Lou Frey represented East and Central Florida in the U. S. Congress from 1969 to 1979. He was the fourth Republican elected to Congress from Florida since the late 1800’s. In his last election, he received nearly 80% of the vote. He was one of five elected Republican leaders in the House of Representatives during the 93rd and 94th Congress. He served on the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, the Space Committee, and the Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control. Congressman Frey received the Watchdog of the Treasury Award in each term for voting to hold the line against inflation and curb excess government spending as well as the Guardian of Small Business Award. He sponsored legislation to balance the budget, to fight the financial burdens of catastrophic illness, to protect our oceans from pollution, to deregulate the communications industry, and to punish drug pushers. Because of his vision and leadership, when it became apparent in the early 1970’s that McCoy Air Force Base would be closed, Congressman Frey successfully appealed to President Nixon to let the City of Orlando take over the property for $1.00 and turn it into a commercial airfield, now the Orlando International Airport and one of the busiest airports in the world. He was a candidate in Florida for Governor and Senator.
Frey graduated cum laude from Colgate University in 1955 with Honors in English. He graduated with highest honors from the University of Michigan Law School in 1961, was a member of the Order of the Coif, the Barristers, and Assistant Editor of the Law Review. During his distinguished legal career he has been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Florida, the District Court of the Middle District of Florida, the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Congressman Frey is past president of The United States Association of Former Members of Congress and a member of its Executive Committee. Its over-600 members have developed a number of programs, both domestic and international, to promote the improved understanding of the Congress as an institution and representative democracy as a system of government. The Former Members teach in many colleges under the “Congress to Campus” program. Furthermore, they share their experiences overseas in countries in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the Pacific Rim. Congressman Frey has led delegations to England, China, Italy, Vietnam, France, Slovakia, New Zealand, and twice to Cuba, filing the reports of the trips with the United States Congress, the State Department, and the White House. Congressman Frey was asked to be a official observer of the Presidential election in the Ukraine and spent seven days teaching in high schools and colleges in England.
Frey was chosen as the recipient of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress’ 2009 Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a former Member of Congress who has shown an exemplary dedication to public service before, during, or after his or her time on Capitol Hill. This is the 37th year the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress has bestowed this award. Past recipients include Gerald Ford, Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell. “It is his dedication to the youth of America and to teaching about public service which has earned him the 2009 Distinguished Service Award.”
Frey is a partner in the law firm of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed in Orlando, Florida. He is past president and a member of the Board of The Lighthouse of Central Florida, chairman of the advisory committee for the National Center for Simulation, and past president and executive committee member of the Florida Council on Economic Education; Gubernatorial Appointment 2006 – Florida Sports Foundation Board of Directors; 2007 Appointed to Adam Smith Foundation Board of Directors; Outstanding Citizen Award 2007 from Florida Council for the Social Studies; “Enlisting a New Generation of Florida Citizen” Frey-Graham Civics Initiative bill 2007 legislative session; listed in 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century Fourth and Fifth Editions. He was named to Who’s Who in the World, 2004-2013, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America Politics by Marquis Publications; Madison Who’s Who of Professionals 2006-2007; listed in the Best Lawyers in America 2006-2013 and Orlando’s Best Lawyers 2007-2012Orlando Magazine; Florida Super Lawyers 2006. Congressman Frey appears weekly on public radio and television, and makes many speeches to high schools, colleges, and civic clubs. Frey writes a column for newspapers in the state. He has edited and written two books on the Congress. The first is Inside the House: Former Members Reveal How Congress Really Works. The second, is Political Rules of the Road: Representatives, Senators and Presidents Share their Rules for Success in Congress, Politics and Life. He is the founder of the Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida which, in a few years, has become one of the most important in the nation. The Frey Institute has semi-annual symposiums with average attendance of over 700. Some recent symposiums were: (1) Homeland Security or Police State; (2) The U.S. and the U.N.: Building Block or Stumbling Block for American Foreign Policy; (3) The Impact of Watergate: A 30-year Retrospective; (4) The Space Program: Past and Future, Public or Private (5) Money and Politics: Are Elections for Sale; (6) Church and State: Blurring the Line; (7) A Day With the Florida Governors; (8) U.S. Immigration Policy: Open Borders or Closed Doors; (9) Environmental Policy: Issues, Concerns and Solutions; (10) Presidential Elections: The Road to the White House 2008; (11) The Road to the White House: Tough Choices; (12) Considering the Middle East: Politics, Issues, and Solutions; and (13) The First 100 Days: Policies and Approaches for the New Administration (14) New Generation New Economy New Opportunities. He is married to the former Marcia Turner and has five children and seven grandchildren. He served on active duty in the United States Navy and retired as a Captain in the United States Navy Reserve.