Blanche Lincoln

Blanche Lambert Lincoln, a Democrat represented Arkansas in the United States Senate since from 1999 to 2011.

H.R. 1424 (2008 Bailout Bill)
Lincoln voted for the 2008 Bailout Bill in October 2008.

Iraq War
Lincoln 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

Senator Lincoln advocated ending the EPA requirement that farmers obtain permits before they can use pesticides. She has also opposed the expansion of the Clean Water Act because the new regulations wouldn't be "implementable" or "practical."

Energy
Lincoln supports increasing the use of renewable energies. She believes farmers, foresters, and ranchers should be employed to create renewable energies. She wants to promote renewable energy while creating jobs for the rural state she represents.

Climate
Lincoln is hesitant about supporting a cap and trade bill because it may hurt the economy. She is also unsure of a utility-only approach. Many politicians from rural states do not support capping emissions. Lincoln stated that too much government regulation is detrimental to job creation and the economy. She said, "That’s why I’ve co-sponsored a bill that stops the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act." She also said, "That’s why I’ve opposed cap-and-trade proposals that pick winners and losers. I don’t believe that’s our job. I believe our job is to open the table and invite everyone to come and help solve the problem."

Technology
Lincoln is the Chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee. She said that courts that have ruled in favor of limiting the sale of genetically modified food are not basing their decisions on sound science. She believes that regulating agriculture biotechnology in this way is inefficient.

Bio
Lincoln was born in September 30, 1960 in Helena, Arkansas. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1982. She studied law at the University of Arkansas.

Immediately after graduating, she became staff assistant to Congressman Bill Alexander and served in his office until 1984. Lincoln ran successfully against Alexander in the Democratic primary of 1992 and took his seat in the U.S. House. Lincoln served in the House until 1997.

In 1998, Lincoln returned to politics and ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by incumbent Democrat Dale Bumpers. She defeated her Republican opponent, Fay Boozman, by a margin of 55%-42%. She was the youngest woman ever to be elected to the Senate at the age of 38.

Lincoln has concentrated primarily on rural and farm issues. She is one of the primary advocates of the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), which is designed to spur development in the lower Mississippi Delta region. She is also the Chair of Rural Outreach for the Senate Democratic Caucus.

She is considered to be a moderate or Centrist Democrat. Lincoln was among the minority of Democrats to support CAFTA and she is opposed to most protectionist trade measures. She has voted in favor restricting class action lawsuits and tightening rules on personal bankruptcy. She was one of the few Democrats in Congress to vote in favor of the tax cut passed in 2001, though she now advocates scaling back or eliminating the portions of that tax cut, and other tax cuts, that benefit those tax payers with incomes over $300,000. She supports the permanent elimination of the estate tax. Lincoln voted to ban partial-birth abortions and strongly supported the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to ban lawsuits against gun manufacturers and distributors.

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

 * Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
 * Subcommittee on Nutrition and Food Assistance, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and General Legislation
 * Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support - Chairman
 * Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Senate Special Committee on Aging
 * Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
 * Subcommittee on Water and Power
 * Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
 * Subcommittee on National Parks

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

 * Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
 * Subcommittee on Forestry Conservation and Rural Revitalization - Ranking Minority Member
 * Subcommittee on Research Nutrition and General Legislation
 * Subcommittee on Production and Price Competitiveness
 * Senate Special Committee on Aging
 * Senate Committee on Finance
 * Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy
 * Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight

More Background Data

 * See how you compare to Blanche Lincoln

Articles and resources

 * Official Website

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Arkansas Tonight
 * The Voice of Arkansas