Mary Bono Mack

Mary Whitaker Bono, a Republican, has represented the 45th District of California in the House of Representatives since 1998.

Iraq War
Bono voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Scientology
Bono has been linked to the Church of Scientology, with which Sonny Bono was affiliated. Its large Gold Base headquarters is in her district, but she has distanced herself from the organization.

Biography
Bono was born October 24, 1961 in Cleveland, Ohio, but has lived in Southern California since 1963. She worked her way through the University of Southern California, graduating in 1984. Soon after leaving Southern California, she married singer-turned politician Sonny Bono and moved to Palm Springs.

Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident on January 5, 1998. Mary easily won the Republican nomination for the special election to succeed him, which is tantamount to election in the heavily Republican district. She took office on April 7, 1998. She won a full term in November and has been re-elected without serious opposition.

Unlike her husband, who was a loyal supporter of Newt Gingrich, Bono is one of the more moderate-to-liberal House Republicans. She chose not to attend the 2004 Republican National Convention because she felt her district and state were not in strong contention and her objection to the platform's opposition to any legal benefits for same-sex couples, as well as opposition to gays in the military, anti-discrimination laws and so on. She is a member of several moderate and pro-choice Republican coalitions.

Bono sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Her work on the Committee "has ranged from helping pass a prescription drug benefit for seniors to protecting Medicaid funding for Disproportionate Share Hospitals in the 45th District. Bono has passed clean energy legislation through Committee, and is currently working to address copyright, piracy and intellectual property issues." 

She was married to Palm Springs businessman Glenn Baxley (2001 to 2005) and has a son and a daughter from her marriage to Sonny Bono: Son; Chesare Elan Bono (b. 1988), Daughter; Chianna Maria Bono, (b. 1991). Recently, Mary Bono has been romantically linked to fellow congressman Connie Mack from Florida.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated David Malcolm Roth to face Bono in her November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Bono retained her seat.

Money in politics
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References:
 * Mary Bono linked to Scientology MSNBC - November 9, 1998
 * Proud Mary Bono George Magazine - August, 1999. By Ann Bardach.

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
 * Subcommittee on Health

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
 * Subcommittee on the Environment and Hazardous Materials
 * Subcommittee on Health

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * The Republican Main Street Partnership
 * The Republican Majority For Choice
 * Republicans For Choice
 * The Wish List
 * Christine Todd Whitman's Its My Party Too

Resources

 * Official website
 * Technorati Search: Mary Bono
 * Google News Search: Mary Bono
 * Yahoo! News Search: Mary Bono
 * Power Trips: How much did Mary Bono travel?
 * GovTrack Statistics: Mary Bono
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Calitics
 * Tiger Beat: Music, Culture, and Politics

Articles

 * Rep. Bono forms copyrights caucus, eyed for RIAA lobby job ''Associated Press', 6/19/03.
 * Romance on Hill made official by Cindy Uken, The Desert Sun, 12/14/05.