Brian Higgins currently serves as a Member of Congress representing New York’s 27th Congressional District, which includes a large portion of the city of Buffalo, most of the eastern and southern suburban localities within Erie County, and all of Chautauqua County in Western New York.

Congressman Higgins is a strong advocate for forward progress on economic development projects in Western New York. He was instrumental in securing a $279 million settlement from the New York Power Authority that is earmarked for development along Buffalo’s inner and outer harbors.  Moreover, as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Higgins played a critical role in gaining final approvals for the new $130 million dollar Federal Courthouse in downtown Buffalo and $3.72 million for work on the Jamestown train station and connector trail as well as dozens of additional public works initiatives from Cheektowaga to the Pennsylvania line. His efforts also contributed to the elimination of the toll barriers on the I-190 in the city of Buffalo. 

Congressman Higgins is a champion for national issues important to Western New Yorkers. He is fighting for adequate local staffing to address severe Social Security case backlogs, approved new legislation to make college more affordable for working families and he continues to push for increased levels of funding to support promising research and treatments for cancer. 

As a member of the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee for National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, Congressman Higgins has traveled extensively through some of the most volatile regions in the world and has met with world leaders to promote peace in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, including Darfur, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Congressman Higgins served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1998 to 2004, and prior to that as a member of the Buffalo Common Council, where in a 1993 Buffalo News survey he was named “Buffalo’s Best Councilmember.” 

The Congressman was a teacher of History and Economics at Buffalo State College and completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Buffalo State College in political science and history. He also has an advanced degree in public policy and administration from Harvard University.

Congressman Higgins is the son of the late Daniel Higgins, Sr., a bricklayer and local government official and Mary Higgins, a retired schoolteacher.  Brian, his wife Mary Jane Hannon and their two children, John and Maeve, reside in South Buffalo, New York.