Current Position: U.S. Representative (since January 1991)
Credit: Congress Bio Directory
Why He Matters
Moran sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which awards contracts and federal funds throughout the nation. By using his influence on the committee, Moran has secured millions for his northern Virginia district.
The congressman also has a leadership position on the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee , which decides which representatives sit on which committees. If a member can secure the right committee, it can serve as a powerful tool for re-election, as well as for policy initiatives.
Moran has voted with his party 97 percent of the time in the 111th Congress, but helped found the centrist New Democrat Coalition in 1997, a group made up of moderate, pro-business congressional Democrats.
But he has also been embroiled in some controversies, including the acceptance of campaign contributions from PMA Group, a lobbying shop under federal investigation. Moran's brother, Virginia Del. Brian Moran (D), lost the 2009 Virgina gubernatorial primary to state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D).
At a Glance
Current Position: U.S. Representative (since January 1991)
Career History: Alexandria Mayor (1985-1990); Alexandria Vice Mayor (1982-1984); Alexandria City Council (1979-1982)
Birthday: May 16, 1945
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Attended City University of New York, 1967-68; University of Pittsburgh, MPA, 1970
Spouse: LuAnn
Religion: Catholic
Committees: House Appropriations Committee
DC Office: 2239 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC, 202/225-4376
State/District Office: Alexandria, 703/971-4700
Email
Web site
Path to Power
After serving as an aid to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Moran was elected to the Alexandria City Council in 1979. Following this, he was elected to become the city's vice-mayor, and then occupied the mayor's office from 1985 to 1990.
A popular mayor of Alexandria, Moran defeated long-term incumbent Stan Parris (R-Va.) in 1990. Ever since then, he has rarely faced a serious challenge, and regularly wins re-election by handy margins against opponents. In 2000, he won with 63 percent of the vote; in 2002, with 60 percent; in 2004, with 60 percent and in 2006 with 66 percent. His margin of victory in 2008 was 68 percent.
In His Own Words
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The Issues
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Health-Care Reform
In August 2009, Moran held a raucous townhall meeting with former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean in which he said he supported a public option, but did not pledge to oppose a bill without one.
In an August 2009 press release, Moran stated that non-profit co-operatives were not a "substitute" for a public health-care option. "Public cooperatives are currently authorized in many states and used with some moderate success. They should obviously continue to be an available alternative, but they are not a substitute for a national public plan option," Moran said.
The Network
Moran's brother, state Del. Brian Moran (D), lost the 2009 gubernatorial primary to state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D).
He sits on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee with chair John P. Murtha (D-Pa.). Moran has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash from officials related to the PMA Group, which is being probed by the FBI and the House Ethics Committee.
In 2000, then-Maryland House candidate Terry Lierman (D), a former drug-company lobbyist and now chief of staff to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), got in hot water for loaning Moran $25,000 on favorable terms. Moran repaid the loan.
