U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz is serving in her first term representing the 13th District of Pennsylvania. The district borders the Delaware River in Northeast Philadelphia and stretches from the suburbs of Abington Township in eastern Montgomery County to the farmlands in the extreme western part of Montgomery County.
During Representative Schwartz's more than three decades of public service, she has built a national reputation as an innovative leader. Schwartz led the effort to create the Pennsylvania State Children's Health Insurance Program, which later served as a national model for a state/federal/family partnership to increase the number of children with health insurance.
The Philadelphia Inquirer calls Schwartz a leader "with especially impressive accomplishments" who "knows how to forge bipartisan coalitions with folks on the other side of the aisle." Those qualities have been hallmarks of Allyson Schwartz's commitment to her constituents - through four terms as one of Pennsylvania's most effective state Senators, and today as a Member of Congress representing Pennsylvania's 13th District.
In her first term of Congress, Schwartz has authored several significant pieces of federal legislation, including a bipartisan bill to offer tax credits to businesses that hire returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Over 160 fellow members of Congress are supporting Schwartz's veterans' legislation, the Veterans Employment and Respect Act.
In Congress Schwartz quickly built on her strong environmental record, by joining with several of her Democratic and Republican colleagues to co-author the Delaware River Protection Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in June, 2005. The plan creates tougher shipping safety standards to protect the environmental integrity and economic vitality of the Delaware River and the greater Philadelphia area.
Schwartz serves on two influential House committees, the Budget Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where she serves on two subcommittees: Highways, Transit and Pipelines and Water Resources and Environment. As a member of the Budget Committee, Schwartz has spoken out for fiscal responsibility and to put an end to irresponsible deficit spending.
During her 14 years serving as a Pennsylvania state Senator, Schwartz became nationally known as an accomplished and powerful legislator. She served for nearly ten years as the Democratic Chair of the Senate Education Committee, where she successfully fought for increased accountability in Philadelphia public schools.
Prior to entering elected office, Schwartz spent over a decade working on behalf of women and families in both the private healthcare sector and in local government.
The daughter of a Korean War veteran, Schwartz grew up with a strong desire to give back through public service. Schwartz marked the life of her mother, a Holocaust survivor, by giving her first congressional floor speech on the anniversary of the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz.
Schwartz earned a B.A. from Simmons College in Sociology and a Masters of Social Work from Bryn Mawr College. She lives in Rydal, Pennsylvania with her husband David, a prominent Philadelphia cardiologist. They are the proud parents of two sons, Daniel and Jordan.
