Curt Weldon

Curt Weldon is a former Republican congressman who represented the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania for 10 terms. During his tenure in the House of Representatives, Weldon held leadership positions on issues including national security, defense policy, and environmental protection. Prior to his congressional service, Weldon earned a degree in fire protection and worked as a firefighter, fire chief, and the first volunteer administrator of the Delaware County Fire Academy. He has provided expert testimony in federal courts and before Congress on fire safety and emergency response.

As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Weldon chaired the Military Research and Development Subcommittee for six years, overseeing the development and testing of military systems, weapons programs, and defense technologies. He also served as vice chair of both the Armed Services Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee. Weldon authored the U.S. Missile Defense Law, the U.S. EMP Commission Law, and the Gilmore Commission Law. He founded and chaired the Congressional Fire/EMS Caucus and Institute, and led more than 60 bipartisan congressional delegations to over 100 countries, including North Korea, Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, to address U.S. security interests and international relations.

With a background in Russian studies, Weldon focused on improving U.S.-Russia relations, collaborating with Russian leaders on energy policy, environmental issues, and ballistic missile defense. He co-founded the Duma-Congress Study Group, the official parliamentary exchange between the U.S. Congress and the Russian Duma. Weldon was the only House Republican on the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission and participated in Global Legislators for a Balanced Environment, serving as honorary chairman of the Oceans Protection Task Force.

Weldon is the author of "Countdown to Terror: The Top-Secret Information that Could Prevent the Next Terrorist Attack on America... and How the CIA has Ignored It." In this book, he discusses intelligence failures preceding the September 11 attacks and ongoing challenges in intelligence communication and information processing. After leaving Congress, Weldon held executive and advisory positions in the defense, security, and consulting industries, applying his expertise in military research, homeland security, and international affairs.