Elijah Cummings
Encyclopedia
Elijah Eugene Cummings is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of Baltimore City, as well as most of Howard County
. He previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates
.
in 1969. He later attended Howard University
in Washington, D.C., where he served in student government
as sophomore class president, Student Government treasurer and later Student Government President. 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, Baltimore
, graduating in 1976 and entering the Maryland Bar in December 1976. He practiced law for 19 years before first being elected to the House in the 1996 elections.
For 16 years, Cummings served in the Maryland House of Delegates
. In the Maryland General Assembly
, he served as Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland
and was the first African American
in Maryland history to be named Speaker pro Tempore, the second highest position in the House of Delegates.
In December 2010 Edolphus Towns announced that he would not seek the position of Ranking Minority Member
of the Oversight Committee in the next Congress, even though his seniority and service as Chair would typically result in him filling this post. Reportedly, Towns withdrew because of a lack of support from Nancy Pelosi
who feared that he would not be a sufficiently aggressive leader of Democrats in an anticipated struggle with incoming committee chair Republican Darrell Issa
.
Reportedly, the White House also wanted Towns to be replaced. Cummings defeated Carolyn Maloney in a vote of the House Democratic Caucus.
Cummings is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
. He served as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus
during the 108th United States Congress
.
Cummings received praise and a boost in notoriety following the Congressional panel hearings on steroids in March 2005. While investigating the use of steroids in sports, the panel called numerous baseball players to testify, including former single season home run record holder Mark McGwire
. After McGwire answered many questions in a vague fashion, Cummings demanded to know if he was "taking the Fifth", referring to the Fifth Amendment
. McGwire responded by saying, "I am here to talk about the future, not about the past." The exchange came to epitomize the entire inquiry.
resigned in February 1996 to take the presidency of the NAACP. Cummings won a crowded seven-way Democratic primary--the real contest in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district--with 37.5 percent of the vote. In the special election, he trounced Republican
Kenneth Konder. He defeated Konder again in November to win the seat in his own right. Cummings has been reelected six times since then with no substantive opposition, never dropping below 70 percent of the vote and even running unopposed in 2006. He won a seventh full term in 2008 with 79.5 percent of the vote.
Board of Trustees, the Elijah Cummings Youth Program (ECYP), the Baltimore Aquarium Board of Trustees, the Baltimore Area Council
of the Boy Scouts of America
Board of Directors and the Dunbar-Hopkins Health Partnership Executive Board.
In addition to his many speaking engagements, he writes a biweekly column for the Baltimore Afro-American
newspaper. He currently lives in the Madison Park community in Baltimore, and is an active member of the New Psalmist Baptist Church. He was mentioned as a possible candidate in 2006 for the United States Senate
seat of retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes
, but ended up endorsing Kweisi Mfume
for the seat instead of running himself (see Maryland United States Senate election, 2006
). He is also considered to be a possible candidate for Governor of Maryland in the future.
In June 2011, his nephew Christopher Cummings, son of his brother James, was murdered at his off-campus house near Old Dominion University
, where he was a student.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of Baltimore City, as well as most of Howard County
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. He previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
.
Early life, education and career
Cummings was born in Baltimore and graduated with honors from Baltimore City CollegeBaltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
in 1969. He later attended Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C., where he served in student government
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
as sophomore class president, Student Government treasurer and later Student Government President. He became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Cummings attended law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
at the University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore, was founded in 1807. It comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the nation and world. It is the original campus of the University System of Maryland. Located on 60 acres in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, it is part of the University System 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 House in the 1996 elections.
For 16 years, Cummings served in the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
. In the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
, he served as Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland
Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland
The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland is an American political organization composed of African Americans elected to the Maryland General Assembly...
and was the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
in Maryland history to be named Speaker pro Tempore, the second highest position in the House of Delegates.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime TransportationUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime TransportationThe Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over maritime safety, security, law enforcement, and defense. Additionally, the Subcommittee exercises jurisdiction over...
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous MaterialsUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsThe Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee...
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Domestic PolicyUnited States House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic PolicyThe Subcommittee on Domestic Policy is a standing committee within the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Jurisdiction includes domestic policies, including matters relating to energy, labor, education, criminal justice, the economy, as well as the Office of National...
. - Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and District of Columbia.
- Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
- Joint Economic CommitteeUnited States Congress Joint Economic CommitteeThe Joint Economic Committee is one of four standing joint committees of the U.S. Congress. The committee was established as a part of the Employment Act of 1946, which deemed the committee responsible for reporting the current economic condition of the United States and for making suggestions...
