Clarence Saxby Chambliss (born November 10, 1943) is the senior
United States SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
from
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
. He is a member of the Republican Party. In the 110th Congress, Chambliss serves as the ranking Republican member of the
United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and ForestryThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, chairing the committee during the 109th Congress (2005-2007).
Early life, education, and family
Chambliss was born in
Warrenton, North CarolinaWarrenton is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 811 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1779, it is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to one of the campuses of Vance-Granville Community College....
. He graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport,
LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, in 1961. He attended
Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10,950 students in the 08-09 year. Louisiana Tech was first instituted as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana in 1894, then as Louisiana Polytechnic...
from 1961-1962 and earning a
bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Business Administration from the
University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
in 1966 and his
Juris DoctorJuris Doctor is a first professional degree.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century as a degree similar to the old European doctor of law degree...
from the
University of TennesseeThe University of Tennessee , sometimes called the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville...
College of Law in 1968. He is a member of the
Sigma ChiSigma Chi is one of the largest and oldest college Greek-letter social fraternities. Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon. Sigma Chi has seven founding members: Benjamin Piatt Runkle, Thomas Cowan Bell, William Lewis...
Fraternity.
In the 1960s, during the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, Chambliss received five student deferments while attending the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee College of Law and was also given a medical deferment (1-Y) for bad knees due to a
footballFootball is the name of several similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
injury.
Chambliss is a member of
St. John's Episcopal ChurchSt. John's Episcopal Church, named after St. John the Evangelist, is an historic Episcopal church located at 609 South Main Street, Moultrie, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Diocese of Georgia. The parish follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition of worship and belongs to the Anglican...
in
Moultrie, GeorgiaMoultrie is the county seat of Colquitt County. Moultrie is an agricultural community set in the Southern Rivers part of the State of Georgia. It is well known for its antique shops and has been styled "The Antique Capital of South Georgia." Moultrie is also the home of US Senator Saxby...
. He married Julianne in 1966 and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Chambliss's son Bo is a registered lobbyist for the
Chicago Mercantile ExchangeThe Chicago Mercantile Exchange is an American financial and commodity derivative exchange based in Chicago. The CME was founded in 1898 as the Chicago Butter and Egg Board. Originally, the exchange was a non-profit organization...
and lobbies on commodity futures trading issues that fall under legislative jurisdiction of the
Senate Agriculture CommitteeThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, of which the Senator is a member. The Senator's office enacted a policy that prevents Bo from lobbying the Senator or his staff.
House of Representatives, 1995-2003
Chambliss was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as one of the new
conservativeConservatism is the diverse political and social philosophy that supports tradition and the status quo, or that calls for a return to the values and society of an earlier age, the status quo ante. However, the term has been used by politicians and political commentators with a variety of meanings...
Republican congressmen whose elections caused the party to gain a majority in both houses of Congress. A long-time Congressman and fellow Georgian,
Newt GingrichNewton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, Time magazine selected him as the Person of the Year for his role in leading the Republican Revolution in the House, ending 40 years of the...
, was the leader of the movement, and Chambliss and the other Republicans elected that year are known as the
Class of '94The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the Republican Party of the United States dubbed their success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...
.
Chambliss was elected from the
MaconMacon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles south of Atlanta, hence the...
-based 8th District, after six-term incumbent
J. Roy RowlandJames Roy Rowland, Jr. is an American politician and physician from Georgia.Rowland attended Wrightsville High School and graduated in 1943. He then attended Emory at Oxford in Oxford, Georgia in 1943, South Georgia College in Douglas, Georgia in 1946 and the University of Georgia in Athens from...
retired. He was elected with 63% of the vote—an unexpectedly large margin since the 8th had never elected a Republican. He faced a tough re-election fight in 1996 against Macon attorney Jim Wiggins, but breezed to reelection in 1998 and 2000.
During his four terms in the House, Chambliss served on the United States House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and chaired the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security.
Less than a month after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, which Chambliss chaired, investigated intelligence issues related to the attacks. The committee's investigation resulted in the first comprehensive report detailing critical shortfalls within the United States intelligence community's performance and technological capabilities.
Chambliss was criticized for remarks he made during a November 19, 2001 meeting with first responders in
Valdosta, GeorgiaValdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 43,724; by the 2006 census estimate, it had grown slightly to 45,529...
, where he said that homeland security would be improved by turning the sheriff loose to "arrest every
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
that crosses the state line." Chambliss apologized for the remarks.
In 2006, Chambliss was among several congressional Republicans and Democrats who returned campaign donations from
Jack AbramoffJack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist, businessman and con man who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. He is currently incarcerated at the satellite prison camp adjacent to the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Ranking Member)
- As Ranking Member of the full committee, Sen. Chambliss may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
- Committee on Armed Services
The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy , benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and...
- Subcommittee on Airland
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:The Airland Subcommittee has primary jurisdiction over all issues related to the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S...
- Subcommittee on Personnel
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:The Personnel Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to active and reserve military personnel, including pay rates, military health care and...
- Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Committee on Rules and Administration
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for the rules of the United States Senate, with administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for dealing with contested elections.The committee...
- Select Committee on Intelligence
The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Community—the agencies and bureaus of the Federal government of the United States who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches...
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to Public Law No...
Sen. Chambliss is the only senator since 1947 to have chaired a full standing Senate Committee (Agriculture) after serving in the Senate for just two years.
