Congressman Mike Michaud

FEATURES

Biography

Michael H. Michaud was sworn in as a United States Congressman in January 2003 to represent the Second Congressional District of Maine in Congress. He is the first recognized Franco-American from Maine to be elected to federal office.

Mike is the second of six children. He was raised in Medway and attended Schenck High School in East Millinocket. After graduation, Mike followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, gaining employment at the Great Northern Paper Company. He is a 30 year employee of GNP and is a member of USW Local #4-00037 (formerly PACE Local #1-40037).

Citing a desire to help clean up the badly polluted Penobscot River near his home, Mike first ran for and was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1980, where he went on to serve seven consecutive terms. In 1994, he defeated a millionaire incumbent in his first bid for the Maine Senate, despite huge Republican victories across the country.

During his first term in the Maine Senate, Mike was appointed to Governor King’s Productivity Realization Task Force. In 1996 Mike was appointed Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In 2000, as Chair of Appropriations, Mike fought to ensure there were funds in the budget for the legal defense of the Maine Rx program, which he cosponsored.

In December 2000, Mike was unanimously elected Maine Senate President. Writing on his time in the Maine Legislature, the Portland Press Herald described Mike “as being the first legislator to come to work in the morning and the last to leave at night.”

In 2001, Mike was honored with the dedication of the Michael H. Michaud Technology Center in recognition of his critical leadership in securing state funding for the University of Maine at Presque Isle Houlton Higher Education Center. He also received the College Board’s Education Award at the National Council of State Legislatures Annual Meeting in Texas for his lifelong commitment to higher education.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike serves on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and is the Ranking Member on the committee’s Health Subcommittee. In addition, Mike serves on the following committees and subcommittees:

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

• Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines
• Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
  

House Committee on Small Business

• Subcommittee on Tax, Finance and Exports Subcommittee
• Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, Agriculture and Technology
  

In Congress, Mike is working to lower prescription drug costs for all Americans through his America Rx legislation. He is also working to ensure that our veterans receive fair and equal treatment as well as the benefits they deserve.

Mike attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. In 1989, he was awarded a Doctor of Public Service from Unity College.
Mike currently resides in East Millinocket, where he is remodeling his late grandmother's home.

6/27/2005 10:45:40 AM