Maurice Hinchey
Encyclopedia
Maurice Dunlea Hinchey is the U.S. Representative
for (formerly the 26th district), serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. The district extends west from the Hudson River
along New York's southern border
through Binghamton
and Waverly
, then north to Ithaca
.
.
After graduating from high school, Hinchey enlisted in the U.S. Navy, during which time he served in the Pacific on the destroyer U.S.S. Marshall. After being honorably discharged, he spent two years working as a laborer in a cement plant. While in college he earned his tuition working as a toll bridge collector on the New York State Thruway. He graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz
with a B.A.
in 1968 and an M.A.
in 1970.
Hinchey first sought public office in 1972, with an unsuccessful race for the New York State Assembly
. Ulster County was at the time and would continue to be a Republican stronghold.
Hinchey ran again in 1974 and this time won his seat in the New York State Assembly. He was the first Democrat elected from his district to represent Ulster County since 1912. Hinchey then served in the Assembly for eighteen years.
He was particularly noted for his work on protecting the natural environment
. For fourteen years he chaired the Committee on Environmental Conservation.Hinchey also served on the Ways and Means, Rules, Banks, Health, Higher Education, Labor, Energy and Agriculture committees.
During his chairmanship of the Committee on Environmental Conservation, the committee conducted a successful investigation into the causes of "Love Canal," the nation's first major toxic dump site. During his tenure, he also played a crucial role in the passage of the country's first law concerning regulation of acid rain
. His committee also gained public attention for its investigation of the infiltration of the waste removal industry by organized crime
.
He was one of 31 members of the House who voted to uphold the objection to counting the electoral votes from Ohio
in the United States presidential election, 2004
put forth by Ohio Rep. Tubbs Jones
in order to encourage "a formal and legitimate debate about election irregularities".
On June 18, 2008, he stated: "Should the people of the United States own refineries? Maybe so. Frankly, I think that's a good idea," but conceded that it was unlikely the government would do so, and suggested putting national pressure on the oil companies.
In 2010 midterm elections, Hinchey clashed with his opponent over shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing in upstate New York. Hinchey is against gas drilling in this area. However, it is not the only time he has clashed over gas drilling. Obama's administration ignored a request by Hinchey to slow drilling in New York and Pennsylvania. Along with Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Hinchey has introduced legislation called the “FRAC Act
” which proposes lifting fracturing exemptions and forcing public disclosure.
's delays and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s failure to properly enforce a decision to clean up the Hudson River and make GE pay for the removal of PCB pollution.
— which has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives
every year since 2003 — would prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) and the United States Justice Department from spending taxpayer money to raid, arrest, or prosecute medical marijuana patients and providers in the 13 states where medical marijuana is legal. It would not have prevented the DEA from arresting individuals who are involved in marijuana-related activities unconnected to medical use.
On June 9, 2009, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations
approved adding a provision authored by Hinchey to the committee report on the fiscal 2010 Justice Department appropriations bill, requesting "clarification of the Department's policy regarding enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources against individuals involved in medical marijuana activities."
In 2009, Hinchey asserted that President George W. Bush had intentionally let Osama Bin Ladin escape from potential capture, saying, "the previous administration... knew very well that if they would capture al Qaeda there would be no justification for an invasion in Iraq."
However, Hinchey is opposed to late-term abortions except where absolutely necessary to protect the health of the mother.
on September 4, 2009 by the Ambassador of the Netherlands in capacity of Queen Beatrix
. He was awarded the Dutch royal order for his work to commemorate the quadricentennial anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration and discovery of the river in New York that now bears his name and for his efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Netherlands relationship.
Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011. This law will amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws relating to the employment and training of veterans, and for other purposes.
Hinchey, in August 2010, voted yes on the “Offshore Drilling and Other Energy Laws Amendments.” This regulates or controls the use of oil and natural gas, which are also known as nonrenewable resources- once they're gone, we cannot get them back. It also increases safety on blowout preventers on oil wells, as well as upping the penalty for leaking or spilling of oil or “other hazardous substances” into the Gulf of Mexico
.
