Democratic Members

Ranking Member Elijah CummingsRep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland, Ranking Member

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District and currently serves as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the main investigative committee in the House of Representatives.  In this capacity, Cummings has investigated many issues, including the attacks in Benghazi.  Cummings is also a senior member of the Joint Economic Committee and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  Cummings obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Howard University, serving as Student Government President and graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and then graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law.  Cummings began his career in public service in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served for 14 years and became the first African American in Maryland history to become Speaker Pro Tem.

 

Rep. Adam SmithRep. Adam Smith, Washington

Now in his 9th term, Congressman Adam Smith represents Washington’s 9th Congressional District. He currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he is a strong advocate for military personnel and their families and has investigated the attacks in Benghazi and the military’s response to those attacks.  Smith previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.  Smith’s committee assignments and extensive travel abroad have positioned him with unique insights into today’s foremost national security issues.

 

 

Rep. Adam B. SchiffRep. Adam B. Schiff, California

Congressman Adam Schiff represents California’s 28th Congressional District and currently serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Appropriations Committee.  Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, Schiff completed a four-year term as State Senator for California’s 21st Senate District, chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Juvenile Justice, and the Joint Committee on the Arts.  Before serving in the state legislature, Schiff served with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles for six years, prosecuting the first FBI agent ever to be indicted for espionage. Schiff is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School.  As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Schiff has been actively engaged in its investigation of the Benghazi attacks. 

 

Rep. Linda SanchezRep. Linda Sánchez, California

Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez represents California’s 38th Congressional District and currently serves as Ranking Member on the House Ethics Committee, where she helps maintain the standards of conduct outlined in the rules of the House of Representatives.  Sánchez also serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, where she serves on the Subcommittee on Oversight. She is a co-founder of the Labor and Working Families Caucus, and she was elected by her colleagues to serve as the Second Vice Chair for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Sánchez was born and raised in Orange, California.  She attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature with an emphasis in Bilingual Education.  She earned her law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, serving as the editor of the Chicano-Latino Law Review.

 

Rep. Tammy DuckworthRep. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran who represents Illinois’ 8th Congressional District and currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. As a member of these committees Duckworth has spent a significant amount of time investigating the Benghazi attacks. In 2004, Duckworth was deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard. She was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom until her helicopter was hit by an RPG.  Duckworth lost her legs and partial use of her right arm in the explosion and was awarded a Purple Heart for her combat injuries. In 2006, Duckworth became Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and in 2009 was appointed by President Obama to be Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Duckworth continues to drill as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard.