Lawrence Kissell

Larry Kissell has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 8th district of the State of North Carolina, since 2009.

Trade
Kissell is a critic of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), and he attacked his opponent, Rep. Robin Hayes, for casting a deciding vote in favor of the agreement. During the campaign, Kissell brought a goat dubbed "CAFTA" to some events One of Kissell's campaign slogans was "NAFTA plus CAFTA equals SHAFTA."

Iraq
In an essay on his campaign Web site, Kissell writes: "We staged our way into Iraq in one year, there is no reason we can't stage our way out in one year. My position is out of Iraq by the end of 2006." According to The Nation, Kissell "called for a phased, one-year withdrawal from Iraq."

Education
Kissell wants to reform No Child Left Behind. On his campaign Web site, he calls the program an example of "federal intrusion into the traditional area of state interest."

Abortion
On his campaign Web site, Kissell writes that he is "pro-privacy" based on his interpretation of the Constitution and thus he recognizes the "reproductive sovereignty of women."

Guns
Kissell supports the Second Amendment and wants to preserve the right to bear arms.

Environment
A press release put out by the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture cites Larry Kissell as a member of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research. According to the article, the subcomitte has jurisdiction over “Soil, water, and resource conservation, small watershed program, energy and biobased energy production, rural electrification, agricultural credit, and agricultural research, education and extension services.”

Kissell voted yes on Restore Our American Mustangs Act, a bill to protect free-roaming horses and burros. It included ensuring that acreage available for free-roaming horses is at least equal to the acreage where they were found in 1971 and maintaining “a thriving natural ecological balance on lands where such horses and burros are found.” The bill also mandated that an annual inventory of such horses be taken.

Energy
Kissell signed the Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act, a bill which would amend the Clean Air Act. Its changes include reassigning the baseline for renewable fuels at 3 year intervals, and giving specific definitions to several terms. One example is to define ‘lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions' as “the aggregate quantity of direct greenhouse gas emissions relating to the full fuel lifecycle, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Energy.”

Health
U.S. Congress, 8th District: Kissell's tough balancing act. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2009/09/01/920223/kissells-tough-balancing-act.html. September 1 2009. An article by the Charlotte Observer discussed Kissell’s stance on health care bill as it was being put forth to the House. Kissell took a somewhat skeptical stance against the bill but did not outright say he was against it. The article cites that he wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying he was “gravely concerned” about a provision in the health bill that would cut reimbursements for home care. He was also quoted as saying “there were a lot of people like myself who said we need to wait. We all want good solid reform. Ultimately the point is, what can we afford?” Kissell Faces Pressure on Health Care. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/03/1284849/kissell-faces-pressure-on-health.html. March 3, 2010 Many of Kissell’s Democratic party were angered when he did not vote for the Obama health care bill. Kissell has stated that he voted against the bill because it would cut funding to Medicare, a program Kissell vowed to protect during his campaign. "I continue to believe health care reform is necessary," he said in a statement published in the Charlotte Observer, "however, my position has not changed on the health care reform proposal currently before Congress." Kissell does not however oppose the bill outright, only its funding method, stating "the method of funding makes it impossible for me to change my vote on that bill."

Bio
Born January 31, 1951, in Troy, N.C., Kissell graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in economics in 1973. He worked in the manufacturing of textiles for many years until plant closings prompted him to switch careers. Since 2001, he has worked as a social studies teacher. He and his wife, Tina, have two children.

2006 elections
Kissell's race against Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) in the 2006 congressional elections was very close, as Hayes held a 465-vote lead after an initial count. The count did not, however, include 1,492 provisional ballots. After a recount, Hayes was declared the winner by 329 votes, and Kissell announced that he would be running again in 2008.

2008 elections
On May 6, 2008 Kissell won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC.) by running unopposed. Kissell defeated incumbent Robin Hayes in November 2008 general elections.

Money in politics
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External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District


 * "Larry Kissell for Congress," Official Larry Kissell for Congress Website.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Swankville