Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions). In some countries a brigadier general is informally designated as a one-star general.

In some countries, this rank is given the name of brigadier, which is often considered to not be a general-officer rank, but is usually equivalent to brigadier general in the armies of nations that use the rank.

The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a brigadier general, or simply a brigadier, would command a brigade in the field. An alternative rank of "brigade general" was first used in the French revolutionary armies.

In the first quarter of the 20th century, British and Commonwealth armies used the rank of brigadier general as a temporary appointment, or as an honorary appointment on retirement; in the 1920s this practice changed to the use of brigadier, which is not classed as a general officer.

Brazil and a few countries uses major general as the equivalent of brigadier general. Some of these countries then generally use a rank of colonel general to make four general-officer ranks.^{[citation needed]}

The naval equivalent is usually commodore.^[1]

Insignia[link]

Army insignia[link]

• Australian-Army-BRIGGEN.gif

  Australian Army:
  (until 1922)
  Brigadier general

• 

  Belgium:
  Général de brigade /
  Brigadegeneraal

• 

  Canadian Forces:
  Brigadier general /
  Brigadier-général

• 

  Egyptian Armed Forces:
  Brigadier General
  (Arabic: عميد‎)

• 

  Estonia:
  Brigaadikindral

• 

  Germany:
  Brigadegeneral Bundeswehr

• 

  Greece:
  Ταξίαρχος
  (Taxiarchos)

• 

  Hungary:
  Dandártábornok

• 

  Italy:
  Generale di brigata (Brigadiere generale)

• Lebarmybrigenrank.png

  Lebanese Armed Forces:
  Amid
  (Arabic: عميد)

• 

  Portuguese Army:
  Brigadeiro-general

• 

  Romania:
  General de brigadă

• 

  Serbia:
  Бригадни Генерал / Brigadni general

• 

  Swedish Army:
  Brigadgeneral

• 

  British Army:
  (until 1920)
  Brigadier general

• 

  U.S. Army:
  Brigadier general

• 

  Netherlands:
  Brigadegeneraal

Air Force insignia[link]

This gallery displays Air Force brigadier general insignia if they are different from the Army brigadier general insignia. (They usually are.)
Note that in many Commonwealth countries, the equivalent air force rank is Air Commodore (and in the Netherlands, it is simply Commodore).

• 

  Denmark

• 

  France:
  général de brigade aérienne

• 

  Greece:
  Ταξίαρχος

• 

  Hungary:
  Dandártábornok

• 

  Italy:
  Generale di Brigata Aerea

• 

  Poland

• Brigadeiro t.jpg

  Portugal:
  Brigadeiro-general

• 

  Romania:
  General de flotilă aeriană

• 

  Serbia:
  Бригадни Генерал / Brigadni general

• 

  Spain

• 

  U.S. Air Force:
  Brigadier General

• 

  Netherlands:
  Commodore

Brigadier general ranks by country[link]

Argentina[link]

The rank of brigadier general (with some local variations) is used in the Argentine Air Force and unlike other armed forces of the World, the rank of brigadier general is actually the highest rank in the Air Force. This is due to the use of the rank of brigadier and its derivatives to designate all general officers in the Air Force: brigadier (lowest general officer) brigadier-major (middle) and brigadier-general (highest). The rank of brigadier general is reserved for the Chief General Staff of the Air Force, as well as the Chief of the Joint General Staff if he should be an Air Force officer.

The Argentine Army does not use the rank of brigadier-general, instead using the brigade general ( Spanish: General de brigada ) which in turn is the lowest general officer before Divisional General ( Spanish: General de Division ) and Lieutenant General ( Spanish: Teniente General ). See also Argentine Army officer rank insignia..

Australia[link]

In the Australian Imperial Force during World War I, the rank of brigadier general was always temporary and held only while the officer was posted to a particular task, typically the command of a brigade. When posted elsewhere, the rank would be relinquished and the former rank resumed. This policy prevented an accumulation of high-ranking general officers brought about by the relatively high turnover of brigade commanders. Brigadier general was also used as an honorary rank on retirement. The rank insignia was like that of the current major general, but without the star/pip^[2] - example.

As in the United Kingdom, the rank was later replaced by brigadier. Hence, prior to 1922, a "brigadier general" was a "general officer"; subsequently, brigadiers were not "generals"; this is shown by the rank insignia being like that of a colonel, but with an extra (third) star/pip^[2] - example.

(See also Australian Army officer rank insignia and List of Australian generals and brigadiers.)

Bangladesh[link]

The rank was known as brigadier in conformity with the rank structure of the Commonwealth Nations prior to 2001 in the Bangladesh Army. It is the lowest ranking general officer between the ranks of Colonel and Major General.

The Bangladesh Army introduced the rank of brigadier general in 2001, however the grade stayed equivalent to Brigadier . Brigadier General is equivalent to commodore of the Bangladesh Navy and air commodore of the Bangladesh Air Force. It is still more popularly called brigadier (one-star general).

Belgium[link]

The Belgian Army uses the rank of général de brigade (French) and brigadegeneraal (Dutch). However, in this small military there are no permanent promotions to this rank, and it is only awarded as a temporary promotion to a full colonel who assumes a post requiring the rank, notably in an international context (e.g. as Military Attaché in a major embassy).

