Congressman Gene Green was first elected to Congress from the 29th Congressional District of Texas in 1992 after twenty years in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate.  In 1996, Green was appointed to the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, and currently serves on four of its subcommittees - Health; Energy and Environment; Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection; and Oversight and Investigations. Green is also a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Legislative Priorities

Since being elected to the House of Representatives, Green has been a champion of education, labor, energy and health issues.  He has worked hard to increase the minimum wage, job training services, access to technology, and to improve access to quality health care.

The 110^th Congress brought legislative victories for Green, including three pieces of legislation signed into law by President Bush.  These were the Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act (P.L. 110-23) that improves emergency medical services in rural areas by increasing communication and coordination with state trauma systems, the Comprehensive TB Elimination Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-392) which makes progress towards research and the elimination of tuberculosis, and the Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-355) that reauthorized appropriations for health centers to meet the health care needs of medically underserved populations.

District Priorities

Green has been involved in a number of issues and projects directly affecting the 29^th District.  In the 1990’s, he was instrumental in the revitalization of the Houston Head Start program, ensuring that this vital program was made available to all children.  He has worked to secure federal funds for the expansion of the Port of Houston and Intercontinental Airport, in 2002 passed legislation to declare the Buffalo Bayou a National Heritage Area, and helped to raise funding and support for Community Health Centers in the Houston area.  Green has also organized many annual events in the 29^th District that serve to improve lives in the community.  His annual “Citizenship Day” and “Immunization Day” are two of his most successful annual events along with dozens of neighborhood town hall meetings each year. 

Personal History

Green, a native Houstonian, was born October 17, 1947.  He received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston in 1971.  He attended Bates College of Law at the University of Houston and was admitted as a member of the State Bar of Texas in 1977.  In 1970 he married Helen Albers Green. Helen retired after teaching math in the Aldine Independent School District for 26 years.  They have two children; Dr. Angela Green Hewlett, a doctor at the University of Nebraska Health Center at Omaha, and Christopher Green, a graduate of Texas A&M‑Galveston. They have four grandchildren, Lauren Elissa Hewlett, Braden Alexander Hewlett, Dylan Eugene Green, and Tristan Michael Green. The Green family attends Spring Woods United Methodist Church in Houston.

Civic Duties

His civic activities include serving on numerous Chambers of Commerce in the 29th Congressional District, Aldine Optimist Club, Communication Workers of America, the Texas Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Green's Congressional affiliations include the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, co-chair of the Vision Caucus, the Biomedical Research Caucus, the Congressional Steel Caucus, the Urban Caucus, the Urban Health Caucus and the Sportsman’s Caucus. He also serves as vice-chair of the Energy Taskforce and as a member of the Health and Medicare; Jobs and the Economy; and Social Security Taskforces; and is co-chair of the Democratic Israel Working Group.

Awards

Green has received numerous awards and recognitions during his years of public service, including:  

2003  - The U. S. Oncology Medal of Honor, presented for his work in directing funding for cancer research

          - The Distinguished Community Health Award from the National Association of Health Centers (also 2008)

          - The Legislative Open Door Award from the National Association of Credit Management

2004  - The Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Award for his work on the SAFER Fire Fighters Act

2007  - The Safety Net Champion Award from the National Association of Hospitals

2008  - The Champion of Women’s Health Award from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance, the National

Osteoporosis Foundation, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization and the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance

- Legislator of the Year from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare.

- The Houston Bureau of Tuberculosis Control’s Honor Award