Ellen Tauscher
Encyclopedia
Ellen O'Kane Tauscher is an American
politician
and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
. She was a Democratic
member of the United States House of Representatives
, representing California's 10th congressional district
from 1997 until her resignation in 2009 upon joining the State Department.
, New Jersey
. Her parents were a secretary
and a shop steward
for the United Food and Commercial Workers
Union
. The first member of her family to attend college, she graduated in 1974 from Seton Hall University
, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science
degree in early childhood education
.
She then worked as an investment banker with Bache & Co.
and, at age 25, became a member of the New York Stock Exchange
. She also served as an officer of the American Stock Exchange
from 1979 to 1983, after which she worked for Bear Stearns
and a subsidiary
of Drexel Burnham Lambert
.
In 1989, Tauscher moved to California
and later founded the first national research service to help parents verify the background of childcare
workers. She also published The ChildCare Sourcebook and headed the Tauscher Foundation, which provided funds for elementary school
s to buy computer
s and Internet
access
.
, Tauscher was active in Democratic
circles as a fundraiser
and also chaired
Dianne Feinstein
's successful 1992
and 1994 Senate campaigns
.
In 1996, Tauscher ran against two-term Republican
incumbent Bill Baker
in California's 10th congressional district
election. During the campaign, Tauscher emphasized family issues and her support for business
, the environment
, and the military
, while charging that Baker was too conservative for the district, particularly given his opposition to abortion
and gun control
. She narrowly defeated Baker, claiming victory by a margin of 1.45% of the vote. The race was ranked as the fourth most expensive of that year's 435 House races.
Tauscher was re-elected in 1998 and 2000 against vigorous Republican opposition. While the 10th district was once considered "solid Republican territory," most Bay Area Republicans tend to be more moderate than their counterparts in the rest of California and have been increasingly willing to support Democrats at the national level.
In 2000, Tauscher was made much safer when some of the more Republican-leaning parts of her district were cut out as part of state-wide redistricting. They were replaced with more Democratic territory near Sacramento and Berkeley. She has since been re-elected for four more terms with no substantive opposition, never dropping below 65 percent of the vote since 2002.
On March 18, 2009, Tauscher announced that she had accepted the position of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She was confirmed by the United States Senate
on June 25, 2009 by unanimous consent
.
Notwithstanding her appointment, confirmation and acceptance, she served as Speaker Pro Tempore on June 26, 2009, when the House narrowly passed (219-212) a cap-and-trade global warming bill.
Tauscher resigned her seat on June 26, 2009, after voting was finished on the American Clean Energy & Security Act. Her resignation necessitated a special election
.
Democrat, Tauscher was the chairwoman of the New Democrat Coalition
, a caucus
of moderate Democrats in the House. She also served as vice-chairwoman of the Democratic Leadership Council
from 2001 to 2005. Tauscher became a target of liberal activists after the Democrats took back control of the House of Representatives in 2006, but is strongly supported by House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi
and House Majority Leader
Steny Hoyer
. She warned her Democratic colleagues that "getting the majority [in the House] and running over the left cliff is what our Republican opponents would dearly love." Her politically moderate ideology has been dubbed by TIME Magazine as "Tauscherism."
Tauscher has received a 11% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union
, and a 95% rating for her 2008 voting record from Americans for Democratic Action
. Based upon her voting record and statements, OnTheIssues.org
has described her as a "Libertarian
-leaning Liberal."
She supports universal health care
and, in particular, covering uninsured
children through the State Children's Health Insurance Program
(SCHIP). She also supports scaling back the estate tax
, tightening bankruptcy
rules, and expanding free trade
.
, with a 100% positive rating from NARAL
. She voted against bans on late-term
and partial-birth abortions
.
She also supports federal funding of stem cell research
, voting in favor of both Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
s.
, but has also said that "we should keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those with history of violence." She has called for "common sense gun safety legislation that strikes a balance between Second Amendment protections and protections for the public."
