JOSEPH M. MCDADE (R., PA)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Content Type: BIO

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
10 Joseph M. McDade (R)
Of Scranton - Elected 1962
Born: Sept. 29, 1931, Scranton. Pa.
Education U. of Notre Dame. BA 1953. U. of Pennsyl
vania. LL.B. 1956
Occupation: Lawyer.
Family: Wife. Marv Teresa O'Brien, four children.
Religion: Roman Cptholic.
Political Career, Ni, previous office
Capitol Office: 2370 Rayburn Bldg 20515; 225-3731
In Washington: McDade spent years as
an inconspicuous "specialist" on the Appropri-
ations Committee, tracking the Interior De-
partment and lobbying for money to help the
coal industry. But at the start of the 99th
Congress. he took a sharp turn toward promi-
nence by taking over as ranking Republican at
the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
The position of senior Republican on that
subcommittee is a plum. and McDade claimed
it when the retirement of Alabama's Jack Ed-
wards opened it up in 1985 But his first term
as ranking member was something of an adiust-
ment period for McDade. whc? was not as
experienced on defense issues as most of his
colleagues on the panel McDade did not join.
Defense Appropriations until 198] and had not
spent much time on it in the 97th and 98th
Congresses
Besides forcing McDade u. master a com-
plex field. the switch in assignments placed him
in a politicall> sensitive position Some GOP
conservatives were concerned that McDade. a
moderate urban Republican whc, had beer.
skeptical of diverting massive sums from do-
mestic to military purposes. would not be as
reliable a party loyalist as Edwards had been.
McDade had been mild. for instance, in. his
enthusiasm for the MX missile He had voted
against funds for the weapon in 1982, saying he
was not confident that the administration, had
a cohesive arms control policy, and citing con-
cerns about the basing mode.
He also raised a cautionary note just prior
to taking over his new position on the Defense
subcommittee. "From the standpoint of the
Defense Department and its credibility in the
country, the deficit demands that the defense
budget be part of the reduction process." he
said in late 1984.
But McDade's performance in his first
term as ranking member must have allayed
most conservatives' concerns- He acted as a
loyal and often effective spokesman for the
administration's most prominent initiatives.
He also cooperated with Bill Chappell Jr., a
conservative Florida Democrat who succeeded
to the subcommittee chairmanship following
the death of New York's Joseph P. Addabbo,
an. anti-Pentagon liberal.
Early in 1985. McDade submitted a joint
resolution containing Reagan's request for the
production of 21 additional MX missiles. Un-
like those conservative members whose appeal
for such weapons systems are couched in terms
of an imminent Soviet threat. McDade cited
the missile's supposed benefits to the arms
control process "There is ... one central fact in,
the world uoda\, and that is that our negoti-
ators are in Geneva. finally sitting across the
table from the Russians." McDade said during
floor debate. "The Russians are intransigent.
The. usually understand onh when we shore
resolve." - The resolution passed by a 217-210
vote.
McDade used the same logic during debate
on the strategic defense initiative. just prior to
Reagan's 1985 summit meeting with Soviet
leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev in Geneva- "The
driving force that brought the Sovietts to the
table was that SDI program," McDade said
"There is no good logic for us to cut the legs of!
that driving force."
in June 1985. McDade submitted an
amendment developed by House Minority
Leader Robert H. Michel of Illinois to provide
$27 million in non-military aid to the Nicara-
guan contra rebels. The measure. which broke a
two-year-old ban on an% aid to the contras.
passed by a 248-184 margin.
On one defense issue McDade did raise ^
mild protest against a Reagan stand. The Rea-
gan administration. which claimed the Soviet
Union had violated the strategic arms limita-
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
Pennsylvania 10
The city of Scranton dominated the
politics of northeastern Pennsylvania in the
aarIN part of the century. but as the coal-
and-railroad town has declined in popula-
tion. Scranton and Lackawanna County
have had to speak with a quieter political
voice
Generally, they have been a small Dem
ocratic voice within an increasingly Repub-
lican 10th District In 1976 and 1980. Lacka-
wanna voted for Jimmy Carter, but that was
not enough to prevent the district from
going to the GOP nominee; in 1984, even
Lackawanna gave President Reagan a me-
x,rit\ over Walter F. Mondale.
The Scranton family is still a power in
Lackawanna Count, despite the unsuccess-
ful 198E statewide campaign of William
Scranton III, who was seeking a promotion
to governor after eight years serving as Gov.
Dick Thornburgh's lieutenant governor.
The younger Scranton's father. William W.