Brazil[link]

Brigadier General is the lowest rank amongst general officers of the Brazilian army. They wear two stars as this is the entry level for general officers in the Brazilian Army. In the Brazilian Air Force, the two-star, three-star and four-star ranks are known as Brigadeiro (Brigadier), Major-Brigadeiro (Major-Brigadier) and Tenente-Brigadeiro-do-Ar (Lieutenant-Air-Brigadier) respectively. See Military ranks of Brazil and Brigadier#Officer rank in Latin America for more information.

Canada[link]

In the Canadian Forces, the rank of brigadier-general (BGen) (brigadier-général or bgén in French) is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a commodore of the Navy. A brigadier-general is the lowest rank of General Officer, the Army and Air Force equivalent of a Naval commodore. A brigadier-general is senior to a colonel or naval captain, and junior to a major-general or rear admiral.

The rank title "brigadier-general" is still used notwithstanding that brigades in the army are now commanded by colonels. Until the late 1990s brigades were commanded by brigadier-generals. In the air force context, brigadier-generals used to command air force "Groups" until these bodies were abolished in the late 1990s.

The rank insignia for a brigadier-general is a single gold maple leaf beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown, worn on the shoulder straps of the service dress jacket, and on slip-ons on other uniforms. The service dress jacket also features a wide strip of gold braid around the cuff. On the visor of the service cap are two rows of gold oak leaves; the air force wedge cap features gold braid on the edges of the ear flaps. The cap insignia for a general officer is a modified version of the Canadian Forces insignia; the collar insignia (Army generals only) is two crossed sabres. Some brigadier-generals, by nature of holding a branch-specific appointment, may continue to wear the insignia of their personnel branch; for example, the chaplain-general wears the general officer's cap insignia with the collar insignia of the Chaplain Branch,^[3] while the surgeon-general continues to wear the cap and collar insignia of the Canadian Forces Medical Service.^[4]

• Army uniform variations
• 

  Dress uniform tunic

• Army slip-on BGen.png

  Uniform shirts

• CADPAT temperate BGen.png

  CADPAT uniform

• CADPAT arid BGen.png

  arid-region CADPAT uniform

• Air Force uniform variations
• 

  Dress uniform tunic

• Air Force slip-on BGen.png

  Uniform shirts

• Air Force olive BGen.png

  CADPAT uniform

Brigadier-generals are initially addressed verbally as "General" and name; thereafter by subordinates as "Sir" or "Ma'am" in English or "mon général" in French. They are normally entitled to staff cars.

Note: Before unification in 1968 of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Navy, rank structure and insignia followed the British pattern. In army usage, the term "brigadier" was used to denote what is now known as a brigadier-general while the air force used the rank of Air Commodore.

China[link]

Chinese rank of (Da-Xiao 大校) or Senior Colonel is a direct equivalent of a brigadier. It ranks above colonel (Shang-Xiao 上校) and below major general (Shao-Jiang 少将). A brigadier is commonly in command of a division (Shi 师) or a brigade (Lu 旅). Divisional commanders are seldom general officers.

Colombia[link]

Insignia of a Colombian brigadier general

The rank of brigadier general is the first general officer rank in the Fuerzas Militares,^[5] and the National Police.^[6]

Estonia[link]

In the Estonian military, the rank is called Brigaadikindral.

France[link]

France uses the rank of "brigade general" (général de brigade). It formerly used the historic rank, until 1793, of brigadier des armées ("brigadier of the armies"). The rank contrasts with the French sub-officer rank of brigadier. As with all French general officers, a French brigade general is titled "general" without any implication that he is an army general; for instance General De Gaulle never rose higher than brigade general.

Until 1793, a rank of brigadier des armées ("brigadier of the armies") existed in the French Army, which could be described as a senior colonel or junior brigade commander. The normal brigade command rank was field marshal (maréchal de camp) (which elsewhere is a more senior rank). A "brigadier of the armies" wore one-star and a "field marshal" wore two stars. During the French Revolution, the revolutionaries' drive to rationalise the state led to a change in the system of ranks. The rank of "brigadier of the armies" was abolished and the normal brigade command rank, field marshal, was replaced by brigade general. The rank of brigade general inherited the two stars of the rank of field marshal, explaining the absence since 1793 of a French rank with only one star.

Nowadays, a French général de brigade generally commands a brigade, which is the biggest permanent formation in the French army. The rank can also be awarded in an honorary fashion to retiring colonels. The insignias are two stars, worn on the shoulder are at the sleeve of the uniform, depending on the dress. Two different kepis are issued : the service kepi sports the two-starts, while the formal kepi features a large band of oak leaves (the kepi of a division general has two smaller such bands).

Charles de Gaulle, held the rank of brigade general. He was given a temporary promotion to this rank in May 1940 as commander of the 4th Armoured Reserve Division (4ème division cuirassée de réserve). However his authority as head of the Free French really came from being the only cabinet member outside occupied France, not from his military rank. As a reminder of his war position, he refused any further promotion.

• 

  Rank insignia of French Army a général de brigade and French Air Force général de brigade aérienne

• 

  Brigade General Charles de Gaulle, wearing the formal kepi.

• 

  Rank insignia of Gendarmerie a général de brigade

• 

  Rank insignia of French Foreign Legion général de brigade, who commands the entire French Foreign Legion.