He also voted to repeal Don’t ask, don’t tell in March 2010. This makes it illegal and unconstitutional to dismiss someone from the army for being homosexual, having engaged in or suspected of engaging in “homosexual acts."
Another bill that Hinchey voted yes on, the Aid to States for Medicaid
, Teacher Employment and Other purposes, passed in the House in August 2010. This budgets $10 billion to the Education Jobs Fund to be given to the states for teacher hiring and training. It also increases Federal Medical Assistance Percentages
(FMAP) to states in need, and lengthens the period for states to increase their FMAP.
In November 2011, he voted to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as the national motto and "encourag[e] the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions."
, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Hinchey promotes the support of Job Corps
. This program helps high-school dropouts find careers and receive their high school diplomas or GED’s. He asked Zients for increased federal funding for this recovery program in the 2012 budget.
On October 18, 2010, Hinchey held a Medicare forum to reassure seniors about provisions in the health care bill which would or would not change parts of Social Security and Medicare. He stated that the health care reform bill
would increase the efficiency of Medicare; the Act would not cut into Medicare or social security funding. However, this is the second consecutive year in which retirees, veterans, and persons with disabilities will not see an increase in their Social Security.
Hinchey wrote a letter to President Barack Obama
in October 2010 regarding Social Security. In the letter, he described to Obama how he believes social security is important and urged the President to increase its budget in the upcoming year.
, began a petition to ask Obama to delay Shell
from beginning exploratory drilling near Alaska
. They wanted to understand the causes of the Gulf oil spills before Shell went ahead with Offshore drilling
. Hinchey and the others were worried about the environmental effects if an accident were to occur- in the Arctic waters, a spill would not be contained as in the Gulf spill. Also a priority is assuring that native communities would not be harmed; since they often depend on fish and marine life to sustain them, their resources would be vastly depleted if a spill happened.
retired after 18 years in the House. Hinchey won the Democratic nomination for the district, which had been renumbered the 26th after New York lost three districts as a result of the 1990 census. He defeated Republican Robert Moppert, a county legislator in Broome County
(which includes Binghamton), in the November general election by a 50 % - 47% margin.
In 1994, Hinchey faced Moppert again in 1994. That was the midterm election in which the Republicans took control
took over control of the House from the Democrats. Hinchey won re-election by only 1,200 votes.
Hinchey's district was significantly reconfigured when New York lost two Congressional seats after the 2000 census
. Hinchey was threatened with dismemberment of his district or with having to run against a popular and well-established Republican incumbent, either Ben Gilman
or Sherwood Boehlert
. In the intense political infighting over the redistricting
, however, Hinchey emerged as one of the winners. To protect two younger Republican incumbents, the Republicans agreed to sacrifice the district of the 79-year-old Gilman, who chose to retire. In return, the Democrats accepted a district that threw together two of their incumbents, Louise Slaughter and John LaFalce, prompting the latter's retirement. Hinchey's district was renumbered the 22nd and winds a narrow, contorted path
across eight counties in the southern part of the state, from the Hudson River
through the Catskills and Binghamton
to Ithaca
, connecting the most politically liberal parts of the Southern Tier
and Borscht Belt
regions. This gerrymandered
configuration is similar to the former New York's 26th congressional district
.
Hinchey has run in historically Republican areas throughout his career (his district was held by Republicans from 1915 until McHugh won it for the Democrats in 1975). He is best categorized as a progressive
populist
. For example, he was one of the first and most outspoken opponents of the 2003 war in Iraq
, and one of only 11 co-sponsors of the Kucinich Resolution to impeach President Bush
. He has bridged the ideological gap with a reputation for supporting many measures to improve integrity in government, by popular (in New York) advocacy of strong environmental protection, and by diligent constituent services. He is on the powerful Appropriations Committee, a post that helps him deliver federal support on programs important to his district.
On November 2, 2010 Hinchey was elected to his tenth term as Congressman for the New York State 22nd Congressional District, with a 52 percent to 48 percent margin over Republican George Phillips of Binghamton (99 percent of polling stations reporting).