She supports arming commercial pilots
, requiring background check
s of legal gun owners, and banning Saturday night special
s. She has received an F rating from the National Rifle Association
.
, approving the use of military force in
Iraq
. However, she has since become a critic of the Iraq War, while continuing to vote for the War (see HR 1585"HR-1585 Iraq War Funding" Retrieved from http://www.my-representative.org/report.php?csn=110&RegionCode=CA-10). In December 2005, Tauscher led a group of twenty-two other House Democrats in sending a letter to President
George W. Bush
urging him to withdraw U.S. troops
, expressing the hope that the "Iraqi government
takes increased responsibility" for its political and security needs. She later voted to redeploy troops out of Iraq within 90 days and even to impeach President Bush
over the war to appease her constituents.
, once saying, "Marriage
is a civil right
. When we withhold it from one segment of the population we are doing a disservice to the principles of fairness and equality upon which our country was founded." In 2006, she voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment
, which would have constitutionally
defined marriage as being between a man and woman.
She supports repealing the "Don't ask, don't tell
" policy and is opposed to banning gays from the
Boy Scouts
. She has a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign
, the largest gay rights advocacy group in the United States
.
On March 3, 2009 Tauscher introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act
of 2009 to the House of Representatives
.
. Prior to their divorce
in 1999, she was married to Republican businessman
William Tauscher, former Chairman and CEO
of Vanstar Corporation
, current director
of Safeway, Inc., and founder of the Tauscher Group, which invests and assists in the management of enterprises in home products, transportation, security and real estate
. She has a daughter, Katherine (b. 1991).
On the same day as her taking the office of Undersecretary she married retired airline pilot Jim Cieslak.
In 2010, Ms. Tauscher was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
The Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs is a position within the U.S. Department of State that serves as Senior Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State for Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament...
. She was a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing California's 10th congressional district
California's 10th congressional district
California's 10th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California in the East San Francisco Bay Area region of Northern California....
from 1997 until her resignation in 2009 upon joining the State Department.
Early life and career
Ellen Tauscher was born in NewarkNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Her parents were a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
and a shop steward
Union steward
A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company, who represents and defends the interests of her/his fellow employees but who is also a labor union official...
for the United Food and Commercial Workers
United Food and Commercial Workers
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is a labor union representing approximately 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada in many industries, including agriculture, health care, meatpacking, poultry and food processing, manufacturing, textile, G4S Security, chemical...
Union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. The first member of her family to attend college, she graduated in 1974 from Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in early childhood education
Early childhood education
Early childhood education is the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. 'Early childhood' is usually defined as before the age of normal schooling - five years in most nations, though the U.S...
.
She then worked as an investment banker with Bache & Co.
Bache & Co.
Bache & Company was a securities deim that provided stock brokerage and investment banking services. The firm, which was founded in 1879, was based in New York, New York....
and, at age 25, became a member of the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
. She also served as an officer of the American Stock Exchange
American Stock Exchange
NYSE Amex Equities, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008, NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the...
from 1979 to 1983, after which she worked for Bear Stearns
Bear Stearns
The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc. based in New York City, was a global investment bank and securities trading and brokerage, until its sale to JPMorgan Chase in 2008 during the global financial crisis and recession...
and a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Drexel Burnham Lambert
Drexel Burnham Lambert
Drexel Burnham Lambert was a major Wall Street investment banking firm, which first rose to prominence and then was forced into bankruptcy in February 1990 by its involvement in illegal activities in the junk bond market, driven by Drexel employee Michael Milken. At its height, it was the...
.
In 1989, Tauscher moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and later founded the first national research service to help parents verify the background of childcare
Childcare
Child care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
workers. She also published The ChildCare Sourcebook and headed the Tauscher Foundation, which provided funds for elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s to buy computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
access
Internet access
Many technologies and service plans for Internet access allow customers to connect to the Internet.Consumer use first became popular through dial-up connections in the 20th century....
