Earl Blumenauer

Infobox_Congressman
name = Earl Blumenauer


date of birth = birth date and age|1948|08|16
place of birth = Portland, Oregon
state = Oregon
district = ushr|Oregon|3|3rd
term_start = May 21 1996
preceded = Ron Wyden
spouse = Margaret (Kirkpatrick) Blumenauer
party = Democratic
occupation= attorney
residence= Portland, Oregon
alma_mater= Lewis and Clark College
religion= Non-denominational Protestant

Earl Blumenauer (born August 16, 1948) is a Democratic U.S. representative from Oregon, representing ushr|Oregon|3. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River.

Born in Portland, Blumenauer graduated from Centennial High School in 1966 [cite web|url=http://www.bipac.net/php.asp?g=NFIB&page=Candidate_Guide&legdistrictid=5230|title=Voter Guide for Oregon District 3|publisher=National Federation of Independent Business |accessdate=2006-12-30] and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis & Clark College in 1970. He received a Juris Doctor degree from the same college in 1976. [cite news |title=Blumenauer speaks at law commencement |url=http://www.lclark.edu/dept/public/blumenauer.html |work=Lewis & Clark Chronicle |publisher=Lewis & Clark College |date=Summer 2002 |accessdate=2006-12-30]

Blumenauer worked as an assistant to the president of Portland State University.cite web|url=http://www.earlblumenauer.com/cgi-bin/display.cgi?page=about|title=About Earl Blumenauer|publisher=Blumenauer for Congress|accessdate=2006-12-30] He then served as an Oregon state representative from 1973 to 1979, Multnomah County Commissioner (1979–87) Portland city commissioner (1987–96)cite web|url=http://www.earlblumenauer.com/cgi-bin/display.cgi?page=about|title=About Earl Blumenauer|publisher=Blumenauer for Congress|accessdate=2006-12-30] , and was appointed by Oregon's governor to the commission on higher education (1990–91). [cite web|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b000574/ |title=Members of Congress / Earl Blumenauer|work=The U.S. Congress Votes Database|publisher=washingtonpost.com|accessdate=2006-12-30] In 1992, Blumenauer was defeated by Vera Katz in an open race for mayor of Portland. He has been described as "the man who probably knows the most about how Portland works," but left local politics for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 1996.cite news |first=John |last=Schrag |title= Battle of the Bleeding Hearts |url=http://www.wweek.com/html/25-1992.html |work=Willamette Week 25th Anniversary Edition |date=1999 |accessdate=2006-12-30]

Blumenauer was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the election of then-U.S. Representative Ron Wyden to the U.S. Senate. He won the seat in his own right that November, and has been reelected five times with no substantive Republican opposition.

In the 2006 election, Blumenauer won re-election to a sixth full term, defeating Republican Bruce Broussard. [cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov72006/results/rc.pdf|title=November 7, 2006, General Election Abstracts of Votes|accessdate=2006-12-30|format=pdf|publisher=Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, Elections Division]

The "Willamette Week" has summarized Blumenauer's fit with the congressional district he represents:

cquote|Ideologically and temperamentally, Blumenauer is an almost perfect reflection of his Portland seat, as safe a Democratic stronghold as any in the nation. He's championed light rail and the streetcar. He's the biggest bike advocate on Capitol Hill. He voted against the USA PATRIOT Act and the Iraq resolution. A super-sharp super-wonk, he's diligently seeking to export Portland's livability doctrine to Third World nations. [cite news
author=Editorial
title=Fall Voter’s Guide 2002
url=http://www.wweek.com/editorial/2851/3271/
work=Willamette Week
date=2002-11-09
accessdate=2006-12-22]

"The Wall Street Journal" also noted Blumenauer's enthusiasm for bicycling:

cquote|His congressional office is one of the few -- if not the only one -- that didn't even apply for a parking permit. On occasion, Mr. Blumenauer has cycled to the White House. On Mr. Blumenauer's first visit, the Secret Service, more accustomed to limousines, was flummoxed at the sight of his bike. [cite news
author=Hitt, Greg
title=For Congressman, Life in Bike Lane Comes Naturally
url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119889058487756861.html?mod=loomia&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r3:c0.0867018
work=The Wall Street Journal
date=2007-12-29
accessdate=2007-12-30]

