Education:
JD, University of Virginia School of Law, 1975
BA, Political Science, Yale University, 1972.

Professional Experience:
Associate Municipal Court Judge, Houston, 1987-1989
Attorney, Private Practice.

Political Experience:
Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1994-present
Houston City Council, 1990-1994
Democratic Nominee, Texas District Court Judge, 1988
Senior Whip, Democratic Caucus
Former Senior Council, United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives Democratic At-Large Whip.

Organizations:
State Bar Association of Justice Committee
Member, Texas Municipal Judges Association
Member, Texas State Bar
Member, United Way.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Whip/Vice Chair, Congressional Black Caucus, 2003-present
Founder/Co-Chair, Congressional Children's Caucus, 2003-present
9/11 Commission Caucus
Bipartisan Congressional Refugee Caucus
Building a Better America Caucus
Children and Families Task Force
Co-Chair, Congressional Algeria Caucus
Congressional Arts Caucus
Congressional Caucus on Ethiopia and Ethiopian-Americans
Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine
Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans
Congressional Caucus on the Judicial Branch
Congressional Caucus on Nigeria
Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues
Congressional Coastal Caucus
Congressional Diabetes Caucus
Congressional Entertainment Industries Caucus
Congressional Fire Services Caucus
Congressional French Caucus
Congressional Gulf of Mexico Caucus
Congressional Human Rights Caucus
Congressional Internet Caucus
Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus
Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus
Congressional Native American Caucus
Co-Chair, Congressional Pakistan Caucus
Congressional Port Security Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
Congressional Recycling Caucus
Congressional Tri-Caucus
Congressional Urban Caucus
Congressional United Services Organization Caucus
Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus
Congressional Vision Caucus
Congressional Wireless Caucus
Co-Chair, Democratic Caucus' Task Force on Children
Democratic Homeland Security Task Force
Co-Chair, Democratic Outreach Task Force
Democratic Study Group
Faith and Values in Politics Task Force
Friends of Norway Caucus
High Tech Caucus
House Democratic Caucus
House Democratic Steering Committee
House Hunger Caucus
Immigration Task Force
Interstate 69 Caucus
Katrina Task Force
Law Enforcement Caucus
National Guard and Reserve Components Congressional Members Organization
Out of Iraq Caucus
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Songwriters Caucus
TEX-21 Congressional Caucus
Co-Chair, United States-Afghanistan Caucus.

Committees:
Foreign Affairs, Member
Homeland Security, Member
Judiciary, Member
Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, Member
Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, Member
Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, Member
Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, Member
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, Member
Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law Membership, Member
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, Member
Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, Chair
Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, Member
Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Member