.
Political career
Before running for the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Tauscher was active in Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
circles as a fundraiser
Fundraiser
A fundraiser is an event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause. See also: fundraising. A fundraiser can also be an individual or company whose primary job is to raise money for a specific charity or non-profit organization...
and also chaired
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
's successful 1992
United States Senate elections, 1992
The 1992 United States Senate election was an election for the United States Senate in which the victory of Bill Clinton in the presidential election was not accompanied by major Democratic gains in the Senate....
and 1994 Senate campaigns
United States Senate elections, 1994
The U.S. Senate election, 1994 was an election held on November 8, in which the Republican Party was able to take control of the Senate from the Democrats. In a midterm election, the opposition Republicans held the traditional advantage...
.
In 1996, Tauscher ran against two-term Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Bill Baker
William P. Baker
William Pond Baker is a former United States Congressman from California. He attended San Jose State University, from which he earned a business degree. Baker served as a member of the United States Coast Guard reserve from 1957 to 1965.After graduating from college, Baker worked as a budget...
in California's 10th congressional district
California's 10th congressional district
California's 10th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California in the East San Francisco Bay Area region of Northern California....
election. During the campaign, Tauscher emphasized family issues and her support for business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, the environment
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, and the military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, while charging that Baker was too conservative for the district, particularly given his opposition to abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
. She narrowly defeated Baker, claiming victory by a margin of 1.45% of the vote. The race was ranked as the fourth most expensive of that year's 435 House races.
Tauscher was re-elected in 1998 and 2000 against vigorous Republican opposition. While the 10th district was once considered "solid Republican territory," most Bay Area Republicans tend to be more moderate than their counterparts in the rest of California and have been increasingly willing to support Democrats at the national level.
In 2000, Tauscher was made much safer when some of the more Republican-leaning parts of her district were cut out as part of state-wide redistricting. They were replaced with more Democratic territory near Sacramento and Berkeley. She has since been re-elected for four more terms with no substantive opposition, never dropping below 65 percent of the vote since 2002.
On March 18, 2009, Tauscher announced that she had accepted the position of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on June 25, 2009 by unanimous consent
Unanimous consent
In parliamentary procedure, unanimous consent, also known as general consent, or in the case of the parliaments under the Westminster system, leave of the house, is a situation in which no one present objects to a proposal. The chair may state, for instance: "If there is no objection, the motion...
.
Notwithstanding her appointment, confirmation and acceptance, she served as Speaker Pro Tempore on June 26, 2009, when the House narrowly passed (219-212) a cap-and-trade global warming bill.
Tauscher resigned her seat on June 26, 2009, after voting was finished on the American Clean Energy & Security Act. Her resignation necessitated a special election
California's 10th congressional district special election, 2009
California's 10th congressional district special election, 2009 was held on November 3, 2009, to fill the vacancy caused in California's 10th congressional district by the resignation of Ellen Tauscher...
.
Caucuses
During her most recent term in the House, Tauscher served as co-chair of the Iraqi Women's Caucus, Department of Energy Facilities Caucus, Army Corps Reform Caucus, Intelligent Transportation Systems Caucus, and Research and Development Caucus.Political views
A leading centristThird way (centrism)
The Third Way refers to various political positions which try to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of right-wing economic and left-wing social policies. Third Way approaches are commonly viewed from within the first- and second-way perspectives as...
Democrat, Tauscher was the chairwoman of the New Democrat Coalition
New Democrat Coalition
The New Democrat Coalition is a Congressional Member Organization within the United States Congress made up of Democrats who support an agenda that the organization describes as moderate and pro-growth. A July 2009 Press release described the organization as "the largest moderate coalition in the U.S...