• 

  A French général de brigade

Germany[link]

The equivalent modern German rank is brigadegeneral. The concept of a brigadier general rank is relatively new, as prior to 1945 the lowest German general officer rank was generalmajor, which was often considered equivalent to brigadier general in other armies.

Greece[link]

Hungary[link]

In Hungary the brigadier general is a relatively new military rank used from 1992. The army and the air force insignia are not different.

Indonesia[link]

In Indonesia, brigadir jenderal (abbreviated as "brigjen") is the fourth highest rank and the lowest general rank both in Polri and TNI. The insignia is a gold star.

Iran[link]

The equivalent rank for brigadier general in the Iranian army and air force is called sar-tip-dovom. It is above the rank of sar-hang (colonel) and below the rank of sar-tip (major general).

Notice that Iranian Revolutionary Guards also use this rank. The difference is in salutation. One refers an army or air force brigadier general as "amir sar-tip", while a revolutionary guard general is referred to as "sardar sar-tip".

As an unwritten rule which makes major general the highest Iranian military rank, and therefore a brigadier general is considered to be second highest rank of the Iranian military. It is normally the rank of the commander of the air force and (as a commodore, the equivalent rank) the Navy.

Israel[link]

In the Israel Defense Forces, the rank of brigadier general is called tat aluf and is the third highest rank, below aluf (major general) and rav aluf (lieutenant general or general), and above aluf mishne (colonel).

Jordan[link]

In the Jordanian military, the rank of brigadier general is known as amid, and it is higher than colonel (akeed) and lower than major general (liwa).

South Korea[link]

The rank of brigadier general is known in South Korea as junjang (Korean: 준장; hanja: 准將)^[7] and is a direct equivalent to the United States one-star rank, with very similar insignia. The military of North Korea does not technically maintain a brigadier general rank, but the rank of senior colonel (대좌, taejwa) which is above colonel (상좌, sangjwa) and below major general (소장, Sojang) is the effective equivalent.

Burma (Myanmar)[link]

The rank of brigadier general is known in Burma as bo mhu gyoke and is often the deputy commander of one of Burma's Regional Military Commands, commander of the light infantry division (LID) or Military Operation Commands. In civil service, a brigadier general often holds the office of deputy minister or director general of certain ministries.

Mexico[link]

In Mexico, brigade general is the rank below divisional general and, confusingly, the rank above brigadier general. A Mexican brigade general wears as rank insignia the arms of Mexico above two stars. (A Mexican brigadier general wears the arms of Mexico above one star.)

Pakistan[link]

The Pakistan Army has followed the British Army rank system since independence from the British Empire in 1947. However, the crown in the ranks has been replaced with a star and crescent, which symbolizes the sovereignty of the Government of Pakistan.

Brigadier general or brigadier, is an equivalent rank to commodore in the Pakistan Navy and air commodore in the Pakistan Air Force. In Pakistan Army and Marines, some officers have been promoted to brigadier general while others are promoted as brigadier.^{[citation needed]} However, brigadier or brigadier general are equivalent to each other. In the Pakistan Defense Forces, a brigadier (or brigadier-general) is a one-star rank general officer and are considered as one of the high-ranking military officers in Pakistan Armed Forces. Brigadiers or brigadier generals in Pakistan army, are the General Officer Commanding of the brigades which consists of approximately 3000–5000 men and women. Like other armies, brigadier rank is higher than colonel and but subordinated to two-star major generals.

Poland[link]

Prior to 2002, the Polish rank of generał brygady was equivalent to both the ranks of major general and brigadier general.

Portugal[link]

In the Portuguese Army and Air Force, brigadeiro-general is a temporary general rank for the colonels that have to exercise a special command. It is the equivalent of the commodore rank in the Portuguese Navy.

The rank was reintroduced in 1999. Before that, simply as brigadeiro, it existed from 1707 to 1864 and again from 1929 to 1947, not being considered a general rank. From 1947 to 1999, brigadeiro become the two-star general rank in the Portuguese Army. As two-star rank, it was substituted by the rank of major-general in 1999.

Spain[link]

In the Spanish Army and Spanish Air Force, general de brigada is the lowest rank of general officers. Its equivalent in the Navy is contraalmirante.

Sweden[link]

In the Swedish Army and Swedish Air Force, brigadgeneral is the lowest rank of general officers. Its equivalent in the Navy is flottiljamiral.

Turkey[link]

In the Turkish Army and the Turkish Air Force, the equivalent rank is tuğgeneral (the Turkish Navy equivalent would be tuğamiral). The name is derived from tugay, the Turkish word for a brigade. Both tugay and tuğ- as military terms may owe their origins to the older Turkish word tuğ, meaning horsetail, which was used as a symbol of authority and rank in Ottoman and pre-Ottoman times.

United Kingdom[link]

Brigadier-general was formerly a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines, and briefly in the Royal Air Force.

It first appeared in the army in the reign of James II,^[8] but did not exist in the Royal Marines until 1913.^[9]

It was abolished in both the army and the marines in 1922, being replaced in the army by the grade of colonel commandant (which already existed in the marines). Colonel commandant was in turn replaced by the grade of brigadier in the army in 1928, and at some time between World War II and 1957 in the marines.^[10][11]

From its formation on 1 April 1918 until 31 July 1919, the Royal Air Force maintained the rank of brigadier general. It was superseded by the rank of air commodore on the following day.

