John Sarbanes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Sarbanes
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Official portrait, 2021
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Ben Cardin |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Elfreth |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Peter Spyros Sarbanes
May 22, 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Dina Caplan
(m. 1988) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Paul Sarbanes (father) |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
John Peter Spyros Sarbanes, born on May 22, 1962, is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Maryland's 3rd district from 2007 until January 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His district included areas like Annapolis and all of Howard County.
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Early Life and Education
John Sarbanes grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the oldest son of Paul Sarbanes, who was a U.S. Senator, and Christine Dunbar Sarbanes, a teacher. His family has roots in Greece and England.
He went to the Gilman School in Baltimore, graduating in 1980. Later, he studied at Princeton University, earning a bachelor's degree in 1984. He then attended Harvard Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1988.
After finishing college, Sarbanes worked for seven years with the Maryland State Department of Education. He helped improve Maryland's public school system. He also worked as a law clerk for a judge in Baltimore. Before becoming a politician, he spent many years working as a lawyer at a firm called Venable LLP.
U.S. House of Representatives
John Sarbanes was a member of the United States House of Representatives, which is part of the U.S. Congress. In this role, he helped create laws and represent the people of his district.
Committee Work
While in Congress, Sarbanes was part of important groups called committees. These committees focus on specific topics. He served on:
- Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Subcommittee on Health
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- Committee on Oversight and Reform
- Subcommittee on Government Operations
Special Interest Groups
He was also a member of several "caucuses." These are groups of lawmakers who share common interests or goals. Some of the caucuses he joined include:
- Armenian Caucus
- Congressional Public Service Caucus (he was a co-chair)
- House Congressional Hellenic Caucus
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
- Joint Congressional Human Rights Caucus
- Pakistan Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
Environmental Education Efforts
Sarbanes worked to improve environmental education for students. He introduced a bill called the "No Child Left Inside Act." This bill aimed to create new programs to teach kids about the environment. It also helped train teachers in environmental education. The goal was to make sure high school graduates understand environmental issues. Many groups supported this idea.
Government Reforms
Sarbanes was a key author of a major bill called the "For the People Act." This bill aimed to make voting easier and fairer. It included ideas like:
- Making it simpler to register to vote.
- Allowing people to vote earlier or online.
- Reducing gerrymandering, which is when voting districts are drawn unfairly.
- Making sure political groups share who their donors are.
- Requiring presidents to share their tax returns.
The bill passed the House of Representatives twice but did not become law.
Political Campaigns
John Sarbanes first ran for Congress in 2006. The seat became open when the previous representative, Ben Cardin, decided to run for the Senate. Sarbanes won the Democratic nomination and then the general election. His father had also represented this district before becoming a Senator, which helped with name recognition.
He was reelected eight times, serving many terms in Congress. His district's boundaries changed after the 2020 Census. Even though his home was no longer in his district, members of Congress only need to live in the state they represent.
In October 2023, Sarbanes announced that he would not run for reelection in 2024. His term ended in January 2025.
Post-Congressional Career
After leaving Congress in January 2025, John Sarbanes joined Johns Hopkins University. He became a distinguished practitioner in residence at their Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute.
Political Views
John Sarbanes generally voted in line with the positions of President Joe Biden. For example, during the 117th Congress, he voted with President Biden's stated position 100% of the time. In the 118th Congress through 2023, he voted with Biden 96.2% of the time.
Personal Life
John Sarbanes lives in Towson, Maryland, with his wife, Dina Eve Caplan, and their three children. He met his wife at Harvard, and they married in 1988. He is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
