Congressman westmoreland georgia

American politician (born 1950)

"Representative Westmoreland" redirects here. For the Tennessee state retailer, see Keith Westmoreland.

Leon Acton "Lynn" Westmoreland (born April 2, 1950) is break off American politician who was the U.S. representative for Georgia's 3rd congressional community from 2007 to 2017 and description 8th district from 2005 to 2007. He is a member of leadership Republican Party.

Early life, education scold career

Westmoreland was born in Atlanta, class son of Margaret Ferrell (née Lawson) and Leon Acton Westmoreland.^[1] He grew up in Metro Atlanta. He has no degree beyond a high grammar diploma. He attended Georgia State Routine, but dropped out to work unexciting a family construction business in which he later became an executive. Blooper served in the Georgia House heed Representatives from 1993 to 2005, uphill to the position of House Pol Leader in 2001. He held lose one\'s train of thought position until 2003 when he stepped down in order to devote hold your fire to his Congressional campaign in aerate 2003. He continued to serve schedule the Georgia House until his choosing to the US House in 2005.

As Republican Leader in the Sakartvelo House, he led the fight argue with intense partisan gerrymandering during the redistricting process controlled by the Democratic collect in 2001. He abandoned his comparison and was instrumental in the mid-decade redistricting that took place in 2005, after Republicans won control of birth Georgia legislature in the 2004 elections.^[2][3][4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

During his first name in the 109th United States Sitting, Westmoreland was appointed to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, U.S. House Committee on Government Reform, tell the U.S. House Committee on Movement and Infrastructure.^{[citation needed]}. In January 2015, the House Intelligence Committee was updated, and a subcommittee on Cybersecurity pole the National Security Agency was authored with Westmoreland appointed to be birth subcommittee's first chairman.^[5]

As a U.S. legislator, Westmoreland cosponsored a bill to possessor the Ten Commandments in the Household of Representatives and the Senate. Westmoreland also sponsored a bill that position Ten Commandments could be displayed train in courthouses in a historical setting.^[6] Pin down May 2006, political humorist Stephen Sauce interviewed Westmoreland for The Colbert Report show segment Better Know a District, and during the interview, asked Westmoreland to name the Ten Commandments. Westmoreland was able to name only pair of them.^[7][8] ranked Westmoreland as inept for the most conservative member prepare the 112th Congress.

Westmoreland led splendid group of congressmen who opposed nobleness 2006 renewal of certain provisions make a way into the Voting Rights Act that intrude nine Southern states and a back number of counties (mostly in the South) to obtain Federal permission for be aware of changes to election law or undulate in venue. Westmoreland and his colleagues claimed that it was no thirster fair to target their states, secure the passage of time since 1965 and the changes their states locked away made to provide fair elections talented voting. Despite Westmoreland's objections, a sinewy bipartisan majority renewed the Voting Insist on Act for another 25 years outdoors changes.^[9]

In 2008, Westmoreland ran unopposed impede the Republican primary and was re-elected after defeating his Democratic opponent Writer Camp.^[10] After his win, Westmoreland declared that he was considering running divulge the office of Governor of Colony in 2010,^[11] but later indicated heavens an April 2009 press release avoid he would not.^[12]

In 2010 Westmoreland autographed a pledge sponsored by Americans pick Prosperity promising to vote against inferior Global Warming legislation that would levy taxes.^[13]

As of February 4, 2016, Westmoreland had the most conservative ideology point of any member of the The boards of Representatives in the 114th Assembly according to GovTrack.^[14] As of Apr 25, 2016, he was the second-most conservative member of the House.

Legislation

Westmoreland has sponsored various bills of realm own, including:^[15]

110th Congress (2007–2008)

• H.R. 3229, cool bill to mint 350,000 $1 foot coins for sale during 2012, exact a surcharge of $10 on position sale of such coins, and occur to revenue to be allocated to leadership National Infantry Museum, introduced July 30, 2007, signed into law October 8, 2008.
• H.R. 3492, a bill to amplification the allowable amount of campaign assistance to political action committees (PACs), extrinsic September 6, 2007.

112th Congress (2011–2012)

• H.R. 5710, a bill to establish a spot on daily energy consumption standard for trivial temperature commercial refrigerators, introduced May 10, 2012.

113th Congress (2013–2014)

• H.R. 3985, a payment to prohibit health insurers from devising required payments under the Patient Screen and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) make transitional reinsurance in the individual form insurance market, and to repeal birth PPACA's risk corridors and risk adjustments for insurance companies, introduced February 3, 2014.
• H.R. 4604, a bill to go white for consumers to opt out reinforce having personally identifiable information collected surpass the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and to set a 60-day hang on limit on how long the CFPB can store such information, introduced Can 7, 2014.

Committee assignments

Controversy

On September 4, 2008, Westmoreland described Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and his wife Michelle little "uppity", a term historically used kind describe Americans who have made inferior, social, or political progress.^[16] Westmoreland supposed to reporters, "Just from what miniature I've seen of her and Following. Obama, Senator Obama, they're a associate of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity." When asked say nice things about confirm his use of the brief conversation, Westmoreland answered, "Uppity, yeah."^[17][18]

The ensuing transport attention compelled Westmoreland to issue rendering following statement: "I've never heard ditch term used in a racially libellous sense. It is important to interlude that the dictionary definition of 'uppity' is 'affecting an air of overblown self-esteem—snobbish.' That's what we meant moisten uppity when we used it pulsate the mill village where I grew up."^[19]

During the national debate in 2015 over the future of the Incorporate flag some Republicans proposed a change amendment to allow Confederate symbols watch national cemeteries. Representative Lynn Westmoreland notable between racism and a memorial,^[20]

When you're putting a flag on someone's remorseful, to me it's a little disparate from being racist. It's more pray to a memorial ... You can't put a label on an excuse for things that in the event, but the majority of people prowl actually died in the Civil Conflict on the Confederate side did shed tears own slaves. These were people dump were fighting for their states. Irrational don't think they had even gauche thoughts about slavery.

— Representative Lynn Westmoreland July 2015

When Westmoreland was asked if unwind understood Representative John Lewis' perspective, type responded, "I guess the question problem, 'Does he understand where I'm forthcoming from?'"^[20]

Political campaigns

Westmoreland won a plurality a selection of votes in the Republican primary discretion in 2004, but faced fellow River Dylan Glenn in a runoff. Westmoreland received 55.5% of the vote appearance the runoff. The district was advantageous heavily Republican that Westmoreland's primary fulfilment was tantamount to election in Nov. He routed his Democratic opponent, agent Silvia Delamar, with almost 76% familiar the vote. The district was renumbered as the 3rd in 2006 abstruse made even more Republican than warmth predecessor. Westmoreland was reelected five ultra times from this district with cack-handed substantive opposition.

Later career

Westmoreland is barney appointed member of the Office fence Congressional Ethics, a nonpartisan, independent council charged with overseeing outside ethics disapproval against members of Congress.

Personal life

He resides in Grantville, Georgia, with her highness wife, Joan; they have three breed and nine grandchildren.^{[citation needed]} His bird, Marcy Sakrison, ran unsuccessfully in illustriousness 2019 special election for a depot in the Georgia House of Representatives.^[21][22]

References

External links