Congressman Brian Baird's roots in public service run deep. Prior to serving in Congress, he worked as a clinical psychologist for many years, helping individuals with traumatic brain injuries, cancer and mental illnesses. Brian also chaired the Department of Psychology at Pacific Lutheran University, and he has written a top selling textbook to help students gain practical experience working in mental health related fields.
First elected to Congress in 1998, Brian represents the 3rd Congressional District of Washington State. This beautiful and diverse area is bounded by the State Capitol of Olympia in the north, the Columbia River and Vancouver in the south, the Cascade Mountains and Columbia Gorge in the east and the Pacific Coast on the west. Living in Southwest Washington is perfectly suited to Brian and his wife Rachel Nugent, an economist who is working to combat drug resistant disease. Together with their twin boys, William and Walter, the family enjoys a host of outdoor activities, including hiking, bicycling, kayaking and camping.
In Congress, Brian serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where his experience and growing seniority are crucial to the success of many infrastructure and environmental projects in Southwest Washington. Brian also serves on the House Science and Technology Committee, on which he chairs the Research and Education. As chair of this committee, Brian has championed science and math education and placed special emphasis on improving opportunities for women. Brian's third committee assignment is on the House Budget committee, which gives him a detailed knowledge of the spending and revenue generation of the Federal Government. On this committee Brian has established a strong reputation fighting for fiscal responsibility and a return to a balanced budget.
Beyond his committee assignments, Brian has led the house in successful efforts to restore and maintain sales tax deductibility. He also founded the bi-partisan House caucus to combat Methamphetamine and recently established the Career and Technical Education caucus to help promote career and technical educational opportunities throughout the nation.
Described by colleagues as "one of the hardest working members of Congress", Brian is also known for his sense of humor. In fact, he was recognized as "The funniest celebrity in Washington DC" during a charity stand up comedy competition.