Lois Capps

Lois G. Capps, a Democrat, has represented the 23rd District of California in the U. S. House of Representatives since 1998.

Iraq War
Capps voted against 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

Support for gun control
Capps cosponsored H.R. 1022 (Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2007) on March 9, 2007.

Biography
Lois Capps was born January 10, 1938 in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. She was educated at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, Yale University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, and was a nursing instructor, nurse administrator, director of the Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project and the Parent and Child Enrichment Center of Santa Barbara County and an instructor at Santa Barbara City College before entering the House.

Following the death of her husband, Representative Walter Capps, Lois Capps won the then-22nd District seat by defeating Republican Tom Bordonaro in a special election on March 10th, 1998. She was sworn into the 105th Congress on March 17th. Capps successfully defended her seat against the same opponent in a general election that November, and commenced her first full term in office. In 2000, Capps retained her seat, defeating Republican Mike Stoker with 53% of the vote. After her re-election in 2002, Lois became the representative for the newly redistricted 23rd District. In November 2004, she was reelected by a substantial margin, defeating Republican challenger Don Regan by 63% to 34%.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated Victor D. Tognazzini to face Capps in her November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)  Capps retained her seat.

Money in politics
cid=N00007232&cycle=2008

"Pork barrel" spending
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), a group that advocates for lower federal spending, named Rep. Capps and Rep. Devin Nunes (R,CA-21) "Porker of the Month" in February 2008 for "attempting to impede the recovery of hundreds of millions in over-payments to Medicare providers in the state of California."

According to CAGW, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) to help "in uncovering both over and under payments to hospitals and healthcare providers". In California, RACs have uncovered $120 million in over-payments to Medicare providers.

CAGW specifically cites H.R. 4105, co-sponsored by Capps and Nunes, as a bill that "would place a one-year moratorium on the RAC program." In effect, this provision would allow for Californian hospitals to hold on to the over-payed money. However, H.R. 4105 was never passed by Congress.

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
 * Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
 * Subcommittee on Health
 * House Committee on Natural Resources
 * Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
 * Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands
 * House Committee on Budget

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

 * House Committee on Budget
 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
 * Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials
 * Subcommittee on Health

Resources

 * Official website
 * Friends of Lois Capps (Campaign website)
 * Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Legislation
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Tiger Beat: Music, Culture, and Politics