Ann Kirkpatrick
Encyclopedia
Ann Kirkpatrick is the former U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

. She earlier served in the Arizona House of Representatives
Arizona House of Representatives
The Arizona House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. Its members are elected to two-year terms with a term limit of four consecutive terms...

. She was defeated by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Paul Gosar
Paul Gosar
Paul Anthony Gosar is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:Gosar is a native of Pinedale, Wyoming...

 in the 2010 election. She has filed for a rematch in 2012.

Early life

Kirkpatrick was born and raised on an Apache Indian reservation near McNary, Arizona
McNary, Arizona
McNary is a census-designated place in Apache and Navajo counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 349 at the 2000 census...

. She is a graduate of Blue Ridge High School
Blue Ridge High School (Arizona)
Blue Ridge High School is a 3A high school in Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona under the jurisdiction of the Blue Ridge Unified School District.-Notable alumni:*Ann Kirkpatrick, former United States Congresswoman from Arizona's 1st congressional district...

, the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...

, and the University of Arizona College of Law.

Early political career

In 1980 she became Coconino County’s first woman deputy county attorney, and she later served as city attorney for Sedona. She was a member of the Flagstaff Water Commission. In 2004, she taught Business Law and Ethics at Coconino Community College."

Elections

In 2004, Kirkpatrick was elected to represent the 1st Legislative District and took office in January 2005. Kirkpatrick was elected to a second term in the state House in 2006.

Tenure

This district includes Flagstaff and the Hualapai, Havasupai, Hopi, Navajo and San Juan Southern Paiute Nations. She helped pass voluntary all-day kindergarten and contribution limits to candidates for office and worked to crack down on meth dealers and cut taxes for veterans.

Committee assignments

Kirkpatrick served as the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, as well as the Education K-12 Committee and Natural Resources Committee.

Elections

2008
On July 24, 2007, Kirkpatrick resigned from the state House to run for the Democratic nomination in Arizona's 1st congressional district. The seat was due to come open after three-term Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 incumbent Rick Renzi
Rick Renzi
Richard George "Rick" Renzi is a former American politician and was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing . Renzi has pending Federal criminal charges against him for his involvement in a land-swap deal. On April 19, 2007, the FBI raided his family...

 announced that he would not seek re-election in the face of a federal indictment on corruption charges. Kirkpatrick won a four-way primary by almost 15 points on September 2, 2008.

Kirkpatrick faced Republican Sydney Ann Hay, a conservative activist, in the general election. Despite the presence of Arizona senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

 atop the ticket, Kirkpatrick garnered 56 percent of the vote - a higher percentage than McCain in her district. Her victory gave the Democrats a majority of the state's House delegation for the first time in over half a century.

Kirkpatrick earned endorsements from leaders in government, education, tribal communities, first responders, and other groups. Among those endorsing her were: former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st...

, U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...

, U.S. Representative Harry Mitchell
Harry Mitchell
Harry E. Mitchell is a former U.S. Representative who represented from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career :...

, the Arizona Education Association, the Arizona Police Association, the Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, the International Association of Firefighters, county sheriffs in Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Navajo, and Pinal Counties, Navajo County School Superintendent Linda Morrow,Coconino County School Superintendent Cecilia Owen, Pinal County School Superintendent Orlenda Roberts, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, San Carlos Apache Tribal Chairman Wendsler Nosie, White Mountain Apache Tribal Chairman Ronnie Lupe, former Navajo Nation president Peterson Zah
Peterson Zah
Peterson Zah was the first Navajo President and the last Chairman of the Navajo people. Since 1995, he has been working at Arizona State University as the Special Adviser to ASU President on American Indian Affairs...

, and many other tribal leaders. The Arizona Republic, the state's largest newspaper, and the White Mountain Independent and the Arizona Daily Sun, two of the most widely-read newspapers in the district, all endorsed her candidacy.

2010
Kirkpatrick was defeated for reelection by Republican nominee Paul Gosar
Paul Gosar
Paul Anthony Gosar is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:Gosar is a native of Pinedale, Wyoming...

. She had been endorsed by the Arizona Republic, the state's largest newspaper, as well as Coconino Supervisor Lena Fowler, Apache County Supervisor Tom White, Jr., Navajo County Supervisor Jesse Thompson, Apache County Superintendent Pauline Begay, Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...

 President Joe Shirley Jr., Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs, and the county sheriffs of Apache, Cononino, Gila, Greenlee, and Navajo counties.

2012

Kirkpatrick announced she would run again for her old congressional seat in 2012.

Tenure

Kirkpatrick ran on a platform of tax cuts for 86 million middle class families, making health care affordable and accessible to all, and encouraged renewable energy projects to end America's dependence on foreign energy and create jobs for rural Arizona. She supports increasing teacher salaries, expanding SCHIP, and adding a division to the army.

Kirkatrick opposed the Stupak Amendment restricting federal funding for abortions but voted in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act
Affordable Health Care for America Act
The Affordable Health Care for America Act was a bill that was crafted by the United States House of Representatives in November 2009. At the encouragement of the Obama administration, the 111th Congress devoted much of its time to enacting reform of the United States' health care system...

, which included the provision, on November 7, 2009. She voted for the Senate version of the health care bill in March 2010.

She supported the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. She opposed the American Clean Energy and Security Act
American Clean Energy and Security Act
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was an energy bill in the 111th United States Congress that would have established a variant of an emissions trading plan similar to the European Union Emission Trading Scheme...

 which, among other things, established a cap and trade system.

On behalf of Veterans, she has proposed 7 bills and successfully passed 5 bills during her short tenure, including H.R. 2879, which closes a donut hole for terminally ill veterans service members who want to collect their life insurance, and H.R. 3553, which removes disability payments as consideration of income under means-tested housing assistance.

Kirkpatrick has been actively trying to decrease the National debt. She was featured on Fox News for sponsoring bill H.R. 4720, Taking Responsibility for Congressional Pay Act, to lower the salaries of Congressional members.

Committee assignments

  • Committee on Homeland Security
    United States House Committee on Homeland Security
    The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Its responsibilities include U.S...

    • Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism
      United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism
      The Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security is a subcommittee within the House Homeland Security Committee.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:*...

    • Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment
    • Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
  • Committee on Small Business
    United States House Committee on Small Business
    The United States House Committee on Small Business is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives.-History:On December 4, 1941, the U. S...

    • Subcommittee on Finance and Tax
      United States House Small Business Subcommittee on Finance and Tax
      The House Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access is one of five subcommittees of the House Small Business Committee.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:**House Small Business Committee...

    • Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship
      United States House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship
      The House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce is one of five subcommittees of the House Small Business Committee.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:**House Small Business Committee...

  • Committee on Veterans' Affairs
    United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
    The standing Committee on Veterans' Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. Jurisdiction includes retiring and disability pensions, life insurance, education , vocational...

    • Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
      United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
      The United States Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs is one of the four subcommittees within the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...

    • Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
      United States House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
      The United States Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity is one of the four subcommittees within the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.-Jurisdiction:From the House Rules:...


Electoral history

External links

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