This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2009)

John Culberson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Bill Archer
Personal details
Born	(1956-08-24) August 24, 1956 (age 55) Houston, Texas
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Belinda Culberson
Residence	Houston, Texas
Alma mater	Southern Methodist University, South Texas College of Law
Occupation	attorney
Religion	Methodist

John Abney Culberson (born August 24, 1956) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party caucus. The district takes in large portions of western Houston and surrounding Harris County.

Early life, education and career[link]

Born in Houston, Culberson attended West University Elementary School, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School.^[1][2] He graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 1981 with a degree in history. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in 1989. He is a distant relative of former Governor of Texas Charles Allen Culberson.^{[citation needed]}

Texas House of Representatives[link]

During his time in law school, Culberson was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving his first term in 1987. He was a member of the Republican Whip team, becoming Minority Whip in 1999 during his last term. Culberson began working for the law firm of Lorance and Thompson as a civil defense attorney after he graduated from South Texas. Culberson led the effort to regain state control of the Texas prison system. He also worked for expansion of urban freeway systems and for increased development of medical technology.^{[citation needed]}

U.S. House of Representatives[link]

Committee assignments[link]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (Chairman)

Caucuses[link]

• Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
• Republican Study Committee
• Tea Party Caucus

Like Archer, Culberson is an ardent fiscal and social conservative. His website includes his slogan "Letting Texans run Texas," which Culberson sees as a way to personify historical Jeffersonian values. Culberson is a member of the Appropriations Committee.^{[citation needed]}

On Hardball with Chris Matthews, Culberson defended Texas Governor Rick Perry's secession comments saying "don't make too much of what Gov. Perry said, again, he was just revved up and I think in the heat of the moment said something that he certainly didn't mean in his heart. [Texans are] patriotic Americans. No one wants Texas to secede" .^{[citation needed]}

On June 12, 2009, Culberson signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1503, the bill introduced as a reaction to Barack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories.^[3]

Culberson is active online with Twitter^[4] and Qik.^[5] He has used these online information dispersion services from House Committee meetings and from the Oval Office. On August 1, 2008, to protest the House going into summer recess without discussing a pending energy bill, Culberson and other House Republicans stayed to make speeches about the energy bill in question. The Democratic leadership in the House, which controls services in the chamber, responded by cutting the microphones and cameras. Culberson used the Twitter and Qik services to provide a live account of the proceedings. Culberson later compared this episode to the Iranian government's brutal crackdown against Twitter-coordinated protesters in June 2009.^[6]

Political campaigns[link]

Culberson won the Republican nomination for the 7th District in 2000 after 15-term incumbent Bill Archer announced his retirement. He finished first in the Republican primary — traditionally the real contest in what has historically been a heavily Republican district — and defeated Peter Wareing in the runoff. He won easily in November, taking about 75% of the vote.

2008[link]

In 2008, Culberson faced his stiffest challenge to date in businessman Michael Skelly in the November 2008 election. Skelly, a former executive of Horizon Wind Energy, also served in the Peace Corps and earned an MBA from Harvard University. Skelly served on Mayor Bill White's Green Building Advisory Committee.^[7] Culberson led with 56 percent of the vote with about two-thirds of precincts counted. Skelly had 43 percent of the vote. This was the closest a Democrat had come to winning the district since it was created in 1967. Historically, Republicans at all levels garner well over 60 percent of the vote in this district.^{[citation needed]}

As of June 30, 2008, Culberson had raised $983,204 with $550,228 cash on hand. As of the same date, Skelly had raised $1,465,519 with $1,050,314 cash on hand—more than any of Culberson's four previous challengers. In the previous four election cycles, Culberson had raised $1,092,972 (2000), $508,138 (2002), $628,783 (2004), and $718,882 (2006). In 2006, Jim Henley raised $122,145.^[8]

2010[link]

Culberson ran unopposed.

Controversy[link]

In August 2011 AlterNet reported that Culberson, along with Ted Poe and Michael McCaul were stripping away the basic right of deceased soldiers families to choose which prayers, if any, were to be read at a soldiers funeral. It was reported that the three politicians were attempting to impose Christian ceremonies on the military funerals of everybody who has served in the military, regardless of whether or not the deceased was Christian and with or without the consent of the family of the deceased.^[9][10] The three politicians state their demands are a response to Veteran Affairs banning Christian prayers at military funerals, a claim Veterans Affairs state is completely false.

