Gregory W. Meeks

Democrat Representative of New York's 5th district

Representative
New York, district 6
February 3, 1998 - January 3, 1999
Representative
New York, district 6
January 6, 1999 - January 3, 2001
Representative
New York, district 6
January 3, 2001 - January 3, 2003
Representative
New York, district 6
January 7, 2003 - January 3, 2005
Representative
New York, district 6
January 4, 2005 - January 3, 2007
Representative
New York, district 6
January 4, 2007 - January 3, 2009
Representative
New York, district 6
January 6, 2009 - January 3, 2011
Representative
New York, district 6
January 5, 2011 - January 3, 2013
Representative
New York, district 5
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015
Representative
New York, district 5
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2017
Representative
New York, district 5
January 3, 2017 - January 3, 2019
Representative
New York, district 5
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2021
Representative
New York, district 5
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2023
Representative
New York, district 5
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-3461

@RepGregoryMeeks

meeks.house.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

January 1, 1953 (71 years old)

Birthday

American lawyer and politician serving as a U.S. representative since 1998
Chaired the House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2021 to 2023 and continues to serve as its ranking member
Represents a district that includes a diverse economic and ethnic composition, with a significant African-American and West Indian American community
Born and raised in East Harlem, New York City, in a housing project
Holds a B.A. degree from Adelphi University and a J.D. degree from Howard University School of Law
Member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity
Worked as an Assistant District Attorney and for the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York before entering politics
Served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1993 to 1998
Faced criticism for initially supporting Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the presidential race
Named by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) as one of the most corrupt members of Congress in 2011 and again in 2013
Participated in a boycott of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress in 2015
Voted with President Joe Biden’s stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress
Called for increasing the cap on SALT deductions in 2021
Visited American troops in the southern Philippines in 2007 as part of a congressional delegation
Commented on the fall of Kabul, stating the Taliban’s victory was “inevitable” without a significant U.S. troop surge
Utilizes tax dollars to lease a car for congressional use, holding the most expensive lease among all members at one point
Traveled to Malaysia with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress in 2022 as part of an Asia tour
Delivered the keynote address at the P20 Bali summit in 2022, discussing democratic values and global challenges
Holds committee assignments on Financial Services and Foreign Affairs, and is a member of various caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition
Has African-American heritage, with ancestral roots mainly from Sierra Leone