Joseph R. Pitts
| Joseph R. Pitts | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 16th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Smith Walker |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 158th district |
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| In office January 2, 1973 – November 30, 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Benjamin J. Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | L. Chris Ross |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph R. Pitts October 10, 1939 Lexington, Kentucky |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Virginia Pitts (née Pratt; 1968-present) |
| Residence | Kennett Square, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | Asbury University, West Chester University |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Religion | Evangelicalism |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Air Force |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Air Medal |
Joseph R. "Joe" Pitts (born October 10, 1939) is the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district, serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and includes much of Amish country. It also includes all of city of Reading, Pennsylvania and the far southwestern suburbs of Philadelphia in Chester County.
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Early life, education, and early political career [edit]
Pitts was born in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated from Asbury College. Pitts served five and a half years in the United States Air Force, with three tours in Vietnam. Initially commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, he was promoted to Captain by the time he left the service. He graduated second in his class from Navigator School, after which he was trained as an Electronic Warfare officer. As an EW officer, he served on B-52 Stratofortresss out of Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, with payloads of nuclear bombs. In all, he completed 116 combat missions in the Vietnam War and earned an Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
Pitts was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1972, representing part of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
U.S. House of Representatives [edit]
Elections [edit]
After 10-term Republican congressman Robert Smith Walker decided to retire in 1996, Pitts decided to run. He won the five-candidate Republican primary field with 45% of the vote, defeating the second place candidate by 19 percentage points.[1] In the general election, he defeated Democrat James G. Blaine 59%-38%.[2]
He won re-election easily in 1998 (71%), 2000 (67%), 2002 (88%), and 2004 (64%).
- 2006
Pitts originally promised to serve only 10 years (five terms), but announced he would run again in 2006 amid considerable controversy. Despite the controversy, Pitts' won re-election to a sixth term, defeating Democrat businesswoman Lois Herr 57%-40%. The seventeen-point margin was the second smallest margin in his career.[3]
- 2008
In 2008, Pitts decided to seek a seventh term. He was challenged by Navy veteran and construction contractor Bruce Slater. Pitts defeated him 56%-39%. The sixteen-point margin was the smallest margin in his career.[4]
- 2010
Pitts was challenged by Democrat Lois Herr for a third rematch. He won re-election to an 8th term, defeating her 65%-35%.[5]
- 2012
Pitts was challenged by Democrat businesswoman Aryanna Strader[6] and Independent Jim Bednarski[7] In the general election, Pitts won re-election to a ninth term, defeating Strader 55%-39%. The sixteen-point margin is tied for 2008 in being the smallest margin in his career. He lost in Berks County by 12,000 votes (35%) and won Chester County by only 500 votes (1%). He won Lancaster handily with over 60% of the vote.[8][9]
Tenure [edit]
Pitts has a very conservative voting record, which is not surprising given that his district has historically been one of the most Republican districts in the Northeast with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+8. He received 100% ratings from the American Conservative Union in 2005 and the Christian Coalition of America in 2004.[10]
In 2002 Pitts was angered[weasel words] after a federal judge ordered the removal of the Ten Commandments from the Chester County courthouse, releasing a press statement that said, "I think that religion and the Ten Commandments in particular should have a role in our public life" and supported The Ten Commandments Defense Act (H.R. 2045).[10] Since his first term Pitts has been chairman of the Values Action Team, a subgroup of the Republican Study Committee that coordinates legislation with the Christian right.[11]
Over the years Pitts has received 100% ratings from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 0% ratings from Public Citizens Congress Watch. In 2008 the ACLU gave him an 18% rating, the Human Rights Campaign gave him a score of 0%, and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights gave him a score of 4%. In 2007-08 the John Birch Society gave him a score of 67%, and the American Conservative Union gave him a 100% rating, as did the Christian Coalition. Others: American Association of University Women, 2007-8, 16%; Republicans for Environmental Protection, 7% in 2007; and the Children's Health Fund, 2007-8, 0%; National Rifle Association, 2008, A; Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 2003, 0%; National Breast Cancer Coalition, 2007-8, 0%; Children's Health Fund 2007-8, 0%. Ratings from labor groups are consistently at or near 0%; the Alliance for Worker Freedom, 2008, 100%.[12]
Pitts visited Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban and Pakistan in 2002. He visited Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and Israel in 2008 as part of a Congressional Delegation.[13] He is a leading congressional advocate of nuclear power, and "introduced a bill in 2009 to fast-track the regulatory process for approving new reactors, he called it the 'Streamline America's Future Energy (SAFE) Nuclear Act.'"[14]
Pitts is an advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Bob Goodlatte-Jim Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act[15] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[16]
The Stupak–Pitts Amendment is an amendment to America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 written by Pitts and Democrat Bart Stupak of Michigan, and it inserted abortion into the national health overhaul debate. This amendment continues his longtime opposition to abortion. According to Jeff Sharlet, a contributing editor for Harper's, Pitts is a documented member of the Bible-oriented Christian group "The Fellowship (Christian organization)" and the C Street group in Washington, D.C.
