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Earl Blumenauer

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Earl Blumenauer currently serves the Third Congressional district of Oregon

Earl Blumenauer has been a Democratic U.S. Representative from Oregon, representing that state's third congressional district, which includes Portland, since winning a special election in 1996. (map)

Contents

Record and controversies

General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's articles on legislation. You can add information you find on how Earl Blumenauer voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to cite your sources!

Abortion

Although his website does not expressly state that he is pro-choice, Blumenauer has been consistently rated highly by NARAL Pro-Choice as well as Planned Parenthood. [1] In addition, he voted to expand embryonic stem cell research to include more cell lines. [2] His pro-choice stance is liberal.

Iraq War

Blumenauer voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.[1] He believes that the war should be ended as soon as possible and has pledged to vote against any funding bill that does not end the war. In February 2007, Blumenauer introduced the "New Direction for Iraq Act," which includes provisions requiring regional diplomacy, no permanent American military bases in Iraq, and prohibits the escalation of the Iraq War without specific Congressional approval. [3]

For more information see the chart of U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War.

Environmental record

Blumenauer has supported strengthening the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. [4]He is the second-ranking Democrat on the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. He supports increasing energy efficiency standards and tax incentives for buildings and appliances. He wrote an amendment for the 2007 energy bill designed to increase incentives for natural gas companies to promote energy efficiency. [5]. He has consistantly supported the interests of Environment America, the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, and the League of Conservation Voters, all environmental activist groups. [6] He has a very liberal position on environmental protection.

For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Health Care

Blumenauer calls for universal health care. He co-sponsored the Healthy Americans Act, which would guarantee private health care coverage for all Americans, including the unemployed. [7] He is especially an advocate for children's health care, and supports the positions preferred by The Children's Health Fund. [8]

Education

Blumenauer supports reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, often known as No Child Left Behind. He has worked to make college more affordable for students, by advocating for the College Cost Reduction and Opportunity Act. [9]. He has been consistently rated highly by the National Education Association, the American Association of University Women, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the National Association of Elementary School Principals. [10]

Support for gun control

Blumenauer cosponsored H.R. 1312 (Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2005) on April 28, 2005.[2] He supports the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and does not support the National Rifle Association or the Gun Owners of America. [11] He is pro-gun control, a liberal standpoint.

Main article: U.S. gun legislation

Will not run for Senate in 2008

On May 16, 2007, Blumenauer announced that he would not challenge Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) for his Senate seat in the 2008 U.S. congressional elections. [12]

Bio

Background

Born in Portland August 16, 1948, Blumenauer graduated from Centennial High School in 1966 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis & Clark College in 1970. He received a Juris Doctor degree from the same college in 1976.

Blumenauer worked as an assistant to the president of Portland State University. He then served as an Oregon state representative from 1973 to 1978, Portland city commissioner (1986-96), and was appointed by Oregon's governor to the commission on higher education (1990-91). In 1992, Blumenauer was defeated by Vera Katz in an open race for mayor of Portland.

Congressional Career

Blumenauer was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the election of then-U.S. Representative Ron Wyden to the U.S. Senate.

Blumenauer represented Oregon as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2000.

In its endorsement of Blumenauer for the 2002 election, the Willamette Week[13] summarized his fit with the congressional district he represents: Let's be blunt. Earl Blumenauer is going to win. He deserves to win. Ideologically and temperamentally, Blumenauer is an almost perfect reflection of his Portland seat, as safe a Democratic stronghold as any in the nation. He's championed light rail and the Portland Streetcar. He's the biggest bike advocate on Capitol Hill. He voted against the U.S.A. Patriot Act and the Iraq resolution. A super-sharp super-wonk, he's diligently seeking to export Portland's livability doctrine to Third World nations. Among the bills that Blumenauer has sponsored is the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004.

