Jon Corzine: Expertise in the US Senate

Shortly after leaving Goldman Sachs in 1999, Jon Corzine became a candidate for the United States Senate. He overcame a steep deficit in early polls to win both the Democratic nomination and the general election, and soon began his distinguished tenure in Congress as a champion of fiscal responsibility and progressive values. (To this day, he maintains a respectful and warm friendship with both his Democratic and Republican opponents from that first race.)

“I have always believed that government can play a constructive role in people’s lives,” says Corzine. “I saw it growing up on a farm, where federal price supports and rural electrification programs allowed folks like my parents to lead a decent life. I got my start at first-rate public schools. I went to a state university. I decided to run for the Senate because I wanted to make sure that all of our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities to realize a bright future.”

Whether it was working with the families that were affected by the tragedy of 9/11, or exercising my conscience in being one of 23 Senators to vote against the Iraq War Resolution, it was an important time to serve and work for the people of New Jersey.

Corzine served on the Senate Banking, Budget, Energy and Natural Resources, and Intelligence Committees. Despite his lack of seniority, he spearheaded a wide range of initiatives designed to improve the quality of life in New Jersey and the nation. His early accomplishments included securing federal funding for the upgrade of New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure; new safeguards to prevent terrorist attacks on chemical facilities; government assistance for 9/11 families; and legislation to improve education, healthcare, and environmental policies.

Putting his financial expertise to work, Corzine co-authored the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, a major legislative response to the accounting scandals that engulfed such corporate behemoths as Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom. Corzine also championed initiatives to expand health care for children and pregnant women and to outlaw racial profiling. Reaching across the aisle, he worked closely with Republican Senator Sam Brownback on the issue of the Sudanese genocide and was a lead sponsor of the Darfur Accountability Act.

“The toughest vote I ever cast in the U.S. Senate was on the Iraq War,” Corzine remembers. “I thought the Bush administration was rushing to war on the basis of faulty intelligence, and without a plan to win the peace.” One of just 23 senators to vote against the war, Corzine never broke ranks with the troops and became an outspoken champion of service families.

In his time in the U.S. Senate and as governor, he has made four visits to Iraq, and two to Afghanistan. He has also been a champion of veterans benefits for both active duty servicemen and guardsmen and reservists. “As someone who wore the uniform, I understand the sacrifice our servicemen and servicewomen are making in order to keep us safe. I understand the sacrifice that their families are making. I’ll always stand proud with them, and I’ll always stand up for them.”

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