Ed Markey
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| Ed Markey | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office November 2, 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Torbert Macdonald |
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| Born | July 11, 1946 Malden, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Susan Blumenthal |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Edward John "Ed" Markey (born July 11, 1946) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1976, representing the 7th District of Massachusetts. Markey is the Dean of the Massachusetts House delegation and the New England House delegation as well. He is also the third longest serving member of Congress from New England, behind Ted Kennedy and Patrick Leahy.
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[edit] Early Life and career
Markey was born in Malden, Massachusetts, and was educated at Malden Catholic High School, Boston College and Boston College Law School. He served in the United States Army Reserve, and was a lawyer and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives representing Malden and Melrose before entering the House in 1976.
He is well known for his advocacy for ending torture and the practice of extraordinary rendition, through the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act.
He is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The National Journal generally gave him a "Composite Liberal" score in the mid-90s.[1] Since May 2005, he has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post.
In 2004, he announced that he would run for John Kerry's seat in the United States Senate if Kerry were to be elected President of the United States. Although Kerry lost the election, Markey was easily reelected in 2004 over Republican Kenneth Chase and Independent Jim Hall.
He was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 Presidential election. [2]
He is responsible for introducing legislation to change daylight saving time to begin on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday in November starting in 2007.
In 2003, he began to call attention to the lack of security surrounding air cargo placed on commercial passenger planes, arguing that if all passenger baggage is screened for explosive devices, air cargo on the same plane should be as well. In 2007, he succeeded in getting a 100 percent air cargo screening requirement signed into law, which must be implemented within three years.
In a December 23, 2006 letter to The Boston Globe, Markey addressed the controversy over former President Jimmy Carter's book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. Markey wrote that while Carter "raises some legitimate concerns about Israel's current settlement policy," Israel should not be called an apartheid state. Markey argued that Israeli policy often reacts to the threats posed by neighboring countries and that the Israeli government has in the past attempted to work out peace deals by giving up land (including the 1978 Camp David Accords that Carter helped negotiate).
[edit] Committee Assignments
- Energy and Commerce Committee
- Chair of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
- Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
- Committee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
- Natural Resources Committee
- Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming (Chairman)
- Co-chair of bipartisan Caucus on Nonproliferation
- Co-chair of bipartisan Caucus on Privacy
- Co-chair of bipartisan Caucus on Alzheimer’s disease
- Co-chair of bipartisan Caucus on Cystic Fibrosis
[edit] Campaign contributions
Markey received $2,000 from the RIAA, tying him with 10 other members of Congress for the 18th largest contribution from the RIAA during the 2006 election cycle.[3]
[edit] Personal life
Markey is married to Dr. Susan Blumenthal. He was one of several politicians who appeared in a cameo in the 2003 film Gods and Generals. He played an Irish Brigade officer.[4]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Congressman Ed Markey official U.S. House website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
- Markey's Statements on the use of flammable silicone foam firestops in US nuclear power plants, May 14, 1997
- Bipartisan group of House Reps calls for 35 mpg standard in final CAFE bill, July 27, 2007
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Torbert H. Macdonald |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district November 2, 1976 – present |
Incumbent |
| Order of precedence in the United States of America | ||
| Preceded by Henry Waxman |
United States Representatives by seniority 13th |
Succeeded by Norm Dicks |
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