Erik Paulsen
Encyclopedia
Erik Paulsen is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
. He previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives
. The district, the wealthiest of the state's eight congressional districts, is located in the western portion of the Twin Cities including Bloomington
, Eden Prairie, Edina
, Minnetonka and Wayzata.
, graduating from Chaska High School
, in 1983. He attended St. Olaf College
, receiving a BA degree in mathematics
, in 1987. During his time at St. Olaf, he met his future wife, Kelly. Paulsen worked as a business analyst for Target Corporation
at its headquarters in Minneapolis.
and then joined Representative Jim Ramstad
in Washington, D.C.
. After working two years for Ramstad, Paulsen served as a state director for Ramstad's Third Congressional District in Minnesota.
in 1994 and served seven terms before announcing his bid for United States Congress in Minnesota's Third District in January 2008.
Paulsen won a three-way race for Minnesota's Third Congressional District in November 2008. His U.S. House candidacy was announced after the incumbent, Jim Ramstad
(a Republican), announced his retirement in 2007, which gave an opportunity for both major parties to field potential candidates. Shortly after he announced his retirement, Congressman Ramstad endorsed Paulsen and served as the Chairman of Paulsen's Steering Committee. Paulsen was a speaker at the 2008 Republican National Convention
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
.
Paulsen won the election with 48.48% compared to Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nominee Ashwin Madia
's 40.85%, with Independence Party of Minnesota
candidate David Dillon pulling 10.56%. While not achieving an absolute majority, Paulsen defeated Madia by about 30,000 votes.
2010
Paulson won re-election with 59% of the vote against Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party challenger Jim Meffert
.
During the race, Meffert filed a complaint with the United States House Committee on Ethics claiming that Paulsen distributed a deliberately misleading mailing to his constituents using the franking privilege afforded to House members. The committee has yet to act upon the complaint.
, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
, the Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade
and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
. He is a member of the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
.
and global free trade
agreements.
Paulsen opposes a public health care option
, saying it would represent a "government takeover" of health care. Instead, he supported a Republican alternative plan. At a April 7, 2010, GOP rally in Minneapolis, Paulsen described the recently enacted health care reform law as a "government takeover of health care," a claim that Minnesota Public Radio
states "isn't correct."
Paulsen has called for an end to Minnesota's ban on building nuclear power
plants, saying that "trying to meet our energy needs without using nuclear energy is a little bit like trying to row a boat with one oar."
Paulsen voted against the American Clean Energy and Security Act
(2009), an effort to curb emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change
.
Paulsen voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, citing its high cost to current and future taxpayers.
Paulsen voted against The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009.
Paulsen voted against a bill repealing the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell
" policy in favor of allowing individuals who have openly acknowledged their homosexuality
to serve. He voted against several employment discrimination law amendments in 2009, as well as a bill that would have, among other intentions, expanded the definition of hate crimes to include “felonies motivated by prejudice based on national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity of the victim.” However, he is in favor of increased support for local crime-fighting organizations and police forces, and voted in support of required background checks for school athletic coaches.
Paulsen voted repeatedly in 2010 against extending benefits to unemployed Americans.
Paulsen opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act intended to prevent pay discrimination against women.
Paulsen has voted multiple times in favor of prohibiting public or federal funding for abortion services. He voted for the Seifert Amendment, which, though rejected, worked to prohibit grants for groups associated with clinics and other establishments that provide abortions.
Paulsen opposed two proposed smoking bans in 2007.
Paulsen voted against a resolution telling the president to remove troops and armed forces from Pakistan.
Paulsen introduced the Text a Tip Act to the House in 2010. This bipartisan legislation would allow users to send tips about crimes to a third party, which would remove all identifying information about the user before forwarding the message to the police. The act is currently being reviewed by the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Paulsen cosponsored a draft of the Small Business Assistance and Relief Act in 2010, to provide increased lending and aid for small businesses and ease their financial encumbrances.
Paulsen voted against a bill to fund medical treatment for 9/11 first responders and victims.
Paulsen voted against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeat Act, a bill that passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support and was signed into law allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military.
Paulsen voted in favor of the Federal budget plan for fiscal 2012 that, among other provisions, provided for substantial overhaul of the Medicare program including replacement of the traditional program with vouchers for private health insurance coverage for Americans currently under age 55.
. Paulsen coaches his daughters' soccer teams, and teaches Sunday School (he is a member of the Victory Lutheran Church). In his community, Paulsen serves as a Board Trustee of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and as a board member of the Eden Prairie A Brighter Day Foundation, Habitat for Global Learning, Habitat for Technology and the Southdale YMCA. He is a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders and the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers for Learning Exchange.
Fellowships, honors, and recognitions
Paulsen has participated in the inaugural two-year class of the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, the German Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the Young Leaders Forum of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders. He has been granted a Aspen Institute
Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, and a Marshall Memorial Fellowship
from the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
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 since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
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...
. He previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
. The district, the wealthiest of the state's eight congressional districts, is located in the western portion of the Twin Cities including Bloomington
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
, Eden Prairie, Edina
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Minnetonka and Wayzata.
Early life, education, and business career
Paulsen grew up in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, graduating from Chaska High School
Chaska High School
Chaska Senior High School is a public high school located in Chaska, Minnesota, a southwestern suburb of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. CHS is a 9th-12 grade school; About 1042 students attend CHS....
, in 1983. He attended St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
, receiving a BA degree in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, in 1987. During his time at St. Olaf, he met his future wife, Kelly. Paulsen worked as a business analyst for Target Corporation
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
at its headquarters in Minneapolis.
Early political career
Paulsen got his start in politics as an intern staff member for Senator Rudy BoschwitzRudy Boschwitz
Rudolph Ely "Rudy" Boschwitz is a former Independent-Republican United States Senator from Minnesota. He served in the Senate from December 1978 to January 1991, in the 96th, 97th, 98th, 99th, 100th, and 101st congresses. He was then defeated by Paul Wellstone.-Life and career:Boschwitz was born...
and then joined Representative Jim Ramstad
Jim Ramstad
James Marvin "Jim" Ramstad is a United States politician from the state of Minnesota.-Early life:Ramstad was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, was educated at the University of Minnesota and the George Washington University Law School. He was an officer in the United States National Guard from 1968...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. After working two years for Ramstad, Paulsen served as a state director for Ramstad's Third Congressional District in Minnesota.
Elections
Paulsen was first elected to the Minnesota House of RepresentativesMinnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
in 1994 and served seven terms before announcing his bid for United States Congress in Minnesota's Third District in January 2008.
Committee assignments
Paulsen served as Majority Leader from 2002–2006 and served on the Commerce and Labor, Rules and Legislative Administration, Taxes and Ways and Means committees.Elections
2008Paulsen won a three-way race for Minnesota's Third Congressional District in November 2008. His U.S. House candidacy was announced after the incumbent, Jim Ramstad
Jim Ramstad
James Marvin "Jim" Ramstad is a United States politician from the state of Minnesota.-Early life:Ramstad was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, was educated at the University of Minnesota and the George Washington University Law School. He was an officer in the United States National Guard from 1968...
(a Republican), announced his retirement in 2007, which gave an opportunity for both major parties to field potential candidates. Shortly after he announced his retirement, Congressman Ramstad endorsed Paulsen and served as the Chairman of Paulsen's Steering Committee. Paulsen was a speaker at the 2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
.
Paulsen won the election with 48.48% compared to Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nominee Ashwin Madia
Ashwin Madia
Jigar Ashwin Madia, known as Ashwin Madia , is an American attorney and Iraq War veteran who ran for the United States Congress in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in 2008...
's 40.85%, with Independence Party of Minnesota
Independence Party of Minnesota
The Independence Party of Minnesota , formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is the third largest political party in Minnesota, behind the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and Republican Party . It is the political party of former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura , and endorsed former U.S...
candidate David Dillon pulling 10.56%. While not achieving an absolute majority, Paulsen defeated Madia by about 30,000 votes.
2010
Paulson won re-election with 59% of the vote against Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party challenger Jim Meffert
Jim Meffert
Jim Meffert is the executive director of the Minnesota Optometric Association and the former president of the Minnesota Parent-Teacher Association. Meffert lives in Edina and was the Democratic nominee for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in 2010.-Background:Meffert grew up in Marshall,...
.
During the race, Meffert filed a complaint with the United States House Committee on Ethics claiming that Paulsen distributed a deliberately misleading mailing to his constituents using the franking privilege afforded to House members. The committee has yet to act upon the complaint.
Committee assignments
Paulsen is a member of the Committee on Financial ServicesUnited States House Committee on Financial Services
The United States House Committee on Financial Services is the committee of the United States House of Representatives that oversees the entire financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries...
, the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
The U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services.-Jurisdiction:...
