Dwight Evans

Dwight Evans is a Democratic politician who has represented Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2016. Born in Philadelphia, he attended Germantown High School and later earned degrees from the Community College of Philadelphia and La Salle University. Evans began his professional career as a teacher in the Philadelphia public school system and worked as an employment counselor for the Urban League of Philadelphia before entering politics. Evans served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for 36 years, from 1981 to 2016. During his time in Harrisburg, he became the first African American to chair the House Appropriations Committee, a role he maintained for 20 years. He is credited with the development of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in Pennsylvania and the Fresh Food Financing Initiative. In November 2016, he won a special election to the U.S. House, where he now serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Dwight Evans advocates for the protection and expansion of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid, viewing affordable healthcare as an essential right. His economic platform focuses on supporting small businesses and low-income communities, frequently highlighting the need for investments in infrastructure and clean energy through legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. On immigration, he supports comprehensive reform with a path to citizenship and family reunification. Evans also emphasizes environmental justice, gun violence prevention, and increasing access to healthy food through his "Food is Medicine" policy approach.