On January 25, 2000 the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes jointly hosted a fundraiser for South Dakota Democratic Senator Tim Johnson. Over 100 were in attendance, including BMWE President Mac A. Fleming, BLE President Edward Dubroski and Transport Workers Union President Sonny Hall. Labor's jointly hosted affair was arranged to honor and support Senator Johnson for his long term commitment to labor. Prior to being elected to the United States Senate in 1996, Tim Johnson served four consecutive terms in the South Dakota House of Representatives, two terms in the State Senate, and five terms in the United States Congress.