Milton Robert Carr
Encyclopedia
Milton Robert Carr, commonly known as Bob Carr, (born March 27, 1943) is a lawyer and politician
from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
Carr served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 6th
and 8th
congressional districts for eight terms and one term, respectively. Carr's career in the U.S. House had a two-year hiatus in which he had lost his seat to Jim Dunn
in 1980 before being reelected to Congress in 1982.
Following his career in Congress, Carr became of counsel
at a Washington, D.C.
-based communications law firm
in 2005. He is involved with the United States Association of Former Members of Congress
, where he serves on the board of directors.
and was educated in public schools of Janesville. He received a B.S.
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, Madison
in 1965 and a J.D.
from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1968. He did graduate work at Michigan State University
in East Lansing, Michigan
and was admitted to the Wisconsin bar
in 1968 and to the Michigan bar in 1969. He commenced practice in Lansing, Michigan
and served as Michigan assistant attorney general, 1970–1972.
to the U.S. House
for the 94th
and to the two succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1981. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1980 to the 97th Congress
, being defeated by Jim Dunn
. Two years later, he defeated Dunn and was elected to the 98th
and subsequently re-elected to the five succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1995. The last two years he represented Michigan's 8th congressional district
after the redistricting in 1993. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1994, but was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate
, losing to Spencer Abraham
.
Carr began his career in Congress with a reputation as a rebel and self-described "angry young man." Shortly after his election in 1974, he called for the resignation of Democratic U.S. House Speaker Carl Albert
. Carr later expressed public regret for his early attacks on the Congressional leadership and called them "sheer, naive stupidity." After taking office in 1975 Carr was named to the House Armed Services Committee
, where he focused his attention on ending U.S. involvement in the war in Southeast Asia
. On March 12, 1975 with the influential help of House Democratic Caucus Chairman Phillip Burton
, Carr authored a resolution that passed the Caucus by 189-49 effectively cutting off further military assistance to South Vietnam or to Cambodia in fiscal year 1975.
After losing and regaining his seat in the 1980 and 1982 elections, respectively, he was named to the House Committee on Appropriations
, lowered his profile and focused his attention on budget and spending issues. He became chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, where he pioneered the use of an economic based criteria and ranking system to earmarks requested by members of Congress for their districts.
at DowLohnes PLLC, a communications law firm
in Washington, DC where he works in the firm's Government Relations and Legislation practice as a lawyer
and a lobbyist. He is a member of the board of directors of the United States Association of Former Members of Congress. He is married to Kate Carr, a foundation executive, and has one child, Alexandra Anne, a stepdaughter Jennifer Smith McCloskey, and a stepson Christopher Smith McCloskey.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Carr served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 6th
Michigan's 6th congressional district
Michigan's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in southwest Michigan. It consists of all of Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren, counties, and includes most of southern and eastern Allegan and a portion of western Calhoun counties.-Major...
and 8th
Michigan's 8th congressional district
Michigan's 8th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Southern Michigan and Southeast Michigan. It consists of all of Clinton, Ingham, and Livingston counties, and includes the southern portion of Shiawassee and the northern portion of Oakland counties.The district was...
congressional districts for eight terms and one term, respectively. Carr's career in the U.S. House had a two-year hiatus in which he had lost his seat to Jim Dunn
James Whitney Dunn
James Whitney Dunn is a politician and businessman in the U.S. state of Michigan. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1983 before unsuccessfully seeking reelection. He also sought election to the United States Senate, losing to Democratic incumbent Carl Levin. He again ran...
in 1980 before being reelected to Congress in 1982.
Following his career in Congress, Carr became of counsel
Of counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
at a 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....
-based communications law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
in 2005. He is involved with the United States Association of Former Members of Congress
United States Association of Former Members of Congress
The United States Association of Former Members of Congress is a non-partisan, non-profit association of former Members of the United States Congress, founded in 1970 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1980.-Objectives and Activities:...
, where he serves on the board of directors.
Biography
Carr was born in Janesville, WisconsinJanesville, Wisconsin
Janesville is a city in southern Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat of Rock County and the principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 62,998.-History:...
and was educated in public schools of Janesville. He received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
in 1965 and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1968. He did graduate work at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
and was admitted to the Wisconsin bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1968 and to the Michigan bar in 1969. He commenced practice in Lansing, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
and served as Michigan assistant attorney general, 1970–1972.
U.S. House career
Carr was elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 6th congressional districtMichigan's 6th congressional district
Michigan's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in southwest Michigan. It consists of all of Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren, counties, and includes most of southern and eastern Allegan and a portion of western Calhoun counties.-Major...
to the U.S. House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 94th
94th United States Congress
The Ninety-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1977, during the administration...
and to the two succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1981. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1980 to the 97th Congress
97th United States Congress
The Ninety-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...
, being defeated by Jim Dunn
James Whitney Dunn
James Whitney Dunn is a politician and businessman in the U.S. state of Michigan. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1983 before unsuccessfully seeking reelection. He also sought election to the United States Senate, losing to Democratic incumbent Carl Levin. He again ran...
. Two years later, he defeated Dunn and was elected to the 98th
98th United States Congress
The Ninety-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1985, during the third and...
and subsequently re-elected to the five succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1995. The last two years he represented Michigan's 8th congressional district
Michigan's 8th congressional district
Michigan's 8th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Southern Michigan and Southeast Michigan. It consists of all of Clinton, Ingham, and Livingston counties, and includes the southern portion of Shiawassee and the northern portion of Oakland counties.The district was...
after the redistricting in 1993. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1994, but was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, losing to Spencer Abraham
Spencer Abraham
Edmund Spencer Abraham is a former United States Senator from Michigan. He served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy, serving under President George W. Bush. Abraham is one of the founders of the Federalist Society....
.
Carr began his career in Congress with a reputation as a rebel and self-described "angry young man." Shortly after his election in 1974, he called for the resignation of Democratic U.S. House Speaker Carl Albert
Carl Albert
Carl Bert Albert was a lawyer and a Democratic American politician from Oklahoma.Albert represented the southeastern portion of Oklahoma as a Democrat for 30 years, starting in 1947. He is best known for his service as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977...
. Carr later expressed public regret for his early attacks on the Congressional leadership and called them "sheer, naive stupidity." After taking office in 1975 Carr was named to the House Armed Services Committee
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
, where he focused his attention on ending U.S. involvement in the war in Southeast Asia
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. On March 12, 1975 with the influential help of House Democratic Caucus Chairman Phillip Burton
Phillip Burton
Phillip Burton was a United States Representative from California. A Democrat, he was instrumental in creating the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Burton was one of the first members of Congress to acknowledge the need for AIDS research and introduce an AIDS bill. He was the brother of...
, Carr authored a resolution that passed the Caucus by 189-49 effectively cutting off further military assistance to South Vietnam or to Cambodia in fiscal year 1975.
After losing and regaining his seat in the 1980 and 1982 elections, respectively, he was named to the House Committee on Appropriations
United States House Committee on Appropriations
The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States...
, lowered his profile and focused his attention on budget and spending issues. He became chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, where he pioneered the use of an economic based criteria and ranking system to earmarks requested by members of Congress for their districts.
Later career
In 2005 Carr became Of CounselOf counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
at DowLohnes PLLC, a communications law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
in Washington, DC where he works in the firm's Government Relations and Legislation practice as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a lobbyist. He is a member of the board of directors of the United States Association of Former Members of Congress. He is married to Kate Carr, a foundation executive, and has one child, Alexandra Anne, a stepdaughter Jennifer Smith McCloskey, and a stepson Christopher Smith McCloskey.