetMaid, Clopay Building Products, CornellCookson, and Telephonics Corp ...
from 1987 to 2007. In 2014, he accepted the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the United States, on behalf of volunteers of the Civil Air Patrol who had served during World War II.
With the death of James D. Martin
James Douglas Martin (September 1, 1918 – October 30, 2017) was an American politician.
Martin was born in Tarrant, Alabama. He served as a member for the 7th district of Alabama of the United States House of Representatives
The U ...
on October 30, 2017, Wolff became the oldest living former member of Congress. He turned 100 in January 2019. He was active on Twitter and continued to write until his death. He was a vocal opponent of Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's presidency.[
In February 2019, Wolff donated his congressional papers to ]Adelphi University
Adelphi University is a private university in Garden City, New York. Adelphi also has centers in Manhattan, Hudson Valley, and Suffolk County. There is also a virtual, online campus for remote students. It is the oldest institution of higher ed ...
in Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village located on Long Island in Nassau County New York. It is the Greater Garden City area's anchor community. The population was 23,272 at the 2020 census.
The Incorporated Village of Garden City is primarily located within ...
. In February 2020, the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge
The Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge, formerly known as the ''Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge'', on the north shore of Long Island, New York, consists of high-quality marine habitats that support a variety of aq ...
was renamed the Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Personal life and death
Wolff married Blanche Silvers in 1940; she died in 1997. Lester was an observant Jew and prayed daily.[
Wolff died at a hospital in ]Syosset, New York
Syosset (also known as Little East Woods or Locust Grove) is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Oyster Bay, in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 19,259 at the 202 ...
, on May 11, 2021, at age 102.
See also
* List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
This is a list of Jewish members of the United States Congress. , there are 10 Jewish senators and 27 Jewish members of the House of Representatives serving in the United States Congress.
Senate
Elected to the Senate, but not seated
House ...
References
Bibliography
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolff, Lester L.
1919 births
2021 deaths
20th-century American Jews
20th-century American politicians
21st-century American Jews
21st-century American businesspeople
American centenarians
American consultants
Burials at Wellwood Cemetery
Congressional Gold Medal recipients
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
Jewish members of the United States House of Representatives
Men centenarians
Military personnel from New York City
New York University Stern School of Business alumni
PBS people
People from Oyster Bay (town), New York
People of the Civil Air Patrol
Politicians from Manhattan
Writers from Manhattan