Dutch Ruppersberger

Dutch Ruppersberger
Born	Charles Albert Ruppersberger III 31 1, 1946
Birthplace	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Known for	U.S. Representative for Maryland's 2nd congressional district (2003–2025), Baltimore County Executive (1994–2002), Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee (2011–2015)
Education	University of Baltimore (JD)
Children	2
Website	[https://ruppersberger.house.gov/ Official site]

Charles Albert "Dutch" Ruppersberger III (born January 31, 1946) is an American lawyer and politician who represented Maryland's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for eleven consecutive terms, from January 2003 to January 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Ruppersberger built a lengthy career in Maryland public service spanning more than five decades, beginning as an assistant state's attorney in the 1970s and rising through local government before entering Congress. He served as the Ranking Member of the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence from 2011 to 2015, a position that placed him at the center of national debates over cybersecurity, intelligence authorization, and surveillance policy. Prior to his congressional career, he served as a Baltimore County councilman from 1985 to 1994 and as Baltimore County Executive from 1994 to 2002. In January 2024, Ruppersberger announced that he would not seek a twelfth term and would retire from Congress at the conclusion of the 118th United States Congress. He was succeeded by Johnny Olszewski Jr., who won the general election for the seat in November 2024.

Early Life

Charles Albert Ruppersberger III was born on January 31, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland. He acquired the nickname "Dutch" early in life, a moniker that would become his primary public identifier throughout his political career. He grew up in the Baltimore metropolitan area, a region that would remain the geographic and political center of his career in public service.

Ruppersberger attended Baltimore City College, a selective public high school in Baltimore with a history dating to the nineteenth century. The school, despite its name, is a secondary institution known for its rigorous academic programs. His attendance there placed him among a tradition of Baltimore-area public figures who passed through the institution's halls.

Details of Ruppersberger's family background and childhood beyond his birth and schooling are not extensively documented in available sources. What is clear from his subsequent career trajectory is that he developed an early interest in law and public service, paths he would pursue through higher education and his first professional positions in the 1970s.

Education

Ruppersberger pursued his undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, obtaining his Juris Doctor degree. His legal education prepared him for an initial career in prosecution, which would serve as the foundation for his later entry into elected office. The University of Baltimore, located in the city where Ruppersberger was born and raised, has produced a number of Maryland political and legal figures.

Career

Assistant State's Attorney

Following his completion of law school, Ruppersberger began his career in public service as an assistant state's attorney for the state of Maryland, a position he held from 1972 to 1980. During this eight-year tenure in the prosecutor's office, he gained experience in criminal law and the Maryland judicial system. The role provided him with a grounding in law enforcement and public safety issues that would inform his later positions on the Baltimore County Council, as county executive, and in Congress.

Baltimore County Council

Ruppersberger transitioned from legal work to elected office when he won a seat on the Baltimore County Council, where he served from 1985 to 1994. As a county councilman, he represented constituents in one of Maryland's most populous jurisdictions. Baltimore County, which surrounds but does not include the independent city of Baltimore, is a diverse suburban and semi-rural area with significant economic and demographic variation across its communities.

During his nearly decade-long tenure on the council, Ruppersberger built a reputation in local governance and constituent services. The experience positioned him as a viable candidate for the county's top executive office.

Baltimore County Executive

In 1994, Ruppersberger was elected as the 10th Baltimore County Executive, succeeding Roger B. Hayden. He took office on December 5, 1994, and served in the position until December 2, 2002. As county executive, Ruppersberger oversaw the administration of a jurisdiction with a population of approximately 750,000 residents, managing issues including public safety, education, land use, and economic development.

His tenure as county executive provided him with executive-level governmental experience that distinguished him from many first-time congressional candidates. He was succeeded as county executive by James T. Smith Jr.

U.S. House of Representatives

Election to Congress

Ruppersberger ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002, seeking to represent Maryland's 2nd congressional district. He succeeded Bob Ehrlich, who vacated the seat to run for Governor of Maryland. Ruppersberger won the election and took office on January 3, 2003, beginning what would become an eleven-term tenure in Congress.

The 2nd congressional district of Maryland encompasses portions of Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Harford County, and parts of Baltimore City. The district includes the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort Meade, a geographic fact that would become significant in shaping Ruppersberger's committee assignments and legislative focus areas.

Following the 2010 census, Maryland's congressional district boundaries were redrawn. The redistricting process attracted public attention and criticism, with commentators noting the unusual shapes of some of the state's redrawn districts. Ruppersberger continued to represent the 2nd district under the new boundaries and won reelection in subsequent cycles.

House Intelligence Committee

One of the most prominent aspects of Ruppersberger's congressional career was his service on the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He served as the committee's Ranking Member—the senior minority party member—from January 3, 2011, to January 3, 2015, succeeding Pete Hoekstra in the role and being succeeded by Adam Schiff.

In this capacity, Ruppersberger was involved in oversight of the United States intelligence community, including agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. The ranking member position provided him with access to classified intelligence briefings and a leading role in shaping intelligence authorization legislation.

During his tenure as ranking member, Ruppersberger was a co-sponsor and advocate of the intelligence authorization process. In May 2012, he spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 5743, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which addressed funding and policy direction for the nation's intelligence agencies.

CISPA Legislation

Ruppersberger was a principal co-author of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), a cybersecurity bill that generated significant public debate. The legislation, designated H.R. 624 in the 113th United States Congress, was designed to facilitate the sharing of cyber threat information between the federal government and private-sector companies.

