Rob Garagiola (D-MD-6)
Rob Garagiola
Campaign links: Rob Garagiola (D-MD-6) 
Robert J. “Rob” Garagiola
Rob Garagiola Congressional Candidate Maryland District 6
Biography of Rob Garagiola from Garagiola For Congress
Rob Garagiola is running for Congress to break through the partisan gridlock in Washington. He has a proven track record of fighting for middle class and working families, creating green jobs, and expanding healthcare coverage for Marylanders. Rob will take his record of getting things done to Washington, where he’ll take on entrenched members of both parties in Congress who are blocking change.
Born in Michigan to a middle class family, Rob’s parents taught him the value of hard work and playing by the rules. After waiting tables, working fast food, and taking the night shift at a grocery store to put himself through college, Rob decided to serve his nation in uniform. In 1995, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and achieved the rank of Sergeant while serving in the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) and the 150th JAG Detachment.
At the same time, Rob began working on Capitol Hill for a Democratic Congressman. As a senior legislative aide to Congressman Frank Pallone, Rob was one of the lead staffers in helping to create S-CHIP – the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. S-CHIP continues to provide quality healthcare to uninsured Maryland children from low and moderate income families. Rob understands that every child deserves the right to reliable access to quality healthcare.
It was with this sentiment that Rob went to work for Greenberg Traurig, an international law firm of nearly 2,000 attorneys. At Greenberg Traurig, Rob advocated on the Hill for community health centers and to eliminate limitations on therapy care for seniors enrolled in Medicare. He also sought to increase Medicare funding for rural hospitals.
In 2002, Rob heard the call to run for the Maryland State Senate and challenged an entrenched Republican incumbent. Against the odds, Rob won the election and became the youngest member of the State Senate. He’s had a strong record of supporting progressive values ever since.
In the Maryland State Senate, Rob has been a champion for Maryland’s middle class and working families. He’s led the effort to expand healthcare access and lower costs. Recognizing his leadership on healthcare, the Maryland College of Emergency Physicians named Rob Legislator of the Year.
Rob has been a strong advocate for creating green energy jobs and developing a renewable energy industry in Maryland. For his efforts on creating green jobs, Rob was given the Solar Champion Award by the Solar Energy Industries Council. Rob also received awards from the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Clean Energy Partnership, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, the American Solar Energy Society, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and the Maryland Clean Energy Center.
As the father of three children in public schools, Rob knows that we must provide a quality education to our kids. Rob’s been a leader in making sure we invest in our schools so that every child gets a fair shot at success. That’s why Rob supports Maryland’s version of the DREAM Act, which would allow every hard working student to attend a Maryland public university at a fair tuition rate. But to make our students achieve their full potential, we’ve got to have quality teachers in the classroom. That’s why Rob created the Public School Labor Relations Board, which expanded the ability of our educators to collectively bargain and get the pay and benefits they deserve. Rob is very proud to have been a leader on education that has led Maryland to be the number one state in the nation for K-12 education – for 4 years in a row.
Knowing that we must care for and honor our veterans when they return home, Rob created the bipartisan Veterans Caucus to make sure that those who protect and defend our freedoms get the care they deserve. Rob has been endorsed by veterans groups and recently sponsored legislation to provide scholarships for our veterans. Rob Garagiola is a legislator who works across the aisle and gets things done. Because of his leadership and ability to work across the aisle, Rob was tapped to serve as the Senate Majority Leader.
Rob Garagiola is running for Congress because he knows it’s unacceptable that our middle class and working families have played by the rules while Wall Street and the financial industry have crippled our economy. Rob believes the way to build a stronger country is to make sure everyone plays by the rules. In the State Senate, he voted to crack down on predatory lenders that exploit working families and to enact reforms that protect homeowners against foreclosure. In Congress, Rob Garagiola will fight for tougher rules for Wall Street to prevent irresponsible bankers from causing another crisis.
If elected to Congress, Rob Garagiola will work to create jobs and grow our economy, expand quality healthcare coverage to Maryland’s families, and protect seniors by defending Medicare and Social Security.
Rob and his family live in Germantown. In addition to serving in the Maryland Senate, Rob is a business attorney at the law firm Stein Sperling, which has offices in Rockville and Frederick.
