HOAGLAND, Peter D., a Representative from Nebraska; born in Omaha,Douglas County, Nebr., November 17, 1941; attended Harrison and Dundeegrade schools and graduated from Omaha Central High School; B.A.,Stanford University, 1963; first lieutenant, United States Army,1963-1965; J.D., Yale University Law School, 1968; admitted to the barthe same year and commenced practice in Washington, D.C.; clerk to JudgeOliver Gasch, United States District Court, Washington, D.C., 1969-1970;staff attorney, District of Columbia public defender service, 1970-1973;Nebraska state senator, 1978-1986; elected as a Democrat to the OneHundred First and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3,1989-January 3, 1995); unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the OneHundred Fourth Congress.
He was a 5th generation from Omaha.
Former Nebraska congressman dies at 65
BY HENRY J. CORDES
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITERFormer Congressman Peter Hoagland was remembered in the nation's Capitoltoday as an exemplary, solution-oriented lawmaker who took pride inmaking a difference for people.
Peter HoaglandThe Omaha native, who served three terms in the U.S. Houseof Representatives from Nebraska's 2nd District, died Tuesday inWashington after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 65.
"He worked hard behind the scenes to reach solutions that would make areal difference in people's lives," said House Majority Leader StenyHoyer, D-Md. "It was an honor to serve with him."
Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., who now holds the seat Hoagland formerlyoccupied, said the House was planning a moment of silence later today inhonor of the "dedicated congressman and caring family man."
Studious and soft-spoken but also a tough campaigner, the Democratachieved a lifelong dream when first elected to Congress in 1988. In1994, he lost his bid for a fourth term in one of the hardest-hittingcampaigns in recent Omaha history.
Before his six years in Washington, Hoagland served eight yearsrepresenting central Omaha in the Legislature.
Though Hoagland enjoyed politics and the relative acclaim it brought,friends said what really set him apart was his love of the lawmakingprocess - engaging the public on the important issues and developingsolutions.
"He was deeply interested in policy and loved the work of writing law,"said Bob Kerrey, the former Nebraska governor and U.S. senator who workedwith Hoagland both in Lincoln and Washington.
"He was just a great legislator, both in the Unicameral and theCongress," Kerrey said.
With a Yale law degree, Hoagland could have sought to build his ownfortune, but he always had loftier and more noble ambitions, said LincolnMayor Chris Beutler, who served with Hoagland in the Legislature.
"He was extremely well-educated and bright and could have spent timemaking a lot of money. But he chose to serve his country and state,"Beutler said.
Funeral services were pending today, but friends said Hoagland's wife,Barbara, and five children were making arrangements for him to be buriedin his hometown.
After leaving Congress, Hoagland continued to live and work in Washingtonfor a D.C. law firm. Friends said he had quietly dealt with Parkinson'sfor about five years, and over time it took a toll. He died in aWashington hospital two weeks short of his 66th birthday.
Earlier this year, Hoagland was back in Nebraska to receive a Hall ofFame Award from the Nebraska Democratic Party.
"I am so grateful we had the opportunity to let Peter know how much hemeant to all of us," said Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb. "Peter always worked todo what he believed was right for his district and our state."
Born in 1941 into one of Omaha's oldest families, Hoagland graduated fromCentral High School and Stanford University. After a stint in theVietnam-era Army as an intelligence officer, he completed law studies atYale in 1968.
His parents were staunch Republicans, and Hoagland at first followed intheir footsteps, even serving as an intern in the office of RepublicanU.S. Sen. Roman Hruska.
But he said Watergate and disaffection with the Nebraska GOP'sconservative turn led him to switch to the Democratic Party in 1974. Hesaid later that he had always felt at home in the party that represented"the average Joe."
He first ran for the Legislature in 1978, elected as part of a largegroup of young and idealistic state senators that included Beutler, VardJohnson of Omaha and David Landis and Don Wesely of Lincoln. All wouldsoon rise to leadership roles, Hoagland as chairman of the JudiciaryCommittee.
Hoagland was active on a number of issues, including protectinggroundwater, changing campaign finance laws and opposing expandedgambling.
But he considered his biggest accomplishment to be tough newdrunken-driving laws passed by the Legislature in 1982. Based on reducedrates of alcohol-related crashes, he once calculated that the law savedthe lives of 200 Nebraskans in its first five years.
Hoagland declined to seek a third term in the Legislature in 1986 but twoyears later jumped at the chance to run for the U.S. House seat beingvacated by then-Rep. Hal Daub.
He pulled off a surprise in beating Cece Zorinsky, widow of the late U.S.Sen. Ed Zorinsky, to win the Democratic nomination. He then squeaked outa win over Republican nominee Jerry Schenken in November 1988.
In Washington, Hoagland took a low-key approach, concentrating on theinner workings of committees, where most congressional work is done.
He was active on banking issues, helping lead the effort to reformsavings and loans after a financial crisis that included the failure ofOmaha's Franklin Credit Union. And he received high marks fromenvironmental groups.
Vic Fazio, a California congressman who served with Hoagland, said theNebraskan developed unusual influence for someone who served only threeterms. "He was just a thoughtful, quiet understated person you came torespect," he said.
Hoagland's biggest complaint about the job was how much time he had tospend campaigning.
The 2nd District at the time was a swing district, nearly balancedbetween registered Republicans and Democrats. In his four campaigns,Hoagland would have an easy time only once.
He knew going into his fourth race in 1994 that it would be his toughest.He had cast some difficult votes, supporting a tax on wealthy Americansthat was part of President Clinton's budget-balancing plan and a ban onassault weapons.
He was so unpopular in the polls that his own consultant had told him heshouldn't run.
But Hoagland accepted the challenge and took on Republican nominee JonChristensen, a strong conservative. The two engaged in a hotly contestedcampaign that featured hundreds of hard-hitting TV commercials and apolygraph test.
In the end, Hoagland lost by just 1,700 votes in an election year with astrong national Republican tide. More than 50 of his Democraticcolleagues also fell as the GOP grabbed control of Congress for the firsttime in almost a half-century.
It was Hoagland's first election loss, and it came in his last race. ButHoagland said at the time that if it was his tax and gun votes that costhim the seat, he had no regrets.
"He felt it was the right thing, and that was the most important thing tohim," said longtime friend and adviser Jim Crounse. "He wouldn't have hadit any other way."