F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., (Jim), represents the Fifth Congressional District of Wisconsin. The Fifth District includes parts of Milwaukee, Dodge and Waukesha counties, and all of Washington and Jefferson counties. 
Jim was born in Chicago and later moved to Wisconsin with his family. He graduated from the Milwaukee Country Day School and did his undergraduate studies at Stanford University, where he majored in political science. He then earned his law degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1968.
After serving ten years in the Wisconsin State Legislature, Jim ran for a U.S. House seat and was elected in November, 1978. He has been reelected since 1980.
Jim’s current committee assignments include serving on the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee on the Judiciary. Congressman Sensenbrenner is Chairman of the Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Oversight Subcommittee. He is also a member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and Internet, and the Subcommittees on Environment and Oversight.
He is the former Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and as a long-serving committee member, Jim has established a strong record on crime, intellectual property and constitutional issues. Previously, Jim also served as Chairman of the House Committee on Science, where he solidified his reputation as an independent leader on science issues, as well as oversight.
Throughout his public life, Jim has been at the forefront of efforts to preserve the sanctity of life, eliminate wasteful government spending and protect the interests of American taxpayers. He has regularly been cited by the National Taxpayers Union as one of the most fiscally responsible House Members and is well known for completing his financial disclosure forms down to the penny.
Jim is proud of his many legislative achievements that have helped improve the lives of many during his tenure in Congress.
Shortly after the attacks of September 11, Jim introduced the PATRIOT Act in the House as a method to help keep America safe by enhancing the tools our law enforcement officials could use to thwart another terrorist attack. He was proud to watch President Bush sign the Act into law. Following revelations of the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of data and the misinterpretation of Section 215 of the Patriot Act, Jim authored the USA FREEDOM Act – bipartisan, bicameral, and comprehensive legislation to rein in abuse, put an end to bulk collection, increase the transparency of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and ensure the proper balance between national security and privacy is struck.
He was instrumental in the passing of the Child Abduction Prevention Act, which President Bush signed into law in 2003. This law enhanced the AMBER Alert system, strengthened penalties against kidnappers and aids law enforcement in protecting children.
He also introduced the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. This Act, which is now law, expanded coverage of the national sex offender registry, mandates the collection of DNA from sex offenders and forces states to comply with strict requirements to keep the information of sex offenders current.
Throughout his tenure in Congress, Jim has fought to protect the gains made during the Civil Rights Movement. As Judiciary Committee Chairman, he introduced the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. After approximately 20 hearings, the measure passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. However, the Supreme Court recently struck down a key provision of this law. After that decision, Jim introduced the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014, a bipartisan, bicameral modernization of the original 1965 law that ensures Americans' most sacred right is protected.
In 1977, Jim married Cheryl Warren of Green Bay, Wisconsin, a staunch advocate for the rights of the disabled. They have two adult children, Frank and Bob. In his free time, Jim enjoys watching the Packers and reading.
|
|
text size 