In the 112th Congress, Pitts introduced the Protect Life Act, which would place additional restrictions on abortion access.
In July 2011, Pitts was revealed, in course of an FBI investigation, to have accepted tainted funds traced to the intelligence services of Pakistan.[17] These funds, were routed through the so-called Kashmiri American Council (KAC), run by Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, who was convicted of several felonies by the Federal government. Pitts later donated these funds to charity.
Committee assignments [edit]
- United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe[18][19]
Caucus memberships [edit]
Electoral history [edit]
| Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | Third Party | Votes | Pct | Third Party | Votes | Pct | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | James Blaine | 78,598 | 37.5% | Joe Pitts | 124,511 | 59.4% | Bob Yorczyk | 6,485 | 3.09% | ||||||||
| 1998 | Bob Yorczyk | 40,092 | 29% | Joe Pitts | 95,979 | 71% | |||||||||||
| 2000 | Bob Yorczyk | 80,177 | 33.1% | Joe Pitts | 162,403 | 67.0% | |||||||||||
| 2002 | Joe Pitts | 119,046 | 88.5% | Will Todd | 8,720 | 6.5% | Kenneth Brenneman | 6,766 | 5.0% | ||||||||
| 2004 | Lois Herr | 98,410 | 34.5% | Joe Pitts | 183,620 | 64.4% | William Hagen | 3,269 | 1.25 | ||||||||
| 2006 | Lois Herr | 80,915 | 39.6% | Joe Pitts | 115,741 | 56.6% | John Murphy | 7,958 | 3.9% | ||||||||
| 2008 | Bruce Slater | 120,193 | 39.4% | Joe Pitts | 170,329 | 55.8% | John Murphy | 11,768 | 3.9% | Daniel Frank | 2,877 | 0.9% | |||||
| 2010 | Lois Herr | 70,994 | 34.6% | Joe Pitts | 134,113 | 65.4% | |||||||||||
| 2012 | Aryanna Strader | 111,185 | 38.9% | Joe Pitts | 156,192 | 55% | John Murphy | 12,250 | 4.3% | James Bednarski | 5,154 | 1.8% |
Personal life [edit]
After leaving the Air Force in 1969, Pitts moved to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia and the hometown of his wife, Ginny. They built a house there, where they still live today.
References [edit]
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=280264
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=29753
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=207673
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=324566
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=493140
- ^ "Strader for Congress". Strader for Congress. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Jim Bednarski for Congress, 16 District, PA". Jim Bednarski For Congress. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Pennsylvania U.S. House District Race". Elections & Politics from CNN.com (Time Inc.). Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=751814
- ^ a b http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Joe_Pitts Retrieved January 28, 2010
- ^ "Election 08 Results by District". Congressional Quarterly. Retrieved 2009-06-09
- ^ Retrieved January 28, 2010 Ratings by issue for Rep.Pitts
- ^ Pitts' visits to the Middle East
- ^ Elliott, Justin (2011-03-13) Crisis casts doubt on nuke industry P.R. campaign, Salon.com
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777
- ^ http://thepennsylvaniaprogressive.com/diary/3485/joe-pitts-took-pakistani-money
- ^ House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans - Full Committee Membership
- ^ House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans - Subcommittees
- ^ Election Statistics
External links [edit]
Media related to Joe Pitts at Wikimedia Commons
- U.S. Congressman Joe Pitts official U.S. House site
- Joe Pitts for Congress official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Profile at Ballotpedia
- Congressional profile at GovTrack
- Congressional profile at OpenCongress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Financial information (federal office) at OpenSecrets.org
- Staff salaries, trips and personal finance (federal office) at LegiStorm.com
- Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
- Voting record at The Washington Post
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
- Collected news and commentary at The Washington Post
- Profile at SourceWatch
- Pitts cosponsor of H.R. 4411: Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Smith Walker |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district 1997–Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Bill Pascrell D-New Jersey |
List of current members of the United States House of Representatives by seniority 100th |
Succeeded by Loretta Sanchez D-California |
| Pennsylvania House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by Benjamin J. Reynolds |
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 158th district 1973–1996 |
Succeeded by L. Chris Ross |
|
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- 1939 births
- Living people
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
- Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- American military personnel of the Vietnam War
- Asbury University alumni
- United States Air Force officers
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Pennsylvania Republicans
- American evangelicals
- People from Chester County, Pennsylvania
- People from Lexington, Kentucky
