Eliot Engel

Eliot Lance Engel (February 18, 1947 – April 10, 2026) was an American politician and former U.S. Representative who served New York's 16th congressional district from 2013 to 2021, following representation of the 17th district from 1989 to 2013. A Democrat from the Bronx, Engel built a career focused on foreign affairs, education, and health policy during his 32 years in Congress. He chaired the House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2021, overseeing legislation on international relations and alliances.

Engel's congressional tenure began after serving in the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1988, where he advocated for education and public housing initiatives. In the House, he sponsored bills advancing U.S. trade policy, long-term health care, and education reform. His foreign policy record emphasized strengthening ties with democratic allies, including vocal support for Israel through measures like the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, which enhanced military and strategic cooperation. As ranking member and later chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Engel criticized aspects of the Trump administration's approach to Russia, North Korea, and multilateral institutions while promoting human rights and anti-corruption efforts abroad.

Eliot Lance Engel was born on February 18, 1947, in Bronx County, New York. His parents were Philip Engel, an ironworker, and Sylvia Engel, a homemaker. Raised in a working-class Jewish family of Ukrainian immigrant descent, Engel grew up in a public housing project in the Bronx after initial residence in a tenement apartment. He attended public schools in the Bronx throughout his childhood.