Feature: Spence Abraham

A SPARTAN IN THE U.S. SENATE

Spence Abraham, the first MSU undergraduate degree holder to become a U.S. Senator, has made an early impact in Capitol Hill.

It's 10 a.m., Friday, September 12. A crowd of nearly 100 people gather in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room on the second floor of the Dirksen Building, just across from the Capitol. Sen. Spencer Abraham, '74, bangs his gavel to open a hearing of his subcommittee on immigration. He is flanked by two of the Senate's best-known and most powerful figures--Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), chairperson of the Judiciary Committee, and Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), a national figure and longtime force in Capitol Hill. Both Hatch and Kennedy open their remarks by thanking and complimenting chairman Abraham on his leadership. The lead witness was Cardinal Adam Maida, Archbishop of Detroit, who testified along with other representatives of major religions. The hearing dealt with the accessibility of visas for religious workers, which was important enough that Mother Teresa wrote a letter to Abraham just weeks before her death.

As the proceedings unfolded, one thing became obvious. The junior senator from Michigan, the first undergraduate degree holder from Michigan State University to become a U.S. Senator, was handling his role as chairman with great aplomb. For someone who had never held elective office before, Abraham, at age 45, has clearly found an amazing comfort level within this enclave of power once dubbed 'the world's most exclusive club.' He has learned the ropes quickly and well, becoming, for example, the first in his 1994 class to usher a bill into law. To be sure, he's made some rookie mistakes, such as humming 'The Muffin Man' while C-SPAN microphones were on (symptomatic of how much time he spends with twin daughters Betsy and Julie, 4, and one-year-old son Spencer Robert.) Also, when he showed overconfidence in his knowledge of rules, he was put in his place by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia), who bombarded him with esoteric procedural questions. When he turned to the parliamentary experts he had previously bypassed, they completed the prank by remaining silent.

But midway into his six-year term, Abraham has emerged as a major player; he boasts membership in three committees--Budget, Commerce and Judiciary--and chairs two subcomittees. He actually helped to create one of them, Commerce's Subcommittee on Manufacturing and Competitiveness. 'Given the extent of Michigan's manufacturing sector,' he explains, 'it's a chance to inject much greater attention and focus on issues important to manufacturing.'

Among many feathers in his senatorial cap, he was tapped by Majority Leader Bob Dole to be floor manager for the 1995 balanced budget debate in the Senate--an issue central to Dole's strategy. The day before the immigration hearing, Abraham held a press conference in the Senate Press Gallery, where he announced a bill dealing with foreign policy towards China. With him were three of the co-sponsors: Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin), Tim Hutchison (R-Arkansas) and Connie Mack (R-Florida).

Later that day, he made an appearance at the groundbreaking for the $50 million Pope John Paul II Cultural Center near the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C. The only other Senator there was Kennedy, who, despite their ideological differences, gave Abraham a warm embrace and engaged in a constructive discussion. Abraham's ability to get things done and to work across party lines--which often go together--has not gone unnoticed. Although he's entrenched in his party's conservative wing, he has often veered away in fits of independence. In one of his first votes, Abraham was one of only two Republicans who voted in favor of a gift ban proposal by fellow Michigan Senator Carl Levin.

During the debate over last year's immigration reform bill, he challenged the GOP leadership, which favored restricting all immigration. The grandson of Lebanese immigrants, Abraham argued passionately that legal immigration was not the problem. The problem was illegal immigration. He reminded everyone how Ellis Island has strengthened America. He led the fight to separate the two issues, won the committee, 11-4, and eventually won in the Senate, 80-12. As one member of the Washington Press Corps noted, 'No question, he's on the side of the angels on this issue.' Bob Graham (D-Florida), whose parental roots are also from Michigan, praises his Senate colleague. 'Spence is an excellent member of the U.S. Senate,' says Graham. 'He's risen quickly to positions of major responsibility. He's very, very thoughtful. We have an expression here, that 'You're either a showhorse or a workhorse.' He's definitely a workhorse. He's more interested in completing the task than in who gets the credit. He works very easily and with great respect across party lines.For example, we worked recently on some issues affecting Lebanon. Almost everyone else in the room were Democrats.'

Similar praise has flowed in the media. One newspaper opined that 'in a class of 11 Republican freshmen elected in 1994, he stands out as particularly bright and ambitious . . . ' The conservative Weekly Standard once ranked him 'the most influential Republican freshman in Washington.' The Detroit Free Press headlined a story, 'Abraham's Status Soars in the Senate.' New York Times columnist A. M. Rosenthal calls him 'a much-admired advertisement for the State of Michigan.'

Abraham is too busy to bask in his success. A work-a-father-holic, he is constantly at work in his office on the third floor of the Dirksen Building, where, incidentally, a closet has been transformed into a play room for his three kids--all frequent visitors.

So far he has never missed a vote, always taking the subway across the street to Senate chambers when votes come up. His 100 percent voting record was in jeopardy on September 5, 1996, when his son Spencer Robert was born. On that incredible day, Abraham made five round trips between the Fairfax, VA, hospital and the Capitol so he could assist wife Jane with the delivery and with pre- and post-natal activities, and yet maintain his perfect voting record. Back and forth he rushed, and with incredible luck, he made every vote. One of his dozen votes, ironically, was cast in favor of allowing insurance for new mothers up to 48 hours in hospital stays.

The story of E. Spencer Abraham is really a classic MSU success story. He not only symbolizes the American Dream, but also exemplifies the end-product of a Michigan State education. In the political arena, for example, many other Spartans have enjoyed major success. Abraham's seat was previously occupied for three terms, from 1976-94, by Don Riegle, M.B.A. '61. Michigan Governor John Engler (see Spring 1991, pp. 23-26), '71, was first elected in 1990, succeeding James Blanchard (see Summer 1983, pp. 12-16), '64, M.B.A. '65, who served two terms from 1982-90. In the 1980s, George Ariyoshi, '49, was Governor of Hawaii, while Anthony Earl, '58, was Governor of Wisconsin; Nancy Dick, '51, was Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. In addition, countless Spartans serve and have served in the U.S. Congress, in state legislatures, at all levels of elective office and in all branches of government.

Abraham became interested in politics at age 16, when his late mother Julie, a Republican activist, got him involved. His father, Eddie, was a UAW member and worked at Oldsmobile for 20 years until they bought a retail clothing store in Lansing, near the State Capitol. Abraham says his own conservative philosophy derives partly from his parents' work ethic. After graduating from East Lansing High School, choosing MSU was a no-brainer, says Abraham. 'I never considered any alternatives (to MSU),' he recalls.