Evan Bayh

Evan Bayh
United States Senator from Indiana
Incumbent
Assumed office January 6, 1999– Serving with Richard Lugar
Preceded by	Daniel Ray Coats
Succeeded by	Incumbent (2011)
Personal details
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Susan Breshears Bayh
Profession	Lawyer

Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III (last name pronounced "by") (born December 26, 1955) is an American politician who has served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana since 1999 and a former Governor of Indiana. He is a member of the Democratic Party and, until December 15, 2006, was considered a likely Democratic candidate for the 2008 presidential election [1].

Early life

Bayh was born in Shirkieville, Indiana. His father, Birch Bayh, was a Senator from 1963 to 1981 and ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1976, but lost to Jimmy Carter. The younger Bayh graduated with honors in business economics and public policy from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in 1978, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi, and received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Virginia in 1981. He clerked for a federal court judge and entered a private law practice in Indianapolis.

He and his wife Susan have twin sons, Beau and Nicholas, born in 1995. She is a law professor and serves on several corporate boards.

Indiana Secretary of State

Bayh was elected Indiana's Secretary of State in 1986 following a heated debate over whether he met the state's five-year residency requirement to be on the ballot. He served from 1987-89.

Governor of Indiana

As Governor, Bayh implemented a $1.6 billion dollar tax cut, the largest in state history.

Bayh was first elected Governor of Indiana in 1988, defeating Frank O'Bannon in the primary, and defeating John Mutz in the general election. O'Bannon went on to become Bayh's lieutenant governor. He was re-elected governor in 1992 with the highest percentage of the vote in a statewide election in modern Indiana history. His administration was considered cautious but successful (even by Republicans in the state), creating a large state surplus and permitting him to cut taxes. "Mr. Bayh’s record is one of a genuinely fiscally conservative Democrat," reported the Wall Street Journal in 1992.

Stressing fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, job creation and lean government, Bayh's tenure as governor was highlighted by eight years without raising taxes, the largest single tax cut and largest budget surplus in state history, "welfare-to-work"-type social programs, increasing annual school funding, high academic standards and new college opportunities, the creation of over 350,000 new jobs, the strengthening of law enforcement and improved environmental quality. He signed the 21st Century Scholars Act in 1992, legislation which states that every child in Indiana who is eligible for the free lunch program in a public school, graduates from high school and signs a pledge not to experiment with illegal drugs is entitled to a full college scholarship to a public university of his or her choice. By the end of his second term, Bayh had an approval rating of nearly 80 percent [2].

During Bayh's tenure as Governor, lethal injection became the only method of execution in Indiana, replacing electrocution. Tommie J. Smith, 42, and Gregory Resnover, 43, illustrated the change. Both were convicted and sentenced to die for the 1980 murder of Indianapolis police Sgt. Jack R. Ohrberg. Resnover was executed December 8, 1994 as the last to die in Indiana's electric chair. On July 18, 1996 Smith, who was convicted as the "trigger man" in Ohrberg's murder, was the first in Indiana to be executed by lethal injection. Bayh was a vocal supporter of capital punishment, and his reviews of petitions for executive clemency in such cases were not noted for leniency.

When his second term as governor ended in 1997, he became a private citizen. He bought a house near the Governor's Mansion and accepted a lecturing position at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Bloomington.

Senate career

File:Evan Bayh campaign logo.JPG

2004 campaign logo

Bayh was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998 to the seat that was once held by his father. He won with 64% of the vote, the largest victory margin ever by a Democrat in a U.S. Senate race in Indiana, defeating former Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke. He easily won reelection in 2004 defeating Prof. Marvin Scott, receiving 62% of the vote. He currently serves on five Senate committees: Banking Housing and Urban Affairs, on which he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance; Armed Services; the Select Committee on Intelligence; the Special Committee on Aging; and the Small Business Committee.

Bayh released a biography in 2003 entitled From Father to Son: A Private Life in the Public Eye. He describes growing up as the son of Senator Birch Bayh and emphasizes the importance of active, responsible fatherhood.

From 2001 to 2005, Bayh served as Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). He is also a member of the Senate Centrist Coalition and helped establish the New Democrat Coalition. Bayh serves on the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy.

Bayh has voted against confirming United States Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito.

Although originally voting in favor of the Iraq resolution, Senator Bayh has become increasingly critical of the war in Iraq due to Bush's strategy in handling the war and because of WMD related intelligence failures; thus, Bayh asserts that he would not have voted to go to war with Iraq if he had known what is known today. He favors a flexible timeline for withdrawal.

Senator Bayh began asking for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation in 2004 for his mistakes in the Iraq war. Bayh made it clear that he had lost confidence in Rumsfeld.

He voted yes on reauthorizing the Patriot Act in 2006.

