Biography of Former Rep. Rick White

Member of  House of Representatives, 1994-1998.  Republican.  Washington, 1st District.

Rick White was first elected in the Republican sweep of 1994. He has promised not to serve more than five terms in House of Representatives, but the voters turned him out after two terms.  He was one of the leading promoters of an Internet free from government regulation and taxation. He founded the Internet Caucus.  He was the sponsor of the Internet Protection Act, which would have prevented the Federal Communications Commission from extending its regulatory grasp to the Internet, or any converging technologies, such as IP telephony. He was a co-sponsor and active booster of the Safety and Freedom through Encryption Act which guarantees the right of Americans to use and export strong encryption products. In the 104th Congress he worked on the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Committee Assignments and other Memberships

• House Commerce Committee.
• Subcommittees on Telecommunications, Trade & Consumer Protection.
• Subcommittee on Finance & Hazardous Materials.
• Subcommittee on Energy & Power.
• Internet Caucus.

Work Experience

• Attorney, Perkins Coie.

Education

• BA in Government and French, Dartmouth College, 1975.
• One year in a graduate program in philosophy at the Pantheon-Sorbonne in Paris.
• JD Georgetown University, 1980.

Personal Background

• Born: November 6, 1953, Bloomington, IN.
• Religion: Presbyterian.
• Residence: Bainbridge Island.
• Spouse: Vikki.