Marty Meehan
U.S. House of Representatives (D-5th/MA)

Congressman Marty Meehan represents the 5th Congressional District of Massachusetts. Over his more than ten years in Congress, Meehan has emerged as a national leader on a variety of issues and a steadfast advocate for the people of his district. He has led the fight to reform our nation's campaign finance laws and has been a tireless advocate for economic development in his District.  He believes that "smart growth" must be the hallmark of economic development. Meehan’s top priorities include maintaining a balanced federal budget, preserving Medicare and Social Security, supporting and strengthening our Armed Forces and working to make our communities clean and crime-free for families. 

A member of the House Judiciary Committee, Meehan is a leading supporter of civil liberties and civil rights.  Meehan is the co-sponsor of the Security and Freedom Ensured or SAFE Act (HR 3352), which would restrict FBI search authority, limit the use of “sneak and peak” searches, and reduce the overly expansive definitions of domestic terrorism established in the original Patriot Act. 

In an interview with IAPAC, Meehan voiced his desire to better understand the concerns of the Iranian American community.  He feels the upswing in racial and ethnic profiling, particularly the disproportionate profiling of Iranian Americans, since 9/11, has come at the cost of establishing a more accurate and effective counterterrorism policy.  Meehan also rejects the notion we can improve national security by singling out travelers solely based on their nationality and hopes that the U.S. can develop more specific, non-nationality-based criteria for screening travelers in the future. “Many Iranian Americans and other immigrant communities have friends and families who live in these countries and wish to visit their loved ones- for business, pleasure, or medical care. We must craft our visa policies to achieve a balance between protecting our national security and strengthening America’s long tradition of welcoming immigrants from all over the world, including countries with repressive governments.”  

Click here to read IAPAC’s Interview with Meehan

Background Information:
Party: Democrat
Term: 6th
First Elected:  1992
Committees: Armed Services; Judiciary
Prev. Occupation: Attorney
Prev. Political Exp.: no prior elected office
Education: BS University of Massachusetts, 1978; MPA Suffolk University, 1981; JD Suffolk University, 1986