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EspañolSAM BROWNBACK
'Samuel Dale Brownback' (born September 12 1956) is the senior United States senator from the U.S. state of Kansas. On January 20 2007, he announced his intention to seek the Republican Party's nomination for President in the 2008 Presidential election.[1][2]
Biography
Sam Brownback was born in Parker, Kansas to Nancy and Robert Brownback.[3] He was raised in a farming family in Garnett, Kansas; his ancestors settled in Kansas after leaving Pennsylvania following the Civil War.[4] Brownback was state president of Future Farmers of America, and was its national vice president from 1976 to 1977.[5] While at Kansas State University, he was elected student body president and was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho. He received his J.D. from the University of Kansas in 1982.
After college, Brownback spent approximately a year working as a broadcaster; he hosted a weekly half-hour show.[6]
He was an attorney in Manhattan, Kansas before becoming the Kansas secretary of agriculture in 1986. In 1990, he was accepted into the White House Fellow program and detailed to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 1990 to 1991. Brownback then returned to Kansas to resume his position as secretary of agriculture and remained in that position until 1993. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994, and next ran in the 1996 special Senatorial election to replace Bob Dole, who had resigned his Senate seat during his presidential campaign, beating appointed Republican Sheila Frahm.
He is married to the former Mary Stauffer, whose family owned and sold a successful media company in 1995.[7] They have five children including an adopted son and daughter. His adopted daughter, Jenna, was adopted from China.
Raised as a Methodist, Brownback later joined a nondenominational evangelical church, and in 2002 he converted to Catholicism. He joined the Catholic Church through Opus Dei priest Father C. John McCloskey in Washington DC.[8][9] Brownback himself, however, is not a member of the Opus Dei organization.[10]
Senate career
Brownback defeated U.S. Senator Sheila Frahm, who had been appointed to fill the seat of U.S. Senator Bob Dole in 1996, when Dole resigned in the middle of his term to campaign for president. In the general election, he defeated Democrat Jill Docking and was elected to a full term in the Senate in 1998. He won re-election in the 2004 Senate election with 69% of the vote, easily defeating his Democratic challenger, Lee Jones, a former Washington, D.C. lobbyist.
Brownback is a member of the Judiciary Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee (where he chaired the Subcommittee on District of Columbia when the Republicans were in the majority), the Joint Economic Committee, and the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission. He is the current Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, which monitors compliance with international agreements reached in cooperation with Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Brownback has announced that he would not run for reelection in 2010, in accordance with his support of term limits for members of Congress.[1]]
In 2000, Brownback and Congressman Chris Smith led the effort to enact the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).[11] President Clinton signed the legislation in October 2000. According to Christianity Today, the stronger enforcement increased the number of U.S. federal trafficking cases eightfold in the five years after enactment.[12]
As of August 12, 2007, in the 110th Session of Congress, Brownback has missed 123 votes due to campaigning (39.7 percent) — surpassed by Tim Johnson (D) of South Dakota who due to a critical illness has missed 100% of the votes of the 110th Session, and John McCain (R) of Arizona with 149 votes missed due to campaigning (48.1 percent).[13]
As of 8-21-2007, Brownback has a approval rating of 47%, with 45% disapproving.[2]
Positions
Brownback is most known as a supporter of Christian fundamentalism.[14] Brownback is a strong supporter of the traditional marriage movement and is an opponent of same-sex marriage. He has refused to state his opposition to adoption of children by gay families.[15] He is also anti-abortion in all cases, except to save the life of the mother.[16] Brownback was a cosponsor of the Constitution Restoration Act, which would have limited the power of federal courts to rule on church/state issues. Brownback told ''Rolling Stone'' that he chairs the Senate Values Action Team, an off-the-record weekly meeting of representatives from religious conservative organizations. Brownback has a voting record tending toward higher immigration levels. [17]
Health Care
Brownback supports a bill that will introduce price transparency to the U.S. health care industry,[18] as well as a bill which would require the disclosure of Medicare payment rate information.[19]
On December 16, 2006, Brownback gave an interview to the ''Christian Post'', stating: "We can get to this goal of eliminating deaths by cancer in 10 years."[20]
Immigration
