BioBorn the son of Latino immigrants-his mother from Colombia and father from Mexico-Representative Ruben Gallego knows what it means to live the American Dream. That's why he's working in congress to make sure all Arizonans, and Americans, can live theirs.
Rep. Gallego represents the 3rd District of Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected in 2014.
He grew up on the South Side of Chicago with three sisters and was raised by his single mother. He supported his family throughout school by working as a janitor, a cook, and at a meat-packing plant.
He was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Harvard University.
Rep. Gallego enlisted in the Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq in 2005 as an infantryman, serving with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines.
His Company saw some of the worst fighting of the Iraq War, losing 22 Marines and a Navy Corpsman to enemy action in eight months. Following his experience in Iraq, Congressman Gallego committed to ensuring that servicemen and -women are never sent into harm's way without a plan for winning the fight and securing their wellbeing while deployed and back in the United States.
In Congress, Rep. Gallego is proud to defend Arizona and protect its water supply and natural beauty as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee.
He held the first-ever House hearing on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, oversaw the House passage of Carcieri fix legislation affirming Tribal Nations' right to sovereign homelands, and championed investment in broadband and other critical infrastructure on Tribal land.
He has advocated for cornerstone federal land and wildlife conservation laws and worked to improve access to America's iconic public lands.
Rep. Gallego is a leading voice on national security issues. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee where he is the current ranking member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations. His work involves retaining the United States' qualitative military edge and employing U.S. military power only when necessary.
Rep. Gallego was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2010 and served until 2014. As a state legislator, he became known for his tough stand against extreme legislation pushed by Republicans in the state legislature. He also led the push to expand Medicaid and worked to secure in-state tuition for veterans.
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