Seth Moulton
D-Massachusetts, Marine Corps
Political Bio: Congressman Seth Moulton was born and raised in northeastern Massachusetts. He attended public schools, as well as Phillips Academy Andover and Harvard University on scholarships and student loans. After graduating from Harvard in 2001 with a degree in physics, Moulton joined the United States Marine Corps.
Moulton served four tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer, including two tours as a platoon commander and two tours as a Special Assistant to General David Petraeus. In 2003, Moulton was in the first company of Marines to enter Baghdad. In 2004, he led a platoon during the Battle of Najaf, the fiercest fighting of the war to that time. As a Special Assistant to General David Petraeus, Moulton worked on a small team of Marines leading counterinsurgency operations south of Baghdad in 2005 and during the Surge. He left the Marines in 2008 with the rank of Captain.
Congressman Moulton was elected to Congress in 2014 on a platform of bringing new, bipartisan leadership to Congress. In his first term, Congressman Moulton is focused on economic growth for Massachusetts families and improving veterans’ health care through the VA, where he still receives his care. Congressman Moulton serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Budget Committee and the House Small Business Committee in the 114th Congress.
Military Bio: Seth Moulton chose to join the United States Marine Corps after graduating from college in June 2001, and served four tours of duty as an infantry officer in Iraq. He first deployed in 2003 as a member of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, where he served as a platoon commander during the invasion of Iraq and was part of the first company of Marines to enter Baghdad. After the invasion, Moulton worked to establish an independent media in central Iraq and became the host of a widely-viewed television show, Moulton & Mohammed. Moulton redeployed with 1/4 in 2004 and led an infantry platoon through the Battle of Najaf, the fiercest fighting of the war to that time.
Moulton remained in Iraq at the request of General David Petraeus, serving on a small team of Marines that helped develop and implement some of the Coalition’s first counterinsurgency operations. When General Petraeus was asked to lead the Surge in 2007, he asked Moulton to return with him for a fourth and final tour of duty.
Moulton was twice decorated for valor in Iraq, a fact he kept hidden from even his parents until it was reported by The Boston Globe in 2014. He left the Marines in 2008 with the rank of Captain.
Legislation: Moulton introduced The Faster Care for Veterans Act, which passed the US House and Senate last week and is now headed to be signed into law by President Obama. This innovative piece of legislation is designed to make critical improvements to veteran health care by utilizing 21st century technology. The bill would allow patients to self-schedule appointments from their smart phones or computers with the click of a button.
Moulton has made veterans’ care a top priority during this congress. In June 2015, Moulton introduced his first package of legislation: The VA Education Training and Sustainability (VETS) Act, four bills aimed at improving the talent pipeline at Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the country. Moulton has now passed three bills through the House; a total which no other Freshman House Democrat has surpassed.