, a caucus
Congressional caucus
A congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress that meets to pursue common legislative objectives. Formally, caucuses are formed as congressional member organizations through the United States House of Representatives and governed under the rules of that chamber...
of moderate Democrats in the House. She also served as vice-chairwoman of the Democratic Leadership Council
Democratic Leadership Council
The Democratic Leadership Council was a non-profit 501 corporation that, upon its formation, argued the United States Democratic Party should shift away from the leftward turn it took in the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
from 2001 to 2005. Tauscher became a target of liberal activists after the Democrats took back control of the House of Representatives in 2006, but is strongly supported by House Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
and House Majority Leader
Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives
Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in a closed-door caucus by secret ballot and are also known as floor leaders. The U.S. House of Representatives does not officially use the term "Minority Leader", although the media frequently does...
Steny Hoyer
Steny Hoyer
Steny Hamilton Hoyer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. The district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. She warned her Democratic colleagues that "getting the majority [in the House] and running over the left cliff is what our Republican opponents would dearly love." Her politically moderate ideology has been dubbed by TIME Magazine as "Tauscherism."
Tauscher has received a 11% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
, and a 95% rating for her 2008 voting record from Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.-History:...
. Based upon her voting record and statements, OnTheIssues.org
On the Issues
On The Issues or OnTheIssues is a non-partisan, non-profit organization providing information to voters about candidates, primarily via their web site. This organization was started in 1996, went non-profit in 2000, and is currently run primarily by volunteers.The president and CEO of On the...
has described her as a "Libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
-leaning Liberal."
She supports universal health care
Universal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
and, in particular, covering uninsured
Health insurance in the United States
The term health insurance is commonly used in the United States to describe any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance or a non-insurance social welfare program funded by the government...
children through the State Children's Health Insurance Program
State Children's Health Insurance Program
The State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
(SCHIP). She also supports scaling back the estate tax
Estate tax in the United States
The estate tax in the United States is a tax imposed on the transfer of the "taxable estate" of a deceased person, whether such property is transferred via a will, according to the state laws of intestacy or otherwise made as an incident of the death of the owner, such as a transfer of property...
, tightening bankruptcy
Bankruptcy in the United States
Bankruptcy in the United States is governed under the United States Constitution which authorizes Congress to enact "uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States." Congress has exercised this authority several times since 1801, most recently by adopting the Bankruptcy...
rules, and expanding free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
.
Abortion
Tauscher is strongly pro-choicePro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
, with a 100% positive rating from NARAL
NARAL Pro-Choice America
NARAL Pro-Choice America , formerly the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, then National Abortion Rights Action League, and later National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, is an organization in the United States that engages in political action to oppose...
. She voted against bans on late-term
Late-term abortion
Late termination of pregnancy or late-term abortions are abortions which are performed during a later stage of pregnancy. Late-term abortions are more controversial than abortion in general because the fetus is more developed and sometimes viable.-Definition:A late-term abortion often refers to an...
and partial-birth abortions
Intact dilation and extraction
Intact dilation and extraction is a procedure done in late term abortion. It is also known as intact dilation and evacuation, dilation and extraction , intrauterine cranial decompression and, vernacularly in the United States, as partial birth abortion...
.
She also supports federal funding of stem cell research
Stem cell controversy
The stem cell controversy is the ethical debate primarily concerning the creation, treatment, and destruction of human embryos incident to research involving embryonic stem cells. Not all stem cell research involves the creation, use, or destruction of human embryos...
, voting in favor of both Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act was the name of two similar bills that both passed through the United States House of Representatives and Senate, but were both vetoed by President George W. Bush and were not enacted into law...
s.
Gun rights
Tauscher is in favor of more extensive gun control. She has expressed her support for the Second AmendmentSecond Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights.In 2008 and 2010, the Supreme Court issued two Second...
, but has also said that "we should keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those with history of violence." She has called for "common sense gun safety legislation that strikes a balance between Second Amendment protections and protections for the public."
