Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (born April 29, 1946 in New York City) has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District (map) since 1995. Frelinghuysen is a member of a family long prominent in New Jersey politics. He is the son of Peter Hood Ballantine Frelinghuysen II, great-great grandson of Frederick Frelinghuysen, and great-great-great nephew of Theodore Frelinghuysen, who each represented New Jersey in Congress. After graduating from Hobart College in 1969, Frelinghuysen enlisted in the United States Army. Following basic training at Fort Dix, he served with the 93rd Engineer Battalion in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.
After his military service, Frelinghuysen worked for the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders until he was elected to serve as a Freeholder in 1974.
In 1983, Frelinghuysen was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly (the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature) from the 26th legislative district, a position he would hold until elected to the House of Representatives in 1994.
Like most Republicans from New Jersey, Frelinghuysen has a moderate voting record. He is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership, the Republican Majority For Choice, Republicans for Choice and Republicans For Environmental Protection. He is the only New Jersey Republican who is pro-choice on abortion. When he was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, he made a small financial contribution to the activist/civil disobedience group ACT UP.
