Mark Kirk

All you want to know about Mark Kirk

Mark Kirk
Mark Kirk
Election date
November 4, 2008
Opponent(s) Dan Seals (D)
Incumbent Mark Kirk
Born September 15, 1959 (1959-09-15) (age 48)
Champaign, Illinois
Political party Republican
Spouse Kim Vertolli Kirk
Residence Highland Park, Illinois[1]
Alma mater Cornell University, London School of Economics, Georgetown University
Occupation attorney, political assistant
Religion United Church of Christ

Mark Steven Kirk (born September 15, 1959) has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district (map).

Contents

Early life and education

Kirk was born in Champaign, Illinois, graduated from Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth in 1973, and New Trier East High School in 1977. He attended the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México before graduating cum laude in history from Cornell University. Kirk received a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics, and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University.

Kirk was commissioned in 1989 as an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve. He is one of only two members of Congress serving as a drilling reservist one weekend a month and two weeks a year. In the Navy, Kirk served during conflicts with Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo. He served aboard USS Normandy and USS John C Stennis. Kirk also served three tours in Panama and was an aircrewman over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch. He was named U.S. Navy Reserve "Intelligence Officer of the Year" in 1999 for his combat service in Kosovo.[2]

Career prior to election to Congress

Kirk served on the staff of his predecessor, Congressman John Porter, and eventually became his chief of staff. Kirk then served in the World Bank (1990) before President George H. W. Bush named him as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.[citation needed] At the State Department, Kirk worked on ending civil wars in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. President Bill Clinton reappointed Kirk to work in his Administration on the restoration of democracy in Haiti.[citation needed]

Kirk then practiced law with Baker & McKenzie (1993–94) before being named as a Counsel to the House International Relations Committee.

U.S. House of Representatives

Election and re-elections

Kirk defeated 11 candidates for Congress in the 2000 Republican primary. He then won in general elections with 51% (2000), 69% (2002), 64% (2004) and 53% (2006). His opponents were Lauren Beth Gash, Hank Perrit, Lee Goodman and, most recently, Dan Seals.

See also: Illinois's 10th congressional district election, 2006

In 2008, Kirk will again face Democratic challenger Dan Seals, along with Green Party challenger Dave Kalbfleisch.[3]

Committee Assignments

  • Appropriations Committee
    • Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
    • Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
  • Co-chairman of the Tuesday Group

Political actions and positions

Kirk shepherded H.R. 810, the Stem Cell bill, through the House in 2005.

The Lake Michigan Alliance and the League of Conservation Voters recognized Congressman Kirk for his environmental actions,[4] including:

  • Author — Great Lakes Water Protection Act
  • Author — Mercury Pollution Reduction Act
  • Secured transfer to Ft. Sheridan Bluffs to environmental trust
  • Secured funding for environmental cleanup Waukegan Harbor
  • Awarded Medal of Courage by Alaska Coalition for protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Congress

Kirk voted for the House "enforcement-only" immigration bill, which includes punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants and calls for a tough barrier at the United States–Mexico border.[4]. In July 2007, he proposed what he sees as a long term solution to the problem of Mexican immigration: shipping condoms to poor area of Mexico: "A slower rate of growth of Mexico's population would improve the economy of Mexico. It would also reduce the environmental pressure on Mexico's ecosystem. But a slower rate of growth would also reduce the long-term illegal immigration pressure on America's borders"[5]

On November 5, 2005, while speaking at Northwestern University, Kirk was asked how he felt about stricter visa policies applied to Arab foreign nationals seeking entry to the United States. Kirk answered: "I'm OK with discrimination against young Arab males from terrorist-producing states. I'm OK with that. I think that when we look at the threat that's out there, young men between, say, the ages of 18 and 25 from a couple of countries, I believe a certain amount of intense scrutiny should be placed on them."[6]. He said that the statement was "politically uncomfortable", and later issued a statement to clarify his position on the issue: "We need to strengthen our visa entry process to guard against the threat, and we need intense scrutiny on applicants from terrorist producing countries," Kirk said. "Ignoring that reality would only do a disservice to our country's security."[7]

Kirk has spoken out about protecting children on the Internet and has introduced bills to require parental permission for certain networking sites, such as Second Life. [8]

Kirk is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act[9] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[10]

Kirk has consistently supported increases in so-called "Impact Aid" for government school districts that have children of military personnel as students. [11] In 2007, he was the House sponsor of a bill to this effect, which was sponsored in the Senate by senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin. Critics note that since the issue specifically concerned children of federal employees, a more direct route to ensuring equitable funding for them would be to give their families a voucher to cover their expenses redeemable at any school, rather than merely at selected kinds of schools in selected places. However, Kirk, who has regularly received support and funding from the National Education Association and its Illinois affiliate, did not support parent choice on this issue.

In 2008, Kirk sponsored H.R. 1008, which condemned the persecution of Baha'is in Iran, and specifically called for the release of imprisoned Baha'is Ms. Raha Sabet, Mr. Sasan Taqva, and Ms. Haleh Roohi.[12] The Resolution passed 408-3 in the House.

