Buck McKeon
Buck McKeon | |
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Chair of theHouse Armed Services Committee | |
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2015 | |
Speaker | John Boehner |
Preceded by | Ike Skelton |
Succeeded by | Mac Thornberry |
Ranking Member of theHouse Armed Services Committee | |
In office June 9, 2009 – January 3, 2011 | |
Leader | John Boehner |
Preceded by | John McHugh |
Succeeded by | Adam Smith |
Ranking Member of theHouse Education and Labor Committee | |
In office January 3, 2007 – June 9, 2009 | |
Leader | John Boehner |
Preceded by | George Miller |
Succeeded by | John Kline |
Chair of theHouse Education and Workforce Committee | |
In office February 2, 2006 – January 3, 2007 | |
Speaker | Dennis Hastert |
Preceded by | John Boehner |
Succeeded by | George Miller |
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's25thdistrict | |
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2015 | |
Preceded by | New Constituency(Redistricting) |
Succeeded by | Steve Knight |
Personal details | |
Born | Howard Philip McKeon September 9, 1938 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Patricia Kunz |
Children | 6 |
Education | Brigham Young University(BS) |
Howard Philip"Buck"McKeon(born September 9, 1938) is an American politician who served as aU.S. representativefromCalifornia's 25th congressional districtfrom 1993 to 2015. He is a member of theRepublican Party.He is a former chairman of theHouse Armed Services Committeeand the House Education Committee.
Early life and education
[edit]Born inTujunga, Los Angeles, California,McKeon graduated fromVerdugo Hills High School.He spent two years as aMormon missionarybefore enrolling atBrigham Young University.[1]He later received hisBachelor of Sciencedegree inanimal husbandryin 1985, after previously putting his studies on hold to raise a family and establish his early business career.
Early career
[edit]He was an owner of a Western-themed clothing retail chain, Howard & Phil's Western Wear. The business went bankrupt in 1999, though at that point he hadn't worked for the chain in years.[2]He had also worked as the chairman of a small, regional bank.[3]McKeon gained his first political experience when he was elected to theWilliam S. Hart High School Districtboard of trustees.
McKeon was a one-term councilman ofSanta Clarita,being one of the first to hold that post after the city incorporated in 1987. He held that position until entering the House.
U.S. House of Representatives
[edit]Committee assignments
[edit]- Committee on Armed Services(Chairman)
- As chair of the full committee, McKeon may serve as anex officiomember of all subcommittees. Even though he is the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, McKeon never served in the armed forces.
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
In 2009, McKeon served as ranking member of the House Committee on Education and Labor. In June, PresidentBarack Obamanominated RepresentativeJohn M. McHughofNew York,who was the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee, asSecretary of the Army.On June 9, the House Republican leadership appointed McKeon as the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee. Under rules of theHouse of Representatives,McKeon was required to step down from his position as ranking member of the Education and Labor Committee, though he continued to serve on the committee. McKeon was named chairman of the Committee on Armed Services in January, following the Republican takeover of the House in the November 2010 elections.[4]
As a member of the House, he made education and defense issues two of his main priorities. He was greatly involved in the reform of the Student Loan Aid Program, which reduced interest rates but controversially increased federal control over education policy, such as teacher training. He also supports a strong national defense budget. Along withDean GalloofNew Jersey,McKeon introduced theReligious Freedom Restoration Acton March 11, 1993. McKeon was a member of theRepublican Study Committee.
Political campaigns
[edit]In 1992, California gained seven additional seats following the census. A new 25th District was created in the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys in northLos Angeles Countyand the communities ofChatsworth,Granada Hills,Northridge,andPorter Ranchin the northwesternSan Fernando Valley.McKeon was thus the first congressman to represent the new district.
In the 2002 reapportionment, the San Fernando Valley and portions of the Antelope Valley were removed from the 25th District. To make up for the loss of population, the district was pushed all the way to theNevadaborder, taking in all ofInyoandMonocounties and about half of the land area withinSan Bernardino County.The Los Angeles County portion of the district still included the cities of Santa Clarita,Palmdale,and part of the city ofLancaster.