Scranton - known as "the Squire" - was
governor in the 1960s
Lackawanna County still has half the
district's people. despite the prolonged
slump in anthracite mining that has led to a
decline in employment and population. The
county's Democratic majority casts its vote
in Scranton and in such blue-collar towns as
Moosic and Old Forge. The Republicans
cluster in affluent suburbs like Clarks Sum-
mit and Dalton (home of the Scranton fam
ih i. Ethnical)y, the scramble for politica'
office in this polyglot counr_\ has beer, be
tween the Italians and the Irish
Northeast -
Scranton
In contrast to Scranton's shrinkage (its
population dropped 14 percent in the
1970e), there has been spectacular popula-
tion growth in some of the outlying counties
of the 10th. Pike. a Pocono Mountain
county east of Scranton. contains many
vacation cottages and is home to business
executives who commute to Nec York
Pike's population boomed by 54 percent in
the 19-us. Republican Monroe County. to
the south of Pike. aist- is home to Pocono
resorts such as Buck Hill Falls and Camel
back.
West of Scranton are sparsely popu-
lated rural counties along the Nev. York
border such as Potter and Clinton. which
are made up of woods. dair.\ farms and
Republicans.
Scranton itself regained a measure of
its old prominence in the 1954 presidential
campaign. When. Democratic vice presiden-
tial nominee Geraldine Ferraro stopped to
campaign there in September. the city's
Roman Catholic bishop attracted national
headlines by holding a press conference in
which he sharply criticized her views on
abortion. Though the bishop later sent Fer-
raro a conciliator- letter, the incident high-
lighted the Democratic Party's trouble with
the abortion issue and Scranton's reputa-
tion as a hotbed of anti-abortion sentiment.
Population. 5'5 442 Whrte 1.10 ?62 (9P',. Bias
2.262 (0 4,, SDa-es' onq,r 2 214 (p 4 1E an: over
376.346 i731K, E1. arc over 7E.215 1514 kie~jtar &W
33
tion treaty known as SALT 11. moved in 1986
tc, abrogate the terms of that treaty. But Mc-
Dade signed a letter circulated by other House
members. urging Reagan to maintain the "non-
undercut" policy regarding the treaty
McDade has to be far more party-con-
scious in his Defense role than he ever was in
his previous leadership position or the Interior
Subcommittee. In his old job, McDade had a
comfortable partnership with Democrat Sidney
R. ) aces of Illinois. the Interior Appropriations
chairman Yates usually took a bipartisan ap-
proach and treated McDade as a full partner.
allowing him to determine spending levels for
many of the energy programs within the sub-
committees jurisdiction.
Toward the end of his tenure as ranking
Republican on the Interior panel. McDade did
occasionally deviate from his bipartisan ap-
proach. For nearly a decade. though. Yates and
McDade were one of the more successful legis-
lative teams in the House Rareh did their bills
generate much floor opposition on either side of
the aisle. even when they exceeded administra-
tion budget requests
Because the Interior Subcommittee has
control over most of the money the federal
government spends on energy research, Mc-
Dade had a lot to say over how the money
should be spent. He was one of the staunchest
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
P.nnsyhonio ? 10th District
defenders of the synthetic fuels program. one of
the progeny of the energy crisis of the 1970s
The economy of McDade's Scranton district is
heavily reliant on coal. one of the key raw
materials in synthetic fuel production
With oi; prices falling in the earls 1980s.
McDade fought attempts to cut funds for the
Synthetic Fuels Corporation Bristling at
charges that support for synfuels was '*corp(.
rate welfare.- McDade responded h\ saying
that "w destroy the Synthetic Fuels Corpora
Lion is to engage in Arab palimony.' but he was
ultimate) unsuccessful. the House voted to cut
the corporation's budget in half in the 98th
Congress. then eliminated the program entire):
in the 99th Congress
More recently. McDade has signed on to a
coal-related initiative that has some high-level.
support He backs the Clean Coal 7echnolog~
Reserve Fund. a program that the Reagan
administration ha= adopted as an alternative t(
the acid rain con-rot legislation favored by
environmentalists in Congress Unlike the acid
rain bills. which would require mandatory re
ductions in sulfuric emissions from coal-burn
ing plants, the Clean Coal program would pro-
vide coal users with grants to perform research
on coal-burning methods that create less pollu-
tion.
McDade has also supported the coal indus-
try outside the Interior Subcommittee. He has
developed a reputation as "Mr. Coal" at the
Pentagon for his insistence that the Defense
Department buy American coal for its facilities
overseas Foreign firms bought 270.00? metric
tons ol anthracite from Pennsylvania in 1984
for U.S defense installations in Europe
Outside the energ.' field. McDade s onh
consistent speciality has been small business A
supporter of the Small Business Administra-
tion. he would be chairman of the Smali Busi-
ness Committee if Republicans won the House
McDade sent a telegram of protest in 198E
after the acting SBA director fired six of the 10
regional administrator., with the intention of
replacing them with people whe were more
supportive of Reagan administration efforts to
scuttle SBA programs In 1982 he successful)
promoted legislation authorizing a special $169
million fund in the Small Business Administra.
tion to make loans to areas - such as northern
Pennsylvania - where unemployment has
been far above the national average.