She supports arming commercial pilots
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, requiring background check
Background check
A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual....
s of legal gun owners, and banning Saturday night special
Saturday night special
The phrase Saturday night special is pejorative slang used in the United States and Canada for any inexpensive handgun. Saturday night specials have been defined as compact, inexpensive handguns with low perceived quality; however, there is no official definition of "Saturday night special" under...
s. She has received an F rating from the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
.
Iraq war
In October 2002, Tauscher voted in favor of the Iraq ResolutionIraq Resolution
The Iraq Resolution or the Iraq War Resolution is a joint resolution passed by the United States Congress in October 2002 as Public Law No: 107-243, authorizing military action against Iraq.-Contents:The resolution cited many factors to justify the use of military force against...
, approving the use of military force in
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. However, she has since become a critic of the Iraq War, while continuing to vote for the War (see HR 1585"HR-1585 Iraq War Funding" Retrieved from http://www.my-representative.org/report.php?csn=110&RegionCode=CA-10). In December 2005, Tauscher led a group of twenty-two other House Democrats in sending a letter to President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
urging him to withdraw U.S. troops
Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq
The withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq has been a contentious issue within the United States since the beginning of the Iraq War. As the war has progressed from its initial 2003 invasion phase to a multi-year occupation, U.S. public opinion has turned in favor of troop withdrawal...
, expressing the hope that the "Iraqi government
Politics of Iraq
The politics of Iraq takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. It is a multi-party system whereby the executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers as the head of government, as well as the President of Iraq, and...
takes increased responsibility" for its political and security needs. She later voted to redeploy troops out of Iraq within 90 days and even to impeach President Bush
Movement to impeach George W. Bush
During the presidency of George W. Bush, several American politicians sought to either investigate Bush for allegedly impeachable offenses, or to bring actual impeachment charges on the floor of the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee...
over the war to appease her constituents.
LGBT issues
Tauscher is a proponent of same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, once saying, "Marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
is a civil right
Human rights in the United States
Human rights in the United States are legally protected by the Constitution of the United States and amendments, conferred by treaty, and enacted legislatively through Congress, state legislatures, and plebiscites...
. When we withhold it from one segment of the population we are doing a disservice to the principles of fairness and equality upon which our country was founded." In 2006, she voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment
Federal Marriage Amendment
The Federal Marriage Amendment H.J. Res. 56 was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution which would have limited marriage in the United States to unions of one man and one woman...
, which would have constitutionally
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
defined marriage as being between a man and woman.
She supports repealing the "Don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
" policy and is opposed to banning gays from the
Boy Scouts of America membership controversies
The Boy Scouts of America , one of the largest private youth organizations in the United States, has policies which prohibit atheists and agnostics from membership in its Scouting program, and prohibit "avowed" homosexual people from leadership roles in its Scouting program as directly violating...
Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
. She has a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
, the largest gay rights advocacy group in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
On March 3, 2009 Tauscher introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act
Military Readiness Enhancement Act
The Military Readiness Enhancement Act is a bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 109th and 110th Congress by Marty Meehan and the 111th Congress by Ellen Tauscher...
of 2009 to the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Personal life
Tauscher lives in AlamoAlamo, California
Alamo is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, in the United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
. Prior to their divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
in 1999, she was married to Republican businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
William Tauscher, former Chairman and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Vanstar Corporation
ComputerLand
ComputerLand was a widespread chain of retail computer stores during the early years of the personal computer "revolution", and was one of the outlets chosen to introduce the IBM PC in 1981. The first ComputerLand opened in 1976, and the chain eventually included about 800 stores by 1985...
, current director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Safeway, Inc., and founder of the Tauscher Group, which invests and assists in the management of enterprises in home products, transportation, security and real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
. She has a daughter, Katherine (b. 1991).
On the same day as her taking the office of Undersecretary she married retired airline pilot Jim Cieslak.
In 2010, Ms. Tauscher was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.
Electoral history
External links
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Ellen Tauscher profile
- Criticism, Frontpagemag Article On Tauscher