Emanuel Cleaver

Emanuel Cleaver II is a Democratic U.S. Representative for Missouri's 5th congressional district, a position he has held since 2005. Born in Waxahachie, Texas, and raised in public housing, Cleaver earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Prairie View A&M University in 1972 and a Master of Divinity from the St. Paul School of Theology in 1974. A lifelong minister, he served as the senior pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City for 37 years while becoming a prominent figure in the civil rights movement and local politics. Cleaver’s political career began with twelve years on the Kansas City City Council before he was elected as the city’s first African American mayor in 1991. During his two terms as mayor, he focused on job growth and economic development, successfully attracting major corporations to the region. After leaving the mayor's office in 1999, he continued his community work until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, where he succeeded Representative Karen McCarthy. In Congress, Cleaver has focused on housing, financial services, and civil rights, notably serving as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus from 2011 to 2013. He has been a leader in bipartisan housing reform, co-authoring the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act. As a senior member of the House Committee on Financial Services, he has consistently advocated for federal investments in urban infrastructure and community development, including securing significant funding for affordable housing cooperatives in Missouri.

Emanuel Cleaver is an ardent supporter of the Affordable Care Act, advocating for its preservation and the expansion of Medicaid to ensure broader healthcare access. He has made affordable housing a signature issue, focusing on urban redevelopment and the modernization of federal housing programs. Cleaver supports reproductive freedom and has publicly criticized the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In terms of economic policy, he prioritizes the protection of Social Security and Medicare, alongside support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). He also advocates for common-sense gun safety legislation and has promoted environmental sustainability through local initiatives like the Green Impact Zone. Regarding immigration, he supports the role of federal agencies in national security but has criticized the use of enforcement for political agendas.