Activity in Congress

Among the bills that Blumenauer has sponsored that have become law are the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 [cite web |url=http://blumenauer.house.gov/issues/LegislationSummary.aspx?NewsID=899&IssueID=7|title=THE FLOOD INSURANCE REFORM ACT OF 2004| accessdate=2006-12-30|publisher=Rep. Blumenauer’s office] and the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.blumenauer.house.gov/Issues/Issue.aspx?SubIssueID=129|title=President Signs Water for the Poor Act Into Law| accessdate=2006-12-30|publisher=Rep. Blumenauer’s office]

He is active in pressuring the United States to take greater action on the Darfur conflict. [As of December 2006, the Genocide Intervention Network gives Blumenauer a grade of A on its DarfurScores.com web site. cite web|url=http://www.darfurscores.org/earl-blumenauer|title=DarfurScores.org: Earl Blumenauer|accessdate=2006-12-30|publisher=Genocide Intervention Network]

In the political aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Blumenauer was among those who had pointed out the vulnerability of New Orleans and encouraged Congress to help that city and the gulf coast get better prepared:
*September 15, 2004: Mr. Speaker, barely have we recovered from Hurricane Hugo and we are seeing Hurricane Ivan pose the threat that has long been feared by those in Louisiana, that this actually might represent the loss of the City of New Orleans. Located 15 feet below sea level, there is the potential of a 30-foot wall of water putting at risk $100 billion of infrastructure and industry and countless lives. [ [http://blumenauer.house.gov/Issues/FloorSpeechSummary.aspx?NewsID=1115&IssueID=17 Congressman Earl Blumenauer's Website, Representing the 3rd Congressional District of Oregon ] ]
*January 26, 2005: Mr. Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to view the devastation in Southeast Asia as a result of the tsunami. As appalled as I was by what I saw, I must confess that occasionally my thoughts drifted back to the United States. What would have happened if last September, Hurricane Ivan had veered 40 miles to the west, devastating the city of New Orleans? One likely scenario would have had a tsunami-like 30-foot wall of water hitting the city, causing thousands of deaths and $100 billion in damage....The experience of Southeast Asia should convince us all of the urgent need for congressional action to prevent wide-scale loss of life and economic destruction at home and abroad. Prevention and planning will pay off. Maybe the devastation will encourage us to act before disaster strikes. [ [http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/4/233718/2082 Daily Kos: DAMNING Congressional Record: Cries for Help Ignored By The Federal Government [updated ] ]

He and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) have offered an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill for the past two years that would reform the nation's sugar quota laws with the intent of expanding free trade to the sugar market. [cite web |url=http://blumenauer.house.gov/issues/Issue.aspx?IssueID=3&SubIssueID=148 |title=Reforming US Sugar Policy |accessdate=2006-12-30 |publisher=Rep. Blumenauer’s office ]

Blumenauer's support for free trade agreements has angered many progressives and labor activists. In 2004, he voted against the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). On September 242007, four labor and human rights activists were arrested in Blumenauer's office protesting the congressman's support for the Peru Free Trade Agreement, [cite news
title=Trade Secret
last=Moore
first=Scott
date=2007-09-27
work=Portland Mercury
url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=429673&category=22101)] but which supporters say will promote jobs, improve labor conditions, and strengthen environmental protections.Fact|date=October 2007 The Peru agreement received less Democratic support than the 2004 Australia FTA, the 2004 Morocco FTA, and the 2005 Bahrain FTA.

Blumenauer is currently running for reelection (2008).

Committee Assignments

*Committee on Ways & Means
**Subcommittee on Trade
**Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures
*Budget Committee
*Select Committee on Energy Independence and Climate Change

