Mark Pocan
Awards & Honours
0
Awards Won
5
Honours
3
Records
Pocan's career is marked by several historic firsts. He is the first openly LGBTQ person to serve on the House Appropriations Committee and the first member of Congress to obtain an official spousal ID for a same-sex spouse. He is also the only openly LGBTQ person to twice succeed an openly LGBTQ member in federal office, both times following Tammy Baldwin. As chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, he helped shape the party's leftward shift on healthcare and climate policy.
Honours & Distinctions
Chair Emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Awarded upon stepping down as Chair.
Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
Serves as co-chair since 2013.
Co-Chair of the Labor Caucus
Co-chair of the Labor Caucus.
First Openly LGBTQ Member on House Appropriations Committee
First openly LGBTQ person to serve on the committee.
First Member of Congress to Obtain Official Spousal ID for Same-Sex Spouse
Obtained spousal ID for husband Philip Frank.
Records & Feats
First openly LGBTQ person to serve on the House Appropriations Committee
Pocan is the first openly LGBTQ member ever appointed to the House Appropriations Committee.
First member of Congress to obtain official spousal ID for a same-sex spouse
In 2013, Pocan obtained a congressional spousal ID for his husband Philip Frank, a first for a same-sex couple.
Only openly LGBTQ person to twice succeed an openly LGBTQ member in federal office
Pocan succeeded Tammy Baldwin in both the Wisconsin State Assembly (1998) and the U.S. House (2012).