Brigadier-general was a temporary rank only, bestowed on a colonel or lieutenant-colonel (or on a colonel commandant in the marines) for the duration of a specific command.

The insignia for the rank was a crossed sword and baton on its own; higher grades of general at the time and still consist of this device with the addition of a star, crown or both for a full general.

Brigadier is the highest field officer rank (hence absence of the word "general"), whereas brigadier-general was the lowest general officer rank. However, the two ranks are considered equal.

The equivalent naval rank is commodore and the equivalent air force rank is air commodore.

United States[link]

President Zachary Taylor was a Brigadier General

See also[link]

• British Army officer rank insignia
• Comparative military ranks
• Military unit
• NATO Air Force officers
• NATO Army officers
• U.S. Army officer rank insignia
• United Kingdom and United States military ranks compared
• Wiktionary definition of General.

References and notes[link]

Keith Kerr, Colonel, USA-ret, and BG, CSMR-ret., (born 1936) is a retired United States Army Reserve Colonel, who later was given the rank of Brigadier General in the California State Military Reserve, part of the California State Defense Forces who in 2003 became one of the highest ranking military officers to be openly gay.

Service Record[link]

Kerr enlisted as a private at Fort Ord on September 21, 1953 and served in the 513th Military Intelligence Group in Germany after the Korean War. After leaving Active Army service, Kerr served in the U. S. Army Reserve and was commissioned a First Lieutenant in June 1960. Kerr retired from the U. S. Army Reserve in 1986 as a Colonel.

Kerr was commissioned in the California State Military Reserve, a state defense force, and was given the rank of Brigadier General on February 21, 1991. The brigadier general rank in a state organization is not recognized by the federal government where his U.S. Army rank for retirement purposes remains a Colonel.

During his tenure with the California State Military Reserve, Kerr was the Inspector General, Chief of Staff, Commanding General of the Northern Area Command at the Alameda Naval Supply Depot in Alameda, California.^[1]

Civilian Record[link]

He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and has a Master’s Degree from San Francisco State University.

As a member of the faculty at City College of San Francisco, Mr. Kerr was Chair of the Business Department, Dean of Instruction, and Dean of Instructional Support and Special Assistant to the President before retiring in 1995. After that time, he continued teaching as an adjunct professor.

He currently lives in Santa Rosa, California.

Gay Activist[link]

Kerr (left) during a 2005 announcement by Congressman Marty Meehan of introduction of ultimately unsuccessful legislation to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy

On December 10, 2003, Kerr revealed in an interview with the New York Times that he is gay.^[2]

The interview was critical of the Don't ask, don't tell policy. Also coming out in the interview were Brigadier General Virgil A. Richard of the Army and Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman of the United States Coast Guard. At the time they were the highest ranking members of the military to acknowledge being gay. In the interview he said, "The culture of the military is that you go along and conform ... And you keep your private life to yourself."

He became a member of the Servicemembers’ Legal Defense Network. Kerr was a supporter of John Kerry in his 2004 Presidential run^[3] and was listed on a Hillary Clinton press release as a member of the Steering Committee of the "LGBT Americans For Hillary."^[4]

CNN-YouTube Debate controversy[link]

On November 29, 2007, Kerr submitted a YouTube video that was used as a question in the Republican Presidential Debate in St. Petersburg, Florida on CNN. Kerr was also present in the audience and was asked to speak in which he said:

My name is Keith Kerr, from Santa Rosa, California. I'm retired brigadier general with 43 years of service, and I'm a graduate of the Special Forces Officer Course, the Command and General Staff Course, and the Army War College. And I'm an openly gay man. I want to know why you think that American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians.^[5]

After the candidates responded Anderson Cooper asked him if he got an answer to his question to which he replied, "With all due respect, I did not get an answer from the candidates."

Kerr's question generated criticism of CNN for not disclosing Kerr's Clinton ties. CNN had paid Kerr's traveling expenses to the debate^[6] but stated that it was unaware of the connection with the Clinton campaign at the time. When asked if anyone affiliated with the Clinton campaign “put you up to the idea of asking this question,” Mr. Kerr stated that “[t]his was a private initiative of my own.”^[7] CNN pulled Kerr's question and response in subsequent replays.

References[link]

Mustafa Ahmad

Personal information
Full name	Mustafa Ahmad Abdul-Amir
Date of birth	(1991-01-01) January 1, 1991 (age 21)
Place of birth	Iraq
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Arbil FC
Number	23
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2008-2010	Al-Zawraa	40	(28)
2010–	Arbil FC	33	(25)
National team‡
2010-	Iraq	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 September 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21 September 2010

Mustafa Ahmad Abdul-Amir (Arabic: مصطفى احمد عبدالامير‎) (born January 1, 1991 in Iraq) is an Iraqi football striker. He currently plays for the Arbil FC football club in Iraq.

National Team debut[link]

On September 2010, Abdul-Amir was called-up for the Iraq National team, and made his first international debut against the Oman national football team. Iraq won the match 3-2.