Biography of Rob Garagiola from Maryland State Archives
Member of Senate since January 8, 2003. Majority Leader, 2011- (deputy majority leader, 2007-11). Member, Finance Committee, 2007- (chair, health subcommittee, 2007-; member, transportation subcommittee, 2008-11); Executive Nominations Committee, 2011-. Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing, 2007-. Member, Joint Committee on Federal Relations, 2003-; Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services, 2007-; Joint Legislative Work Group to Study State, County and Municipal Fiscal Relationships, 2009-; Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee, 2009-; Legislative Policy Committee, 2011-; Spending Affordability Committee, 2011-. Member, Judicial Proceedings Committee, 2003-06; Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review, 2003-06; Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, 2003-06; Joint Committee on Welfare Reform, 2003-06; Senate Special Commission on Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance, 2004. Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, 2005-08. Member, Joint Technology Oversight Committee, 2008-09. Senate Co-Chair, Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2004-07. Chair, Democratic Caucus, 2007-11. Member, National Conference of State Legislatures, 2003- (law & criminal justice committee, 2003-06; health committee, 2007-; alternate member, intergovernmental affairs committee, 2003-). Member, Southern Legislative Conference, 2003- (law & criminal justice committee, 2003-07), and Eastern Regional Conference, 2010- (health committee, 2010-), Council of State Governments.
Advisory Board, Institute for Governmental Service and Research, University of Maryland, College Park, 2004- (secretary/treasurer, 2005-). Member, Advisory Council for Children, 2005-07; Task Force to Study State Assistance to Veterans, 2006-07; Task Force on Renewable Alternative Fuels, 2007; Task Force on Health Care Access and Reimbursement, 2007-08; Advisory Council to the Children’s Cabinet, 2007-; Blue Ribbon Commission on Maryland Transportation Funding, 2010-; Transit Task Force, Montgomery County, 2011-; Maryland Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council, 2011-; Health Care Delivery Reform Subcommittee, Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council, 2011-.
Born in Warren, Michigan, September 5, 1972. Rutgers University, B.A. (political science), 1994. Served in U.S. Army Reserves, 1995-2001 (parachutist badge, 2000; commendation medal, 2001). George Washington University Law School, J.D., 2001. Admitted to Maryland Bar, 2001. Attorney, Stein, Sperling, Bennett, DeJong, Driscoll & Greenfeig, P.C. Former associate, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Washington, DC. Member, American Bar Association; Maryland State Bar Association (business law section; property, planning & zoning section; young lawyers section); Montgomery County Bar Association; District of Columbia Bar Association. Senior congressional aide in U.S. House of Representatives, 1994-98. Vice-President, Germantown Citizens Association, 1998-2000 (board member, 1997-2001). President, Germantown Democratic Club, 1999-2001. Board of Trustees, Germantown Alliance, 1999-2001. Board member, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, 2000, 2001 (vice-president of economic development, 1999). Co-chair, Germantown Harvest Parade Committee, 2000. Board of Directors, Clean Energy Partnership, Inc., 2004. Democrat of the Year, Montgomery County Democratic Party, 2001. Solar Energy Champion Award, Maryland, District of Columbia & Virginia (MDV)-Solar Energy Industries Association, 2004. Certificate of Appreciation for Increasing Public Safety, U.S. Park Police, 2004. Champion for Children Award, State Citizens Review Board for Children, 2005. Public Service Award for Outstanding Leadership, League of Korean Americans, 2005. Certificate of Appreciation for Veterans Advocacy, Vietnam Veterans of America, 2006. Legislative Sponsor Award, Maryland Children Action Network, 2006. Maryland Clean Energy Legislative Partner Award, Clean Energy Partnership, 2006. Award for outstanding contributions for work championing agricultural issues, Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, 2006. Solar Champion Award, Maryland-District of Columbia-Virginia Solar Energy Industries Association, 2007. Special Recognition Award, Interstate Renewable Energy Council, 2007. Government Leadership Award, American Solar Energy Society, 2008. Award of Special Merit in recognition of selfless service on behalf of people with intellectual and developmental disablities, The Arc of Montgomery County, 2008. Technology Advocate of the Year, Tech Council of Maryland, 2008. Excellence in Public Policy Award, American Cancer Society, 2008. Senate Legislator of the Year, Health Facilities Association of Maryland, 2008. Legislator of the Year, recognized for his leadership on health care issues, Maryland College of Emergency Physicians, 2009. Legislative Award, Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, 2010. Legislative Leader Award, Parents’ Place of Maryland, 2010. Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative Courageous Leadership Award, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Awards Committee, 2011. John R. Hargreaves Distinguished Legislative Fellow, Institute of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, Salisbury University, 2011. Outstanding Friend of Municipal Government, Maryland Municipal League, 2011. Climate Champion Award, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, 2011. Legislative Leadership Award, Maryland Clean Energy Center, 2011. Married; three children.
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