John L. Mica was first elected to the United States Congress on November 3, 1992, to represent the 7th Congressional District of Florida, which stretches across six counties from the suburban areas north of Orlando to the Jacksonville city limits. Major cities in the district include Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Sanford, Deltona, DeBary, DeLand, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Palm Coast, Palatka and St. Augustine. He is currently serving his eighth term in the 110 th Congress, which began January 4, 2007.

In the 110 th Congress, Mica was elected by his peers in the House of Representatives to serve as the Republican Leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the largest Congressional panel in Congress. As the House Transportation GOP Leader, Mica serves on all six Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittees. These subcommittees include Aviation; Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation; Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management; Highways and Transit; Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials; and Water Resources and Environment. He has been recognized as a national leader on a variety of transportation issues. Mica also is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Board of Visitors the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. Rep. Mica served six years as the Speaker’s Representative to the U.S. Capitol Preservation Commission and was formerly a Member of the House Administration Committee.

As a recognized national transportation leader, Rep. Mica was named Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation in 2001 and served through 2006. After the September 11 th terrorist attacks, Rep. Mica led the effort in Congress to restore stability to the aviation industry and co-authored the Aviation and Transportation Security Law.

Mica is a senior Member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and former Chairman of two of its Subcommittees. As Chairman of the House Civil Service Subcommittee from 1995-1999, Mica authored landmark legislation dealing with veterans preferences, expanding healthcare access for military dependents and establishing one of the federal government’s largest employee stock ownership programs.

From 1999-2001, Mica served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources. As Chairman he became a national principal leader in the development of our nation’s counter-narcotics policy. Appointed by then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert as a Co-Chairman of the Speaker’s Drug Free Task Force from 1999-2006, he has been a respected national voice in advocating drug education, prevention, enforcement, eradication and interdiction programs.

Mica has been recognized for his work in the War on Drugs by the U.S Customs Service and Scotland Yard and has received the Legislator of the Year Award from the Florida/National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors.

In Mica's first term in Congress, his freshman Republican colleagues honored him with their Outstanding Legislative Leadership Award for new Members of Congress. Each year since 1993, he has consistently received the Golden Bulldog Award from the Watchdogs of the Treasury, the Taxpayer's Hero Award from the National Taxpayers Union, the Thomas Jefferson Award for Distinguished Service (Food Distributors International) and the Spirit of Enterprise Award (the U. S. Chamber of Commerce). In 1995, he was honored as one of 100 Americans to receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

As a strong advocate for our country’s veterans and seniors, the Congressman has received nearly every national military service association award. They include national recognition from the Blinded American Veterans Foundation, the National Military Family Association, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Reserve Officers Association, the Retired Enlisted Association, the Non Commissioned Officers Association, The Seniors Coalition, the United Seniors Association and 60 Plus Association.

Prior to his election to Congress, Mica established several successful business ventures including realestate, communications, international trade consulting and governmental affairs firms. In 1973, the Florida Jaycees recognized Mica's work in reorganizing local government by awarding him the Florida State Good Government Award. As a member of the Florida House of Representatives (1976-1980), Mica served on the Appropriations, the Select Energy, the Ethics and Elections and the Community Affairs Committees. He was recognized for his service by being named one of Florida's Five Outstanding Young Men in 1978. From 1981 to 1985, Mica served as Chief of Staff and Administrative Assistant to Florida Republican United States Senator Paula Hawkins.

The Congressman worked his way through and graduated from the University of Florida (1967) and Miami-Dade Community College (1965). Mica has also been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Bethune-Cookman University, Flagler College and Stetson University and an honorary degree from Daytona Beach Community College. He is active in national and community affairs, and is listed in Who's Who in American Politics. In addition, Mica is a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity and Florida Blue Key.

Mica’s wife, Patricia, is a former public schoolteacher who served on the Associate Board of the Florida Symphony, the Board of the Citrus Council of Girl Scouts and the Central Florida Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Currently, Mrs. Mica is a member of the Board of Directors of Florida House, the Capitol Historical Society Board and the Congressional Families for Cancer Awareness Committee. She Co-Chaired the 90 th National Girl Scouts Annual Dinner and is a past President of the Republican Congressional Spouses Organization. Mrs. Mica also led the Flight 93 Capitol Heroes Campaign after the September 11 th attack

The Congressman’s brother, Dan Mica, served for ten years as a United States Representative from South Florida. Another brother, David, is a former aide to the late U.S. Senator and Governor Lawton Chiles.

Rep. John Mica, 64, and his wife were married in 1972 and have resided in Central Florida since they were married. They have two adult children, D'Anne and Clark.