Member of Senate since January 10, 2007. Deputy Majority Whip, 2017-. Member, Finance Committee, 2016-; Joint Audit Committee, 2011- (chair, 2011-15). Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology, 2014-. Member, Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, 2007-16 (health subcommittee, 2007-10; alcoholic beverages subcommittee, 2007-14; ethics & election law subcommittee, 2007-14; education subcommittee, 2007-16; base realignment & closure subcommittee, 2008-10; comptroller issues subcommittee, 2015-16; co-chair, environment subcommittee, 2015-16). Chair, Joint Technology Oversight Committee, 2007-09. Member, Joint Committee on Base Realignment and Closure, 2007-11. Assistant Deputy Majority Whip, 2007-11. Member, Joint Committee on Federal Relations, 2007-14. Senate Chair, Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee, 2009-14. Member, Joint Advisory Committee on Legislative Data Systems, 2011-14. Deputy Majority Whip, 2011-16. Senate Chair, Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer, 2015; Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds, 2015-16; Commission on Maryland Retirement Security and Savings, 2015-16. Senate Chair, Prince George’s County Delegation, 2015-. Associate member, Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, 2015-. Member, National Conference of State Legislatures (communications, financial services & interstate commerce committee, 2007-10; education committee, 2010-).
Member, Task Force to Improve Child Support Compliance in Prince George’s County, 2007-08; Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland, 2008-09. Chair, Task Force on Solar Hot Water Systems in Prince George’s County, 2010, 2011. Member, Task Force on the Establishment of a Statewide Spay/Neuter Fund, 2011-13; Climate, Energy and Environment Policy Committee, 2011-, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; Maryland Advisory Council for Virtual Learning, 2012-; Maryland Smart Growth Investment Fund Work Group, 2013-14; Task Force to Ensure Retirement Security for All Marylanders, 2014-15; Commission to Modernize State Procurement, 2016; Task Force to Study a Promise Scholarship Program in Prince George’s County, 2016-17; Maryland Small Business Retirement Savings Board, 2016-. Chair, Prince George’s County Surcharge Exemptions for Projects Near Transit Properties Work Group, 2017-18. Member, Maryland Financial Consumer Protection Commission, 2017-.
Member, National Petroleum Council, 1979-81. Chair, Economic Development Committee, City of College Park, 1983-86. Member, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Prince George’s County, 1985-93. Chair, Substance Abuse Advisory Council, Prince George’s County, 1991-94.
Member of House of Delegates, representing District 21, Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties, 1987-97. Vice-Chair, Ways and Means Committee, 1995-97. Member, Spending Affordability Committee, 1987-93, 1995-97; Special Joint Committee on Economic Development Strategy, 1988-89; Joint Budget and Audit Committee, 1991-93. House Co-Chair, Joint Transportation Financing Committee (Transportation 2000), 1994. Member, Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, 1995-97; Joint Committee on Legislative Data Systems, 1995-97; Special Joint Committee on Competitive Taxation and Economic Development, 1996-97; Special Committee on School Enrollment Management, 1996-97. Resigned from House of Delegates, effective December 31, 1997, to become U.S. Ambassador to Romania.
U.S. Ambassador to Romania, January 20, 1998 to February 2001. Board member, Council of American Ambassadors, 2009-.
Board of Regents, University System of Maryland, 2001-06.
Born in Rome, Italy, May 20, 1951. Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Patuxent Capital Group, 2001-. Advisory Council, Maryland Committee on Federal Income Tax Conformity, 1982. President, Maryland Main Street Development Association, 1984-85. Member, Maryland Democratic State Central Committee, 1985-92. Advisory Board, Center for National Policy, 1986-91. Board of Directors, National Small Business United, 1986-92. Deputy Chair, Maryland Democratic Party, 1989-92 (treasurer, 1985-89). Co-author, Dracula Is Dead: How Romanians Survived Communism, Ended It, and Emerged since 1989 as the New Italy (2009). Board of Trustees, Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs. Certificate of Appreciation, Maryland Municipal League, 2008. Consumer Hero, Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, 2013, 2014. Married.