Reid Ribble

Reid Ribble
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2011
Preceded by Steve Kagen
Personal details
Born April 5, 1956
Neenah, Wisconsin[1]
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) DeaNa Ribble
Children Two children, two grandchildren
Residence Sherwood, Wisconsin
Alma mater Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music
Occupation Roofing Contractor
Religion Baptist
Website Ribble's official House of Representatives profile

Reid James Ribble (born April 5, 1956)[1] is an American politician who has been the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life, education, and business career

Ribble is a third generation Wisconsin resident. He was born in Neenah, Wisconsin. He graduated from Appleton East High School. After high school, he attended Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music to become a full-time minister. However, he eventually decided to continue his father's small business instead.[2]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2010

Ribble defeated two other candidates to win the Republican primary in September.[3] Ribble defeated Democratic incumbent Steve Kagen for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district on November 2, 2010 in the general election.[4]

2012

Ribble defeated Democratic nominee Jamie Wall, a business consultant.

Tenure

Energy

Congressman Ribble believes that we should utilize the “wide variety of available domestic sources to put our country on a path to energy independence.”[5] To become self-sufficient, Ribble wants to expand the usage of both renewable and fossil fuels, so that the U.S. will not rely too much on any single source or foreign region.[5][6] In June 2012, he voted for the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, which would increase oil and gas drilling in the U.S., and decrease environmental restrictions.[7] In addition, Ribble also supported the Offshore Leasing Act in May 2011, and required “the Secretary of the Interior to conduct offshore oil and gas lease sales.”[8]

Agriculture

Coming from a state with a great economic emphasis on agriculture, Ribble advocates for continued success in the farming sector of Wisconsin. He favors less government regulation on farming, and wants to reform several Environmental Protection Agency restrictions, believing that “Wisconsin’s dairy farmers, livestock producers, and growers all stand to benefit from efforts to roll back EPA’s overreach.”[9] He is a vocal member of the House Agriculture Committee,[10] and has received a rating of 94% from the American Farm Bureau Federation as of 2011.[11]

Budget

Ribble voted (March 2015) to support the Republican Study Committee budget. This was the most conservative of the various budget proposals considered by the House and was defeated by 294 to 132. Ribble went on to support the mainstream Republican budget proposed by Republican leadership, which was passed by the House.[12]

Health Care

Ribble strongly disagrees with the 2010 Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.[13] In July 2012, he voted for the Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010,[14] stating that “instead of fixing the systematic flaws in our country’s healthcare system it makes it even more costly and dysfunctional.”[15] He believes instead, that government should not be involved in the market and encourage greater competition between insurance companies.[16]

Social Security

In a letter to House Speaker John Boehner dated October 8, 2013, Ribble proposed sweeping changes to Social Security, including continuing and accelerating increases in the retirement age, implementing the chained CPI benefit cut to Social Security, and means testing for Social Security recipients. Though claiming that these changes were necessary to "save and secure this vital, popular program", Ribble's letter also proposed cutting the FICA withholding rate and reducing the cap on wages that are used to fund the Social Security Trust Fund which would reduce revenues for the Fund.[17]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Electoral history

United States House of Representatives

Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District - Election 2010[4]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Reid Ribble 144,050 54.8
Democratic Steve Kagen (incumbent) 118,617 45.2
Republican gain from Democratic
United States House of Representatives

Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District - Election 2012[18]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Reid Ribble (incumbent) 198,874 55.95 + 1.15
Democratic Jamie Wall 156,287 43.97 - 1.23
Republican hold

Legislation

On September 20, 2013, the House passed a bipartisan measure championed by Ribble. The measure, titled the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, aims to manage commercial timberland and the yields each field can produce. Backers of the bill say that the bill would foster job growth in rural communities where the paper industry is prevalent, such as the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin.[19]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). CQ Roll Call. 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  2. Ribble's official House of Representatives profile
  3. Espino, J.E. (2010-09-15). "Reid Ribble rolls in Republican primary, will face Democrat Steve Kagen for Congress". Appleton Post Crescent (Gannett). Retrieved 2010-10-20. Political newcomer Reid Ribble defeated his two Republican rivals in Tuesday's primary race for the 8th Congressional District, ending an amicable GOP runoff and setting the stage for a showdown against Democratic incumbent Steve Kagen.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Wisconsin Election Results". The New York Times.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Energy". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  6. "Issue Position: Energy Policy". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  7. "HR 4480 - Domestic Energy and Jobs Act - Key Vote". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  8. "HR 1230 - Offshore Leasing Act - Key Vote". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  9. "Agriculture". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  10. "Representative Reid J. Ribble's Biography". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  11. "American Farm Bureau Federation - Positions". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  12. Green Bay Press Gazette/Thomas Voting Reports March 29, 2015
  13. "Health Care". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  14. "HR 6079 - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 - Key Vote". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  15. "Ribble Votes to Repeal President's Health Care Law". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  16. "Issue Position: Health Care Reform". Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  17. Letter from Congressman Reid J. Ribble to House Speaker John Boehner, October 8, 2013 (PDF) , Accessed October 11, 2013
  18. State of Wisconsin 2013-2014 Blue Book pg. 886
  19. "Ribble’s Restoring Health Forests for Healthy Communities Act passes in bipartisan vote". The Ripon Advance. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.

Further reading

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Steve Kagen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 8th congressional district

January 3, 2011 present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Jim Renacci
R-Ohio
List of current members of the United States House of Representatives by seniority
278th
Succeeded by
Cedric Richmond
D-Louisiana