In 2008, he was named one of 10 worst congressmen by Esquire Magazine, which described the competition as "staggering."
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Fire Services Caucus
- Congressional Sportsmen Foundation
- Juvenile Diabetes Caucus
- National Guard Caucus
- Rural Health Caucus
- Senate Caucus on Military Depots, Arsenals and Ammunition Plants
- Co-Chair, Senate Reserve Caucus
- Steering Committee
2002 race
Chambliss ran for the Senate in 2002, facing freshman Democratic incumbent
Max ClelandJoseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Senator, disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, decorated war hero, and a critic of the Bush Administration. From 2003 to 2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank...
. Chambliss' political career would have likely ended even if he hadn't run for the Senate; the state legislature had shifted his home in Moultrie (along with most of the southern portion of his district) to the nearby
1st districtGeorgia's 1st Congressional District has been represented in the United States House of Representatives by Republican Jack Kingston since 1993....
, represented by fellow Republican
Jack KingstonJohn Heddens Kingston , Republican politician, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing .- Early life and background:...
.
Chambliss focused on the issue of
national defenseNational defense may refer to:*National security, a nation's use of military, economic and political power to maintain survival; see also Defense *National missile defense, a military strategy to shield a country from missiles...
and
homeland securityHomeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect the United States against perceived internal and external threats. The term arose following a reorganization of many U.S. government agencies in 2003 to form the United States Department of Homeland Security after the September...
during his campaign, and released an ad that included
Osama bin LadenOsama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden is a member of the prominent Saudi bin Laden family and one of the founders of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, best known for the September 11 attacks on the United States and its associations with numerous other mass-casualty attacks against...
and
Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, highlighting Cleland's record on the issues of war and terrorism.
Chambliss received criticism from Democrats and Republicans for this ad, pointing out that he, who hadn't served in the Vietnam War due to receiving military deferments, had attacked a Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during his service for not being tough enough on issues of war and homeland security. Republican Senator
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
of
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
said of one ad, "[I]t's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible;" Senator
Chuck HagelCharles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002. On 10 February 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States, succeeding General James L...
of
NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
said the ads were "beyond offensive to me." On the other hand, Chambliss supporters say the ad did not question Cleland's patriotism, but rather his judgment.
Chambliss won the election, receiving 53 percent of the votes to Cleland's 46 percent.
2008 race
On November 4, 2008, Chambliss received 49.8% of the vote, while Democratic challenger
Jim MartinJames Francis "Jim" Martin is an American politician and former member of the Georgia General Assembly. He is a Democrat. Martin opposed incumbent U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss in the 2008 election...
received 46.8% and Libertarian
Allen BuckleyAllen Buckley is an attorney and CPA, who in 2008 ran for one of Georgia's United States Senate seats as a member of the Libertarian Party. He was the party's candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006, where he drew 3.6% of the vote, and for Senator in 2004, where he took 2% of the...
received 3.4% of the vote.
Since no candidate exceeded 50% of the vote, a runoff election between Chambliss and Martin was held on December 2, 2008.
Chambliss defeated Martin 57.5% to 42.5% in the runoff election.
Imperial Sugar
During the run-off period, Chambliss received a subpoena regarding the investigation of a lawsuit against
Imperial SugarImperial Sugar is a major U.S. sugar producer and marketer based in Sugar Land, Texas with refining operations in California, Georgia, and Louisiana....
that claims that Imperial "wrongfully" failed to remove hazards that caused the disaster of a
SavannahSavannah is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Chatham County, Georgia, USA. Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia...
-based sugar refinery that exploded on Feb. 7, 2008. Chambliss was accused of "harassing" a former sugar company executive. In a statement, Chambliss said he has referred the matter to Senate lawyers. Chambliss has stated: "I continue to sympathize with the families who were devastated by this tragedy and I will continue to work to protect the interests of those families." Savannah attorney Mark Tate, "an active backer of Democratic candidates," insisted that "there is nothing political" about the timing of the subpoena. When Tate subpoenaed Chambliss to testify in the case, Chambliss claimed "legislative immunity."
Voting Record
Chambliss's voting record is typically that of voting in line with conservative issues. He is the primary sponsor in the
United States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
of the tax-reform proposal
The Fair Tax ActThe FairTax is a proposed change to the federal tax laws of the United States that would replace all federal income taxes with a single national retail sales tax. The plan has been introduced into the United States Congress by two Georgia Republicans, Representative John Linder and Senator Saxby...
(S. 1025), attracting more cosponsors than any other fundamental tax reform bill introduced.
Although Chambliss has a conservative voting record, he has participated in bi-partisan legislation—such as the
2007 Farm BillThe Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 was a $288 billion, five-year agricultural policy bill that was passed into law by the United States Congress on June 18, 2008. The bill was a continuation of the 2002 Farm Bill...
, the bi-partisan immigration reform (led by
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and
Ted KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in November 1962, he was elected nine times and served for 46 years in the U.S. Senate. At the time of his death, he was the second most senior member of the Senate, and...
) in 2007 and the
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 , commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, is a law enacted in response to the subprime mortgage crisis authorizing the United States Secretary of the Treasury to spend up to US$700 billion to purchase distressed assets,...
,. He is also the Republican leader of the Gang of 10, a bipartisan group which has worked to create a compromise surrounding the energy policy of the United States.
