Kent Conrad

Kent Conrad, a Democrat, has represented the state of North Dakota in the Senate since 1992.

Countrywide mortgage scandal
Senator Conrad was among the prominent politicians who may have received favorable mortgage deals from Countrywide, a mortgage lender at the heart of the current mortgage crises. According to an investigation conducted by Conde Nast's Portfolio, Countrywide's V.I.P program may have bent rules to offer Senator Conrad a better deal on a mortgage for a 8-unit apartment building in Bismarck, North Dakota he was seeking to purchase.

Conrad is currently being investigated by The Senate Ethics Committee for allegedly receiving a preferential mortgage rate from Countrywide Financial. Conrad admitted to talking to Angelo Mozillo, Countrywide's CEO, but has denied knowing that he was receiving special treatment from the company. Conrad has not paid any legal fees as of early 2009.


 * See Congresspedia page on the Countrywide Mortgage Scandal.

Iraq War
Conrad voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

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

Background
Conrad was born on March 12, 1948 in Bismarck, North Dakota to German-American parents, but was orphaned and raised by his grandparents. He lived much of his early life in Bismarck, but also lived in Tripoli, Libya. He attended Roosevelt Elementary and Hughes Junior High and was a 1966 graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy. He went to college at Stanford University and received an MBA from George Washington University.

After graduating college, he became an assistant to the North Dakota tax commissioner, Byron Dorgan, who later became his colleague in the Senate. In 1980, Conrad succeeded Dorgan as tax commissioner from 1980 until 1986, when he ran for Senate.

Senate Career
In the 1986 election, Conrad defeated the Republican incumbent, Mark Andrews. During the campaign he gave a pledge that he would not run for re-election if the Federal Budget deficit had not fallen by the end of his term. By 1992 it became obvious that this would not be the case, and although polls showed that the electors would have welcomed him going back on his pledge, Conrad considered it binding and stood down. Byron Dorgan won the primary election to succeed him as Democratic candidate.

Conrad got an unusual opportunity to retain his senate position when the other North Dakota senator, long-serving Democrat Quentin N. Burdick, died on September 8, 1992. Burdick's widow Jocelyn Birch Burdick was appointed to that seat temporarily, but a special election was needed to fill the rest of the term. Conrad ran for and secured the Democratic nomination. He won the election and was sworn in December 5, 1992, resigning his other seat the same day. (The first seat was then filled by Dorgan, who was appointed by the governor to fill the seat for the brief interim until he would have been sworn in under normal circumstances.)

Conrad was elected to another full term in 1994 and reelected in 2000. Conrad has been very vocal in his opposition to the tax and spending policies of the Bush Administration. He contends that they have worsened the problems of national debt. Conrad is more moderate than many in his own party on the issues of abortion, gun control, and gay rights. He is one of the few members of the Democratic Party to have voted consistently in favor of banning the procedure commonly referred to as "partial-birth" abortion. He also opposes public funding of abortion.

On January 31, 2006, Conrad was one of only four Democrats to vote in favor of confirming Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. 

He is opposed to most free-trade measures and is a strong supporter of farming subsidies. Conrad voted against approving use of military force in Iraq in 1991 and was one of only 23 senators to vote against the war resolution of 2002.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated Dwight Grotberg to face Conrad in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Conrad retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
 * Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology - Chairman
 * Subcommittee on Domestic & Foreign Marketing, Inspection, & Plant & Animal Health
 * Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support
 * Senate Committee on the Budget - Chairman
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

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

 * Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
 * Subcommittee on Marketing Inspection and Production Promotion
 * Subcommittee on Production and Price Competitiveness - Ranking Minority Member
 * Senate Committee on the Budget - Ranking Minority Member, former Chair(2001-2003)
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight
 * Subcommittee on International Trade
 * Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * About.com's Profile of US Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota
 * Technorati Search: Kent Conrad
 * Google News Search: Kent Conrad
 * Yahoo! News Search: Kent Conrad
 * Power Trips: How much did Kent Conrad travel?
 * GovTrack Statistics: Kent Conrad
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database
 * See how you compare to Kent Conrad

Articles

 * Lobbying on the Hill is Often a Family Affair by Steve Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/21/06.