On January 20, 2006, Bayh introduced a resolution to deal with Iran's nuclear program. The resolution calls for economic sanctions created with the goal of deterring Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Such sanctions include:

• Cutting off supplies of refined gasoline to Iran,
• Cutting assistance to countries whose companies invest in Iran's energy sector,
• Enacting a worldwide, comprehensive ban on arms sales to Iran,
• Withdrawing U.S. support for Iran's accession to the WTO, and
• Calling on the UN Security Council to limit travel of some Iranian officials, reduce diplomatic exchanges with Iran, and ban Iran from participating in world events such as the World Cup and the Olympics. [3]

Committee membership

Bayh is a member of several Senate committees and subcommittees. These include positions on the Senate Special Committee on Aging [4], the Committee on Armed Services [5], including the subcommittes on Airland [6], Readiness and Management Support [7], and Emerging Threats and Capabilities. [8] Bayh is also a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs [9], including the subcommittees on Financial Institutions, Securities and Investment, and the subcommittee on International Trade and Finance, of which he is the chair. [10]

Bayh also holds a seat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence [11], and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. [12]

Candidacy for national office

He was considered a possible running mate for Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election and was selected by Bill Clinton to give the keynote address at the 1996 Democratic National Convention to reinforce his efforts to cast himself and the Democratic Party with a new moderate image. He notably attended the Bilderberg Group conference in Portugal in 1999. Some experts and pundits initially considered Bayh to be a possible running mate for presidential candidate John Kerry in the 2004 election because his native Indiana was a key state in the important Midwest. Indiana has long been a Republican stronghold in presidential races, however, and it would almost certainly not be a swing state unless Bayh were nominated. This view, however, has been questioned since Democrats picked up three house seats in the 2006 Mid-Term election and now fill five of the state's nine seats in the House.

On December 1, 2006, news sources revealed that Senator Bayh was creating a Presidential exploratory committee.[13] Bayh confirmed these reports on December 3. [14]

In May 2000, President Bill Clinton stated, "I hope and expect some day I'll be voting for Evan Bayh for President of the United States." [15]

On December 15, 2006, Bayh announced that he would not run for president in 2008, surprising many. Up until then, he had been considered a leading candidate because of his moderate views and experienced background. The possible reason is that despite raising $10 million for the campaign, future means of fundraising are appearing to favor other prospective candidates, including Senator Clinton. [16]

Focus issues

Abortion

Bayh is generally supportive of the pro-choice position, but not exclusively. (See links below for detailed information on voting record and profile)

Agriculture

Bayh voted for the 2002 Farm Bill that provided financial support accessible to rural communities. The bill provides funds for rural water and waste infrastructure. The Farm Bill also provides technology for rural resident's technical skills. USDA 2002 Farm Bill Information Page

Bayh encouraged farmers to share their input into the 2007 Farm Bill. USDA 2007 Farm Bill

Economy

As a member of the Small Business Committee, Senator Bayh has made more resources and tools available to Indiana's small businesses.

Bayh supports small business in Indiana by co-hosting job fairs throughout the state of Indiana. Several thousand jobs are made available to those who attend.

Senator Evan Bayh Co-hosting Job Fair at Glendale Mall

Senator Evan Bayh Promotes Small Businesses at IPFW

Senate approval

In 2003, Bayh introduced legislation to further expand Small Business Administration loans to small manufacturers. The legislation was enacted into law in 2004.

Education

As Governor, Bayh created the 21st Century Scholars program, which promises at-risk middle school students full tuition scholarships in return for being drug, alcohol and crime-free and maintaining decent grades. Iowa and Wisconsin have both introduced legislation modeling Bayh's program.

21st Century Scholars

Bayh Praises Wisconsin, Iowa for New Legislation Based on 21st Century Scholars

Bayh has worked to increase the college tuition tax deduction, and protect and increase financial aid programs that thousands of students depend on to attend college.

In 2000, Senator Bayh authored a bill titled “The Three R's,” which was designed to improve the ability of our nation's public schools to meet the needs of each student.

New Dems Reintroduce Three R's Education Bill

Healthcare

S. 2238: Medicare Prescription Drug Emergency Guarantee Act of 2006 Bayh recently introduced this bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to assure uninterrupted access to necessary medicines under the Medicare prescription drug program.

Senator Bayh is proposing legislation he says could help cut health care insurance premiums by at least 20 percent for small businesses and individuals.

Bayh Proposes Legislation to Ease Rising Cost of Healthcare

To help small businesses provide health care for their employees, Bayh reintroduced legislation in 2005 to provide up to a 50 percent tax credit to small businesses that offer health benefits.

Trade

During his time in the Senate, Bayh has led efforts to combat the illegal trade practices of foreign countries, including China. Bayh’s bipartisan Stopping Overseas Subsidies (SOS) Act allows the United States to fully enforce its antisubsidy laws and increase the ability of U.S. companies to fight unfair trade.

UAW applauds Bayh's call for tariffs on China

Bayh placed a hold on the President’s nominee to be the U.S. Trade Representative. After receiving several key commitments from Portman to get tough on China trade, Bayh agreed to release his hold.

Bayh lifts block on trade post

National security/War on Terrorism

"In a post-September 11th world, our first responsibility is to keep the American public as safe as possible and to be prepared for every possible threat," Senator Bayh said. "Preventing and responding to biological attacks will require us to mobilize all available resources at the federal and state level, and the first line of defense is often state governments." Bayh challenges Rove — and Clinton, too?

