Chairman and Co-chairs' Biographies
Congressman Scott Garrett is the Chairman of the Congressional Constitution Caucus.
On January 3, 2013, Congressman Scott Garrett was sworn in to the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District. Since his election to Congress in 2002, Scott has burnished himself with a reputation as a leading advocate of tax relief and pro-growth economic policies, earning him awards and accolades from a number of national taxpayer and small business groups.
As a senior member of the House Budget Committee, Scott is on the frontline of House Republican efforts to rein in runaway government spending and shrink our country’s ballooning national debt.
A member of the House Financial Services Committee since his election to Congress (Financial Services Bio), Scott has been at the forefront of public policy deliberations dealing with issues related to the financial services industry, developing considerable expertise in areas ranging from securities and finance to insurance and regulatory oversight.
At the beginning of the 112th Congress, Scott was selected to serve as the Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Market and Government-Sponsored Enterprises. In this role, Scott presides over the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In addition, the subcommittee also handles all matters related to capital markets activities such as business capital formation and venture capital, as well as derivative instruments.
As founder and Chairman of the Congressional Constitution Caucus, Scott is highly respected among his House colleagues as an authority on constitutional issues. Founded in 2005, the Constitution Caucus provides an effective forum for education on constitutional principles and discussion on the appropriate limitations of congressional action.
Born Englewood, Scott has spent much of his life living in North Jersey, which has instilled in him a great appreciation for the outdoors. He is a leading proponent of preserving open space and protecting such natural treasures as the Highlands, the Musconetcong River and the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge.
Prior to his election to Congress, Scott served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1990 to 2002, as the senior Assemblyman for the 24th Legislative District, Assistant Majority Leader, and Chairman of the Banking and Insurance Committee. During his tenure, he also served on the Education, Transportation, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committees, as well as the Joint Committee on Public Schools.
Scott earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Montclair State University and his Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law – Camden.
Scott resides in Wantage Township in Sussex County with his wife, Mary Ellen, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Brittany.
Rob Bishop, Co-chair
A public school teacher turned public servant, Rob Bishop represents Utah’s First Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.
Rob Bishop is a life-long resident of the First District, with the exception of two years he spent in Germany while serving a mission for the LDS Church. He was born and raised in Kaysville, Utah, where he graduated from Davis High School with High Honors. He later graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah with a degree in Political Science. He has been a resident of Brigham City since 1974.
Rob is married to Jeralynn Hansen, a former Miss Brigham City. They have five children: Shule, Jarom, Zenock, Maren, and Jashon. They have six grandchildren- three boys and three girls.
Before coming to Congress, Rob was active in community theater, which is how he met his wife many years ago. As an avid baseball fan, Rob is a season ticket holder to the Salt Lake Bees and has coached in multiple leagues.
Rob is a devoted public servant. He has served his community in the State Legislature. During his sixteen years representing the Brigham City area, Rob distinguished himself as a leader. His last two years he was unanimously elected to serve as Speaker of the House. He also co-founded the Western States Coalition, a multi-state organization dedicated to protecting states’ rights and promoting Western interests and values.
Rob has served his political party for more than thirty years. Rob has worked at nearly every level of the Republican party, from precinct chair to member of the Republican National Committee, and has spent years working in every corner of this District. He has gone from Vice-Chair of the Davis County Teenage Republicans in 1968 to the advisor of the Utah Teenage Republicans in 1996. In 1997, he was elected Chairman of the Utah Republican Party. He served for two terms.
Rob has dedicated his life to teaching. He started teaching at Box Elder High School (BEHS) in Brigham City in 1974. From 1980 through 1985 he taught German and coached debate at Ben Lomond High School in Ogden, Utah, before returning to BEHS. Before retiring in December of 2002, he taught advanced placement courses in government and U.S. History, while serving as the Chair of the History Department at BEHS.
On January 7, 2003, Rob Bishop was sworn in as the new Congressman from Utah's First Congressional District, replacing the retiring Representative Jim Hansen. For his first term, he was appointed to serve on his top three choices for House Committees - the Armed Services Committee, the Resources Committee, and the Science Committee - all three of which handle critical issues for Utah's First District. In January 2005, Rob was sworn into a second term. He was subsequently appointed by the Speaker to serve on the powerful House Rules Committee, the legislative “gatekeeper” for all bills coming to the House floor. During the 111th Congress, Rob was instrumental in founding the 10th Amendment Task Force- a coalition of House Members committed to working toward disbursing power in Washington back to the people and states.
Rob is now in his sixth term in the House. During the 113th Congress, Rob will serve on the House Armed Services Committee and the powerful House Rules Committee. Rob will also continue serving on the Committee on Natural Resources where he is Chairman of the Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Subcommittee.
Marlin Stutzman, Co-chair
Since taking office on November 2, 2010, U.S. Congressman Marlin Stutzman has quickly emerged as an effective leader for Northeast Indiana. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, the Dean of Indiana’s Republican delegation in the House, and the founding chairman of the Republican Study Committee’s 2nd Amendment Initiative, Congressman Stutzman is proud to serve the needs of the hardworking Hoosier families who call Indiana’s Third Congressional District home.
On the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Stutzman sits on both the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit as well as the Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittees.
A fourth-generation farmer from Howe, Indiana, Marlin Stutzman is co-owner of Stutzman Farms, a true family-farming operation. Together, with his father, two brothers, and brother-in-law, the Stutzmans farm 4,000 acres in northern Indiana growing soybeans, green beans, and seed corn.
Before coming to Congress, Stutzman served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2002-2008, and in the Indiana State Senate from 2008-2010. When first elected at the age of twenty-six, he served as the youngest member of the Indiana legislature until 2006, and established his reputation early on as a staunch conservative. With a solid track record of lower taxes, less regulation, and balanced budgets, Stutzman was awarded the “Small Business Champion of the Year” award in 2008 from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
Among numerous awards, Congressman Stutzman is proud to be named a “Friend of Farm Bureau,” a “Congressional Sentinel” by Heritage Action, and a “Guardian of Small Business” by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Stutzman has earned “A” ratings from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Americans For Prosperity- Indiana.
Congressman Stutzman and his wife, Christy, have two sons, Payton and Preston, and make their home in Howe, Indiana. The Stutzmans attend Community Baptist Church and Congressman Stutzman’s heart for mission work has led to short-term mission trips to Russia, Haiti, Mexico, and Guatemala.
Congressman Stutzman is a member of the NFIB, ARC of Indiana, the Indiana Farm Bureau, the Howe Community Association, the NRA, and several Hoosier right-to-life organizations.
Indiana’s 3rd District contains all of Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Jay, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley counties, as well as parts of Blackford and Kosciusko counties.
