Donald Norcross (NJ-1)

Biography

Donald W. Norcross, born on December 13, 1958, in Camden, New Jersey, is an American politician and labor leader serving as the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district since 2014. A member of the Democratic Party, his district encompasses much of the New Jersey side of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, including Camden, Cherry Hill, Lindenwold, and Glassboro. Before his tenure in Congress, Norcross was deeply involved in labor leadership, serving as assistant business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 351 and as president of the Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO Central Labor Council for 16 years.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Norcross graduated from Camden County College with an Associate of Science degree in criminal justice in 1979.

• Political Experience:

  • Elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2009.
  • Appointed to the New Jersey State Senate in 2010, serving until 2014.
  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, representing New Jersey's 1st congressional district.

Notable Achievements and Positions

• Committee Assignments:

  • Serves on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, focusing on raising wages, protecting the middle class, and strengthening workplace protections.
  • Member of the House Armed Services Committee, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, emphasizing national security and support for service members and veterans.

• Caucus Memberships:

  • Vice Chair and Liaison to Labor for the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
  • Co-founder and Co-Chair of the Building Trades Caucus.
  • Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.

• Legislative Initiatives:

  • Advocated for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.
  • Led efforts to expand access to skills training through the National Apprenticeship Act.

• Awards:

  • Recipient of the 2023 Steve LaTourette Unified America Award for Outstanding Bipartisan Leadership.

Norcross's career reflects a steadfast commitment to labor rights, education, and national security, underscoring his dedication to the constituents of New Jersey's 1st district.