Earl Blumenauer

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Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oregon's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office 
May 21, 1996
Preceded by Ron Wyden
Born August 16, 1948 (1948-08-16) (age 60)
Portland, Oregon
Political party Democratic
Spouse Margaret (Kirkpatrick) Blumenauer
Residence Portland, Oregon
Alma mater Lewis and Clark College
Occupation attorney
Religion Non-denominational Protestant

Earl Blumenauer (born August 16, 1948) is a Democratic U.S. representative from Oregon, representing Oregon's 3rd congressional district. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River.

Born in Portland, Blumenauer graduated from Centennial High School in 1966[1] 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.[2]

Blumenauer worked as an assistant to the president of Portland State University.[3] He then served as an Oregon state representative from 1973 to 1979, Multnomah County Commissioner (1979–87) Portland city commissioner (1987–96)[3], and was appointed by Oregon's governor to the commission on higher education (1990–91).[4] In 1992, Blumenauer was defeated by Vera Katz in an open race for mayor of Portland. He has been described as "the man who probably knows the most about how Portland works," but left local politics for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 1996.[5]

Blumenauer was first 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.[5] He won the seat in his own right that November, and has been reelected five times with no substantive Republican opposition.

In the 2006 election, Blumenauer won re-election to a sixth full term, defeating Republican Bruce Broussard.[6]

The Willamette Week has summarized Blumenauer's fit with the congressional district he represents:

“ 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 streetcar. He's the biggest bike advocate on Capitol Hill. He voted against the USA 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.[7] ”

The Wall Street Journal also noted Blumenauer's enthusiasm for bicycling:

“ His congressional office is one of the few -- if not the only one -- that didn't even apply for a parking permit. On occasion, Mr. Blumenauer has cycled to the White House. On Mr. Blumenauer's first visit, the Secret Service, more accustomed to limousines, was flummoxed at the sight of his bike.[8] ”

Contents

[edit] Activity in Congress

Among the bills that Blumenauer has sponsored that have become law are the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004[9] and the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005.[10] In addition, the Legal Timber Protection Act passed as part of the 2008 Farm Bill, while the Bicycle Commuter Act passes with the 2008 bailout bill.

He is active in pressuring the United States to take greater action on the Darfur conflict.[11]

In the political aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Blumenauer was among those 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.[12]
  • January 26, 2005: Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to view the devastation in Southeast Asia as a result of the 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.[13]

He and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) have offered an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill for the past two years that would reform the nation's sugar quota laws with the intent of expanding free trade to the sugar market.[14]

Blumenauer's support for free trade agreements has angered a few progressives and labor activists. In 2004, he voted against the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). On September 24, 2007, four labor and human rights activists were arrested in Blumenauer's office protesting the congressman's support for the Peru Free Trade Agreement,[15] but which supporters say will promote jobs, improve labor conditions, and strengthen environmental protections.[citation needed]

Blumenauer is currently running for reelection (2008).

[edit] Committee Assignments

  • Committee on Ways & Means
    • Subcommittee on Trade
    • Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures
  • Budget Committee
  • Select Committee on Energy Independence and Climate Change

[edit] Electoral history

Oregon's 3rd congressional district: Results 1996–2006[16]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
1996 Earl Blumenauer 165,922 67% Scott Bruun 65,259 26% Joe Keating Pacific 9,274 4% Bruce A. Knight Libertarian 4,474 2% Victoria P. Guillebeau Socialist 2,449 1% *
1998 Earl Blumenauer 153,889 84% (no candidate) Bruce A. Knight Libertarian 16,930 9% Walt Brown Socialist 10,199 6% Write-ins 2,333 1%
2000 Earl Blumenauer 181,049 67% Jeffery L. Pollock 64,128 24% Tre Arrow Pacific Green 15,763 6% Bruce A. Knight Libertarian 4,942 2% Walt Brown Socialist 4,703 2% *
2002 Earl Blumenauer 156,851 67% Sarah Seale 62,821 27% Walt Brown Socialist 6,588 3% Kevin Jones Libertarian 4,704 2% David Brownlow Constitution 3,495 1% *
2004 Earl Blumenauer 245,559 71% Tami Mars 82,045 24% Walt Brown Socialist 10,678 3% Dale Winegarden Constitution 7,119 2% Write-ins 1,159 <1%
2006 Earl Blumenauer 186,380 73% Bruce Broussard 59,529 23% David Brownlow Constitution 7,003 3% Write-ins 698 <1%
*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1996, write-ins received 531 votes. In 2002, write-ins received 1094 votes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Voter Guide for Oregon District 3". National Federation of Independent Business. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  2. ^ "Blumenauer speaks at law commencement", Lewis & Clark Chronicle, Lewis & Clark College (Summer 2002). Retrieved on 2006-12-30. 
  3. ^ a b "About Earl Blumenauer". Blumenauer for Congress. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  4. ^ "Members of Congress / Earl Blumenauer". The U.S. Congress Votes Database. washingtonpost.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  5. ^ a b Schrag, John (1999). "Battle of the Bleeding Hearts", Willamette Week 25th Anniversary Edition. Retrieved on 2006-12-30. 
  6. ^ "November 7, 2006, General Election Abstracts of Votes" (pdf). Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, Elections Division. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  7. ^ Editorial (2002-11-09). "Fall Voter’s Guide 2002", Willamette Week. Retrieved on 2006-12-22. 
  8. ^ Hitt, Greg (2007-12-29). "For Congressman, Life in Bike Lane Comes Naturally", The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on 2007-12-30. 
  9. ^ "THE FLOOD INSURANCE REFORM ACT OF 2004". Rep. Blumenauer’s office. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  10. ^ "President Signs Water for the Poor Act Into Law". Rep. Blumenauer’s office. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  11. ^ As of December 2006, the Genocide Intervention Network gives Blumenauer a grade of A on its DarfurScores.com web site. "DarfurScores.org: Earl Blumenauer". Genocide Intervention Network. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  12. ^ Congressman Earl Blumenauer's Website, Representing the 3rd Congressional District of Oregon
  13. ^ Daily Kos: DAMNING Congressional Record: Cries for Help Ignored By The Federal Government [updated]
  14. ^ "Reforming US Sugar Policy". Rep. Blumenauer’s office. Retrieved on 2006-12-30.
  15. ^ Moore, Scott (2007-09-27). "Trade Secret", Portland Mercury. 
  16. ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved on 2008-01-10.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Ron Wyden		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oregon's 3rd congressional district
1996 – present		 Incumbent
v • d • e
Oregon's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Representative(s)
David Wu (D), Greg Walden (R), Earl Blumenauer (D), Peter DeFazio (D), Darlene Hooley (D)
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