Electoral history

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
+ ushr|Oregon|3|: Results 1996–2006cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |title=Election Statistics |accessdate=2008-01-10 |publisher=Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives ] !|Year!!|Democrat!|Votes!|Pct!!|Republican!|Votes!|Pct!!|3rd Party!|Party!|Votes!|Pct!!|3rd Party!|Party!|Votes!|Pct!!|3rd Party!|Party!|Votes!|Pct!
-
1996|
Party shading/Democratic |nowrap|Earl Blumenauer
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |165,922
Party shading/Democratic |67%|
Party shading/Republican |Scott Bruun
Party shading/Republican align="right" |65,259
Party shading/Republican |26%|
Party shading/Independent |Joe Keating
Party shading/Independent |Pacific
Party shading/Independent align="right" |9,274
Party shading/Independent align="right" |4%|
Party shading/Libertarian |Bruce A. Knight
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |4,474
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |2%|
Party shading/Socialist |Victoria P. Guillebeau
Party shading/Socialist |Socialist
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |2,449
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |1%
|*
-
1998|
Party shading/Democratic |Earl Blumenauer
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |153,889
Party shading/Democratic |84%|
Party shading/Republican |"(no candidate)"
Party shading/Republican align="right"
Party shading/Republican
|
Party shading/Libertarian |nowrap|Bruce A. Knight
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |16,930
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |9%|
Party shading/Socialist |Walt Brown
Party shading/Socialist |Socialist
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |10,199
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |6%|
Party shading/Independent |Write-ins
Party shading/Independent
Party shading/Independent align="right" |2,333
Party shading/Independent align="right" |1%|
-
2000|
Party shading/Democratic |Earl Blumenauer
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |181,049
Party shading/Democratic |67%|
Party shading/Republican |nowrap|Jeffery L. Pollock
Party shading/Republican align="right" |64,128
Party shading/Republican |24%|
Party shading/Green |Tre Arrow
Party shading/Green |Pacific Green
Party shading/Green align="right" |15,763
Party shading/Green align="right" |6%|
Party shading/Libertarian |nowrap|Bruce A. Knight
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |4,942
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |2%|
Party shading/Socialist |Walt Brown
Party shading/Socialist |Socialist
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |4,703
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |2%
|*
-
2002|
Party shading/Democratic |Earl Blumenauer
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |156,851
Party shading/Democratic |67%|
Party shading/Republican |Sarah Seale
Party shading/Republican align="right" |62,821
Party shading/Republican |27%|
Party shading/Socialist |Walt Brown
Party shading/Socialist |Socialist
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |6,588
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |3%|
Party shading/Libertarian |Kevin Jones
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |4,704
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |2%|
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA |David Brownlow
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA |Constitution
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA align="right" |3,495
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA align="right" |1%
|*
-
2004|
Party shading/Democratic |Earl Blumenauer
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |245,559
Party shading/Democratic |71%|
Party shading/Republican |Tami Mars
Party shading/Republican align="right" |82,045
Party shading/Republican |24%|
Party shading/Socialist |Walt Brown
Party shading/Socialist |Socialist
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |10,678
Party shading/Socialist align="right" |3%|
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA |Dale Winegarden
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA |Constitution
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA align="right" |7,119
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA align="right" |2%|
Party shading/Independent |Write-ins
Party shading/Independent
Party shading/Independent align="right" |1,159
Party shading/Independent align="right" |<1%|
-
2006|
Party shading/Democratic |Earl Blumenauer
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |186,380
Party shading/Democratic |73%|
Party shading/Republican |nowrap|Bruce Broussard
Party shading/Republican align="right" |59,529
Party shading/Republican |23%|
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA |David Brownlow
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA |Constitution
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA align="right" |7,003
Party shading/ConstitutionUSA align="right" |3%|
Party shading/Independent |Write-ins
Party shading/Independent
Party shading/Independent align="right" |698
Party shading/Independent align="right" |<1%||||||
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1996, write-ins received 531 votes. In 2002, write-ins received 1094 votes.

References

External links

* [http://blumenauer.house.gov/ U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer] official U.S. House site
* [http://www.earlblumenauer.com/ Earl Blumenauer for Congress] official campaign site
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Earl_Blumenauer Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia
* Oregon Secretary of State
** [http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/may2196/pamphlet/3rdspelc/bulmene.html May special election] ,
** [http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/may2196/pamphlet/fedcan/blumenE.html November general election]
* "Willamette Week" stories:
**November 1997: [http://www.wweek.com/html/player110597.html The Player]
**November 2002: [http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=3271 Fall Voter's Guide 2002] , with a Blumenauer endorsement
**February 2004: [http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=4823 The Earl of Trolleys]