James Langevin

Congressman, Rhode Island

Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-02) Congressman Jim Langevin (LAN'-jih-vin) is a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the Chairman of the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee and also serves on the Subcommittees on Seapower and Projection Forces and Strategic Forces. He is also a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, where is serves on the Subcommittees on Intelligence & Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation. A national leader on securing our nation’s technology infrastructure against cyber threats, Langevin co-founded the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus to increase awareness around the issue and serves as a member of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. He has authored or co-authored dozens of pieces of cybersecurity legislation, including most recently the National Cyber Director Act. As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, Langevin advocates to improve and increase access to training that gives students and workers the skills that best fit the needs of expanding industries. He has successfully fought for strong CTE funding under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act and, in Rhode Island, has worked to foster employer-educator partnerships and career training programs across a variety of career fields. A voice for those facing serious challenges, Langevin championed passage of a bipartisan bill to expand services for families caring for their elderly and disabled loved ones. He is a strong advocate for inclusion and independence for people with disabilities and helped pass the ADA Amendments Act that strengthened the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Langevin was inspired to enter public service by the tremendous outpouring of support he received during the most challenging time of his life, after a gun accident paralyzed him at age 16 and left him a quadriplegic. He is driven by a belief that everyone deserves a fair opportunity to make the most of their talents. After serving as secretary for the state’s Constitutional Convention in 1986, Langevin won election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives, and in 1994, became the nation’s youngest Secretary of State. His leadership resulted in reforms to Rhode Island’s outdated election system and a landmark report documenting widespread violations of the state’s Open Meetings Law. He served in that role until winning election to Congress in 2000.