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Dan Burton

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Dan Burton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 5th district
Assumed office
January 3, 1983
Preceded bySteve Buyer
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSamia Tawil

Danny "Dan" Lee Burton (born June 21 1938), American politician, is a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 5th congressional district. A Republican, his first term in the United States Congress began in January 1983. He was elected to his twelfth term in November 2006.

The 5th District is in central Indiana and includes all of Tipton, Grant, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Hamilton, and Hancock counties, and parts of Marion, Shelby, Howard and Johnson counties.

In 2008, he faces a challenger in the Republican primary: John McGoff, who by April, 2007 stills trails Burton in cash on hand. Burton is the only one of Indiana's nine members of congress to face a primary challenger.[1].

Early years, education, and career prior to Congress

Burton was born in Indianapolis. He worked as a caddy at a local country club, where he learned the golf skills that lead to his winning a statewide golf championship in high school.[2] He graduated from Shortridge High School in 1957, and attended Indiana University (1958–59) and the Cincinnati Bible Seminary (now known as Cincinnati Christian University) (1959–60). He served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1957, before leaving active duty to return to college but remained in the Army Reserves from 1957 to 1962. After school, Burton became a real estate broker and he founded the Dan Burton Insurance Agency in 1968.[3]

Burton was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1967 to 1968 and again from 1977 to 1980 and the Indiana State Senate from 1969 to 1970 and again from 1981 to 1982.

U.S. House of Representatives

Election to the House

Burton first ran for Congress in 1970, losing to incumbent Democrat Andrew Jacobs, Jr. Burton ran again in 1972, losing in the Republican primary to William Hudnut.[3]

After the 1980 census, the Republican-controlled state legislature created a new 6th District, representing the mostly Republican-leaning counties surrounding Indianapolis. Burton ran in 1982, defeating Bruce Melchart in the GOP primary and Democrat George Grabianowski in the general election. Burton has won every election since 1982, usually getting well above 60 percent of the vote.[3]

Committees

A senior member of the House Committee on International Relations, Burton is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and a member of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment.[4]

Burton is also a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He was Chairman of that committee, then called the House Government Reform Committee, from 1997 to 2002. He is now a member of two subcommittee: Domestic Policy, and on National Security and Foreign Affairs.[5]

Burton is also a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.[6]

Legislation

Anti-Castro legislation

In 1995, Burton authored legislation targeting foreign companies that did business with Cuba. The bill allowed foreign companies to be sued in American courts if, in dealings with the regime of Fidel Castro, they acquired assets formerly owned by Americans. In February 1996, Cuba shot down two small planes piloted by anti-Castro Cuban-Americans. As part of the White House response to crack down on Cuba, President Clinton signed the Helms-Burton Act into law.[3]

Conservative voting record

Dan Burton is a reliable Conservative vote in the US House. In the 109th Congress, Rep. Burton had a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee [7]. He also has an "A" rating with the Gun Owners of America [8].

Awards from conservative groups

In addition to those ratings, Rep. Burton has received a number of awards from other Conservative groups.

2005 National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) Leadership Award on behalf of the NFWL for Congressman Burton's tireless work on health care issues. [9]

2006 True Blue Award presented by the Family Research Council for Congressman Burton's 100% voting record on behalf of American families. [10]

2004 Benjamin Franklin Award from the 60 Plus Association for efforts to permanently repeal the estate tax. [11]

2004 Friend of the Farm Bureau Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation for voting to protect the interests of our nation's farmers. [12]

2004 Small Business Advocate Award from the Small Business Survival Committee for voting to help keep small businesses stay strong thru continued innovation, improved investments, and creating new jobs. [13]

2006 Friend of the Shareholder Award from American Shareholders Association for demonstrating an avid commitment to protecting Indiana shareholders and enhancing economic growth in America. [14]

2004 Hero of the Taxpayer Award from Americans for Tax Reform for siding with taxpayers on crucial tax and economic issues in the 108th Congress. [15]

Twenty-two Spirit of Enterprise Awards , including for 2005, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for voting in support of free enterprise and a strong economy. [16]

Twelve Golden Bulldog Awards from the Watchdogs of the Treasury for voting to cut wasteful Federal spending and reduce taxes. [17]

Twelve Taxpayers' Friend Awards from the National Taxpayers Union for fiscal responsibility. [18]

Ten National Security Leadership Awards for supporting a policy of peace through strength. The American Security Council, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Reserve Officer Association give the awards jointly. [19]

Eight Guardian of Small Business Awards from the National Federation of Independent Business for supporting small business. [20]

The Government Performance and Results Act

Rep. Burton was intricately involved in an effort [21], opposed by the Clinton administration [22], to strengthen strategic planning and accountability requirements for government agencies.

