page_title: Phil Crane
section_title: Political eclipse
hierarchical_section_title: Phil Crane / Political career / Political eclipse
caption_attribution_description: English: Congressman Phil Crane (right) meets with President George W. Bush (center) and Congressman Bill Thomas (left) in the White House Cabinet Room to discuss Trade Promotion Authority. Crane cosponsored the Trade Promotion Authority bill that passed the House of Representatives in December.
context_page_description: Philip Miller Crane was an American politician. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 2005, representing the 8th District of Illinois in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago. At the time of his defeat in the 2004 election, Crane was the longest-serving Republican member of the House.
context_section_description: After the 1980 campaign, Crane's influence rapidly declined. Newt Gingrich, who had been elected to Congress soon after Crane announced his candidacy for president, soon surpassed him as the leading conservative firebrand in the House. By the time the Republicans took control of the House in 1994, Crane was widely seen as a "foot soldier" for Republican causes.
  Crane did have some influence as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which handles tax issues. As chairman of its trade subcommittee, he was effective in his efforts to promote his staunch free trade views. However, when the full committee's chairman, Bill Archer of Texas, retired after the 2000 elections, Crane made a bid for the highly coveted post of Ways and Means chairman. He was the committee's most senior member, having been on the panel since 1975.  However, he was passed over in favor of Bill Thomas of California for the Chairman's job. Some believe that Crane was not chosen because prior to the vote he had admitted to being an alcoholic and sought a leave from the House to get treatment. Others believe that Thomas's ability to raise money for congressional candidates helped him win the chairmanship. Crane did earn the vice-chairmanship of the powerful committee.
  Crane is also noted for the role he played in ending the chewing gum ban in Singapore, as part of negotiations during the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
caption: Phil Crane with Ways and Means Committee chairman Bill Thomas and President George W. Bush at the White House.
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