Jerry Moran
Encyclopedia
Jerry Moran is the junior U.S. Senator
from Kansas
and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing .
Raised in Plainville, Kansas
, Moran graduated from the University of Kansas
and the University of Kansas School of Law
. He worked in private law and served as the state special assistant attorney general (1982–85) and deputy attorney of Rooks County
(1987–95). He served in the Kansas Senate
(1989–1997), and was majority leader
for his last two years. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and served six terms with little electoral opposition. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in a landslide in 2010. He is the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and has a strongly conservative voting record.
, Kansas
, but was raised in Plainville
. He attended Fort Hays State University
before enrolling at the University of Kansas
in Lawrence
, where he earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in economics in 1976. While attending the University of Kansas, he worked as a summer intern for U.S. Representative
Keith Sebelius
in 1974, when impeachment proceedings were being prepared against President
Richard Nixon
.
Moran worked as a banker before receiving his Juris Doctor
from the University of Kansas School of Law
in 1982. He practiced law at Stinson, Mag & Fizzell in Kansas City
, and later joined Jeter & Larson Law Firm in Hays
, where he practiced law for fifteen years. In addition to his law practice, he served as the state special assistant attorney general (1982–85) and deputy attorney of Rooks County
(1987–95). He also served as an adjunct professor of political science at Fort Hays State University.
. He served two years as the Vice President and his last two years as majority leader.
, against whom he received almost 79 percent of the vote—one of the highest totals for a Republican congressional incumbent in that election.
As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Congressman Moran worked with colleagues to craft legislation to aid Kansas farms and ranches. Moran was also an active member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where he served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.
From 2003 through 2005, $14.7 billion in crop subsidies went to the congressional districts of members on the House Committee on Agriculture, an analysis by the non-partisan Environmental Working Group found. That was 42.4% of the total subsidies. Moran's district is reported to have received $1.32 billion.
nominee for U.S. Senate in Kansas
. He defeated fellow Congressman Todd Tiahrt in the Senate primary. In the general election Moran faced Democrat
Lisa Johnston, Libertarian
Michael Dann, and Reform Party
candidate Joe Bellis. A SurveyUSA
election poll released on August 16, 2010 had Moran receiving 69% of the votes, Johnston receiving 23%, Dann receiving 2%, and Bellis receiving 2% of the vote, with 3% of the vote undecided.
(R-Okla.), recently introduced legislation, S. 989, the Flint Hills Preservation Act, to protect the ability of landowners in the Flint Hills to use prescribed fire as a tool to preserve the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Moran also joined U.S. Senator David Vitter
(R-La.) in introducing the 3-D Act: The Domestic Jobs, Domestic Energy, and Deficit Reduction Act of 2011.
reform package of 2003. He also opposed President Obama's health care reform bill in 2010. In May 2011, Moran sponsored S. 1058, the Pharmacy Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2011, legislation intended to increase choice and cost savings for patients in Kansas and across the country. He believes reducing the costs of medical services, equipment, insurance, and prescription drugs are necessary to ensure adequate health care. In the House, he served as Co-Chairman of the House Rural Health Care Coalition and co-founder of the Congressional Community Pharmacy Coalition.
, Fort Riley
, McConnell Air Force Base
and the 35th Infantry Division.
In the early 2000s, Moran opposed a timetable for military withdrawal from Iraq.
Moran worked to bring the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Once constructed, NBAF will conduct animal disease research intended to secure America's food supply and protect citizens and animals from the threat of foreign animal disease.
rated his voting record “A” in its scorecard.
. He also opposes "cap and trade" legislation intended to reduce climate change because of its potential to eliminate thousands of jobs.
. The Family Research Council
rated his voting record 100% in its scorecard.
. The Human Rights Campaign
rated his voting record as zero in its last five scorecards.
in 2010 and Alex is currently a student.
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...
from Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing .
Raised in Plainville, Kansas
Plainville, Kansas
Plainville is a city in Rooks County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,903.-19th century:The area was first settled in 1877 by Hiram Keas. Plainville, previously known as Paradise Flats, was established in 1888, in Rooks County, Kansas...
, Moran graduated from the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
and the University of Kansas School of Law
University of Kansas School of Law
The University of Kansas School of Law is a public law school located on the main campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The University of Kansas Law School was founded in 1893, replacing the earlier Department of Law, which had existed since 1878. The school has more than 50...