Interest groups ratings
On abortion issues, the ratings given Chambliss as of 2007 by National Right to Life Committee and NARAL Pro-Choice America identify him as having a anti-abortion voting record. The National Right to Life Committee gave him a 100% rating, while NARAL Pro-Choice America gave him a 0% rating.
On
2nd AmendmentThe Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects a right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights...
issues, in 2008, the
NRAThe National Rifle Association of America, or NRA, is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization which lists as its goals the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the...
gave Chambliss an "A+" rating and the NRA also endorsed him.
On agricultural issues, the American Farm Bureau gave Chambliss its "Friend of the Farm Bureau" award throughout his service in the U.S. Senate.
On economic issues including voting on the national budget, national spending, and taxes, in 2007, the National Tax Limitation Committee gave Chambliss a 90% rating, and the group
Americans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group whose goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
gave him a 100% rating.
On civil liberties and civil rights issues, in 2007, the
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)The American Civil Liberties Union consists of two separate non-profit organizations: the ACLU Foundation, a 501 organization which focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501 organization which focuses on legislative lobbying...
gave him a 17% rating, and the NAACP gave him a 27% rating.
On education issues, in 2008, the Center for Education Reform, gave Chambliss a score of 9 out of 9, and called him a "real reformer", while the
National Education AssociationThe National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
gave him an "F" in 2007.
On organized labor issues, in 2007 the
AFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL-CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States and Canada, made up of 65 national and international unions, together representing more than 10 million workers. It...
gave Chambliss a 11% rating, and the
International Foodservice Distributors AssociationThe International Foodservice Distributors Association is a trade association serving the foodservice distribution industry. Its members include manufacturers, distributors, brokers and buying groups who service the foodservice industry. Their largest membership base is from North America but they...
gave him an 85% rating.
On environmental issues, in 2003 the
LCVLCV can stand for:* Landing Craft, Vehicle* League of Conservation Voters* Customer lifetime value* Light commercial vehicle* Lincolnville, Maine * Light Combat Vehicle* Long Combination Vehicle, see road train* Leuco Crystal Violet...
gave Chambliss a 0% rating.
Electoral history
Clarence Saxby Chambliss (born November 10, 1943) is the senior United States SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
from GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
. He is a member of the Republican Party. In the 110th Congress, Chambliss serves as the ranking Republican member of the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and ForestryThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, chairing the committee during the 109th Congress (2005-2007).
Early life, education, and family
Chambliss was born in Warrenton, North CarolinaWarrenton is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 811 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1779, it is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to one of the campuses of Vance-Granville Community College....
. He graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, in 1961. He attended Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10,950 students in the 08-09 year. Louisiana Tech was first instituted as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana in 1894, then as Louisiana Polytechnic...
from 1961-1962 and earning a bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Business Administration from the University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
in 1966 and his Juris DoctorJuris Doctor is a first professional degree.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century as a degree similar to the old European doctor of law degree...
from the University of TennesseeThe University of Tennessee , sometimes called the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville...
College of Law in 1968. He is a member of the Sigma ChiSigma Chi is one of the largest and oldest college Greek-letter social fraternities. Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon. Sigma Chi has seven founding members: Benjamin Piatt Runkle, Thomas Cowan Bell, William Lewis...
Fraternity.
In the 1960s, during the Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, Chambliss received five student deferments while attending the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee College of Law and was also given a medical deferment (1-Y) for bad knees due to a footballFootball is the name of several similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
injury.
Chambliss is a member of St. John's Episcopal ChurchSt. John's Episcopal Church, named after St. John the Evangelist, is an historic Episcopal church located at 609 South Main Street, Moultrie, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Diocese of Georgia. The parish follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition of worship and belongs to the Anglican...
in Moultrie, GeorgiaMoultrie is the county seat of Colquitt County. Moultrie is an agricultural community set in the Southern Rivers part of the State of Georgia. It is well known for its antique shops and has been styled "The Antique Capital of South Georgia." Moultrie is also the home of US Senator Saxby...
. He married Julianne in 1966 and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Chambliss's son Bo is a registered lobbyist for the Chicago Mercantile ExchangeThe Chicago Mercantile Exchange is an American financial and commodity derivative exchange based in Chicago. The CME was founded in 1898 as the Chicago Butter and Egg Board. Originally, the exchange was a non-profit organization...
and lobbies on commodity futures trading issues that fall under legislative jurisdiction of the Senate Agriculture CommitteeThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, of which the Senator is a member. The Senator's office enacted a policy that prevents Bo from lobbying the Senator or his staff.
House of Representatives, 1995-2003
Chambliss was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as one of the new conservativeConservatism is the diverse political and social philosophy that supports tradition and the status quo, or that calls for a return to the values and society of an earlier age, the status quo ante. However, the term has been used by politicians and political commentators with a variety of meanings...
Republican congressmen whose elections caused the party to gain a majority in both houses of Congress. A long-time Congressman and fellow Georgian, Newt GingrichNewton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, Time magazine selected him as the Person of the Year for his role in leading the Republican Revolution in the House, ending 40 years of the...
, was the leader of the movement, and Chambliss and the other Republicans elected that year are known as the Class of '94The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the Republican Party of the United States dubbed their success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...
.
Chambliss was elected from the MaconMacon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles south of Atlanta, hence the...
-based 8th District, after six-term incumbent J. Roy RowlandJames Roy Rowland, Jr. is an American politician and physician from Georgia.Rowland attended Wrightsville High School and graduated in 1943. He then attended Emory at Oxford in Oxford, Georgia in 1943, South Georgia College in Douglas, Georgia in 1946 and the University of Georgia in Athens from...
retired. He was elected with 63% of the vote—an unexpectedly large margin since the 8th had never elected a Republican. He faced a tough re-election fight in 1996 against Macon attorney Jim Wiggins, but breezed to reelection in 1998 and 2000.
During his four terms in the House, Chambliss served on the United States House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and chaired the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security.
Less than a month after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, which Chambliss chaired, investigated intelligence issues related to the attacks. The committee's investigation resulted in the first comprehensive report detailing critical shortfalls within the United States intelligence community's performance and technological capabilities.
Chambliss was criticized for remarks he made during a November 19, 2001 meeting with first responders in Valdosta, GeorgiaValdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 43,724; by the 2006 census estimate, it had grown slightly to 45,529...
, where he said that homeland security would be improved by turning the sheriff loose to "arrest every Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
that crosses the state line." Chambliss apologized for the remarks.
In 2006, Chambliss was among several congressional Republicans and Democrats who returned campaign donations from Jack AbramoffJack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist, businessman and con man who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. He is currently incarcerated at the satellite prison camp adjacent to the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Ranking Member)
- As Ranking Member of the full committee, Sen. Chambliss may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
- Committee on Armed Services
The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy , benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and...
- Subcommittee on Airland
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:The Airland Subcommittee has primary jurisdiction over all issues related to the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S...
- Subcommittee on Personnel
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:The Personnel Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to active and reserve military personnel, including pay rates, military health care and...
- Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Committee on Rules and Administration
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for the rules of the United States Senate, with administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for dealing with contested elections.The committee...
- Select Committee on Intelligence
The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Community—the agencies and bureaus of the Federal government of the United States who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches...
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to Public Law No...
Sen. Chambliss is the only senator since 1947 to have chaired a full standing Senate Committee (Agriculture) after serving in the Senate for just two years.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}
In 2008, he was named one of 10 worst congressmen by Esquire Magazine, which described the competition as "staggering."
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Fire Services Caucus
- Congressional Sportsmen Foundation
- Juvenile Diabetes Caucus
- National Guard Caucus
- Rural Health Caucus
- Senate Caucus on Military Depots, Arsenals and Ammunition Plants
- Co-Chair, Senate Reserve Caucus
- Steering Committee
2002 race
{{main|United States Senate election in Georgia, 2002}}
Chambliss ran for the Senate in 2002, facing freshman Democratic incumbent Max ClelandJoseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Senator, disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, decorated war hero, and a critic of the Bush Administration. From 2003 to 2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank...
. Chambliss' political career would have likely ended even if he hadn't run for the Senate; the state legislature had shifted his home in Moultrie (along with most of the southern portion of his district) to the nearby 1st districtGeorgia's 1st Congressional District has been represented in the United States House of Representatives by Republican Jack Kingston since 1993....
, represented by fellow Republican Jack KingstonJohn Heddens Kingston , Republican politician, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing .- Early life and background:...
.
Chambliss focused on the issue of national defenseNational defense may refer to:*National security, a nation's use of military, economic and political power to maintain survival; see also Defense *National missile defense, a military strategy to shield a country from missiles...
and homeland securityHomeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect the United States against perceived internal and external threats. The term arose following a reorganization of many U.S. government agencies in 2003 to form the United States Department of Homeland Security after the September...
during his campaign, and released an ad that included Osama bin LadenOsama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden is a member of the prominent Saudi bin Laden family and one of the founders of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, best known for the September 11 attacks on the United States and its associations with numerous other mass-casualty attacks against...
and Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, highlighting Cleland's record on the issues of war and terrorism.
Chambliss received criticism from Democrats and Republicans for this ad, pointing out that he, who hadn't served in the Vietnam War due to receiving military deferments, had attacked a Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during his service for not being tough enough on issues of war and homeland security. Republican Senator John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
of ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
said of one ad, "[I]t's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible;" Senator Chuck HagelCharles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002. On 10 February 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States, succeeding General James L...
of NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
said the ads were "beyond offensive to me." On the other hand, Chambliss supporters say the ad did not question Cleland's patriotism, but rather his judgment.
Chambliss won the election, receiving 53 percent of the votes to Cleland's 46 percent.
2008 race
{{main|United States Senate election in Georgia, 2008}}
{{wikinews|Republican Senator from Georgia wins run-off election}}
On November 4, 2008, Chambliss received 49.8% of the vote, while Democratic challenger Jim MartinJames Francis "Jim" Martin is an American politician and former member of the Georgia General Assembly. He is a Democrat. Martin opposed incumbent U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss in the 2008 election...
received 46.8% and Libertarian Allen BuckleyAllen Buckley is an attorney and CPA, who in 2008 ran for one of Georgia's United States Senate seats as a member of the Libertarian Party. He was the party's candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006, where he drew 3.6% of the vote, and for Senator in 2004, where he took 2% of the...
received 3.4% of the vote.
Since no candidate exceeded 50% of the vote, a runoff election between Chambliss and Martin was held on December 2, 2008.
Chambliss defeated Martin 57.5% to 42.5% in the runoff election.
