Alcee L. Hastings represents his
native state of Florida by serving as
Congressman for District 23, which includes parts of Broward, Palm Beach, Hendry,
Martin, and St. Lucie Counties.
Congressman Hastings was first elected in 1992 and has been reelected
seven times since, most recently in 2006.
Born in Altamonte Springs, he attended Florida's public schools, and graduated from Fisk University
in 1958. He earned his law degree from Florida A&M
University in Tallahassee.
Known to many as "Judge," Alcee Hastings
has distinguished himself as an attorney, civil rights activist, judge, and now
Member of Congress. Appointed by
President Jimmy Carter in 1979, he became the first African-American Federal Judge
in the state of Florida,
and served in that position for ten years.
Since his election to Congress as the first African-American from
Florida since the post-Civil War period, Congressman Hastings has been an
outspoken advocate for making our country safer and more secure; ensuring that
our election systems are easier and more fair; creating tax incentives for
small businesses; expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit; providing job
training and reeducation for displaced workers; banning assault weapons;
funding Head Start and education programs; making Social Security an
independent agency; advocating for environmental justice and providing family
and medical leave to all workers. Known
throughout the world as an expert in foreign policy, Mr. Hastings has
introduced legislation advocating diplomacy before military action to settle
disputes with established and emerging nations. Throughout his lifetime,
Congressman Hastings has championed the rights of minorities, women, the
elderly, children and immigrants.
Among Congress' most respected voices in
international affairs, Congressman Hastings is the Chairman of the Commission
on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Commonly referred to as the Helsinki
Commission, this independent U.S.
government agency was created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with
the landmark human rights and democracy-building treaty signed in Finland the
previous year. Members of the Commission
are appointed by the Speaker of the House, the Majority Leader of the Senate
and the President. In 2007, Congressman
Hastings became the first African-American to chair the Commission and continues
his trailblazing work in the areas of human rights, economic development and
parliamentary diplomacy.
Congressman Hastings is a former senior Member of
the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and a member of
the powerful House Rules Committee. On
the Rules Committee, Mr. Hastings is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on
Legislative and Budget Process. This Subcommittee has general responsibility for measures or matters
associated with the inter-branch relations of Congress and the Executive.
As a Senior Democratic Whip, Mr. Hastings
is an influential member of the Democratic leadership. Moreover, underscoring
his commitment to work closely on a bipartisan basis with his Florida
colleagues, Hastings
is the Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation. Previously, Mr. Hastings served
as Vice Chairman of the Democratic Select Committee on Election Reform.
Congressman Hastings is the proud recipient
of numerous honors and awards bestowed on him from organizations both at home
and abroad. His governing philosophy is
simple: he firmly believes that progress and change can be achieved through mutual
respect and appreciation and that individuals and communities can see beyond
the limits of parochialism, enabling them to better understand each other.
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