The idea that invoking the name of God or Jesus is banned at VA national cemeteries is blatantly false. The truth is VA’s policy protects veterans’ families’ rights to pray however they choose at our national cemeteries.^[9][10]

—Veteran Affairs

References[link]

External links[link]

	Houston portal
	Biography portal
	Government of the United States portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: John Culberson

• U.S. Congressman John Culberson official U.S. House site
• John Culberson for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Profile at SourceWatch
• John Culberson at Qik

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2010)

Edd Hendee is an American radio host, political activist and owner of The Taste of Texas restaurant in Houston, Texas.

In the media[link]

Edd has guest hosted for national radio host Laura Ingraham and has appeared on the Glenn Beck television program on Fox. He currently hosts a morning talk radio show in Houston on KSEV 700 AM from 6am to 9am.

Activism[link]

Edd has spearheaded numerous social and political causes including Eyes On The Border, Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes (CLOUT), and the case of convicted border guards Ramos and Compean.

External links[link]

• KSEV Website
• Taste of Texas Website
• CLOUT Website

Neil Cavuto
Neil Cavuto, 2007
Born	(1958-09-22) September 22, 1958 (age 53) Westbury, New York, United States
Occupation	TV anchor, commentator and executive for Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel
Website
Your World at FOXNews.com

Neil Patrick Cavuto (born September 22, 1958) is an American television anchor and commentator on the Fox Business Network and host of three television programs, Your World with Neil Cavuto and Cavuto on Business, both on the Fox News Channel and Cavuto on sister channel Fox Business Network.

Cavuto also tapes a nightly wrap-up of business news which airs on local FOX affiliates during the late news and has a syndicated radio business news segment that airs on weekday afternoons. He is the senior vice president and managing editor of business news for the Fox Business Network, and oversees content and business coverage. He is the author of two books.

Early life[link]

Cavuto was born in Westbury, New York, and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, where he attended Immaculate High School. He worked as a White House intern during U.S. president Jimmy Carter's administration, graduated from St. Bonaventure University, and earned a master's degree from American University.^[1]

Career[link]

Neil Cavuto became the managing editor of business news and television anchor of Your World with Neil Cavuto on Fox News Channel in July 1996, later becoming a vice president of business news in March 2006. He serves all three positions concurrently. Your World is Fox's main business news program.

Before joining Fox, he hosted Power Lunch on CNBC and contributed to NBC's Today. He worked with the Public Broadcasting Service for 15 years. He was also a New York City bureau chief.

He has been awarded numerous times by his peers in the journalism industry, including recognition by the Wall Street Journal as the best interviewer in business news, best business television interviewer four consecutive years, and five nominations for Cable ACE awards.^[2] Cavuto was also awarded the 1980 Hellinger Award, the highest award for graduating journalism students from St. Bonaventure University. Cavuto has Interviewed many high profile business, political and world leaders.

Cavuto is the author of More Than Money, 2004, (ISBN 0060096438) and Your Money or Your Life, 2005, (ISBN 0060826177).^[3] Both books were New York Times best sellers.^[1]

Personal life[link]

Cavuto and his wife, Mary Fulling, whom he married on October 15, 1983, have three children, Tara, Bradley and Jeremy. They reside in Mendham, New Jersey.^[4]

Cavuto has suffered health problems,^[5][6] saying:

"I don't hide that I have had a tough life in many respects. I fought back a near-life-ending cancer, only to end up with multiple sclerosis years later. Doctors have since told me that the odds of contracting both diseases in the same life are something like two million to one! Yet here I am, marching on, continuing to do my job when doctors who've examined my scans and MRIs tell me I shouldn't be walking or talking."^[7]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Neil Cavuto

• Neil Cavuto's Bio on FoxBusiness.com
• Neil Cavuto's Bio on FoxNews.com
• Cavuto writes about his first book

Jeffrey Lane "Jeff" Fortenberry, (born December 27, 1960) is the U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 1st congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Lincoln and includes most of the eastern third of the state outside the immediate Omaha area.

Early life, education, and early career[link]

He graduated from Catholic High in Baton Rouge. He holds a master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University, a master's degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio), and a bachelor's degree in economics from Louisiana State University.

He has previously worked as an economist, in local economic development, and as a publishing executive for Sandhills Publishing.