His doctors said that they expect a full recovery.
Maurice Hinchey has three grown children. He and his wife, Allison, live in Hurley, New York.
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 (formerly the 26th district), serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party
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...
. The district extends west from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
along New York's southern border
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...
through Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
and Waverly
Waverly, New York
Waverly is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Waverly, Tioga County, New York, a village in New York's Southern Tier*Waverly, Franklin County, New York, a town in Northern New York...
, then north to Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
.
Early life, education and career
Hinchey was born to a working class family in New York City's Lower West Side, but has spent most of his adult life in SaugertiesSaugerties (town), New York
Saugerties is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 19,482 at the 2000 census. The Town of Saugerties contains the Village of Saugerties. The town is in the northeast corner of Ulster County....
.
After graduating from high school, Hinchey enlisted in the U.S. Navy, during which time he served in the Pacific on the destroyer U.S.S. Marshall. After being honorably discharged, he spent two years working as a laborer in a cement plant. While in college he earned his tuition working as a toll bridge collector on the New York State Thruway. He graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...
with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1968 and an M.A.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1970.
Hinchey first sought public office in 1972, with an unsuccessful race for the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
. Ulster County was at the time and would continue to be a Republican stronghold.
Hinchey ran again in 1974 and this time won his seat in the New York State Assembly. He was the first Democrat elected from his district to represent Ulster County since 1912. Hinchey then served in the Assembly for eighteen years.
He was particularly noted for his work on protecting the natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
. For fourteen years he chaired the Committee on Environmental Conservation.Hinchey also served on the Ways and Means, Rules, Banks, Health, Higher Education, Labor, Energy and Agriculture committees.
During his chairmanship of the Committee on Environmental Conservation, the committee conducted a successful investigation into the causes of "Love Canal," the nation's first major toxic dump site. During his tenure, he also played a crucial role in the passage of the country's first law concerning regulation of acid rain
Acid rain
Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions . It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen...
. His committee also gained public attention for its investigation of the infiltration of the waste removal industry by organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
.
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 DefenseUnited States House Appropriations Subcommittee on DefenseThe House Subcommittee on Defense is a standing subcommittee within the United States House Committee on Appropriations.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:* Official page...
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related AgenciesUnited States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related AgenciesThe House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:**...
- Subcommittee on Defense
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Narcotics Abuse and Control Caucus
- Congressional Native American Caucus
- Congressional Progressive CaucusCongressional Progressive CaucusThe Congressional Progressive Caucus is the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in the United States Congress with 83 declared members, and works to advance progressive issues and positions....
. - Education Caucus
- 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...
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
- Steel Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
He was one of 31 members of the House who voted to uphold the objection to counting the electoral votes from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in the United States presidential election, 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
put forth by Ohio Rep. Tubbs Jones
Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Stephanie "Tubbs" Jones was a Democratic politician and member of the United States House of Representatives. She represented the 11th District of Ohio, which encompasses most of downtown and eastern Cleveland and many of the eastern suburbs in Cuyahoga County, including Euclid, Cleveland Heights,...
in order to encourage "a formal and legitimate debate about election irregularities".
On June 18, 2008, he stated: "Should the people of the United States own refineries? Maybe so. Frankly, I think that's a good idea," but conceded that it was unlikely the government would do so, and suggested putting national pressure on the oil companies.
