Rick Boucher

Rick Boucher
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 9th district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by William Wampler
Succeeded by Morgan Griffith
Personal details
Born August 1, 1946 (1946-08-01) (age 65)
Abingdon, Virginia
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Amy Boucher
Residence Abingdon, Virginia
Alma mater Roanoke College
University of Virginia School of Law
Occupation Attorney
Religion Methodist

Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher ( /ˈbər/ bow-chər; born August 1, 1946) is the former U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district, serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

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Early life, education and career

Boucher is a native of Abingdon, Virginia, where he currently lives. He earned his BA from Roanoke College where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He has practiced law on Wall Street in New York and in Virginia. Prior to his election to Congress, he served for seven years as a member of the Senate of Virginia.

In May 2011, Mr. Boucher joined prominent Washington law firm Sidley Austin and will be leading their government strategies practice.[1] The Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA), an industry advocacy group, also announced that Boucher has joined as the honorary chair.[2] The IIA includes among its members AT&T and the Americans for Tax Reform and has focused on expanding broadband access and adoption with particular emphasis on increased mobile connectivity for underserved and rural communities.[3][4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Boucher served as an assistant whip from 1985 to 2010.

Political positions

Boucher has been active on Internet-related legislation, including cosponsoring the High Performance Computing and Communication Act of 1991[5] which led to the development of the Mosaic web browser credited by most scholars as beginning the Internet boom of the 1990s. His proposals to promote competition in the cable and local telephone industries contributed to the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Boucher originated the House Internet Caucus and served as its co-chairman. He also created the Digital Media Consumer's Rights Act (DMCRA) legislation and co-authored the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. He was named Politician of the Year for 2006 by Library Journal, largely due to his efforts to protect the fair use doctrine and expand Internet technologies to rural areas.[6]

Boucher voted in favor of the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, as well as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In contrast, Boucher has received a rating of "A+" from the National Rifle Association and is one of the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.

Boucher is a strong opponent of tax patents and has introduced bills to either have them banned or to exempt tax attorneys and tax payers from liability in infringing them.[7]

In June 2009, Boucher voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act which, if enacted, would establish a cap-and-trade system.[8] Boucher was chairman of the energy sub-committee of the previous Congress which first drafted the legislation, and was deemed to be instrumental in the bills development. Boucher opened his pre-vote remarks on the bill by saying that he was in "strong support of the bill."[9]

In November 2009, Boucher, along with 39 other Democratic members of the House, voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act.[10] Also, on March 21, 2010, Boucher voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act[11] and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Rick Boucher endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for president, while his district went solidly for Hillary Clinton.

In 2007, Congress.org ranked Rick Boucher as the 10th most powerful member of the U.S. House of Representatives.[12]

Political campaigns

Boucher was first elected to Congress in 1982, defeating Republican incumbent William (Bill) Wampler. He then went on to defeat Virginia House of Delegates member Jefferson Stafford, of Pearisburg, Giles County in 1984. Running unopposed, the Democrat won re-election in November 2008.

2010

Boucher lost the election to Republican nominee Morgan Griffith.[13]

Electoral history

Virginia's 10th congressional district: Results 1982–2010[14][15]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
1982 Rick Boucher 76,227 50% William Wampler 75,009 50%
1984 Rick Boucher 102,446 52% Jefferson Stafford 94,510 48%
1986 Rick Boucher 59,864 99% no candidate Write-ins 602 1%
1988 Rick Boucher 113,309 63% John Brown 65,410 37%
1990 Rick Boucher 67,215 97% no candidate Write-ins 2,015 2%
1992 Rick Boucher 133,284 63% Gary Weddle 77,985 37%
1994 Rick Boucher 153,311 59% Steve Fast 72,133 41%
1996 Rick Boucher 122,908 65% Steve Fast 58,055 31% Tom Roberts Virginia Reform 8,080 4%
1998 Rick Boucher 87,163 61% Joe Barta 55,918 39%
2000 Rick Boucher 137,488 70% Michael Osborne 59,335 30%
2002 Rick Boucher 100,075 66% Jay Katzen 52,076 34%
2004 Rick Boucher 150,039 59% Kevin Triplett 98,499 39% Seth Davis Independent 4,341 2%
2006 Rick Boucher 129,705 68% Bob Carrico 61,574 32%
2008 Rick Boucher 207,306 97% no candidate Write-ins 6,264 3%
2010 Rick Boucher 86,743 46% Morgan Griffith 95,726 51% Jeremiah Heaton Independent 4,282 2%

Personal life

Long considered "married to his job", Boucher announced his engagement at age 59 to Amy Hauslohner, an editor of the Galax Gazette in Galax, Virginia. Said Boucher of the engagement "We have decided since I will be 60 in August and she just turned 50 last week, we probably are mature enough to handle marriage." [16] Boucher and Houslohner were married on June 3, 2006.

References

  1. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55254.html. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 
  2. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". Internet Innovation Alliance. http://internetinnovation.org/press-room/broadband-news-press-releases. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 
  3. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". TheHill.com. http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/162849-boucher-joins-atat-backed-advocacy-group. 
  4. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". Internet Innovation Alliance. http://internetinnovation.org/. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 
  5. ^ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d102:HR00656:@@@P|/bss/d102query.html|
  6. ^ Politician of the Year 2006: Rick Boucher-Fighter for Access , John N. Berry III, Library Journal, September 15, 2006
  7. ^ Dennis Crouch "Tax Patent Legislation: Excusing Infringement of Patented Tax Planning Methods" Patently O blog, June 20, 2008
  8. ^ "Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball". Centerforpolitics.org. 2010-07-08. http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/. Retrieved 2010-07-12. 
  9. ^ "Broadcast Yourself". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2xwW08yc1w. Retrieved 2010-07-12. 
  10. ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml
  11. ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll165.xml
  12. ^ https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/power_rankings/index.tt
  13. ^ "GOP's Griffith ousts 14-term Va. Democratic Rep. Boucher". The Virginian-Pilot. Associated Press. November 2, 2010. http://hamptonroads.com/2010/11/gops-griffith-ousts-14term-va-democratic-rep-boucher. 
  14. ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html. Retrieved 2010-12-23. 
  15. ^ "Election results". Virginia State Board of Elections. http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Election_Information/Election_Results/Index.html. Retrieved 2010-12-23. 
  16. ^ The big secret is out: Rick Boucher is engaged, Roanoke Times, March 17, 2006

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
William Creed Wampler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 9th congressional district

January 3, 1983 - January 3, 2011
Succeeded by
Morgan Griffith