He graduated from Bethlehem High School in 1944 and served in the United States Army from February 1944 to April 1946, with service in Europe as a paratrooper.

[2] Rooney served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 18th district from November 5, 1958, until his resignation on August 6, 1963.

Rooney served on the House Transportation Committee, where his specialties included railroad issues.

He was one of the architects of the 1976 legislation that established Conrail, which took over the operation of potentially profitable railroad companies that had fallen into bankruptcy, including the Penn Central.

After leaving Congress, he joined Cassidy & Associates in Washington, D.C., one of the nation's largest government relations and lobbying firms.