, the Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade
United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade
The United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services...
and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
The U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services.-Jurisdiction:The Subcommittee conducts oversight of the agencies, departments, and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction...
. He is a member of the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
.
Political positions
Paulsen supports continuing Bush-era tax cutsJobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 , was passed by the United States Congress on May 23, 2003 and signed into law by President George W. Bush on May 28, 2003...
and global free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
agreements.
Paulsen opposes a public health care option
Public health insurance option
The public health insurance option is a proposed government-run health insurance agency which competes with other health insurance companies. It is not the same as Publicly-funded health care. Called the public insurance option or public option, for short, it was a proposed health insurance plan...
, saying it would represent a "government takeover" of health care. Instead, he supported a Republican alternative plan. At a April 7, 2010, GOP rally in Minneapolis, Paulsen described the recently enacted health care reform law as a "government takeover of health care," a claim that Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
states "isn't correct."
Paulsen has called for an end to Minnesota's ban on building nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
plants, saying that "trying to meet our energy needs without using nuclear energy is a little bit like trying to row a boat with one oar."
Paulsen voted against 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...
(2009), an effort to curb emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
Paulsen voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, citing its high cost to current and future taxpayers.
Paulsen voted against The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009.
Paulsen voted against a bill repealing the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
" policy in favor of allowing individuals who have openly acknowledged their homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
to serve. He voted against several employment discrimination law amendments in 2009, as well as a bill that would have, among other intentions, expanded the definition of hate crimes to include “felonies motivated by prejudice based on national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity of the victim.” However, he is in favor of increased support for local crime-fighting organizations and police forces, and voted in support of required background checks for school athletic coaches.
Paulsen voted repeatedly in 2010 against extending benefits to unemployed Americans.
Paulsen opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act intended to prevent pay discrimination against women.
Paulsen has voted multiple times in favor of prohibiting public or federal funding for abortion services. He voted for the Seifert Amendment, which, though rejected, worked to prohibit grants for groups associated with clinics and other establishments that provide abortions.
Paulsen opposed two proposed smoking bans in 2007.
Paulsen voted against a resolution telling the president to remove troops and armed forces from Pakistan.
Paulsen introduced the Text a Tip Act to the House in 2010. This bipartisan legislation would allow users to send tips about crimes to a third party, which would remove all identifying information about the user before forwarding the message to the police. The act is currently being reviewed by the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Paulsen cosponsored a draft of the Small Business Assistance and Relief Act in 2010, to provide increased lending and aid for small businesses and ease their financial encumbrances.
Paulsen voted against a bill to fund medical treatment for 9/11 first responders and victims.
Paulsen voted against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeat Act, a bill that passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support and was signed into law allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military.
Paulsen voted in favor of the Federal budget plan for fiscal 2012 that, among other provisions, provided for substantial overhaul of the Medicare program including replacement of the traditional program with vouchers for private health insurance coverage for Americans currently under age 55.
Personal life
The Paulsens had four daughters as of 2008, Cassie, Briana, Tayler, and Liesl, and have a district residence in Eden PrairieEden Prairie, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,579 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile...
. Paulsen coaches his daughters' soccer teams, and teaches Sunday School (he is a member of the Victory Lutheran Church). In his community, Paulsen serves as a Board Trustee of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and as a board member of the Eden Prairie A Brighter Day Foundation, Habitat for Global Learning, Habitat for Technology and the Southdale YMCA. He is a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders and the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers for Learning Exchange.
Fellowships, honors, and recognitions
Paulsen has participated in the inaugural two-year class of the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, the German Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the Young Leaders Forum of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and the American Council of Young Political Leaders. He has been granted a Aspen Institute
Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies. The organization is dedicated to "fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues." The...
Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, and a Marshall Memorial Fellowship
German Marshall Fund
The German Marshall Fund of the United States is a nonpartisan American public policy and grantmaking institution dedicated to promoting greater cooperation and understanding between North America and Europe....
from the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
External links
- Congressman Erik Paulsen official U.S. House website
- Erik Paulsen for Congress official campaign website
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
CongresspediaCongresspediaCongresspedia was a wiki that ran from April 2006 to March 2009, designed to hold information on the workings of the U.S. Congress. It was fully contained within SourceWatch, a larger wiki meant to document the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. The Congresspedia portion of... - Profile at the Minnesota Legislative Library
- Paulsen speaking to the 2008 Republican National Convention on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....