Gregory Meeks

Gregory Weldon Meeks is a Democratic U.S. Representative who has served New York's 5th Congressional District (formerly the 6th District) since 1998. Born in East Harlem and raised in public housing, he earned a bachelor's degree in history from Adelphi University in 1975 and a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law in 1978. Before entering Congress, Meeks served as an Assistant District Attorney in Queens, a prosecutor for a special anti-narcotics task force, and a supervising judge for the New York State workers' compensation system. He also served in the New York State Assembly from 1993 until his election to Congress in a 1998 special election. In the House of Representatives, Meeks has held significant leadership roles, most notably serving as the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee from 2021 to 2023, where he was the first Black member to lead the committee. He currently serves as the committee's Ranking Member and is a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee. Meeks is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition, often positioning himself as a pro-growth, pro-trade Democrat focused on economic empowerment for underserved communities.

Meeks holds a consistently liberal voting record while maintaining a pro-business stance on economic issues. On healthcare, he characterizes it as a human right and strongly supports the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare, and Medicaid, while advocating for the elimination of health disparities. Regarding the economy, he emphasizes economic development in minority communities and supports labor unions, though he is also a proponent of international trade and has historically supported several free-trade agreements. His foreign policy approach is multilateralist, favoring international coalitions and humanitarian aid; he has been a vocal supporter of security assistance to Ukraine and maintains long-standing support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. On immigration, he advocates for comprehensive reform including a path to citizenship for Dreamers and the protection of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders. Meeks also supports stricter gun control measures, labeling gun violence a public health emergency, and favors clean energy initiatives and environmental protections through legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act.