Lincoln City Council (1997-2001)[link]

Fortenberry was an at-large member of the Lincoln City Council from 1997 to 2001. His main commitments in this role were community revitalization and increasing public safety, but doing both without raising taxation. Among the economic development and community revitalization projects he worked on were the transition of a major public hospital and building a new baseball stadium.^[1]

Fortenberry cites his work on City Council, maintaining a balanced budget while making "hard decisions about the numbers of firefighters and police officers, funding for parks and recreation, adequate city services, and reasonable taxes and fees to pay for city priorities," as an example of fiscal responsibility that citizens should demand from the federal government as well.^[2]

U.S. House of Representatives (2005-Present)[link]

Elections[link]

2004

Incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman Doug Bereuter of Nebraska's 1st congressional district decided to retire. He decided to run and won the 7-candidate Republican primary with 39% of the vote. He defeated Curt Bromm (33%), the Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, and Club for Growth endorsed businessman Greg Ruehle (21%).[15]^[3] In the general election, he defeated State Senator Matt Connealy 54%-43%. He won all but two counties: Thurston and Burt.^[4][5]

2006

Fortenberry won re-election to a second term, defeating former Lieutenant Governor Maxine Moul, 58%-42%, winning all but Burt County.^[6][7]

2008

He won re-election to a third term, defeating Marine veteran Max Yashirin 70-30%.^[8]

2010

He was challenged in the Republican primary for the first time since 2004. He drew two opponents and won with 84% of the vote.^[9] He won re-election to a fourth term, defeating legislative staffer Ivy Harper, 71%-29%.^[10]

2012

He drew two opponents in the Republican primary again, but won with 86% of the vote.^[11]

Tenure[link]

Financial

Fortenberry believes that "a strong ag economy, small business diversification, and Nebraskans’ practical sense regarding responsible lending, finance, and governance” have influenced Nebraska's economic success, and has called for leaders in Washington to look to the Heartland as a model of economic revitalization.^[12] He voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, otherwise known as the bailout bill, decrying the "too big to fail" paradigm and unsustainable taxpayer exposure.

Agriculture, energy, and environment

Fortenberry introduced the Renewable Fuels for America’s Future Act of 2010, "a smart and thoughtful way to reduce subsidies for the production of ethanol" ^[13] that would result in taxpayer savings of $5.67 billion, according to economists Ernie Goss of Creighton University and Bruce Babcock of Iowa State University.^[14]

Healthcare

Fortenberry supports patient-centered health care reform that lowers costs, improves outcomes, and protects vulnerable persons.^[15] He introduced H.R. 321, the SCHIP Plus Act of 2009 to offer eligible families the choice of retaining coverage for their children in the State Children' Health Insurance Program or using SCHIP funds to help pay for a family insurance plan, saving both family and taxpayer dollars.^[16] Fortenberry voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care reform bill that was signed into law on March 23, 2010, noting "This health-care debate is no longer about real health-care reform; it’s about power. Thoughtful health-care reform could have been achieved with 80-percent support: Health-care reform that drove down costs, improved health-care outcomes, and protected vulnerable persons.".^[17]

Foreign affairs

Fortenberry claims to be "uncommonly well-informed on international issues,",^[18] and has prioritized foreign affairs work on the Middle East and Africa while in Congress.

Nuclear security

Fortenberry co-founded and co-chairs the Congressional Nuclear Security Caucus with U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff. He has been endorsed by Mitt Romney's Free and Strong America PAC.^[19]

Pro-life

Fortenberry received a 100% pro-life score from the National Right to Life Committee.^[20] He speaks annually at the March for Life.

Committee assignments[link]

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry (Chairman)
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights (Vice Chair)
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia

Fortenberry was listed by Foreign Policy magazine in 2010 as a "new Republican powerbroker" on nuclear security issues.^[21] He is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership.

