Gary A. Franks

Although his father dropped out of school in sixth grade, Franks went on to graduate from college. In 1975, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Yale University. After graduation, he worked for three Fortune 500 companies as a labor relations executive before starting a local real estate company.

Inspired by a friend, he began his political career at the state level. He served on the Waterbury, Conn. Board of Alderman before running for the United States House of Representatives in 1990. He became the first-ever African American to represent Connecticut and the first such Republican in Congress in almost 6 decades.

Mr. Gary Franks, always the maverick, supported welfare reform and the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court. He went against nearly all members of the Congressional Black Caucus to oppose the 1990 Civil Rights Bill, which established quotas for minorities. As Chairman of the Republican Task Force on Civil Rights, he pushed through the 1991 Civil Rights Bill with bipartisan support.

Gary Franks was instrumental in writing the GOP Welfare Reform Act of 1995 as well. He championed harsh restrictions for those not seeking a job within two years and for mothers unable to determine paternity. However, Mr. Franks advocated for a debit card system for welfare recipients—one that is still in use today. In doing so, he set a mandate of financial independence and respect. While Connecticut's lone member of House Armed Services Committee he got more defense related contracts awarded to the state's contractors than ever before, including the "SeaWolf Submarine and a major contract for Colt Manufacturing Co..

Mr. Franks is a staunch Republican believing that blacks should not put all their "eggs in one basket". He believes we need political diversity in the black community. Through his leadership three more black Republicans have been elected to Congress.