External links[link]

• Profile on Goalzz.com

This biographical article related to Iraqi association football is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator from California
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1993 Serving with Dianne Feinstein
Preceded by	Alan Cranston
Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Incumbent
Assumed office January 4, 2007
Preceded by	James Inhofe
Chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics
Incumbent
Assumed office January 4, 2007
Preceded by	George Voinovich
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 6th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Phillip Burton
Succeeded by	Lynn C. Woolsey
Personal details
Born	Barbara Levy (1940-11-11) November 11, 1940 (age 71) Brooklyn, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Stewart Boxer
Children	Douglas Boxer Nicole Boxer
Residence	Rancho Mirage, California[1]
Alma mater	Brooklyn College (B.A.)
Occupation	Politician
Religion	Judaism
Website	boxer.senate.gov

Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is the junior United States Senator from California (since 1993). A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1983–1993).

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Boxer graduated from Brooklyn College. She worked as a stockbroker for several years before moving to California with her husband. During the 1970s, she worked as a journalist for the Pacific Sun and as an aide to U.S. Representative John L. Burton. She served on the Marin County Board of Supervisors for six years and become the board's first female president. With the slogan "Barbara Boxer Gives a Damn", she was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1982, representing California District 6. She sat on the House Armed Services Committee, and was involved in government oversight, passing several procurement reforms.

Boxer won the 1992 election for the U.S. Senate. She holds the record for the most popular votes in any U.S. Senate election in history, having received 6.96 million votes in her 2004 re-election.^[2] Boxer is the chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the chair of the Select Committee on Ethics, making her the only senator to preside over two committees simultaneously. She is also the Democratic Chief Deputy Whip.

She is currently twenty-third in seniority in the United States Senate.

Early life and family[link]

Barbara Levy Boxer was born in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents Sophie (née Silvershein; born in Austria) and Ira Levy.^[3] She attended public schools, and graduated from George W. Wingate High School in 1958.

In 1962, she married Stewart Boxer and graduated from Brooklyn College with a bachelor's degree in Economics. While in college she was a member of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority and was a cheerleader for the Brooklyn College basketball team.^[4]

Boxer worked as a stockbroker for the next three years, while her husband went to law school. Later, the couple moved to Greenbrae, Marin County, California, and had two children, Doug and Nicole. She first ran for political office in 1972, when she challenged incumbent Peter Arrigoni, a member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, but lost a close election. Later during the 1970s, Boxer worked as a journalist for the Pacific Sun and as an aide to John Burton, then a member of Congress.^[5] In 1976, Boxer was elected to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, serving for six years.^[6] She was the Board's first woman president.^[7]

In 1994, her daughter Nicole married Tony Rodham, brother of then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a ceremony at the White House. The couple had one son, Zachary, and divorced in 2000.^[8]

Boxer's husband, Stewart, a prominent attorney in Oakland, represents injured workers in worker's compensation cases, keeping a very low political profile. Many cases are referred to him by labor unions, including the Teamsters. In 2006, the Boxers sold their house in Greenbrae, where they had lived for many years, and moved to Rancho Mirage.^[9] Their son, Douglas, a lawyer, practices with Stewart and is a member of the Oakland Planning Commission, having been appointed to that office by then-mayor Jerry Brown.

Boxer's first novel, A Time to Run was published in 2005 by San Francisco-based publishing company Chronicle Books.^[10] Her second novel Blind Trust was released in July 2009 by Chronicle Books.

U.S. Representative[link]

Boxer was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1982, defeating Dennis McQuaid. Her slogan was "Barbara Boxer Gives a Damn." In the House, she represented California District 6 (Marin and Sonoma Counties) for five terms.^{[11][dead link]}

In 1992, Boxer was embarrassed by the House banking scandal, which revealed that more than 450 ongressional representatives and aides, herself included, wrote overdraft checks covered by overdraft protection by the House Bank. In response, she issued a statement saying "in painful retrospect, I clearly should have paid more attention to my account" and wrote a $15 check to the Deficit Reduction Fund for each of her 87 overdrafts.^[12]

In 1991, during the Anita Hill Senate hearings, where Hill accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment, Boxer led a group of women House members to the Senate Judiciary Committee – demanding that the all-white, all-male Committee of Senators take Hill's charges seriously.^[13]

U.S. Senator[link]

Elections[link]

Democratic Senator Alan Cranston retired in 1992, creating an open contest, which Boxer won in the U.S. Senate elections that year, defeating Bruce Herschensohn, a conservative television political commentator, by 4.9% after a last-minute revelation that Herschensohn had attended a strip club.^[14] In 1998, she won a second term, beating sitting California State Treasurer Matt Fong by 10% of the vote.^[15] After facing no primary opposition in the 2004 election, Boxer defeated GOP candidate Bill Jones, the sitting California Secretary of State, by a margin of 20 percentage points.^[16] In 2010, Boxer defeated GOP candidate Carly Fiorina, former chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, by a margin of 10 percentage points.^[17]

Committees[link]

• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
  • Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Science and Space
• Committee on Environment and Public Works (Chairwoman)
• Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs
  • Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy and Global Women's Issues (Chairwoman)
  • Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection
• Select Committee on Ethics (Chairwoman)

A member of the Senate Democratic Leadership, Boxer serves as the Democratic Chief Deputy Whip, which gives her the job of lining up votes on key legislation.^[18]

Caucus memberships[link]

• Senate Oceans Caucus

Presidential politics[link]

2004[link]

On Valentine's Day 2005, Senator Boxer received 4,500 roses for calling attention to alleged voting irregularities in Ohio during the 2004 presidential election.