In 2012, theCalifornia Citizens Redistricting Commissiondrew new lines for the 25th district, pushing it well to the north and making it somewhat more compact. It retained its share of Los Angeles County, added parts of Porter Ranch and Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley, and expanded into parts of Ventura County, including most of Simi Valley.[5]
During the 2006 election cycle, McKeon received 60% of the vote in his district, defeating Democrat Robert Rodriguez and Libertarian David Erickson. The district has been considered to be "safe" for the Republican Party because it included predominantly Republican areas in the Antelope and Santa Clarita Valleys and conservative rural areas of the High Sierra and desert regions of California. McKeon handily won reelection with 58% of the vote in 2008, even though Democratic presidential candidateBarack Obamacarried the district over his Republican rival John McCain.[6]
McKeon's campaigns received the greatest financial support from the defense industry, especially aerospace companies such asLockheed Martin,Northrop Grumman,andBoeing.[7]Additionally, he is endorsed by theNRA Political Victory Fund,theNational Federation of Independent Business,and the California Pro-Life Council.[7]
Political positions
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/U.S._Congressman_Buck_McKeon%2C_chairman_of_the_House_Armed_Services_Committee%2C_questions_Secretary_of_Defense%2C_Chuck_Hagel_during_testimony_on_the_fiscal_year_2014_National_Defense_Authorization_Budget_Request.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
McKeon served as the chairman on the Armed Services Committee. He held the position from January 2011 to January 2015. He was previously the ranking member of the committee. California's 25th District holds several military bases, includingFort Irwin,Edwards Air Force Base,Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake,and the Marine Mountain Warfare Training Center.[8]Although he has spoken strongly against Obama's budgets and governmental support of the economy and has encouraged reducing spending, McKeon opposed cutting the military budget, stating, "a defense budget in decline portends an America in decline."[9]
McKeon voted in favor of American military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Barack Obama's Afghanistan "surge" strategy, and has voted for increasing money and supplies to troops there. He has gone on record saying that withdrawal from Afghanistan should be conditions-based, and done with full consultation with senior military leadership. In a statement from May 2010, McKeon outlined his personal philosophy on the role of the United States and its military, calling for a return to "peace through strength" and Reagan-esque policies, including full financial and material support for the military in its current wars, keeping Guantanamo Bay open, and military posturing.[8]
In a speech before the Foreign Policy Initiative research group in 2010, McKeon called for increases in government spending on defense above Obama's budgets.[10]He has also called on Congress to "embrace and build on"Robert Gates' planto find $100 billion in savings in the defense budget.[11]
In 2011 McKeon organized a fundraiser for the "Lucky 13" Republican freshmen on the House Armed Services Committee to get contributions from defense contractor political action committees.[12]
In 2011, McKeon proposed Section 1034, an amendment to theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012that would have inserted the language "Congress affirms that... the President has the authority to use all necessary and appropriate force during the current armed conflict with al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated forces pursuant to" theAuthorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists(AUMF Against Terrorists) (Public Law 107–40) and stated that "the current armed conflict includes nations, organization, and persons who (A) are part of, or are substantially supporting, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners; or (B) have engaged in hostilities or have directly supported hostilities in aid of a nation, organization, or person described in subparagraph (A)."[13]McKeon also offered an NDAA proposal that "contained a provision designed to require military detention of terrorism suspects, even those arrested domestically and even those who are U.S. citizens," but this was later watered down to a proposal stating that the president, under the AUMF Against Terrorists, had "the authority to detain belligerents...until the termination of hostilities.[13]President Obama did not request that this language be included,[14]and in a statement the White House issued avetothreat and said "The Administration strongly objects to section 1034 which, in purporting to affirm the conflict, would effectively recharacterize its scope and would risk creating confusion regarding applicable standards."[15][16]The expansive language of Section 1034 was criticized in aNew York Timeseditorial, which called it an unnecessary and dangerous proposal and said that it was "wildly expansive authorization would, in essence, make the war on terror a permanent and limitless aspect of life on earth, along with its huge potential for abuse."[14]TheAmerican Civil Liberties Unionalso criticized McKeon's proposal.[16]U.S. RepresentativeJustin Amash(Republican of Michigan) and RepresentativeBarbara Lee(Democrat of California) offered an amendment that would remove McKeon's Section 1034 (the "so-called 'endless war'" provision) from the NDAA bill. The House rejected the Amash-Lee amendment by a 234–187, with most Democrats voting in favor and most Republicans voting against.[17]President Obama ultimately signed the 2012 NDAA with the contentious provisions, but in February 2012, issued a set of broad waivers that allowed U.S. law enforcement agencies "to retain custody of al-Qaeda terrorism suspects rather than turn them over to the military" as contemplated by the NDAA.Human Rights Watchsaid that Obama's waiver was "essentially a 3,450-word line-item veto, rendering the mandatory military detention provision mostly moot."[18]
McKeon said if forced to choose between tax increases and cuts to the Pentagon budget, he would choose tax increases.[19]However he would prefer to cutentitlement spendinginstead.[20][21]In 2012, McKeon sought a one-year fix to stave off the defense budget cuts from sequestration, although he had previously voted for theBudget Control Act of 2011,which included sequestration.[22]McKeon led efforts by some Republicans that contributed to replacement of the sequester cuts for 2014 and 2015 with theBipartisan Budget Act of 2013.[23]In 2014 McKeon said of Obama's plan to raise taxes on banks and millionaires, "I think that would be wonderful but it's not going to happen".[24]He dismissed calls to replace USMC jet fighters destroyed by the Taliban in theSeptember 2012 Camp Bastion raid.[25][26]
McKeonopposed abortion.[27]He was endorsed by the California Pro-Life Council.[7]He opposed "amnesty for those who have entered the country illegally" and emphasized border security.[28]The congressman threatened to derail the 2012 defense authorization bill unless it contained provisions prohibiting military chaplains from officiating at same-sex marriages and restricting access to the civil court system by persons suspected of terrorism.[4]
McKeon introduced theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015,a bill that the House Armed Services Committee renamed in his honor.[29][30]According to the House Armed Services Committee, which oversaw the legislation, the bill "will be the comprehensive legislation toauthorizethe budget authority of theDepartment of Defenseand the national security programs of theDepartment of Energy."[31]The total appropriations that are authorized amount to approximately $600 billion for fiscal year 2015.[32]
Countrywide Financial loan
[edit]In January 2012, it was reported that McKeon received a so-called "VIP" or "Friends of Angelo" loan from troubled mortgage lenderCountrywide Financial,in which loans were granted at lower interest rates than were available to the public. Former Countrywide CEOAngelo Mozilocreated the program to boost the company's standing with politicians, celebrities and well-connected business figures. The congressman received a $315,000 loan from Countrywide at below-market rates in the late 1990s. A congressional probe identified an internal Countrywide email regarding McKeon's loan that stated: "Per Angelo—'take off 1 point, no garbage fees, approve the loan and make it a no doc.'"[33]McKeon and names of other legislators who received similar loans were subsequently referred to theHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reformas part of an ethics investigation into improper gifts. McKeon denied knowing that he was part of Countrywide Financial's special loan program.[34][35]In a response to a press inquiry about his knowledge of the loan discounts McKeon stated, "If I had known we had got a good deal then I would have gotten all my loans from Countrywide."[36]
Personal life
[edit]McKeon is married to the former Patricia Kunz. They have six children and 31 grandchildren.[37]They are members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Patricia Kunz McKeon was active in her husband's political campaigns, serving as treasurer and drawing a salary, which has been the subject of controversy. According to a study byCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington,McKeon's campaign committees paid her a total of $263,168 between 2001 and 2006 - the highest such payment in the group of Representatives studied by CREW.[38]In the 2005-2006 election cycle she was paid $110,000 to do fundraising and prepare campaign finance reports.[39]She has also worked as a lobbyist.[40]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Bioguide Search".bioguide.congress.gov.
- ^Bustillo, Miguel; Stassel, Stephanie (15 May 1999)."Howard & Phil's Stores Hang Up Their Hats".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-10-22.Retrieved25 June2022.
- ^Harris, Scott (1998-05-24)."For Buck, the Partisanship Stops Here".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2023-04-11.
- ^ab"Buck McKeon: no defense bill without gay marriage ban, detainee provisions - Josh Gerstein - POLITICO".Politico.Archived fromthe originalon 2011-10-09.
- ^"California Citizens Redistricting Commission |" Fair Representation - Democracy at Work! "".
- ^Democrats See Golden Pickup Opportunities in California,Roll Call,May 7, 2009
- ^abcEndorsementsArchived2010-10-31 at theWayback Machine,Project Vote Smart
- ^abRep. Buck McKeon.Obama should return to 'peace through strength,The Hill,05/05/10
- ^Freking, Kevin. "Calif. Republicans to wield power in new Congress". Associated Press State and Local Wire, 17 November 2010. Accessed Online.
- ^Capaccio, Tony."China Threats Merit Shifting of U.S. Defense Dollars, House's McKeon Says".Bloomberg L.P.,15 November 2010
- ^McKeon, Howard "Buck"."Opposing view on defense spending: Military cuts 'a non-starter'".USA Today,2 December 2010.
