Scott Garrett

Scott Garrett
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Marge Roukema
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 24th district
In office January 14, 1992 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Robert E. Littell
Succeeded by	Alison Littell McHose
Personal details
Born	(1959-07-09) July 9, 1959 Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Mary Ellen Garrett
Residence	Wantage, New Jersey
Alma mater	Montclair State University Rutgers University, Camden
Religion	Christianity

Ernest Scott Garrett (born July 9, 1959) is the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 5th congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of the northern-most and western-most portions of the state. He previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 2003.

Early life, education and career

Garrett earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Montclair State University in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law – Camden in 1984.^[1]

Born in Bergen County in the town of Englewood, Garrett spent much of his life living in North Jersey. He is a proponent of preserving open space and protecting the Highlands, the Musconetcong River and the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1991, and was re-elected five times, serving from 1992 to 2003, representing the 24th legislative district, which covered all of Sussex County and several municipalities in Morris and Hunterdon counties.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on the Budget
• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity

Party leadership

• Republican Policy Committee

Legislation

On May 8, 2013, Garrett introduced the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2014 (H.R. 1872; 113th Congress), a bill that would modify the budgetary treatment of federal credit programs.^[2] The bill would require that the cost of direct loans or loan guarantees be recognized in the federal budget on a fair-value basis using guidelines set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.^[2] The bill would also require the federal budget to reflect the net impact of programs administered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.^[2] The changes made by the bill would mean that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were counted on the budget instead of considered separately and would mean that the debt of those two programs would be included in the national debt.^[3] These programs themselves would not be changed, but how they are accounted for in the United States federal budget would be. The goal of the bill is to improve the accuracy of how some programs are accounted for in the federal budget.^[4]

Political positions

Garrett is a member of the Republican Study Committee, Liberty Caucus^[5] and the Freedom Caucus.^[6]

Foreign policy

In 2007, Garrett led nineteen US lawmakers to introduce a bill in the House of Representatives backing UN membership for Taiwan, contrary to U.S. policy since Nixon.^[7] Garrett is a staunch supporter of military aid to Israel as well as sanctions against Iran.

Domestic policy

Economy

Garrett supports a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he supported H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.^[8]

In 2008, he opposed H.R. 5767, the Payment Systems Protection Act (a bill that sought to place a moratorium on enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act while the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve defined "unlawful Internet gambling"). Garrett voted to allow oil and gas drilling off the shore of New Jersey.^[9] He voted against restrictions on "price gouging" by oil companies,^[10] against child safety locks on handguns, and against emergency funding for Hurricane Katrina victims.^[11] He was one of four members of the House of Representatives to vote against an extension of unemployment benefits.^[12]

Garrett was the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014, during the United States federal government shutdown of 2013.^[13] He was also the only member of the New Jersey congressional delegation to refuse to sign a letter urging the House to provide relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. He was one of 11 Congressmen to vote against providing aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.^[14]

Education

As a state legislator, he once proposed public schools teach intelligent design alongside evolution.^[15]

In July 2007, Garrett proposed an amendment to strike earmarked money in a spending bill for native Alaskan and Hawaiian educational programs.^[16] Congressman Don Young of Alaska defended the funds on the floor of the House, saying, "You want my money, my money."^[16] Young went on to suggest that conservative Republicans such as Garrett lost the Republicans their majority in the 2006 election by challenging spending earmarks, and made several critical remarks about the state of New Jersey.^[16] While Garrett did not ask for an official reprimand, other conservative Republicans took exception to Young's remarks that the funds in question represented his money. Members of the Republican Study Committee gave Garrett a standing ovation later in the day during the group's weekly meeting.^[16]

Suffrage

In 2006, Garrett was the only congressman from New Jersey to vote against the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, citing his opposition to requirements to print non-English ballots.^[17][18]

Other

Garrett led a drive to demand the immediate resignation of Governor Jim McGreevey after he admitted to an extramarital affair with a male state employee. McGreevey announced that he would stay in office until November 15, 2004. Had McGreevey resigned before September 8, 2004, there would have been a special election at the same time as that year's presidential election. Garrett started a petition on his campaign web site demanding a special election. According to his campaign manager, it received 10,000 responses.

