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The [[Barton Family Foundation]] was established to support charities within the congressman's district. His daughter-in-law, [[Amy Barton]], is the Foundation's Executive Director. Major energy corporations, such as the Chicago-based nuclear engergy producer, Exelon Corporation, make major gifts to the Foundation. In June 2008, at at time when Barton had introduced legislation to assist corporations with the recycling of spent nuclear fuel, the corporation donated $25,000 to the Foundation. Exelon has also donated $80,000 to Barton's campaign funds. Exelon also gave $400,000 to the local Boys and Girls Club.<ref>Keeping Lawmakers Happy through Gifts to Pet Charities, New York Times, October 19, 2008</ref> |
The [[Barton Family Foundation]] was established to support charities within the congressman's district. His daughter-in-law, [[Amy Barton]], is the Foundation's Executive Director. Major energy corporations, such as the Chicago-based nuclear engergy producer, Exelon Corporation, make major gifts to the Foundation. In June 2008, at at time when Barton had introduced legislation to assist corporations with the recycling of spent nuclear fuel, the corporation donated $25,000 to the Foundation. Exelon has also donated $80,000 to Barton's campaign funds. Exelon also gave $400,000 to the local Boys and Girls Club.<ref>Keeping Lawmakers Happy through Gifts to Pet Charities, New York Times, October 19, 2008</ref> |
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==Criticism== |
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===Oil=== |
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On September 26, 2005, Barton introduced the Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005 to the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] in what he said was a response to the present energy crisis. The most significant part of the bill gave the authority for the government to subsidize the construction of new refineries for petrochemical companies, despite the fact that the oil companies had intentionally been closing down refineries for years prior to the hurricanes. It would allow for oil companies to construct refineries on military bases and government controlled areas offshore. The bill also included a clause in which several environmental restrictions on the oil companies would be repealed.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} |
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The bill passed by two votes on October 7, 2005, with a narrow 212-210 vote. The bill, which was supposed to be open for vote for only five minutes, was held on the floor for almost 50 minutes, to the chagrin of [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] who chanted "Shame! Shame!"[http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/07/house-block-vote/] During that time, the ''[[Washington Post]]'' reported that Rep. [[Tom DeLay]] (R-Tex) twisted the arms of [[moderate]] Republicans who were originally opposed to the legislation, ultimately convincing them to vote ''for'' the bill. Environmentalists and their allies from both parties argued that the country could not stand any relaxation of the [[Clean Air Act]].{{Fact|date=June 2007}} |
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The critics argued that the oil companies themselves should be paying the construction costs of new refineries in a year when they were getting ready to announce industry-record profits, especially since they had been the ones who shut down refineries just four years earlier.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} From 1995 to 2001, American oil companies shut down 24 oil refineries along the West Coast, claiming those refineries' age, small capacity, and the overall expansion of U.S. refining capacity due to reconfiguration of larger refineries rendered the small refineries uneconomical given refining's historically poor profitability.<ref>[http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/analysis_publications/oil_market_basics/refining_text.htm "Refining," ''U.S. Energy Information Agency'', access date: 2008-12-30]</ref> |
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According to [[opensecrets.org]], a watchdog group that monitors monetary contributions to politicians, Barton alone has received close to $2 million in campaign contributions from energy companies and their political action committees since he has been in office. The oil and gas industry has been the top industry contributor to his campaign. This does not include contributions from individuals who work for petrochemical companies, though. Last year, employees from [[Anadarko Petroleum]] alone, contributed $50,000, opensecrets.org reports. |
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''[[The New Republic]]'' magazine has called Barton a "Big Oil lackey." According to ''TNR'' writer Michael Crowley, "Barton champions a pro-industry agenda with no apparent concern for appearances. Just two months after [the Gasoline for America's Security Act], he exploited concerns over energy supplies in the aftermath of [[Hurricane Katrina]] to jam through still more [[energy subsidies]], ease environmental regulations on refineries, and press for more offshore oil and gas drilling." [http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20060522&s=crowley052206 *] In his book, ''The Great Derangement'', author [[Matt Taibbi]] dedicated an entire chapter to Barton's legislative maneuvering following Katrina. |
