Steve King

Steve King is a Republican member of the U. S. House of Representatives and has represented the 5th District of Iowa since 2003.

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

Sunlight Act
Rep. King introduced the Sunlight Act of 2006 (H.R.4967) on March 15, 2006, and was referred to the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Rules, where no action was taken. The bill contained the following:
 * Requires all FEC reports be filed electronically and placed on the internet in a searchable database.
 * Require all private travel reports be put on the internet in a searchable database.
 * Require all personal financial disclosure reports to list the actual dollar amount rather than using a range. Also, require all personal financial disclosure forms be put on the internet in a searchable database.
 * Require all bills and conference reports be placed on the internet at least 48 hours before a vote, all amendments made in order by a rule within one hour after the rule is filed, and all amendments made under open rule immediately as it is being offered.
 * Require the House to project onto a wall the topic of debate on the floor for the viewing of members and the gallery.

Joseph McCarthy
King has expressed admiration for Joseph McCarthy, calling him "a great American hero."

Voting integrity legislation
In January 2005, King introduced legislation (THOMAS bill info) requiring verifiable hardcopies of ballots. The legislation was referred to the House Committee on House Administration, but no action was taken. 

Restricting Speaker Pelosi's travel
On June 21, 2007, King introduced an amendment to the FY2008 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill that would not allow the usage of State Department funds for travel to states that are known to have sponsored terrorism: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. It would have restricted funding for Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) trip to Syria in April 2007. King believed that Pelosi violated the 1799 Logan Act, signed into law by President John Adams, which prohibits unauthorized U.S. citizens from interfering with relations between the United States and foreign governments.

Bio
King was born May 28, 1949 in Storm Lake, Iowa. He briefly attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri, and was a business owner and member of the Iowa Senate before entering the House.

Congressional career
After redistricting took 5th District incumbent Tom Latham (R) out of the district, King ran in a four-way Republican primary for the seat. Since the 5th is the most Republican district in Iowa and one of the most Republican in the nation, it was generally thought that the district's next representative would be chosen in the primary. King won 30 percent of the vote, five points short of winning the primary outright. Under Iowa law, a nominating convention was required, and King won on the fourth ballot. He went on to win handily in the fall and won reelection just as easily in 2004.

King has carved out one of the most conservative voting records in the country. In 2005, the American Conservative Union rated King one of the "Best of the Best," assigning him a 100% consrvative voting record. In the 109th Congress, King chairs the Conservative Opportunity Society, an organization founded by Newt Gingrich and others that laid the groundwork for the Republicans' 1994 takeover of the House.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Joyce Schulte to face King in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) King retained his seat.

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

 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims -Ranking
 * Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties
 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
 * Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry
 * Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Finance and Tax
 * Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare, and Trade

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

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Conservation Credit Rural Development and Research
 * Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
 * Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Task Force on Antirust
 * Subcommittee on the Constitution
 * Subcommittee on Immigration Border Security and Claims
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight
 * Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises Agriculture and Technology

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Chair, Conservative Opportunity Society

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * KingWatch website - Keeping an Eye on Steve King
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Zachary Coile and Patrick Hoge, "Berkeley lefty snubbed by House Republicans. They kill plan to name post office after longtime Councilwoman Maudelle Shirek," San Francisco Chronicle, September 28, 2005.
 * Jane Norman, "'McCarthy' comment by Steve King stirs debate. Democrats criticize Rep. Steve King when he objects to naming a California post office for an activist," Des Moines Register, September 29, 2005.
 * Jed Herrington, "Election Reform Stumbles on HAVA Hangups," Newsdesk.org, February 23, 2006.
 * Joseph Richey, "Border for Sale. Privatization of immigration control means a bonanza for connected firms," GNN.TV, July 11, 2006.
 * Judd Legum, "Rep. King Designs Electrified Fence For Southern Border: 'We Do This With Livestock All The Time'," Think Progress, July 13, 2006.
 * Brett Hayworth, "King faces three challengers for U.S. House," Sioux City Journal, October 13, 2006.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Bleeding Heartland
 * Diary of a political madman
 * Political Forecast
 * Blog for Iowa
 * Century of the Common Iowan