Brian Higgins is a member of the United States House of Representatives serving New York’s 26th congressional district, which includes portions of Erie and Niagara Counties.
Widely accepted as the principal architect of waterfront development in Buffalo and Western New York, Brian led the fight for a quarter-billion dollar federal relicensing settlement from the New York Power Authority that continues to finance the transformation of Buffalo's long-neglected Inner and Outer Harbor waterfront areas. In our nation’s capital, Brian is an advocate for policies important to our regional and national economies. Brian is an avowed supporter of increased funding for biomedical research – an area creating jobs throughout the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus – and remains a strong voice for robust infrastructure investment, for “nation building here at home.”
Western New Yorkers know too well the painful costs of pollution and other forms of environmental degradation and neglect. Over 30 years ago the Buffalo River was declared biologically dead and ecologically destroyed, and only through a persistent restoration effort was it remediated and shows vastly improved water quality. Brian believes that we must learn from this history to prevent the recurrence of environmental disasters like Love Canal and Tonawanda Coke in our district. His work in Washington, D.C. focuses on the conservation and care for the many precious natural resources here in Western New York. From the Great Lakes, to our waterways, to our parks and natural public spaces, Brian is fighting to ensure the federal policies enacted in Congress help to support a healthy environment and protect those most vulnerable to pollution and exposure to hazardous substances. To achieve these goals of preservation, Brian has been a strong supporter of federal funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the Water Resources Development Act.