Imperial Sugar
During the run-off period, Chambliss received a subpoena regarding the investigation of a lawsuit against Imperial SugarImperial Sugar is a major U.S. sugar producer and marketer based in Sugar Land, Texas with refining operations in California, Georgia, and Louisiana....
that claims that Imperial "wrongfully" failed to remove hazards that caused the disaster of a SavannahSavannah is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Chatham County, Georgia, USA. Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia...
-based sugar refinery that exploded on Feb. 7, 2008. Chambliss was accused of "harassing" a former sugar company executive. In a statement, Chambliss said he has referred the matter to Senate lawyers. Chambliss has stated: "I continue to sympathize with the families who were devastated by this tragedy and I will continue to work to protect the interests of those families." Savannah attorney Mark Tate, "an active backer of Democratic candidates," insisted that "there is nothing political" about the timing of the subpoena. When Tate subpoenaed Chambliss to testify in the case, Chambliss claimed "legislative immunity."
Voting Record
Chambliss's voting record is typically that of voting in line with conservative issues. He is the primary sponsor in the United States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
of the tax-reform proposal The Fair Tax ActThe FairTax is a proposed change to the federal tax laws of the United States that would replace all federal income taxes with a single national retail sales tax. The plan has been introduced into the United States Congress by two Georgia Republicans, Representative John Linder and Senator Saxby...
(S. 1025), attracting more cosponsors than any other fundamental tax reform bill introduced.
Although Chambliss has a conservative voting record, he has participated in bi-partisan legislation—such as the 2007 Farm BillThe Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 was a $288 billion, five-year agricultural policy bill that was passed into law by the United States Congress on June 18, 2008. The bill was a continuation of the 2002 Farm Bill...
, the bi-partisan immigration reform (led by John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Ted KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in November 1962, he was elected nine times and served for 46 years in the U.S. Senate. At the time of his death, he was the second most senior member of the Senate, and...
) in 2007 and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 , commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, is a law enacted in response to the subprime mortgage crisis authorizing the United States Secretary of the Treasury to spend up to US$700 billion to purchase distressed assets,...
,. He is also the Republican leader of the Gang of 10, a bipartisan group which has worked to create a compromise surrounding the energy policy of the United States.
Interest groups ratings
On abortion issues, the ratings given Chambliss as of 2007 by National Right to Life Committee and NARAL Pro-Choice America identify him as having a anti-abortion voting record. The National Right to Life Committee gave him a 100% rating, while NARAL Pro-Choice America gave him a 0% rating.
On 2nd AmendmentThe Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects a right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights...
issues, in 2008, the NRAThe National Rifle Association of America, or NRA, is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization which lists as its goals the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the...
gave Chambliss an "A+" rating and the NRA also endorsed him.
On agricultural issues, the American Farm Bureau gave Chambliss its "Friend of the Farm Bureau" award throughout his service in the U.S. Senate.
On economic issues including voting on the national budget, national spending, and taxes, in 2007, the National Tax Limitation Committee gave Chambliss a 90% rating, and the group Americans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group whose goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
gave him a 100% rating.
On civil liberties and civil rights issues, in 2007, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)The American Civil Liberties Union consists of two separate non-profit organizations: the ACLU Foundation, a 501 organization which focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501 organization which focuses on legislative lobbying...
gave him a 17% rating, and the NAACP gave him a 27% rating.
On education issues, in 2008, the Center for Education Reform, gave Chambliss a score of 9 out of 9, and called him a "real reformer", while the National Education AssociationThe National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
gave him an "F" in 2007.
On organized labor issues, in 2007 the AFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL-CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States and Canada, made up of 65 national and international unions, together representing more than 10 million workers. It...
gave Chambliss a 11% rating, and the International Foodservice Distributors AssociationThe International Foodservice Distributors Association is a trade association serving the foodservice distribution industry. Its members include manufacturers, distributors, brokers and buying groups who service the foodservice industry. Their largest membership base is from North America but they...
gave him an 85% rating.
On environmental issues, in 2003 the LCVLCV can stand for:* Landing Craft, Vehicle* League of Conservation Voters* Customer lifetime value* Light commercial vehicle* Lincolnville, Maine * Light Combat Vehicle* Long Combination Vehicle, see road train* Leuco Crystal Violet...
gave Chambliss a 0% rating.
Electoral history
{{seealso|United States Senate election in Georgia, 2008}}
Clarence Saxby Chambliss (born November 10, 1943) is the senior United States SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
from GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
. He is a member of the Republican Party. In the 110th Congress, Chambliss serves as the ranking Republican member of the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and ForestryThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, chairing the committee during the 109th Congress (2005-2007).
Early life, education, and family
Chambliss was born in Warrenton, North CarolinaWarrenton is a town in Warren County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 811 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1779, it is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to one of the campuses of Vance-Granville Community College....
. He graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, in 1961. He attended Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10,950 students in the 08-09 year. Louisiana Tech was first instituted as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana in 1894, then as Louisiana Polytechnic...
from 1961-1962 and earning a bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Business Administration from the University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
in 1966 and his Juris DoctorJuris Doctor is a first professional degree.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century as a degree similar to the old European doctor of law degree...
from the University of TennesseeThe University of Tennessee , sometimes called the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville...
College of Law in 1968. He is a member of the Sigma ChiSigma Chi is one of the largest and oldest college Greek-letter social fraternities. Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon. Sigma Chi has seven founding members: Benjamin Piatt Runkle, Thomas Cowan Bell, William Lewis...
Fraternity.
In the 1960s, during the Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, Chambliss received five student deferments while attending the University of Georgia and the University of Tennessee College of Law and was also given a medical deferment (1-Y) for bad knees due to a footballFootball is the name of several similar team sports, all of which involve kicking a ball with the foot in an attempt to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
injury.
Chambliss is a member of St. John's Episcopal ChurchSt. John's Episcopal Church, named after St. John the Evangelist, is an historic Episcopal church located at 609 South Main Street, Moultrie, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Diocese of Georgia. The parish follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition of worship and belongs to the Anglican...
in Moultrie, GeorgiaMoultrie is the county seat of Colquitt County. Moultrie is an agricultural community set in the Southern Rivers part of the State of Georgia. It is well known for its antique shops and has been styled "The Antique Capital of South Georgia." Moultrie is also the home of US Senator Saxby...
. He married Julianne in 1966 and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Chambliss's son Bo is a registered lobbyist for the Chicago Mercantile ExchangeThe Chicago Mercantile Exchange is an American financial and commodity derivative exchange based in Chicago. The CME was founded in 1898 as the Chicago Butter and Egg Board. Originally, the exchange was a non-profit organization...
and lobbies on commodity futures trading issues that fall under legislative jurisdiction of the Senate Agriculture CommitteeThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, of which the Senator is a member. The Senator's office enacted a policy that prevents Bo from lobbying the Senator or his staff.
House of Representatives, 1995-2003
Chambliss was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as one of the new conservativeConservatism is the diverse political and social philosophy that supports tradition and the status quo, or that calls for a return to the values and society of an earlier age, the status quo ante. However, the term has been used by politicians and political commentators with a variety of meanings...
Republican congressmen whose elections caused the party to gain a majority in both houses of Congress. A long-time Congressman and fellow Georgian, Newt GingrichNewton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, Time magazine selected him as the Person of the Year for his role in leading the Republican Revolution in the House, ending 40 years of the...
, was the leader of the movement, and Chambliss and the other Republicans elected that year are known as the Class of '94The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the Republican Party of the United States dubbed their success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...
.
Chambliss was elected from the MaconMacon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles south of Atlanta, hence the...
-based 8th District, after six-term incumbent J. Roy RowlandJames Roy Rowland, Jr. is an American politician and physician from Georgia.Rowland attended Wrightsville High School and graduated in 1943. He then attended Emory at Oxford in Oxford, Georgia in 1943, South Georgia College in Douglas, Georgia in 1946 and the University of Georgia in Athens from...
retired. He was elected with 63% of the vote—an unexpectedly large margin since the 8th had never elected a Republican. He faced a tough re-election fight in 1996 against Macon attorney Jim Wiggins, but breezed to reelection in 1998 and 2000.
During his four terms in the House, Chambliss served on the United States House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and chaired the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security.
Less than a month after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, which Chambliss chaired, investigated intelligence issues related to the attacks. The committee's investigation resulted in the first comprehensive report detailing critical shortfalls within the United States intelligence community's performance and technological capabilities.
Chambliss was criticized for remarks he made during a November 19, 2001 meeting with first responders in Valdosta, GeorgiaValdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 43,724; by the 2006 census estimate, it had grown slightly to 45,529...
, where he said that homeland security would be improved by turning the sheriff loose to "arrest every Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
that crosses the state line." Chambliss apologized for the remarks.
In 2006, Chambliss was among several congressional Republicans and Democrats who returned campaign donations from Jack AbramoffJack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist, businessman and con man who was a central figure in a series of high-profile political scandals. He is currently incarcerated at the satellite prison camp adjacent to the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Ranking Member)
- As Ranking Member of the full committee, Sen. Chambliss may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
- Committee on Armed Services
The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy , benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and...
- Subcommittee on Airland
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:The Airland Subcommittee has primary jurisdiction over all issues related to the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S...
- Subcommittee on Personnel
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:The Personnel Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to active and reserve military personnel, including pay rates, military health care and...
- Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support is one of six subcommittees within the Senate Armed Services Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Committee on Rules and Administration
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for the rules of the United States Senate, with administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for dealing with contested elections.The committee...
- Select Committee on Intelligence
The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Community—the agencies and bureaus of the Federal government of the United States who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches...
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to Public Law No...
Sen. Chambliss is the only senator since 1947 to have chaired a full standing Senate Committee (Agriculture) after serving in the Senate for just two years.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}
In 2008, he was named one of 10 worst congressmen by Esquire Magazine, which described the competition as "staggering."
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Fire Services Caucus
- Congressional Sportsmen Foundation
- Juvenile Diabetes Caucus
- National Guard Caucus
- Rural Health Caucus
- Senate Caucus on Military Depots, Arsenals and Ammunition Plants
- Co-Chair, Senate Reserve Caucus
- Steering Committee
2002 race
{{main|United States Senate election in Georgia, 2002}}
Chambliss ran for the Senate in 2002, facing freshman Democratic incumbent Max ClelandJoseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Senator, disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, decorated war hero, and a critic of the Bush Administration. From 2003 to 2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank...
. Chambliss' political career would have likely ended even if he hadn't run for the Senate; the state legislature had shifted his home in Moultrie (along with most of the southern portion of his district) to the nearby 1st districtGeorgia's 1st Congressional District has been represented in the United States House of Representatives by Republican Jack Kingston since 1993....
, represented by fellow Republican Jack KingstonJohn Heddens Kingston , Republican politician, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing .- Early life and background:...
.
Chambliss focused on the issue of national defenseNational defense may refer to:*National security, a nation's use of military, economic and political power to maintain survival; see also Defense *National missile defense, a military strategy to shield a country from missiles...
and homeland securityHomeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect the United States against perceived internal and external threats. The term arose following a reorganization of many U.S. government agencies in 2003 to form the United States Department of Homeland Security after the September...
during his campaign, and released an ad that included Osama bin LadenOsama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden is a member of the prominent Saudi bin Laden family and one of the founders of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, best known for the September 11 attacks on the United States and its associations with numerous other mass-casualty attacks against...
and Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
, highlighting Cleland's record on the issues of war and terrorism.
Chambliss received criticism from Democrats and Republicans for this ad, pointing out that he, who hadn't served in the Vietnam War due to receiving military deferments, had attacked a Vietnam War veteran who lost three limbs during his service for not being tough enough on issues of war and homeland security. Republican Senator John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
of ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
said of one ad, "[I]t's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible;" Senator Chuck HagelCharles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002. On 10 February 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States, succeeding General James L...
of NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
said the ads were "beyond offensive to me." On the other hand, Chambliss supporters say the ad did not question Cleland's patriotism, but rather his judgment.
Chambliss won the election, receiving 53 percent of the votes to Cleland's 46 percent.
2008 race
{{main|United States Senate election in Georgia, 2008}}
{{wikinews|Republican Senator from Georgia wins run-off election}}
On November 4, 2008, Chambliss received 49.8% of the vote, while Democratic challenger Jim MartinJames Francis "Jim" Martin is an American politician and former member of the Georgia General Assembly. He is a Democrat. Martin opposed incumbent U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss in the 2008 election...
received 46.8% and Libertarian Allen BuckleyAllen Buckley is an attorney and CPA, who in 2008 ran for one of Georgia's United States Senate seats as a member of the Libertarian Party. He was the party's candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006, where he drew 3.6% of the vote, and for Senator in 2004, where he took 2% of the...
received 3.4% of the vote.
Since no candidate exceeded 50% of the vote, a runoff election between Chambliss and Martin was held on December 2, 2008.
Chambliss defeated Martin 57.5% to 42.5% in the runoff election.
Imperial Sugar
During the run-off period, Chambliss received a subpoena regarding the investigation of a lawsuit against Imperial SugarImperial Sugar is a major U.S. sugar producer and marketer based in Sugar Land, Texas with refining operations in California, Georgia, and Louisiana....
that claims that Imperial "wrongfully" failed to remove hazards that caused the disaster of a SavannahSavannah is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Chatham County, Georgia, USA. Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia...
-based sugar refinery that exploded on Feb. 7, 2008. Chambliss was accused of "harassing" a former sugar company executive. In a statement, Chambliss said he has referred the matter to Senate lawyers. Chambliss has stated: "I continue to sympathize with the families who were devastated by this tragedy and I will continue to work to protect the interests of those families." Savannah attorney Mark Tate, "an active backer of Democratic candidates," insisted that "there is nothing political" about the timing of the subpoena. When Tate subpoenaed Chambliss to testify in the case, Chambliss claimed "legislative immunity."
Voting Record
Chambliss's voting record is typically that of voting in line with conservative issues. He is the primary sponsor in the United States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
of the tax-reform proposal The Fair Tax ActThe FairTax is a proposed change to the federal tax laws of the United States that would replace all federal income taxes with a single national retail sales tax. The plan has been introduced into the United States Congress by two Georgia Republicans, Representative John Linder and Senator Saxby...
(S. 1025), attracting more cosponsors than any other fundamental tax reform bill introduced.
Although Chambliss has a conservative voting record, he has participated in bi-partisan legislation—such as the 2007 Farm BillThe Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 was a $288 billion, five-year agricultural policy bill that was passed into law by the United States Congress on June 18, 2008. The bill was a continuation of the 2002 Farm Bill...
, the bi-partisan immigration reform (led by John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Ted KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in November 1962, he was elected nine times and served for 46 years in the U.S. Senate. At the time of his death, he was the second most senior member of the Senate, and...
) in 2007 and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 , commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, is a law enacted in response to the subprime mortgage crisis authorizing the United States Secretary of the Treasury to spend up to US$700 billion to purchase distressed assets,...
,. He is also the Republican leader of the Gang of 10, a bipartisan group which has worked to create a compromise surrounding the energy policy of the United States.
Interest groups ratings
On abortion issues, the ratings given Chambliss as of 2007 by National Right to Life Committee and NARAL Pro-Choice America identify him as having a anti-abortion voting record. The National Right to Life Committee gave him a 100% rating, while NARAL Pro-Choice America gave him a 0% rating.
On 2nd AmendmentThe Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects a right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights...
issues, in 2008, the NRAThe National Rifle Association of America, or NRA, is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization which lists as its goals the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the...
gave Chambliss an "A+" rating and the NRA also endorsed him.
On agricultural issues, the American Farm Bureau gave Chambliss its "Friend of the Farm Bureau" award throughout his service in the U.S. Senate.
On economic issues including voting on the national budget, national spending, and taxes, in 2007, the National Tax Limitation Committee gave Chambliss a 90% rating, and the group Americans for Tax ReformAmericans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group whose goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
gave him a 100% rating.
