BiographyJohn E. Sweeney was sworn-in as a member of the 106th Congress on January 6, 1999. In his first term as a representative,  Congressman Sweeney quickly distinguished himself among his colleagues as a savvy legislator with a relentless work ethic. It was this reputation that earned him an appointment to the Republican Steering Committee, also known as the Committee on Committees, by his fellow freshman congressmen to appoint Members of Congress to posts on the House of Representatives' 20 committees.
Congressman Sweeney serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. He is the Vice Chairman of the Transportation, Treasury and HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, and has also been assigned to the Homeland Security and the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittees.
Since being elected to Congress, Rep. Sweeney has carved out an impressive list of legislative accomplishments. Focusing on job creation and boosting the regional economy of Upstate New York, Rep. Sweeney has aggressively pushed for critical transportation infrastructure improvement projects, highlighting the job growth and increased private sector investment benefits the projects bring to the region. He has also led the fight on behalf of small-business owners in New York and across the country in stripping away burdensome government regulations that stifle expansion and economic growth.
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, Rep. Sweeney played a critical role in securing more than $21 billion in federal aid to help New York recover from the devastating personal, economic and structural damage caused by the attacks.
In 2004, Rep. Sweeney successfully led the charge to ban dangerous steroid precursors and designer steroids, legislation that caused millions of parents of young athletes to breathe easier knowing their children would no longer be exposed to these harmful substances.
Prior to his election to the House of Representatives, John Sweeney served for more than two years as New York State Commissioner of Labor where he gave the Labor Department a more pro-active role throughout the state and the nation. His efforts focused on reducing onerous government regulations on businesses and stimulating economic growth while protecting the well being of the state's workforce.
Congressman Sweeney is a native of Troy, New York where his father was president of a local shirt-cutters union. After working his way through college, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Russell Sage College. The following year, he was appointed head of the Rensselaer County DWI prevention program that, under his direction, became the most successful program of its type in New York State. He continued working while studying law, and earned his law degree from Western New England School of Law. After completing his law degree he was selected as Executive Director and Chief Counsel to the New York State Republican Party.
John Sweeney currently resides in Clifton Park, New York. He is actively involved in many civic and community organizations. | 
