Recognized by Congressional Quarterly as one of the “Fifty Most Effective Members of Congress,” Curt Weldon devoted more than thirty years to public service as an elected mayor, county chair, public educator, corporate risk management leader, lifelong volunteer firefighter/fire chief, and twenty-year Member of Congress. In 2007, President George H. W. Bush honored Weldon with a Personal Tribute before more than 2,000 leaders in Washington, DC.

A passionate advocate for America’s firefighters and EMS professionals, Weldon founded and chaired the 370-member Congressional Fire Services Caucus and responded on scene to major US disasters, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the attacks of September 11, 2001, working directly with FDNY leadership.

As vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and chairman overseeing Department of Defense research, development, and intelligence funding, Weldon challenged politicized intelligence and proposed a National Intelligence Fusion capability known as NOAH two years before 9/11, though the initiative was blocked following CIA objections. His humanitarian, national security, and international peace efforts earned worldwide recognition, including the prestigious GUSI Peace Prize and numerous international honors.

Weldon is the author of Awakening the Sleeping Giant: The Political Empowerment of America’s Heroes, which is the subject of a documentary film to be previewed at the White House FIRE/EMS 290 event in September 2026. He is also the author of Countdown to Terror: The Top-Secret Information That Could Prevent the Next Terrorist Attack on America—and How the CIA Has Ignored It.