Jim Sensenbrenner

Representative James Sensenbrenner, Jr.

Frank James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (born June 14, 1943), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1979, representing the Fifth Congressional District of Wisconsin (map).

Background

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Sensenbrenner graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Political Science in 1965. He received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1968. Sensenbrenner married Cheryl Warren in 1977, with whom he has two sons, Frank, born in 1981, and Bob, born in 1984. When not in Washington, Sensebrenner resides in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

Political career

While still at Stanford, Sensenbrenner served as staff assistant to Congressman J. Arthur Younger from California. Before becoming a member of Congress, Sensenbrenner served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1969 to 1975 and the Wisconsin State Senate from 1975 to 1979.

Formerly Chairman of the House Science Committee, as of 2005, Sensenbrenner is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and is also a member of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. In addition, Sensenbrenner serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Sensenbrenner receives high marks from the National Taxpayers Union, an anti-tax non-profit organization.

Bryan Kennedy, a Democratic professor at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee living in Glendale, Wisconsin who ran for Congress in 2004, has announced plans to again run against Sensenbrenner in the 2006 Congressional elections.[1]

Legislative record and stance on issues

Sensenbrenner held an important role in the impeachment of Bill Clinton, acting as one of the House managers.

In 2005, Sensenbrenner made the headlines by being a vocal advocate of the Real ID Act which requires additional scrutiny of citizenship before issuing drivers' licenses and creates a federal database of state-issued identification. Jim Sensenbrenner attached the controversial act as a rider on military spending bill HR418. Subsequently, it was passed by the Senate without debate. [2]

As chairman of the judiciary committee, Sensenbrenner wields significant power over the future of the USA PATRIOT Act. He has been quoted as saying that he does not favor making the provisions of the act permanent, but rather wants them to continue to have periodic review by Congress. [3]

Sensenbrenner believes in criminal prosecution of broadcasters and cable operators who violate decency standards as opposed to the current FCC regulatory methods.[4]

Controversy

On October 23, 2001, Sensenbrenner introduced the USA PATRIOT Act to the House. The controvercial Act gives the government much more power to combat terrorism. However, this Act also allows it to violate citizens' rights to free-speech, freedom of the press, human rights, and right to privacy.

In November 2004, Sensenbrenner and California Congressman Duncan Hunter objected to provisions of a bill that, among other things, created a National Intelligence Director, a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. The bill, however, completely ignored all of the 9/11 Commission's recomendations that deal with securing the United States border.

On April 26, 2005, it was widely reported that Sensenbrenner has had lobbyists pay for his transportation, a violation of congressional rules. His total travel expenses are higher than any other congressman.

On June 10, 2005, Sesenbrenner, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, abruptly ended and walked out of a meeting where Republicans and Democrats were supposed to be debating the renewal of the USA PATRIOT Act. During this meeting, judiciary Democrats also talked about Guantanamo Bay and the Iraq war. Ignoring proper meeting procedure and decorum, he ordered the court reporter to halt transcriptions of the proceedings, C-SPAN cameras covering the meeting be shut off, and that discussion on the issue be halted.

Hurricane Katrina

Although the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Katrina and the inadequate government response to the disaster is expected to cause further economic misery for the poor residents of New Orleans and other affected areas, Jim Sensenbrenner, Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has refused to allow victims of the hurricane to enjoy any exception to the recent Bankruptcy Reform, a recent bill passed with widespread support of the banking industry that aims to make it more difficult for consumers to declare bankruptcy. "If someone in Katrina is down and out, and has no possibility of being able to repay 40 percent or more of their debts, then the new bankruptcy law doesn't apply," Sensenbrenner said [5].

See also

• Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005

External links

• Sensenbrenner's Congressional website
• Sensenbrenner for Congress
• No Bankruptcy Relief for Katrina Victims
• Bankruptcy law may bring more grief to Katrina victims
• Sensenbrenner's positions on issues
• Sensenbrenner's opening statement at the Clinton impeachment trial