Bart Stupak

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Bart Stupak
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1993
Preceded by	John Conyers[1]
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Laurie Ann Stupak
Children	Ken Stupak Bartholomew Thomas Stupak Jr.(deceased)
Residence	Menominee, Michigan
Alma mater	Northwestern Michigan College, Saginaw Valley State University, Thomas Cooley Law School
Occupation	Police Officer, Attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic

Bartholomew Thomas "Bart" Stupak (born February 29, 1952), has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing Michigan's 1st congressional district.

[edit] Biography

Stupak was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Gladstone High School, in Gladstone, Michigan in 1970. He is an Eagle Scout.^[2] He earned his Associate's degree from Northwestern Michigan College, a community college in Traverse City in 1972. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State University in 1977, graduating magna cum laude, and he earned a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1981.

Stupak began his career in public service as an Escanaba police officer in 1972. Stupak later served as a Michigan State Police Trooper from 1973 to 1984. He also practiced law as an attorney.

Stupak lives in Menominee, Michigan, with his wife, Laurie, who is a former mayor of Menominee. Their son, Ken, graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2006 and resides in California. The Stupaks also had a son, Bart Jr., who committed suicide in May 2000. The Stupaks believe that Accutane (isotretinoin), an anti-acne medication, contributed to his death.^[3]

[edit] Political career

Stupak served as a Michigan State Representative from 1989 to 1990, representing Menominee, Delta, and Dickinson counties, after defeating two-term Republican Jim Connors in 1988. In 1990, Stupak decided to run for state senate but lost a hotly contested primary to eventual general election winner Don Koivisto. In 1992, he entered the race for the newly reapportioned 1st district of the U.S. Congress (which formerly was the 11th district, at that time held by Republican Robert William Davis). He entered another heavily contested primary, this time coming out victorious. Stupak defeated former Republican Congressman Philip Ruppe in the general election.

Stupak defeated Republican Don Hooper of Iron River in the 2002, 2004 and 2006 elections. In 2008, Stupak defeated Republican Tom Casperson and Green Jean Treacy for the 1st District House Seat.^[4]

Stupak is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, his only committee assignment. He serves on the Telecommunications & the Internet; Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection; Environment and Hazardous Materials subcommittees; and as the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigation subcomittee. Because of the 1st District's extensive amount of Great Lakes shoreline (over 1,600 miles), Stupak has been very active on issues related to the protection of the Great Lakes, including opposing sale or diversion of Great Lakes water and drilling for oil and gas under the lakes.

Since his election in 1993 he has sponsored 36 bills but none of them became law. He cosponsored 157 bills and only 5 of them became law. He has voted with the members of his party 96% of the time. He abstains for only 5% of the votes. ^[5]

[edit] Political positions

He is currently one of several strongly pro-life Democrats in the House (others include Tim Holden, Kathy Dahlkemper, James Oberstar, Dan Boren, Gene Taylor, and Jim Marshall); his 2004 congressional campaign was endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee.

Stupak officially endorsed John Edwards for President on 21 April 2007 at the Michigan Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. Stupak is considered a possible candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2010.

The Stupak-Pitts Amendment is an amendment to America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 written by Rep. Stupak.

[edit] Involvement with The Fellowship/The Family

While in Washington, DC, Stupak rents a room at the C Street facility of The Family, a Christian organization which operates the property as a tax-exempt church and a residence for several congressmen and senators.

When asked if he takes part in "fellowship" activities at the Family's C Street Center, Stupak said that he just rents a room, but does not know what goes on there. Stupak refuses to "discuss what goes on there, because I'm not there. ... Are there other activities going on there? Yes. But what goes on and things like that, I don't know. I have my room there." Pressed again about whether he's "involved" in any "activities" at the house, Stupak responded, "I have a room there. And I participate in a Tuesday night dinner once in a while there. ... So there is no regimen. There is no group stuff I have to do. ... You guys ... are grasping at straws that's not there. I rent a room there." "I do not belong to any such group. I don't know what you are talking about. ... I have no affiliation,"^[6]

Jeff Sharlet, an author who wrote a book about the organization affiliated with the C Street facility, said, "When I lived with The Family at Ivanwald, a house for younger men being groomed for leadership, I was told that Stupak was a regular visitor to the Cedars." According to the Washington Independent, the Cedars is also owned by The Family and hosts weekly prayer events.^[7]

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation (Chairman)

[edit] Caucus memberships

• Founder and Co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus
• Co-chair of the Congressional Northern Border Caucus

[edit] Stupak—Pitts Amendment

Stupak and Joe Pitts added an amendment to the health care reform bill so that abortion may not be covered in the public option or in any of the exchange's private plans that take subsidized customers. There is an exception if a woman's life is in danger or in cases of rape or incest.^[8]

Analysis by George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services’ Department of Health Policy identified that the reach of the amendment would be industry wide. It indicated the eventual elimination of health plan coverage for 'nearly' all medically indicated abortions. As well, it showed that users contributing with their own money to a plan, would not be eligible for abortion coverage if anyone else under that same plan received federal funding. This effect would prohibit coverage of abortions even for people not benefiting from federal funds by proxy.^[9] Stupak refutes this and other claims, arguing that under the amendment, insurance companies would likely continue to offer abortion and abortion-free plans through the health insurance exchange in the heath care reform bill passed by the U.S. House.^[10]

[edit] Electoral history

• 2008 campaign for Congress
  • Bart Stupak (D), 65%
  • Tom Casperson (R), 33%

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak, official U.S. House site
• Bart Stupak for Congress, official campaign site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Michigan Liberal's 1st Congressional District section
• The Political Graveyard