Tammy Baldwin

In the 112th Congress, Tammy serves on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, its Subcommittee on Health and its Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy. She is a leading advocate for universal health care and a proponent of energy independence and renewable fuels. Tammy also is a forceful supporter of civil rights and an advocate for those in our society whose voices, too often, are not heard.

 

Tammy’s driving motivation in politics is to pass legislation that will guarantee health care for all in America. A pragmatist, she has brought together conservative as well as progressive thinkers to further state/federal partnerships toward that end.

 

She is equally committed to ensuring our nation’s energy independence, promoting the development of renewable fuel sources, and reducing our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Tammy’s legislation to create a National Greenhouse Gas Registry was largely incorporated into the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) when it was considered in Congress. Having accurate measurements, consistent reporting and a publicly available database of our emission levels is critical to successfully reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and confronting climate change.

 

In the health care arena, Tammy’s legislation to further research into paralysis and rehabilitation, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, was incorporated into an omnibus bill and signed into law by President Obama on March 30, 2009. Her legislation reauthorizing a program that provides cancer screening to low-income and uninsured women, and another to increase benefits for service members who lose their vision, were both signed into law in the 110th Session of Congress.

 

Tammy also helped lead efforts in Congress to repeal federal restrictions on stem cell research and is working to ensure opportunities for state innovation and a public plan option in the health care reform legislation now before her Committee.

 

Tammy led successful efforts in the House in 2009 to pass expanded hate crimes legislation. As Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, she is leading efforts to advance the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and other civil rights initiatives. She is the lead author of legislation to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. A strong consumer advocate, Tammy also has crafted legislation to repeal antiquated antitrust exemptions protecting freight railroads from competition. The Railroad Anti-Trust Enforcement Act has strong support from business and consumer groups and from bipartisan Members of both Houses of Congress.

 

Representing all or part of seven Wisconsin counties, (Columbia, Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock, Sauk, and Walworth) Tammy makes it a priority to help constituents solve any problems they may have with federal agencies. She also helps individuals, groups, and municipalities secure federal grants and contracts; and ensures that her district receives a fair share of federal financial assistance. Since taking office, Tammy has secured more than $200 million in federal funds for worthwhile projects throughout her district - funds that would not have come to Wisconsin without her advocacy.

 

Tammy Baldwin served four terms as a Dane County (WI) Supervisor (1986-1994), representing the downtown Madison area, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. In 1986, Tammy also served briefly on the Madison Common Council, filling an aldermanic vacancy. She served three terms as a WI State Representative for the 78th Assembly District (comprising central and south Madison) from January 1993 to January 1999.

 

Tammy frequently reminds young and old, alike, to ignore those she calls “the naysayers, the cynics, and the keepers of the status quo;” those who say “you can’t, you shouldn’t, or you won’t.” Despite the naysayers, Tammy is the first woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Wisconsin and the first non-incumbent, openly gay person to serve in Congress.

 

Tammy Baldwin was born on February 11, 1962 in the area she now represents in Congress; and traces one branch of her family tree back to 1866 in Sauk County (Baraboo). Raised in Madison jointly by her mother and maternal grandparents, Tammy graduated first in her class of 510 students at Madison West High School in 1980. She received an A.B. degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1984 with majors in government and mathematics. In 1989, while an active member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors, Tammy earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and practiced law from 1989-1992.