Rep. Jim McDermott, Democrat (WA-07)

First elected to the House of Representatives in a 1988 from Washington’s 7th Congressional District, Rep. McDermott is a strong advocate for pro-Israel, pro-peace initiatives in Congress. Rep. McDermott was born in Chicago, Illinois and was the first member of his family to attend college. Prior to serving in Congress, McDermott served in the United States Navy Medical Center as a psychiatrist during the Vietnam War. McDermott also served in the Washington State Legislature for over 16 years before joining the Foreign Service as a medical officer based in Zaire. McDermott returned to Washington to run for Congress in 1988 and has served in the House of Representatives ever since. McDermott is married to Therese Hansen, an attorney, and has two grown children.

Rep. McDermott currently serves as a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee where he chairs the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support. McDermott is a member of the Progressive Caucus and was knighted in 2007 by the king of Lesotho for his leadership on the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

Representative McDermott has been a strong friend of J Street’s in Washington. He was a co-sponsor to the House Resolution supporting the appointment of George Mitchell as Special Envoy to Middle East Peace, supported the Annapolis peace process, and was a signatory to the Cohen-Boustany-Carnahan letter supporting the President Obama’s Middle East peace policies. McDermott has been a signatory to several letters supporting increased humanitarian aid to Gaza including one which he co-authored.

A long respected leader in Washington State and Washington, D.C., Rep. McDermott is a strong voice for JStreetPAC’s issues. We are pleased to endorse this Congressman and look forward to continuing to work with him.