As a member of the Council of the District of Columbia, David Catania is regarded as a resourceful, hardworking and valuable policymaker. First elected as an At-Large Councilmember in a 1997 special election, Catania was re-elected to full terms on the Council in 1998, 2002, and 2006.
Councilmember Catania chairs the Committee on Health and serves on the Finance and Revenue and Libraries, Parks, and Recreation Committees. The Health Committee oversees the Department of Health, Department of Mental Health and a number of health-related boards and commissions.
Since being elected to the Council, Councilmember Catania has championed legislative initiatives - now law - that focus on improving healthcare for uninsured and low-income residents, tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, expanding drug treatment options for victims of substance abuse, and providing incentives for medical professionals to assist the underserved.
Catania is widely considered to be a national leader in the fight to expand access to prescription drugs. In 2007, he was elected to Chair the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices (NLARx). NLARx consists of elected members of 20 state legislatures from Arizona to Maine who are committed to working across state lines to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible to people in the United States.
Councilmember Catania also authored legislation to create income tax parity with surrounding jurisdictions, minimize property tax burdens, promote home ownership, and increase police deployment. In addition, he is working to expand opportunities for District residents to gain enhanced vocational skills and practical training experience
Mr. Catania became involved in District issues when he chaired the Sheridan-Kalorama Advisory Neighborhood Commission. He served on the Board of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority from 1999 to 2004.
Councilmember Catania earned a B.S. from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. |
