Jon Kyl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jon Kyl
Junior Senator from Arizona
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 4, 1995 Serving with John McCain
Preceded by	Dennis DeConcini
25th United States Senate Minority Whip
Incumbent
Assumed office  December 19, 2007
Leader	Mitch McConnell
Preceded by	Trent Lott
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 4th district
In office January 5, 1987 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Eldon D. Rudd
Succeeded by	John Shadegg
Born	April 25, 1942 (1942-04-25) (age 66) Oakland, Nebraska
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Caryll L. Collins
Children	2
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Presbyterian

This page is about the current Arizona Senator; for his father, a U.S. Representative from Iowa, see John Kyl; for a U.S. Representative from Mississippi with a similar name, see John Kyle.

Jon Llewellyn Kyl (born April 25, 1942) is the Republican junior U.S. Senator, representing Arizona. He is currently the Senate Minority Whip.

[edit] Background

Kyl was born in Oakland, Nebraska, the son of Arlene Pearl Griffith and John Henry Kyl,^[1] a United States Congressman for Iowa. In the 1950s his family moved to Bloomfield, Iowa where he graduated from high school in 1960. Kyl earned a bachelor's degree in 1964 from the University of Arizona, graduating with honors. There he became a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He then earned a law degree in 1966 at the University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law, and served as editor-in-chief of the Arizona Law Review. Before entering politics, he was a lawyer and lobbyist with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon in Phoenix, Arizona. Kyl is married to Caryll Collins, with whom he has had two children, Kristine Kyl Gavin and John Kyl, as well as four grandchildren.

[edit] Political career

Kyl served in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995. He was first elected to the Senate in 1994, easily defeating Samuel G. Coppersmith (D), then a member of the House of Representatives from Arizona.

Kyl was reelected in 2000, without major-party opposition, and in 2006, defeating challenger Jim Pederson by just under 10 points. He is considered to be a staunch conservative,^[2] and was ranked by National Journal as the fourth-most conservative United States Senator in their March 2007 conservative/liberal rankings ^[3].

In February 2006, Kyl joined Senator Lindsey Graham in filing an amicus brief in the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case. The brief presented to the Supreme Court of the United States an “extensive colloquy” added to the Congressional record. It was not, however, included in the Dec 21st debate as evidence that "Congress was aware" that the Detainee Treatment Act would strip the Court of jurisdiction to hear "pending cases, including this case" brought by the Guantanamo detainees.^[4]

In April 2006, Kyl was selected by TIME as one of "America's 10 Best Senators"; the magazine cited his successful behind-the-scene efforts as head of the Republican policy committee.^[5]

In May 2007, Kyl vowed to block passage of a bill pertaining to changes in the Freedom of Information Act FOIA, defending the Justice Department's claim that the bill "could force them to reveal sensitive information."^[6]

In May 2007, Kyl's leadership role in pushing the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 produced calls for a recall election.^[7]

Kyl has been elected by his fellow Senate Republicans to a succession of leadership posts: Policy Committee chairman (2003-2007), Conference chairman (2007), and most recently (in December 2007), Senate Minority Whip.^[8] Kyl's ascension to Minority Whip makes him the first Arizonan to hold such an influential Senate leadership post since Ernest W. McFarland served as Senate Majority Leader in the 82nd Congress. Kyl is the only Arizona Republican to hold such a powerful leadership position.

Kyl has endorsed John McCain in his bid for President of the United States.^[9]

[edit] Online gambling ban

In September 2006, working with former Congressman Jim Leach, Jon Kyl was a major Senate supporter of Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The Act was passed at midnight the day Congress adjourned before the 2006 elections. Prior to it being added to the bill, the gambling provisions had not been debated by any Congressional committee.^[10]

[edit] 2006 re-election campaign

Main article: Arizona United States Senate election, 2006

On November 7, 2006, Kyl defeated real estate developer and former Arizona Democratic Party chairman Jim Pederson in the race to claim Arizona's junior Senate seat.^[11]

The race was one of the most expensive in Arizona history. As of May 7, Kyl's campaign had raised over $9 million, primarily from private donations and large fundraising dinners. Pederson's campaign raised over $5 million primarily through a dinner event with former President Bill Clinton and a $2 million donation from Pederson himself.

A major issue in the campaign was illegal immigration. While in the Senate, Kyl cosponsored legislation that would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the country. Once there, they could apply for permanent residence or be guest workers.^[12] Since fellow Arizona Senator John McCain opposed this legislation, Pederson tried to use the issue as a way of allying with McCain and dividing the Republicans in Arizona.^[13] Controversy also arose when each candidate accused the other of supporting the amnesty provisions in a 1986 immigration bill, although both candidates deny ever supporting those provisions.^[14]

Kyl appeared in the U.S. national news near the end of the campaign as an example of a case where some bloggers were attempting to influence search engine results for searches on Kyl's name, using Google bombs.^[15]

[edit] Committee Assignments

• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law
  • Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship
• Committee on Finance
  • Subcommittee on Health Care
  • Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy
  • Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-Term Growth (Ranking Member)

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• United States Senator Jon Kyl, U.S. Senate site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Staff salary data at LegiStorm.com
• New York Times — Jon Kyl News ongoing collection of news stories and commentary
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Jon Kyl profile
• Jon Kyl for US Senate 2006, Campaign site

v • d • e United States Senators from Arizona Class 1: Ashurst • McFarland • Goldwater • Fannin • DeConcini • Kyl Class 3: Smith • Cameron • Hayden • Goldwater • McCain

v • d • e United States Senate Minority Whips Wadsworth • Curtis • Gerry • Sheppard • Hebert • Wherry • Lucas • Saltonstall • Clements • Saltonstall • Dirksen • Kuchel • Scott • Griffin • Stevens • Cranston • Simpson • Ford • Reid • Nickles • Reid • Nickles • Reid • Durbin • Lott • Kyl