(rŏs´tenkou´skē) (Daniel David Rostenkowski) , 1928-, U.S. congressman, b. Chicago. A Democrat, he was first elected as a U.S. representative from Illinois in 1958. Rostenkowski became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in 1981. He helped secure (1983) legislation to keep the social security system solvent and played a major role in the passage (1986) of a new federal tax code. In 1994, Rostenkowski was indicted on corruption charges and stepped down as Ways and Means chairman; he lost his House seat in the Congressional elections later that year. He pleaded guilty to mail fraud in 1996, and was fined and served (1996-97) a 17-month sentence. He has subsequently worked as a political consultant and commentator. Rostenkowski was pardoned by President Clinton in 2000.
Bibliography: See biography by R. E. Cohen (1999).
