Brian Higgins
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Jack Quinn
Born	October 6, 1959 (1959-10-06) (age 48) Buffalo, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Jane Hannon
Religion	Roman Catholic

Brian Higgins (born October 6, 1959), a Democrat from New York, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives in 2004, representing the state's 27th Congressional District. The district is based in Buffalo and includes almost two-thirds of that city. (map). Brian Higgins is a British music producer who has written and produced albums and tracks for several pop music singers and groups (most notably Girls Aloud) through his Xenomania production group. ... Xenomania members Niara Scarlett and Giselle Sommerville on the sleeve to their 2004 Mania single Looking For A Place. Xenomania are one of the UKs leading pop production houses, put together by writer and producer Brian Higgins. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 390 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1960 × 3008 pixel, file size: 502 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Brian Higgins Members... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... This article is about the state. ... The 27th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... John Francis Jack Quinn (born April 13, 1951) is a politician from the State of New York. ... is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie First Settled 1789 Founded 1801 Incorporated (City) 1832 Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... This article is about the state. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 27th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie First Settled 1789 Founded 1801 Incorporated (City) 1832 Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ...

A native indian of Buffalo, Higgins served three two-year terms as the South District Councilman on the Buffalo Common Council (city council) from 1988 to 1994. In 1993, during his final year on the Council, Brian was rated “Buffalo’s Best Lawmaker” in a 1993 Buffalo News Survey of Western New York business and community leaders. After that, Brian served as the 145th District representative to the New York Assembly from 1999 through 2004. Every Sunday is reserved in Higgins' schedule to attend a sewing cirle at his grandmother's house. The Buffalo Common Council is the legislative branch of the Buffalo, NY City Government. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... The New York Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. state of New York, seated at the states capital, Albany. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Jack Quinn, a moderate Republican who had represented the heavily Democratic 27th since 1993, unexpectedly announced his retirement in 2004. In April 2004 Higgins entered the race, and narrowly defeated then-Erie County Comptroller Nancy Naples. Higgins was undoubtedly helped by John Kerry's landslide win in the district. Even when redistricting after the 2000 census made it slightly friendlier for the previous incumbent by adding the more rural Chautauqua County , the 27th was still at the time the most Democratic district in the country to be represented by a Republican. The district reverted to form in 2006, as Higgins was reelected with 79% of the vote against token Republican opposition. John Francis Jack Quinn (born April 13, 1951) is a politician from the State of New York. ... GOP redirects here. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ... Look up comptroller in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Nancy Naples is the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in New York. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... Chautauqua County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Congressional Work and Views

Brian Higgins is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He describes himself as a pro-union moderate who wants to spur job growth. He has said he supports allowing seniors to buy prescription drugs from Canada, and that one of his priorities in Congress will be to push for legislation allowing the government to negotiate for volume discounts on drugs. The New Democrat Coalition is an organization within the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Representatives Jim Davis of Florida, Ron Kind of Wisconsin, and Adam Smith of Washington. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers...

He has also said he wants Congress to repeal President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

His biggest accomplishment since being elected to Congress is securing $279 Million over 50 years for Erie County's various governments and agencies from the New York Power Authority as part of the Niagara Power Project 50-year relicensing agreement. Higgins is Buffalo's most forceful advocate for economic development and job creation, and played a pivotal role through his membership on the House's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in securing approval for the construction of a new federal courthouse in downtown Buffalo. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) is Americas largest state-owned power organization. ...

It is said that Higgins' efforts reflect his desire to serve as "Buffalo's Congressman," as opposed to being "a Congressman from Buffalo." Higgins pays close attention to national issues and has been a leader as an advocate for more funds for cancer research (yet another issue positively impacting Buffalo and Western New York, as Buffalo's Roswell Park Cancer Institute remains among the nation's preeminent cancer research facilities) and other important issues, but remains committed to working on local issues that have an impact upon the daily lives of Western New Yorkers. The Roswell Park Cancer Institute is a cancer research and treatment center located in Buffalo, New York. ...

In 2007, Higgins played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role in saving St. Joseph's Hospital in Cheektowaga New York from closure as proposed by the state's hospital closings commission. St. ... Cheektowaga redirects here. ... This article is about the state. ...

For 2007, Higgins received an "A+" on the Drum Major Institute's 2007 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues. As of April 2008, his 2008 record on behalf of middle-class taxpayers was graded at 100%.

In January, 2008, Rep. Higgins met with the family of slain US diplomat John Granville (a resident of his neighborhood) and offered support during press coverage of the event.

Committee Assignments

• Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
  • Domestic Policy Subcommittee
  • National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
• Committee on Small Business

External links

• U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins official House site
• Brian Higgins at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Federal Election Commission — Brian M. Higgins campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues — Brian Higgins issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Brian Higgins campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart — Representative Brian M. Higgins (NY) profile
• Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Brian Higgins voting record
• Brian Higgins for Congress official campaign site