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Wayne Gilchrest
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Roy Dyson
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	April 15, 1946 (1946-04-15) (age 61) Rahway, New Jersey
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Barbara Gilchrest
Religion	Methodist

Wayne Thomas Gilchrest (born April 15, 1946) is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing Maryland's 1st congressional district since 1991. The district includes the entire Eastern Shore and a few suburbs of Baltimore, including parts of Anne Arundel County and Harford County.

Born in Rahway, New Jersey, Gilchrest was the fourth child of Elizabeth and Arthur Gilchrest's six boys. After graduating high school in 1964, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. His tour of duty saw action during the invasion of the Dominican Republic, and ultimately the Vietnam War. He earned the rank of Sergeant in Vietnam where, as a platoon leader, he was wounded in the chest. Wayne was decorated with the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Navy Commendation Medal. Today he is a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Rep. Gilchrest (second from left) and others join President George W. Bush for the signing of the North American Wetlands Conservation Reauthorization Act.

In 1969, he studied liberal arts at Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, where he received an associate's degree. He then spent a semester in Kentucky studying rural poverty in Appalachia. He went on to receive a bachelor's degree in history from Delaware State College in 1973. Since then, he has done some work towards a master's degree at Loyola College in Baltimore. ^[1]

Gilchrest defeated 10-year 1st District Democratic incumbent Roy Dyson in 1990 and has been reelected seven times without significant opposition. Gilchrest defeated Democratic opponent Jim Corwin in the 2006 Congressional race.

State Senator Andrew Harris, State Senator E. J. Pipkin, Joe Arminio, Robert Banks and John Leo Walter are challenging Gilchrest in the 2008 Republican primary.

Gilchrest's voting record is considered liberal for a Republican. His Congressional district is rated as strongly Republican by the Cook Partisan Voting Index and supported President Bush's re-election with over 60% of the vote, although registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in the district 183,332 to 180,856 [1]. In addition to supporting environmental legislation, he is pro-choice on abortion, and supports a repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. In 2002 his district was made more Republican through redistricting, and he has faced several primary challenges from conservative Republicans (in 2002, David Fischer, in 2004, State Senator Rich Colburn). Gilchrest is a member of many moderate to liberal groups such as the Republican Main Street Partnership, Republicans for Environmental Protection, Republicans For Choice, Christine Todd Whitman's IMP-PAC (It's My Party Too) and the Republican Majority For Choice. He is also the co-chairman of the Congressional Climate Change Caucus together with the Democrat John Olver (1st MA).

On February 14, 2002, Gilchrest voted for the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act. ^[2]

On June 24, 2005, Gilchrest voted to continue taxpayer subsidies for Viagra ^[3]

Gilchrest is a cosponsor of legislation concerning District of Columbia voting rights, ^[4].

In 2006, Gilchrest voted against the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act. ^[5].

On September 26, 2006, Gilchrest voted against the Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006 ^[6] which would allow property owners access to federal court for their Fifth Amendment takings claims. ^[7]

In March, 2007, Gilchrest was one of two Republicans to vote for a bill that required President George W. Bush to bring combat troops home from Iraq by September 1, 2008. ^[8]

In April of 2007, Gilchrest was one of four Republicans (including Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina, Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri and Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee) to vote for a similar bill that required President George W. Bush to begin troop withdrawal from Iraq on October 1, 2007. This bill also provides the goal of bringing all troops home from Iraq by March of 2008. ^[9]

Also in June of 2007, Gilchrest voted against a series of amendments offered by Representative Jeff Flake to strip earmarks from the Fiscal Year 2008 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill. ^[10]

As of May 2006, Rep. Gilchrest currently serves on the following House committees ^[11]:

• Senior member of the House Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans.
• Senior member of the House Resources Committee.
• Senior member of the House Transportation Committee.
• Member of the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.
• Member of the Forests and Forests Health Subcommittee.
• Member of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.
• Member of the United States House Subcommittee on Rail, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
• Member of the House Science Committee.

• U.S. Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, House site

• Wayne Gilchrest's biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Wayne Gilchrest's voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Wayne Gilchrest's campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Wayne Gilchrest's campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Wayne Gilchrest's biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Wayne Gilchrest's issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Wayne Gilchrest's biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Wayne Gilchrest's voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Wayne Gilchrest is a Liberal Website criticising Gilchrest's liberal fiscal record
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Wayne Gilchrest profile