The bill received letters of support from various industry groups and companies that argued it would improve the nation's ability to detect and respond to cyberattacks. However, the legislation also drew opposition from privacy and civil liberties organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which argued that CISPA contained insufficient privacy protections and could enable overly broad sharing of personal information between corporations and the government. The House passed the bill, but it did not advance through the Senate.

The CISPA debate placed Ruppersberger at the intersection of national security and civil liberties concerns, a recurring theme throughout his time on the Intelligence Committee. The episode illustrated both his focus on cybersecurity as a national defense priority and the political complexities involved in crafting legislation in this area.

Municipal Finance and Bond Advocacy

Beyond intelligence and national security, Ruppersberger engaged with domestic policy issues, including municipal finance. He partnered with Republican Representative Randy Hultgren of Illinois on bipartisan efforts to protect the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds. The two lawmakers co-led an effort to keep municipal bonds tax-exempt, arguing that such bonds were essential tools for financing infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and other public projects at the state and local level.

Ruppersberger and Hultgren also launched a bipartisan caucus to promote investment in local communities through the municipal bond market. Their collaboration was notable as an example of cross-party cooperation on a fiscal issue with implications for local governance across the country.

Bioterrorism and Biosecurity

Ruppersberger was recognized for his legislative efforts related to bioterrorism prevention and biosecurity. The Alliance for Biosecurity acknowledged his work in promoting preparedness against biological threats, describing him as a champion of efforts in this area. This work aligned with his broader focus on national security and homeland defense during his congressional career.

Next Generation 9-1-1

Ruppersberger was involved in the Congressional Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus, an effort to modernize the nation's emergency communications infrastructure. The caucus advocated for updating the 9-1-1 system to accommodate modern communication technologies, including text messaging, data transmission, and video, replacing legacy systems that were designed primarily for voice calls over landline telephones.

Retirement Announcement

On January 26, 2024, Ruppersberger announced that he would not seek reelection to a twelfth term in Congress. "This election, my name will not be on the ballot," he stated in his announcement. At the time of his retirement announcement, he had served 21 years in the House of Representatives, representing the 2nd district continuously since 2003.

His retirement announcement prompted statements from congressional colleagues. Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland's 5th district issued a statement acknowledging Ruppersberger's service. Rosa DeLauro, the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, also released a statement on his retirement.

WBAL-TV reported that Ruppersberger confirmed his intentions for 2024, ending months of speculation about whether the veteran congressman would run again. His seat was subsequently won by Johnny Olszewski Jr., who had been serving as Baltimore County Executive, defeating Republican Kimberly Klacik in the November 2024 general election.

Ruppersberger's term in Congress officially concluded on January 3, 2025, marking the end of a 22-year tenure in the House.

Personal Life

Ruppersberger has two children. He has maintained his residence in the Baltimore metropolitan area throughout his career in public service, reflecting his deep ties to the region he represented at the county and congressional levels.

During his career as an assistant state's attorney, Ruppersberger was involved in an automobile accident that resulted in serious injuries. The incident occurred while he was investigating a case, and it left lasting physical effects. Despite the injuries, he continued his career in public service, moving from the prosecutor's office into elected office within several years.

Ruppersberger's personal connection to the Baltimore area extended beyond politics. His roots in the region—from his birth in Baltimore, through his education at Baltimore City College and the University of Baltimore, to his service as Baltimore County councilman and county executive—reflected a career built on local engagement and community ties.

Recognition

Over the course of his career, Ruppersberger received recognition from various organizations for his legislative work. The Alliance for Biosecurity recognized his efforts in promoting bioterrorism prevention and preparedness, highlighting his work on legislation aimed at strengthening the nation's defenses against biological threats.

His work on municipal bond protections received attention from local government and finance communities, who credited the bipartisan caucus he co-founded with raising awareness about the importance of tax-exempt bonds for infrastructure financing.

Upon his retirement announcement in 2024, Ruppersberger received tributes from fellow members of Congress. Congressman Steny Hoyer praised his decades of service to Maryland and the nation. Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro also acknowledged his contributions, particularly his work on the Appropriations Committee and related fiscal matters.

The Maryland Daily Record profiled Ruppersberger following the conclusion of his congressional service, documenting his career in the context of Maryland's political history.

Legacy

Dutch Ruppersberger's career in public service spanned more than half a century, encompassing roles in prosecution, county government, and federal legislation. His trajectory from assistant state's attorney to Baltimore County Executive to eleven-term congressman made him one of the longest-serving political figures in modern Maryland history.

His most consequential work in Congress centered on intelligence and national security policy. As the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee during a period that included revelations about NSA surveillance programs and escalating cybersecurity threats, Ruppersberger occupied a position of significant influence over how the United States approached the intersection of technology, privacy, and national defense. His co-authorship of CISPA, while controversial, reflected an early legislative attempt to address the challenge of cyber threat information sharing between the public and private sectors—an issue that continued to evolve in subsequent congressional sessions.

Ruppersberger's bipartisan work on municipal bond protections demonstrated his engagement with domestic fiscal policy beyond his primary committee assignments. His partnership with Republican members on these issues illustrated an approach to governance that sought common ground across party lines on matters affecting local communities.

The 2nd congressional district's inclusion of the NSA headquarters at Fort Meade gave Ruppersberger a unique constituent interest in intelligence policy that few other members of Congress shared. This geographic reality shaped his committee assignments and legislative priorities in ways that made his congressional career distinctive.

His retirement in 2025 marked the end of an era for Maryland's 2nd district. The transition to his successor, Johnny Olszewski Jr.—himself a former Baltimore County Executive—maintained a continuity of local governmental experience in representing the district.