Caucus memberships[link]

• Civil War Battlefield Caucus
• Congressional Biofuels Caucus
• Congressional Farmer Cooperative Caucus
• House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
• International Conservation Caucus
• Sportsmen's Caucus

Personal life[link]

Fortenberry is married to the former Celeste Gregory, and they have five children. He is a devout Catholic.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Congressman Jeff Fortenberry official U.S. House site
• Jeff Fortenberry for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at SourceWatch

Greg Walden
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Bob Smith
Member of the Oregon Senate from the 28th district
In office 1995–1997
Preceded by	Wes Cooley
Succeeded by	Ted Ferrioli
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 56th district
In office 1989–1995
Preceded by	Wayne H. Fawbush
Succeeded by	Bob Montgomery
Personal details
Born	(1957-01-10) January 10, 1957 (age 55) The Dalles, Oregon
Political party	Republican
Residence	Hood River, Oregon
Alma mater	University of Oregon
Occupation	Former broadcasting executive
Religion	Episcopalian

Gregory Paul Walden (born January 10, 1957) is the U.S. Representative for Oregon's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is the only Republican representative in the state of Oregon.

The district covers more than two-thirds of the state (generally, east of the Cascades). He is the son of Paul E. Walden, three-term Oregon state representative.^[1]

Early life, education and career[link]

Walden earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Oregon in 1981.^[2] Before being elected to Congress, Walden owned and ran radio stations.

Political career[link]

Walden served as Press Secretary and Chief of Staff to Congressman Denny Smith from 1981 to 1987. He was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1988 and served in the House until 1995, when he was appointed to the Oregon State Senate to fill a vacancy. Walden rose to the position of assistant majority leader in the Senate and was considering a bid for Oregon Governor in 1994. However, upon discovering that the son he and his wife were expecting had a heart defect, Walden decided to not run for Governor and to not seek re-election to the state Senate. Their son died soon after birth.^[3]

In 1996, Walden announced he was running for the 2nd District as an independent. The district's freshman Republican incumbent, Wes Cooley, whose 1994 campaign Walden had managed, had been caught in several lies about his military service. Cooley's reelection chances were already in serious jeopardy, but it was generally believed that an independent bid by Walden would allow the Democrats to sneak up the middle and win a seat they hadn't held since 1981.^{[citation needed]} Ultimately, the Republicans persuaded Cooley's predecessor, Robert F. Smith, to come out of retirement.^{[citation needed]}

Smith didn't run for reelection in 1998, and endorsed Walden as his successor.^{[citation needed]} Walden easily won the Republican primary and breezed to election in November and has been reelected five times. Though his district contains some liberal-leaning communities such as Ashland, most of the district leans heavily Republican, and Walden has always been reelected easily. In 2002, he defeated Democrat Peter Buckley, who later became a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. In 2006, Walden defeated Democratic candidate Carol Voisin, and in 2008 he won a sixth term with 70% of the vote over Democrat Noah Lemas and Pacific Green Tristin Mock. Following the defeat of Senator Gordon Smith in the 2008 elections, Walden became the only Republican to represent Oregon in the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives[link]

Party leadership[link]

Walden has been chosen by Speaker John Boehner to be chairman of the House Majority Transition Committee. He served as chairman of the House Republican Leadership through most of 2010.^[4]

Committee assignments[link]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Communications and Technology (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Power

From 2010 to 2011, Walden gave up his seat on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, at Republican leadership request so that Parker Griffith, who had recently switched parties, could take his spot on that committee.^[5]

Walden founded the Small Brewers Caucus (see Alcohol in Oregon) and the Digital Television Caucus; as of 2007, he was a member of 39 congressional caucuses:^[6]

Walden is also a member of the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership.

Personal life[link]

Walden and his wife, Mylene, live in Hood River with their son Anthony. They are members of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and participate in local civic groups such as the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce.^{[citation needed]}

On October 20, 2009, it was reported that Walden was the first Member of Congress to contract the H1N1-A (Swine Flu) Virus.^[8]

Civic involvement[link]

• Hood River Elks Club
• Hood River Rotary International
• National Student Leadership Foundation, Honorary Board of Advisors

Walden is a former member of the Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors, the Columbia Bancorp Board of Directors, the Hood River Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, and the Oregon Health & Sciences Foundation Board of Trustees.

Business interests[link]

On January 31, 2007, Walden sold Columbia Gorge Broadcasting, which runs five stations in the eastern Columbia River Gorge, to Bicoastal Columbia River LLC in order to avoid any conflict of interest that might arise with his congressional duties.^[9]

Electoral history[link]

References[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2006)

External links[link]

• U.S. Congressman Greg Walden official U.S. House website
• Greg Walden for Congress official campaign website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Profile at SourceWatch