Congressman Dave Loebsack, who grew up in poverty and was raised by a single parent, is living proof of how community support can make a difference in people’s lives. He faced many challenges but with hard work and help from teachers, friends and mentors he was able to overcome his many hardships. As a result, Dave has dedicated his adult life to helping people find opportunity and hope.
Dave grew up in Sioux City, where he attended East High School. After graduation, Dave attended Iowa State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree. Dave then went on to earn a PhD from the University of California, Davis. In 1982, Dave moved back to Iowa and became a teacher at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon. Today, Dave has the honor to serve as a Professor Emeritus at Cornell College.
Dave and his wife Terry, a retired school teacher after 35 years, are the proud parents of four grown children. Jennifer, a graduate of Beloit College, earned her Masters in Library Science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and now works for a library software company in Seattle. Sarah, a graduate of Kirkwood Community College, is now a nurse at Unity Point in Cedar Rapids. Marcos Melendez III, Terry’s son, and his wife Michelle are both Naval Academy graduates (class of 2000) and are assigned to Camp Pendleton in California. Madeleine Melendez, Terry’s daughter, attended Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls and now resides in Springfield, Missouri. Dave and Terry are also the proud grandparents of three grandchildren.
Dave is currently serving his fifth term in the United States House of Representatives. He represents Iowa’s Second Congressional District which encompasses much of Eastern and Southern Iowa. Since being elected by the Second District, Dave has been a relentless advocate for Iowans, addressing critical issues that are facing hard-working, Iowa families.
In 2015, Dave began serving on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is the oldest standing committee in the House. It has jurisdiction over a wide range of issues, including energy policy; healthcare policy; trade policy; telecommunications and the internet; environment and air quality; and consumer affairs and protection. Having a seat on this committee will allow Dave to make a greater impact on job creation, growing the economy, making sound investments in renewable energy such as wind, solar and biofuels and growing the Middle Class in Iowa and across the country. Previously, Dave served as a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the House Armed Services Committee.
Dave is committed to job creation, growing our middle class by ensuring that our children receive a first-class education, ensuring higher education is available to all those who wish to pursue it, and focusing on training for Iowa workers. He has also worked to ensure that our troops have the training and equipment necessary to safely complete their missions, that our military families receive the support they deserve, and that our nation’s veterans are served by a grateful nation with the same dignity and honor with which they served our country. He has worked tirelessly in support of the Iowa National Guard to improve training facilities, invest in equipment, and ensure they receive the benefits they and their families deserve
He is also a member of the Center Aisle Caucus; the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine; the Congressional Rural Caucus; the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues; the Congressional Military Families Caucus; the House Manufacturing Caucus; and the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, amongst others.
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