Penny represented Minnesota’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1982-1994. Throughout his congressional career, Penny placed an emphasis on budget issues. He chaired the Democratic Budget Group as well as the Porkbusters Coalition. Previously, he was a member of the Minnesota State Senate from 1976-82. In 2001, he was appointed to President Bush's bipartisan commission on Social Security. Most recently, Penny was a senior counselor at Himle Horner, a Twin Cities-based public relations and public affairs firm, and co-chair of the Humphrey Institute Forum at the University of Minnesota. Currently, Penny serves as Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) president & CEO. He is the co-author of two books, Common Cents (1995) and The 15 Biggest Lies in Politics (1998).