Jeff Bingaman

Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman Jr., Democrat, has represented the state of New Mexico in the Senate since 1982.(Map)

Iraq War
Bingaman 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

CLEAN Energy Act
Bingaman was a supporter of the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007, which addressed royalties and tax breaks previously afforded to oil and gas companies. When it was voted in by the House, he stated, “I support the principle behind the House bill,” and called for it to be placed on the Senate calendar.

Bingaman bill on emissions "cap and trade"
In January 2007, Sen. Jeff_Bingaman (D-N.M.) began drafting a bill that would establish an emissions intensity "cap and trade" system starting in 2010 for petroleum refineries, coal mines, natural gas processors, electricity generators, and carbon-intensive manufacturing. Requirements for greenhouse gas emission reduction would start at 2.6 percent per year between 2012 and 2021 and rise to 3 percent per year after 2022. The provisions would include a safety valve, or price cap, of $7 on the cost of carbon emissions. The bill would also provide R&amp;D funding for zero- or low-carbon energy technologies (e.g., high efficiency consumer products), advanced coal technologies, cellulosic biomass, and advanced technology vehicles.

On July 11, 2007, Sen. Bingaman unveiled a draft of his energy and environment bill. The bill, which had yet to be officially introduced, already garnered significant support from noteworthy members, including Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who is cosponsoring the bill with Bingaman.

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Senator Bingman's record on tobacco issues
Senator Bingaman has a very positive public health health record on tobacco.

In September 1985, Sen. Bingaman co-sponsored the Stevens bill, S.1440, also called the "Non-Smokers Rights Act," to restrict smoking to designated areas in all U .S. Government buildings.

In February 1987, Sen. Bingaman introduced a bill to raise the price of cigarettes sold on military bases service-wide. The bill was designed to drastically reduce smoking among servicemembers by raising the price of cigarettes in commissaries and post exchanges to equal prices in the civilian community. The Senate voted down the amendment.

In April 1989, Sen. Bingaman introduced legislation to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the manufacture and sale of tobacco products. According to a press release annoucing the legislation, "The Senator said that despite their direct threat to health and life, tobacco products remain virtually unregulated and largely exempted from the laws we have established to protect the public from unsafe consumer products." Bingaman's bill would also have allowed the Department of Health and Human Services to regulate the use of additives in cigarettes and prohibit the distribution of free samples and coupons for cigarettes.

More recently On March 30, 2000 Sen. Bingaman, along with Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)introduced S. 2333, the Tobacco Regulatory Fairness Act of 2000, that would have established a separate chapter of the FDA to regulate tobacco. 

In March 2001 Sen. Bingaman co-sponsored legislation to expand access to smoking cessation services through Medicare, Medicaid and the Maternal and Child Health programs.

Revoking Executive Order 13233
On July 31, 2003, Sen. Bingaman introduced S. 1517, a bill to revoke an [sic] Executive Order relating to procedures for the consideration of claims of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure of Presidential records, with Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.). It was submitted to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs.

Michael Mukasey nomination
Sen. Bingaman voted AGAINST the confirmation Bush appointee Michael Mukasey as Attorney General of the U.S. on Nov. 8, 2007. Six Democrats and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) joined most Republicans in the 53-40 vote confirming Mukasey. No Republicans voted against him. Mukasey's nomination was surrounded by controversy after he called Waterboarding "repugnant" but refused to say whether it was illegal under anti-torture laws.

Bio
Bingaman was born October 3, 1943 in El Paso, TX. At age 15, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. Bingaman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Harvard University in 1965. He then entered the Stanford University School of Law, graduating in 1968.

Congressional career
Bingaman was Attorney General of New Mexico from 1978 untill his election to the U.S. Senate in 1982, when he defeated Republican incumbent and former astronaut Harrison Schmitt. He was re-elected in 1988, 1994 (defeating Colin McMillan), and again in 2000.

Bingaman and his senate colleague Pete Domenici are currently the longest serving duo among current Senators. The next longest are Ted Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachusetts.

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

Money in politics
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Committees and Affiliations

 * Joint Economic Committee
 * Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources - Chairman
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
 * Subcommittee on Children and Families
 * Subcommittee on Retirement &amp; Aging

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

 * Joint Economic Committee
 * Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources - Ranking Minority Member
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Subcommittee on Health Care
 * Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy
 * Subcommittee on International Trade - Ranking Minority Member
 * Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
 * Subcommittee on Retirement Security and Aging
 * Subcommittee on Bioterrorism Preparendess and Public Health
 * Subcommittee on Education and Early Childhood Development

Articles and Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database
 * See how you compare to Jeff Bingaman

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Democracy for New Mexico
 * New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan
 * NewWest.net -- A Refreshing, new kind of journalism.

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