On most votes. McDade is a consistent
moderate Republican. one of a handful of GOT'
members who vote with the Democrats roughly
half the time. He was a strong supporter of civil
rights during the 1960s and one of 18 House
Republicans who introduced their own civil
rights bill in 1966. focusing on equal treatara.
for blacks in the court system He has ahven
been an ally of labor. the AFL-CIO consist"*
gives him favorable ratings
At the start of the I(Xth Congress -~
Dade proposed the establishment of a natrogal
lottery. with at least 50 percent of the prucesb
going into the U.S. Treasury to help clues the
federal deficit Calling the deficit "the ttyi
try's most serious problem." McDade wd
'Establishing a national lottery would hr
creative means of raising revenue tcn reduct thr
deficit without increasing taxes "
At Home: Times were hard in this curt;
producing area long before the recession o( fir
early 19SOs and McDade has endeared himade
to constituents of both parties with his en U
to promote the region's economic development
McDade'., Republican affiliation. eppea`
to the outlying, rural portions of the loth ask
his pro-labor voting record pleases the bhta
collar Democrats in Lackawanna Caust~
(Scranton:. the district's focal point. l.inaaa-
regularh back McDade. and local DemocrS&Z
organizations have stopped endorsing cant
dates to run against him As an Irish Cethait
he has an appeal among Lackawanna'a hasp
ethnic population enjoyed by few Republicaaa
In a bid to maintain his following amaq
Democrat,. McDade avoids strong partaaw
ship When not campaigning for himself, is
usually limits his political appearances at hoar
to attending the annual Lincoln Day daaaate
That has led to some criticism that he ^ fen
personally visible enough. but it has never'
a polit;ca' problem for him
Earlier in his career. McDade was M
tinned often. as a possibility for statewide off=
but nothing ever came of it. in 196? M w
offered the GOP nomination for lieutettaati
governor, but declined In 197? and 19NC,
was an eari\ Senate contender. but chose oatr
enter the campaign
A lawyer and former municipal solicnar M
his home city. McDade succeeded RepublaM
William \N" Scranton. after whose ancestor !`
city is named Scranton had served one Haw
term and *her become governor
Handpicked by Scranton for the IM
House nomination. McDade won an u=Plr
tacular election vicwn?. In 1964 his wiaa~
margin was narrower yet. By 1966, howeeva Af
had enlisted the support of organized Mm.
and his vote never has dipped below 60 paw
since
During the 1970s. he brought in nuaanars
federal contracts with the help of his ft"
from nearby Wilkes-Barre. Rep DRDd I
Flood, a Democratic power on Appropf~
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3
Joseph M. McDode, R-Po.
Committees
0.0 Nninew (Ranking)
$4 and the Genera,' Economy (ranking)
,prletiom (2nd of 22 Republicans;
,Wye (ranking). Interior and Related Agencies
- oeneral
Apr M McDade (Ri
1bbri C Bolus (D;
1w "We[
Upr M McDade (R,
owe Basaryga (D;
Elections
118.605 (755.',
40.248 (25%,
150.16E (77%;
44.571 (235%
-rerli>iu Winning -ereentapes, 1112 (68X1 1110 (77%,
W j (77%; ON (63%1 1174 (65%) 1172 (74%)
We (65%) 1111 (67h) 1111 (67% 1114 (51%)
IV (53%;:
District Vote For Pneident
1114 1110
(48%
$ 75.727 (38%, D 79.276 (3941 D 101.832
R 123 130 (61%, R 110.615 (54%' R 105.197
I 10.12E ( 5%i
on
McDade (R'
Campaign Finance
b fro Cs
$394 141
$10.195
Exvend-
Rtuw
1203.665 (52%: $291.757
0 $10.195
1114
McDade (R, $267115 $150.365 (56?,.' $146.334
Voting Studies
Prnaidantial P"
Conaar,atna
'..
a
v
$ o
$
o
1M6
49
42
3'
"'
59
36
a4
6E
4
1$11
57
3!
47
41 46
6-
2
1113
57
30
u 43
'
60
3:
40
45
36 51
53
4?
62
30
55 34
63
2`
Key Votes
Produce MX missiles !1985
Cut faders' subs dy to, water protects (1985
Weaken gu- control taws ;1986
Cut back pubhC housmF cOnstrUCiror ;1986
Aid Nicaragua, contras (1986.
Impose texate impor' limits over Reagan vets 198E
Block chem;ca weapons product pr :1986
Impose Soutr Africa, sanctions ove' Reagar veto 198E
Interest Group Ratings
rear
ADA
ACV
AFL-CIO CCU$
45
63
20
57
75
M4
30
4:
19113
3C
52
' 11$2
6C
33
7E
) 1111
25
9;
4'
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/17: CIA-RDP89B00224R000200630003-3