Ed Markey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ed Markey
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Official portrait, 2013
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| Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Joni Ernst |
| United States Senator from Massachusetts |
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| Assumed office July 16, 2013 Serving with Elizabeth Warren
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| Preceded by | Mo Cowan |
| Chair of the House Global Warming Committee | |
| In office March 8, 2007 – January 6, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts |
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| In office November 2, 1976 – July 15, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Torbert Macdonald |
| Succeeded by | Katherine Clark |
| Constituency | 7th district (1976–2013) 5th district (2013) |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1975 |
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| Preceded by | William Callahan |
| Succeeded by | Richard McGrath |
| Constituency | 16th Middlesex |
| In office January 3, 1975 – November 2, 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Dickson |
| Succeeded by | John C. McNeil |
| Constituency | 26th Middlesex |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward John Markey
July 11, 1946 Malden, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Susan Blumenthal
(m. 1988) |
| Education | Boston College (BA, JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1968–1973 |
| Rank | Specialist Fourth Class |
Edward John Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American politician. He has been a U.S. Senator for Massachusetts since 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming a senator, he served for many years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Massachusetts from 1976 to 2013.
Markey is known for being a progressive politician. This means he supports ideas like protecting the environment and helping people in need. He has focused a lot on climate change and energy policy. He even helped create the idea of the Green New Deal. He is the longest-serving Democrat in Congress, having started in 1976. Young voters often support his ideas. The Hill newspaper has called him "an icon to Gen Z activists."
Contents
Ed Markey: A Senator for Massachusetts
Early Life and School Days
Edward John Markey was born on July 11, 1946, in Malden, Massachusetts. His father was a milkman. His mother was very smart but could not go to college. She had to stay home to care for her family.
Markey's family was Irish Catholic. He went to Immaculate Conception School and Malden Catholic High School. In the summers, he drove an ice cream truck in Lexington, Massachusetts. People knew him as "Eddie the Ice Cream Man." He used the money he earned to pay for his college tuition.
He graduated from Boston College in 1968. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Later, he earned a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1972.
Starting His Career
After finishing law school, Markey worked as a lawyer. He also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1968 to 1973. He reached the rank of Specialist Fourth Class. He joined the Army Reserve before he knew if he would be called to serve in the Vietnam War.
Serving in the Massachusetts House
From 1973 to 1976, Markey was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He represented parts of Malden and Melrose. This was his first step into public service.
Working as a U.S. Representative
In 1976, Markey was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He won a special election to fill a vacant seat. This gave him more seniority than other new representatives. He was reelected 19 more times, serving for over 36 years in the House. His district included many northern suburbs of Boston.
Markey was part of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This group supports progressive policies.
Helping the Environment and Energy
Markey has always cared deeply about the environment. In 2007, he became the first U.S. politician to use a virtual world called "Second Life" to talk about climate change. He spoke to delegates at a United Nations meeting in Bali without flying there. This saved a lot of carbon dioxide emissions.
He pushed BP to show live video of the oil leaking during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. He also criticized the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Markey often spoke out against those who denied global warming. He once joked that they should form their own country on an iceberg. He stressed that scientists agreed Arctic ice was a clear warning sign for the climate.
In 2011, a special committee he chaired, focused on energy independence and global warming, was closed by House Republicans.
Protecting Kids Online
Markey worked to increase privacy controls for children online. He also introduced laws to change daylight saving time. He also supported net neutrality, which means all internet traffic should be treated equally.
National Security Efforts
Markey also worked on national security. In 2003, he pointed out that air cargo on passenger planes was not secure. He argued that it should be screened like passenger baggage. In 2007, he helped pass a law requiring all cargo on passenger planes to be screened. This was a key recommendation from the 9/11 Commission.
Becoming a U.S. Senator
Key Elections
In 2013, Senator John Kerry became the Secretary of State. This left an open Senate seat. Markey decided to run for it. He won the special election in June 2013. He defeated Republican Gabriel E. Gomez.
Markey had served in the House for over 36 years. This made him the longest-serving House member ever elected to the Senate. He was elected to a full six-year term in the Senate in 2014.
In 2020, he faced a tough primary challenge from Joe Kennedy III. Markey won with strong support from young voters and progressive groups like the Sunrise Movement. He then won the general election against Republican Kevin O'Connor.
What He Does as a Senator
Markey was sworn into the Senate on July 16, 2013. He is known for writing many public letters to draw attention to issues he cares about.
He was in the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 United States Capitol attack in 2021. He and his staff stayed safe in a hidden location. He spoke out strongly against the attack and called for action against those responsible.
Markey is a member of several important Senate committees. These include the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on Environment and Public Works. He also chairs subcommittees on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, and Primary Health & Retirement Security.
What Ed Markey Cares About
Fighting Climate Change
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Markey is a strong advocate for fighting climate change. He is the Senate author of the Green New Deal. This plan aims to move the U.S. to 100% clean energy. It also seeks to create new jobs and reduce poverty. He believes in using science to guide climate policy.
Making Public Transit Better
Markey supports making public transit free for everyone. In 2020, he and Representative Ayanna Pressley introduced the Freedom to Move Act. This bill would give money to transit agencies that offer free rides. He believes this would help low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities get to jobs, school, and medical care.
Gun Safety
Markey supports stricter gun control laws. He wants better background checks for gun purchases. He also wants to stop illegal gun trafficking. He proposed a "smart gun" bill that would make handguns usable only by their owner. After the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, he supported banning "bump stocks," which make semi-automatic weapons fire faster.
Health Care for Everyone
Markey supports creating a single-payer federal healthcare program. This means he wants to expand Medicare to cover all U.S. residents. He also works to ensure fair healthcare funding for U.S. territories.
Fair Economy and Jobs
Markey has worked to ensure fair competition in the economy. He has asked regulators to look into large company mergers to make sure they don't harm consumers. He also wants to limit "non-compete clauses" that can make it hard for workers to find new jobs.
Helping People Around the World
Markey has spoken out on human rights issues in other countries. He has called for the release of human rights activists in Saudi Arabia. He also raised concerns about China's influence on media and schools in the U.S. He has urged for diplomatic solutions in international conflicts.
Personal Life
Since 1988, Ed Markey has been married to Susan Blumenthal. She is a doctor who served as a Rear Admiral and Assistant U.S. Surgeon General. From 2005 to 2017, he wrote articles for The Huffington Post. He also had a small acting role in the 2003 movie Gods and Generals.
Images for kids
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Rep. Markey (R) with Chinese Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun (L) and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (C) in May 2009. Behind them is a Hexie Hao train on the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway.
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Senator Markey meets with Philippine president Bongbong Marcos in Manila in August 2022
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Markey speaks at a rally on Net Neutrality in 2017
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See also
In Spanish: Ed Markey para niños
