About Mark Foley

Representing the second-largest district in the state, Congressman Mark Foley, first elected to Congress in the 1994 “Republican Revolution,” is now serving his fifth term as the U.S. Representative from Florida's 16th congressional district.

Mark, a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and a member of Republican Leadership as a Deputy Majority Whip, has emerged as a conservative leader.

Several conservative national groups have praised Mark for fighting to protect children, seniors and veterans, controlling federal spending, protecting Second Amendment rights, promoting fiscal responsibility and providing real tax relief to hard-working Americans. The National Taxpayers Union, National Rifle Association (NRA), John Walsh and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Businesses are just a few of the many organizations that have praised Mark's efforts.

Mark plays a powerful role on the Ways and Means Committee by reforming the tax code, providing tax relief, expanding trade while protecting Florida’s farmers, seeking solutions to save Social Security, shoring up Medicare, reforming welfare and fighting child exploitation.

In addition to his committee assignments, Mark serves as Chairman of the Entertainment Industry Task Force, Co-Chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus and Co-Chairman of the Travel and Tourism Caucus.

With Mark’s ever-growing influence come many legislative accomplishments. He secured the first-ever financial commitment from Congress to begin the preservation of Florida's Everglades; passed legislation that expedites the deportation of non-violent criminal aliens serving their sentences in federal prisons; succeeded in passing a law allowing volunteer youth-serving organizations like the Boy Scouts and Boys and Girls Clubs to have access FBI fingerprint background checks to protect children; and he eliminated federal prohibitions on notifying a campus community when a student commits a violent crime.

Mark also successfully sought a solution for surviving heirs of Holocaust victims who have been unable to collect on life insurance policies owed to them. He also helped Attorney General John Ashcroft write legislation to ban “virtual child pornography” and introduced legislation to ban “child erotica” websites.

Even more, Mark has helped over 1,500 individuals with Social Security concerns, veterans’ benefits, immigration and more. He also joined with Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to propose a prescription drug discount plan for seniors and authored legislation to protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits or “drive-by lawsuits” based on disability laws.

Prior to his public service, Mark started a small family restaurant in Lake Worth when he was 20 years old. He later started a catering business and began an independent real estate business. At 23, he was appointed to the Lake Worth City Commission and served as Vice Mayor from 1983-84. In 1990, Mark was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and, in 1992, to the State Senate.

An active and involved member of his community, Mark has served as President of the Central County Council of Realtors, Chairman of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Board Member of “Just Say No International” and Chairman of the Palm Beach Regional Hospital's Board of Directors.