Brownback has a "D" career grade from Americans for Better Immigration which indicates higher immigration levels. [17] Brownback was cosponsor of a 2005 bill of Kennedy and John McCain's which would give amnesty to illegal immigrants already present.[22] He has been criticized by Tom Tancredo for his support for Kennedy and McCain's latest immigration reform bill. Tancredo called him "an extreme opponent of getting tough on illegal immigration."[23] Brownback responded that politicians "must protect our borders, enforce the law, provide legal means for people to work in the United States, and fix a broken system." On June 26, 2007, Brownback voted in favor of S. 1639, the Bush-Kennedy Immigration Amnesty Act of 2007 (officially "A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.[24]").[25] Brownback supports increasing legal immigrants & build a fence on Mexican border and the reform bill "if enforced"
He voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. [26]
Tax Reform
In December 2005, Brownback advocated using Washington, DC as a "laboratory" for a flat tax. He stated, "that making D.C. a test case would, with limited potential for negative impact, provide valuable data about the effects of a flat tax that would prove helpful in determining whether it should be applied nationwide."[27] Some residents of the District believe that the proposed system of taxation would seem to only further what many believe to be the District's taxation without representation. DC mayor Anthony A. Williams said "Leaving aside the merits of this proposal, we continue to resist any efforts on the part of any member of Congress to impose rules and regulations on the people of the District."[28] He was rated 100% by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record. He voted YES on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment, supports reduction of money spending in federal budget and was rated 100% by CATO, indicating a pro-free trade voting record.
He supports two-year limit on welfare benefits. [26]
Iraq
Brownback has stated that he opposed Bush's 2007 troop surge in Iraq and the Democratic Party's strategy of timed withdrawal:
In May 2007 Brownback stated, "We have not lost war; we can win by pulling together" He voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq, voted NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding and voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. [26]
On June 7, 2007, Brownback voted against the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007 when that bill came up for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, on which Brownback sits.[31] (The bill was passed out of the committee by a vote of 11 to 8.[32]) The bill aims to restore habeas corpus rights revoked by the Military Commissions Act of 2006. [33]
Darfur
Brownback visited refugee camps in Sudan in 2004 and returned to write a resolution labeling the Darfur conflict as genocide, and has been active on attempting to increase U.S. efforts to resolve the situation short of military intervention.[34] He is an endorser of the Genocide Intervention Network, which called him a "champion of Darfur" in its Darfur scorecard, primarily for his early advocacy of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act.[35]
Iran
In May 2007 Brownback stated, "Iran is the lead sponsor of terrorism around the world" He supports talk with Iran, but no diplomatic relations. [26]
Chemical weapons
He voted NO on banning chemical weapons. [26]
Patriot Act
He voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act and voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. [26]
Intelligent Design
In a May 3, 2007 debate among the 10 candidates for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, Brownback was one of three who indicated that he did not believe in evolution.[39] Instead, Brownback favors teaching intelligent design in public school science classes via the Teach the Controversy approach:
He has been closely allied to the Discovery Institute, hub of the intelligent design movement, and has argued extensively on their behalf during Discovery Institute intelligent design campaigns such as the Santorum Amendment, Teach the Controversy, and the denial of tenure to Institute Fellow and design proponent Guillermo Gonzalez.[40][41]
Brownback appeared with three children adopted from in vitro fertilization clinics to coincide with a Senate debate over the Cord Blood Stem Cell Act of 2005 to show his support for the bill and adult stem cell research. The Religious Freedom Coalition refers to children conceived through the adopted in vitro process as "snowflake children." LEGISLATIVE UPDATE — WEEK ENDING May 27 2005; STEM CELLS AND SNOWFLAKE BABIES The term, as proponents explain, is an extension of the idea that the embryos are "frozen and unique," and in that way are similar to snowflakes. Brownback supports the use of cord blood stem cells for research and treatment, instead of embryonic stem cells and was one of the sponsors of the bill in the Senate.[42]
Brownback is a lead sponsor of the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 and by frequently speaks out against the mail-order bride industry.[43]
Brownback is a supporter of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, and voted against the federal expansion of hate crimes to include sexual orientation.[44]
Abortion
Brownback opposes legal abortion in every circumstance, except to protect the life of the mother. His voting record is rated 0% by NARAL.
