Jay Dickey

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Jay W. Dickey, Jr. (born December 14, 1939), is a former U.S. Representative from the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas. He served in Congress from 1993 to 2000. The Dickey Amendment, which prohibits federal funds to be spent on research that involves the destruction of a human embryo, is named for him.

Dickey was elected United States Representative for the Fourth District of Arkansas—the first Republican to be elected to the seat—on November 3, 1992. He was re-elected four times, and served on the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittees on Agriculture, National Security, Energy and Water, Transportation and Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education. He presently operates JD Consulting Co., primarily a federal government lobbying firm, which represents clients' interest in children's health care, navigation and water, tax matters, homeland security, and roads.

Dickey achieved notoriety when he insisted to media that there were no homosexuals in his district. He also responded to a question from SPY magazine about "ethnic cleansing in Freedonia" by blaming then-President Clinton. (Freedonia is a fictional country depicted in the Marx Brothers' movie, Duck Soup.)

The outspoken, controversial, and conservative Dickey saw his popularity decline in his overall moderate district. In 2000, he lost in his reelection campaign to the Democratic candidate Mike Ross in a close race. House Speaker Dennis Hastert came into the district in a frantic bid to save Dickey's seat. Dickey then opposed Ross in 2002 in an attempt to return to his seat, but he was defeated, 60-40 percent.

[edit] References

• Jay Dickey at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Preceded by Beryl Anthony, Jr.

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 4th congressional district January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001

Succeeded by Mike Ross