Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has worked a lifetime for the people of Connecticut. She was first elected to Congress from Connecticut's Third District in 1990, and is currently serving her seventh term. Congresswoman DeLauro sits on the House Appropriations Committee, and serves on the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education and Agriculture Subcommittees.

She also serves on the House Budget Committee. In 1999, she was elected Assistant to the Democratic Leader by her colleagues, making her the second highest ranking Democratic woman in the House of Representatives. She was re-elected to this position in 2000. In 2002, she was appointed co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee.

Congresswoman DeLauro was born and raised in New Haven's Wooster Square, where for years her grandmother owned and operated a pastry shop. Her father, Ted DeLauro, was a New Haven Alderman whose hard work earned him the nickname "Mayor of Wooster Square." DeLauro's mother, Luisa, was the longest-serving member of the New Haven Board of Aldermen, serving from 1965 to 1998. Since coming to Congress, DeLauro has built a solid reputation for constituent service and hard work. In 1998, 2000 and 2002, she was recognized as one of the House of Representative's top "Workhorses" by Washingtonian magazine, and was called a "hero for working families" by nationally syndicated columnist Tom Oliphant.

Congresswoman DeLauro has helped Connecticut families get ahead by making economic improvement a top priority. The first bill she introduced as a Member of Congress was a middle-class tax cut. More recently, she has fought for targeted tax cuts such as a $500 per child tax credit, a tax cut for children's health care, and education tax cuts to give every Connecticut family the chance to send their kids to college. DeLauro was also able to secure tax refunds for Connecticut police officers and firefighters whose heart disease and hypertension disability payments were unfairly taxed.

During her tenure in Congress, DeLauro has taken a special interest in health care issues. She has led the fight for affordable, quality health care, and sponsored legislation that would reduce health care fraud and abuse. DeLauro supports a $1000 tax cut for families providing long-term care to a parent or relative, and is co-sponsoring legislation to lower prescription drug costs for senior citizens. A survivor of ovarian cancer, DeLauro has been a leading voice for increasing critical cancer research. From her position on the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, DeLauro has fought to increase funding for breast and cervical cancer screenings and research. DeLauro has also authored legislation to ensure longer hospital stays for women undergoing breast cancer surgery that enjoys bipartisan support.

Connecticut working families have an energetic advocate in Rosa DeLauro. DeLauro supports a much needed increase in the minimum wage, and has written legislation that would guarantee men and women equal pay for equal work. Each year, the Congresswoman organizes a Connecticut Jobs Fair that connects businesses with local job-seekers. From her seat on the Appropriations Committee, DeLauro has successfully secured millions in vital funds for Connecticut's defense industry. In addition, DeLauro has become a leader in the effort to protect and strengthen Social Security for today's seniors and future generations.

DeLauro understands the struggles of Connecticut parents and their children, and has spearheaded initiatives in Washington and Connecticut to meet the challenges facing today's families. She has championed legislation that would make child care more affordable, and has worked to improve public education by reducing class size and modernizing public schools. In 1996, DeLauro founded the "Kick Butts Connecticut" (KBC) initiative, which recruits middle school students to act as anti-smoking peer counselors for elementary school children. Since that time, more than 3,000 Connecticut children have taken the KBC pledge not to smoke.

DeLauro continues to work to reduce crime and make our communities safer. Since 1993, she has involved young people in the national debate on crime and violence through her Anti-Crime Youth Council, a group composed of area high school students. ACYC members meet on a regular basis and work together to combat crime in their schools and their communities.

The ACYC has taped several episodes of "Teen Talk," a cable show dedicated to discussing youth violence and prevention. In addition, DeLauro's legislative efforts have helped pass some of the most sweeping anti-crime legislation ever written: the Brady Bill, the Assault Weapons ban, 100,000 new police officers, and tough sentences for repeat violent offenders.

DeLauro also established the Rosa's Readers program in 1999. The program, which is geared to first graders, is designed to increase interest in reading outside the formal classroom environment. During the first Rosa's Readers summer program, more than 400 students completed the challenge of reading twenty books over the summer and were rewarded at a pizza party with their family and friends.

Over the course of her career, Congresswoman DeLauro has been recognized by a host of organizations for her dedication and service. Some of them are:

Anti-Defamation League
American Liver Foundation
Connecticut Hospice
Connecticut Job Corp Center
Connecticut Nurses Association
Connecticut School Counselor Association
Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis
Habitat for Humanity
Head Start
Latin American Women's Association of Connecticut
National Breast Cancer Coalition
National Organization of Italian American Women
New England Association of School Superintendents
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
United States Marine Corps
United Way

Prior to her election to the House of Representatives, Rosa DeLauro served as Executive Director of EMILY'S List, a national organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in elected office. She served as Executive Director of Countdown '87, the national campaign that successfully stopped U.S. military aid to the Nicaraguan Contras. From 1981-1987, DeLauro served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd.

DeLauro is a graduate of Marymount College, where she received her B.A. with honors. She earned her Masters in International Politics from Columbia University, and studied at the London School of Economics.

DeLauro is married to Stanley Greenberg, President of Greenberg-Quinlan Research, Inc., a public issues research and polling firm. Their children -- Anna, Kathryn and Jonathan Greenberg -- are all grown and pursuing careers.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro's Official Website

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Tuition at state universities increased by as much as 40% this year. (National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges)