Bart Gordon
Encyclopedia
Barton Jennings "Bart" Gordon, (born January 24, 1949) is a lawyer
and former U.S. Representative
for , serving from 1985 until 2011. The district includes several rural areas and fast-growing suburbs east of Nashville
. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. He announced on December 14, 2009 that he would not seek re-election in 2010.
Gordon is currently a lawyer
for global law firm K&L Gates, a lobbying shop "that represents the hi-tech and energy sectors," and is a distinguished fellow at the Council on Competitiveness.
, where he has lived all of his life. He served in the United States Army Reserve in 1971 and 1972. He graduated from Middle Tennessee State University
in 1971, earning a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1973. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Order
. He then entered private practice in Murfreesboro.
Active in Democratic politics early on, he was briefly executive director of the Tennessee Democratic Party
in 1979 and state party chairman from 1981 to 1983.
and the 2007 Energy Bill
." In March 2007 it was reported that Rep. Gordon, chairman of the U.S.House science committee, said that NASA is headed for "a train wreck" if the space agency isn't better funded to finish building the international space station and develop the next-generation spacecraft.
In December 2008, Gordon came under fire from Tennessee conservatives for failing to vote on the auto bailout, stating that his failure to vote was due to a "technical glitch" in the voting system. In March 2010, Gordon announced that he will vote in favor of the Senate Health Care bill.
Gordon has been the fastest runner of foot races in Congress for 20 years. Most recently, he defeated Congressman Aaron Schock
, 33 years his younger at the Capital Challenge Charity Race.
announced in 1983 that he would run for the United States Senate
in 1984, Gordon stepped down as state party chairman to run for the seat. He initially faced a hard-fought race against the brother of the publisher of Nashville's former conservative
newspaper
, the Nashville Banner
. However, he won handily in November 1984, riding Gore's coattails in the midst of Ronald Reagan
's landslide victory in that year's presidential election. Gordon is regarded as a moderate
. He has favored the repeal of the inheritance tax
and the "marriage tax penalty".
Gordon was reelected by huge margins until 1994, when his Republican opponent was attorney
Steve Gill
, a former basketball
player at the University of Tennessee
who is now a radio
talk show
host. Gordon only won by one percentage point, but managed to defeat Gill more handily in 1996. Gordon was re-elected in 1998 and 2000 by margins similar to those he scored in the 1980s and early 1990s. He faced no significant opposition in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and was unopposed in 2008. This is largely because the 2002 reapportionment by the Democratic-controlled Tennessee General Assembly
removed Williamson County
, a wealthy and heavily Republican suburban area south of Nashville, from the Sixth District and added it to the already heavily Republican Seventh District. Ironically, that district is now represented by Marsha Blackburn
, who in 1992 was Gordon's first well-financed Republican opponent since his initial 1984 race.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and 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 1985 until 2011. The district includes several rural areas and fast-growing suburbs east of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 until 2011. He 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...
. He announced on December 14, 2009 that he would not seek re-election in 2010.
Gordon is currently a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
for global law firm K&L Gates, a lobbying shop "that represents the hi-tech and energy sectors," and is a distinguished fellow at the Council on Competitiveness.
Early life, education and career
Gordon was born in Murfreesboro, TennesseeMurfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, where he has lived all of his life. He served in the United States Army Reserve in 1971 and 1972. He graduated from Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
in 1971, earning a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1973. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
. He then entered private practice in Murfreesboro.
Active in Democratic politics early on, he was briefly executive director of the Tennessee Democratic Party
Tennessee Democratic Party
The Tennessee Democratic Party is the organized coalition of Democrats in Tennessee founded in 1826, tracing its philosophical roots to President Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson was born in 1767 in the Carolinas. After fighting in the Revolutionary War he moved to Tennessee in search of opportunity....
in 1979 and state party chairman from 1981 to 1983.
Committee assignments
- United States House Committee on Energy and CommerceUnited States House Committee on Energy and CommerceThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
(1995–2011) - United States House Committee on Science and Technology (1985–1987; 1997–2011) (Ranking Member, 2005–2007; Chairman, 2007–2011)
- United States House Committee on the BudgetUnited States House Committee on the BudgetThe U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
(1993–1995) - United States House Committee on RulesUnited States House Committee on RulesThe Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
(1987–1995) - United States House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs (1985–1987)
- United States House Permanent Select Committee on AgingUnited States House Permanent Select Committee on AgingThe United States House Permanent Select Committee on Aging was a permanent select committee of the United States House of Representatives between 1974 and 1992....
(1985–1987)
Tenure
During his tenure in Congress, Gordon "helped pass the COMPETE ActAmerica COMPETES Act
The America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007 or America COMPETES Act was signed by President Bush and became law on 9 August 2007. This was an Act, "To invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve...
and the 2007 Energy Bill
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is an Act of Congress concerning the energy policy of the United States...
." In March 2007 it was reported that Rep. Gordon, chairman of the U.S.House science committee, said that NASA is headed for "a train wreck" if the space agency isn't better funded to finish building the international space station and develop the next-generation spacecraft.
In December 2008, Gordon came under fire from Tennessee conservatives for failing to vote on the auto bailout, stating that his failure to vote was due to a "technical glitch" in the voting system. In March 2010, Gordon announced that he will vote in favor of the Senate Health Care bill.
Gordon has been the fastest runner of foot races in Congress for 20 years. Most recently, he defeated Congressman Aaron Schock
Aaron Schock
Aaron Schock is the United States Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Peoria and includes part of Springfield. At the age of , Schock is currently the youngest U.S. representative and the first member of the U.S. Congress born...
, 33 years his younger at the Capital Challenge Charity Race.
Political campaigns
When 6th District Congressman Al GoreAl Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
announced in 1983 that he would run for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1984, Gordon stepped down as state party chairman to run for the seat. He initially faced a hard-fought race against the brother of the publisher of Nashville's former conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, the Nashville Banner
Nashville Banner
The Nashville Banner is a defunct daily newspaper of Nashville, Tennessee, United States, which published from April 10, 1876 until February 20, 1998...
. However, he won handily in November 1984, riding Gore's coattails in the midst of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's landslide victory in that year's presidential election. Gordon is regarded as a moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
. He has favored the repeal of the inheritance tax
Inheritance tax
An inheritance tax or estate tax is a levy paid by a person who inherits money or property or a tax on the estate of a person who has died...
and the "marriage tax penalty".
Gordon was reelected by huge margins until 1994, when his Republican opponent was attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Steve Gill
Steve Gill
Steve Gill is an American conservative talk radio host based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is currently serving as a political commentator on Nashville television station WKRN, and his radio show, The Steve Gill Show, is broadcast on stations across the state.-Education and personal life:Gill...
, a former basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
who is now a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
host. Gordon only won by one percentage point, but managed to defeat Gill more handily in 1996. Gordon was re-elected in 1998 and 2000 by margins similar to those he scored in the 1980s and early 1990s. He faced no significant opposition in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and was unopposed in 2008. This is largely because the 2002 reapportionment by the Democratic-controlled Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
removed Williamson County
Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010 US Census, the population was 183,182. The County's seat is Franklin, and it is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Hugh Williamson, a...
, a wealthy and heavily Republican suburban area south of Nashville, from the Sixth District and added it to the already heavily Republican Seventh District. Ironically, that district is now represented by Marsha Blackburn
Marsha Blackburn
Marsha Wedgeworth Blackburn is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the suburbs of Nashville to the suburbs of Memphis.-Early life, education and career:...
, who in 1992 was Gordon's first well-financed Republican opponent since his initial 1984 race.
External links
- Diary at Daily KosDaily KosDaily Kos is an American political blog that publishes news and opinions from a progressive point of view. It functions as a discussion forum and group blog for a variety of netroots activists, whose efforts are primarily directed toward influencing and strengthening the Democratic Party...
, about report on off-shoring jobs