Jo Bonner

Infobox Congressman
name = Jo Bonner


nominee = U.S. Representative for Alabama's 1st District
election_date = November 4, 2008
incumbent = Jo Bonner
opponent = Thomas Fuller (D), withdrawn
state2 = Alabama
district2 = 1st
term_start2 = January 3, 2003
preceded2 = Sonny Callahan
succeeded2 =
party = Republican
date of birth = birth date and age|mf=yes|1959|11|19
place of birth = Selma, Alabama
death_date =
death_place =
alma_mater=University of Alabama
occupation = political assistant
spouse = Janée Lambert
children = Jennifer Lee Bonner
Josiah Robins Bonner III
residence = Mobile, Alabama
religion = Episcopalian

Josiah Robins (Jo) Bonner, Jr. (born November 19, 1959), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing ushr|Alabama|1|.

Life

Bonner was born in Selma, Alabama, (but was raised in Camden, Alabama) to Imogene Virginia Lyons and Josiah Robins Bonner. [ [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/reps/bonner.htm 1 ] ] He was educated at the University of Alabama, graduating in 1982. Two years later he started working as campaign press secretary for Congressman Sonny Callahan, a Republican representing Alabama's 1st district. In 1989 Bonner was promoted to Callahan's chief of staff and moved to Mobile. From this position he was positioned to run for the seat after Callahan's retirement just before the June 2002 primary election. During that primary, despite having six opponents, including Tom Young, chief of staff to Senator Richard Shelby, Bonner won by a wide margin.

Bonner has served as a member of the board of directors for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Leadership Mobile, and the Mobile Chapter of the University of Alabama Alumni Association. In 2000, the College of Communications at The University of Alabama honored him as their Outstanding Alumnus in Public Relations. He was a member of Leadership Mobile, Class of 2000, where his classmates elected him co-president.

Bonner is married to the former Janée Lambert of Mobile. They are parents of a daughter, Jennifer Lee, age 12, and a son, Josiah Robins, III, age 10. The Bonners make their home in Mobile and are members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Electoral history

2006 General Election

House record

In the House, Bonner has earned a consistent voting record and has made few waves as a party loyalist. Perhaps most notable dissention was his opposition to on-shore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals for Mobile, but went on to propose an off-shore option for the future. He pushed for Representative Callahan's seat on the House Appropriations Committee but did not carry the support of his colleagues. One notable achievement has been his maintenance of the "Gulf Coast Congressional Report", which started airing in 1973 and bills itself as the longest running televised public service program hosted by a member of Congress.

Prior to being sworn in to the 108th Congress, Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-MO, named Bonner an Assistant Whip. The appointment made Bonner one of a number of freshmen who are now part of weekly leadership meetings with Blunt, the second-ranking member in the Republican Leadership behind only the Majority Leader. December 14 2005 he voted for the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. On June 29 2005 he voted for the increase of funds by $25 million for anti-marijuana print a TV ads. On October 6, 2005 he voted for the Department of Homeland Security.

Committees and Subcommittees

*House Committee on Agriculture (Ranked 14th of 25)
** Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry (ranking)
** Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
*United States House Committee on the Budget (Ranked 7th of 22)
*House Committee on Science (Ranked 16th of 24)
** Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
** Technology and Innovation

Group Ratings (2004)

*National Journal
** Economic: 13% Liberal, 87% Conservative
** Social: 24% Liberal, 76% Conservative
** Foreign: 0% Liberal, 96% Conservative
*Americans for Democratic Action: 0
*American Civil Liberties Union: 0
*Chamber of Commerce of the United States: 100
*Christian Coalition: 100
*League of Conservation Voters: 9
*American Conservative Union: 95
*National Taxpayers Union: 59

References

External links

* [http://bonner.house.gov/ U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner] official U.S. House site
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jo_Bonner Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia
* [http://www.jobonner.com/ Jo Bonner for U.S. Congress] official campaign site