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'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. Ed Markey is not only the Dean of the Massachusetts House delegation but also 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.

Contents

Early Life and career

Campaign contributions

References

External links

Early Life and career

He was born in Malden, Massachusetts, was educated at Malden Catholic High School, Boston College and Boston College Law School, 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 U.S. House in 1976.
He is the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and is chairman of the newly formed House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. He serves on the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce, United States House Committee on Homeland Security and the United States House Committee on Natural Resources.
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 and the National Journal generally gives 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 by a margin of 74%-21%-5%.
He was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio in the United States presidential election, 2004. [1]
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 suceeded in getting a 100% air cargo screening requirement signed into law, which must be implemented within three years.
He is married to Dr. Susan Blumenthal. He was one of several politicians (and only one of two on the Union side) who played cameos in the 2003 film ''Gods and Generals''. He played an Irish Brigade officer.^[2]
In a December 23, 2006 letter to ''The Boston Globe'', Markey addressed the controversy over former President Jimmy Carter's book, ''. Markey expressed that while Carter "raises some legitimate concerns about Israel's current settlement policy," Israel should not be called an apartheid state. Markey noted 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, ironically, the 1978 Camp David Accords that Carter helped negotiate).

Campaign contributions

Congressman Markey received $2,000.00 from the RIAA, tying him with 10 other Congresspersons for the 18th largest contribution from the RIAA during the 2006 election cycle.^[3]

References

1. vote-smart.org
2. Full Cast and Crew for ''Gods and Generals'' (2003)
3. "http://consumerist.com/consumer/worst-company-in-america/contact-information-for-50-politicians-who-take-campaign-money-from-the-riaa-264638.php"

External links

★ U.S. Congressman Ed Markey 'official House site'

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★ Federal Election Commission — Mr. Edward J Markey campaign finance reports and data

★ On the Issues — Ed Markey issue positions and quotes

★ OpenSecrets.org — Edward J. Markey campaign contributions

★ Project Vote Smart — Representative Edward J. 'Ed' Markey (MA) profile

★ SourceWatch Congresspedia — Ed Markey profile

★ Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Ed Markey voting record

★ Markey's Statements on the use of flammable silicone foam firestops in US nuclear power plants, via ccnr.org