On January 6, 2005, Boxer joined Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) in filing a U.S. Congressional objection to the certification of Ohio's Electoral College votes in the 2004 U.S. presidential election.^[19] She called the objection her "opening shot to be able to focus the light of truth on these terrible problems in the electoral system".^[20][21] The Senate voted the objection down 1–74; the House voted the objection down 31–267.^[22] It was only the second Congressional objection to an entire State's electoral delegation in U.S. history; the first instance was in 1877.^[23][24]

2008[link]

As a superdelegate, Boxer had declared that she would support the winner of the California primary, which was won by Hillary Clinton.^[25] However, she reneged on that pledge and remained neutral, only officially backing Obama's candidacy the day after the last primaries, once he had garnered enough delegate votes to clinch the nomination. ^[26]

Platform and votes[link]

Health care[link]

Senator Boxer joined with Senate Democratic women at a press conference to speak about women's health.

Senator Boxer is part of a coalition to increase medical research to find cures for diseases. In 2007, she authored successful bipartisan legislation with Senator Gordon Smith to combat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis globally.^[27] In 1997, she authored a Patients' Bill of Rights. She has written a bill to make health insurance tax-deductible and another bill to let any American buy into the same health insurance program that members of Congress have. She supports comprehensive prescription drug coverage through Medicare and the right of all consumers to purchase lower-cost prescription drugs re-imported from Canada.^[28]

In October 2002, Boxer urged the Bush Administration to take specific steps to address the causes of the steep increase in autism cases in California.^[29] She wrote Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson to establish a common national standard for the diagnosis of autism; instruct the CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to convene a task force to review the current literature on autism and conduct its own study if necessary; and direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to work with the states to create a national chronic disease database.

Boxer is an advocate for embryonic stem-cell research, which has the potential to help those with diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injuries, and other diseases.^[30]

In March 2010, Boxer voted to support the health care reform proposed by the Obama Administration and Democratic 111th Congress by voting yes on the Health Care Reconciliation Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Education[link]

Boxer established the Excellence in Education award to recognize teachers, parents, businesses and organizations that are working to make positive changes in education. Since 1997 Senator Boxer has presented the Excellence in Education Award to 38 recipients.^[31]

The economy[link]

Senators Boxer and John Ensign (R-NV) are the authors of the Invest in the USA Act. This legislation, which was signed into law in October 2004 as a small part of the more comprehensive American Jobs Creation Act, is intended to encourage American companies to bring overseas profits back to the United States, to create jobs in the U.S., and stimulate domestic economic growth.

In March 2004, Boxer offered an amendment to the Federal budget to create a $24 billion jobs reserve fund. The amendment would set aside funds for a variety of investments to improve the economy and create jobs by establishing a manufacturing jobs tax credit for companies that create jobs in the United States, expanding investment in science research and development, providing a tax credit to small businesses to pay for health insurance for their employees, and expanding trade adjustment assistance to help those who lose their jobs because of foreign trade. The Boxer amendment would also end the tax break that companies receive after moving plants overseas.

On October 1, 2008, Boxer voted in favor of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.^[32]

The environment[link]

Boxer successfully led the 2003 Senate floor battle to block oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.^[33] In 2005, Boxer voted again to block oil drilling at ANWR.

Boxer has introduced the National Oceans Protection Act (NOPA) of 2005.^[34] Some of the provisions of this act are: strengthen ocean governance; protect and restore marine wildlife and habitats; address ocean pollution; improve fisheries management. The bill also addresses needs regarding marine science, research and technology, marine mammals, coastal development, and invasive species.

Boxer is an original cosponsor of Senator Jim Jeffords' (I-VT) Clean Power Act.^[35] This legislation would reduce emissions of three pollutants coming from power plants; sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury, and also reduce emissions of carbon dioxide .

As the new head of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in January 2007, Boxer wants to reduce energy consumption. She is attempting to curb global warming by leading pilot programs. The few things that she and some of her fellow Senators are doing could cut electricity consumption by as much as 50 percent in their Capitol Hill offices.^[36]

Senator Boxer was the Senate sponsor of the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, which was signed in to law by President George W. Bush on October 17, 2006. The bill protected 275,830 acres (1,116 km²) of federal land as wilderness and 21 miles (34 km) of stream as a wild and scenic river, including such popular areas as the King Range and Cache Creek.^[37] Senator Boxer worked with Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Mike Thompson (the bill's House sponsor) in the five-year effort to pass the legislation.

Boxer along with her colleague Dianne Feinstein voted in favor of subsidy payments to conventional commodity farm producers at the cost of subsidies for conservation-oriented farming.^[38]

Reproductive rights[link]

Boxer speaks at an event.

Boxer maintains a strong stance in support of reproductive rights and the "pro-choice" movement. Boxer authored the Freedom of Choice Act of 2004 and participated in the floor fight for passage of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.

Boxer is an original cosponsor of the Title X Family Planning Services Act of 2005, S.844, by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). This legislation aims to improve access to women's health care. It authorizes funding for family planning services grants; allows states to provide such services to individuals who may not be eligible for Medicaid; prohibits health insurance providers from excluding contraceptive services, drugs or devices from benefits; establishes a program to disseminate information on emergency contraception; requires hospitals receiving federal funding to offer emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault; provides grants to public and private entities to establish or expand teen pregnancy prevention programs; and requires that federally funded education programs about contraception be medically accurate and include information about health benefits and failure rates.

