Thaddeus McCotter

Thaddeus G. McCotter is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 11th district, since 2003. He was the head of the Republican Policy Committee for the 110th Congress, and continued in that role during the 111th Congress.

Iraq War
In an Aug. 30, 2007 posting on Redstate.org McCotter argued that the "surge" in Iraq was working. He asked that when Gen. Patraeus issued his Sept. 15 report to Congress that Americans focus on the local tribes, town and provinces where the surge was "delivering both the eradication of the insurgents and localized reconstruction projects," enabling an "election for freedom" by Iraqis who were choosing between American-allied forces and insurgents. Focusing on failures by the Iraqi parliament to meet political benchmarks set by Congress in early 2007 was getting things "absolutely backwards," McCotter wrote, "We cannot abandon Iraq’s fledgling democracy – or any democracy – under terrorist attack. The War for Freedom must be won through ideological, political, economic, diplomatic and – as an ultimate resort – martial means."

See also:
 * Congressional actions regarding President Bush’s 2007 proposed troop “surge” in Iraq
 * U.S. House of Representatives votes on the Iraq War

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

Reparations for Japanese Latin Americans
McCotter cosponsored The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act in the 110th Congress which would establish a commission that would determine the facts and circumstances involving the relocation, internment and deportation of Japanese Latin Americans.

Bio
McCotter was born August 22, 1965 in Livonia, Michigan. He received a B.A. from the University of Detroit in 1987 and a J.D. from the same school in 1990. He had a private law practice before being elected to the Wayne County Commission in 1992. While on the Commission, he helped change the county charter to require that new taxes win the approval of 2/3rds of the Commission and 60% of voters in order to be passed. McCotter was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1998.

Congressional career
As a State Senator, McCotter helped design the U.S. Congressional district from which he was elected in 2002 for the 108th Congress. He was re-elected in the 2004 Congressional elections. Following the 2006 midterm elections, McCotter was selected as the head of the House Republican Policy Committee for the 110th Congress.

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

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Foreign Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Middle East and Central Asia
 * Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats -Ranking
 * House Committee on Budget

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

 * House Committee on Budget
 * House Committee on International Relations
 * Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats
 * Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia
 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Tax Finance and Exports
 * Subcommittee on Workforce Empowerment and Government Programs
 * Joint Economic Committee

Affiliations

 * Member, Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China

More Background Data

 * 2006 Michigan CD 11 Candidate List from VIS

Twitter
 Thad McCotter posts on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ThadMcCotter/

Latest posts: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/8542882.rss|title=none| max=3| short See all the members of Congress who Twitter

External resources

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

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Michigan Liberal 11th CD Section