Commissioner, Consumer Product Safety Commission
Anne Meagher Northup served the Third Congressional District of Kentucky, representing the Louisville district in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican from 1997-2006. Before her tenure in Congress, Northup served in the Kentucky House of Representatives for nine years, from 1987-1996. Soon after taking office in 1997, Northup was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee, the committee that considers all federal spending bills. She sat on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Independent Agencies; and Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittees.
Throughout her tenure in Congress, Northup was recognized for her straightforward, honest style in taking on tough issues. She is a pro-trade, pro-economic expansion Republican focused on issues that create a better environment for competition, growth, and worldwide commerce. She is a proponent of permanent tax relief for all American taxpayers, expanding affordable health insurance, cutting red-tape and making sure government programs are measured based on results.
Congresswoman Northup is the recipient of numerous legislative awards. In 2003, she received the prestigious "Adam Smith Award," which is presented annually to one federal elected official who exhibits an exemplary commitment to economic freedom.
Congresswoman Northup has been an aggressive advocate for education reform. In March 1998, she founded the House Reading Caucus, a bipartisan caucus that raises awareness about the growing number of children who are failing to learn to read. She introduced legislation commissioning the National Reading Panel, the findings of which were incorporated into the "Reading First Initiative" of the 2001 No Child Left Behind education law.
Additionally, Congresswoman Northup was a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and was an instrumental proponent of legislation promoting adoption. As co-chair of the coalition in 2002, Northup traveled to China to work on eliminating the growing bureaucratic obstacles between the United States and China that were threatening to reduce the number of Chinese orphans available to American families for adoption. In 2003, Northup introduced legislation that resulted in extended paperwork deadlines for families adopting children from China who were impacted by delays due to the SARS epidemic. Northup and her husband are the parents of two adopted children.
In February 2005, Northup was elected by a committee of her Republican House colleagues to chair the GOP's Retirement Security Public Affairs Team. As chairman of the group, Northup was front and center in the effort to strengthen Social Security for younger generations of American workers.
Congresswoman Northup has been highlighted by the national press for her pragmatic approach to public policy and her ability to effectively communicate the priorities of Congress. She has appeared on such shows as Meet the Press, Fox News Sunday, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, Larry King Live, CNN & Co., The News Hour with Jim Lehrer and Hardball with Chris Matthews and Lou Dobbs.
Congresswoman Northup graduated from Saint Mary's College in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business. She has served for years on community boards, is a recipient of numerous civic awards, and is an active community volunteer. She is a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, and has been married to "Woody" Northup, a small business owner, for over 37 years. Together, the Northups have six children.
June 2010 DC Luncheon with Anne Northup
Washington, District of Columbia