Jim McGovern: podcast appearances and interviews

James Patrick McGovern is an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district since 2013. He is a Democrat and serves as the ranking member of the House Rules Committee. McGovern also chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and is the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. His district, which was numbered as the 3rd district from 1997 to 2013, extends from Worcester to the Pioneer Valley. Born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, McGovern attended Worcester Academy. During college, he worked as a congressional intern and aide to U.S. Senator George McGovern, for whom he campaigned; he is not related to the senator. Between 1981 and 1996, he was a senior staff member for U.S. Representative Joe Moakley. He first ran for Congress in 1994 but lost the Democratic primary. He successfully ran in 1996, defeating the then-incumbent Republican Peter Blute. McGovern is known for his leadership on hunger and food insecurity issues and is the chairman of the board of the Congressional Hunger Center. He was a key architect of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program and has received several awards for his advocacy, including the 2016 James Beard Leadership Award and the 2008 McGovern-Dole Leadership Award from the World Food Program USA. His career also emphasizes international human rights, with advocacy efforts in countries such as El Salvador, Sudan, Colombia, and Tibet. He is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and is considered one of the most liberal members of Congress.