Tom Price (R-Ga.)
U.S. Representative (since 2005)
-
Text Size
(Courtesy of Tom Price)
Price, an M.D., launched his congressional career because he was fed up with the cost of malpractice insurance. Now, he has become one of the Republicans' most outspoken spokesman on President Obama's health-care reform measure.
The two-term congressman built a successful orthopedic's practice in Atlanta that collected nearly $50 million annually before he opted to run for the state Senate in 1996. He was a legislative quick study and a popular GOP attack dog, quickly rising to a leadership position in that body.
- Career History: U.S. Representative (since 2005); Georgia Senate (1997 to 2005); Physician (since 1979)
- Birthday: Oct. 8, 1954
- Hometown: Lansing, Mich.
- Alma Mater: University of Michigan, B.A. (general studies), 1976; University of Michigan, M.D., 1979
- Spouse: Elizabeth
- Religion: Presbyterian
- DC Office: 424 Cannon House Office Building, 202-225-4501
- District Office: Marietta, GA; 770-565-4990
Price, the son of an emergency-room doctor, was raised in Michigan and attended the University of Michigan as an undergraduate and for medical school. He earned his medical degree in 1979 and began practicing shortly afterwards. He moved to Atlanta to complete his residency in orthopedic surgery at Emory University.
After six years in private practice, Price opened an orthopedic clinic. It eventually grew into a 475-person business that earned revenues of about $50 million a year. That has helped bump Price onto the list of the 50 Richest Members of Congress issued by Roll Call.
Price is a fiscal conservative who campaigned on a mantra of less government. He voted with his party 97 percent of time in the 111th Congress.
Health Care
Price helped lead the charge against the Clintons' health-care plan in the early 1990s as a member of the Georgia Medical Association. Since his election to Congress, he has opposed federal intervention in negotiating the cost of Medicare drugs. He told the New York Times that the measure was "a solution in search of a problem."
As head of the Republican Study Committee, Price works closely with several conservative House members, including fellow Georgians Reps. Paul Broun, Phil Gingrey, Jack Kingston, John Linder and Lynn Westmoreland.
In the Senate, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) are two of his closer allies.
- Sack, Kevin, "Health Care Issue, Not Quite Hot, Remains Strong," New York Times, Sept. 12, 2008
- Washington Post Votes Database
- The Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition
- Pear, Robert, "House Passes Bill Mandating Drug Price Negotiations," New York Times, Jan. 12, 2007
- Singer, Paul et al, "The 50 Richest Members of Congress," Roll Call, Sept. 22, 2008
- McAuliff, Michael, "GOP Gets Antsy While Dems Squabble," New York Daily News, Feb. 12, 2009
- O'Connor, Patrick and Isenstadt, Alex, "GOP-ers jockey for sparse panel posts," Politico, Jan. 6, 2009
- Tom Price web site
- CQ's Politics in America
Campaign 2012 tools
The Post Most: PoliticsMost-viewed stories, videos and galleries int he past two hours
Featured Blogs & Columns
