Maurice Hinchey

Maurice Dudley Hinchey, a Democrat, has represented the 22nd Congressional District of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2003. (formerly the 26th District, 1993-2003)

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

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

Legislation to address missing price thresholds for big oil
On May 18, 2006, the House of Representatives voted for an amendment offered by Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) to the 2007 Department of Interior Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5386). According to a statement from Rep. Hinchey, "While the Hinchey amendment doesn't require energy companies to rework their contracts, it does bar them from receiving future contracts unless they work with the Interior Department to redo the existing contracts that contained the royalty-free clerical error, thus providing energy companies with a large incentive to rework the existing contracts."

On June 29, 2006, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a similar amendment to the House language. Sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), the amendment was attached to the FY 2007 Interior Appropriations Bill.

However, the amendments sponsored in the House and Senate were never enacted because the 2007 Interior Appropriations Bill was one of nine budget bills never finally approved during the 109th Congress. In early 2007, Congress passed and the President signed the Fiscal Year 2007 Joint Resolution (P.L. 110-5) providing funding for the Interior Department at its 2006 enacted level.

On December 8, 2006, Hinchey again offered an amendment to persuade oil companies to renogotiate their offshore leases, this time to the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (S. 3711 and H.R. 6111). Although the amendment failed, Rep. Hinchey vowed to continue fighting for it.

On January 18, 2007, the House of Representatives adopted the Hinchey-Markey approach to fixing the offshore leases when it passed the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007.

Background
Hinchey was born October 27, 1938 in New York City, but has spent most of his life in Saugerties. After serving in the United States Navy (1958-1959), he spent two years working as a laborer in a cement plant. He graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a B.A. in 1968 and an Master's degree in 1970.

Hinchey held positions in the Ulster County Democratic Party and managed a campaign. He first sought public office in 1972, with an unsuccessful race for the New York State Assembly. He ran again in 1974 and won, serving in the Assembly for eighteen years. He chaired the Committee on Environmental Conservation for fourteen years. A legislative highlight was the passage of the country's first law meant to prevent acid rain. His committee also gained public attention for its investigation of the infiltration of the waste removal industry by organized crime.

Congressional Career
In 1992, Hinchey ran successfully for the U.S. House. Hinchey is one of the more liberal members of the House, and one of the state's most liberal congressmen outside New York City. For example, his website states, "He was one of the first and most outspoken opponents of the 2003 war in Iraq." He has bridged the ideological gap partly by placing a heavy emphasis on constituent service. He now serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, a post that helps him deliver federal support on programs important to his district.

Re-districting
His original Congressional district was significantly reconfigured when New York lost two Congressional seats after the 2000 census. Hinchey was threatened with dismemberment of his district or with having to run against a popular and well-established Republican incumbent, either Ben Gilman or Sherwood Boehlert. In the intense political infighting over the redistricting, however, Hinchey emerged as one of the winners. To protect two younger Republican incumbents, the Republicans agreed to sacrifice the district of the 79-year-old Gilman, who chose to retire. In return, the Democrats accepted a district that threw together two of their incumbents, Louise Slaughter and John LaFalce, prompting the latter's retirement. Hinchey's district was renumbered the 22nd and winds a narrow, contorted path across eight counties in the southern part of the state, from the Hudson River to the Finger Lakes.

2006 elections
No major candidates announced their intentions to contest Hinchey’s seat in the November 2006 election. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Interior and Environment
 * House Committee on Natural Resources
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
 * Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands

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

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Agriculture Rural Development Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
 * Subcommittee on Interior and Environment and Related Agencies
 * Joint Economic Committee
 * Host Committee 2005, Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Dan Barry, "A Nation At War: At Home at War: In Ithaca, a Voice of Dissent," New York Times, March 30, 2003.
 * Gur, "The Phattest Bubble You've Ever Seen?", Room Eight, May 12, 2006.
 * Shane Harris and Murray Waas, "Justice Department Probe Foiled" National Journal, May 25, 2006
 * Gur, "What Part Of "You Will Pimp My Pay to $168K" Did You Not Understand?", Room Eight, June 30, 2006.
 * Congressional Wire, "Earth to Congress - Come In!", Room Eight, July 11, 2006.
 * Gur, "Why Bother?", Room Eight, July 12, 2006.
 * Murray Waas, "Bush Blocked Justice Department Investigation", National Journal, July 18, 2006.
 * "Writing Letters," New York Sun, July 19, 2006.
 * Louis Uchitelle, "Here Come the Economic Populists,' New York Times, Nov. 26, 2006.
 * Miriam Raftery, "Rep. believes Democratic media reform bill may prevent possible 'fascist' takeover of US media," The Raw Story, January 21, 2007. re reintroduction of the Media Ownership Reform Act (MORA)
 * Murray Waas, "Internal Affairs", National Journal, March 15, 2007.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Simply Left Behind

Contact
DC Office: 2431 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-6335 Fax: 202-226-0774 Web Email Website

District Office- Binghamton: 100A Federal Building Binghamton, NY 13901 Phone: 607-773-2768 Fax:

District Office- Ithaca: 123 South Cayuga Street, Suite 201 Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: 607-273-1388 Fax:

District Office- Kingston: 291 Wall Street Kingston, NY 12401 Phone: 845-331-4466 Fax: 845-331-7456

District Office- Middletown: City Hall, Third Floor 16 James Street Middletown, NY 10940 Phone: 845-344-3211 Fax:

District Office- Monticello: 18 Anawana Lake Road Monticello, NY 12701 Phone: 845-791-7116 Fax: