Bob Goodlatte

Bob Goodlatte
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded by Lamar Smith
Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
In office
May 31, 2003 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by Larry Combest
Succeeded by Collin Peterson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 6th district
Assumed office
January 3, 1993
Preceded by Jim Olin
Personal details
Born Robert William Goodlatte
(1952-09-22) September 22, 1952
Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S.
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Maryellen Flaherty
Education Bates College (BA)
Washington and Lee University (JD)

Robert William Goodlatte /ˈɡʊdˌlæt/ (born September 22, 1952) is an American politician and lawyer. He is currently the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation affecting the federal courts, administrative agencies and federal law enforcement entities. He serves as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Virginia's 6th congressional district, serving since 1993. A member of the Republican Party, Goodlatte's district represents Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.

A native of Massachusetts, Goodlatte attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, before graduating Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. He entered private practice before receiving the Republican nomination for his current congressional seat. He has been reelected a total of eleven times, six of which were unopposed. Elected as the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee at the start of the 110th Congress in 2003, and during his tenure, he convened over 132 hearings and guided 38 bills to the President’s desk to be signed into law. He was elected as the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in 2013 and has notably rejected calls for the impeachment proceedings of President Barack Obama, and IRS Commissioner John Koskinen due to lack of substantive cause.[1][2] In 2017, Goodlatte presided over a GOP effort conducted in a secret session to weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, a move widely criticized by House leaders and the opposition party. The proposal passed by a 119 to 74 vote, but was withdrawn the following day after widespread public criticism.[3][4]

Early life and education

Goodlatte was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the son of Doris B. (née Mentzendorff) and Robert Swan Goodlatte. His paternal ancestry includes English and Irish and his maternal grandfather was a Baltic German from Riga.[5] Goodlatte received a B.A. in political science from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in 1974. He also holds a Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia, received in 1977.[6]

In his early professional career he served as a staff aide for 6th District U.S. Congressman M. Caldwell Butler from 1977 to 1979. Goodlatte went on to work as a lawyer in private practice from 1980 to 1993.[6]

U.S House of Representatives

Bob Goodlatte received the Republican nomination at the Republican District convention after Democratic Party candidate Jim Olin opted not to run for reelection in 1992. In the 1992 November general election, Goodlatte defeated Democratic candidate Stephen Musselwhite, who had defeated Olin's preferred choice at the district Democratic convention, with 60% of the vote. Goodlatte has been reelected ten times, often running unopposed. His most substantive opposition was in 1996, with Democratic candidate Jeff Grey, and again in 1998, with Democratic Roanoke mayor David Bowers who challenged him. In an overwhelmingly conservative district, Goodlatte turned back these challenges, with 67% and 69% of the vote, respectively. In 2008, he was challenged by Democratic candidate Sam Rasoul of Roanoke. Goodlatte garnered 62% of the vote. In 2010, Goodlatte was challenged by Independent Jeffrey Vanke and Libertarian Stuart Bain. Goodlatte won with 76.26% of the vote.[7]

2012

In 2011, Republican Karen Kwiatkowski of Mount Jackson, Virginia, announced that she would challenge Goodlatte in the Republican primary set for June 12, 2012. This was Bob Goodlatte's first contested Republican primary. Kwiatkowski earned 34% of the Republican primary vote, with Goodlatte winning 66%.[8] He faced Democratic nominee Andy Schmookler in the general election and defeated him with 66% of the vote.[9]

Policy

Goodlatte speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference

Ethics

During a secret meeting on the night before the start of the 115th Congress, Goodlatte led an attempt by House Republicans to reduce the reach of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics. The Office was created in 2008 after numerous infractions involving Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, resulting in the imprisonment of three House members.[10] The proposed amendment to House Rules, spearheaded by Goodlatte, gave the House Ethics Committee - made up of partisan elected officials - oversight of what would be the renamed Office and power to stop inquiries that had the potential to lead to criminal charges. It would have also blocked the Office's staff from speaking with reporters and other news media members.[11]

The amendment passed during the secret meeting, but its fortunes were reversed once news of the measure leaked out. The proposed changes immediately drew strong criticism from prominent figures of both sides of the aisle, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, President-elect Donald Trump, and even Abramoff himself.[4][12] Additionally, social media catalyzed a swift reaction from constituents, with Google reporting that searches for "Who is my representative" surged in the hours following the public unveiling of the mooted changes to the Office.[13] Likewise, representatives received thousands of calls demanding they cease their support for the amendment.[14] In less than 24 hours, Goodlatte and his fellow Republicans were forced to scrap the proposal.[15]

