Jeff Fortenberry
Jeff Fortenberry | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska's 1st district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Doug Bereuter |
Personal details | |
Born |
Baton Rouge, Louisiana | December 27, 1960
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Lincoln, Nebraska |
Alma mater | Louisiana State University, Georgetown University, Franciscan University |
Occupation | politician, economist |
Jeffrey Lane "Jeff" Fortenberry (born December 27, 1960) is the U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 1st congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Lincoln and includes most of the eastern third of the state outside the immediate Omaha area.
Early life, education, and early career
He graduated from Catholic High in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He holds a master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University, a master's degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and a bachelor's degree in economics from Louisiana State University.
He has previously worked as an economist, in local economic development, and as a publishing executive for Sandhills Publishing. He was also a policy analyst for the Senate Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations.[1]
Lincoln City Council (1997–2001)
Fortenberry was an at-large member of the Lincoln City Council from 1997 to 2001. His main commitments in this role were community revitalization and increasing public safety, but doing both without raising taxation. Among the economic development and community revitalization projects he worked on were the transition of a major public hospital and building a new baseball stadium.[2]
Fortenberry cites his work on the City Council, maintaining a balanced budget while making "hard decisions about the numbers of firefighters and police officers, funding for parks and recreation, adequate city services, and reasonable taxes and fees to pay for city priorities," as an example of fiscal responsibility that citizens should demand from the federal government as well.[3]
U.S. House of Representatives (2005–present)
Elections
- 2004
Incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman Doug Bereuter of Nebraska's 1st congressional district decided to retire. Fortenberry decided to run and won the 7-candidate Republican primary with 39% of the vote. He defeated Curt Bromm (33%), the Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, and Club for Growth-endorsed businessman Greg Ruehle (21%).[4][5] In the general election, he defeated State Senator Matt Connealy 54%–43%. He won all but two counties: Thurston and Burt.[6][7]
- 2006
Fortenberry won re-election to a second term, defeating former Lieutenant Governor Maxine Moul, 58%–42%, winning all but Burt County.[8][9]
- 2008
He won re-election to a third term, defeating Marine veteran Max Yashirin 70–30%.[10]
- 2010
He was challenged in the Republican primary for the first time since 2004. He drew two opponents and won with 84% of the vote.[11] He won re-election to a fourth term, defeating legislative staffer Ivy Harper, 71%–29%.[12]
- 2012
He drew two opponents in the Republican primary again, but won with 86% of the vote.[13]
- 2014
He won re-election to a sixth term, defeating attorney and Democrat Dennis Crawford.[14]
Tenure
- Agriculture, energy, and environment
Fortenberry introduced the Renewable Fuels for America’s Future Act of 2010, "a smart and thoughtful way to reduce subsidies for the production of ethanol" [15] that would result in taxpayer savings of $5.67 billion, according to economists Ernie Goss of Creighton University and Bruce Babcock of Iowa State University.[16]
- Healthcare
Fortenberry supports patient-centered health care reform that lowers costs, improves outcomes, and protects vulnerable persons.[17] He introduced H.R. 321, the SCHIP Plus Act of 2009 to offer eligible families the choice of retaining coverage for their children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program or using SCHIP funds to help pay for a family insurance plan, saving both family and taxpayer dollars.[18] Fortenberry voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care reform bill that was signed into law on March 23, 2010, noting "This health-care debate is no longer about real health-care reform; it’s about power. Thoughtful health-care reform could have been achieved with 80-percent support: Health-care reform that drove down costs, improved health-care outcomes, and protected vulnerable persons".[19]
- Foreign affairs
Fortenberry claims to be "uncommonly well-informed on international issues".[20]
- Pro-life
Fortenberry received a 100% pro-life score from the National Right to Life Committee.[21] He speaks annually at the March for Life.
Committee assignments
- United States House Committee on Appropriations (2013–2014)
- United States House Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development (2013–2014)
- United States House Subcommittee on Legislative Branch (2013–2014)
- United States House Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Vice Chairman (2013–2014)[22]
- Committee on Agriculture
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
Fortenberry was listed by Foreign Policy magazine in 2010 as a "new Republican powerbroker" on nuclear security issues.[23] He is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership.
Caucus memberships
- Civil War Battlefield Caucus
- Congressional Biofuels Caucus
- Congressional Farmer Cooperative Caucus
- House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
- Sportsmen's Caucus
References
- ↑ "Jeff Fortenberry – Early Career – Analyst".
- ↑ http://www.custercountyrepublicans.com/elected_fortenberry.htm
- ↑ http://www.nacone.org/pdfs/Countylines/2010_july.pdf
- ↑ "Member of the U.S. House of Representatives".
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE - District 01 - R Primary Race - May 11, 2004".
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE - District 01 Race - Nov 02, 2004".
- ↑ "Member of the U.S. House of Representatives".
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE - District 01 Race - Nov 07, 2006".
- ↑ http://www.sos.state.ne.us/elec/ElectNight/general.htm
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE - District 01 Race - Nov 04, 2008".
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE District 01- R Primary Race - May 11, 2010".
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Ivy Harper".
- ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE District 1 - R Primary Race - May 15, 2012".
- ↑ http://www.yankton.net/news/state_ap_ne/article_0cc3a671-a273-55ce-9138-539b2a2f9997.html
- ↑ "Editorial, 7/28: Jeff Fortenberry's ethanol plan has merit". JournalStar.com. 28 July 2010.
- ↑ "Ethanol Producer Magazine – The Latest News and Data About Ethanol Production".
- ↑ Don Walton/Lincoln Journal Star (28 October 2010). "Fortenberry faces newcomer Harper in 1st District". Fremont Tribune.
- ↑ http://fortenberry.house.gov/2009/01/fortenberryoffersplanforresponsibleexpansionofschip.shtml
- ↑ http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/191880/call-engagement/jeff-fortenberry
- ↑ "Editorial, 10/15: Lincoln Journal Star endorses Jeff Fortenberry". JournalStar.com. 15 October 2010.
- ↑ "National Right to Life - NRLC Scorecard".
- ↑ "CQ.com - Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress".
- ↑ http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/25/who_will_stand_between_obama_and_the_world?page=0,10
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeff Fortenberry. |
- Congressman Jeff Fortenberry official U.S. House site
- Jeff Fortenberry for Congress
- Jeff Fortenberry at DMOZ
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress
United States House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded by Doug Bereuter (R) |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska's 1st congressional district 2005–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
United States order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by Charlie Dent R-Pennsylvania | United States Representatives by seniority 143rd |
Succeeded by Virginia Foxx R-North Carolina |