Congressman Jared Polis
Colorado’s openly gay congressman is marking milestones: He starred in a CNN reality show, took a trip to Afghanistan, and is fighting for education reform and LGBT rights.By Emily Rutherford
June 25, 2009
Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO)
Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), was elected just last fall, but he’s already made a name for himself. He first garnered attention in LGBT circles as the first man to be elected to Congress as an openly gay candidate. He’s also gotten attention for his appearance on CNN’s Freshman Year webcast reality show, where the audience saw Polis, 34, drive an electric car, visit Afghanistan, and eat healthy. But even if he’s earned attention as an LGBT congressman, he has quickly established himself as a player in the House, championing issues of K-12 education, green jobs, and, most recently, a new gender identity-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Yes, the ENDA that caused controversy in 2007 when Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced a version that didn’t protect transgender individuals. This time around, they’re included. Campus Progress sat down with Polis to talk about some of these legislative issues, in addition to daily life on Capitol Hill.
Obviously, you’re new to the Hill; has it been a transition to adjust to federal government?
Well, it’s been a very exciting job. We have the same party in the presidency and in charge of Congress and so there’s an ability to move a lot of legislation, which is very exciting. I had some background in government—I’d been on the [Colorado] State Board of Education and been involved in state politics—so I was no stranger to the political process. So really it’s an exciting time to get here, but you have to learn the ways of the institution and Congress is very unique in that sense. A lot of people who came here were in business [of Congress] before, were lawyers, or were state legislators, but you kind of have to relearn everything because it’s a very different entity.
How is it different?
It has its own rules, its own customs; it’s large, 435 members, [and] the committees are very important. It takes a while just to get up to speed in terms of where everything is and how to get stuff done.
You’re on the Education and Labor Committee and you were on the State Board of Education [in Colorado]—what do you think are the most salient issues in education right now?
The big thing that our committee will be dealing with this fall or early next year will be the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind and federal education policy generally. The K-12 [part of the legislation] expires [in the fall], and we’ll be redoing that whole piece. That is the single biggest way that the federal government impacts our schools and makes sure that students are learning, and we can do a much better job than we have been. I’ve sponsored a bill called the All-STAR Act, which would replicate and expand successful charter schools that serve at-risk kids. You know, there [are] some instances of remarkable successes today in inner cities and low-income areas. [T]hrough rigorous curriculum, extended school day, [and] specialized professional development, they have schools that are graduating a very high percentage of kids [who go] on to college in communities that many people have given up hope on.
So in a place like Washington, [D.C.], for example, would you like to see the focus shift to charter schools?
There are a number of high-performing charter schools … in the District of Columbia, and the All-STAR bill would provide resources to help expand and replicate those successful charter schools, the models that work. Washington, D.C. has public schools that run the gamut, but it certainly has some very poorly-performing public schools, and I’m excited about some of the reforms of their new chancellor, Michelle Rhee. But there are already some high-performing charter schools, and many of them have long waiting lists because families know that’s where they want their kids to go.
So, I feel obligated to ask the gay questions … and I think the first one that comes to mind is that you’re one of three out gay representatives. That’s a very small percentage of Congress, and I was wondering what you think could be done to change that.
Yeah, there should be 20 to 30, and things would certainly be a lot easier around here if there were. It would be easier to make progress on an equality agenda, but also it would be easier for us as individual members. Whenever there’s anything that’s LGBT, everyone comes running to [Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), and me], so it would be nice to have some more allies and some more members. The more Congress can look like our country [the better] in general: We need more women around here, we need more minorities, [and] we need more gays and lesbians. Congress can function best when it reflects the broad diversity of our country. And it’s absolutely better than it has been. It’s more representative than it’s ever been in the past, but that’s a pretty low bar considering that 30 years ago there were only a handful of women members and very few minority members. We’ve made progress—there [have] never been three openly gay members before, and the last Congress had two, which was the most ever before that, so it’s certainly making progress, but there’s a long way to go.
Last question: what are your favorite and least favorite food items in the House cafeteria?
I usually like their international special every day. I love soy milk; chocolate soy milk is probably my favorite. And yogurt is what I also eat down there. Least favorite? I avoid most of the other stuff down there. I don’t eat hamburgers or greasy things, fried chicken. Those are [my] least favorite. I try to keep to a healthy diet. I’ve been known to eat garbanzo beans too, just a big plate of garbanzo beans.
Emily Rutherford is an editorial intern and staff writer at Campus Progress. She will be a sophomore at Princeton University this fall.
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Comments
Nice talk with my rep!
— Graham Webster - Jun 26, 11:01 PM - #