Immigration Reform

As House Judiciary Chairman for the 113th congress, Goodlatte has contrasted the House approach to immigration reform from the Senate by requiring that the various issues be taken on a piece-by-piece basis with an emphasis on both border and interior enforcement measures. So far the House Judiciary Committee has passed four immigration related bills:[16]

Balanced Budget Amendment

One of Representative Goodlatte's top legislative initiatives was his Constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. Goodlatte wrote and put forward both the "clean" Balanced Budget Amendment which had a higher chance of actually passing the House and the Senate as well as a version that makes it harder to increase taxes by requiring a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers to raise taxes.[20][21] However, Representatives Paul Ryan, Justin Amash, David Dreier and Louie Gohmert voted against the "clean" amendment because it could have allowed taxes to be raised on Americans. Representative Ryan released a statement after the vote: "I’m concerned that this version will lead to a much bigger government fueled by more taxes. Spending is the problem, yet this version of the Balanced Budget Amendment makes it more likely taxes will be raised, government will grow, and economic freedom will be diminished. Without a limit on government spending, I cannot support this Amendment.”[22]

Bob Goodlatte voted to increase the U.S. debt ceiling seven times and has voted to pass budgets from Democratic as well as Republican administrations. He voted for Bill Clinton's Budget Act in July, 1997 and Barack Obama's Budget Act of 2011.[23][24]

Agriculture

Before his appointment as Ranking Republican of the House Agriculture Committee at the start of the 110th Congress, Goodlatte served as Chairman of the full Committee. He was elected to serve as Chairman of the full House Agriculture Committee in January 2003 at the start of the 108th Congress. He served as Chairman of the Committee throughout the 108th and 109th Congresses, convening 132 Full and Subcommittee hearings and guiding 38 bills under the Committee’s jurisdiction to the President’s desk to be signed into law. He has served on the House Agriculture Committee since first being elected to Congress in November 1992. Before becoming Chairman of the full Committee, Goodlatte served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Department, Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry. An active subcommittee chairman, he held fourteen hearings in the 107th Congress alone. The hearings covered a wide range of issues including implementation of the national fire plan, domestic nutrition programs, invasive species, and civil rights programs at the USDA. He served as a conferee on the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.

Goodlatte was a leading supporter of George W. Bush’s Healthy Forests Initiative.

National security

Goodlatte supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. He stated that “The primary duty of the federal government is to keep Americans safe. Today, President Trump has begun to fulfill this responsibility by taking a number of critical steps within his authority to strengthen national security and the integrity of our nation’s immigration system.”[25]

Technology

Goodlatte is the co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Internet Caucus, Chairman of the House Republican High-Technology Working Group, and Co-Chairman of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus.

Goodlatte is an original sponsor of the Stop Online Piracy Act, H.R. 3261, introduced in the House's, Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet Subcommittee, which he Chairs. He is also a coauthor of the bill, as referenced by Chairman Lamar Smith,[26] Congresswoman Waters,[27] and Goodlatte himself[28] during Markup hearings for SOPA.

SOPA's critics charge that copyright owners are able to seek immediate recourse for copyrights violations through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act as well as Title 17 of the United States Code. Technology engineers, website owners and venture capitalists charge that the bill will hurt Internet architecture, decrease tech industry job growth and unnecessarily burden and increase the costs of doing business for domestic website owners and operators. Free Speech advocates and conservatives charge that the bill centralizes authority at the executive branch, which might use it to prevent search engines and Internet Services Providers from delivering dissenting websites to customers; violates the First Amendment; establishes Internet firewalls; and hinders online users from sharing information.[29]

Goodlatte is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online gambling. In 2006, he sponsored H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[30] In September 2006, working with then Iowa Congressman Jim Leach, Goodlatte was a major House supporter of the Unlawful Internet gambliing 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.[31] The bill was made sure to exclude online gambling. They claimed moral reasons for pushing for a ban on Internet gambling, but critics charge that it was due to campaign contributions from Microsoft and Steam .[32]

Goodlatte sat on the 105th United States Congress and introduced NET Act on July 25, 1997, which removed the requirement of financial gain for criminal prosecution of copyright infringement.[33] NET Act was passed only after the House suspended the rules.[34]

On October 23, 2013, Goodlatte introduced the Innovation Act, a bill aimed at reducing frivolous patent infringement lawsuits by patent trolls.[35] The bill passed in the House on December 5, 2013.