Ratings

In 2007, his rating from Gun Owners of America was 0%. Kirk received a 75% approval rating in 2006, after a 39% approval rating in 2005, from the League of Conservation Voters, a group that assesses the environmental records of Congressmen.[13]. He received an A from Illinois Citizens Against Handgun Violence. Kirk was endorsed in 2006 by the Human Rights Campaign, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Planned Parenthood (In their 2006 ratings, Kirk was the only Republican to receive a rating of 100% from Planned Parenthood in either house, making him the most pro-choice Republican in congress) the Jewish Political Alliance of Illinois and JAC PAC. Poker rights blogger Rich Muny, a board member of the one-million member Poker Players Alliance, rated Kirk "F" on support for poker rights[14]. Muny also included him on his "Leach List"[15][16] -- a list of anti-poker Representatives who are projected to be in tough reelection fights in 2008 (named for former Iowa GOP Rep. Jim Leach, sponsor of numerous efforts to ban online poker).

Contributors

 This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (July 2007)

According to Federal Election Commission records, Kirk has received numerous contributions from Political action committees and individuals. Several contributors have district ties, such as Abbott Laboratories and Baxter International. Abbott and Baxter are the largest and third largest employers in the 10th District of Illinois, respectively. Medical associations, defense contractors, and other groups have contributed.

FEC records show Kirk received financial support from Americans for a Republican Majority, a PAC formed by Tom DeLay. As reports of misconduct surfaced against DeLay in 2004, Kirk returned all monies received from ARMPAC immediately.

Mark Kirk received a donation from Congressman Bob Ney, who pled guilty to bribery. Kirk refunded the Ney contribution in the 2nd quarter of 2006.

Kirk received funds from American Prosperity PAC, which was controlled by Republican Duke Cunningham, who pled guilty to federal charges. Kirk refunded the Cunningham contribution and contributions from all parties affiliated with the case when news of wrongdoing first became public.

Kirk accepted $1000 from Tony Rezko, [17] who has been convicted on federal charges of attempted extortion, money laundering, and fraud. Kirk returned the Rezko contribution when Rezko was indicted.

2007

In March 2007, Kirk worked to strip the so called, "Del Monte Loophole" from the minimum wage bill attached to the Iraq Supplemental funding appropriations bill. The bill, authored by the Democratic majority, had exempted America Samoa from being a part of the minimum wage increase. Kirk said that he believes that the American minimum wage should apply to all Americans. [18]

In May 2007 Kirk was the leader of a Republican delegation, of 11 congressmen, who explained to Bush his actions, in respect to Iraq, were hurting the Republican party.[19]

He was also involved in proposing a bill for sanctioning Iranians in June 2007. "The Iran Sanctions Enhancement Act of 2007" targets any company or individual that provides Iran with refined petroleum products or engages in an activity that could contribute to the enhancement of Iran's ability to import refined products after December 31 2007.[20]

2008

In a radio interview on June 18, Kirk said "if we see Obama there's a shoot-on-sight order."[21][22][23] He later acknowledged that he misspoke, personally apologized to Senator Obama and posted a public apology on his website.[24]

References

  1. ^ "About Mark" (HTML). U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
  2. ^ "Veterans in the US House of Representatives 109th Congress" (PDF). Navy League. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
  3. ^ Illinois Green Party
  4. ^ a b Kirk, Mark. "Issues". Mark Kirk. Mark Kirk. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
  5. ^ Congressman urges condoms for border control June 22, 2007 by Richard Cowan
  6. ^ Fuller, Janet Rausa (November 6), "Kirk 'OK' with visa bias against some Arab men", Chicago Sun-Times, <http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20051106/ai_n15910892> 
  7. ^ "Obama rips Kirk nod to anti-Arab bias", Chicago Sun-Times, 2005, <http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20051110/ai_n15911794> 
  8. ^ Congressman Mark Steven Kirk - 10th District of Illinois
  9. ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
  10. ^ [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04777: Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777]
  11. ^ Susnjara, Bob (2006-03-16). "North Chicago schools getting senators’ help", Daily Herald. Retrieved on 2006-03-22. 
  12. ^ [1]: Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 1008]
  13. ^ "Mark Kirk". League of Conservation Voters. League of Conservation Voters. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
  14. ^ TheEngineer's Blog: Congress and Internet Poker Rights, July 10, 2008
  15. ^ TheEngineer's Blog: The Leach List, July 26, 2008
  16. ^ The Leach List, July 26, 2008
  17. ^ F.E.C. IMAGE 20036670964 (Page 27 of 79)
  18. ^ Faleomavaega, Eni (2007-03-23). "Iraq Supplemental Bill Passes House; Faleomavaega Presses for Minimum Wage for American Samoa and CNMI to Be Addressed in Conference". Press Release. Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega, Jr.. Retrieved on 2007-06-20.
  19. ^ Murphy, Logan (2007-05-09). "11 GOP Congressmen to Bush: You’ve Lost Credibility". Crooks and Liars. Crooks and Liars. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
  20. ^ US lawmakers target Iran gasoline imports in new sanctions bill
  21. ^ Kirk Peddles Debunked China Drilling Claim, Mixes Up "Osama" And "Obama" (UPDATED) | Progress Illinois
  22. ^ Woops: GOP Congressman Talks About Shooting...Obama
  23. ^ The Crypt: GOP slip: "if we see Obama there's a shoot-on-sight order." - Politico.com
  24. ^ Article | Mark Kirk For Congress

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Edward Porter		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 10th congressional district
2001 – present		 Incumbent
v • d • e
Illinois's current delegation to the United States Congress
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