1st District
Residence: Waterloo
Born: October 30, 1957; Grinnell, Iowa
Religion: Presbyterian
Family: Wife, Carolyn Braley; three children
Education: Iowa State U., B.A. 1980 (political science); U. of Iowa, J.D. 1983
Military Service: None
Career: Lawyer
Political Highlights: No previous office

Bruce Braley will advocate issues with the crispness of a trial lawyer — his longtime profession before he embarked on his first bid for public office.

After spending 22 years of his life "fighting for people who don't have a voice," Braley said he will "stand up and speak out strongly on their behalf" as a member of Congress.

Braley hopes to concentrate heavily on health care issues. "Maintaining health insurance is the number one priority for Iowa employees," he said.

Iowa's 1st District includes a sizable population of senior citizens, and Braley wants to revise and simplify the 2003 Medicare prescription drug law to allow the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices and allow the reimportation of drugs from Canada.

Braley will be a steadfast ally of labor unions. He supports increasing the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour and promises to refuse a congressional pay increase until the wage floor is raised.

Braley also advocates repeal of the recent income tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, increased investment in renewable fuels such as ethanol and establishment of a universal pension that workers could maintain without penalty as they move between jobs.

Braley is interested in