On civil liberties and civil rights issues, in 2007, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)The American Civil Liberties Union consists of two separate non-profit organizations: the ACLU Foundation, a 501 organization which focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501 organization which focuses on legislative lobbying...
gave him a 17% rating, and the NAACP gave him a 27% rating.
On education issues, in 2008, the Center for Education Reform, gave Chambliss a score of 9 out of 9, and called him a "real reformer", while the National Education AssociationThe National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
gave him an "F" in 2007.
On organized labor issues, in 2007 the AFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL-CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States and Canada, made up of 65 national and international unions, together representing more than 10 million workers. It...
gave Chambliss a 11% rating, and the International Foodservice Distributors AssociationThe International Foodservice Distributors Association is a trade association serving the foodservice distribution industry. Its members include manufacturers, distributors, brokers and buying groups who service the foodservice industry. Their largest membership base is from North America but they...
gave him an 85% rating.
On environmental issues, in 2003 the LCVLCV can stand for:* Landing Craft, Vehicle* League of Conservation Voters* Customer lifetime value* Light commercial vehicle* Lincolnville, Maine * Light Combat Vehicle* Long Combination Vehicle, see road train* Leuco Crystal Violet...
gave Chambliss a 0% rating.
Electoral history
{{seealso|United States Senate election in Georgia, 2008}}
{{ushr|Georgia|8|}
}: Results 1994–2000
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1994
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Craig Mathis
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |53,408
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |37%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Saxby Chambliss
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |89,591
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |63%
|
|-
|1996
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Jim Wiggins
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |84,506
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |47%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Saxby Chambliss
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |93,619
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |53%
|
|-
|1998
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ronald L. Cain
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |53,079
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |38%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Saxby Chambliss
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |87,993
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |62%
|
|-
|2000
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Jim MarshallJames Creel "Jim" Marshall is an American politician who has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing...
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |79,051
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |41%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Saxby Chambliss
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |113,380
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |59%
|
{{end box}}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Georgia Senator (Class II): 2002 results
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|2002
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Max ClelandJoseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Senator, disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, decorated war hero, and a critic of the Bush Administration. From 2003 to 2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank...
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |932,422
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |46%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Saxby Chambliss}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |1,071,352
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |53%
|
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |Claude "Sandy" Thomas
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |LibertarianThe Libertarian Party is a United States political party founded on December 11, 1971.In the 30 states where voters can register by party there are over 200,000 voters registered with the Libertarian Party, making it one of the largest of America's alternative political parties...
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} align="right" |27,830
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} align="right" |1%
|
{{end box}}
{{Election box begin | title=2008 Georgia U.S. Senator general election runoff
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Saxby Chambliss (incumbentThe incumbent, in politics, is the holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
)
|votes = 1,226,528
|percentage = 57.5%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Jim MartinJames Francis "Jim" Martin is an American politician and former member of the Georgia General Assembly. He is a Democrat. Martin opposed incumbent U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss in the 2008 election...
|votes = 907,916
|percentage = 42.5%
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 318,612
|percentage = 14.9%
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 2,134,444
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
External links
{{Commonscat|Saxby Chambliss}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{CongLinks | congbio = c000286 | fec = S2GA00118 | opensecrets = N00002685 | votesmart = CNIP7909 | ontheissuespath = Senate/Saxby_Chambliss.htm}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{USRepSuccessionBox
| state=Georgia
| district=8
| before= J. Roy RowlandJames Roy Rowland, Jr. is an American politician and physician from Georgia.Rowland attended Wrightsville High School and graduated in 1943. He then attended Emory at Oxford in Oxford, Georgia in 1943, South Georgia College in Douglas, Georgia in 1946 and the University of Georgia in Athens from...
| years=1995 – 2003
| after= Mac CollinsMichael Allen "Mac" Collins , American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, representing the...
}}
{{s-par|us-sen}}
{{U.S. Senator box
| before=Max ClelandJoseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a former U.S. Senator, disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, decorated war hero, and a critic of the Bush Administration. From 2003 to 2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank...
| state=Georgia
| class=2
| start=2003
| alongside=Zell MillerZell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
, Johnny IsaksonJohn Hardy "Johnny" Isakson , is an American politician, who has been the Republican junior United States Senator from Georgia since 2005. Previously, he represented in the House from 1999 to 2005.-Background:...
}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Thad CochranWilliam Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi, and is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...
R-MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the Senate Agriculture CommitteeThe Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
|years=2005 – 2007}}
{{s-aft|after=Tom HarkinThomas Richard "Tom" Harkin is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party...
D-IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
}}
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=Frank LautenbergFrank Raleigh Lautenberg is an American businessman and Democratic Party politician. Now the senior United States Senator from New Jersey, he is in his fifth non-consecutive term in office, first serving from 1982 to 2001, and again since 2003.He is the only current Senator to have returned to...
D-New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States Senators by seniority|years=61st}}
{{s-aft|after=Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin Graham is an American politician from South Carolina. A member of the Republican Party, he is currently the senior United States Senator from that state. He serves on the Armed Services and Judiciary Committees....
R-South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a U.S. state that borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was...
}}
{{end box}}
{{USSenGA}}
{{GA Federal Representatives}}
{{USSenChairs}}
{{Current U.S. Senators}}