Andy Harris, MD, is the only anesthesiologist serving among the 19 physicians in the 118th Congress. Dr. Harris is a Republican representative from Maryland who has held his seat since 2011.
Here are five things to know about Dr. Harris:
1. Before becoming a representative in Congress, Dr. Harris practiced at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine for nearly three decades and was a medical officer in the Naval Reserve.
2. In 1988, Dr. Harris answered a recruitment call to fill a critical need for anesthesiologists in the Naval Reserve. He went on to establish and command the Johns Hopkins Medical Naval Reserve Unit.
3. Dr. Harris first ran for office in 1998, joining the Maryland State Senate for 12 years.
4. Dr. Harris is the current chair of the House Appropriations Committe's Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies subcommittee.
5. Dr. Harris is a member of the GOP Doctors Caucus, which is composed of medical providers who use their backgrounds to develop patient-centered healthcare policies. He served as co-chair from 2018 to 2022.