Dave Camp represents the people of the 4th Congressional District of Michigan, one of the largest congressional districts land-wise east of the Mississippi, encompassing all or parts of 14 counties in northwest and mid-Michigan.
First elected to Congress in 1990, Camp made an “unusually rapid rise to prominence,” according to the major national policy journal, Congressional Quarterly. A native of Midland, Camp has earned a reputation for paying close attention to the needs of his constituents.
In the House of Representatives, Camp is the third most senior Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, is the Ranking Republican Member on the Health Subcommittee, and also serves as a member of the Human Resources Subcommittee. The committee is considered one of the most powerful in Washington, with jurisdiction over tax, tariff and trade laws, plus Medicare and Social Security.
On Ways and Means, Camp first made his mark in 1996 by playing a crucial role in the passage of the historic welfare reform legislation. Time magazine credited Camp’s activity as the “decisive breakthrough” that led to the bill’s enactment. Since then, Camp has pushed to move the massive Medicare program towards preventive health care with legislation like the Cholesterol Screening Act, and lower tax rates across the board for families and employers while arguing for a long term overhaul and simplification of the U.S. tax code.
As an attorney in private practice before his first election, Camp worked extensively with parents and children in the foster care system. His experiences in this field gave him the background and insight to introduce landmark Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1996, co-sponsor the Intercountry Adoption Act in 2000 and author the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003. Camp’s work in this field has led to him to become one of the House’s leading adoption and foster care proponents and experts.
Camp, who was born in Midland, Mich., earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Albion College in Albion, Mich., and graduated with a J.D. from the University of San Diego.
He and his wife Nancy continue to reside in Midland with their three children.
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