Josh Penry
Encyclopedia
Josh Penry is the former minority leader of the Colorado Senate. Elected in 2006, Penry was the youngest member of the Colorado state Senate. According to The Denver Post
, Penry played a leadership role in opposing regulation for the oil and gas industry and a labor bill. Penry has been identified by several newspapers as a "rising star" in Colorado politics. Prior to serving in the state Senate, Penry served in the state House of Representatives for one term.
Penry is a native of Colorado and a long-time resident of Western Colorado. Penry graduated from Grand Junction High School
and Mesa State College
, where he quarterbacked
the Mesa State Mavericks football team and served as student body President. In 1998, Penry was named the National Scholar Athlete of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association
and the Burger King Corporation, an award given to Peyton Manning
the previous year. Penry graduated summa cum laude from Mesa State in 1998.
to work for Congressman
Scott McInnis
. First as an aide
and then as Press Secretary
, Penry helped McInnis formulate and negotiate natural resources legislation. Penry was appointed staff director of the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health
, where he played a lead role in negotiation the Healthy Forests Restoration Act with the White House
and Republicans and Democrats
on Capitol Hill.
In 2008, Penry was part of a bi-partisan effort involving Gov. Bill Ritter, Rep. Frank McNulty
, and the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) Board to divest public pension funds from companies with ties to Iran. Penry also sponsored legislation to strengthen Colorado's education standards to better equip students to compete in a highly competitive global economic environment, and he initiated and negotiated a bi-partisan bill to invest growing federal mineral lease revenues into Colorado's colleges and universities. Penry was a principal supporter of 2008's Amendment 52
, which would have directed mineral severance tax revenue away from water conservation
projects to road building, but which failed at the polls.
Penry has been at the center of numerous policy debates, including road and bridge funding initiatives, efforts to pass Jessica's Law
and other tough penalties against sexual predators, the debate about natural gas
drilling in Colorado, and a range of tax, fiscal and budget issues. While working closely on education issues with Colorado's Democratic Governor Bill Ritter, Penry has been a frequent critic of the Ritter Administration's tax, budget, jobs and union policies.
The Denver Post
-Ownership:The Post is the flagship newspaper of MediaNews Group Inc., founded in 1983 by William Dean Singleton and Richard Scudder. MediaNews is today one of the nation's largest newspaper chains, publisher of 61 daily newspapers and more than 120 non-daily publications in 13 states. MediaNews...
, Penry played a leadership role in opposing regulation for the oil and gas industry and a labor bill. Penry has been identified by several newspapers as a "rising star" in Colorado politics. Prior to serving in the state Senate, Penry served in the state House of Representatives for one term.
Penry is a native of Colorado and a long-time resident of Western Colorado. Penry graduated from Grand Junction High School
Grand Junction High School
Grand Junction High School is a high school located in Grand Junction, Colorado. It is part of the Mesa County Valley School District 51.As of 2006, the student-teacher ratio is about 19:1 -Athletics:...
and Mesa State College
Mesa State College
Colorado Mesa University is a public comprehensive university in Grand Junction, Colorado. The university has its primary campus in central Grand Junction. The university also has other campuses as well; Bishop Campus, which houses Western Colorado Community College in northwestern Grand Junction...
, where he quarterbacked
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
the Mesa State Mavericks football team and served as student body President. In 1998, Penry was named the National Scholar Athlete of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
and the Burger King Corporation, an award given to Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
the previous year. Penry graduated summa cum laude from Mesa State in 1998.
Work as an aide
Penry moved to Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to work for Congressman
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
Scott McInnis
Scott McInnis
Stephen Scott Emory McInnis is a lawyer and former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado. In August, 2010, McInnis lost his bid to be gubernatorial nominee after a plagiarism accusation and apology hurt his standing.-Education and professional history:Born in...
. First as an aide
Aide
Aide may refer to:* A person who assists another; an assistant. In military contexts; an officer who acts as assistant to a more senior one; an aide-de-camp.* Aide , a purported Basque deity....
and then as Press Secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
, Penry helped McInnis formulate and negotiate natural resources legislation. Penry was appointed staff director of the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health
United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
The United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands is one of the five subcommittees within the House Natural Resources Committee-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:*...
, where he played a lead role in negotiation the Healthy Forests Restoration Act with the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and Republicans and Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
on Capitol Hill.
State House
After returning to Grand Junction, Penry was elected to the state House in 2004. In his first term, Penry sponsored and won passage for the "Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act", legislation designed to minimize water-resource fights. Penry's bill, signed into law in June 2005, created roundtables for each river basin to assess and address regional water needs.In 2008, Penry was part of a bi-partisan effort involving Gov. Bill Ritter, Rep. Frank McNulty
Frank McNulty
Frank McNulty may refer to:*Frank Joseph McNulty , one-term Democratic U.S. Representative from New Jersey*Frank McNulty , Republican member of the Colorado House of Representatives...
, and the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) Board to divest public pension funds from companies with ties to Iran. Penry also sponsored legislation to strengthen Colorado's education standards to better equip students to compete in a highly competitive global economic environment, and he initiated and negotiated a bi-partisan bill to invest growing federal mineral lease revenues into Colorado's colleges and universities. Penry was a principal supporter of 2008's Amendment 52
Colorado Amendment 52 (2008)
Amendment 52 was a 2008 initiative in Colorado, United States for around half of severance tax funds to be redirected to highway building and maintenance projects, especially expanding I-70. 64.3% of the voters voted against it.- Results :...
, which would have directed mineral severance tax revenue away from water conservation
Water conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.- Water conservation :Water conservation can be defined as:...
projects to road building, but which failed at the polls.
Penry has been at the center of numerous policy debates, including road and bridge funding initiatives, efforts to pass Jessica's Law
Jessica's Law
Jessica's Law is the informal name given to a 2005 Florida law, as well as laws in several other states, designed to punish sex offenders and reduce their ability to re-offend...
and other tough penalties against sexual predators, the debate about natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
drilling in Colorado, and a range of tax, fiscal and budget issues. While working closely on education issues with Colorado's Democratic Governor Bill Ritter, Penry has been a frequent critic of the Ritter Administration's tax, budget, jobs and union policies.