- ^Schwellenbach, Nick."How Buck McKeon Is Showing GOP Freshmen the Ways of Washington".Time,21 April 2011.
- ^abBenjamin Wittes,McKeon II: A Quick and Dirty Analysis,Lawfare(May 10, 2011).
- ^ab"A Conflict Without End: House Republicans propose a dangerously expansive new definition of war".The New York Times.17 May 2011. p. 26.
- ^Adam Serwer,Did Obama Just Threaten To Veto Defense Funding Over The New AUMF?,The American Prospect(May 24, 2011).
- ^abChristopher Anders,Obama White House Threatens a Veto Over Worldwide War and Detention Provisions,American Civil Liberties Union (May 24, 2011).
- ^George Zornick,A Crucial Day in Congress for the Ongoing War In Afghanistan,The Nation(May 26, 2011).
- ^Sari Horwitz & Peter Finn,Obama issues waivers for terrorism detention rules,Washington Post(February 28, 2012).
- ^Bennett, John T."GOP Rep. McKeon would support tax hike to stave off more Pentagon cuts".The Hill,12 September 2011.
- ^Tiron, Roxana."Republicans and Democrats Disagree on How to Save Defense Budget".Bloomberg News, 14 October 2011.
- ^Kreisher, Otto."HASC Chair Flip Flops on Raising Taxes".Aol Defense,14 October 2011.
- ^"McKeon wants to stop sequestration—and previous Pentagon budget cuts".Archived2012-03-16 at theWayback MachineThe Hill.March 14, 2012.
- ^"Twilight of the Sequester"The Hill.December 13, 2013.
- ^Homan, Timothy R. (March 24, 2014)."Pentagon Sequester Cuts May Be Short Lived".The Fiscal Times.RetrievedMarch 24,2014.
- ^WEISGERBER, MARCUS (3 April 2014)."DoD Sends Congress $36B Wish List, But Passage Unlikely".defensenews.Gannett Government Media. Archived fromthe originalon April 4, 2014.Retrieved3 April2014.
- ^Seck, Hope Hodge (3 April 2014)."Marine Corps $2.5 billion wish list includes millions for new crisis response units".marinecorpstimes.Gannett Government Media. Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2014.Retrieved3 April2014.
- ^Lisa Friedman,Religion, legislation often hard to separate,Los Angeles Daily News(September 4, 2006).
- ^"Immigration Reform Still in the Spotlight".Daily News of Los Angeles,15 November 2010, Valley Ed. A3. Online.
- ^"H.R. 4435 - All Actions".United States Congress.Retrieved15 May2014.
- ^Medici, Andy (15 May 2014)."11 things you probably didn't know were in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015".Federal Times. Archived fromthe originalon 15 May 2014.Retrieved15 May2014.
- ^"NDAA - National Defense Authorization Act".United States House Armed Services Committee. Archived fromthe originalon 23 May 2014.Retrieved15 May2014.
- ^Bennett, John T. (8 May 2014)."HASC OKs $600B in 2015 DoD spending, nixes A-10 retirement plans".Military Times.Archived fromthe originalon 11 May 2014.Retrieved15 May2014.
- ^Emshwiller, John (2012-01-18)."Mozilo Tied to Loan to Top Lawmaker".The Wall Street Journal.Retrieved2012-01-19.
- ^Leibovich, Mark (2012-01-14)."Countrywide 'V.I.P.' Loans Linked to 2 Congressmen".The New York Times.Retrieved2012-01-17.
- ^Bresnahan, John (2012-01-17)."Sessions got Countrywide VIP loan".Politico.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-05-13.Retrieved2012-01-19.
- ^Holt, Jim (2012-01-18)."McKeon: Nobody told me loan had VIP treatment".The Santa Clarita Valley Signal.Retrieved2012-01-19.
- ^"Buck McKeon - Family".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-12-05.
- ^Lawmakers used campaign funds to pay relatives,USA Today,June 17, 2007
- ^Bill could generate family feuds,Politico, July 26, 2007
- ^"Influence Explorer:Patricia McKeon".Archived fromthe originalon January 5, 2012.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1938 births
- American Latter Day Saints
- Brigham Young University alumni
- Living people
- Mayors of places in California
- People from Santa Clarita, California
- Politicians from Los Angeles
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
- School board members in California
- 21st-century American legislators
- Members of Congress who became lobbyists
- Verdugo Hills High School alumni