About Rush Holt

Rush Holt, 61, is currently serving his sixth term in Congress as Representative of New Jersey's 12th Congressional District. First elected in 1998, Rush is well-known for studying the issues, standing up for principle, getting real results, and reaching out to his constituents. He has shown an ability to take on important issues that are too often neglected and a willingness to build coalitions in order to make progress. One of New Jersey's most inspiring political stories, Holt has proven his ability to appeal to Democrats, independents, and Republicans on his way to winning repeatedly in New Jersey's most competitive district.

Holt was elected to Congress in 1998 despite a conventional wisdom which said that no Democrat could win in the 12th Congressional District. Yet, through a grassroots campaign that energized volunteers, communicated fresh ideas, and stuck to the issues that affected New Jersey families, Holt defeated incumbent Republican Mike Pappas. In 2000, Holt beat the odds-makers again when he successfully defended his seat against former Republican Congressman and Senate candidate Dick Zimmer. In both races, Holt was the underdog because the district had more Republicans than Democrats, but he succeeded by setting a new model for Democratic candidates. His campaigns were based upon good ideas, grassroots organizing, and a large number of small donations.

Prior to his election to Congress, Holt worked as a teacher, Congressional Science Fellow, and an arms control expert at the U.S. State Department. From 1980 to 1988 he taught physics, public policy, and religion courses at Swarthmore College. From 1989 until 1998, he was Assistant Director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the largest research facility of Princeton University and the largest center for research in alternative energy in New Jersey. He is also a five-time winner of the television game show "Jeopardy!"

Currently, Rep. Holt serves on three committees in the House: the Education and Labor Committee, the Natural Resources Committee, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Holt's impressive record on intelligence issues led Speaker Nancy Pelosi to appoint him as the Chairman of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, which was created at the beginning of the 110th Congress.

In his last five terms, Holt has accumulated an impressive record of legislative accomplishments. In the 110th Congress, for example, he:

• Wrote the new law that creates a $1,000 federal property tax deduction to help hundreds of thousands of New Jersey families.
• Worked to free middle class families from the unfair Alternative Minimum Tax.
• Helped to pass the first increase to the minimum wage in a decade.
• Wrote part of the law that provided the largest increase in college aid since the GI Bill. Holt wrote provisions that made Pell Grants year-round, increased resources to make teachers and students more proficient in math and science, and strengthened foreign language instruction.
• Helped to pass a new GI Bill that gives a full four-year education to troops and veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Enacted the largest veterans' health care funding increase in the 77-year history of the Veterans' Administration, including increased funding for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and brain trauma.
• Helped to pass the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, including 100 percent cargo screening.
• Worked with Senator Lautenberg to secure $800 million over two years for improved transit security.
• Helped to pass mental health parity legislation.
• Supported successful efforts to raise the first fuel efficiency standards in 32 years. The same energy law also includes Holt's initiative to move toward intelligent transportation to save energy.
• Restored funding ($150 million) for the Land Water Conservation Fund to preserve open spaces.
• Provided economic stimulus rebate checks for 130 million American households and extended unemployment benefits for 3.5 million Americans looking for work when the law was enacted.
• Passed nutrition and food assistance over President Bush's veto.
• Strengthened lobbying and ethics rules and instituted pay-as-you-go rules in Congress.
• Secured $40 million over the last two federal budgets to support operations at Fort Monmouth.

A leading political almanac, CQ's Politics in America 2006 (see full profile as PDF), said this about Holt: "From intelligence oversight to election reform, he has prodded his colleagues in Congress to take a more active role in ensuring that individual rights are protected and American values are upheld." Holt has shown that he is willing to stand up for principle even if it means wading into politically explosive areas. For example:

• After the White House leaked the identity of a CIA operative in retaliation for her husband's criticism of the Iraq War, Holt was the first Member of Congress to introduce a Resolution of Inquiry demanding that the Bush Administration turn over all relevant documents to Congress.
• Following the revelations of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, Holt introduced legislation to require all interrogations between our military and captured combatants to be videotaped.
• When House and Senate Republicans imposed their will on Terri Schiavo, Holt was one of the few Democrats to return to Washington to vote against their ploy and speak passionately against it.
• Upon hearing that President Bush thought that intelligent design should be taught side-by-side with natural selection in public school science classes as an explanation for evolution, Holt became a leading voice in opposition to I.D.
• Holt was one of the courageous Democrats who voted against the Iraq War in 2002, and subsequently against writing President Bush a blank check. Notably, in September 2005, Holt called for redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq to begin immediately after the Iraqi citizens voted on their constitution.

Holt's background as a scientist makes him unafraid to tackle important issues that are often ignored because they are complicated or technical. He is a national leader on election reform, having introduced legislation to require all voting machines to produce a voter-verified paper trail (H.R. 810). His bill, which has received bipartisan support, has been called the "gold standard" by VerifiedVoting.org, and has been endorsed by The New York Times, MoveOn.org, and Common Cause.

Holt is also a strong proponent of stem cell research, smart growth, and investing in sustainable, renewable sources of energy. Throughout his career, he has been an unwavering supporter of a woman's right to choose, civil rights, and fair labor laws.