Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, has represented the Twenty-second Congressional District of California in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007.

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
In 2007, Congress took up the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care for about 6 million children and 670,000 adults from families who earn too much money qualify for Medicare but not enough to afford health insurance. Congressional Democrats and many Republicans tried to use the opportunity to dramatically expand the program but were opposed by President George W. Bush and other Republicans. In 2006, 5.4 million children were eligible but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid and 9.4 million total children were uninsured.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy voted against the first House bill, which passed along party lines. It would have added $47 billion over five years to the $25 billion cost of the program and added about 5 million people to the program, including children, some legal immigrants, pregnant women and adults aged 18 and 19. The bill was financed mainly by an increase in cigarette taxes.

House Democrats, with 45 Republicans, later compromised and passed a bill which expanded the plan by $35 billion and would have insured about 3.5 million more children from families generally making between 250% and 300% of the federal poverty line (about $51,000 to $62,000 for a family of four). Most non-pregnant, childless adults were excluded, as were most legal immigrants and all illegal immigrants. McCarthy voted against the bill.

After President Bush vetoed the bill, Democratic leaders attempted to override the veto with the same bill but failed. McCarthy voted against the bill.

House Democrats then attempted to override it with another bill, which gave into Republican demands for increased checks for citizenship, the quick phasing-out of adult coverage, a hard limit of 300% of the federal poverty level and funding for families that covered their children through private insurance instead. Republicans, angry that the vote was scheduled during massive fires in California, blocked the veto override. McCarthy voted against the bill. For details on the bills and the debate, see the main State Children's Health Insurance Program page.

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

Biography
Born in 1965, McCarthy earned both his undergraduate degree and Masters of Business Administration from California State University, Bakersfield. He opened his first business, Kevin O's Deli, at the age of 21 to raise money to for college. He and his wife Judy have two children, Connor (12) and Meghan (10). 

From the late 1990s until 2002, McCarthy served as the District Director for U.S. Congressman Bill Thomas. In 2000, he was elected as a Trustee on the Kern Community College District Board. In 2002, McCarthy was elected to the California state assembly and became the first person to be elected Republican Assembly Leader as a freshman.

2006 election
McCarthy defeated Democrat Shannon Beery to replace retiring Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) in the 2006 congressional elections. He received 71% of the vote.

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

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
 * Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
 * House Committee on House Administration

External resources
Congressional website
 * McCarthy for Congress, official campaign site.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Tiger Beat: Music, Culture, and Politics
 * Left Wing Nut Job