On May 3, 2007, when asked his opinion of repealing Roe v. Wade, Brownback said, "It would be a glorious day of human liberty and freedom."[45] But on the same occasion, Brownback also stated he "could support a pro-choice nominee" to the presidency, because "this is a big coalition party." [46]
In policy, Brownback is opposed to a nationwide ban on abortion. Rather than enact a human life amendment, Brownback would have the question of "whether and how to regulate abortion" resolved democratically in the states.[47] This position places Brownback at odds with the Republican Party platform, which advocates Fourteenth Amendment protections for unborn children.[4]
Stem-Cell Research
Brownback opposes federal funding for stem-cell research and this method. [26]
Civil rights
Brownback's voting record on civil rights was rated 20% by the ACLU He supports an anti-flag desecration amendment, voted YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business, and voted YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. [26]
Crime
He was rated 25% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes. He voted YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses and voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations. [26]
Death penalty
In a speech on the Senate Judiciary Committee, he questioned the current use of the death penalty as potentially incongruent with the notion of a "culture of life", and suggesting for its employment in a more limited fashion.[51] He voted YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder and voted NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals. [26]
Education
He does not believe in evolution and supports idea of teaching intelligence project theory. He was Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti teacher union education votes. He voted against many project of increase educational budget. [26]
Ethnic Issues
Brownback introduced into the Senate a resolution (Senate Joint Resolution 37) calling for the United States to apologize for past mistreatment of Native Americans. Brownback worked with Congressman John Lewis to help win placement of the African American Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C..
LGBT issues
He voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage, voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes but has not stated a position on adoption of children by same-sex couples.[15]
Gun control
He voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks and opposes gun control. [26]
Religious Views
Brownback told ''Rolling Stone'' that he had moved from mainline Protestantism to evangelicalism before his 2002 conversion to Catholicism, and that in 1994 he became involved with The Fellowship, a conservative Christian U.S. political organisation.
Other Issues
On September 27, 2006, Brownback introduced a bill called the Truth in Video Game Rating Act (S.3935), which would regulate the rating system of computer and video games.
On June 15, 2006, Bush signed into law the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 sponsored by Brownback, a former broadcaster himself. The new law stiffens the penalties for each violation of the Act. The Federal Communications Commission will be able to impose fines in the amount of $325,000 for each violation by each station, which violates decency standards. The legislation raises the fine by tenfold.[56][57]
On September 3 1997, Meredith O'Rourke, an employee of Kansas firm Triad Management Services, was deposed by the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs regarding her activities and observations while providing services for the company relative to fund raising and advertising for Brownback. In her deposition, she states that campaign management for Brownback's campaign had provided Triad with a list of current donors, specifically those who had "maxed out" on the federal contribution limit of $2,100. The deposition claims that Triad circumvented existing campaign finance laws by channeling donations through Triad, and also bypassed the campaign law with Triad running 'issue ads' during Brownback's first campaign for the Senate.[58][59]
On June 28, 2007 Mr. Brownback, switched his vote from being in favor ("Aye") of the Kennedy-Kyl Immigration Reform bill to a vote against the bill ("Nay"). He had previously state that he was in favor of cloture. He was rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. He supports federalize aviation security and voted YES on prohibiting same-sex basic training. [26]
Environment
The conservative organization Republicans for Environmental Protection gave Brownback a grade of 29 percent for the 109th United States Congress, during which he cast what REP qualified as pro-environment votes on two of seven critical issues. REP criticized Brownback for supporting oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in “sensitive marine waters” in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, as well as for opposing measures designed to increase “efficiency and renewable-resource programs to improve energy security, lower costs, and reduce energy related environmental impacts.” [61] The environmental group League of Conservation Voters rated Brownback at 15 percent for the 109th Congress, citing his lack of support for low-income energy assistance, his lack of support for environmental and natural resources stewardship funding, and his tendency to vote in favor of offshore oil drilling and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[62]
The Reverend Rob Schenk of the National Clergy Council has called Brownback the "gold standard" for a viable conservative presidential candidate.[63]
