Roukema, Margaret (1929–)
Roukema, Margaret (1929–)
American politician. Name variations: Margaret Scafati Roukema; Margaret S. Roukema. Born Margaret "Marge" Scafati, Sept 19, 1929, in Newark, New Jersey; Montclair State University, BA, 1951; graduate work at Montclair State University; graduate work in city and regional planning at Rutgers University, 1975; m. Richard W. Roukema (psychiatrist); children: Greg, Meg, and Todd (died at age 17).
A moderate Republican, began career as a high school history teacher; ran unsuccessfully for a seat in US House of Representatives for New Jersey (1978), but won (1980); served from 1980 to 2002; one of the most respected fiscal conservatives in the House, was chair of the House Banking Committee's Subcommittee on Financial Institutions; sponsored legislation to update financial services laws dating back to the Depression; strongly supportive of health insurance reform, believed that insurance company profit considerations unfairly affected decisions about treatment, and that patients and their doctors should maintain sole discretion about patient care; fought to restore $38 million that had been cut from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food program and, at the same time, contributed to legislation that would require parents to support their children financially; was a member of the Congressional Task Force on Immigration Reform.