John Duncan

John James "Jimmy" Duncan, Jr., a Republican, has represented the Second Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1988.

Iraq War
Duncan voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

During the consideration of an Iraq supplemental spending bill, the House held a vote on May 10 on an alternative measure (H.R.2237), sponsored by Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), which would mandate that U.S. combat troop withdrawal begin within three months, and that it be completed six months after that. Then, the bill mandated, no congressional money could be used for military operations (though there would be an allowance for certain types of special-ops activities). The alternative measure failed by a vote of 171-255 on May 10, 2007. Duncan was one of two Republicans to vote in favor of the measure.

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

Bio
Duncan was born July 21, 1947, in Lebanon, Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree and subsequently received a Doctorate of Jurisprudence degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1973 and was admitted to the bar that same year. He was an attorney in private practice until he became a state court judge in Knox County, Tennessee, where he served from 1981 to 1988. He also served in the Army National Guard from 1970 to 1987.

Congressional career
He was first elected to Congress in 1988, in a special election to succeed his late father, John Duncan, Sr. and elected to the seat for a full term in his own right the same day. He has been reelected every two years since then from a district that has been held continuously by Republicans since 1857. He has never faced a serious or well-funded challenge for reelection, and was reelected without major-party opposition from 1994 through 2000.

Duncan was one of the few Republicans to oppose and vote against the 2003 invasion of Iraq, doing so on grounds of opposition to unnecessary foreign involvement. In March 2006 he stated his continued oppostion ot the war: "The so-called neo-con architects of this unnecessary war have led people down a primrose path in the opposite direction of and very much against every traditional conservative position." 

According to his House Biography, "Congressman Duncan's efforts to cut government waste, reduce taxes, and limit bureaucratic red tape have been recognized by various organizations and national news media such as ABC News, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and U.S. News and World Report. He has been named among the five most fiscally conservative Members of Congress by the National Taxpayers Union and is one of the few Members of Congress to receive the Citizens Against Government Waste Super Hero Award."

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

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Highways Transit and Pipelines - Ranking Member
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
 * House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
 * Subcomitee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement
 * Subcomitee on National Security and International Relations
 * House Committee on Natural Resources
 * Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands

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

 * House Committee on Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Government Management Finance and Accountability
 * Subcommittee on National Security Emerging Threats and International Relations
 * House Committee on Resources
 * Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health
 * Subcommittee on National Parks Recreation and Public Lands
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Highways Transit and Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment - Chair

Articles

 * Greg Sargent, "Four More GOPers Defect, Will Back Anti-Escalation Resolution," TPM Cafe, February 14, 2007.
 * Jonathan Weisman, "Bush losing Republicans over plan for Iraq war," Washington Post (The Seattle Times), February 15, 2007.
 * David Espo, "GOP Opposition to Bush Plan Forms," Associated Press (ABC News), February 15, 2007.
 * Jeff Zeleny,"12 Republicans Break Ranks on Iraq Resolution," New York Times, February 15, 2007.

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database