Legislation

On September 12, 2013, Goodlatte introduced the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act (H.R. 3086; 113th Congress), a bill that would amend the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.[36] Goodlatte wrote an op-ed in The Hill arguing strongly in favor of the bill. Goodlatte said that in "our new digital economy" a "computer and internet access serve as a gateway – if not a necessity – for the American Dream. Millions of Americans now rely on the internet to run their businesses, to educate themselves, to seek new opportunities, to research and write, and to communicate with family and friends."[37] According to Goodlatte, the bill was necessary to protect the American people and their ability to access the internet from the high monetary barriers that would be created if states were allowed to tax internet access.[37]

On March 27, 2014, Goodlatte introduced the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 4323; 113th Congress) into the House. The bill would amend the Debbie Smith Act of 2004 in order to reauthorize funding through Fiscal Year 2019 for the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program, sexual assault forensic exam program grants, and DNA training and education for law enforcement, correctional personnel, and court officers.[38] The bill would authorize the appropriation of $968 million over the 2015–2019 period.[39] The grant program would go to the states to run programs to analyze DNA samples from crime victims.[40] Goodlatte said that he was "pleased that the House voted today to stand by these brave victims and ensure that DNA analysis is completed quickly so that law enforcement officials can accurately identify, prosecute, and lock these criminals in jail so that sexual predators are not left free to roam our streets and potentially hurt more women."[41] He also urged the Senate to move quickly to pass the legislation.

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Electoral history

Virginia's 6th congressional district: Results 1992–2010[45]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct Republican Primary Votes Pct Independent Votes Pct Minor Party Party Votes Pct
1992 Stephen A. Musselwhite 84,618 40% Bob Goodlatte 127,309 60% ** (no candidate) *
1994 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 126,455 100% (no candidate) *
1996 Jeffrey W. Grey 61,485 31% Bob Goodlatte 133,576 67% (no candidate) Jay P. Rutledge 4,229 2% *
1998 David A. Bowers 39,487 31% Bob Goodlatte 89,177 69% (no candidate) *
2000 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 153,338 99% (no candidate) Write-ins 1,145 1%
2002 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 105,530 97% (no candidate) Write-ins 3,202 3%
2004 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 206,560 97% (no candidate) Write-ins 7,088 3%
2006 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 153,187 75% (no candidate) Barbara Jean Pryor 25,129 12% Andre Peery Independent 24,731 12% *
2008 Sam Rasoul 114,367 37% Bob Goodlatte 192,350 62% (no candidate) Janice Lee Allen 5,413 2% *
2010 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 126,710 76% (no candidate) Jeffrey Vanke 21,648 13% Stuart Bain Libertarian 15,309 9% *
2012 Andy Schmookler 109,929 34% Bob Goodlatte 209,701 66% Karen Kwiatkowski 10,991 34% *
2014 (no candidate) Bob Goodlatte 133,898 75% (no candidate) Eliane Hildebrandt 21,447 12% Will Hammer Libertarian 22,161 12% *
2016 Kai Degner Bob Goodlatte Harry Griego 5,383 22% Libertarian

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1992, write-ins received 160 votes. In 1994, write-ins received 189 votes. In 1996, write-ins received 71 votes. In 1998, write-ins received 66 votes. In 2006, write-ins received 948 votes. In 2008, write-ins received 262 votes. In 2010, write-ins relieved 2,709 votes. **In 1992, Bob Goodlatte received the Republican nomination at the Republican District Convention. Prior to 2012, Goodlatte had never faced a primary challenge throughout his 20-years in Congress.[46]

Personal life

Bob and his wife Maryellen have been married since 1974. They have two children: Jennifer and Bobby.[47]