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===Hurricane Katrina=== |
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In the aftermath of [[Hurricane Katrina]], Rep. Barton told [[Mississippi]] Governor [[Haley Barbour]] that "Whatever you need from the federal government... we'll do everything we can to make it happen sooner rather than later and bigger rather than smaller." However, he was one of 11 House members to vote against the Hurricane Katrina Emergency Relief bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bush on September 8, 2005. He argued that the bill did not provide sufficient oversight of the spending it entailed.[http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:KprMduh1xYUJ:www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/12602253.htm%3Ftemplate%3DcontentModules/printstory.jsp+Whatever+you+need+from+the+federal+government...+we%27ll+do+everything+we+can+to+make+it+happen+sooner+rather+than+later+and+bigger+rather+than+smaller&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5&lr=lang_en] |
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===Autism=== |
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In Fall 2006, Barton refused to release the [[Combating Autism Act]] from House subcommittee despite the unanimous passage by Senate. [http://www.autismspeaks.org/supportlegislation/recent.php]. In response, radio personality [[Don Imus]], who was one of the Act's highest-profile supporters, called Barton a "congressional dirtbag." Barton advocated a similar bill which did not provide the same funding for research into environmental causes. |
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==Congressional Vote on Financial Bailout== |
==Congressional Vote on Financial Bailout== |
Revision as of 19:02, 12 May 2009
Joe Barton | |
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![]() | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 6th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 1985 | |
Preceded by | Phil Gramm |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Terri Barton |
Residence | Ennis, Texas |
Alma mater | Texas A&M University, Purdue University |
Occupation | Engineer |
Joseph Linus "Joe" Barton (born September 15, 1949) is a Republican politician, representing Texas's 6th congressional district (map) in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985.
Biography
Barton was born in Waco, Texas to Bess Wynell Buice and Larry Linus Barton.[1] He graduated from Waco High School. He attended Texas A&M University in College Station and received a B.S. in industrial engineering in 1972. An M.Sc. in industrial administration from Purdue University followed in 1973. Following college Barton entered private industry until 1981 when he became a White House Fellow and served under Secretary of Energy James B. Edwards. Later, he began consulting for Atlantic Richfield Oil and Gas Co. before being elected to Congress in 1984.[citation needed]
Barton was elected to represent Texas's 6th congressional district in his first attempt, defeating Democratic opponent Dan Kubiak with 56% of the vote in a contest to succeed Phil Gramm, who left his seat to run for the United States Senate that year. He was one of six freshmen Republican congressmen elected from Texas in 1984 known as the Texas Six Pack. He received 88% of the vote in 2000, 71% of the vote in 2002 against Democratic challenger Felix Alvarado, and 66% of the vote in 2004 against Democratic challenger Morris Meyer.[citation needed]
In 1993, Barton ran in the special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Lloyd Bentsen, who became Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration. Barton finished third in the contest and missed a runoff slot.[citation needed]
Congressman Barton is the Ranking Minority Member on the Energy & Commerce Committee.[2]
Legislative work
- Former Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee,[3][4] primary House author of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and chairman of the House-Senate energy conference committee.[citation needed]
- Both initiated and eliminated "safe harbor" provision for MTBE (in Energy Policy Act of 2005).[5][6]
- Co-founded the Congressional Privacy Caucus, cosponsor of the anti-spyware SPY ACT, initiated reauthorization of the National Institutes of Health.
- Opposed the extension of the Voting Rights Act in 2006, as did many Republicans for its costly bilingual ballot printing requirements, with Southern Republicans in particular objecting to their states being held to the stigma of their voting practices in the 1950s and required to report to the federal government for something as small as moving a polling place from one church to another.[7]
- A list of all bills that Representative Barton has introduced is available at Sponsored Bills and amendments at Amendments.
- Barton has been the lead representative in forcing the switch from analog to digital TV and auctioning off the public airwaves to private companies.
- Barton has actively obstructed implementation of clean air standards, work that has earned him huge pay-offs from companies such as Texas Industries which operated a cement kiln in Midlothian, Texas and burns hazardous waste for fuel with insufficient technology to prevent the resulting air pollution throughout North Texas.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Energy and Commerce (Ranking Member)
- As Ranking Member of the full committee, Rep. Barton may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
Caucus memberships
- Founding Co-Chairman of the Congressional Privacy Caucus
Environmental record
Rep. Barton has been regarded as a global warming skeptic[3] and his opposition to addressing global warming has been consistent and long-term. As a powerful chairman with primary responsibility over the energy sector, Barton has consistently acted over the years to prevent congressional action on global warming.[8] In 2001, Barton declared, "as long as I am chairman, [regulating global warming pollution] is off the table indefinitely. I don't want there to be any uncertainty about that."[9] Barton led opposition to amendments that would have recognized global warming during consideration of the Energy Advancement and Conservation Act in 2001, opposing an amendment to require the President to develop and implement a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels as called for by the non-binding United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which the U.S. is a party to.[10] In 2003, Barton again opposed amendments that would have recognized global warming during consideration of the National Energy Policy Act of 2003, opposing a nonbinding amendment that would have put Congress on record as saying that the U.S. should "demonstrate international leadership and responsibility in reducing the health, environmental, and economic risks posed by climate change."[11] In July 2003, Barton offered an amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act to remove language that both recognized global warming and called on President Bush to reengage with the international community to find solutions.[12] In addition, Barton has consistently opposed proposals to reduce the nation's dependence on oil.[13][14][15]
In 2005, prompted by a February 2005 Wall Street Journal article,[16] Rep. Barton has launched an investigation into two climate change studies from 1998 and 1999.[3] In his letters to the authors of the studies, he requested not just details on the studies themselves but significant information about their entire lives and previous studies. This has been widely regarded as an attempted attack on the scientists rather than a serious attempt to understand the science,[17] although some view it as a normal exercise of the committee's responsibility and an effort to make possible scientific debate on a subject within its jurisdiction.[18][19] The Washington Post condemned Barton's investigation as a "witch-hunt".[20] Environmental Science & Technology, an obscure policy journal often cited by politicians, including Barton, reported what it said was scientific proof that global warming science is wrong.[21] See also Barton's own response to this controversy in The Dallas Morning News.[22] The dispute expanded with Sherwood Boehlert's House Science Committee taking a strong interest.[23]
In 2006, Barton earned two "environmental harm demerits" from the conservative watchdog group Republicans for Environmental Protection, the first "for derailing floor passage of a sense of the House resolution ... acknowledging climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions"; the second, "for holding hearings, in his role as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, designed to intimidate climate scientists and raise doubt about the impacts and causes of climate change."[24] The hearings were held by Barton's committee on July 19, 2006, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations; there, several skeptics testified regarding the hockey stick graph. The RealClimate blog responded to its mention at the hearing.[25]
During Former Vice President Al Gore's testimony to the Energy and Commerce Committee in March, 2007, Barton asserted to Gore that "You're not just off a little, you're totally wrong,"[26] thus reinforcing his denial that carbon dioxide emissions contribute to global climate change.
Personal life
Barton divorced his first wife, the former Janet Sue Winslow, with whom he has three children, in 2003. Janet received some media attention as a victim of identity theft. Barton has used her as an example when discussing identity theft legislation. He is now married to Terri Barton, and they have one child, Jack, who was born in 2005, and 2 step children, Cullen Taylor and Lindsay Taylor, who are children of Terri.[citation needed]
Citizens for Ethics reported that Barton paid his wife Terri $57,759 in salary and bonuses, from his campaign funds in the 2006 election cycle.[2] A spokesman said that Terri served as the campaign's outreach director and planned fundraising and special events.[4] Barton's daughter Kristin was paid $12,622 in salary and bonuses and his mother, Nell Barton, was paid $7,000 for a car.[4]
Barton's office announced that, on Thursday December 15, 2005, he suffered a heart attack and was taken to George Washington University Hospital.[citation needed]
Barton Family Foundation
The Barton Family Foundation was established to support charities within the congressman's district. His daughter-in-law, Amy Barton, is the Foundation's Executive Director. Major energy corporations, such as the Chicago-based nuclear engergy producer, Exelon Corporation, make major gifts to the Foundation. In June 2008, at at time when Barton had introduced legislation to assist corporations with the recycling of spent nuclear fuel, the corporation donated $25,000 to the Foundation. Exelon has also donated $80,000 to Barton's campaign funds. Exelon also gave $400,000 to the local Boys and Girls Club.[27]
Congressional Vote on Financial Bailout
Congressman Barton voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 in both of its manifestations.[28][29]
Other endeavors
Barton revealed during a congressional hearing on video games that he was a video game player. He announced that he had "worked [his] way up to Civilization IV".[30]
Barton has also been an advocate of a playoff system to determine a national champion for college football, even introducing legislation to require that any game being marketed as a national championship game be a part of a playoff. This is exceedingly difficult to reconcile with his advocacy of "limited government".[31] On May 1, Barton grilled BCS coordinator John Swofford, saying of the BCS that, "It's like communism. You can't fix it." He also suggested that the 'C' be dropped from the BCS and it be called the "the 'BS' system."[32]
References
- ^ 1
- ^ a b ("Citizens for Ethics full and final report". Citizens for Ethics. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ a b c (Roland Pease. "Politics plays climate 'hockey'". BBC. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ a b c ("Report says Barton's campaign paid wife". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:Caya6UkgOrkJ:www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7574562/+MTBE&hl=en
- ^ (Charles Babington. "GOP Rebellion Stops Voting Rights Act". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ Senate Democrats May Pull Climate Bill - washingtonpost.com
- ^ http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/useftp.cgi?IPaddress=162.140.64.21&filename=71503.wais&directory=/diskc/wais/data/107_house_hearings
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ [3][dead link]
- ^ [4][dead link]
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2001&rollnumber=311
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll132.xml
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll121.xml
- ^ In Climate Debate, The 'Hockey Stick' Leads to a Face-Off - WSJ.com
- ^ (Alan Leshner. "letter to Joe Barton" (PDF). American Academy for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ (Editorial. "Bruiser Barton". The Hill. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ (Steven Milloy. "Tree Ring Circus". Fox News. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ (Editorial. "Hunting Witches". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ (Paul D. Thacker. "Skeptics get a journal". Environmental Science & Technology. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)) - ^ [5][dead link]
- ^ Web site for the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives :: Welcome
- ^ Republicans for Environmental Protection 2006 Scorecard
- ^ RealClimate
- ^ Gore Implores Congress to Save Planet
- ^ Keeping Lawmakers Happy through Gifts to Pet Charities, New York Times, October 19, 2008
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll671.xml
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll681.xml
- ^ Reason Magazine - Hit & Run > Rep. Joe Barton (R-Civ IV)
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3760232
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4121294
External links
- U.S. Congressman Joe Barton official House site
- United States Congress. "Joe Barton (id: b000213)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Federal Election Commission — Joe Linus Barton campaign finance reports and data
- Newsmeat — Joe Barton campaign contributors
- On the Issues — Joe Linus Barton issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org — Joe Barton campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart — Representative Joe Barton (TX) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Joe Barton profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Joe Barton voting record
- How the Wall Street Journal and Rep. Barton celebrated a global-warming skeptic: The untold story of how a front-page article and powerful U.S. politicians morphed former mining executive Stephen McIntyre into a scientific superstar Environmental Science & Technology, August 31, 2005
- "Big Oil Looking for a Government Handout, Courtesy of Joe Barton" World Internet News, April 2006,