Congresswoman Susan A. Davis has served the heart of San Diego in Congress since 2000, when she was one of only four Democratic challengers in the nation to defeat a Republican incumbent. Since then, she has consistently won re-election with over two thirds of the vote.
The strength of support that Congresswoman Davis enjoys can be attributed to her willingness to stand up for San Diegans, her responsiveness to their concerns, and her ability to solve problems. Susan listens carefully and is known locally and in Washington as a thoughtful, deliberative legislator who works to build consensus with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle, while staying true to her core values.
Susan’s advocacy in Congress stems from her belief that San Diego families must have a strong voice in Washington. She has never forgotten the words: “we the people” and believes her job is to listen to her constituents and take their problems, concerns and good ideas to Congress. Susan brings government to her busy constituents by holding Neighborhood Day listening sessions in each San Diego community, by hosting regular telephone town hall meetings and by responding to hundreds of thousands of constituent letters.
Susan’s legislative priorities reflect San Diego’s priorities: strengthening our local and national economy, improving education, fighting for the military and the families who fight for us and ensuring that San Diego gets its fair share of federal funding.
To get our economy moving again, Susan has called for fiscal responsibility paired with thoughtful job creation. She believes small businesses are the key to creating jobs and has supported tax incentives to help them grow. But Susan also recognizes the need for assistance to those who are still struggling to pay bills and take care of their family while looking for work. She has supported efforts to extend unemployment benefits for those who have been victims of the recession.
Susan has stood up to Wall Street, big corporate special interests and credit companies and supported numerous bills calling for transparency, consumer protection, and equal pay for equal work. Susan strives for an economy that rewards those who work hard and play by the rules.
Susan has also supported pay-as-you-go spending in Congress and a Bipartisan Fiscal Commission to help restore fiscal discipline.
The economy has begun to show signs of renewal. In the past two years, more than 8,000 jobs have been created or saved in San Diego, including 2,900 education jobs, 2,000 jobs for the construction of a new federal courthouse downtown, 1,400 construction jobs for improvements to California State Highway 905, and about 1,800 other jobs around the region. For Susan, this is only the beginning of restoring our economy to what it once was.
Susan also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor, where she has been a tireless advocate for improving education at all levels – from early childhood education until the time our students graduate from college. She is working to improve science and math teaching in our schools so our kids get the world-class education they deserve and be better prepared to complete in the global economy. Susan has also fought to improve student loan programs so college can be more affordable for middle class families.
With our region’s large military presence, her work also includes a focus on supporting military families. Susan currently serves on the Armed Services Committee, where she is the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Personnel. In this capacity, her priority has been making sure our soldiers, veterans and their families receive the services, benefits and justice they deserve.
Susan has been a leader in Congress to repeal the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy that prohibits gays and lesbians
Her work on behalf of her constituents has resulted in many local economic development efforts throughout the San Diego region. These include major infrastructure projects and support for our local universities and research facilities. Susan has played a key role in expanding the San Diego Trolley, obtaining a new San Diego Courthouse downtown securing NIH funding of which San Diego biotech companies are the greatest recipients.
No stranger to service in the community, prior to her election to Congress, Susan began her career as a social worker, after obtaining her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Berkeley, and her Masters in Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In 1982, she was elected to the San Diego City School Board, where she served for nine years. In 1984, she was selected President of the Board. In addition to her service on the board, Susan proudly served as the Executive Director of the Aaron Price Fellows, a program that brought high school students from various socio-economic backgrounds together to pursue community involvement and leadership skills.
In 1994, Susan continued her legislative service, after being elected to the California State Assembly, where she served for six years, focusing on education, healthcare and consumer protection.
Susan and her husband Steven have lived in San Diego since 1972. Married for over 40 years, they have two children, Jeffrey and Benjamin, and three grandchildren, Henry, Jane and Theo.
