Stephen Buyer

Stephen Earle Buyer was a Republican member of the U. S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2011, representing the 4th District of Indiana.

Iraq War
Buyer voted for 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

Veterans
A number of Veterans groups have been angry with Buyer, who was specially chosen by the House leadership to chair the House Veterans Affairs Committee to keep spending down. Buyer was selected to replace Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), who had alienated House leaders by pushing for increased levels of spending on veterans programs.

Buyer recently sparked new controversy in an interview published by the American Legion Magazine in which he said the department should concentrate on serving a "core constituency," and he disputed assertions that "all veterans are veterans and all veterans should be treated the same."

Bio
Buyer was born November 26, 1958 in Rensselaer, Indiana. He was educated at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina and the Valparaiso University School of Law, served in the United States Army, and was a lawyer, Indiana state deputy attorney general, and legal counsel for the 22nd Theater Army in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm before entering the House.

In 2004, Buyer received a promotion to Colonel in the US Army Reserves at a White House ceremony by President George W. Bush along with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who was promoted to Colonel in the US Air Force Reserves.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated David Avram Sanders to face Buyer in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Buyer retained his seat.

Money in politics
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Committees and Affiliations

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Health
 * Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
 * House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Ranking Member

109th Congress

 * House Committee on Energy and Commerce
 * Subcommittee on Health
 * House Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina
 * House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Chair

Resources

 * Official website
 * CongressSearch Profile.
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Veterans Angry with Buyer Over Cuts by Elena Schor, The Hill, November 10, 2005.
 * Buyer Silences Veterans Groups by Rose Aguilar, AlterNet, February 1, 2006.
 * Jonathan Weisman, "Drugmakers Win Exemption in House Budget-Cutting Bill", Washington Post, November 30, 2005; Page A08.
 * John Aravosis, "GOP congressman who was responsible for Walter Reed oversite now says the uproar is just politics," AMERICAblog, March 7, 2007. re Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal