John Carter (Texas politician)
Encyclopedia
John Rice Carter is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party
. Carter was elected Secretary of the House Republican Conference
by his colleagues on November 17, 2006.
with a degree in history in 1964, and earned a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law
in 1969.
After graduating from law school, Carter served as the first general counsel to the Texas House of Representatives
’ Agriculture Committee. Carter later began a successful private law practice in Round Rock.
In 1981, Carter was appointed as judge of the 277th District Court of Williamson County
. He was elected to the post a year later — the first Republican elected to a countywide position in Williamson County. He was reelected four times, usually with 60% of the vote.
A staunch fiscal and social conservative, Carter prides himself on having raised a family built on what he calls "Texas Values."
Carter is best known as the author of a law that made it easier to prove identity theft
and provides stiff penalties for the offense. It was signed into law by George W. Bush
in 2004.
Also, when Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House of Representatives recessed in August 2008 for five weeks, Congressman Carter was one of many Republicans who stayed in Washington. This was part of a GOP protest, in which they claimed that Congress should not have recessed for five weeks without addressing the energy crisis many Americans were facing. The Sunlight Foundation
pointed out that as of 2008 among the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Carter had the second-highest amount of investment in oil stocks.
.
On September 15, 2009, Carter called the 111th Congress a "house of hypocrisy" after the House of Representatives voted to rebuke South Carolina
Representative Joe Wilson
for his outburst, but would not go after New York Representative and House Ways and Means Chair Charlie Rangel, who has been the subject of numerous ethical problems involving taxes and property. Carter is also a proponent of the "Rangel Rule," where IRS
penalties and interest would be eliminated if one paid back taxes, similar to the treatment Rangel, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and former South Dakota
Senator (and one-time Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee) Tom Daschle
received after their tax problems were made public.
Carter introduced a "Privileged Resolution" that would have forced the resignation of Rangel from his position as House Ways and Means Committee Chair after he declined to resign voluntarily citing the inaction of the House Democratic Caucus and the ongoing investigations as reasons. The resolution failed but it was noted that two Mississippi
Democrats, Gene Taylor and Travis Childers
, broke party ranks and voted with Republicans.
Although a critic of the accuracy of Rangel's financial disclosures, Carter voluntarily amended his financial disclosure forms in mid-October 2009 to list nearly $300,000 in capital gains from the sale of Exxon stock in 2006 and 2007. Though Carter listed the sale of the assets, he did not list the actual amount of capital gains, on which he did pay taxes.
On November 16, 2009, Carter introduced legislation to give combatant casualty status to the victims of the Fort Hood shooting
, similar to those who were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In February 2010, after Charlie Rangel was found to have broken House rules, Carter again demanded that Rangel step down. Rangel later stepped down, avoiding a third attempt at a privileged resolution to remove Rangel. Ever after stepping down, Carter continued to demand that Democrats comply by their promises of running the "most ethical Congress in history" and to "drain the swamp" that were made in 2006 after Democrats took over the House.
in this heavily Republican district. He has been reelected twice without facing serious opposition.
Carter originally represented a district that stretched from the suburbs of Austin to the fringes of the Houston suburbs, and also included College Station, home of Texas A&M University
. As a result of the 2003 Texas redistricting
, however, Carter now represents a district stretching from the fringes of the Metroplex through more rural portions of Central Texas. The 31st District now includes Ft. Hood, home of the US Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Cavalry Division.
.
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...
for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party
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...
. Carter was elected Secretary of the House Republican Conference
Republican Conference Secretary of the United States House of Representatives
This is a list of Secretaries of the Republican Conference of the United States House of Representatives.* Jack Edwards of Alabama * Clair Burgener of California * Robert J...
by his colleagues on November 17, 2006.
Early life, education and career
Carter was born in Houston, but has spent most of his life in central Texas. Carter graduated from Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
with a degree in history in 1964, and earned a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law
University of Texas School of Law
The University of Texas School of Law, also known as UT Law, is an ABA-certified American law school located on the University of Texas at Austin campus. The law school has been in operation since the founding of the University in 1883. It was one of only two schools at the University when it was...
in 1969.
After graduating from law school, Carter served as the first general counsel to the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
’ Agriculture Committee. Carter later began a successful private law practice in Round Rock.
In 1981, Carter was appointed as judge of the 277th District Court of Williamson County
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
. He was elected to the post a year later — the first Republican elected to a countywide position in Williamson County. He was reelected four times, usually with 60% of the vote.
Committee assignments
- Committee on AppropriationsUnited States House Committee on AppropriationsThe Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States...
- Subcommittee on Homeland SecurityUnited States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland SecurityThe House Subcommittee on Homeland Security is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:**...
- Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (Vice Chair)
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security
- Republican Study CommitteeRepublican Study CommitteeThe Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
- Tea Party CaucusTea Party CaucusThe Tea Party Caucus is a caucus of the United States House of Representatives and Senate launched and chaired by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann on July 16, 2010. The caucus is dedicated to promoting what it considers fiscal responsibility, adherence to the movement's interpretation of...
Party leadership and caucus memberships
- House Army Caucus
- House Republican ConferenceRepublican Conference of the United States House of RepresentativesThe House Republican Conference is the party caucus for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. It hosts meetings and is the primary forum for communicating the party's message to members...
(Secretary) - International Conservation CaucusUnited States Congressional International Conservation CaucusThe U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus is a bipartisan congressional organization that was founded in September 2003 with the conviction that “the United States of America has the opportunity, the obligation and the interests to advance the conservation of natural resources for...
- Republican Steering Committee
- Sportsmen's Caucus
- Tea Party CaucusTea Party CaucusThe Tea Party Caucus is a caucus of the United States House of Representatives and Senate launched and chaired by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann on July 16, 2010. The caucus is dedicated to promoting what it considers fiscal responsibility, adherence to the movement's interpretation of...
A staunch fiscal and social conservative, Carter prides himself on having raised a family built on what he calls "Texas Values."
Carter is best known as the author of a law that made it easier to prove identity theft
Identity theft
Identity theft is a form of stealing another person's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name...
and provides stiff penalties for the offense. It was signed into law by 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....
in 2004.
110th Congress
In the 110th Congress, Congressman Carter has sponsored and co-sponsored a number of bills including the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, the Terrorist Death Penalty Act of 2008, and a bill condemning the vandalism of the Vietnam War Memorial on the National Mall. On the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Carter introduced an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill to provide $12 million in funding to the section 287(g) of the Immigration Nationality Act (INA) which allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate enforcement powers to state and local law enforcement allowing them to investigate, detain and arrest criminal aliens. However, this amendment was defeated in committee.Also, when Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House of Representatives recessed in August 2008 for five weeks, Congressman Carter was one of many Republicans who stayed in Washington. This was part of a GOP protest, in which they claimed that Congress should not have recessed for five weeks without addressing the energy crisis many Americans were facing. The Sunlight Foundation
Sunlight Foundation
The Sunlight Foundation is a 501 educational organization founded in April 2006 with the goal of increasing transparency and accountability in the United States government....
pointed out that as of 2008 among the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Carter had the second-highest amount of investment in oil stocks.
111th Congress
On June 12, 2009, Carter signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1503, the bill introduced as a reaction to conspiracy theories which claimed that U.S. President Barack Obama is not a natural born U.S. citizenBarack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories about the citizenship of Barack Obama claim that Barack Obama is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and is therefore not eligible to be President of the United States under Article Two of the U.S. Constitution. Some theories allege that Obama was born in Kenya, not...
.
On September 15, 2009, Carter called the 111th Congress a "house of hypocrisy" after the House of Representatives voted to rebuke South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
Representative Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson (U.S. politician)
Addison Graves Wilson, Sr., most commonly known as Joe Wilson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party...
for his outburst, but would not go after New York Representative and House Ways and Means Chair Charlie Rangel, who has been the subject of numerous ethical problems involving taxes and property. Carter is also a proponent of the "Rangel Rule," where IRS
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
penalties and interest would be eliminated if one paid back taxes, similar to the treatment Rangel, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and former South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
Senator (and one-time Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee) Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Daschle is a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
received after their tax problems were made public.
Carter introduced a "Privileged Resolution" that would have forced the resignation of Rangel from his position as House Ways and Means Committee Chair after he declined to resign voluntarily citing the inaction of the House Democratic Caucus and the ongoing investigations as reasons. The resolution failed but it was noted that two Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Democrats, Gene Taylor and Travis Childers
Travis Childers
Travis Wayne Childers is the former U.S. Representative from , serving from the 2008 special election until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of the northern portion of the state including New Albany, Columbus, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo...
, broke party ranks and voted with Republicans.
Although a critic of the accuracy of Rangel's financial disclosures, Carter voluntarily amended his financial disclosure forms in mid-October 2009 to list nearly $300,000 in capital gains from the sale of Exxon stock in 2006 and 2007. Though Carter listed the sale of the assets, he did not list the actual amount of capital gains, on which he did pay taxes.
On November 16, 2009, Carter introduced legislation to give combatant casualty status to the victims of the Fort Hood shooting
Fort Hood shooting
The Fort Hood shooting was a mass shooting that took place on November 5, 2009, at Fort Hood, the most populous U.S. military installation in the world, located just outside Killeen, Texas. In the course of the shooting, a single gunman killed 13 people and wounded 29 others...
, similar to those who were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In February 2010, after Charlie Rangel was found to have broken House rules, Carter again demanded that Rangel step down. Rangel later stepped down, avoiding a third attempt at a privileged resolution to remove Rangel. Ever after stepping down, Carter continued to demand that Democrats comply by their promises of running the "most ethical Congress in history" and to "drain the swamp" that were made in 2006 after Democrats took over the House.
Political campaigns
Carter retired from the bench in 2001 in order to run for Congress in the newly created 31st District. After finishing second in the primary, he defeated Peter Wareing in the runoff — which was tantamount to electionTantamount to election
"Tantamount to election" is a phrase to describe a situation in which one political party so dominates the demographics of a voting district, that the person winning the party nomination for a race will virtually be assured of winning the general election...
in this heavily Republican district. He has been reelected twice without facing serious opposition.
Carter originally represented a district that stretched from the suburbs of Austin to the fringes of the Houston suburbs, and also included College Station, home of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. As a result of the 2003 Texas redistricting
2003 Texas redistricting
The 2003 Texas redistricting refers to a controversial mid-decade congressional redistricting plan appealed to the United States Supreme Court in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry...
, however, Carter now represents a district stretching from the fringes of the Metroplex through more rural portions of Central Texas. The 31st District now includes Ft. Hood, home of the US Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Cavalry Division.
Personal life
He has been married to Erika Carter for almost 40 years, and they have four grown children. Since 1971, he has lived in Round Rock, just north of AustinAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
External links
- U.S. Congressman John Carter official U.S. House site
- John Carter for Congress official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...