Pallone attended Middlebury College, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and Rutgers School of Law. Prior to being elected to the House, Pallone was a member of the Long Branch city council from 1982 to 1988 and the New Jersey Senate (the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature) from 1983 to 1988.

Congressman Pallone currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Native American Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives. In this capacity, Congressman Pallone has worked on a bipartisan basis to protect the inherent sovereignty of tribal governments and promote the needs of Indian Country. As a senior member of the House Resources Committee - the committee with jurisdiction over all matters regarding the relations of the United States with American Indians and Alaska Natives - he has been a defender of the sovereign status of Indian Tribal governments.

In 2002, he was awarded India's third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan for his contributions as member of the India Caucus in the Congress.

Early in 2005, Frank Pallone announced his intentions to seek the US Senate position held by Jon Corzine. Corzine won the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey in June of 2005, and Pallone was the first NJ politician to officially seek Corzine's senate seat. Pallone launched "Pallone for New Jersey to inform New Jersey citizens of his work in the house and his desire to be New Jersey's next Senator. In January 2006, Pallone announced his endorsement of Robert Menendez for US Senate in the November 2006 Election, ending his bid for the US Senate.