She was strongly critical of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which would prevent taxpayer-funded abortions possibly resulting in women not being able to pay with their own funds for abortion coverage Affordable Health Care for America Act.^[39]

Social Security[link]

Boxer supports the current system of Social Security, and opposed President George W. Bush's plan for partial privatization of Social Security.^[40][41] She introduced the 401(k) Pension Protection Act to protect retirement by requiring the diversification of 401(k) plans. A modified version of the bill was signed into law as part of the 1997 tax bill.

Following the Enron scandal, Boxer again worked to ensure that retirement plans are diversified. She also introduced a bill to prohibit accounting firms from auditing and consulting for the same company.

National security[link]

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Boxer authored a bill to protect commercial airliners against attacks by shoulder-fired missiles, and wrote the law allowing airline pilots with special training to carry guns in the cockpit.

Senator Boxer has lunch with California Marines during her visit to Iraq. (2005-03-22)

Boxer wrote the High-Tech Port Security Act, and sponsored the Chemical Security Act to address terrorist threats against chemical plants. Senator Boxer also cosponsored comprehensive rail security legislation.

Iraq War[link]

In October 2002, Boxer voted against the joint resolution passed by the U.S. Congress to authorize the use of military force by the Bush Administration against Iraq.^[42][43][44] In June 2005, Senators Boxer and Russ Feingold (D-WI) cosponsored Senate Resolution 171 calling for a timeframe for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Boxer's petition demanding an exit strategy from Iraq drew 107,218 signatures.^[45]

Boxer was sharply critical of General Petraeus testimony regarding the political and military situation in Iraq in 2007, charging him with reporting while wearing 'rosy glasses'.^[46]

Surveillance[link]

In June 2008 Boxer spoke in the Senate in opposition to the FISA Amendments Act of 2008,^[47] a pending bill in the United States Congress to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act,^[48] and later broke with her counterpart Sen. Dianne Feinstein and voted against it.^[49]

Election reform[link]

Senators Boxer and Clinton unveil the Count Every Vote Act^{[dead link]}. (2005-02-18)

Boxer voted in support of the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which mandated the use of voting machines across the country, among other provisions. On February 18, 2005, Senators Boxer, Hillary Clinton, and Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones introduced the Count Every Vote Act of 2005, which would provide a voter verified paper ballot for every vote cast in electronic voting machines and ensure access to voter verification for all citizens. The bill mandates that this ballot be the official ballot for purposes of a recount. The bill sets a uniform standard for provisional ballots and requires the Federal Election Assistance Commission to issue standards that ensure uniform access to voting machines and trained election personnel in every community. The bill also mandated improved security measures for electronic voting machines.^[50] The bill did not pass.

Bush nominees[link]

During the confirmation hearings for the United States Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice in January 2005, Boxer challenged her to admit to alleged mistakes and false statements made by the Bush Administration in leading the United States into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and ultimately voted against confirmation, along with twelve other senators.^[51][52] The dissent was the highest vote against a Secretary of State nominee since 1825 when Henry Clay was so named.^[53]

Boxer voted against John Bolton's nomination for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and filibustered him on the Senate floor. As a result of the strong Democratic opposition Bolton could not obtain Senate approval. However, President Bush bypassed the Senate by employing the constitutional right of recess appointment, only the second time such an appointment has been used for a United States ambassador to the United Nations since the UN's founding in 1945. Recess appointments themselves have been used numerous times by various presidents.

Boxer voted against the confirmation of Chief Justice of the United States nominee John Roberts, and against the confirmation of Associate Justice nominee Samuel Alito.^[54][55]

Foreign policy[link]

In 1997, the Senate passed a Boxer resolution calling on the United States not to recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan because of its human rights abuses against women.

Senator Boxer meets Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. (2005-03-30)

In 2002, Senator Boxer voted against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. She has subsequently referred to that vote as the best vote of her career. She also voted against the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) while a member of the House in 1991^[56] and was a very vocal protester against the Vietnam War in the 1970s.^[57]

Boxer is a cosponsor of S. 495, or the Darfur Accountability Act of 2005, which would impose sanctions against perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Drug Policy Reform[link]

Senator Boxer has come out against reforming marijuana policy and is opposed to the California Ballot measure to legalize and tax marijuana for those 21 and older in the state.^[58]

Gun control[link]

Senator Boxer joined colleagues to pass a Federal ban on various semi-automatic firearms and established the COPS program.

Same-sex marriage[link]

The Human Rights Campaign gave Boxer ratings of 100%, 88% and 100% for the 107th, 108th, and 109th sessions of Congress, respectively, indicating a support of the HRC's slate of pro-gay rights legislative issues.^[59] In 1996, she was one of fourteen Senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act^[60] and also voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004 and 2006,^[61] although when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom issued a directive to the city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples she stated that she supported California's domestic partnership law but agreed with its definition that marriage was between a man and a woman.^[62] However, her 2010 re-election campaign website states that "Senator Boxer supports marriage equality."^[63] She opposed Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that prohibited same-sex marriage in California, and supported the Uniting American Families Act.^[64]

Hate Crimes[link]

Boxer co-sponsored the Matthew Shepard Act,^[65] which expanded the federal definition of hate crimes to include crimes based on the victim's sexual orientation and gender identity.

