Bill Posey
Bill Posey | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 8th district 15th (2009–2013) | |
Assumed office January 3, 2009 | |
Preceded by | Dave Weldon |
Member of the Florida Senate from the 24th district 15th (2000–2002) | |
In office November 7, 2000 – November 4, 2008 | |
Preceded by | Patsy Ann Kurth |
Succeeded by | Thad Altman |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 32nd district | |
In office November 3, 1992 – November 7, 2000 | |
Preceded by | Dixie Sansom |
Succeeded by | Bob Allen |
Personal details | |
Born |
William Joseph Posey December 18, 1947 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Katie Ingram |
Education | Brevard Community College (AA) |
William Joseph Posey (born December 18, 1947) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th congressional district, in Congress since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He formerly served in the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives.
Early life, education, and business career
Posey was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Beatrice (née Tohl) and Walter J. Posey. His mother's family immigrated from Russia and is of Jewish heritage.[1] Posey moved to Florida in 1956 as his father took a job in engineering with McDonnell Douglas, working on the Delta rocket.[2] In 1969, he graduated from Brevard Community College with an Associate of Arts degree.
He got a job with McDonnell Douglas, and did Apollo Space Program work at Kennedy Space Center till he was laid off.[3] From 1974 to 1976, Bill Posey worked on the Rockledge Planning Commission. In 1976, he was elected as a member of the City Council, and from 1986 to 1992, he was a member of the Brevard County Business and Industrial Development Commission. Posey also founded his own real estate company during the 1970s. He later became director of the state Association of Realtors. While serving in local politics, he also became a researcher on government accountability and transparency.
Florida legislature
In 2006, Posey authored Activity Based Total Accountability, which outlines his suggestions for improving American politics.
While serving in the state legislature, Posey was a chief sponsor of a bill designed to modernize the Florida election process, in response to the 2000 presidential election controversy. He also worked to revise insurance policy, so as to aid hurricane victims.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
- 2008
In 2008, Posey ran to replace retiring U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon, who had occupied the 15th District seat since 1995, when the district first voted Republican.
Posey defeated Democratic nominee Stephen Blythe, receiving 53.1% of the vote to Blythe's 42.0%.[5]
- 2010
Posey won re-election against former NASA executive and public administrator Shannon Roberts, receiving 64.7% of the vote to Roberts' 35.3%.[6]
- 2012
Posey won re-election with nearly 60% of the vote against Democratic nominee Shannon Roberts and non-partisan candidate Richard Gillmor.[7]
- 2014
Posey won re-election with 65.84% of the vote against Democratic candidate Gabriel Rothblatt.
- 2016
Posey won re-election with 63.11% of the vote against Democratic candidate Corry Westbrook.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Financial Services
- United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- Republican Study Committee[8]
Caucus memberships
Political positions
Posey has a 81% rating from Heritage Action for America for his conservative voting record, which is 16 points higher than the average Republican voting record.[13]
Environment and energy
In 2016, Bill Posey sponsored legislation that reauthorized and reprioritized funding to clean up America's estuaries was signed into law by President Obama. [14] [15] [16]
At a May 2018 hearing in the Science, Space and Technology Committee, Posey promoted the falsehood that climate scientists believed that the Earth was cooling in the 1970s.[17] At the hearing, Posey also expressed skepticism that humans contributed to climate change, asking whether climate change was occurring because carbon dioxide captured in permafrost was now leaking out.[17] Posey also asked at the hearing whether warming would be being beneficial for habitats and to people.[17] Posey also stating "I don't think anybody disputes that the Earth is getting warmer; I think what's not clear is the exact amount of who caused what, and getting to that is, I think, where we're trying to go with this committee."[17]
Gun law
Posey supports legislation that mandates concealed carry permit reciprocity among states.[18] From 2015–2016, Posey accepted $2,000 USD in direct campaign contributions from the NRA's Political Victory Fund;[19] from 2008–2016 Posey accepted $13,500 from NRA political action committees.[20] Posey currently has an "A" rating from the NRA, indicating a record of preserving and expanding gun rights.[21]
Posey was one of the original cosponsors of the Repeal of the Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which repealed Obama-era legislation aimed at preventing the mentally-infirm from legally purchasing firearms.[22] Following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Posey expressed his support for legislation that would ban bump stocks.[23]
Healthcare
Posey supports repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and calls it a "fiasco" and “was passed under a lot of misrepresentation.”
