Congressman William Jefferson (D-Louisiana) serves on the Ways & Means Congressman William Jennings Jefferson is now serving his seventh term as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 108th Congress. Representing the 2nd District of Louisiana since 1991, he is the first African American since Reconstruction elected to serve in Congress from the State of Louisiana.

U.S. Representative William Jennings Jefferson is now serving is seventh term as a Member of the United States House of Representatives.  Representing the 2nd District of Louisiana since 1991, he is the first African-American to be elected to Congress in Louisiana since Reconstruction.  Jefferson is an active and senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and its subcommittees on Trade and Select Revenue.  He also serves as Co-Chair of the Africa Trade and Investment Caucus as well as the Congressional Caucuses on Brazil and Nigeria.  Jefferson is also the current Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy, research and educational institute founded by members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1976.

A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Congressman Jefferson is a graduate of Southern University A&M College and of Harvard University Law School.  In February of 1996, Jefferson received his Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University, making him only the second Member of Congress to do so while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Prior to his service in Congress, Congressman Jefferson was elected to three terms in the Louisiana State Senate and served on the State Bond Commission, the Senate Finance Committee, and served as Chairman of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.  As a State Senator, he was twice named, “Legislator of the Year” by the prestigious Alliance for Good Government. 

Congressman Jefferson’s public service also included a stint as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps; as law clerk to the late Honorable Alvin B Rubin of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston.  Prior to running for elected office, Jefferson founded the law firm, Jefferson, Bryan and Gray (now Bryan and Jupiter), which became the largest predominately African-American firm in the South.  He is a member of several civic and religious boards and serves as a Trustee of the Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Church.

Congressman Jefferson is well-known and respected by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle as an expert on trade and tax issues.  His work throughout his Congressional career has focused on expanding trade opportunities in under-utilized trade markets – such as Africa and Brazil – which provides enormous job creation and economic benefits for the New Orleans and Louisiana trade industry.  Jefferson has also worked extensively on tax issues, providing innovative ideas for tax reform that benefits working, middle-class families and is the only member of the Ways and Means Committee to hold a Master of Laws Degree in Taxation.  

Congressman Jefferson’s expertise in these areas has proven to be a great asset in creating and passing legislation that he has sponsored and supported throughout his tenure in Congress.  In the 107th Congress, Jefferson led the bipartisan effort to develop and pass Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation, which gives the President the ability to negotiate trade agreements in accordance with congressionally mandated negotiating objectives.  TPA is key to improving Louisiana’s economy because it will create jobs by opening new markets worldwide for the state’s agricultural products and manufactured goods.  Also, in an effort to protect jobs and consumers, Jefferson led the fight against steel tariffs, a key import for Louisiana.  In the 108th Congress, Jefferson sponsored the “tonnage tax” provision, a provision in the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 that changes the way U.S.-flag vessels are taxed, leveling the competitive field for U.S.-flag vessels and will ultimately provide more job and economic opportunities for Louisiana shore-side workers and mariners.

In the 106th Congress, Jefferson helped to lead the successful effort to pass the first version of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – the third version passed in 2004, during the 108th Congress – and the New Markets Initiative.   AGOA is designed to stimulate bi-lateral investment and trade between the U.S. and the developing nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, while the New Markets Initiative steers more than $20 billion of equity capital to under-served communities, streamlines the Federal Housing Administration mortgage process for low income individuals, creates nine new empowerment zones and provides various tax incentives for investments in those empowerment zones.

Congressman Jefferson has been recognized for his work in economic development, trade and technology since he began his Congressional career.   In 2004, he received the “Maritime Service Award” by the Washington, D.C. Propeller Club for his work on the tonnage-tax legislation that was included in the American Jobs Act of 2004.    He has also been named “Legislator of the Year” by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) for his support and leadership on key information technology issues; he was awarded the “Spirit of Enterprise” Award for his leadership in helping build a favorable climate for business and the U.S. economy; the Washington International Trade Association awarded him the “2002 Distinguished Service Award” in recognition of his achievements in the field of international trade; and he was a recipient of a New Orleans Magazine’s 2002 Iberville Award for his advocacy of the Port of New Orleans.

Congressman Jefferson and his wife, Dr. Andrea Green-Jefferson, are the proud parents of five daughters: Jamila, a graduate of Harvard College and Law School, is a practicing attorney; Jalila, also a graduate of Harvard College and Law School is a practicing attorney and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; Jelani, the third graduate of Harvard College and Law School, is a law clerk with U.S. District Judge Fallon in New Orleans; Nailah is a graduate of Boston University and a graduate student at Emerson College in Boston; and Akilah is a student at Brown University.

Rep. William Jefferson's Official Website

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The out-of-pocket costs typically paid while in the "donut hole" is up to $3,600 per beneficiary.

Source:Medicare Rights Center