John Rockefeller

Democrat John Davison Rockefeller IV has been the Junior Senator for West Virginia since 1985. He is married to Sharon Percy Rockefeller.

Iraq War
Rockefeller voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

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

Treatment of detainees
In September 2006, Rockefeller crossed party lines to vote for the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The bill outlawed techniques of interrogation such as torture or rape, but left it up to the president to decide whether or not practices outside the boundaries of the Geneva Accords are appropriate. The bill came as a response to the 2006 Supreme Court ruling that President Bush had violated the Geneva Conventions, which the US had committed to abide by. 

Stem cell research
Rockefeller supports federal funding for stem cell research and in July 2006 voted for the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which permits the federal government to fund embryonic stem cell research, providing that the embryos used are from fertility clinics and were slated to be destroyed if they were not used.

Flag burning
In June 2006, Rockefeller crossed party lines to vote to approve a constitutional amendment banning the desecration of the American Flag. The vote failed, one vote shy of the 2/3 majority needed to send it to state legislatures for ratification. The so called "Flag Burning" amendment has been somewhat of a biannual ritual whenever the Republican party controls Congress. It has been gradually losing support in the House, but gaining it in the Senate, as evidenced by the extremely close vote in 2006.

Minimum wage
In February of 2007, Senator Rockefeller joined both Republicans and Democrats to support the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, which would increase the minimum wage to $7.15 per hour over the next two years. The bill passed 94-3, with three not voting. 

Cuts to federal programs
Senator Rockefeller voted with the Democrats against the Work, Marriage, and Family Promotion Reconciliation Act of 2005, which cuts over $40 billion over five years from federal programs such as welfare, child support and student lending programs. The vote was 50-50 and based almost completely on party lines, with some moderate Republicans negotiating amendments in order to assuage their concerns about the amendment forcing the poor to work longer hours and raising fees for Medicare and Medicaid. Vice President Dick Cheney broke the tie with a vote of Yes, and the bill was signed into law on February 8, 2006. 

Abortion
Senator Rockefeller is pro-choice, and recieves a 100% interest group rating from Planned Parenthood. 

Intelligence
As Vice-Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2004, Rockefeller helped to create the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. The bill was designed in conjunction with the recommendations of the 9/11 commission to improve and coordinate US intelligence. It created the position of Director of National Intelligence, who manages the efforts of all 15 of the US Intelligence Agencies, including the FBI and CIA. 

On April 12, 2007, Sen. Rockefeller sponsored a motion to move to invoke cloture on the FY2007 Intelligence Authorization Act (S.372). The motion passed 94-3, however a later motion to invoke cloture on April 18 did not.

As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2007, Rockefeller is the chief democratic architect of changes to wiretapping law that "radically expand how the government wiretaps inside the United States".

Rockefeller has been in favor of giving telecommunications companies immunity from prosecution after the revelations came to light that they had assisted the Bush administration to engage in warrantless wiretapping. He has voted against amendments to strip immunity from the FISA revision bill. Telecommunication companies have contributed significantly to his 2008 election campaign ( and see below).

Health Care
In 1993 Rockefeller became the principal senate supporter, with Ted Kennedy, behind President Clinton and Hillary's sweeping health care reform package, liaising closely with Hillary, even opening up his mansion in Rock Creek Park for its first strategy meeting. The reform was subsequently defeated by an alliance between the Business Roundtable and a small-business coalition. 

Background
Rockefeller was born on June 18, 1937. He was Governor of West Virginia from 1977 to 1985. Rockefeller is a member of the prominent Rockefeller family, the great-grandson of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, and nephew of former Governor of Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller and former Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller. He was born in New York City and graduated from Harvard with his BA in history and Far Eastern Languages. He now resides in Charleston, WV.

After college, Rockefeller worked for the Peace Corps in Washington, D.C. where he served as the operations director for their largest overseas program in the Philippines. He continued his public service in 1964 and 1965 as a VISTA volunteer, during which he moved to West Virginia.

He was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1966, and to the office of West Virginia Secretary of State in 1968. He served as president of West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1973 to 1976.

Rockefeller was elected Governor of West Virginia in 1976 and re-elected in 1980. He served as Governor during some of the state's darkest years, when manufacturing plants and coal mines were closing as the national recession of the early 1980s hit West Virginia particularly hard. By working aggressively, taking a long-term view and emphasizing the loyalty and work ethic of West Virginia's workers, Rockefeller has attracted national and international companies to the Mountain State.

Senate Career
In 1984, he was elected to the U. S. Senate. He was re-elected in 1990, 1996 and 2002. He was chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs from 1993 to 1995; He is currently vice-chairman of the Intelligence Committee.

Positions and Views
In 2002, Rockefeller travelled to several Middle East countries, where he discussed his view regarding United States military intentions with the leaders of those countries. In November 2005 during a TV interview, Rockefeller stated : "I took a trip by myself in January of 2002 to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria, and I told each of the heads of state that it was my view that George Bush had already made up his mind to go to war against Iraq, that that was a predetermined set course which had taken shape shortly after 9/11." 

Money in politics
cid=N00001685&cycle=2008 cid=N00001685&cycle=2008

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
 * Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security - Chairman
 * Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
 * Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism
 * Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation
 * Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
 * Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - Chairman

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

 * Joint Committee on Taxation
 * Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
 * Subcommittee on Aviation - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Science and Space -
 * Subcommittee on Technology Innovation and Competitiveness
 * Subcommittee on Trade Tourism and Economic Development
 * Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Subcommittee on Health Care - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy
 * Subcommittee on International Trade
 * Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Oversight of the Terriorist Surveillance Program - Ranking Minority Member
 * Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Chair, Bipartisan Commission on Comprehensive Health Care
 * Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare
 * Chair, Democratic Technology and Communications Committee
 * Majority Trust Co-Chair, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
 * Senate Auto Caucus
 * Senate Rural Health Caucus
 * Co-Chair, Senate Steel Caucus

Boards and other Affiliations

 * Former Trustee, Rockefeller Foundation
 * Former Trustee, Rockefeller Foundation

More Background Data

 * Paul L. Joffe

2008 Campaign Contact Information
Official Rockefeller for Senate campaign website

Friends of Jay Rockefeller Post Office Box 1909 Charleston, WV 25327

[mailto:web@jay08.com web@jay08.com]

Resources

 * Official website
 * Peace Corps biography of Jay Rockefeller
 * See how you compare to Jay Rockefeller

Articles & Commentary

 * "Rockefeller: Bush Duped Public On Iraq. CBS News Exclusive: W.Va. Senator Says Invasion Unnecessary Even If Saddam Would Still Be In Power," CBS News, September 9, 2006.
 * Mark Mazzetti, "Leading Senator Assails Bush Over Iran Stance," New York Times, January 20, 2007. re war in Iran
 * Jonathan S. Landay, "Rockefeller: Cheney applied 'constant' pressure to stall investigation on flawed Iraq intelligence," McClatchy Newspapers (Contra Costa Times), January 25, 2007.
 * John Aravosis, "Ask Susan Collins, Norm Coleman and John Sununu just how well the Democratic message on Iraq is selling," AMERICAblog, April 23, 2007.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Appalachian Voices
 * West Virginia Political Sweatbox
 * The Goat Rope