Flooding greatly impacts the lives of many of my constituents. As their voice in Washington, I am committed to ensuring access to affordable flood insurance and continued investment in the infrastructure improvements needed to prevent future flooding.
Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis is a Republican from Palm Harbor, whose Gulf Coast district includes all of Pasco and northern parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. He was first elected to Congress on November 7, 2006, and is currently serving his sixth term in the United States House of Representatives.
As a young boy, Gus learned the importance of public service from his father, Michael Bilirakis, who represented Florida’s Ninth Congressional District from 1983 to 2006. The elder Bilirakis also instilled in his son a pride in the family’s Greek heritage, which Gus proudly carries into his career today.
Gus serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and as a leader on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. He is the Ranking Member on the House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunities Subcommittee. Additionally, he is very active in numerous Congressional Caucuses. Working in a bipartisan manner, his main priorities include: controlling government spending, creating jobs for middle class Americans, finding ways for government to operate smaller and smarter, and lowering taxes. He is also committed to strengthening homeland security, improving education, increasing access to quality health care, protecting Veterans’ benefits, and ensuring the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare.
The Energy and Commerce Committee is the longest-standing committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. As the only Florida Republican on the Committee, Gus continues to be a strong voice for Florida, and his roles on the Health, and Communications and Technology Subcommittees are highly beneficial for our state. With the fourth largest GDP, Florida is an important and robust economic engine that should carry great consideration when Congress examines ways we can drive this economy forward. Our state also has the greatest proportion of residents 65 years and older, making it even more important for Congress to ensure a quality and affordable healthcare system for current and future generations. Finally, with the highest per capita residential electricity demand, Florida has a vested interest in ensuring our country becomes more energy independent and has reliable access to a broad array of energy sources.
Gus is also known for his work on behalf of Veterans. Gus continues to ensure our nation’s heroes remain a top priority. Highlights of his work include: empowering Veterans to have an active voice in developing their treatment plans, ensuring benefits applications are reviewed in a timely manner, expanding access to alternative treatments to address mental health needs, and securing funding to expand the Pasco County VA Outpatient Clinic and funding to modernize the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital. He understands there is more work to be done in order to ensure Veterans receive the benefits and care they have earned and is actively working to build upon the results he has secured for Veterans. Specifically, Gus remains committed to ensuring those who were exposed to toxic chemicals during their service receive benefits and care, expanding access to dental care and improving the transition process from active duty to civilian life.
Prior to being elected to Congress, Gus served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives (1998-2006), where he chaired several prominent panels, including Crime Prevention, Public Safety Appropriations, and the Economic Development, Trade and Banking Committee. While in Tallahassee, he won bipartisan acclaim for his leadership on efforts to make communities safer, improve transportation, reform government, recognize the sacrifices of America’s Veterans and expand the role community health centers play in making health care more available to lower-income individuals. During this time, he also served as Senior Partner at the Bilirakis Law Group in Holiday, Florida, where he specialized in wills, trusts and estate planning.
Gus earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida in 1986 and a J.D. from Stetson University in 1989. He interned for President Ronald Reagan and the National Republican Congressional Committee, and worked for former U.S. Representative Don Sundquist (R-TN). He also currently teaches government classes at St. Petersburg College.
Gus and his wife, Eva, have four sons – Michael, Teddy, Manuel and Nicholas.
The American Flood Coalition is an IRS Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The American Flood Coalition is not a Congressional Membership Organization and nothing on this website shall be read to imply official sponsorship by either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate or any of their respective Members. Federal Champion is an honorary title awarded by the American Flood Coalition to recognize Members of Congress who have come together to drive adaptation to the reality of higher seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding.
