Gregory W. Meeks
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| Gregory Meeks | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office February 3, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Floyd Flake |
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| Born | September 25, 1953 New York City, New York |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Simone Marie Meeks |
| Religion | African Methodist Episcopal |
Gregory Weldon Meeks (born September 25, 1953), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing New York's 6th congressional district, which includes most of Southeastern Queens including Jamaica, Laurelton, Rosedale, Saint Albans, Springfield Gardens, and Far Rockaway, as well as John F. Kennedy International Airport. His district is made up mainly of middle-class minority communities, but also includes a small part of Ozone Park and part of Howard Beach known as Old Howard Beach, both of which are mainly made up of middle-class Italian-Americans.
Born in East Harlem, New York City and raised in a housing project, he attended Adelphi University and obtained a degree in Law from Howard University. He worked as an Assistant District Attorney and Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York before joining the Investigations Commission to investigate official misconduct and organized crime. He was Supervising Judge for the New York State Workers Compensation System before being elected to the New York State Assembly in 1992. He was elected to Congress in a special election to replace Floyd Flake, a congressman and reverend who was retiring to focus on his church. Meeks currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House International Relations Committee. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and of the New Democrat Coalition.
Meeks received a "C" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.
Meeks is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans. [1]
Contents |
[edit] Committee Assignments
- Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises
- Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment (Vice-chair)
- Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight
- Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
- Co-chair of the Dialogue Caucus
- Co-chair of the Malaysia Caucus
- Co-chair of the Middle East Economic Partnership Caucus
- Co-chair of the Services Caucus
[edit] Philippine Visit
On August 25, 2007, Silvestre Reyes, chairman of the permanent select committee on intelligence and the armed services committee and 4 other US Congressmen visited American troops deployed in the southern Philippines to overview the US-Philippines relationship. Reyes headed the bipartisan delegation which included New Jersey Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen , member of appropriations committee and the select intelligence oversight panel; New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson of the committee on energy and the intelligence committee; New York Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, a Democrat, of the financial services and international relations committees; and Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger of the appropriations and intelligence committees. They drove to the base of the Joint Special Operation Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP), a US-led body, which trains Filipino soldiers against terror, in Barangay Upper Calarian.[1]
[edit] Letter to "Tirofijo"
On December 20, 2007 along with 2 other US representatives (Bill Delahunt, James McGovern) Gregory W. Meeks wrote a letter thanking the head of the leftist colombian guerilla FARC (Revolutionary army of Colombia, in Spanish) for the release of evidence that confirms the survival of several of the 45 hostages that the terrorist groups holds captive (including 3 US citizens), some of them for over a decade. The group is considered a terrorist organization by the US government and the European Union. The terrorist are currently demanding for the release of the captives the surrender of Colombian territory; this demand is vehemently rejected by the current democratically elected Colombian government. [2]
[edit] Congressional Auto Lease
It was recently noted by the New York Times that Meeks utilizes the option to use tax dollars to lease a car, for use as a member of Congress. This option does not exist for Senate members. The lease is forgone by many members of Congress, but Meeks presently holds the most expensive lease among all members. He currently uses tax dollars to lease a 2007 Lexus LS 460, at $998 per month. Meeks was unwilling to provide further comment when questioned by the New York Times, on the lease arrangement, saying "These are never lighthearted stories." [3]
[edit] External links
- U.S. Congressman Gregory W. Meeks official House site
- Gregory W. Meeks at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission — Gregory Weldon Meeks campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Gregory Meeks issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org — Gregory W. Meeks campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart — Representative Gregory W. Meeks (NY) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Greg Meeks profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Gregory Meeks voting record
[edit] References
- ^ Inquirer.net, US congressmen visit troops in Mindanao
- ^ Congresistas de E.U. escriben a 'Tirofijo' y le agradecen pruebas de supervivencia, http://www.eltiempo.com/conflicto/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3868513.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/nyregion/01cars.html
| Preceded by Anthony Seminerio |
New York State Assembly, 31st District 1993–1998 |
Succeeded by Pauline Rhodd-Cummings |
| Preceded by Floyd H. Flake |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 6th congressional district 1998– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
