Congressman John W. Olver has represented the 1st Congressional District — spanning Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester and Middlesex Counties — since a special election in 1991. Olver is now in his seventh term as an elected Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Rep. Olver is currently the only member from the Massachusetts delegation serving on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. In February 2003 — the beginning of the 108th Congress — Olver was named Ranking Member (top Democrat) on the Transportation and Treasury subcommittee of Appropriations. The legislative jurisdiction of the Transportation and Treasury Subcommittee includes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Transit, Highway Safety and AMTRAK. The Transportation and Treasury appropriations bill will also fund the Department of the Treasury, which includes the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Funding for the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Service and the Executive Office of the President are also covered by this bill.

Olver also gained a spot on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. The jurisdiction of the Interior Subcommittee includes all Department of Interior offices, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, and funding for the Smithsonian Institution and National Gallery of Art.

In his capacity as Assistant Whip for the Democratic Caucus, Olver also plays a critical role in the development and communication of all policy-related issues.

Since his appointment to the Appropriations Committee, Olver's chief objective has been to obtain funding for economic development projects at home that spur new business opportunities in central and western Massachusetts. Strengthening the environment, increasing minimum wage, and improving education likewise are top priorities. Recognizing the needs of his district, Olver recently renewed his pledge to help battle the real issues that affect working families everyday — preparing for retirement, finding quality child care, and access to affordable health care.

Olver's public service career began in 1969 when he was elected to the Massachusetts State House representing a section of Hampshire County. In 1973, he was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate where he served for 18 years representing portions of Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Berkshire Counties. On June 4, 1991, Olver was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election to complete the term of the late Rep. Silvio O. Conte.

Prior to his tenure in the Massachusetts State House, Olver was a chemistry professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Olver earned his B.A. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, his M.A. from Tufts University, and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Olver was born on September 3, 1936, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where he grew up on a farm with his brother and sister. Olver, and his wife Rose, a women's studies professor at Amherst College, have lived in Amherst since 1963. They have one daughter, Martha.

Rep. John Olver's Official Website

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Health insurance premiums increased by 13.9 percent in 2003, the largest increase since 1990. (Kaiser Family Foundation)