Matthew J. Rinaldo

Matthew John "Matt" Rinaldo (September 1, 1931 – October 13, 2008) was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives for ten terms, serving in the 12th congressional district (1973–1983) and in the 7th congressional district (1983–1993).

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Rinaldo graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J. in 1949, then went on to receive a B.S. from Rutgers University (1953), an M.B.A., Seton Hall University (1959) and a D.P.A., from New York University, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service (1979).

He was elected to the Union Township Zoning Board of Adjustment, serving from 1962 to 1963, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1963 to 1964, and the New Jersey Senate from 1967 to 1972.

Rinaldo was elected as a Republican to the 93rd and to the nine succeeding U.S. Congresses (January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1993). Representative Rinaldo sat on the House Permanent Committee on Select Aging, as Minority Leader of the Committee, and the House Committee for Energy and Commerce.

Prior to his retirement, Rinaldo listed among his top accomplishments a bill to limit the airing of commercials during children's programming and securing public access to pollution data under the Superfund law.

He died on October 13, 2008, from complications related to Parkinson's disease after several years of poor health.