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Melissa A. Hart

A former U.S. Congresswoman and State Senator, the Honorable Melissa A. Hart has returned to her legal roots at Pittsburgh-based law firm, Keevican Weiss Bauerle & Hirsch LLC. Ms. Hart rejoined the firm as a member. Her legal experience includes financial transactions and real estate as well as corporate organizations and estates. She draws on her many successful years of public service to chair the firm's Government Relations practice and is also a member in several of our practice areas.

Ms. Hart was of counsel to the firm for several years while she served as a Pennsylvania State Senator. During that service, she chaired the Senate Finance committee, with jurisdiction including oversight of the State Department of Revenue, tax policy, State Treasurer, public pension systems and the Lottery. She served on various additional committees including Banking & Insurance, Judiciary, Rules, and Health & Welfare.

She left the firm pursuant to U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Rules when she was elected to the United States House in 2000, where she served three terms. Ms. Hart is the only Republican woman in history to represent Pennsylvania at the federal level. While a member of the U.S. House, she served on the high profile House Ways and Means Committee which has jurisdiction over taxes, trade, welfare programs, health care and Social Security. She also served on the Financial Services, Judiciary, Science and Ethics committees. Ms. Hart authored legislation to streamline financial transactions and facilitate better opportunities for regional growth.

She has been actively engaged in and continues to participate in civic and political life as she has for two decades. Her nonprofit board service currently includes Chairmanship of the Audit and Risk Committee and Membership on the Board of Trustees of Washington & Jefferson College. She also chairs the Membership Committee and serves as a Trustee for the Pittsburgh Film Office. She is a Fellow of the Commonwealth Foundation, a statewide free-market think tank. Ms. Hart has also served on the boards of the Veterans Leadership Program, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the University of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater, the First Freedoms Fund, and the Community College of Allegheny County.