In November 2009, Garrett met at the United States Capitol with protesting "tea party" constituents. After birthers harangued him for several minutes, he agreed President Barack Obama should produce an original birth certificate to verify his eligibility to be President of the United States.^[19][20]

In 2015, he refused to pay GOP campaign arm dues to the National Republican Congressional Committee because he said they were "actively recruiting homosexual candidates and had supported gay candidates in the past."^[21] Garrett later clarified his remarks, saying that he is opposed to same-sex marriage due to his faith, but that he does not "have malice" toward any group of people.^[22]

Ratings

Garrett is considered the most conservative member of the New Jersey delegation, and one of the most conservative congressmen ever to represent the state. He has a lifetime ACU rating of 99.6, none of New Jersey's other congressmen have ratings higher than 69.^[23] Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Garrett a grade of C- (2006) and B (2007–08). Disabled American Veterans gave Garrett grades of 0% (2005, 2004), 50% (2003), and 100% (2006).^[24] The Veterans of Foreign Wars endorsed him in 2006.^[25] In his 2012 reelection bid, Garrett carried the support of Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum political action committee.^[26] Garrett is a member of the Freedom Caucus.^[27]

Political campaigns

Garrett ran for Congress unsuccessfully against incumbent Congresswoman Marge Roukema in the 1998 and 2000 Republican primaries, falling short both times with 48% of the vote.^[28] He received support from several groups who had long felt chagrin at Roukema's moderate voting record; Garrett had by this time established himself as one of the most conservative members of the General Assembly.

In 2002, Roukema opted not to run for a 12th term. Garrett won a contested five-way primary with 45% of the vote over State Assemblyman David C. Russo (26%) and State Senator Gerald Cardinale (25%), who had received Roukema's endorsement.^[29][30]

In the 2002 general election, Garrett faced Democratic candidate Anne Sumers, an ophthalmologist and former Republican. Roukema did not endorse Garrett in the general election. Roukema did not endorse Sumers either, even though part of Sumers' strategy was to portray herself as a "Roukema Republican" and win support in Roukema's old Bergen County base (Bergen County is the biggest county in the 5th district). Sumers' chances decreased significantly after she made several ill-advised comments about the U.S.-Taliban conflict on an Internet message board.^[31] The race essentially ended at that point, and Garrett won in a rout, 60% to 38% – even winning Roukema's former base in Bergen County.^[32][33]

Garrett was reelected in 2004 with 58% of the vote. He declined to debate his opponent Anne Wolfe, several times, saying he had conflicts with his schedule in Washington D.C. Eventually he debated her twice. In 2006, Garrett defeated his Republican primary rival, Michael J. Cino of Bergen County. In the November 2006 election, Garrett defeated Paul Aronsohn, a former employee of the U.S. State Department during the Clinton Administration and Independent R. Matthew Fretz to win a third term. However, in this election, he only won 55% of the vote—the lowest percentage for a Republican in the district since it assumed its current configuration in 1983. The 2006 election was close enough to attract the attention of the DCCC, who targeted the 5th District for a pickup in 2008. The Democratic Party nominated Dennis Shulman, a highly respected rabbi and psychologist, as their nominee in 2008. Garrett defeated Shulman 56%–42% in the 2008 general election.

In 2010, Garrett defeated Tod Theise, receiving 65% of the vote.

In 2014, Garrett faced Democratic nominee Roy Cho. Garrett won the midterm election.^[34]

Electoral history

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2004, Socialist Party USA candidate Gregory Pason received 574 votes. In 2010 James Radigan received 336 votes

Personal life

Garrett is a member of Lafayette Federated Church in Lafayette Township, New Jersey.

References

External links

• Congressman Scott Garrett official U.S. House site
• Scott Garrett for Congress
• Scott Garrett at DMOZ
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress