Although he spent 35 years as a Congressman representing northeastern Minnesota, former Representative Jim Oberstar points to something he helped achieve before being elected to Congress as one of his proudest legislative accomplishments. In late 1971, while on the staff of his Congressional predecessor John Blatnik, Oberstar was Administrator to the House Committee on Public Works. As the lead staff representative on this committee, Oberstar played a key role in writing what is today considered landmark legislation.