Congressman Jim McDermott

Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott represents Washington’s 7th district in the United States House of Representatives. The 7th district encompasses much of Seattle and several of its southern suburbs like Tukwila and Burien. Dr. McDermott has been serving in Congress since 1988.

Jim McDermott was born in Chicago Illinois in 1936. He attended his primary and secondary schooling and college in Illinois. He graduated from Wheaton College in 1958 and then went on to medical school at the University of Illinois where he graduated in 1963. After finishing college Dr. McDermott served in the US Navy as a Psychiatrist.

In Congress Jim McDermott sits on the powerful Committee on Ways and Means. This is a very powerful committee because the committee’s main purpose is to write and propose taxes and tax related rules. He also chairs the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support and is a member of the Subcommittee on Trade.

One of the major issues Jim McDermott has a strong and long history supporting is healthcare reform in the United States. The pursuit of affordable and obtainable healthcare for everyone is of utmost importance to Congressman McDermott. He is quoted as saying, “providing every American with affordable health care coverage has been my top priority since the day I entered Congress.” He has come out in favor a universal healthcare, an issue that has been quite controversial in political chambers. On his website Dr. McDermott states, “America 's employer-based system is failing. Universal single-payer coverage is the ideal solution.”

Below is some important information about Jim McDermott’s past votes on important issues from ontheissues.org:

• Voted YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package
• Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation
• Voted YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.
• Voted YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore
• Voted YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR
• Voted NO on authorizing military force in Iraq.

Sources:

US House of Representatives
On the Issues