Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
Proudly Representing Maryland's 7th District

A famous proverb reminds us that "...in his heart, every wise man builds his house."  Congressman Elijah E. Cummings has set out to build a house of service for his constituents. Elected to the United States House of Representatives in April 1996, in a special election for Maryland's 7th Congressional District, Congressman Cummings was re-elected with 87 percent of the vote on November 7, 2000, to his fourth term in Congress.

Congressman Cummings serves on the Government Reform Committee, is the Ranking Democrat on the Criminal Justice, Drug Policy & Human Resources Subcommittee and is a member of the Civil Service & Agency Organization Subcommittee.  He also serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and its Subcommittee on Highways & Transit and Subcommittee on Railroads. He is Vice-Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, co-chair of the House AIDS Working Group, and a member of the Democratic Policy Committee and the House Task Force on Health Care Reform.

Prior to his election to Congress, Mr. Cummings served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 16 years. He was the youngest person to be elected as Chairman of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus and was the first African American to be named Speaker Pro-Tem, the second highest position in the House of Delegates.

Born on January 18, 1951, Congressman Cummings graduated with honors from Baltimore City College High School in 1969. He attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he served as Sophomore Class President, Student Government Treasurer and Student Government President. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1973 with a degree in Political Science. Mr. Cummings then graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1976 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in December 1976.  He practiced law for nineteen years before entering Congress.

Congressman Cummings serves on several Maryland boards and commissions including the Morgan State University Board of Regents, the Baltimore Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors, the Baltimore Zoo Board of Trustees, the National Aquarium in Baltimore Board of Governors, and the Dunbar-Hopkins Health Partnership Executive Board.

In addition to his many speaking engagements, he writes a weekly column for the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper.

An active member of New Psalmist Baptist Church, Congressman Cummings lives in the Madison Park community in Baltimore City.