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Fact Sheet

Congressman Lou Frey, Jr.

PERSONAL

  • Born in New Jersey, January 11, 1934
  • Graduated cum laude, with additional honors, from Colgate University, 1955
  • Served in U.S. Naval Aviation from 1955 to 1958; honorably discharged from active duty as LTJG; retired as Captain USNR
  • Graduated with highest honors from the University of Michigan Law School (J.D.), 1961; Order of the Coif, Barristers, Assistant Editor Law Review
  • Married to the former Marcia Turner and has five children: Julia, Lynne, Louis III, Lauren and Christine, and seven grandchildren.

PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS 

  • Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1961, the District Court of the Middle District of Florida, Fifth and Eleventh Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court
  • Served as Orange County Assistant County Solicitor from 1961 to 1963
  • Served as General Counsel to the Florida State Turnpike Authority (1966‑1967)
  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968.  He was the fourth Republican elected to Congress since the late 1800’s.   Re-elected in 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1976 with over 78% of the vote.  Retired undefeated from the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979 
  • Investor/Director in businesses including TV stations, cellular telephone  and international wireless cable (PTAT); Universal Chemical Technologies, MedTel, Advantor, and Telepath Networks, Inc.
  • Partner, Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A., Orlando, Florida

LEGISLATIVE

  • First Chairman of the Republican Task Force on Drug Abuse
  • Helped form and served on the Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control
  • Served on the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee
  • Was the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Communications (wrote Landmark ATT Divestiture Bill)
  • Served on the House Science and Technology Committee; one of the chief proponents of the space shuttle
  • Wrote the Mobile Home Safety Act
  • Wrote the bill prohibiting dumping in the ocean
  • Authored the Drug Pusher Elimination Act
  • Introduced a bill to fight financial burdens of catastrophic illness and health care
  • Sponsored a bill to allow tuition tax credits for higher education
  • Co‑sponsored Constitutional Amendment to balance the budget
  • Elected one of five Republican Leaders in House of Representatives during 93rd and 94th Congress (Chairman Republican Research Committee)

LEADERSHIP AND HONORS

  • Cited by Time magazine as one of 200 “Rising Leaders in America“
  • Cited by Life magazine as “A Hope for Congress“
  • Recipient of Guardian of the Treasury Award in 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1977 for voting to hold the line against inflation and curb excess government spending
  • Received Guardian of Small Business Award 1969‑1979
  • Elected to the Senior Citizen’s Hall of Fame
  • Named to Colgate University Alumni Board of Trustees 1973-1975
  • Masada Award from Florida Jewish Community 1977
  • Honorary Doctorate of Law, Rollins College 1977
  • Honorary Doctorate of Science, Jones University 1978
  • Statewide candidate for governor and senator
  • Appointed first State Commissioner of the Department of Lottery, State of Florida, 1987‑1989
  • Past Chairman Florida Council on Economic Education, and presently a member of the Executive Committee
  • Chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Simulation Center
  • Past President of the Center for Independence, Training and Education, member of Executive Committee
  • Founder of High School Intern Program
  • Past president of Former Members of Congress, and a member of the Executive Committee
  • Named to Who’s Who in the World 2004-2013 and Who’s Who in America  (Marquis Publications)
  • Received 2006 International Community Award from Trinity Preparatory School
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2006-2013
  • Received Certificate of Appreciation from the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of International Visitors
  • Received Rutherford High School Distinguished Graduate Award
  • Named in Orlando Magazine’s Orlando’s Best Lawyers 2007-2012
  • Named in Florida Super Lawyers 2006
  • Appointed to Governor’s Florida’s Energy 20/20 Study Commission
  • Appointed 2006 to Florida Sports Foundation Board of Directors 
  • Appointed 2007 to Adam Smith Foundation Board of Directors
  • Received U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress 2009 Distinguished Service Award

INTERNATIONAL

  • Member of the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee United States Congress
  • Ranking Member of International Space Sub Committee with jurisdiction over U.S. USSR Space Flight program
  • Extensive work with European Space Community
  • Negotiations with GATT over trade issues
  • Numerous meetings and negotiations especially in Europe regarding communication issues and undersea cable
  • Co‑founder of International Communications Seminar, Intelevant
  • Co‑founder of PTAT.  The company, together with British Cable and Wire built the first private underseas fiber optic cable between England and the U.S.
  • Speaker and author on international issues
  • Attorney representing international clients doing business in the U.S., and U.S. firms doing business abroad
  • Business and political trips to many countries including China, Slovakia, Vietnam, U.K., France, Portugal, Sweden, Czech Republic, Germany, England, Cuba, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

CIVIC

  • Weekly radio show on WMFE public radio in Orlando
  • Weekly newspaper column for papers in Florida 
  • Co-edited and written two books on the Congress.  The first is Inside the House: Former Members Reveal How Congress Really Works.  The second, out this year, is Political Rules of the Road: Representatives, Senators and Presidents Share their Rules for Success in Congress, Politics and Life. 
  •  Founder of Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida, which in a short time has become one of the most important in the nation.  The Frey Institute has semi-annual symposiums with average attendance of over 1,000 in person and 100,000 over the Internet.  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.  
  • Speaker at colleges including University of Michigan Law School, Colgate University, New Mexico State, Denison University, Coast Guard Academy, West Virginia University, University of Kansas, University of Central Florida, University of California at Monterey Bay, College of the Desert, and Saginaw Valley State University. Just recently, Congressman Frey was asked to be an official observer of the Presidential election in the Ukraine and spent seven days teaching in high schools and colleges in England.