Ed Markey

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Ed Markey
Ed Markey, Official Portrait, 112th Congress 2.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded by Niki Tsongas
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 7th district
In office
November 2, 1976 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by Torbert Macdonald
Succeeded by Mike Capuano
Chairman of the House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee
In office
March 8, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by Committee established
Succeeded by Committee abolished
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the 16th Middlesex district
In office
January 3, 1973 – November 2, 1976
Preceded by William Callahan
Succeeded by A. Joseph DeNucci
Personal details
Born Edward John Markey
(1946-07-11) July 11, 1946 (age 66)
Malden, Massachusetts
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Susan Blumenthal
Alma mater Boston College (B.A., J.D.)
Religion Roman Catholicism
Website Congressional website
Campaign website
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch United States Army seal United States Army
Years of service 1968–1973
Unit Army Reserve

Edward John "Ed" Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American politician and the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. He is the longest-serving member of both the Massachusetts and New England House delegations and the second longest-serving current member of Congress from New England, behind Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont. A member of the Democratic Party, he is a progressive who has focused on energy policy. He serves on two energy committees and is the former Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. He is the Democratic nominee in the 2013 special election to succeed John Kerry in the U.S. Senate.[1]

Contents

Early life, education, and career [edit]

Markey was born on July 11, 1946 in Malden, Massachusetts, the son of Christina M. (née Courtney) and John E. Markey.[2][3] Markey was raised in an Irish Catholic family and educated at Immaculate Conception School and Malden Catholic High School. He graduated from Boston College in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts, and from Boston College Law School in 1972 with a Juris Doctor.[4] After graduating, Markey worked as a lawyer in private practice, and served in the United States Army Reserve from 1968 to 1973.

Markey was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he represented the 16th Middlesex district (Malden and Melrose) from 1973 to 1976.[4][5]

U.S. House of Representatives [edit]

Elections [edit]

Rep. Markey in 1989.

On May 21, 1976, incumbent Congressman Torbert Macdonald died in office, and Markey, a State Representative at the time, won the September 7-candidate Democratic primary with a plurality of 22% of the vote.[6] In the November 1976 election, he defeated Republican Richard Daly 77-18%.[7] Markey has been challenged in a Democratic primary 3 times; in 1980 when he won 85%,[8] in 1984 when he won 54%,[9] and in 2002 when he won 85%.[10]

Markey has continually been elected by high margins, with his lowest score of victory being 62% in 1992, in a 3 way election. Markey faced no Republican opposition in his bids for re-election 8 times, in 1978; 80; 86-90; 2000–02, and 2006.[11][12]

Tenure [edit]

Markey chairing the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming on June 15, 2010

Markey is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the National Journal gave him a "Composite Liberal" score of 89.2.[13]

Environment and energy

In December 2007, Markey became the first US politician to utilize the medium of Second Life, through which he addressed the delegates of the UNFCCC in Bali as part of OneClimate's Virtual Bali event. It was estimated that the carbon dioxide saved in not flying to Bali was around 5.5 tons.[14] Pressure from Markey prompted British Petroleum to provide a live underwater video feed showing oil leaking out of a pipe in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.[15] Markey has been a longtime critic of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and has been critical of the NRC's decision-making on the proposed Westinghouse AP1000 reactor design and the NRC response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.[16][17]

In 2011, Markey criticized Republicans and the Tea Party movement, saying "Rick Perry and these other guys are allergic to science...too many of the tea party people, who basically don’t believe in science, are now controlling the Republican Party."[18] In reply to Alaska's Governor Sarah Palin's position on how the American Clean Energy and Security Act (also known as Waxman-Markey, named after Markey and Henry Waxman) could had a negative impact for Alaskans,[19] Markey wrote an article criticizing Palin's inaction on global warming and her environmental positions.[20]

Markey sarcastically suggested in August 2010 that global warming skeptics form their own country on an iceberg: “An iceberg four times the size of Manhattan has broken off Greenland, creating plenty of room for global warming deniers to start their own country.” Markey also said that, at the time, 2010 was the hottest recorded year, and "scientists agree arctic ice is a canary in a coal mine that provides clear warnings on climate.”[21][22] Markey has derided Republicans' stance on global warming, stating during a hearing: "I won’t physically rise, because I’m worried that Republicans will overturn the law of gravity, sending us floating about the room.”[23]

In January 2011, House Republicans eliminated the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, which had been created by Nancy Pelosi in 2006 and chaired by Markey.[24]

Domestic issues

Markey was one of the 31 members of the House who voted not to count the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 Presidential election; not counting the votes would have meant John Kerry was elected President.[25]

Markey has introduced legislation to change the duration of daylight saving time[26] and to increasing privacy controls over children online.[27]

Markey has drawn some minor controversy to himself, through his proposal to introduce legislation[28] that deals with amusement parks' rollercoasters, believing that newer, faster rides - which exert greater G-pressures on the human body - are dangerous mentally and physically, despite a lack of concrete evidence to support these claims,[29] and contrary to specific studies that affirmed the general safety of rollercoasters in general.[30]

National defense

In 2003, Markey called attention to the lack of security surrounding air cargo placed on commercial passenger planes, arguing that if all passenger baggage is screened for explosive devices, air cargo on the same plane should be as well.[31] In 2007, he succeeded in getting a 100 percent air cargo screening requirement signed into law.[32] In the law codifying the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, Rep. Markey wrote the mandate requiring all cargo on passenger planes to be screened.[33]

Committee assignments [edit]

2013 U.S. Senate election [edit]

Main article: United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2013

In 2004, Markey was considered a possible contender for John Kerry's seat in the United States Senate if Kerry were to be elected President of the United States.[34] Markey was considered a leading contender to run in the 2010 special election to replace deceased Ted Kennedy. On September 12, 2009 however, he announced his decision to not run and instead endorsed fellow Congressman Michael Capuano, who went on to lose the Democratic primary to Martha Coakley.[35]

On December 27, 2012, Markey was the first to announce his candidacy to run in a special election to fill Kerry's seat following his nomination as United States Secretary of State by Barack Obama.[36] Markey has received the endorsement of several politicians, including Kerry even before his confirmation by the Senate.[37] Markey got the Democratic nomination in 2013. He will be facing Republican challenger, Gabriel Gomez in the general special election, June 25, 2013.

Personal life [edit]

Markey is married to Dr. Susan Blumenthal. He was one of several politicians who appeared in a cameo in the 2003 film Gods and Generals. He played an Irish Brigade officer.[38]

Since May 2005, he has been a contributor at The Huffington Post.[39]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Ed Markey to run for Kerry’s Senate seat". The Washington Post. December 24, 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 
  2. ^ "Obituary; John E. Markey, at 89, manager for H.P. Hood". Boston Herald. July 14, 2000. 
  3. ^ "Obituary; Christina M. Markey, congressman's mother". Boston Herald. July 24, 1998. 
  4. ^ a b "Markey, Edward John". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. 
  5. ^ Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1973, 1975. Massachusetts General Court. 
  6. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=374833
  7. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=32052
  8. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=756685
  9. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=501530
  10. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=1455
  11. ^ "Office of the House Clerk – Electoral Statistics". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 5, 2013. 
  12. ^ "Election Results". Federal Election Commission. Retrieved January 5, 2013. 
  13. ^ "National Special Interest Groups". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2012-12-17. 
  14. ^ "Remarks of the Avatar of the Hon. Edward J. Markey on the virtual island of Bali, Indonesia in Second Life". December 11, 2008. Retrieved October 19, 2012. 
  15. ^ "BP Bows to Pressure for Oil Leak Livestream". CBS News. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2010-08-23. 
  16. ^ Matthew L. Wald (July 28, 2011). "U.S. Regulator Says Fukushima Lessons Can Percolate". New York Times. 
  17. ^ Peter Fairley (March 15, 2011). "Fukushima's Spreading Impact". Technology Review. 
  18. ^ "Republicans 'are allergic to science'". MSNBC. Raw Story. 
  19. ^ "Governor Palin Opposes Waxman-Markey Bill". June 30, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2012. 
  20. ^ "Markey predicts U.S. economy will rebound soon". Boston Business Journal. June 11, 2009. Retrieved 2012-12-17. 
  21. ^ "Markey: Deniers of global warming should 'start their own country'". The Hill. 7 August 2010. 
  22. ^ "MA pol: warming skeptics should move to ice island". Boston. 7 August 2010. 
  23. ^ "During Climate Hearing, Markey Asks If Anti-Science GOP Will Repeal Gravity, Heliocentrism, Relativity". March 10, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2012. 
  24. ^ Sheppard, Kate (6 January 2011). "Republicans kill global warming committee". The Guardian. 
  25. ^ Final Vote Results for Roll Call 7. Clerk.house.gov. January 6, 2005.
  26. ^ "USA Daylight Saving Time change from 2007". daylight-saving-time.com. Retrieved 2012-12-17. 
  27. ^ Stecklow, Steve; Angwin, Julia (May 7, 2011). "House Releases 'Do Not Track' Children Bill". AllThingsD. Retrieved 2012-12-17. 
  28. ^ "MARKEY TO INTRODUCE ROLLER COASTER SAFETY LEGISLATION". Retrieved 13 February 2013. 
  29. ^ Cooke, Charles C. W. "Ed Markey's Peculiar Crusade". National Review. Retrieved 13 February 2013. 
  30. ^ Collins, Dan (Feb 11, 2009). "Researchers: Roller Coasters Are Safe". CBS News. Retrieved 13 February 2013. 
  31. ^ Kathy Uek (November 1, 2010). "Markey targets air cargo loophole". The MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved December 30, 2012. 
  32. ^ "Markey cites progress on 100% air cargo screening, says more needs to be done.". States News Service. July 31, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012. 
  33. ^ Ed Markey (January 5, 2007). "Commerce Won't Trump Homeland Security in the 110th Congress". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 30, 2012. 
  34. ^ "Markey weighs Senate bid". Politico. 7 September 2009. 
  35. ^ Rhee, Foon (September 12, 2009). "Markey not running for Kennedy seat". Boston.com. 
  36. ^ Arsenault, Mark (December 27, 2012). "US Rep. Markey to run in Senate special election". Boston.com. 
  37. ^ Phillips, Frank. "Kerry supports Markey's Senate run". Retrieved December 28, 2012. 
  38. ^ Full Cast and Crew for Gods and Generals (2003)
  39. ^ "Rep. Ed Markey". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-08-23. 

External links [edit]

Wikisource has original works written by or about:
Edward John Markey
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Torbert Macdonald		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district
1976–2013		 Succeeded by
Mike Capuano
New office Chairperson of the House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee
2007–2011		 Position abolished
Preceded by
Niki Tsongas		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 5th congressional district
2013–present		 Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
Henry Waxman
as Member of the House of Representatives from California's 30th district		 Order of Precedence of the United States Succeeded by
Nick Rahall
as Member of the House of Representatives from West Virginia's 3rd district
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