Peter Welch
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| Peter Welch | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 4, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Bernie Sanders |
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| Born | May 2, 1947 Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Joan Smith (desc.) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
- For the British television actor, see Peter Welch (actor).
Peter F. Welch (born May 2, 1947) is the United States Representative for the U.S. state of Vermont's at-large congressional seat. He also served as a Vermont State Senator (D-Windsor). Welch was the president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.
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[edit] Biographical
Welch was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1947. He attended local Catholic schools there (Holy Name Grammar School and Cathedral High School). Welch attended College of the Holy Cross, graduating magna cum laude in 1969. He later received a law degree from Boalt Hall, the law school of the University of California, Berkeley. Welch married Joan Smith in 1976. Together they had five children. Smith died of cancer in 2004.
[edit] Vermont government
In 1980, Welch was elected to the Vermont Senate as a representative from Windsor County. In his second term, Welch was chosen as the minority leader, and after Democrats gained control of the Senate, Welch was chosen as president pro tempore.
In 1988, Welch left the Vermont Senate to make an unsuccessful run for the Democratic nomination for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Vermont's at-large congressional district. In 1990, Welch won the Democratic nomination for governor of Vermont, but lost in the general election to the former Vermont Governor Richard Snelling, the Republican nominee. Welch did not run for another office for more than a decade, but in 2001 was appointed by then-Governor Howard Dean to fill a vacant Vermont Senate seat in Windsor County. He was elected to the seat in 2002 and reelected in 2004, again serving as president pro tempore.
[edit] U.S. Congress
When Vermont's lone U.S. House member Bernie Sanders decided to run for the U.S. Senate in 2006, Welch chose to run for Sanders' seat. He defeated Republican Martha Rainville in the November 7, 2006 general election 53% to 45% in a race where both candidates pledged to be entirely positive.[1]
[edit] Key Positions
As of September 2007, Welch’s congressional website depicted his stand on issues and legislation, as follows:
- Developing a “pro-Vermont family farm 2007 farm bill and advocating for other federal policies that strengthen Vermont agriculture.”
- Ending the War in Iraq. Welch opposed the war before it began.
- Caring for veterans by including the support of their recovery from the effects of war in the military budget.
- Combating global warming and increasing energy independence.
- Providing universal health care and affordable prescription drugs to Americans.
One website that tracks congressional votes, Ontheissues.org, reported in September 2007 that Welch believes that an abortion decision should be between a woman and her doctor. His campaign website for 2006 claimed that he had a “100 percent National Rife Association record.”
[edit] Key Votes
According to Ontheissues.org, Welch voted YES, as follows on key issues:
- Expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
- Criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC. (May 2007)
- Removing oil and gas exploration subsidies. (Jan 2007)
- Restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Mar 2007)
- Increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Jan 2007)
- Requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Jan 2007)
- Redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days. (May 2007)
[edit] Committee assignments
Welch is a member of two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Committee on Rules and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
[edit] Committee on Rules
In the Committee on Rules Welch serves on the Subcommittee on the Legislative and Budget Process, which is responsible for relations between the Congress and the Executive Branch.
[edit] Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
In the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Welch is a member of two subcommittees, the Subcommittee on Government Management, Oversight and Procurement and the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs.
[edit] Sponsored legislation
A September, 2007 search of the Library of Congress Thomas congressional bill search engine revealed Welch’s sponsorship of amendments on the following topics (among others):
- To improve and strengthen the safety inspection process of nuclear facilities with an amendment of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.
- To facilitate the development of markets for alternative fuels and Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel through research, development, and demonstration and data collection.
- To assist in the provision of affordable housing to low-income families affected by Hurricane Katrina.
- To authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics and science teachers, and for other purposes.
- To provide tax incentives for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation.
- To authorize Federal agencies and legislative branch offices to purchase greenhouse gas offsets and renewable energy credits, and for other purposes.
- To establish an Ombudsman in the Department of Defense to assist members of the Armed Forces seeking medical care at military medical treatment facilities.
- To carry out a pilot program to provide readjustment counseling and related mental health services to veterans through the use of mobile centers.
- To increase the number of benefits claims representatives employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- To ensure that members of the National Guard and Reserves are able to fully participate in the benefits delivery at discharge program administered.
- To provide resources to medical care managers and service member advocates.
- To set a 5-percent procurement goal for Federal contracting with "green" small businesses.
- To encourage schools to submit plans for implementation to the Secretary that include locally grown foods, in areas where geographically available.
- To establish a grant program for Colleges and Universities to invest in sustainable and efficient energy projects, up to $1 million for efficiency and $500,000 for sustainability.
[edit] Impeachment controversy
One area where Welch has been at odds with vocal constituents is the matter of impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Welch has expressed the opinion that ending the war in Iraq is a top priority, and impeachment would distract the Congress from addressing that outcome. Advocates of impeachment have protested in Welch's Vermont offices[1].
On the Iraq War, the Vermont Guardian quoted Welch as saying, "If we’re going to end the war we’re going to have to move beyond the 218 votes (the number of Democrats, and two Republicans, who voted recently for a war funding bill that includes a withdrawal timetable). There is united Democratic opposition to the war and only two Republicans voted for accountability, no blank check, and a timetable. There are some folks who believe impeachment is a way to end the war, but my major reservation is that impeachment is one approach guaranteed to solidify Republican opposition."
On impeachment, the Vermont Guardian quoted Welch as saying, "My hat is off to the citizen activists in Vermont for bringing their case to the Legislature; they are representative of the proud tradition we have in Vermont to speaking out. .... People are expressing broad outrage about this president’s handling of the war, his treatment of civil liberties, and the use of bogus intelligence, and there is a lot of common ground here on holding the president and vice president accountable. The major question is the best way to make that happen.... My fundamental concern is ending this war."
2008 Presidential Election Rep. Welch has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for Democratic nomination.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- U.S. Congressman Peter Welch, House 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
- Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
- Peter Welch for U.S. Congress, Campaign site
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Bernie Sanders |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont 2007 – present |
Incumbent |
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