Jim Himes (D-CT-4)i

Jim Himes Congressman Connecticut District 4

Jim Himes Biography from House.gov

Biography of Congressman Jim Himes

Jim Himes represents Connecticut’s 4th District in the United States House of Representatives.  He is currently serving his second term in Congress and is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services.

Jim grew up as the child of a single working mom in a small town.  As a member of Congress, Jim works hard to provide all American children the same opportunities he had to succeed: access to a first-rate public school, affordable and effective health care, a decent and safe home, and a supportive community.

Born in Lima, Peru in 1966 to American parents, he spent the early years of his childhood in Peru and Colombia while his father worked for the Ford Foundation and UNICEF. As an American abroad, Jim grew up fluent in both Spanish and English and was raised with an awareness of the unique position of the United States in the world. After his parents divorced, Jim moved with his mother and sister to the United States.

Jim graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High School and then attended Harvard University. After completing his undergraduate work, Jim earned a Rhodes Scholarship, which enabled him to attend Oxford University in England where he continued his studies of Latin America, including research in El Salvador.

Prior to his service in Congress, Jim ran the New York City branch of The Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the unique challenges of urban poverty. Jim’s team led the way in financing the construction of thousands of affordable housing units in the greater New York metropolitan region, often using new green technologies to achieve energy efficiency and reduce utility costs.

Jim’s experience at Enterprise spurred his involvement in politics. Putting his expertise in affordable housing to work, Jim served as a Commissioner of the Greenwich Housing Authority, ultimately chairing the board and leading it through a much needed program of reforms. Jim went on to become an elected member of his town’s finance board, setting tax and budget policy for Greenwich. Jim has also served as Chairman of his local Democratic Town Committee, organizing others in the community to become more active in the political process.

Jim began his professional career at Goldman Sachs & Co. where he worked his way up to Vice President over the course of a 12-year career. There he worked extensively in Latin America and headed the bank’s telecommunications technology group.

Jim lives in Greenwich with his wife Mary and two daughters Emma and Linley.

Biography from Himes for Congress

Jim is new to politics, serving his first term representing Connecticut’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He decided to run for Congress three years ago because he wanted to help bring change to Washington and a common sense, fiscally responsible approach to the many problems of the day. He is working at it, but change does not come easily.

Jim has worked tirelessly to get the economy back on a path of growth and opportunity, has listened hard to his constituents, and has accumulated the most independent voting record of any Member of Congress in New England. He serves as a member of both the House Financial Services and Homeland Security Committees.

An Appreciation for Quality Education

Jim was born in Peru in 1966 to American parents. After his parents divorced, he returned to the United States with his mother and sisters. He attended public schools in his hometown. As a student, Jim also worked in the local drug store, hardware store, and pizza place, and started a business refinishing wooden floors.

Jim excelled in his studies and gained a genuine appreciation for the incredible value of quality education. Jim was admitted to Harvard University, and after completing his undergraduate studies there, was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, where he earned a Masters degree.

Jim and his wife Mary started their family in Cos Cob, where their two daughters, Emma and Linley, both attend the local public schools.

A Tradition of Service

Wanting to put his knowledge to work helping local communities create jobs and overcome difficult economic challenges, Jim left a career in business to lead the non-profit Enterprise Community Partners in the Northeast. There he arranged financing for the construction of thousands of affordable housing units, creating jobs and high-quality affordable housing in the greater New York metropolitan region. Jim’s work also helped foster the adoption of new green techniques to spur energy efficiency and reduce utility costs.

Jim has long served as an active community leader. He was a Commissioner and then board chairman of the Greenwich Housing Authority, and then a member of the town’s Board of Finance. Jim has served as former chairman on the board of Bridgeport-based Aspira of Connecticut, which promotes educational achievement for Latino youth. He has served on the advisory board of Family Assets, Inc., and is currently a board member of the Fairfield County Community Foundation.

A Record of Accomplishments

Jim is proud to have helped bring about meaningful change in Washington in his first term:

• Jim helped pass the Recovery Act, which included the largest middle-class tax cut in history. It is also providing more than $236 million in major infrastructure improvements in the 4th District, including $30 million for Metro North improvements to the New Haven line. Overall, the Recovery Act is providing $300 million for Connecticut highways, $137 million to develop mass transit in the state, and $784 million to support Connecticut schools and educators. Over two years, the Recovery Act will create or save an estimated 41,000 Connecticut jobs.

• Jim helped to pass comprehensive health care reform, to bring quality affordable health care to every citizen, eliminate insurance company abuses, reduce insurance costs and protect Medicare beneficiaries.

• Jim co-sponsored and helped to pass legislation restoring “pay-as-you-go” – PAYGO – provisions as an important step toward reestablishing fiscal discipline after the previous administration turned budget surpluses into huge deficits.

• Jim helped craft Wall Street reform legislation that ensures there will be no future taxpayer bailouts of failing private firms, and establishes strong, workable protections against the excessive risk-taking that has so undermined our economy.

• Jim also supported and helped to pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) that expands access to affordable college education, increases Pell grants and redirects tens of billions of dollars in unneeded subsidies for banks and private lenders to instead help students and their families.

With a proud record of achievement in his first Congressional term, Jim looks forward to continuing the fight on behalf of middle-class families throughout the 4th District, and working to help the economy grow and help our small businesses create good jobs.

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