“I think it needs to be repealed, and we need to start over again,”.[24]
LGBT rights
Posey has a "0" rating from the Human Rights Campaign regarding his voting record on LGBT-related legislature.[25] He voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would have protected LGBT people from hate crimes, in the wake of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting.[26]
Cannabis
Posey has a "D" rating from NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes. [27]
Tax reform
Posey voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[28] Posey has also been a longtime supporter of a balanced budget amendment or (BBA). [29]
References
- ↑ "Bill Posey ancestry". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
- ↑ Takala, Rudy (July 5, 2016). "The red tape keeping private companies from getting us into space". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- ↑ McCutcheon, Michael; Barone, Chuck (2013). 2014 Almanac of American Politics. The University of Chicago Press.
- ↑ "Biography - Congressman Bill Posey, Representing the 15th District of Florida". Archived from the original on January 11, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ↑ "November 4, 2008 General Election". Florida Secretary of State.
- ↑ "November 2, 2010 General Election". Florida Secretary of State.
- ↑ "Posey wins 3rd term in House". Florida TODAY. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
- ↑ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
- ↑ "What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who's in it?". Pew research center. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ↑ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ↑ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ↑ "Heritage Action Scorecard". Heritage Action for America. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ Posey, Bill. "Posey's Bipartisan Plan to Help Estuaries with Critical Needs Heads to the President's Desk". Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ↑ "S.1523 - A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes". US Congress. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ↑ "Obama signs bill to help Indian River Lagoon". TC Palm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "Republican lawmaker: Rocks tumbling into ocean causing sea level rise". Science | AAAS. May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ↑ Bycoffe, Aaron (January 30, 2017). "Tracking Bill Posey In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ Grinberg, Emanuella (February 21, 2018). "These Florida lawmakers accepted money from the National Rifle Association". CNN. Atlanta. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ↑ Aaronson, Trevor (February 20, 2018). "Thoughts, Prayers and NRA Dollars: How the Gun Lobby Supports and Opposes Members of Florida's Congressional Delegation". Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
- ↑ Schmitz, Ali (February 24, 2018). "NRA vs. Republicans? Unexpected battle shaping up after Parkland high school shooting". TCPalm. Treasure City, Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ↑ "In the wake of school shooting, follow the money". SunSentinel. Broward County, Florida. February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ↑ Rangel, Isadora (October 7, 2017). "U.S. Rep. Bill Posey: Outlaw bump stocks". Florida Today. Brevard County, Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ↑ Berman, Dave. "Posey, Rothblatt take their shots at congressional debate". Florida Today. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ Johnson, Chris (October 7, 2016). "Rubio's score plummets to '0' in HRC congressional ratings". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ Lopez, German. "Here are the members of Congress who voted against protecting gay people from hate crimes". Vox. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ "Florida Scorecard - NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws". NORML. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ Almukhtar, Sarah (December 19, 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ↑ "Taxes and Spending". Bill Posey for Congress. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bill Posey. |
- Congressman Bill Posey official U.S. House site
- Campaign website
- Bill Posey at Curlie (based on DMOZ)
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
Florida House of Representatives | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Dixie Sansom |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 32nd district 1993–2000 |
Succeeded by Bob Allen |
Florida Senate | ||
Preceded by Patsy Ann Kurth |
Member of the Florida Senate from the 15th district 2001–2003 |
Succeeded by Paula Dockery |
Preceded by Lisa Carlton |
Member of the Florida Senate from the 24th district 2003–2009 |
Succeeded by Thad Altman |
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
Preceded by Dave Weldon |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 15th congressional district 2009–2013 |
Succeeded by Dennis A. Ross |
Preceded by Daniel Webster |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 8th congressional district 2013–present |
Incumbent |
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by Jared Polis D-Colorado |
United States Representatives by seniority 177th |
Succeeded by Phil Roe R-Tennessee |