Joe Neguse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Neguse
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Official portrait, 2018
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| House Assistant Democratic Leader | |
| Assumed office March 20, 2024 |
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| Leader | Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | Jim Clyburn |
| Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2021 – March 20, 2024 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | David Cicilline |
| Succeeded by | Debbie Dingell |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 2nd district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Jared Polis |
| Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies | |
| In office June 2015 – June 2017 |
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| Governor | John Hickenlooper |
| Preceded by | Barbara Kelley |
| Succeeded by | Marguerite Salazar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 13, 1984 Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Andrea Jimenez |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Colorado, Boulder (BA, JD) |
Joseph D. Neguse (born May 13, 1984) is an American lawyer and politician. He serves as a U.S. representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district. He has held this role since 2019. This district includes cities like Boulder and Fort Collins.
Joe Neguse is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2008 to 2015, he was a regent for the University of Colorado. He is the first Eritrean-American to be elected to the United States Congress. He is also Colorado's first Black member of Congress. Since 2024, Neguse has been the House Assistant Democratic Leader.
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Early Life and School
Joe Neguse's parents came to the United States from Eritrea. They met in Bakersfield, California, where Joe and his younger sister were born. When Joe was six, his family moved to Colorado. They lived in several towns before settling in Boulder.
Joe went to ThunderRidge High School. He then attended the University of Colorado Boulder. He was the student body president there. In 2005, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics with summa cum laude (meaning "with highest honors"). He then got his law degree (Juris Doctor) from the University of Colorado Law School in 2009.
Early Career Steps
While still a student, Joe Neguse started New Era Colorado. This group helps young people get involved in politics. He also worked at the Colorado State Capitol. He was an assistant to Andrew Romanoff, who was a state representative.
In 2008, Neguse was elected to the Regents of the University of Colorado. This board helps manage the university system. He was the second African American in Colorado history to serve on this board.
In 2014, Neguse ran for Secretary of State of Colorado. He did not win that election. In 2015, Governor John Hickenlooper chose Neguse to lead the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). This made him one of the youngest state cabinet officials in the country. At DORA, he managed about 600 employees and a large budget. His job was to protect consumers by overseeing industries like finance and insurance.
In 2017, Neguse left DORA to run for the United States House of Representatives. He wanted to represent Colorado's 2nd congressional district. The current representative, Jared Polis, was running for governor.
Serving in the U.S. House
Winning Elections
In 2017, Joe Neguse announced he would run for Congress. He won the Democratic primary election in June 2018 with 65.7% of the vote. This district usually votes for Democrats.
In November 2018, he won the general election. He received 60.2% of the votes. This made him the first Black American to represent Colorado in the House of Representatives.
He was reelected in 2020 with 61.5% of the vote. He won again in 2022 with 70.7% of the vote. In 2024, he was reelected for a fourth time with 68.4% of the vote.
His Time in Office
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Soon after being elected, his fellow House members chose Neguse for a leadership role. He became the Co-Freshman Representative.
In 2019, Neguse voted to impeach Donald Trump. In 2020, he was named the most bipartisan (meaning working with both parties) member of Colorado's congressional group.
In November 2020, his colleagues chose him to co-chair the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. This is a high-ranking position in House Democratic leadership. In December 2022, he became the chair of this committee, which is the fifth-highest position.
On January 12, 2021, Speaker Pelosi appointed Neguse as a House impeachment manager. This means he acted as a prosecutor for Trump's second impeachment trial. He was the youngest impeachment manager ever. During the trial, Neguse and his team showed how Trump's claims about the 2020 election led to the January 6 United States Capitol attack. The Senate voted to acquit Trump, but it was the most bipartisan impeachment trial in U.S. history.
On March 20, 2024, Neguse was elected House Assistant Democratic Leader. He took over from Jim Clyburn.
What He Works On
As a representative, Joe Neguse serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Natural Resources: He helps make decisions about federal lands, water, wildlife, and fisheries.
- Committee on Rules: This committee sets the rules for how bills are debated and voted on in the House.
- Committee on the Judiciary: This committee deals with laws, courts, and intellectual property.
He is also part of several groups called caucuses. These groups focus on specific issues:
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force (he is a vice chair)
- Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
- Congressional Solar Caucus
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption
- Rare Disease Caucus
His Views on Issues
Social Topics
Neguse supports the Equality Act. This law would protect people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. He also supports the Voting Rights Act. He has suggested a law to let 16 and 17-year-olds pre-register to vote. He helped create the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Neguse believes in universal background checks for guns. He also thinks there are limits to the Second Amendment.
Climate Change
Neguse calls climate change a "huge threat." He has proposed a plan to expand the Civilian Conservation Corps. This group would focus on managing forests and preventing wildfires. He did not agree with the Trump administration leaving the Paris Agreement. This agreement aims to fight climate change. He supports the Green New Deal. He also wants to increase fuel efficiency and encourage the use of renewable energy. Neguse supports protecting endangered wildlife. He wants to expand the size of Arapaho National Forest.
Money Matters
Neguse was against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He also does not support increasing military spending.
Healthcare
Neguse supports Medicare for All and universal health care. This means he wants everyone to have access to healthcare. He also believes that insurance should cover pre-existing conditions. He is against getting rid of the Affordable Care Act. During the pandemic, he supported more COVID-19 testing and funding. He disagreed with the Trump administration leaving the World Health Organization.
Voting Rights
Neguse supports national mail-in voting. He also supports the Voting Rights Act.
Personal Life
Joe Neguse is married to Andrea Jimenez Rael. They met in Boulder County. Their daughter was born in 2018, and their son was born in 2023. They live in Lafayette, Colorado.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Neguse para niños
