Congressman Jim Gerlach
A lifelong Pennsylvania resident, Jim Gerlach grew up in a small town in western Pennsylvania with his mother and two sisters, and currently lives in Chester Springs, Chester County with his wife Karen, three children and three step-children. Jim has spent the last 15 years in public service representing the citizens of Southeastern Pennsylvania. His distinguished career began in 1990 with the first of two terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which was followed by two terms to the state Senate. Jim is currently serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, first winning the open 6th Congressional District seat in 2002.
During his 12 years in the state legislature, Jim established himself as an effective advocate for Pennsylvania taxpayers. His efforts helped promote efficiency and streamline government, which saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Jim was the prime sponsor of landmark welfare reform legislation that reduced the state's welfare rolls by over 150,000 cases. Furthermore, Jim's historic land use legislation provides local officials the tools needed to combat "sprawl" and promote "smart growth."
Since being elected to Congress, Jim has continued to champion issues of concern to his constituents. His priorities include ensuring all people have access to affordable healthcare, preserving the region's environmental resources, and improving and maintaining the area's transportation network. He is also working hard to re-establish commuter rail service from Reading to Philadelphia through the Schuylkill Valley Metro passenger rail project.
Jim is also proud to have helped secure for Pennsylvania seniors a prescription drug benefit through Medicare that will provide 13.2 million of the nation's poorest seniors with free medications, while giving all seniors access to significant prescription drug assistance. Jim has also co-sponsored medical liability reform legislation, and legislation to preserve the region's precious farmland. During his first term, Jim introduced legislation (H.R. 1516) to create a new, much-needed veterans cemetery in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This bill passed Congress and was signed into law by the President on Veterans Day 2003. Jim's legislation (H.R. 4731) reauthorizing the National Estuary Program was signed into law in October 2004. This highly- successful program is responsible for protecting many of the streams and rivers that are relied on in Southeastern Pennsylvania for drinking water, commerce and recreation.
Jim will continue to work hard to represent the interests and concerns of his constituents and fight for a better quality of life in our communities.