Bayh is a member of the Armed Services Committee and the Intelligence Committee and is continually monitoring the progress of national security abroad, as U.S. troops continue operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The sad truth is that nearly five years after 9/11, this president has made the country less secure than we were before the attacks. We have tinkered around the edges of homeland security without making the tough decisions and investments needed to make us truly safe. And perhaps worse of all, we have taken our eye off the ball in the war on terror.

It is clear to just about everyone but the die-hard neoconservatives within this administration that shifting our focus away from Osama bin Laden to Saddam Hussein was perhaps the biggest strategic blunder in our nation's history. And while we have been preoccupied with Iraq, under this President North Korea has gone nuclear and Iran is on the verge of doing so."

Noteworthy speeches

File:Wikibayhpic.jpg

Senator Bayh Speaking at the Indiana Democratic Party Jefferson Jackson Dinner - 2006

• 1996 Democratic Convention Keynote Speech - AUGUST 26, 1996

"I come from teachers. My great, great grandfather Christopher Bayh came to Indiana with a yellow tag in his overalls that said, railroad. Because he couldn't speak any English, that's where he went to work. But his first grandson became a teacher and he married a teacher, my grandmother. No one here tonight would have traveled half as far if it weren't for our teachers. They're the real American heroes."

• Remarks by Sen. Evan Bayh to the Commonwealth Club of California - April 10, 2001

"What concerns me most about President Bush's tax and budget proposals, is that they threaten to undermine the foundation of the 90's prosperity -- replacing the "virtuous cycle" created by fiscal responsibility with a "vicious cycle" of deficits and debt, rising interest rates, and disinvestment. His proposals constitute a narrow ideological agenda, not an effective economic strategy, and completely fail to grasp the realities of the New Economy and the many requirements for economic success in the 21st Century."

• Honoring Our Armed Forces - December 7, 2004

• Address to Colorado Jefferson Jackson Dinner Speech (audio) - March 7, 2005

"It’s gonna change, my friends, when we go to the American public, and convince them that its going to take all of us to move this country forward. Young and old, rich and poor, rural and urban, black and white. Because in the words of the civil rights leader I had the privilege to listen to, about 20 years ago now, “We may have arrived in this country in different ships, but we’re all in the same boat now.” That’s right. And we need to tell the American people the truth, the truth the other side doesn’t want them to hear. You know, those folks, Karl Rove and that crowd, they’re so good, they’re so good at dividing this country, dividing this country along lines of race or ethnicity, or religion or orientation, for cheap short-term political gain. But it hurts this country. It hurts this country. We need to do better than that. We need to be better than that. By reconciling differences, by building bridges across the divide, by reminding the American people of the truth that we realize here in Colorado here tonight, that we’re one people, with a common heritage, forged from a common bond, with a common destiny. That’s the truth. That’s the truth."

• University of Virginia Commencement Speech - May 24, 2005

• Address to the Center for Strategic and International Studies - February 2, 2006

"As an American, I welcome this debate on national security because in an age of global terror, there is nothing more important than protecting the American people. It is a dangerous world - 3,000 Americans were killed on September 11th. Suicidal terrorists have pledged to attack again - and they have in London, Madrid, Amman, Bali, and across Iraq. North Korea has expanded its nuclear arsenal. Hamas will soon be in charge of the Palestinian Authority. And the radical leader of Iran who is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons – has pledged to destroy Israel and asked his people to imagine a world without the United States."

• Sen. Evan Bayh Calls on DePauw's Class of 2006 to Build Unity and Restore Patriotism - May 21, 2006

• The American Middle Class:Future of the Nation, Future of the Democratic Party - July 17, 2006

"The Administration has increased the national debt by nearly $3 trillion, money our middle class and children must repay with interest. They borrow from Japan, China, Persian Gulf countries, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany, even Mexico. They are mortgaging our future. This is not how great leaders act." - July 25, 2006

Books and publications

• From Father to Son
• Demanding Responsibility From Men
• Real fathers don't abandon their children - with Senator Barack Obama
• A nuclear fuel bank advocated by Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh

External links

• United States Senator Evan Bayh official Senate site
• United States Congress. "Evan Bayh (id: b001233)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Federal Election Commission - Evan Bayh campaign finance reports and data
• GovTrack - B. Evan Bayh profile
• New York Times - Evan Bayh News collected news and commentary
• On the Issues - Evan Bayh issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org - Evan Bayh campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart - Senator Evan Bayh (IN) profile
• SourceWatch Congresspedia - Evan Bayh profile
• Washington Post - Congress Votes Database: Evan Bayh voting record

Campaign sites

• Americans for Bayh
• The Bayh Partisan
• Blogging for Bayh

Other

• Evan Bayh at the Huffington Post
• DePauw University Commencement Speech - May 21, 2006
• Indiana Historical Bureau state portrait
• President Clinton's Speech honoring Governor Bayh
• 21st Century Scholars program
• Senior Citizens Relief Act
• Congress Passes Bayh's Long-Term Care Initiatives
• IndyStar Library: Evan Bayh