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Garret Graves

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Garret Graves
Ranking Member of the House Climate Crisis Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byPosition established
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 6th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byBill Cassidy
Personal details
Born
Garret Neal Graves

(1972-01-31) January 31, 1972 (age 52)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCarissa Vanderleest
Children3
WebsiteHouse website

Garret Neal Graves (born January 31, 1972) is an American politician serving as the United States representative from Louisiana's 6th congressional district since 2015.

Early life

Garret Graves was born on January 31, 1972,[1] to John and Cynthia (née Sliman) Graves, who was of Lebanese descent; his father owns an engineering firm.[2] He is a Roman Catholic.[3] Graves attended the University of Alabama, Louisiana Tech, and American University, but did not earn a degree.[4]

Career

Graves served as an aide for nine years to former U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin of Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. He was also a legislative aide to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which Tauzin chaired.[2] In 2005, he became an aide for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, serving Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter. He was the staff director for the United States Senate's Subcommittee on Climate Change and Impacts. He also worked for Democratic former U.S. Senator John Breaux, a protege of Edwin Edwards and Vitter's predecessor in the Senate.[5] He served as a chief legislative aide to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.[6]

In 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Graves to manage the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. In the position, he negotiated on behalf of the state with British Petroleum over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[5] He resigned the position, effective February 17, 2014.[6]

U.S House of Representatives

Elections

In March 2014, Graves announced his intention to run in the 2014 election to the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 6th congressional district; incumbent Republican Bill Cassidy successfully challenged incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu.[7]

In the 2014 nonpartisan blanket primary, Edwin Edwards finished in first place with 30% of the vote; Graves was the runner-up with 27%. Graves and Edwards advanced to the December 6 runoff election.[5] In the runoff, Graves received 139,209 votes (62.4%) to Edwards's 83,781 (37.6%).[8]

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held in conjunction with the national elections on November 6, 2018, Graves handily won his third term in the U.S. House, having led a four-candidate field with 186,524 votes (69%). Democrat Justin Dewitt trailed with 55,078 votes (21%). Two other candidates, Democrat "Andie" Saizan and Independent David Lance Graham, received the remaining 3%.[9]

Tenure

In April 2017, Graves became engaged in a public dispute with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards about the disbursement of federal assistance for Louisiana's 2016 flooding victims. Graves, who had been mentioned as a potential challenger to Edwards in the 2019 gubernatorial election, claimed that he was "focused on flood recovery ... none of the governor's talk is helping flood victims."[10]

Edwards attributed the delay in disbursement of the funds, which began on April 10, to the state's financial shortfall, which prevented the quick retaining of a disaster management firm. Edwards's executive counsel, Matthew Block, explained that the state had no money in 2016 to pay the contractor. Edwards projected a $440 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2017.[11]

Committee assignments[12]

Caucus memberships

Personal life

Graves resides in his native Baton Rouge.[16][6] His wife is Carissa Vanderleest.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). Roll Call. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Questions remain about potential conflict". HoumaToday.com. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  3. ^ "Members of Congress: Religious Affiliations". Pew Research Center. January 16, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "Garret Graves - Ballotpedia".
  5. ^ a b c "Edwin Edwards, Garret Graves headed for runoff in 6th Congressional District". NOLA.com. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  6. ^ a b c "Jindal coastal adviser Garret Graves resigns, effective Feb. 17". NOLA.com. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  7. ^ "Former Jindal adviser running for Congress". theadvocate.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  8. ^ "Runoff election returns, December 6, 2014". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "Election Returns". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  10. ^ Greg Hilburn (April 21, 2017). "Who will challenge Gov. Edwards in 2019?". The Monroe News-Star. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  11. ^ Rebekah Allen (April 20, 2017). "U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, Gov. John Bel Edwards sniping about flood recovery, again". The Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  12. ^ "Committees and Caucuses". U.S. Representative Garret Graves. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  14. ^ "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  16. ^ "New coastal director has strong local knowledge". HoumaToday.com. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  17. ^ Sixth district. 15 April 2016. p. 120. ISBN 9780160929960. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 6th congressional district
2015–present 		Incumbent
New office Ranking Member of the House Climate Crisis Committee
2019–present
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
211th 		Succeeded by
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