Gilman, Benjamin A. (Benjamin Arthur), 1922-2016

Benjamin Arthur Gilman (December 6, 1922 – December 17, 2016) was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he notably represented New York's 26th (1973-1983), 22nd (1983-1993), and 20th (1993-2003) congressional districts.

Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, he graduated from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York before receiving a B.S. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and an LL.B. from New York Law School. Gilman served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1945 during World War II. During that conflict, he flew 35 missions over Japan, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters. After graduating New York Law School in 1950, Gilman served as assistant attorney general to the Attorney General of New York from 1953 until 1955. Following this, he practiced law privately in his hometown of Middletown, New York.

Gilman was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1967 to 1972, sitting in the 177th, 178th and 179th New York State Legislatures. He was a member of the New York State Southeastern Water Commission. Gilman first won election to Congress in 1972 to represent New York's 26th congressional district. Gilman subsequently served in Congress from January 3, 1973, until January 3, 2003. During his time in Congress, he was chair of the House Committee on International Relations in the 104th through 106th Congresses. He was widely regarded as a moderate Republican in the mold of New York’s Nelson Rockefeller He was active on foreign affairs issues, serving as a Congressional delegate to the United Nations, serving under Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick in 1981. Throughout his years in Congress, he was a member of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee, the name of which evolved into the Government Reform and Oversight Committee in the 1990s. As a co-founder of the House Select Committee on Narcotics, he served as a senior member on that Committee (1977–1989) and continued to serve as a member until the Committee was abolished in 1993.

As the chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, from 1995 to 2002, Congressman Gilman consistently advocated stronger ties with India, as a counterweight against Chinese influence in the region, particularly in Pakistan. Congressman Gilman helped gain passage of the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000, establishing exchange programs for American students to study abroad. Congressman Gilman retired from Congress in 2003 after New York's 20th congressional district, which he had represented, was broken up. Gilman was the oldest sitting representative in the U.S. House. He was the senior Republican representing New York, and the second-most senior Member from New York overall behind Charles B. Rangel. In 2003, following his retirement from Congress, the Dalai Lama bestowed upon Congressman Gilman the International Campaign for Tibet's Light of Truth Award.

Gilman died at the Castle Point VA Medical Center in Wappingers Falls, New York. He was interred at West Point Post Cemetery in West Point, New York.