Full Biography

A lifelong resident of southeast Michigan, U.S. Representative Thaddeus G. McCotter has represented the citizens of Oakland and Wayne Counties in Congress since 2003.  Rep. McCotter has focused his efforts on preserving and promoting manufacturing and small businesses, the backbone of the community's economy.  He has been an outspoken leader in the fight to reduce taxes and shrink the size and scope of big government, a tireless supporter of traditional American values, and a steadfast proponent of winning the War on Terrorism and enhancing our homeland security.

Rep. McCotter was twice elected by his colleagues to serve as the Chairman of the Republican House Policy Committee, a leadership position once held by former Vice-President Dick Cheney.  Rep. McCotter is currently a Member of the House Committee on Financial Services, the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, the Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade, and the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit.  He was previously a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Small Business, and the Joint Economic Committee.

Since 2005, Rep. McCotter has played lead guitar in the bi-partisan congressional rock band named “The Second Amendments.”  In addition to travelling to Iraq and Afghanistan to honor and entertain our troops, the band also played for President Bush's Picnic on the White House lawn.  

Prior to being elected five times to serve the citizens of Oakland and Wayne Counties in the United States House of Representatives, Rep. McCotter also represented the people in the Michigan State Senate and the Wayne County Commission. While on the Commission, he helped change the county charter to require that no new taxes can be enacted without the approval of two-thirds of the Commissioners and 60% of the voters.

Rep. McCotter is also the author of Seize Freedom! American Truths & Renewal in a Chaotic Age, a book that examines the parallels between the challenges confronted and conquered by the “Greatest Generation” and those of the “Global Generation.”  He has written for numerous publications including The American Spectator, The Detroit News, Human Events, The Washington Times, and Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government.  Rep. McCotter is a frequent guest on Fox News Channel television programs and nationally syndicated radio talk shows such as those hosted by Dennis Miller and John Batchelor.

A graduate of Catholic Central High School, the University of Detroit, and the University of Detroit Law School, he is a bar-admitted attorney by profession and lives in his hometown of Livonia with his wife Rita (a registered nurse) and their three young children (George, Timothy, and Emilia).  Rep. McCotter travels to and from Livonia every week to serve his constituents.