He voted YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests was rated 0% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes. He voted NO on including oil & gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. [26]
Right To Privacy
He has said he does not believe there is an inherent right to privacy in the U.S. Constitution. He has, however, expressed disapproval of George W. Bush's assertions on the legality of the NSA wiretapping program.[65]
2008 Presidential campaign
On December 4 2006, Brownback formed an exploratory committee, thus taking the first steps toward candidacy. He has announced his Presidential bid as of December 5, 2006 on his website.[66] His expressed views position him in the social conservative wing of the Republican party. He has also stressed his fiscal conservatism. "I am an economic, a fiscal, a social and a compassionate conservative," he said in December 2006.[67]
On January 20 2007, in Topeka, Brownback announced that he was running for President in 2008.[68]
On February 22 2007, a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports held that three percent of likely primary voters would support Brownback.[69]
Brownback's close advisors for his presidential bid, as listed by the ''Washington Post''[70] are David Kensinger, a political consultant who is a former executive director of GOPAC and former Brownback chief of staff; Rob Wasinger, Brownback's chief of staff in 2005; and Paul Wilson, a media consultant with Wilson Grand Communications. Also listed as "playing a key role" was Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza. Also mentioned as a member of Brownback's exploratory committee was Bowie Kuhn, former Major League Baseball commissioner, before his death on March 15, 2007.[71] A conservative Catholic, Brownback enjoys support among the religious right, and focuses his campaign towards this element of society. However, his Catholicism has provoked debate with other conservative, religious candidates, as the Huckabee campaign appeared to attempt to make Christian sectarian differences a campaign issue among Republican candidates.[72]
On August 11, 2007, Brownback finished third in the Ames Iowa Straw Poll with 15.3% of all votes cast. Fundraising and visits to his website declined dramatically after this event, as many supporters had predicted Brownback would do much better, and speculation began that the candidate was considering withdrawing from the campaign. This sentiment increased after his lackluster performance in the GOP Presidential Debate of September 5, broadcast from New Hampshire by Fox News. [73]
He has recently had the support of actor Stephen Baldwin.
Brownback also won support from fellow Kansas lawmakers Senator Pat Roberts and Rep. Todd Tiahrt[74].
Footnotes
1. Swarns, Rachel L. ''Kansas Senator Announces Bid for Presidency'', New York Times, January 21 2007
2. Associated Press, Brownback announces Presidential Campaign, January 20 2007
3. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/brownback.htm
4. Brownback Presidential Campaign reprint of Weekly Standard article Eastland, Terry, Mr. Compassionate Conservative, ''The Weekly Standard'', Volume 011, Issue 44, August 7 2006
5. Future Farmers of America: ''Prominent Former Members''
6. Kapochunas, Rachel. ''Brownback, Set to Launch GOP White House Bid, Will Fight from the Right'', ''CQPolitics.com'' January 18 2007
7. The New York Times Archives, "Media Concern Adds 12 Stauffer Papers", Published: June 16 1995
8. rollingstone.com
9. http://www.slate.com/id/2069194
10. WashingtonPost
11. Library of Congress: Thomas. House Resolution 3244. ''Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000''
12. Alford, Deann. "Free at Last", ''Christianity Today'', February 21 2007
13. Washington Post."Missed Votes", August 12, 2007
14. Sharlet, Jeff. "God's Senator", ''Rolling Stone'', January 25 2006.
15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5s3HoZS2g0
16. http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Sam_Brownback.htm
17. http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=KS&VIPID=317
18. PR Newswire: Senators and Hospital Groups Support New GPO Transparency Initiative, July 12 2005
19. U.S. Senator Sam Brownback press release: Brownback Introduces Medicare Payment Rate Disclosure Act, April 7 2006
20. Brownback Addresses Christian Radio Members, Touts FDA Move
21. http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=KS&VIPID=317
22. Democrats are flocking to McCain's immigration bill
23. Tom Tancredo: Sam Brownback 'Miserable' on Illegal Immigration
24. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.01639:
25. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00228
26. Sam Brownback On the Issues
27. The New York Sun: D.C. May Be Flat Tax Laboratory, November 30 2005
28. DCist:
A Flat Tax for the District?, December 2 2005
29. Sam Brownback On the Issues
30. Sam Brownback On the Issues
31. Countdown with Keith Olbermann, June 7, 2007.
32. http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=203303
33. According to an Associated Press report by reporter Laurie Kellman, Bush Veto Expected for Stem Cell Bill Laurie Kellman
34. The Washington Post: Policy Adrift on Darfur, page A25, December 27 2005.
35. DarfurScores.org: Champions of Darfur, operated by the Genocide Intervention Network, site accessed 21 August 2006
36. Sam Brownback On the Issues
37. Sam Brownback On the Issues
38. Sam Brownback On the Issues
39. Evolution Important Question, But Debate Left Us No Wiser Kathleen Parker. Real Clear Politics, May 10, 2007.
40. Evolution Opponents on the Offensive in Senate, House Government Affairs Program, American Geological Institute.
41. Breaking News: U.S. Senator Expresses Alarm Over Denial of Tenure to Gonzalez at Iowa State Discovery Institute, EvolutionNews.org, May 22, 2007.
42. The New York Sun: White House Ready To Veto Senate's Stem Cell Decision, July 18 2006
43. Vatican Radio: Mail Order Nightmares [3]
44. http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=21952
45. California Republican debate transcript, May 3, 2007
46. California Republican debate transcript, May 3, 2007
47. Senator Brownback press release, June 23, 2005
48. Sam Brownback On the Issues
49. Sam Brownback On the Issues
50. Sam Brownback On the Issues
51. Sentencing Law and Policy (Blog by Douglas A. Berman): Senator Brownback questions death penalty and culture of life, February 3 2006
52. Sam Brownback On the Issues
53. Sam Brownback On the Issues
54. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5s3HoZS2g0
55. Sam Brownback On the Issues
56. Combs, Roberta. Christian Coalition of America, ''Washington Weekly Review'', June 17 2006
57. Bill Number S. 193
58. O'Rourke Deposition:[5] September 3 1997
59. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/cf121297.htm
60. Sam Brownback On the Issues
61. Republicans for Environmental Protection 2006 Scorecard
62. LCV 2006 Scorecard
63. Barillas, Martin. "Evangelical leader meets with McCain and Romney", Spero News, February 20 2007.
64. Sam Brownback On the Issues
65. The Washington Post: David S. Broder: ''Bucking Bush on Spying'', February 9 2006
66. "Favorite of religious right moves toward White House bid" by ''Associated Press''. CNN, December 4 2006.
67. forbes
68.
Brownback to Move on Presidential Bid
69. news.yahoo.com
70. "Sam Brownback's Inner Circle" by Chris Cillizza. Washington Post.com, December 5 2006.
71. Matt Stearns & David Goldstein, Wichita Eagle, ''Sam Brownback forms exploratory committee,'' December 5 2006
72. Sarah Wheaton, The Caucus Blog (NYT), ''A Righteous E-mail Battle'', August 2 2007.
73. Romney trounces GOP field in Iowa straw poll Lisa Wangsness
74. http://thehill.com/endorsements-2008.html
External links
;Official sites
★ Brownback for President official campaign website
★
★ Brownback on Facebook
★
★ Brownback on Flickr
★
★ Brownback on Myspace
★
★ Brownback on YouTube
★ Official Senate website
★
;Documentaries, topic pages and databases
★ FEC Disclosure — Sam Brownback Presidential campaign Senate campaign campaign finance reports and data
★ Genealogy of Sam Brownback
★ Spartan Internet Political Performance Index Weekly Results for Sam Brownback
★ On the Issues — Sam Brownback issue positions and quotes
★ OpenSecrets.org — Sam Brownback President Senate 2001–2006 cycle campaign contributions
★ Project Vote Smart — Sam Brownback profile
★ Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Sam Brownback voting record
★ Washington Post — The Presidential Field: Sam Brownback profile, finance, events
★
;Media coverage
★ New York Times — Sam Brownback News news stories and commentary
★ PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer — Vote 2008: Sam Brownback news and commentary
★ ''God's Senator: Who would Jesus vote for? Meet Sam Brownback'', ''Rolling Stone'', January 25 2006
★ Brownback questions the legality of warrantless domestic spying program ''Media Matters'', February 14, 2006
★ ''The Wilberforce Republican: Sam Brownback is redefining the Christian right'', ''The Economist'', March 9 2006
★ Central Asia: US Helsinki Commission concerned about SCO's influence
★ Nermeen Shaikh, indepth ''AsiaSource'' interview with Senator Sam Brownback'' May 9, 2006
★ ''New York Times'' May 31, 2007 opinion piece: 'What I Think About Evolution' and critique Don't Know Much Biology by Jerry Coyne
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