In December 2010 Edolphus Towns announced that he would not seek the position of Ranking Minority Member
Ranking minority member
In United States politics, the term ranking minority member refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. This position is sometimes referred to as ranking member. On many committees the ranking minority member, along with the chairman,...
of the Oversight Committee in the next Congress, even though his seniority and service as Chair would typically result in him filling this post. Reportedly, Towns withdrew because of a lack of support from Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
who feared that he would not be a sufficiently aggressive leader of Democrats in an anticipated struggle with incoming committee chair Republican Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa
Darrell Edward Issa is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 48th, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was formerly a CEO of Directed Electronics, the Vista, California-based manufacturer of automobile security and convenience products...
.
Reportedly, the White House also wanted Towns to be replaced. Cummings defeated Carolyn Maloney in a vote of the House Democratic Caucus.
Caucus memberships
- Task Force on Health Care Reform
- Co-founder and Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Drug Policy
Cummings is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in the United States Congress with 83 declared members, and works to advance progressive issues and positions....
. He served as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress. Membership is exclusive to blacks, and its chair in the 112th Congress is Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.-Aims:...
during the 108th United States Congress
108th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's...
.
Cummings received praise and a boost in notoriety following the Congressional panel hearings on steroids in March 2005. While investigating the use of steroids in sports, the panel called numerous baseball players to testify, including former single season home run record holder Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
. After McGwire answered many questions in a vague fashion, Cummings demanded to know if he was "taking the Fifth", referring to the Fifth Amendment
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
. McGwire responded by saying, "I am here to talk about the future, not about the past." The exchange came to epitomize the entire inquiry.
Political campaigns
Five-term Congressman Kweisi MfumeKweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Maryland's 7th congressional district, serving in the 100th through 104th Congress...
resigned in February 1996 to take the presidency of the NAACP. Cummings won a crowded seven-way Democratic primary--the real contest in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district--with 37.5 percent of the vote. In the special election, he trounced Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Kenneth Konder. He defeated Konder again in November to win the seat in his own right. Cummings has been reelected six times since then with no substantive opposition, never dropping below 70 percent of the vote and even running unopposed in 2006. He won a seventh full term in 2008 with 79.5 percent of the vote.
Personal life
Cummings serves on numerous Maryland boards and commissions including the Board of Visitors (BOV) to the United States Naval Academy, the Baltimore ZooThe Maryland Zoo
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is a zoo located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums . Home to over 2,000 animals, the zoo is generally considered to be the third oldest zoological park in the United States, having opened in 1876...
Board of Trustees, the Elijah Cummings Youth Program (ECYP), the Baltimore Aquarium Board of Trustees, the Baltimore Area Council
Scouting in Maryland
Scouting in Maryland has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving millions of youth with activities that have adapted to the changing cultural environment but have always been rooted in an active outdoor program.-Early history :...
of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
Board of Directors and the Dunbar-Hopkins Health Partnership Executive Board.
In addition to his many speaking engagements, he writes a biweekly column for the Baltimore Afro-American
Baltimore Afro-American
The Baltimore Afro-American, commonly known as The Afro, is a weekly newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It is the flagship newspaper of the Afro-American chain and the longest-running African-American family-owned newspaper in the United States.-History:The newspaper was founded in...
newspaper. He currently lives in the Madison Park community in Baltimore, and is an active member of the New Psalmist Baptist Church. He was mentioned as a possible candidate in 2006 for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat of retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes
Paul Sarbanes
Paul Spyros Sarbanes , a Democrat, is a former United States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history, having served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006, when he was succeeded by fellow Democrat Ben Cardin...
, but ended up endorsing Kweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Maryland's 7th congressional district, serving in the 100th through 104th Congress...
for the seat instead of running himself (see Maryland United States Senate election, 2006
Maryland United States Senate election, 2006
The 2006 United States Senate election in Maryland was held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes, Maryland's longest serving United States Senator, decided to retire instead of seeking a sixth term. Democratic nominee Ben Cardin won the open...
). He is also considered to be a possible candidate for Governor of Maryland in the future.
In June 2011, his nephew Christopher Cummings, son of his brother James, was murdered at his off-campus house near Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
, where he was a student.
Works cited
- Official Congressional biography for Representative Cummings.
- Congressional Quarterly Voting and Elections Collection.
External links
- Congressman Elijah E. Cummings official U.S. House site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...