Jim Himes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Himes
Official portrait, 2023
Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2023
Preceded by	Mike Turner
Chair of the New Democrat Coalition
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Ron Kind
Succeeded by	Derek Kilmer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Chris Shays
Personal details
Born	James Andrew Himes (1966-07-05) July 5, 1966 (age 58) Lima, Peru
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Scott ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	2
Residences	Cos Cob, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	Harvard University (BA) St Edmund Hall, Oxford (MPhil)

James Andrew Himes (born July 5, 1966) is an American politician. He has been a U.S. representative for Connecticut since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

His district covers most of the southwest part of Connecticut. This area is close to New York City. It includes cities like Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford.

Jim Himes is currently a top member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This committee deals with important national security information. He is also part of the House Financial Services Committee.

Before this, he led other important groups. He chaired the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity. He also led a subcommittee on national security and money. He has been on the House Intelligence Committee since 2013. From 2017 to 2019, he led the New Democrat Coalition.

Early Life and Schooling

Jim Himes was born on July 5, 1966, in Lima, Peru. His parents were Americans. His father worked for the Ford Foundation in Lima. He also directed a UNICEF research center in Florence, Italy. His mother worked for the New Jersey Board of Higher Education.

Jim spent his early years in Peru and Bogotá, Colombia. After his parents divorced, he moved to Pennington, New Jersey. He graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High School.

He went to Harvard College. There, he was the captain of the lightweight rowing team. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988. He then studied Latin American studies at Oxford. He was a Rhodes scholar and got a Master of Philosophy degree in 1990. In 2012, he received an honorary degree from the University of Bridgeport.

Starting His Career

In 1995, Himes started working at Goldman Sachs. He was a banker in Latin America and New York. He eventually became a vice president.

In 2002, Himes was chosen to be a commissioner for the Greenwich Housing Authority. He led its board for two years. He also served on boards for other community groups. These included Aspira of Connecticut and the Fairfield County Community Foundation.

He was also an elected member of the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation. He chaired the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee.

Serving in Congress

Jim Himes works in the United States House of Representatives. He helps create laws and represents his district.

Laws He Supports

Himes has supported many bills. These are ideas for new laws.

His Committee Roles

For the current Congress (the 118th), Jim Himes is on two main committees:

• Committee on Financial Services: This committee deals with money, banks, and the economy.
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: He is the top Democrat on this committee. It oversees U.S. intelligence agencies.

Groups He Belongs To

• Congressional Coalition on Adoption: This group works on issues related to adoption.

His Political Views

Jim Himes has clear views on many important topics.

National Defense

Himes believes the U.S. should reduce its military presence in Afghanistan. He thinks the focus should be on fighting terrorism. He supports a world without nuclear weapons. He also supports sanctions against Iran. He voted for a law that put sanctions on Iran in 2010. He believes in a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

Education

Himes thinks that early childhood education is a very smart investment. He voted to double funding for the Early Head Start Program. He has said that the "No Child Left Behind" law needs to be updated. He also helped create a rule to teach students about managing their money.

Protecting the Environment

Environment America has given Himes a perfect score for his environmental work. He believes that by supporting new energy research, we can protect our planet. He voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This law aimed to create cleaner energy.

Gun Safety

Himes voted against a bill that allowed loaded guns in national parks. The Brady Campaign, a group that supports gun control, gives him a high score. He does not take part in moments of silence in Congress after mass shootings. He believes Congress should pass laws to stop gun violence instead.

Healthcare

Himes supports the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This law aims to make healthcare more affordable. He also believes in protecting Medicare and Medicaid. These are government programs that help people with healthcare costs.

Privacy Rights

Himes voted against a bill that would stop the NSA from collecting phone data. He said he voted this way not because he liked the NSA's power, but because the bill was too extreme. He felt it took away too much power from the NSA too quickly.

Transportation

Himes helped create a bill to fund national transportation projects. He believes this would bring in private money for projects. He has also helped bring money to his district. This money has gone to improve roads and train lines. For example, he helped get over $70 million for the Merritt Parkway.

Animal Rights

In 2009–2010, groups like the Society for Animal Protective Legislation gave Himes high ratings. This was for his support of animal protection. The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund also gave him a perfect score for his work on wildlife issues.

LGBTQ+ Rights

The Human Rights Campaign, a group that supports LGBTQ+ rights, gave Himes a perfect score in 2009–2010.

Immigration

The American Immigration Lawyers Association gave Himes a perfect score in 2009–2010. This was for his support of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

Electoral College and Presidential Choices

In 2016, Himes asked the Electoral College not to vote for Donald Trump. He wanted them to choose Hillary Clinton instead. He said he was worried about Trump's actions, especially his criticism of the CIA. Himes admitted Trump won fairly but felt he was not fit for office. He argued the Electoral College was made for such situations.

Business Rules

In 2022, Himes voted against a bill to stop companies from acting unfairly. This bill aimed to prevent companies from becoming too powerful.

UAP Disclosure (UFOs)

In 2022, during a hearing on UFOs, Himes asked the Pentagon to share their findings. He hoped this would reduce rumors and conspiracy theories.

In 2023, Himes was doubtful about a whistleblower's claims about UFOs. He said that intelligence groups had told him there was no secret alien material.

Some people have said Himes worked against a bill to make UFO information public. This bill had strong support from both parties.

2024 Presidential Election

In July 2024, Himes asked Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 presidential election.

Running for Office

Jim Himes has run for the U.S. House of Representatives many times.

2008 Election

In 2008, Himes ran against Chris Shays, a Republican who had been in office for a long time. Himes won the election, getting 51% of the votes. He won in the larger cities in his district, like Bridgeport. His victory helped make all of New England's House representatives Democrats for the first time.

Himes started his term in Congress on January 6, 2009. He was the first Democrat to represent his district since 1969.

2010 Election

In 2010, Himes won re-election. He defeated Republican Dan Debicella. Himes won more towns this time, including Redding and Westport.

2012 Election

Himes was re-elected again. He beat Steve Obsitnik with 60% of the votes.

2014 Election

Himes won against Dan Debicella again, getting 53.8% of the votes.

2016 Election

Himes defeated John Shaban with 59.9% of the votes.

2018 Election

Himes won against Harry Arora, getting 61.2% of the votes.

2020 Election

Himes won with 61.2% of the votes against Jonathan Riddle and others.

2022 Election

Himes defeated Jayme Stevenson, with 59.4% of the votes.

Personal Life

Jim Himes married Mary Lynley Scott in 1994. She is a designer. They live in Cos Cob with their two daughters.

Election Results

See also

• Enterprise Community Partners