India-U.S. nuclear deal[link]

Boxer is one of the most outspoken critics of the nuclear energy deal between the United States and India. Boxer is of the opinion that India should not get help from the U.S. in the civilian nuclear energy sector until it breaks its relationship with Iran.^[66]

Censuring President Bush[link]

Senator Boxer was, along with Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, one of only two Senate Democrats to come out in favor of Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold's resolution to censure President George W. Bush.^[67]

PIPA[link]

Senator Boxer supports PIPA.^[68]

Congressional scorecards[link]

See also

• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart

Project Vote Smart provides the following results from congressional scorecards.^[69]

• American Civil Liberties Union – 83% for 2005–2006
• Americans for Democratic Action – 95% for 2006
• American Land Rights Association – 11% for 2006
• Americans for Tax Reform – 5% for 2006
• AFL-CIO – 100% in 2006
• Campaign for America's Future – 100% for 2005–2006
• Conservative Index-John Birch Society – 20% for Fall 2004
• Children's Defense Fund – 100% for 2006
• Drum Major Institute – 100% for 2005
• Family Research Council – 0% for 2006
• FreedomWorks – 17% for 2006
• Gun Owners of America – 0% for 2006
• Humane Society of the United States – 100% for 2005–2006
• League of Conservation Voters – 100% for 2006
• NARAL Pro-Choice America – 100% for 2006
• National Association of Wheat Growers – 0% for 2005
• National Education Association – 100% for 2005–2006
• National Federation of Independent Business – 0% for 2005–2006
• National Journal – Composite liberal score of 95% for 2006
• National Organization for Women – 96% for 2005–2006
• National Rifle Association – F for 2006
• National Right to Life Committee – 0% for 2005–2006
• National Taxpayers Union – 11% for 2006
• Population Connection – 100% for 2006
• Republican Liberty Caucus – 10% for 2005
• Secular Coalition for America – 90% on 2006 scorecards^[70]
• United States Chamber of Commerce – 25% for 2006

Public image, political reception and controversy[link]

Criticizing Condoleezza Rice's judgment[link]

Boxer criticized then United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's judgment in relation to the war in Iraq: "I personally believe – this is my personal view – that your loyalty to the mission you were given, to sell the war, overwhelmed your respect for the truth."^[71]

In January 2007, Boxer was in the news for comments she made when responding to Bush's plans to send an additional 20,000 troops to Iraq. "Who pays the price?" Boxer asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young. You're not going to pay a personal price with an immediate family. So who pays the price? The American military and their families... not me, not you." When Rice interjected, Boxer responded by saying, "Madam Secretary, please. I know you feel terrible about it. That's not the point. I was making the case as to who pays the price for your decisions. And the fact that this administration would move forward with this escalation with no clue as to the further price that we're going to pay militarily... I find really appalling."^[72]

The New York Post and White House Press Secretary Tony Snow considered this an attack on Rice's status as a single, childless female and referred to Boxer's comments as "a great leap backward for feminism".^[73] Rice later echoed Snow's remarks, saying "I thought it was okay to not have children, and I thought you could still make good decisions on behalf of the country if you were single and didn't have children." Boxer responded to the controversy by saying "They're getting this off on a non-existent thing that I didn't say. I'm saying, she's like me, we do not have families who are in the military."^[74]

Keith Olbermann accused the commentators, particularly Rush Limbaugh, of making Boxer's comments into an issue when the same people were not outraged when "Laura Bush said Secretary Rice would never be elected president because she was not married."^[75]

Television appearances[link]

She has made cameo appearances as herself in several television shows, including Murphy Brown (1994),^[76] Gilmore Girls (2002)^[76] and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2007),^[77] as well as a cameo (as herself) in the 2000 film Traffic.^[76] On November 2, 2005, she made an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to discuss her new novel “A Time To Run”.

Awards and honors[link]

Boxer has been awarded with two Doctor of Laws honorary degrees, one from Mills College and the other from Dominican University of California.

Major speeches and statements[link]

• Excerpts from Senator Boxer's Senate Floor Statement on the Resolution Authorizing the Use of Military Force against Iraq, October 10, 2002
• Transcript from the Confirmation Hearing of Condoleezza Rice, January 18, 2005
• Senate Floor Debate on the Confirmation of Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State, January 26, 2005^{[dead link]}
• On the Nomination of Alberto Gonzales to be Attorney General, February 1, 2005^{[dead link]}
• On the President's Budget, February 7, 2005^{[dead link]}
• On Social Security, February 11, 2005^{[dead link]}
• Senate Floor Debate on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, March 16, 2005^{[dead link]}
• Statement on Earth Day, April 20, 2005^{[dead link]}
• On the Iraq War, July 6, 2005^{[dead link]}
• On Karl Rove's CIA Leak, July 20, 2005
• On the Energy Bill, July 29, 2005^{[dead link]}
• On Her Opposition to the Confirmation of Chief Justice Nominee John Roberts, September 21, 2005^{[dead link]}
• Addressing World Affairs Council of Northern California (Video), October 13, 2006

Congressional service[link]

Electoral history[link]

Boxer was first elected to the Senate by a 4.9% margin in 1992. She was reelected in 2010, defeating businesswoman Carly Fiorina.

References[link]