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HOMEPAGE > MEET FRED

 
Biography
Fred Upton, Member of Congress
Michigan, 6th District
Congressional Seal

 

Representing the Midwestern common-sense of his Michigan district, Representative Fred Upton is one of the most active members of Congress working to ensure our nation is on a path toward a smaller, more efficient, more effective federal government.

Memorial Day Medal Ceremony
Memorial Day Medal Ceremony

First and foremost, Fred is a leader in and for all of Southwest Michigan. As such, he has left a distinct mark on our communities. He's working on healing the racial divide in the Twin Cities and plays a key role in promoting economic development for the entire region. Working from his offices in Kalamazoo and the Twin Cities, Upton has spearheaded many projects to improve our quality of life.

Fred has been steadfast in protecting Southwest Michigan from penalties and economic sanctions for dirty air blowing across Lake Michigan. He has secured millions of dollars for his number one transportation priority in Congress, the widening of I-94, which will ease traffic congestion and improve safety. He has worked to deliver millions of dollars to local first responders. Fred also worked with local officials in securing a $15.9 million HOPE VI grant from the federal government to assist in the construction and revitalization of public housing in Benton Harbor.

Ever cognizant of his roots, Upton has brought his small-town, Midwestern values to bear in Washington. Fred has been a leading advocate for children in Congress. He coauthored .kids legislation to create a kid friendly area on the Internet, safe from obscene material and child predators. Fred has also been working to clean up the public airwaves, writing legislation to raise the fines the FCC can levy for indecent material aired over broadcast TV and radio during the family hour.

Fred personally visits at least one school a week to hear the concerns of students and administrators. Fred has been a tireless advocate for Southwest Michigan’s institutions of higher learning, working to secure federal funding for many of the local universities, including several million dollars for Western Michigan University’s nanotechnology research program.

In the House of Representatives, Fred is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is currently chairman of the powerful Telecommunications Subcommittee. Regarded as one of the younger, more active members of Congress, he is widely seen as a perfect fit for this chairmanship of this important subcommittee which has jurisdiction over newly emerging high-tech issues such as telemedicine, broadband deployment, and the wiring of America's classrooms for Internet technology. Fred is currently working to update our telecomm laws – bringing the laws up to speed with emerging technologies. He sees these issues as vital to continued economic growth in America.

Fred prides himself on staying closely connected with his constituents. Fred personally reads the more than 1000 legislative letters that he receives each week he signs every response. Fred grew up in St. Joseph, Michigan as one of five children of Stephen and Elizabeth Upton. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he and his wife, Amey, have two children.

   
Congressman Fred Upton Michigan Sixth District