Blumenaer's House biogrpahy states "He is a strong and creative voice both at home and abroad for the environment, sustainable development, and economic opportunity." He wass named a German Marshall Fellow in 1995 and has "won numerous awards from environmental, education, community, and civic organizations, including 1999 Legislator of the Year from the American Planning Association, the National Building Museum's Apgar Award in 2000, and the 2001 National Bicycle Advocacy Award from the League of American Bicyclists."[14]

Blumenauer has spoken for the need of better oversight of House members' ethical conduct in light of recent scandal, and does not think current efforts are enough. He states, "Sadly, it has necessitated a series of egregious violations by Members to bring this issue to the forefront of public attention. Several changes are being proposed, some of which I have cosponsored or support. The current proposals, however, do no address the core issue behind the ethics problem – oversight."[15]

2006 elections

In 2006, Democrats nominated Bruce Broussard to face Blumenauer in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) [16] Blumenauer retained his seat.

Hurricane Katrina warnings

In the political aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Blumenauer was among the proverbial canaries in coal mines who had pointed out the vulnerability of New Orleans and encouraged Congress to help that city and the gulf coast get better prepared:

  • September 15, 2004: Mr. Speaker, barely have we recovered from Hurricane Hugo and we are seeing Hurricane Ivan pose the threat that has long been feared by those in Louisiana, that this actually might represent the loss of the City of New Orleans. Located 15 feet below sea level, there is the potential of a 30-foot wall of water putting at risk $100 billion of infrastructure and industry and countless lives.
  • January 26, 2005: Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to view the devastation in Southeast Asia as a result of the 2004 tsunami. As appalled as I was by what I saw, I must confess that occasionally my thoughts drifted back to the United States. What would have happened if last September, Hurricane Ivan had veered 40 miles to the west, devastating the city of New Orleans? One likely scenario would have had a tsunami-like 30-foot wall of water hitting the city, causing thousands of deaths and $100 billion in damage....The experience of Southeast Asia should convince us all of the urgent need for congressional action to prevent wide-scale loss of life and economic destruction at home and abroad. Prevention and planning will pay off. Maybe the devastation will encourage us to act before disaster strikes.

Money in politics

This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. For specific controversies, see this article's record and controversies section. <crpcontribdata>cid=N00007727&cycle=2006</crpcontribdata>

Links to more campaign contribution information for Earl Blumenauer
from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org site.
Fundraising profile: 2006 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by organization/corporation: 2006 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by industry: 2006 election cycle Career totals


Committees and Affiliations

Committees

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

More Background Data

Wikipedia also has an article on Earl Blumenauer. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.

Contact

DC Office:
2446 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3703
Phone: 202-225-4811
Fax: 202-225-8941
Fax: 202-226-3134
Web Email
Website

District Office:
729 Northeast Oregon Street, Suite 115
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 503-231-2300
Fax: 503-230-5413
Fax: 503-236-6559

Twitter

Articles and Resources

Sources

  1. ↑ Roll call vote, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.
  2. ↑ Thomas page on H.R. 1312

Resources

Local blogs and discussion sites

Articles

Articles by Blumenauer

Corresponding article on Wikipedia and Cause Caller. (If Cause Caller link does not work, pick from its list of senators and representatives.)

Current Office: U.S. House of Representatives
111th Congress
Leadership Position:
 Committees Chaired:
 Committees,
Ranking Member On:
 Caucuses:
Committees:
110th Congress
Leadership Position:
None		 Committees Chaired:
 Committees,
Ranking Member On:
 Caucuses:
Committees: House Committee on Budget, House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, House Committee on Ways and Means, House Committee on Ways and Means/Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, House Committee on Ways and Means/Subcommittee on Trade,
Congressional Career
First Elected to Current Office:
May 21, 1996		 First Took Current Office:
May 21, 1996		 Next Election:
November 2, 2010		 Term Ends:
Freshman Member?
NO		 Previous Political Work?
Portland City Council, Multnomah County Commission, Oregon House of Representatives,		 Other Party Membership:
District Offices:
1. 729 Northeast Oregon Street, Suite 115, Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 503-231-2300 / Fax: 503-230-5413
Campaign Contact:

Website:
Webform Email: / Email:

Campaign Offices:

1.
Phone: / Fax:
Zip Code Affiliations:
Misc:

Date of Birth: August 16, 1949







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