. He worked in private law and served as the state special assistant attorney general (1982–85) and deputy attorney of Rooks County
Rooks County, Kansas
Rooks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 5,181. The county seat is Stockton and the largest city is Plainville. The county was named for Private John C...
(1987–95). He served in the Kansas Senate
Kansas Senate
The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four year term....
(1989–1997), and was majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
for his last two years. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and served six terms with little electoral opposition. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in a landslide in 2010. He is the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and has a strongly conservative voting record.
Early life, education and career
Moran was born in Great BendGreat Bend, Kansas
Great Bend, named for its location at the historic big bend of the Arkansas River, is the most populous city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,995.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, but was raised in Plainville
Plainville, Kansas
Plainville is a city in Rooks County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,903.-19th century:The area was first settled in 1877 by Hiram Keas. Plainville, previously known as Paradise Flats, was established in 1888, in Rooks County, Kansas...
. He attended Fort Hays State University
Fort Hays State University
Fort Hays State University is a public, co-educational university located in Hays, Kansas, United States. It is the fourth-largest of the six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, with an enrollment of approximately 11,200 students .- History :FHSU was founded in 1902 as the...
before enrolling at the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
in Lawrence
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, where he earned 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 economics in 1976. While attending the University of Kansas, he worked as a summer intern for U.S. Representative
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...
Keith Sebelius
Keith Sebelius
Keith George Sebelius was an American politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1981....
in 1974, when impeachment proceedings were being prepared against 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....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
Moran worked as a banker before receiving his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Kansas School of Law
University of Kansas School of Law
The University of Kansas School of Law is a public law school located on the main campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The University of Kansas Law School was founded in 1893, replacing the earlier Department of Law, which had existed since 1878. The school has more than 50...
in 1982. He practiced law at Stinson, Mag & Fizzell in Kansas City
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, and later joined Jeter & Larson Law Firm in Hays
Hays, Kansas
Hays is a city in and the county seat of Ellis County, Kansas, United States. The largest city in northwestern Kansas, it is the economic and cultural center of the region. It is also a college town, home to Fort Hays State University...
, where he practiced law for fifteen years. In addition to his law practice, he served as the state special assistant attorney general (1982–85) and deputy attorney of Rooks County
Rooks County, Kansas
Rooks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 5,181. The county seat is Stockton and the largest city is Plainville. The county was named for Private John C...
(1987–95). He also served as an adjunct professor of political science at Fort Hays State University.
Kansas Senate
Moran served for eight years (1989–1997) in the Kansas SenateKansas Senate
The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four year term....
. He served two years as the Vice President and his last two years as majority leader.
Elections
Moran was elected to Congress in 1996 and reelected five times, never facing serious opposition in the conservative 1st district. In 2006, his opponent for the 2006 midterm election was John DollJohn Doll (Kansas politician)
John Doll was a Democratic candidate for Congress in Kansas's 1st congressional district. He was defeated by the incumbent Republican Jerry Moran....
, against whom he received almost 79 percent of the vote—one of the highest totals for a Republican congressional incumbent in that election.
Tenure
During his time in the House of Representatives, Jerry Moran conducted an annual town hall meeting in each of the 69 counties in Kansas' "Big First" Congressional District. He continues the tradition in the U.S. Senate for all 105 counties.As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, then-Congressman Moran worked with colleagues to craft legislation to aid Kansas farms and ranches. Moran was also an active member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where he served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.
From 2003 through 2005, $14.7 billion in crop subsidies went to the congressional districts of members on the House Committee on Agriculture, an analysis by the non-partisan Environmental Working Group found. That was 42.4% of the total subsidies. Moran's district is reported to have received $1.32 billion.
Elections
Moran was the 2010 RepublicanRepublican 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...
nominee for U.S. Senate in Kansas
United States Senate election in Kansas, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate election in Kansas took place on November 2, 2010 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Sam...
. He defeated fellow Congressman Todd Tiahrt in the Senate primary. In the general election Moran faced Democrat
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...
Lisa Johnston, Libertarian
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
Michael Dann, and Reform Party
Reform Party of the United States of America
The Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot...
candidate Joe Bellis. A SurveyUSA
SurveyUSA
SurveyUSA is a polling firm in the United States. It conducts market research for corporations and interest groups, but is best known for conducting opinion polls for various political offices and questions...
election poll released on August 16, 2010 had Moran receiving 69% of the votes, Johnston receiving 23%, Dann receiving 2%, and Bellis receiving 2% of the vote, with 3% of the vote undecided.
