Want to Subscribe?
Sign In or Sign Up now!

A native of the 29th District of New York, I was born in Bath, NY. I love the area so much that I have never left. My parents, a doctor and a nurse/teacher, instilled in me the importance of giving back to my community at a very young age. Some of my fondest memories growing up in Upstate New York are attending school in Hammondsport, working in the fall in the vineyards, doing chores on my uncle's farm, and sailing on Keuka Lake.

After I received my undergraduate degree from Union College and my law degree from Syracuse University, I owned and operated a law firm in Bath. I successfully ran for the New York State Assembly in 1980. I served on the State Assembly for 6 years and then was elected to the New York State Senate in 1986. One of the things I am most proud of during my 18 years as a State Senator is my service as the Chair of the New York State Senate's Committees on Education, Agriculture and Transportation.

In 2004, I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and am currently serving my second term. My district includes parts of eight counties in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes region, and the Southern suburbs of Rochester, New York. It is an honor to represent the great people of the 29th district.

I serve on three committees and six subcommittees. The three committees that I serve on represent three of the most critical elements of our economy upstate -- transportation, agriculture, and education. The subcommittee assignments are even more targeted toward important sectors within those general areas, so I'll be in on the ground level working on legislation that can have a tremendous impact on our economy in Western New York.

Additionally, I am a communicant of St. James Episcopal Church and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Five Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Branchport Rod and Gun Club, and the Executive Committee of the Steuben County Republican Committee. I am the President of the Board of Directors of the Reginald Wood Scouting Memorial and an immediate past member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology.

Most importantly, I am the proud father of three terrific sons -- J.R., Chris, and James.