Rep. Burton's amendments to the Act would require that the strategic plans of government agencies: (1) provide mission statements, goals, and objectives that are 'explicitly linked to the statutory authorities' of the agency; (2) identify agency functions that are similar to those of either more than one component of the agency or to those of other agencies, and explain coordination efforts; (3) describe certain major management problems and measures to resolve such problems; (4) assess the reliability of the agency's data sources; and (5) in addition to the agency-wide strategic plan, contain separate strategic plans for major subunits. The amendments also call for the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress an annual integrated governmentwide performance report, to include actual results and accomplishments for the entire federal government, beginning March 31, 2000. H.R. 2883, as introduced, also would require each inspector general to audit annually each program performance report and provide the results to Congress.

Co-founder of the conservative Republican Study Committee

The Republican Study Committee (RSC) was founded in 1973 by Rep. Phil Crane (R-IL). The first executive director of the RSC was Ed Feulner, who currently serves as President of Heritage Foundation. The group functioned as a Legislative Service Organization until such groups were abolished under House rules in the first days of the 104th Congress (1995). Dan Burton was the last Chairman of the RSC before it was abolished.

Shortly thereafter, the group was restarted as the Conservative Action Team (CATs) under new founders Reps. Dan Burton (R-IN), John Doolittle (R-CA), Ernest Istook (R-OK) and Sam Johnson (R-TX).

The four founders rotated chairmanships until 1998 when Rep. David McIntosh (R-IN) became Chairman. Rep. Sam Johnson completed the term of Rep. McIntosh when he stepped down to run for governor of Indiana. Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) became the CATs chairman in 2000 and returned the group to its historic name the RSC in 2001. Rep. Shadegg was succeeded by Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) in the 108th Congress (2003-2004). Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) was elected RSC Chairman for the 109th Congress (2005-present). [23]

Controversies

Illegitimate Child

In 1998, Burton admitted to fathering a child outside of his marriage.

Vincent Foster

Burton was one of the most ardent opponents of President Bill Clinton. Rep. Burton led the House inquiry into the death of Vincent Foster; he was convinced that Foster was murdered and urged extensive investigation into the possible involvement of the Clintons. Burton gained attention for re-enacting the alleged crime in his backyard with his own pistol and a pumpkin standing in for Foster's head. After hearings into Democratic fundraising (see section below) began, a Democratic National Committee staffer appeared in a pumpkin suit with a button that read, "Don't shoot."[24]

Golf junkets

In 1995, Burton led an unsuccessful effort to block tighter House rules on attending expense-paid charity golf events with lobbyists. Burton was one of the most frequent attendees of charity golf tournaments, and he defended the practice.[25]

In 1997, Burton played in the AT&T-sponsored Pebble Beach National Pro-Am with the company's chairman. At the time, Burton headed the congressional committee overseeing the award of a federal telecommunications contract. AT&T hosted a fundraiser for Burton at the tournament.[25]

In 2004, the Guam government and tourism industry paid for Burton and two aides to fly to the Pacific Island in December. In addition to some official events including touring a military facility, Burton played in a charity golf tournament. After he returned, Burton tried to help Guam's tourism industry get a sought-after change in visa rules.[25]

In 2005, Burton accepted a trip to Taiwan paid for by the ROC-USA Business Council. The junket cost $15,520.[26]

Burton missed the beginning of the 2007 legislative session, choosing instead to play golf in California[1]. Upon his return, a measure banning lawmakers from accepting gifts and free trips from lobbyists and discounted trips on private planes was put before Congress. The measure passed 430-1, with Burton the sole vote against the measure.[27]

Missed votes

In February 2007, a review of House votes by the Indianapolis Star for the past decade showed that Burton had been absent every year votes coincided with the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Burton ranked last in voting among Indiana lawmakers in 2006, casting ballots in 89% of the 541 recorded votes.[25]

