Biography
Congressman Cedric Richmond was elected to represent Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives on November 2, 2010 after more than a decade of service in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Cedric serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Small Business. He also serves as an Assistant Whip to the House Democratic Whip.
A results-oriented public servant, Cedric is committed to fighting and winning for the Orleans and Jefferson Parishes of Louisiana. A lifelong native of New Orleans, he bore witness to 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the disastrous oil spill of 2010. As a result, one of Cedric’s highest priorities is to rebuild Louisiana businesses and schools.
Since his arrival in Washington, Cedric has been hard at work on the issues important to Louisiana’s families and the economy. During the first year of the 112th Congress, Cedric fought to preserve government investment in a strong economy as well as to make new investments in programs that will help grow our economy. He opposed harmful budget cuts to programs which hurt families, seniors, and communities. More specifically, he has taken a strong stance against any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits. Cedric has also been working hard to keep our waterways open for business, our wetland restoration projects funded, and drilling permits reviewed in a thorough, efficient manner.
As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Cedric works to ensure New Orleans and surrounding communities fully recover from recent devastation through oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). He also works to ensure the security of the nation’s critical infrastructure, borders, and ports.
As a member of the Committee on Small Business and the lead Democrat on its Healthcare and Technology Subcommittee, Cedric supports bringing innovation to market, investing in American entrepreneurs, and increasing local participation in the federal procurement process. In addition, Cedric fights to expand small business innovation, export assistance, access to capital, and technical assistance.
Outside of Committee service, Cedric is an active member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the New Democrat Coalition, and the Congressional Gulf Coast Caucus. In 2010, Time magazine included Cedric in its 40 Under 40 list and declared him one of the “rising stars of American politics”.
An attorney by trade, Cedric was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2000 at the age of 26, making him one of the youngest legislators in the state's history. In the Louisiana House of Representatives, he served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary. In this role, Cedric served as a tireless advocate for fair sentencing, criminal justice reform, and finding new and innovative ways to address crime in our communities. He also served on the Ways and Means, House Executive, and Legislative Audit Advisory Committees. In response to the storms of 2005, Cedric created the State New Markets Tax Credit program that spurred over 250 million dollars of investment in damaged areas. A champion of entrepreneurship and the son of local business owners, Cedric also secured funding for small business incubators and grant programs.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Cedric is a strong believer in the value of mentorship in his beloved hometown. He is a community baseball coach, former volunteer basketball coach, and youth mentor.
Cedric is a graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and his Juris Doctorate from the Tulane University School of Law in New Orleans. Cedric is also a graduate of the Harvard University Executive Education Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
