Suburban Caucus
Encyclopedia
An informal group of over 70 Republican members of the United States House of Representatives
with primarily suburban constituencies, founded by Rep. Mark Kirk
(R-IL). He planned a suburban agenda in early 2004, made a presentation on it at the party’s national convention in New York, formed a House GOP caucus around it and commissioned pollster John McLaughlin to test potential policy items.
From initial membership of 22, it has grown to over 50 members. Caucus members include representatives from New York to California, Minnesota to Florida. It's includes moderates such as Mike Castle of Delaware, and more conservative House members like Pete Sessions
of Texas and Tom Feeney
of Florida.
The agenda is broken down into four main categories: education, healthcare, conservation and economic issues. Specific points include: keeping child molesters from becoming teachers; making health insurance fully portable; long term saving for children; more cleanup and less court for the superfund environment program; and expanding federal backup to fight international drug gangs.
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...
with primarily suburban constituencies, founded by Rep. Mark Kirk
Mark Kirk
Mark Steven Kirk is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district....
(R-IL). He planned a suburban agenda in early 2004, made a presentation on it at the party’s national convention in New York, formed a House GOP caucus around it and commissioned pollster John McLaughlin to test potential policy items.
From initial membership of 22, it has grown to over 50 members. Caucus members include representatives from New York to California, Minnesota to Florida. It's includes moderates such as Mike Castle of Delaware, and more conservative House members like Pete Sessions
Pete Sessions
Peter Anderson Sessions is a politician from the state of Texas. He is a Republican, and currently represents the 32nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the current Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee-Personal:Sessions was born in Waco,...
of Texas and Tom Feeney
Tom Feeney
Thomas Charles "Tom" Feeney III, usually known as Tom Feeney , is an American politician from the state of Florida. He represented . He was defeated in the 2008 election by Democrat Suzanne Kosmas.-Early life:...
of Florida.
The agenda is broken down into four main categories: education, healthcare, conservation and economic issues. Specific points include: keeping child molesters from becoming teachers; making health insurance fully portable; long term saving for children; more cleanup and less court for the superfund environment program; and expanding federal backup to fight international drug gangs.
Legislation
- Health Information Technology Promotion Act (H. R. 4157) setting guidelines to establish electronic medical records
- School Safety Acquiring Faculty Excellence Act (H.R. 4894) linking state and national criminal databases to make sure interstate child molesters are not hired as teachers, coaches or bus drivers.
- Charitable Donations for Open Space Act (H.R. 5056) creating tax easements for charitable donations for open space.
- Gang Elimination Act of 2006 (H.R. 5291) fighting new suburban drug gangs.
- Open Space and Farmland Preservation Act (H.R. 5313) establishing local grant programs to protect suburban open space.
- 401 Kids Family Savings Accounts (H.R. 5314) establishing savings for kids from birth to pay for education or to purchase first home.
- Deleting Online Predators Act (H.R. 5319) protecting children from online predators especially on social networking sites such as MySpace.com.
External links
- "Suburban agenda" (Washington Time Editorial, 11 May 2006)
- "In turnaround try, House GOP focuses on suburban voters" (The Hill's Congress Blog, 9 May 2006)
- "Morton Kondracke: GOP ‘Suburban Agenda’ gains traction on Hill" (The Examiner, 10 Jul 10 2006)