Thomas Stephen Foley was a noted American lawyer and politician, belonging to the Democratic Party. He represented Washington's fifth district for thirty years and served as the 49th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives for six consecutive terms. Born into a Democratic family at the onset of the Great Depression, he had a comfortable childhood and received an all-round education. Beginning his career in law at the age of twenty-eight, he entered the House of Representatives at the age of thirty-five and became the chairman of the Agriculture Committee at forty-five. At fifty-two, he was elected the House Majority Whip; at fifty-eight, the House Majority Leader; and at the age of sixty, the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Although his district became increasingly conservative, he himself was very liberal and tried to do his work fairly. He believed in abortion rights, championed the federal food-stamps program and campaigned against term limit.