Bart Stupak

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Bart Stupak

United States Representative from Michigan's 1st district
In office 1993-present
Preceded by	John Conyers
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	February 29, 1952 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Laurie Ann Stupak
Religion	Roman Catholic

Bartholomew Thomas "Bart" Stupak (born February 29, 1952), American politician, has been a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing Michigan's 1st congressional district (map).

Stupak was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Gladstone High School, in Gladstone, Michigan in 1970. He earned his Associate's degree from Northwestern Michigan College, a community college in Traverse City in 1972. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State College in 1977, graduating magna cum laude, and he earned a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1981.

Stupak began his career in public service as an Escanaba police officer in 1972. Stupak later served as a Michigan State Police Trooper from 1973 to 1984. Stupak served as a Michigan State Representative from 1989 to 1990, representing Menominee, Delta, and Dickinson counties.

Stupak is especially known for his severe mistrust of Accutane, an anti-acne drug made by Hoffmann-La Roche. He believes unadvertised psychological side effects from the drug drove his teenage son, Bartholomew Thomas "B.J" Stupak Jr., to commit suicide. B.J. Stupak, a student popular amongst his peers and a football player at Menominee High School, shot himself in the head on May 14, 2000 hours after his junior prom.

He is currently one of several strongly pro-life Democrats in the House (others include Tim Holden, James Oberstar, and Dan Boren); his 2004 congressional campaign was endorsed by the National Right to Life committee.

Stupak is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, his only committee assignment. He serves on the Telecommunications & the Internet; Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection; Environment and Hazardous Materials subcommittees; and as the Ranking Democrat on the Oversight and Investigation subcomittee. Because of the 1st District's extensive amount of Great Lakes shoreline (over 1,600 miles), Stupak has been very active on issues related to the protection of the Great Lakes, including opposing sale or diversion of Great Lakes water and drilling for oil and gas under the lakes.

Stupak easily defeated Republican Don Hooper of Iron River in the 2002, 2004 and 2006 elections.