Adam Putnam

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Adam H. Putnam

United States Representative from Florida's 12th district
In office 2001-present
Preceded by	Charles Canady
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	July 31, 1974 Bartow, Florida
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Melissa Putnam
Religion	Episcopalian

Adam H. Putnam (born July 31, 1974), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing the 12th District of Florida. He was born in Bartow, Florida and was educated at Bartow High School and the University of Florida (BS, Food and Resource Economics). Putnam was a farmer, rancher and a member of the Florida House of Representatives before entering the U.S. House.

In February of 2006 Congressman Putnam became a member of the House leadership, assuming the role of Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth ranking Republican position in the House. In November 2006, Putnam was elected by his colleagues as House Republican Conference Chairman, the third highest ranking position.[1]

Putnam describes himself as one of Congress's leading supporters of developmental education for children from low-income families,^{[citation needed]} and is the author of the Head Start Accountability Bill. Congressman Putnam is also the co-chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus.

Putnam is currently the second youngest member of Congress. He was the youngest member of Congress from his election in 2001, which occurred only a year after he became eligible to run under the Constitution which requires congress members to be over 25 years old, until 2005, when Patrick McHenry who is a year younger than Putnam and also a Republican from a southern state, was elected to Congress.

Putnam was with President George W. Bush visiting the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida the morning of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Recently, Marion Berry made headlines when he called Putnam a "Howdy Doody looking nimrod" while on the House floor.

He also is a critic of the House rules on gift-giving. He pointed out in the Appropriations Committee that he can't accept many trivial gifts like baseball caps or beef jerky because of a 50 dollar limit on gifts to Representatives.

Other Congressmen frequently poke fun at Putnam while on the floor, calling him "The Elder Statesman" in jest.