Congressman Bart Stupak
Leadership you can trust
Bart Stupak was first elected to Congress in 1992 to represent the First Congressional District. In his eighth term in Congress, Bart Stupak is the first Democrat in the 20th century to serve successive terms in this Congressional District. The First District includes all of the Upper Peninsula as well as the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, making it one of the largest Congressional districts in the nation with one-half of the land mass of Michigan. The district has two time zones, borders a foreign country, and has more shoreline (1,613 miles) than any other congressional district except Alaska.
It is important for Congressman Stupak to travel his vast district, to check in with the people, because he believes it makes him a better Congressman. Bart is fond of saying, “I work in Washington, DC but I live in northern Michigan.” That is why Congressman Stupak comes home from Washington every weekend and travels from North to South and East to West, places big and small in order to stay abreast of his constituents’ goals, expectations, and concerns.
The Path to Leadership
Born during a leap year on February 29, 1952, Bart was raised in Gladstone, Michigan. Growing up in a family of 10 children, Bart quickly learned the value of hard work and compromise. In his youth Bart Stupak demonstrated the curiosity and work ethic so often found in future leaders by achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He then went on to graduate from Gladstone High School. Steeped in northern Michigan values, Bart left his hometown for North Western Community College in Traverse City, to earn his Associates Degree. He returned to Gladstone and began his career in public service as an Escanaba police officer in 1972.
In Public Service
Bart continued his career in law enforcement by serving as a Michigan State Trooper from 1973 to 1984. While serving his community by day, Bart hit the books by night, earning Magna Cum Laude honors with his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State University. While undertaking a special assignment in the Michigan State Police, Bart continued his education, earning his Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, in 1980. Stupak was injured in the line of duty and was medically retired from the Michigan State Police in 1984. However, for Bart, his life in public service was not yet complete.
Bart and his wife Laurie, and their two sons, Ken and Bart Jr., moved to Menominee. There, Stupak set up a small law practice but the call to public service proved too strong. From 1989-90 Bart represented Menominee, Delta, and Dickinson counties in the Michigan State House of Representatives where he gained a positive reputation among his peers for trust and honesty.
Bart in Lansing Leadership You Can Trust
Stupak serves as a member of the prestigious House Energy and Commerce committee.
The Commerce Committee, the first U.S. House committee, was formed in 1795 and is the only Committee referenced in the United States Constitution. Because it is an exclusive committee, it is the only sitting committee he is allowed to serve on.
On the Energy and Commerce committee, he serves on the Telecommunication and Internet and the Environment and Hazardous Materials subcommittees. Bart Stupak is best known for his work on the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. With the Democratic take over of the US House, Stupak serves as the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. His law enforcement background and his work as an attorney make him uniquely qualified to spearhead Congressional investigations into child pornography, security breaches at U.S nuclear labs, food and drug safety, energy price gouging and market manipulation and speculation.
Stupak is a recognized leader in energy issues. He has authored legislation for the past three years to crack down on energy price gouging legislation and to prevent the unfair manipulation of energy prices by Wall Street speculators. Stupak has been called on by House Leadership to deliver the Democratic response to the President’s weekly radio address on gas prices.
Congressman Bart Stupak has earned a reputation for bipartisanship. Named to a small pool of Members of Congress who may be called upon to investigate other members for potential ethics violations, Stupak was singled out for his sense of justice and fair play, knowledge of the House and its procedures, and an ability to rise above partisanship.
Stupak’s 12 years of experience as a police officer have allowed him to take a lead role on law enforcement issues. He founded and co-chairs the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus which provides our nation’s law enforcement community with an avenue to participate in the legislative process. In response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Stupak was named to the Democratic Caucus Task Force on Homeland Security. Through sponsored legislation Stupak has been a leading advocate for first responder preparedness for potential bioterrorist attacks or other incidents. He has also worked passionately to ensure that local law enforcement and first responders have “interoperable” communications, an issue that received widespread public attention after 9-11 when communications failures resulted in the deaths of 121 fire fighters at the World Trade Center.
Congressman Stupak has championed Great Lakes issues. “The Guardian of the Great Lakes,” Stupak raised the issue of the potential sale and diversion water in the 1993 NAFTA debate. Two years later, the Nova Group obtained a permit to sell Great Lakes water to China. Stupak lead an international fight to stop the sale of Great Lakes water.
Congressman Stupak was the first elected official to oppose the unsafe drilling for oil and gas in and under the Great Lakes. In 2005, Stupak and the First District achieved a major victory with a permanent federal ban on new drilling for oil and gas in and under the Great Lakes.
In 1997, Stupak also led the charge to block the EPA from finalizing its proposal to allow the dumping of partially treated human waste into our waterways. Stupak has fought to protect our Great Lakes water quality and quantity. He has lectured at national water forums, written the foreword to a book on the Great Lakes and has made protecting our precious resource his signature issue.
Looking Ahead
Most recently, Congressman Stupak has been a key actor in the fight against energy market speculation and price gouging. These twin causes contribute to the unduly high price of gasoline, diesel, natural gas, home heating oil and propane. Stupak’s reformist position on this issue puts him squarely at odds with President George W Bush's failed energy policies. Stupak is seeking another term in Congress to continue to advocate for the needs of rural areas, a fair energy policy, healthcare reform, the protection of our Great Lakes, and to ensure that this nation supports our veteran’s when they need us most.
Recent Honors and Awards
2007- National Telecommunications Cooperative Association’s Congressional Leadership Award “This award is not given routinely or lightly or very often. It is truly reserved for those who recognize rural communications needs and act accordingly to ensure they are met.” – Michael Brunner, Chief Executive Officer of National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
“In his 14 years serving the 1st District of Michigan, Representative Bart Stupak has been a tireless advocate for his rural constituents, rural health care providers and the patients they serve. It is fitting that the representative of the second largest district east of the Mississippi would be such a great friend to rural health.” - Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.
2006- Michigan Sheriff’s Association’s first ever “Federal Legislator of the Year Award”
“He has led fights to provide additional funding for Byrne Grants; supported the COPS program; passed resolutions honoring National Night Out; spoken at National Law Enforcement Memorial services; fought for funding to make communications for local law enforcement and first responders interoperable; and more. This is the first time MSA has recognized a federal legislator for this award.” -Terrence Jungel, Executive Director of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association.
2005- American Rivers’ “Legislator of the Year Award.” Presented to the Congressman to honor his work preventing untreated sewage from being discharged into American waterways.
2005- Michigan Credit Union League Federal (MCUL) “Legislator of the Year”
“Congressman Stupak has been an incredible advocate on many of the issues important to credit unions in Michigan.” –Patrick LaPine, Government Affairs Vice President, Michigan Credit Union League
2003- The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force’s Great Lakes Legislator of the Year award
“Great Lakes deserve great legislators, and Congressman Stupak certainly fills that bill. From his first days in Congress, he has recognized the important contributions Lakes shipping makes to Michigan’s economy and the country’s national defense capabilities. Just as it takes skilled American mariners to ease a 1,000 foot freighter into the Poe Lock, it takes skilled legislators like Bart Stupak to promote Great Lakes shipping in Washington.” John Baker, the President of the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, John Baker, said,
2003- American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA) “Friend of the Forest and Paper Industry” “Bart Stupak has an excellent understanding of the environment and our industry, and has demonstrated strong support on our issues. Whether we are working together to improve forest health, enhance wildlife habitat, lower taxes, or keep jobs in Michigan, we know we can count on Bart to be a champion for us.”
-W. Henson Moore, President and CEO of AF&PA