"... off the coast of Bolivia"

On March 29, 1995, during congressional hearings on the US War on Drugs, Burton proclaimed that the US military should place an aircraft carrier off the coast of Bolivia and crop dust the coca fields. It was later pointed out to him that a) Bolivia is landlocked and has no coast (Burton was chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee); b) the Bolivian coca fields (in the yungas and Amazon lowlands) are beyond the reach of any carrier-borne crop-duster, being separated from the nearest coastline (the Pacific coast of Peru and Chile) by the 20,000+ feet high peaks of the Andes; and c) F-18s cannot crop-dust. While criticism of this mis-statement was muted in Washington, it sparked a major anti-American backlash in Bolivia, derailing the same War on Drugs that Burton purported to be speaking for. [28] [29]

Investigation of Democratic Party fund-raising

Main article:House Government Reform and Oversight Committee investigation of alleged campaign finance abuse

In 1997, Burton headed an investigation into possible Democratic Party campaign finance abuse, focusing on the 1996 Presidential election. The committee investigation ran for several years and issued over 1,000 subpoenas of Clinton administration officials and cost over $7 million.[30]. The committee, and Burton's leadership, were labeled a "farce"[31], a "travesty"[32], a "parody"[32], and "its own cartoon, a joke, and a deserved embarrassment".[33]

In March 1997, as the investigation began, Burton was accused of demanding a $5,000 contribution from a Pakistani lobbyist. The lobbyist said that when he was unable to raise the funds, Burton complained to the Pakistani ambassador and threatened to make sure "none of his friends or colleagues" would meet with the lobbyist or his associates.[34]

In May 1998, Burton apologized for releasing edited transcripts of prison audiotapes of Webster Hubbell, a former associate of President Bill Clinton. The edited transcripts omitted substantial information and differed significantly from the original recordings. Burton was harshly criticized by members of his own party, including Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who called the investigation a "circus", and chided Burton for initially refusing to admit any error.[35].

David Bossie, the staff member who arranged the editing and release of the tapes, resigned on Burton's request. Noting that Burton had personally released the tapes and had supported Bossie's plans over the objections of other committee staffers and attorneys, Democrats urged Burton to step down as well. Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt said, "A committee staff member should not be made the scapegoat for Chairman Burton's mistakes, missteps, and misdeeds."[35] Burton said, "I take responsibility for those mistakes," but never resigned nor faced any consequences for his actions[35].

In President Clinton's final year in office, Burton was mentioned in a short film for the White House Correspondent's Dinner. President Clinton: Final Days, which depicted Clinton as a lonely man closing down a nearly-deserted White House. Clinton is shown hitting golf balls from the South Lawn, and gets excited when he hits a car parked in a spot near the U.S. Capitol that says "Reserved for Chairman Burton."

Vaccines and autism

Main article: Thiomersal controversy

Burton has been an outspoken critic of what he terms the failure of government to determine the cause of an alleged autism epidemic. He claims that his grandson became autistic a few days after receiving nine inoculations. "My only grandson became autistic right before my eyes – shortly after receiving his federally recommended and state-mandated vaccines."[36]

In an October 25, 2000, letter to the Department of Health and Human Services, acting in his role as Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, Burton asked the agency's director to get the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall all vaccines containing the preservative Thimerosal. "We all know and accept that mercury is a neurotoxin, and yet the FDA has failed to recall the 50 vaccines that contain Thimerosal," Burton wrote, adding "Every day that mercury-containing vaccines remain on the market is another day HHS is putting 8,000 children at risk."[37]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and most other medical institutions did not agree that vaccines containing mercury caused autism, and the US FDA refused to ban the vaccines. Most manufacturers removed the preservatives from their vaccines anyway, with no resulting decrease in autism rates.[38]

Personal

Burton's father Charles, a former policeman,[2] was abusive. In June 1950, some years after the couple divorced,[2] he kidnapped Burton's mother and threatened to kill Burton's sister. Burton and his two siblings were briefly sent to the Marion County Children's Guardian Home; they were later reunited with their mother,[3] Burton's father died in 1969.[2]

Burton's first wife, Barbara (Logan) Burton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993[39] at the age of 56. She died on in 2002 after battling breast and colon cancer. They had three children: Kelly, Danielle and Danny.

