Charles Melancon

Charles J. (Charlie) Melancon (pronounced Meh-lahn-son) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Louisiana's Third Congressional District from 2005 to 2011.

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

Oil Voting Record
Charlie Melancon has voted in favor of big oil companies on 64% of important oil-related bills. These include Iraq War Funding, Climate Change Studies, Clean Energy, and Ending Oil Subsidies. See below for oil money in politics.

Bio
Melancon was born October 3, 1947 in Napoleonville, Louisiana. Melancon owned and operated several small businesses (including two Baskin Robbins) before winning a 1987 special election for the Louisiana House of Representatives. After serving 2 more terms, he headed the American Sugar Cane League from 1993 to 2004.

Melancon decided to run for the U.S. House when Billy Tauzin announced his retirement. Considered an underdog for much of the race, he managed to squeak into a runoff due to an especially ugly intraparty battle between Republican candidates Billy Tauzin III (the incumbent's son) and Craig Romero. In the runoff campaign, Melancon repeatedly hammered away at Tauzin III's youth, inexperience, criminal record, and family ties (many members of both major parties resented Tauzin's status as frontrunner for the seat solely because his father was the incumbent). Due to the attacks, makeup of the district, and Romero's refusal to endorse Tauzin, Melancon eked out a victory of about 600 votes.

Very soon after being sworn in in January of 2005, Melancon joined the Blue Dog Democrats. He is a fairly conservative Democrat by national standards--in fact, a section of his campaign site, "Louisiana Values," detailed his opposition to gun control, abortion and same-sex marriage. He later said that the 2004 election campaign was the first time in his life that he was called a liberal.

Melancon has been a harsh critic of the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, which devastated much of his district. However, some post-Katrina analyses indicate that the political fallout from Katrina may lead to an unseating of incumbents generally, and for demographic reasons, Democratic incumbents in particular.

2006 elections
Melancon won reelection by a margin of 55%-40% over his closest rival, Republican Craig Romero. 

Money in politics
cid=N00026840&cycle=2008

Oil and Coal Contributions
Charlie Melancon has received $117,100 in oil contributions during the 110th congress. $101,750 of those dollars were from industry PACS. In total, he has received $235,200 since 2000. In terms of coal companies, Melancon has received $43,500 in coal contributions during the 110th congress, and all of those have been from industry PACs.

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
 * House Committee on Science and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Research and Science Education
 * Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

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

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs
 * Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
 * House Committee on Resources
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
 * Subcommittee on National Parks Recreation and Public Lands
 * House Committee on Science
 * Subcommittee on Research
 * Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

External resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Follow the Oil Money
 * Vote Tracker
 * Follow the Coal Money
 * Appalachian Voices

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Your Right Hand Thief: Laughing off hard truths in New Orleans