Robert Marion Berry


 * This page is about the Arkansas House member; the former mayor of Washington, DC is Marion Barry.

Robert Marion Berry, a Democrat, represented the 1st District of Arkansas in the House of Representatives from 1997 to 2011. map)

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

Comments on the House Floor
Recently, Rep. Berry made headlines when he called Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Florida) a "Howdy Doody looking nimrod" while on the House floor. Amy Moritz Ridenour from the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank, said Berry was "out of line." 

Bio
Berry was born August 27, 1942 in Stuttgart, Arkansas. He was earned his B.S. from the University of Arkansas in 1965, and was a farmer, a licensed pharmacist, a member of the city council of Gillett, Arkansas, a member of the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, a member of the White House Domestic Policy Council (1993-1996) and special assistant to President Bill Clinton for Agricultural Trade and Food Assistance (1993-1996) before entering the House.

Berry, a member of the conservative Blue Dog coalition, "prioritizes protecting the financial future of our children and grandchildren by paying down the national debt and safeguarding the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. In pursuit of this goal, Berry introduced the Social Security Protection/ Balanced Budget Amendment [SSP/BBA] in March 2002, legislation that would amend the U.S. Constitution and require Congress to balance the federal budget annually without using revenue from the Social Security trust fund." 

Barry was "instrumental in passing the 2002 Farm Bill...Citing the enormous economic benefits that the Arkansas farm economy would reap, Berry has also been an outspoken supporter of re-opening trade with Cuba."

"Berry has placed national security and supporting our military servicemen and women at the top of his legislative agenda... Congressman Berry continues to work to provide our troops with the equipment and supplies necessary to keep them safe... Berry has also worked to increase funding for the VA and block proposals to increase premiums and prescription drug co-payments for Veterans seeking access to health care. Recently, Veterans' organizations joined Berry and other devoted House Members to end the Survivor Benefit Penalty."

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated Mickey “Stubby” Stumbaugh to face Berry in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)  Berry retained his seat.

Money in politics
cid=N00005455&cycle=2008

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Water
 * Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development
 * House Committee on Budget

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

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
 * Subcommittee on Homeland Security

More Background Data

 * 2006 Arkansas CD 1 Candidate List from VIS

Resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Arkansas Tonight
 * The Voice of Arkansas

Articles

 * Congressman Marion Berry Criticizes Medicare Drug Program by Jason Pederson, KATV, 1/13/06.