In September 1998, Burton admitted to fathering a son, born in 1983, with a former state employee.[3][2] After the admission, one report claimed, "During part of the 1970s and '80s, Dan Burton was known as the biggest skirt-chaser in the Indiana legislature ... Privately, some of his fellow Republicans expressed embarrassment. Lobbyists whispered about the stories of Burton's escapades. Statehouse reporters joked about him. Yet no one ever wrote about, or probably thought about writing anything. To the people who sent him first to the legislature and then to Congress, Burton was Mr. Conservative, the devout husband and father who espoused family values."[2]

On August 22, 2006, Burton remarried to Dr. Samia Tawil in Park City, Utah.[3] Dr. Tawil was the internist who cared for Burton's wife, Barbara, during her battle with cancer.

References

  1. ^ a b Groppe, Maureen (April 16, 2007). "GOP challenger tops Burton in '07 fundraising". The Indianapolis Star.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Portrait of a political 'pit bull'", Salon magazine, December 22, 1998
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Rep. Dan Burton — Member of Congress representing Indiana's 5th District", "Library Factfiles", Indianapolis Star, updated 1/2007, retrieved February 25, 2007
  4. ^ House Committee on Foreign Affairs, retrieved February 25, 2007
  5. ^ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, "Subcommittees", retrieved February 25, 2007
  6. ^ House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, "About the Committee", retrieved February 25, 2007
  7. ^ [1], "National Right to Life Committee Scorecard"
  8. ^ [2], "Gun Owners of America Scorecard"
  9. ^ [3],
  10. ^ [4]
  11. ^ [5]
  12. ^ [6]
  13. ^ [7]
  14. ^ [8]
  15. ^ [9]
  16. ^ [10]
  17. ^ [11]
  18. ^ [12]
  19. ^ [13]
  20. ^ [14]
  21. ^ [15], "CRS Report: 98-224"
  22. ^ [16], "Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 2883 - Government Performance and Results Act Amendments"
  23. ^ [17], "Republican Study Committee website"
  24. ^ "Fool on the Hill", TIME Magazine, May 8–10, 1998
  25. ^ a b c d To golf, Burton missed 19 votes, Indy Star, undated, incomplete reference
  26. ^ Indianapolis Star Editorial — He'd rather play golf than do job in Washington, undated, incomplete reference
  27. ^ Maureen Groppe, "Burton is lone foe of travel rule: Hoosier lawmaker is only member of Congress to vote against curbing privately funded trips", Gannett News Service, January 5, 2007
  28. ^ Youngers, Coletta (April 1995). "Fueling Failure: U.S. Drug Control Efforts in the Andes". The Washington Office on Latin America. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  29. ^ Kawell, JoAnn (2001). "Closing the Latin American Air-Bridge: A Disturbing History". Foreign Policy In Focus. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  30. ^ "The Raw Story: Arkansas Senator happy to see top Rove aide end term as US Attorney". Retrieved June 13, 2007.
  31. ^ last, marc (May 2, 1998). "House Probe of Campaign Fund-Raising Uncovers Little". Los Angeles Times.
  32. ^ a b Editorial, New York Times, March 20, 1997
  33. ^ Editorial, Washington Post, April 12, 1997
  34. ^ Babcock, Charles R. (Wednesday, March 19 1997). "Pakistan Lobbyist's Memo Alleges Shakedown by House Probe Leader". Washington Post. p. A01. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ a b c Lardner Jr., George (Thursday, May 7, 1998). "Burton Apologizes to GOP". Washington Post. p. A01. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ Dan Burton, opening statement before the Committee on Government Reform hearing on The Status of Research into Vaccine Safety and Autism, June 19, 2002
  37. ^ "Chairman Burton Requests Vaccine Recall", press release, October 26, 2000
  38. ^ Paulson, Tom. "Autism experts bring insights to Seattle Scientists, parents work together to unravel mystery". Seattle Post Intelligencer. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  39. ^ "Living treasures: Dan Burton". Mothering Magazine. Gale Group. 2001. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
Preceded by United States Representative for the 6th Congressional District of Indiana
1983–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Representative for the 5th Congressional District of Indiana
2003–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dan_Burton&oldid=155574791"