Brian Higgins

Infobox_Congressman
name = Brian Higgins


date of birth = birth date and age|1959|10|06
place of birth = Buffalo, New York
occupation= political assistant
residence= Buffalo, New York
alma_mater= Buffalo State College, Harvard University
state = New York
district = 27th
term_start = January 3, 2005
preceded = Jack Quinn
religion = Roman Catholic
succeeded = Incumbent
party = Democrat
spouse = Mary Jane Hannon

Brian Higgins (born October 6, 1959), a Democrat from New York, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 2004, representing the state's 27th Congressional District. The district includes the southern two-thirds of Buffalo, as well as most of that city's suburbs. ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/ny27_109.gifmap] ).

A native of Buffalo, Higgins served three two-year terms on the Buffalo Common Council (city council) from 1988 to 1994, representing the South District. In 1993, during his final year on the Council, Brian was rated “Buffalo’s Best Lawmaker” in a 1993 Buffalo News Survey of Western New York business and community leaders. After that, Brian served as the 145th District representative to the New York Assembly from 1999 through 2004.

Jack Quinn, a moderate Republican who had represented the heavily Democratic 27th since 1993, unexpectedly announced his retirement in 2004. In April 2004 Higgins entered the race, and narrowly defeated then-Erie County Comptroller Nancy Naples. Higgins was undoubtedly helped by John Kerry's landslide win in the district. Even when redistricting after the 2000 census made it slightly friendlier for Quinn by adding mostly rural Chautauqua County, the 27th was still at the time the most Democratic district in the country to be represented by a Republican. The district reverted to form in 2006, as Higgins was reelected with 79% of the vote against token Republican opposition.

Congressional Work and Views

Higgins is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He describes himself as a pro-union moderate who wants to spur job growth. He has said he supports allowing seniors to buy prescription drugs from Canada, and that one of his priorities in Congress will be to push for legislation allowing the government to negotiate for volume discounts on drugs.

He has also said he wants Congress to repeal President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals.

His biggest accomplishment since being elected to Congress is securing $279 Million over 50 years for Erie County's various governments and agencies from the New York Power Authority as part of the Niagara Power Project 50-year relicensing agreement. Higgins is Buffalo's most forceful advocate for economic development and job creation, and played a pivotal role through his membership on the House's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in securing approval for the construction of a new federal courthouse in downtown Buffalo.

It is said that Higgins' efforts reflect his desire to serve as "Buffalo's Congressman," as opposed to being "a Congressman from Buffalo." Higgins pays close attention to national issues and has been a leader as an advocate for more funds for cancer research (yet another issue positively impacting Buffalo and Western New York, as Buffalo's Roswell Park Cancer Institute remains among the nation's preeminent cancer research facilities) and other important issues, but remains committed to working on local issues that have an impact upon the daily lives of Western New Yorkers.

In 2007, Higgins played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role in saving St. Joseph's Hospital in Cheektowaga New York from closure as proposed by the state's hospital closings commission.

For 2007, Higgins received an "A+" on the Drum Major Institute's 2007 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues. As of April 2008, his 2008 record on behalf of middle-class taxpayers was graded at 100%.

In January, 2008, Rep. Higgins met with the family of slain US diplomat John Granville (a resident of his neighborhood) and offered support during press coverage of the event.

In May of 2008 he tackled the case of James Raymond a disabled veteran who was reactivated to go over and serve in Iraq. He was able to convince the Army to delay and then postpone Raymond's deployment in a case that was seen all over the national media. James Raymond was not a member of Higgins district but tackled the issue because he is searching for better reform for veterans.

Committee Assignments

*Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
**Domestic Policy Subcommittee
**National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee
*Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
**Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
**Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
**Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
*Committee on Small Business

External links

* [http://www.house.gov/higgins/ U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins] official U.S. House site
* [http://www.higginsforcongress.com/ Brian Higgins for Congress] official campaign site
*CongBio|h001038
* [http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/H4NY27076 Federal Election Commission — Brian M. Higgins] campaign finance reports and data
* [http://www.ontheissues.org/NY/Brian_Higgins.htm On the Issues — Brian Higgins] issue positions and quotes
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00027060 OpenSecrets.org — Brian Higgins] campaign contributions
* [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=CNY77435 Project Vote Smart — Representative Brian M. Higgins (NY)] profile
* [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/h001038/ Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Brian Higgins] voting record