Committee assignments
- United States Senate Special Committee on AgingUnited States Senate Special Committee on AgingThe United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was initially established in 1961 as a temporary committee; it became a permanent Senate committee in 1977...
- United States Senate Committee on AppropriationsUnited States Senate Committee on AppropriationsThe United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (Ranking member)
- Subcommittee on Homeland SecurityUnited States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland SecurityU.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security is one of twelve subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. It was formally established in 2003 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to oversee national security programs and the newly created...
- Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection
- Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community DevelopmentUnited States Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community DevelopmentThe Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and InvestmentUnited States Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and InvestmentThe Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsUnited States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsThe United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and...
- Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight
- Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia
- United States Senate Committee on Small Business and EntrepreneurshipUnited States Senate Committee on Small Business and EntrepreneurshipThe U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration and is also charged with researching and investigating all problems of American small business enterprises.-History:The...
- United States Senate Committee on Veterans' AffairsUnited States Senate Committee on Veterans' AffairsThe United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans issues.-Members, 112th Congress:The Committee is chaired by Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, and the Ranking Member is Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.Source: -Chairmen of the Senate...
Agriculture
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and U.S. Senator Jim InhofeJim Inhofe
James Mountain "Jim" Inhofe is the senior Senator from Oklahoma and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1994, he is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and was its chairman from 2003 to 2007. Inhofe served eight...
(R-Okla.), recently introduced legislation, S. 989, the Flint Hills Preservation Act, to protect the ability of landowners in the Flint Hills to use prescribed fire as a tool to preserve the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Moran also joined U.S. Senator David Vitter
David Vitter
David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
(R-La.) in introducing the 3-D Act: The Domestic Jobs, Domestic Energy, and Deficit Reduction Act of 2011.
Health Care
Moran opposed the MedicareMedicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
reform package of 2003. He also opposed President Obama's health care reform bill in 2010. In May 2011, Moran sponsored S. 1058, the Pharmacy Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2011, legislation intended to increase choice and cost savings for patients in Kansas and across the country. He believes reducing the costs of medical services, equipment, insurance, and prescription drugs are necessary to ensure adequate health care. In the House, he served as Co-Chairman of the House Rural Health Care Coalition and co-founder of the Congressional Community Pharmacy Coalition.
National Security and Military
Senator Moran believes that a strong national defense is the federal government’s primary Constitutional responsibility. Kansas is home to Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. The base was named in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II...
and the 35th Infantry Division.
In the early 2000s, Moran opposed a timetable for military withdrawal from Iraq.
Moran worked to bring the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Once constructed, NBAF will conduct animal disease research intended to secure America's food supply and protect citizens and animals from the threat of foreign animal disease.
Education
Moran supports accountability metrics for public schools, but believes federal initiatives need to provide flexibility to states. In 2001, Moran voted against passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) because he felt it did not afford sufficient flexibility to schools.Gun rights
Moran generally supports the right to bear arms. The National Rifle AssociationNational 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...
rated his voting record “A” in its scorecard.
Environment
Moran has opposed environmental protection, earning a lifetime score of 9% from the League of Conservation VotersLeague of Conservation Voters
The League of Conservation Voters is a political advocacy organization founded in 1969 by American environmentalist David Brower in the early years of the environmental movement. LCV's mission is to "advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt...
. He also opposes "cap and trade" legislation intended to reduce climate change because of its potential to eliminate thousands of jobs.
Abortion
Moran is pro-lifePro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
. The Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
rated his voting record 100% in its scorecard.
Gay rights
Moran opposes same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
. 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...
rated his voting record as zero in its last five scorecards.
Personal life
At home, Moran volunteers his time with several community organizations. He is a trustee of the Eisenhower Foundation, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Fort Hays State University Endowment Association, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Coronado Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He is also the 2008 Honorary Chair of the Law Enforcement Torch Run of the Kansas Special Olympics. Moran has two daughters, Kelsey and Alex. Kelsey graduated from Kansas State UniversityKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
in 2010 and Alex is currently a student.
External links
- U.S. Senator Jerry Moran official U.S. Senate site
- Jerry Moran for U.S. Senate official campaign site