Lamar Smith

Lamar Seeligson Smith, a Republican, has represented the Twenty-First Congressional District of Texas in the United States House of Representatives since 1986.

Iraq War
Smith 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

OPEN Government Act
On March 5, 2007, Smith introduced the OPEN Government Act of 2007, a bill to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act, in the House. It was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Cape Cod Residence
Lamar Smith purportedly spends most of his time on Cape Cod. His house on the Cape, close to the Kennedy Family compound at Hyannisport, is valued at somewhere between $250,000 and $500,000, according to his Financial Disclosure Statement for the Calendar Year 2005, easily more than his residence in his own district, valued at $190,000, according to the Bexar County Appraisal District.

Views on Immigration
In September of 2005, a fax intended for Karl Rove was intercepted in which Lamar Smith stated:

"Immigration needs to be considered in the context of: (1). Media Bias, (2). Animosity toward the president and (3) the feelings of the Republican base."

Smith is a member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims as well as the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity. No issues regarding the legislative jurisdiction of these committees were mentioned in the memo.

Smith also suggests that "Liberals can easily and accurately be painted as opposing enforcement." 

Orphan works copyright legislation
On May 22, 2006, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), then ranking member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, introduced the Orphan Works Act of 2006 (H.R. 5439). The bill would “limit the remedies available in a copyright infringement action if the infringer proves that: (1) the infringer performed and documented a reasonably diligent search in good faith to locate the copyright owner before using the work, but was unable to locate the owner; and (2) the infringing use of the work provided attribution to the author and owner of the copyright, if known.”

The bill received no cosponsors, was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, and never received a vote on the floor.

On September 12, 2006, Smith introduced the Copyright Modernization Act of 2006, (H.R. 6052) which would “amend title 17, United States Code, to provide for licensing of digital delivery of musical works and to provide for limitation of remedies in cases in which the copyright owner cannot be located, and for other purposes.”

The bill included the orphan works provisions originally introduced in the Orphan Works Act of 2006, and also included other measures regarding intellectual property rights. Like his other bill, Smith's measure attracted no cosponsors, was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, and never received a vote on the floor.

DC voting rights
When the District of Columbia Fair and Equal Voting Rights Act of 2007 passsed the House on April 19, 2007, with a vote of 241-177, Rep. Smith filed a motion to recommit to require an expedited judicial review for the legislation, which many Republican members said is unconstitutional. The motion, however, failed.

Background
Smith was born November 19, 1947 in San Antonio, Texas and graduated from T.M.I., The Episcopal School of Texas and Yale University. Smith was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Republican in 1980. He served as Bexar County, Texas commissioner from 1982 to 1985. Smith is a follower of Christian Science.

Congressional Career
He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1986.

Positions and Views
A conservative, Smith has advocated ways to reduce illegal immigration and has opposed proposals by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to offer legal status to some categories of immigrants who have entered the country illegally.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated John Courage, and the Libertarian Party nominated James Arthur Strohm to face Smith in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)  Smith retained his seat.

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

 * House Committee on Homeland Security
 * House Committee on Science and Technology
 * House Committee on the Judiciary -Ranking

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

 * House Committee on Homeland Security
 * Subcommittee on Economic Security Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity
 * Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness Science and Technology
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Task Force on Antitrust
 * Subcommittee on Courts the Internet and Intellectual Property - Chair
 * Subcommittee on Immigration Border Security and Claims
 * House Committee on Science
 * Subcommittee on Research
 * Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
 * House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Assistant Whip
 * Congressional Grace Caucus
 * Congressional Sportsman's Caucus
 * House G.O.P. Economic Task Force

Articles

 * http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA020806.en.POLcourage.bush.a7b1b44.html

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Fort Bend Democrats
 * South Texas Chism
 * Burnt Orange Report
 * Snowed In