André Carson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
André Carson
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th district |
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| Assumed office March 11, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Julia Carson |
| Member of the Indianapolis City-County Council from the 15th district |
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| In office October 2007 – March 13, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Patrice Abduallah |
| Succeeded by | Doris Minton-McNeill |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
André Darryl Carson
October 16, 1974 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Mariama Shaheed
(divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Concordia University, Wisconsin (BA) Indiana Wesleyan University (MS) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
André Darryl Carson (born October 16, 1974) is an American politician. He serves in the United States House of Representatives, representing the 7th district of Indiana. A member of the Democratic Party, he has held this office since 2008. His district covers most of the city of Indianapolis.
Carson followed in the footsteps of his grandmother, Julia Carson, who held the same seat in Congress before him. When she passed away in 2007, a special election was held, and André Carson won. He was the second Muslim ever elected to the U.S. Congress.
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Early Life and Career
André Carson was born and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. He went to Arsenal Technical High School. He later earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Concordia University Wisconsin and a master's degree in business management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
His grandmother, Congresswoman Julia Carson, inspired him to get involved in public service. Growing up in a tough neighborhood helped shape his views on important issues like education and public safety.
Before entering politics, Carson worked for the Indiana State Excise Police from 1996 to 2005. He also worked for Indiana's Department of Homeland Security in the anti-terrorism unit. For a short time, he was a member of the Indianapolis City-County Council.
U.S. House of Representatives
When his grandmother Julia Carson died in 2007, her seat in Congress became open. In March 2008, André Carson won a special election to fill the seat. He has been re-elected by voters in his district many times since then.
Time in Congress
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In 2008, Carson was the first member of Congress from Indiana to support Barack Obama for president.
In 2010, during protests about a health care bill, Carson said that he heard people shouting racist comments at John Lewis, another member of Congress.
In 2011, Carson spoke about the Tea Party movement, a political group. He said that some people in the movement wanted to treat certain citizens unfairly, comparing their ideas to "Jim Crow" laws from the past. He later explained that his comments were about certain leaders, not the entire movement.
On December 18, 2019, Carson voted in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump.
Committee Work
For the 118th Congress, Carson serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
- Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party
Caucus Memberships
A caucus is a group of members of Congress who share a common interest. Carson is a member of many caucuses, including:
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- New Democrat Coalition
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Rare Disease Caucus
Political Views
As a representative, Carson votes on laws and helps shape the country's policies. Here are some of his views on key issues.
The Economy
Carson supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This was a plan to help the U.S. economy during a recession by spending money on things like health care, education, and creating jobs.
He also introduced the Jeremy Warriner Consumer Protection Act. This bill was meant to make sure car companies like GM and Chrysler would be responsible for problems with cars they made before they filed for bankruptcy.
Education
Carson believes in supporting teachers, improving school buildings, and making college more affordable. He wrote a bill called the Young Adults Financial Literacy Act. This bill aimed to create programs to teach young people and families how to manage their money.
Once, Carson made a speech where he said American schools could learn from Islamic schools, called madrassas. This caused some controversy. He later clarified that he did not believe any single religion should be the basis for public schools.
Environment and Energy
Carson supports finding new and cleaner ways to create energy, such as solar and wind power. He believes this will help the environment, create jobs, and make the U.S. less dependent on foreign oil. He voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a bill aimed at fighting climate change.
Foreign Policy
Carson has been a vocal critic of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory, calling them a "major barrier to peace." In 2021, he was one of nine members of the House to vote against funding for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. In 2022, he introduced the Justice For Shireen Act after an American journalist was killed.
In 2023, he voted against a resolution that said Israel is not a racist or apartheid state. Later that year, after an attack by Hamas, he was one of ten members of Congress who voted against a resolution supporting Israel.
National Security
Carson is the only member of Congress who has worked in a Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center. These centers help different government agencies share information to keep the country safe.
In 2017, he protested an executive order by President Trump that limited immigration from several Muslim-majority countries. Carson called the order a "Muslim ban" and said it went against the U.S. Constitution.
Health and Housing
Carson is a strong supporter of health care reform to make sure more Americans can get medical care. He voted for the Affordable Health Care for America Act in 2009.
He has also focused on preventing home foreclosures in his district. He supported a law to protect people from unfair mortgage loans and created a program to warn homeowners about foreclosure scams.
See also
In Spanish: André Carson para niños
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of Muslim members of the United States Congress
