Rick Boucher: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox congressman |
{{Infobox congressman |
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| name = Rick Boucher |
| name = Rick "The Shocker" Boucher |
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| image = Rick Boucher, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
| image = Rick Boucher, official 109th Congress photo.jpg |
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| date of birth = {{Birth date and age|1946|08|01}} |
| date of birth = {{Birth date and age|1946|08|01}} |
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Revision as of 15:33, 3 November 2010
Rick "The Shocker" Boucher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | William Wampler |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Amy Boucher |
| Residence | Abingdon, Virginia |
| Alma mater | Roanoke College, University of Virginia School of Law |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher (Template:Pron-en; born August 1, 1946) is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district, who served from 1983 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was defeated in his bid for reelection on November 2, 2010.[1]
Early life, education and career
Boucher is a native of Abingdon, Virginia, where he currently lives. He earned his BA from Roanoke College where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He has practiced law on Wall Street in New York and in Virginia. Prior to his election to Congress, he served for seven years as a member of the Senate of Virginia.
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments
Boucher has been an assistant whip since 1985.
Political positions
Boucher has been active on Internet-related legislation, including introducing and sponsoring the National Information Infrastructure Act of 1993 which authorized electronic commerce by permitting for the first time the transmission of commercial messages over the Internet.[2] His proposals to promote competition in the cable and local telephone industries contributed to the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Boucher originated the House Internet Caucus and is currently its co-chairman. He also created the Digital Media Consumer's Rights Act (DMCRA) legislation and co-authored the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. He was named Politician of the Year for 2006 by Library Journal, largely due to his efforts to protect the fair use doctrine and expand Internet technologies to rural areas.[3]
Boucher voted in favor of the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act, as well as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In contrast, Boucher has received a rating of "A+" from the National Rifle Association and is one of the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.
Boucher is a strong opponent of tax patents and has introduced bills to either have them banned or to exempt tax attorneys and tax payers from liability in infringing them.[4]
In June 2009, Boucher voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act which, if enacted, would establish a cap-and-trade system.[5] Boucher was chairman of the energy sub-committee of the previous Congress which first drafted the legislation, and was deemed to be instrumental in the bills development. Boucher opened his pre-vote remarks on the bill by saying that he was in "strong support of the bill."[6]
In November 2009, Boucher, along with 39 other Democratic members of the House, voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act.[7] Also, on March 21, 2010, Boucher voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act[8] and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
Rick Boucher endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for president, while his district went solidly for Hillary Clinton.
In 2007, Congress.org ranked Rick Boucher as the 10th most powerful member of the U.S. House of Representatives.[9]
Political campaigns
Boucher was first elected to Congress in 1982, defeating Republican candidate William (Bill) Wampler. He then went on to defeat Virginia House of Delegates member Jefferson Stafford, of Pearisburg, Giles County in 1984. Running unopposed, the Democrat won re-election in November 2008. As of 2009, Boucher is serving his 14th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
2010
Boucher was challenged by Republican nominee H. Morgan Griffith and Independent Jeremiah Heaton. Boucher won the election.[1]
Personal life
Long considered "married to his job", Boucher announced his engagement at age 59 to Amy Hauslohner, an editor of the Galax Gazette in Galax, Virginia. Said Boucher of the engagement "We have decided since I will be 60 in August and she just turned 50 last week, we probably are mature enough to handle marriage." [10] Boucher and Houslohner were married on June 3, 2006.
References
- ^ a b "GOP's Griffith ousts 14-term Va. Democratic Rep. Boucher". The Virginian-Pilot. Associated Press. November 2, 2010.
- ^ Retrieved from http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d103:HR01757:@@@L&summ2=m&
- ^ Politician of the Year 2006: Rick Boucher-Fighter for Access , John N. Berry III, Library Journal, September 15, 2006
- ^ Dennis Crouch "Tax Patent Legislation: Excusing Infringement of Patented Tax Planning Methods" Patently O blog, June 20, 2008
- ^ "Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball". Centerforpolitics.org. 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
- ^ "Broadcast Yourself". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml
- ^ http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll165.xml
- ^ https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/power_rankings/index.tt
- ^ The big secret is out: Rick Boucher is engaged, Roanoke Times, March 17, 2006
External links
- Congressman Rick Boucher official U.S. House site
- Rick Boucher for Congress official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Profile at SourceWatch
- Rick Boucher speaks of Hulu, Boxee, gains major tech cred at Comcast-NBC hearing, Top of the Ticket, Los Angeles Times, February 5, 2010