References

  1. ↑ "House Judiciary chairman Bob Goodlatte says no impeachment of Obama". theweek.com. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  2. ↑ 2016. "Freedom Caucus Calls For Impeachment of IRS Commissioner". The Daily Signal. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  3. ↑ Reuters (January 3, 2017). "US Congress: Republicans vote to limit ethics body". BBC News. Retrieved January 3, 2017. ... in an amendment to House rules by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, would weaken the body's oversight of matters such as conflicts of interests and financial impropriety .... the new body would no longer be able to receive anonymous tip-offs, nor have a spokesperson, and would be under the supervision of the House Ethics Committee. Accusations against lawmakers would not be made public, as they are currently...
  4. 1 2 Lipton, Eric (2017-01-02). "With No Warning, House Republicans Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  5. ↑ "goodlatte". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  6. 1 2 "Bob Goodlatte – Virginia 6th District :: About Bob". Goodlatte.house.gov. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  7. ↑ "Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives". Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  8. ↑ https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2012/A2E23EAB-7EA6-40E2-AF41-3CE22C787EA4/Official/6_s.shtml
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  10. ↑ Eric Lipton (January 3, 2017). "With No Warning, House Republicans Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2017. ...Goodlatte announced on Monday that the House Republican Conference had approved a change to weaken the Office of Congressional Ethics...
  11. ↑ Jacobson, Louis (2017-01-03). "The House GOP's ethics vote: What was that about, anyway?". PolitiFact. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  12. ↑ Goldmacher, Shane (2016-01-03). "Jack Abramoff slams GOP over House ethics changes". Politico. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  13. ↑ Calfas, Jennifer (2017-01-03). "Google searches for 'who is my representative' spike". The Hill. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  14. ↑ Bade, Rachael; Bresnahan, John; Cheney, Kyle (2017-01-03). "Inside the House GOP ethics debacle". Politico. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  15. ↑ Lipton, Eric; Flegenheimer, Matt (2017-01-03). "House Republicans, Under Fire, Back Down on Gutting Ethics Office". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  16. ↑ Archived October 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  17. ↑ Archived June 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  19. 1 2 Archived August 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  20. ↑ Mattie Duppler (2011-11-09). "Conservatives to Congress: Vote NO on a Weak Balanced Budget Amendment". Americans for Tax Reform. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  21. ↑ "Sponsor says 'clean' balanced budget amendment has edge for floor vote". TheHill. 2014-06-23. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  22. ↑ "Washington Examiner".
  23. ↑ "Budget Control Act of 2011". August 1, 2011.
  24. ↑ "H.R. 2015". July 24, 1997.
  25. ↑ Blake, Aaron. "Coffman, Gardner join Republicans against President Trump’s travel ban; here’s where the rest stand". Denver Post. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  26. ↑ "SOPA Markup Hearings". 2011-12-15.
  27. ↑ "SOPA Markup Hearings". 2011-12-15.
  28. ↑ "SOPA Markup Hearings". 2011-12-15.
  29. ↑ Oyama, Katherine (2011-11-16). Opening Statement to the HOR Judiciary Committee Hearing on H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (Speech). American Rhetoric. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  30. ↑ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777
  31. ↑ Nelson Rose: The Unlawful Internet gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 Analyzed Archived January 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ↑ Inside the Goodlatte Conspiracy
  33. ↑ H.R. 2265
  34. ↑ Bill Summary & Status 105th Congress (1997–1998) H.R.2265
  35. ↑ "H.R. 3309 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  36. ↑ "H.R. 3086 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  37. 1 2 Goodlatte, Bob (15 July 2014). "Make Internet access tax ban permanent". The Hill. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  38. ↑ "H.R. 4323 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  39. ↑ "H.R. 4323 – CBO". Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  40. ↑ Marcos, Cristina (7 April 2014). "House approves sale of missile frigates to Taiwan". The Hill. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  41. ↑ "House Approves Bipartisan Bill to Protect Victims of Sexual Assault". Office of Congressman Bob Goodlatte. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  42. ↑ "Bob Goodlatte – Virginia 6th District :: Civil Justice Caucus". Goodlatte.house.gov. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  43. 1 2 "Bob Goodlatte – Virginia 6th District :: Family Values". Goodlatte.house.gov. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  44. ↑ "Bob Goodlatte – Virginia 6th District :: Military/National Defense". Goodlatte.house.gov. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  45. ↑ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  46. ↑ Confirmed through multiple sources, including FEC data, the Republican Party of Virginia and the Virginia State Board of Elections
  47. ↑ "About Goodlatte – Family".
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jim Olin		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 6th congressional district
1993–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Larry Combest		 Chair of the House Agriculture Committee
2003–2007 		Succeeded by
Collin Peterson
Preceded by
Lamar Smith		 Chair of the House Judiciary Committee
2013–present 		Incumbent
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Anna Eshoo		 United States Representatives by seniority
36th 		Succeeded by
Gene Green
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