Sam Brownback

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Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Incumbent
Assumed office 
November 7, 1996–
Serving with Pat Roberts
Preceded by Sheila Frahm
Succeeded by Incumbent (2011)
Born September 12, 1956 (age 50)
Garnett, Kansas
Political party Republican
Spouse Mary Brownback
Profession Broadcaster, Lawyer
Religion Roman Catholic

Samuel Dale "Sam" 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]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Sam Brownback was born in Parker, Kansas to Nancy and Robert Brownback.[3] He was raised in a farming family in Parker, Kansas; his ancestors settled in Kansas after leaving Pennsylvania following the Civil War.[4] Brownback was state president of Future Farmers of America, and eventually went on to become the national vice president from 1976-1977.[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][7]

He was an attorney in Manhattan, Kansas[8] 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 1990-91. 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.

He is married to the former Mary Stauffer, whose family owned and sold a successful media company in 1995.[9] They have five children including an adopted son and daughter.

Raised as a Methodist, Brownback later joined a nondenominational evangelical church, and in 2002 he became Catholic. He joined the Catholic Church through Opus Dei member Father C. John McCloskey in Washington DC.[10][11] However, Brownback himself is not a member of the Opus Dei organization.[12]

[edit] Senate career

Senator Brownback replaced U.S. Senator Sheila Frahm who had been appointed to fill the seat of U.S. Senator Bob Dole in November 1996, when Senator Dole resigned in the middle of his term to campaign for president.

In the primary set up to fill out the remainder of Dole's term, Brownback defeated U.S. Senator Sheila Frahm, a former Lieutenant Governor, who had been appointed to temporarily fill the Senate seat. 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 who was considered less than viable, especially after losing the Democratic Primary.

Brownback is a member of the Judiciary Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee (where he chairs the Subcommittee on District of Columbia), 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.[4]]

In 2000, Brownback and Congressman Chris Smith led the effort to enact the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).[13] 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.[14]

[edit] Views

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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 Family or The Fellowship, a U.S. organization centered around the life and teachings of Jesus.

Brownback defines himself as a social conservative. He cites former Senator Jesse Helms as a model.[15] He is strongly pro-life, having referred to the number of abortions in the United States since Roe v. Wade as "a holocaust."[16]

Brownback was a co-sponsor of the Constitution Restoration Act, which would have limited the power of federal courts to rule on church/state issues. The legislation had little chance of passing, but it served to rally support from religious conservatives. 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 is a strong supporter of traditional marriage and is an opponent of same-sex marriage and gay rights.

He favors teaching intelligent design in public school science classes via the Teach the Controversy approach:

There's intelligence involved in the overall of creation. . .I don't think we're really at the point of teaching this in the classroom. I think what we passed in the U.S. Senate in 2002 is really what we should be doing, and that is that you teach the controversy, you teach what is fact is fact, and what is theory is theory, and you move from that proceedings, rather than from teaching some sort of different thought. And this, I really think that's the area we should concentrate on at the present time, is teaching the controversy.[17]

– Senator Sam Brownback, Larry King Live, CNN, August 23, 2005''

While believing there is no inherent right to privacy in the U.S. Constitution, he expresses disapproval of President Bush's assertions on the legality of the NSA wiretapping program.[18] In accordance with his Roman Catholic beliefs (after he converted in 2002), he has, however, taken a moderate approach to capital punishment. 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.[19]

Senator Brownback has stated that he opposed President Bush's 2007 troop surge in Iraq and the Democrats so-called "cut and run" strategy:

It does mean that there must be bipartisan agreement for our military commitment on Iraq. We cannot fight a war with the support of only one political party. And it does mean that the parties in Iraq--Sunni, Shi’a and Kurds--must get to a political agreement, to a political equilibrium. I think most people agree that a cut and run strategy does not serve our interest at all, nor those of the world, nor those of the region, nor those of the Iraqi people. So I invite my colleagues, all around, particularly on the other side of the aisle, to indicate what level of commitment they can support."[20]

– Senator Sam Brownback, U.S. Senate floor speech, January 16, 2007''

According to an Associated Press report by reporter Laurie Kellman,[21] "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 and to demonstrate his belief that these children and others like them, conceived through in vitro fertilization, may not exist today if as embryos they were used in embryonic stem cell research. The Religious Freedom Coalition refers to children conceived through the adopted in vitro process as "snowflake children."[22] 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.[23] 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.[24]

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.[25] 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.[26]

After the September 11 terrorist attacks, he worked with Senator Ted Kennedy on legislation that imposed stricter entry standards at the borders of the United States. Brownback worked with Congressman John Lewis to help win placement of the African American Museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Brownback is also trying to introduce price transparency to the US health care industry,[27] as well as a bill which would require the disclosure of Medicare payment rate information.[28]

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."[29] 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."[30]

Brownback has attempted to curb the abuse sometimes suffered by mail order brides in the United States at the hands of their American spouses as a lead sponsor of the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act of 2005 and by frequently speaking out against the industry.[31]

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, President George W. Bush signed into law the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 sponsored by Brownback, a former broadcaster himself, and endorsed by Congressman Fred Upton of Michigan who authored a similar bill in the United States House of Representatives. 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 a tenfold increase.[32][33]

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 $2100. 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.[34][35]

[edit] 2008 Presidential campaign

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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.[36] 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.[37] Another theme of his campaign has been his statement, "We can get to this goal of eliminating deaths by cancer in 10 years."[38]

On January 20, 2007, in Topeka, Brownback announced that he was running for President in 2008.[39] If elected President in 2008, Brownback will have been a United States Senator for 12 years, equivalent to two full terms as senator.

On February 22 2007, a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports held that 3% of likely primary voters would support Brownback. This is compared with 33% for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.[40]

Brownback's close advisors for his presidential bid, as listed by the Washington Post[41] 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 is Bowie Kuhn, former Major League Baseball commissioner.[42]

The Reverend Rob Schenk of the National Clergy Council has called Brownback the "gold standard" for a viable conservative presidential candidate, citing his views on sanctity of life, sanctity of marriage and family, and public acknowledgement of God.[43]

[edit] 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. ^ Brownback Presidential Campaign reprint of Weekly Standard article Eastland, Terry, Mr. Compassionate Conservative, The Weekly Standard, Volume 011, Issue 44, August 7, 2006
  7. ^ Kapochunas, Rachel. Brownback, Set to Launch GOP White House Bid, Will Fight from the Right, CQPolitics.com January 18, 2007
  8. ^ Brownback Presidential Campaign reprint of Weekly Standard article Eastland, Terry, Mr. Compassionate Conservative, The Weekly Standard, Volume 011, Issue 44, August 7, 2006
  9. ^ The New York Times Archives, “Media Concern Adds 12 Stauffer Papers”, Published: June 16, 1995
  10. ^ rollingstone.com
  11. ^ http://www.slate.com/id/2069194
  12. ^ WashingtonPost
  13. ^ Library of Congress: Thomas. House Resolution 3244. Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000
  14. ^ Alford, Deann. "Free at Last", Christianity Today, February 21, 2007
  15. ^ Sharlet, Jeff. "God's Senator", Rolling Stone, January 25, 2006.
  16. ^ MSNBC: George F. Will: Brownback's Plans for 2008, June 12, 2005
  17. ^ Intelligent Design in American Classrooms? CNN Larry King Live, August 23, 2005.
  18. ^ The Washington Post: David S. Broder: Bucking Bush on Spying, February 9, 2006
  19. ^ Sentencing Law and Policy (Blog by Douglas A. Berman): Senator Brownback questions death penalty and culture of life, February 3, 2006
  20. ^ Senator Sam Brownback office, Brownback on Iraq and Troop Surge, Calls for bipartisanship, diplomatic efforts, January 17, 2007, Washington, D.C.
  21. ^ Kellman, Laurie. "Bush Veto Expected for Stem Cell Bill", Associated Press, 2006-07-18. Retrieved on 2006-08-23. (in English)
  22. ^ LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2005; STEM CELLS AND SNOWFLAKE BABIES. Religious Freedom Coalition (27 May 2005). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
  23. ^ >LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING MAY 27, 2005; STEM CELLS AND SNOWFLAKE BABIES. Religious Freedom Coalition (27 May 2005). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
  24. ^ The New York Sun: White House Ready To Veto Senate's Stem Cell Decision, July 18, 2006
  25. ^ The Washington Post: Policy Adrift on Darfur, page A25, December 27, 2005.
  26. ^ DarfurScores.org: Champions of Darfur, operated by the Genocide Intervention Network, site accessed 21 August 2006
  27. ^ PR Newswire: Senators and Hospital Groups Support New GPO Transparency Initiative, July 12, 2005
  28. ^ US Senator Sam Brownback press release: Brownback Introduces Medicare Payment Rate Disclosure Act, April 7, 2006
  29. ^ The New York Sun: D.C. May Be Flat Tax Laboratory, November 30, 2005
  30. ^ DCist: A Flat Tax for the District?, December 2, 2005
  31. ^ Vatican Radio: Mail Order Nightmares [1]
  32. ^ Combs, Roberta. Christian Coalition of America, Washington Weekly Review, June 17, 2006
  33. ^ Bill Number S. 193. Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 (Introduced in Senate) from Congressional THOMAS DB. Retrieved on April 11, 2005.
  34. ^ O'Rourke Deposition:[2]September 3, 1997
  35. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/cf121297.htm
  36. ^ "Favorite of religious right moves toward White House bid" by [[Associated Press]]. CNN, December 4, 2006.
  37. ^ forbes
  38. ^ [3]
  39. ^ http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2774442
  40. ^ news.yahoo.com
  41. ^ " Sam Brownback's Inner Circle" by Chris Cillizza . Washington Post.com , December 5, 2006.
  42. ^ Matt Stearns & David Goldstein, Wichita Eagle, Sam Brownback forms exploratory committee, December 5, 2006
  43. ^ Barillas, Martin. "Evangelical leader meets with McCain and Romney", Spero News, February 20, 2007.

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Preceded by
Jim Slattery		 United States Representative for the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas
1995–1996		 Succeeded by
Jim Ryun
Preceded by
Sheila Frahm		 United States Senator (Class 3) from Kansas
1996-
Served alongside: Nancy Landon Kassebaum, Pat Roberts		 Succeeded by
Incumbent


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