Elijah Cummings

Elijah Eugene Cummings has been a Democratic member of the U. S. House of Representatives, representing the 7th district of Maryland since 1996.

Iraq War
Cummings voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Immigration
The following chart is a summary of Elijah Cumming's voting record in the U.S. House of Representatives with regards to immigration.

Support for gun control
Cummings cosponsored H.R. 1312 (Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2005) on April 21, 2005.

Sun Myung Moon "coronation"
In 2004 Cummings gave a speech at a "coronation" ceremony at the Dirksen Senate Office Building honoring controversial spiritual leader Sun Myung Moon. The event was ostensibly an awards ceremony for 'peace ambassadors.' In a speech after the awards were presented, Moon pronounced "I am God's ambassador, sent to earth with His full authority. I am sent to accomplish His command to save the world's six billion people, restoring them to Heaven with the original goodness in which they were created." 

Bio
Cummings was born January 18, 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated with honors from Baltimore City College High School in 1969. He later attended Howard University in Washington, DC. He became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Cummings attended law school at the University of Maryland, graduating in 1976 and entering the Maryland Bar in December 1976. He practiced law for 19 years before first being elected to the U.S. House in 1996 elections. []

Cummings served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 16 years. In the Maryland General Assembly, he served as Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus and was the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tem, the second highest position in the House of Delegates.

Congressional career
Rep. Cummings was elected to the United States House of Representatives in April 1996 in a special election for Maryland's 7th Congressional District following the resignation of Kweisi Mfume.

Central issues in his 2006 reelection campaign include education, affordable health care, protecting communities from drugs and crime, clean air, clean water, stronger protection of our national heritage, older Americans, and defending and expanding human rights. 

2006 elections
No major candidates announced their intentions to contest Cummings’ seat in the November 2006 election. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Highways, Transit & Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Railroads
 * Subcommittee on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation - Chair
 * House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
 * Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia
 * House Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Readiness

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Drug Policy and Human Resources - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Highways Transit and Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Railroads
 * Joint Economic Committee


 * Congressional Black Caucus- Immediate past chair

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Accomplishments in 108th Congress from Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Julian Borger, "Moonie leader 'crowned' in Senate," Guardian Unlimited, June 24, 2004.
 * Charles Babington and Alan Cooperman, "The Rev. Moon Honored at Hill Reception," Washington Post, June 23, 2004.