Maurice Hinchey and veterans
Maurice Hinchey, a Navy Veteran, scored highly on a 2010 report released by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Hinchey, a strong supporter of pro-veteran policies, has helped vote numerous legislation into law in the past several years; the American Legion has called 2010 “a banner year on veterans legislation”. The bill most recently passed, the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010, will address issues of veterans housing and employment as well as enhance insurance programs for surviving and disabled veterans. In 2009, Hinchey was a member of the House of Appropriations Committee, and was a part of the largest funding for the Department of Veterans affairs in the past 30 years. Hinchey wrote the Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act, which would provide the opportunity for veterans to hold the military accountable for insufficient healthcare.Energy
Hinchey was an original co-sponsor in the Small Business Clean Energy Financing Act. The act contributed about $630 million dollars in loans to environmentally friendly energy companies in the years between 2006 and 2009. Hinchey has been a solar energy supporter; he helped organize the non-profit organization called The Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC). TSEC supports the growth of a solar energy industry in New York, creating green jobs in the Hudson Valley area. Maurice supported the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act. The bill supports green energy by offering rebates to homeowners who improve their homes to conserve more energy.In 2010 midterm elections, Hinchey clashed with his opponent over shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing in upstate New York. Hinchey is against gas drilling in this area. However, it is not the only time he has clashed over gas drilling. Obama's administration ignored a request by Hinchey to slow drilling in New York and Pennsylvania. Along with Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Hinchey has introduced legislation called the “FRAC Act
Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act
The Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act , - dubbed the FRAC Act - was introduced to both houses of the 111th United States Congress on June 9, 2009, and aims to repeal the exemption for hydraulic fracturing in the Safe Drinking Water Act...
” which proposes lifting fracturing exemptions and forcing public disclosure.
Environment
Hinchey supports of the Clean Air Act, and doesn't approve of the Bush Administration’s decision to roll back the New Source Review (NSR) component of the Act, fearing that it will result in increased acid rain and more pollution of the lakes of the area. Hinchey is disappointed with General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
's delays and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s failure to properly enforce a decision to clean up the Hudson River and make GE pay for the removal of PCB pollution.
Medical marijuana
Hinchey supportkboxes=8481; hidegeonoticeHerberijuana]]. The Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendmentHinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment
The Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment was offered by Congressmen Maurice Hinchey and Dana Rohrabacher to amend the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3093, on July 25, 2007 in the U.S. Congress...
— which has been introduced in 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...
every year since 2003 — would prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA) and the United States Justice Department from spending taxpayer money to raid, arrest, or prosecute medical marijuana patients and providers in the 13 states where medical marijuana is legal. It would not have prevented the DEA from arresting individuals who are involved in marijuana-related activities unconnected to medical use.
On June 9, 2009, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations
United States House Committee on Appropriations
The 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...
approved adding a provision authored by Hinchey to the committee report on the fiscal 2010 Justice Department appropriations bill, requesting "clarification of the Department's policy regarding enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources against individuals involved in medical marijuana activities."
In 2009, Hinchey asserted that President George W. Bush had intentionally let Osama Bin Ladin escape from potential capture, saying, "the previous administration... knew very well that if they would capture al Qaeda there would be no justification for an invasion in Iraq."
Abortion
Hinchey has consistently supported a pro-choice position on abortion issues. He was a cosponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act and the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which seeks federal protection of free access to women’s clinics and he has fought Republican attempts to reduce abortion rights. Hinchey is also a strong advocate for family planning programs, including the Title X program.However, Hinchey is opposed to late-term abortions except where absolutely necessary to protect the health of the mother.
Other memberships
- Board of Visitors for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
- Member, National Conference of State Legislators
- National Guard and Reserve Components Congressional Members Organization
- New York State Council of Governments
- Member, Board of Directors, Ulster-Greene ARC
- Member, Board of Directors, WAMU Public Radio
Honors
Hinchey was made an Officer of the Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
on September 4, 2009 by the Ambassador of the Netherlands in capacity of Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
. He was awarded the Dutch royal order for his work to commemorate the quadricentennial anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration and discovery of the river in New York that now bears his name and for his efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Netherlands relationship.
Recent votes
Representative Hinchey has recently voted yes on H.R. 2433Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011. This law will amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws relating to the employment and training of veterans, and for other purposes.
Hinchey, in August 2010, voted yes on the “Offshore Drilling and Other Energy Laws Amendments.” This regulates or controls the use of oil and natural gas, which are also known as nonrenewable resources- once they're gone, we cannot get them back. It also increases safety on blowout preventers on oil wells, as well as upping the penalty for leaking or spilling of oil or “other hazardous substances” into the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
He also voted to repeal Don’t ask, don’t tell in March 2010. This makes it illegal and unconstitutional to dismiss someone from the army for being homosexual, having engaged in or suspected of engaging in “homosexual acts."
