Nine-term congressman and former chairman of Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations played leading role in Congressional energy, healthcare, telecom and international trade issues
Washington, DC (April 11, 2011) – Venable LLP announced that former Michigan Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak, has joined the firm’s Washington, DC office as a partner in the Legislative and Government Affairs Group.
As a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairman of its subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Mr. Stupak played a major role in setting government policy and legislation in a variety of key sectors, including energy, healthcare, telecommunications and international trade. Under his leadership, the subcommittee launched investigations into security breaches at U.S. nuclear labs and facilities, food and drug safety, and commodity markets manipulation.
“We are thrilled to welcome Congressman Stupak to our government affairs group,” said Venable Managing Partner Karl Racine. “Bart is known as a truly bipartisan leader who not only knows the legislative process, but who took the time to understand critical issues that affect all of us, including affordable health care, energy safety, natural resource management, law enforcement, telecommunications, the integrity of our financial markets, the safety of our food supply and other areas. As a senior member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, he helped shape a wide range of policies directly impacting the nation’s economy and led numerous investigations involving the public’s well-being. Our legislative practice and our clients will benefit enormously from Bart’s experience.”
At Venable, Mr. Stupak joins a bi-partisan team of senior Washington insiders, including former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh, former Secretary of Transportation James Burnley and former U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti as well as veteran Capitol Hill legislative staffers and policy advisors from both sides of the aisle. He will also rejoin colleagues Raymond Shepherd, former Staff Director and Chief Counsel of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, who served as oversight counsel to the House Energy & Commerce Committee; and William Nordwind, who served as Counsel and Policy Coordinator for the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, both current Venable partners.
In addition to his work at Venable, Mr. Stupak is serving as a Fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics and leads a study group on government investigations at the Kennedy School of Government entitled “Investigate or Irritate: Changing Corporate and Government Behavior.”
Michael Ferrell, who heads Venable’s Legislative and Government Affairs Practice, commented on his new partner, “Bart has a unique wealth of experience at the federal and state levels, handling the most controversial and contested matters of legislation and government policy. He was long considered one of the hardest working, most able and conscientious lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Bart brings immeasurable skill and insight to our representation of clients who have issues pending before Congress.”
Congressman John Dingell, who represents Michigan's 15th Congressional District, echoed these sentiments, saying, "Bart Stupak is a superb lawyer and he knows the business of oversight as well as anyone in Washington. After honorably serving the people of Michigan's First Congressional District for many years and teaching at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Bart has the experience and expertise to thrive at Venable."
“After 36 years of public service, I’m very happy to be starting this new chapter in my life,” Mr. Stupak said. “Venable is one of the most respected names in Washington, and the firm has an especially strong record of leadership in government affairs. I’ve had numerous contacts with Venable partners over the years and am excited about helping my new colleagues and the firm’s clients navigate choppy congressional waters.”
Mr. Stupak received his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1981 and his B.S. from Saginaw Valley State University in 1977.
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