Sherrod Brown (D) is a U.S. senator from the state of Ohio.

First elected to the Senate in 2006, Sen. Brown is now the top Democrat, or Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over most insurance issues. He is continuing in that role after becoming Ranking Member at the start of the 115^th Congress (2017-2019). Prior to serving in the United States Senate, Sen. Brown served as a United States Representative, Ohio’s Secretary of State, a member of the Ohio General Assembly, and was a teacher in Ohio’s public schools and at the Ohio State University.

Sen. Brown received a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and a Master of Arts in education as well as Master of Public Administration from the Ohio State University.

Why he’s important to agents:

Sen. Brown’s role as the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee means he will play a large role on issues important to PIA independent agents, including the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance program, the development of data security legislation, and the reauthorization of the terrorism risk insurance program.

Sen. Brown is known for his willingness to make deals across the aisle. However, that willingness doesn’t always result in positions that would benefit independent insurance agents. Last year, Sen. Brown voted no on an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill, S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on May 24, 2018. That bill included a PIA-developed provision that increases transparency at global insurance standard-setting regulatory forums and on any international insurance agreements. Despite his opposition, PIA National helped rally bipartisan backing for the bill, and, in the end, it passed with support from legislators in both parties.

With so many vital issues for PIA independent agents on the agenda in Senate Banking, PIA National continues to engage with Sen. Brown to communicate the needs of the independent insurance agent community so that essential legislation doesn’t get sidelined by bipartisan disagreements.