Another bill that Hinchey voted yes on, the Aid to States for Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
, Teacher Employment and Other purposes, passed in the House in August 2010. This budgets $10 billion to the Education Jobs Fund to be given to the states for teacher hiring and training. It also increases Federal Medical Assistance Percentages
Federal Medical Assistance Percentages
Federal Medical Assistance Percentages are the percentage rates used to determine the matching funds rate allocated annually to certain medical and social service programs in the United States of America. FMAP eligible programs are joint federal-state partnerships between the federal government of...
(FMAP) to states in need, and lengthens the period for states to increase their FMAP.
In November 2011, he voted to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as the national motto and "encourag[e] the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions."
Speeches and public statements
In a letter sent on November 10, 2010 to Jeffrey ZientsJeffrey Zients
Jeffrey "Jeff" D. Zients is an American CEO, management consultant and entrepreneur. On July 30, 2010, he was named acting director of the Office of Management & Budget. President Obama appointed him to the new position of United States Chief Performance Officer...
, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Hinchey promotes the support of Job Corps
Job Corps
Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free-of-charge education and vocational training to youth ages 16 to 24.-Mission and purpose:...
. This program helps high-school dropouts find careers and receive their high school diplomas or GED’s. He asked Zients for increased federal funding for this recovery program in the 2012 budget.
On October 18, 2010, Hinchey held a Medicare forum to reassure seniors about provisions in the health care bill which would or would not change parts of Social Security and Medicare. He stated that the health care reform bill
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
would increase the efficiency of Medicare; the Act would not cut into Medicare or social security funding. However, this is the second consecutive year in which retirees, veterans, and persons with disabilities will not see an increase in their Social Security.
Hinchey wrote a letter to President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in October 2010 regarding Social Security. In the letter, he described to Obama how he believes social security is important and urged the President to increase its budget in the upcoming year.
Arctic offshore drilling
In May 2010, Hinchey, along with two other Progressive democrats, Lois Capps and Jay InsleeJay Inslee
Jay Robert Inslee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes many of Seattle's northern suburbs in King, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties...
, began a petition to ask Obama to delay Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
from beginning exploratory drilling near Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. They wanted to understand the causes of the Gulf oil spills before Shell went ahead with Offshore drilling
Offshore drilling
Offshore drilling refers to a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled through the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently produce hydrocarbons which lie in rock formations beneath the seabed...
. Hinchey and the others were worried about the environmental effects if an accident were to occur- in the Arctic waters, a spill would not be contained as in the Gulf spill. Also a priority is assuring that native communities would not be harmed; since they often depend on fish and marine life to sustain them, their resources would be vastly depleted if a spill happened.
Bush administration's warantless surveillance program
After the New York Times first disclosed the existence of the Bush administration's warantless surveillance program in late 2005, Hinchey was among the earliest members of Congress to criticize the program. Not long after, Hinchey—along with three other House Democrats—John Lewis of Georgia, Henry Waxman of California, and Lynn Woolsey of California—wrote the Justice Department, requesting an investigation to determine whether Bush administration violated any laws in authorizing and carrying out the program. As a result, the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) commenced an investigation. It was later disclosed that the OPR investigation was closed down when President Bush himself refused to allow the Justice Department attorneys who were to conduct the investigation to have the necessary security clearances to conduct the inquiry. After a public outcry, President Bush capitulated and allowed the investigators to have their security clearances so that they could conduct the inquiry. The investigation, not continuing on into the second year of the Obama administration, has yet to be concluded.Political campaigns
In 1992, 28th District Congressman Matthew F. McHughMatthew F. McHugh
Matthew Francis McHugh is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.McHugh was born in Philadelphia, but spent most of his adult life in New York City. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School and Mount St. Mary's University, from which he earned his...
retired after 18 years in the House. Hinchey won the Democratic nomination for the district, which had been renumbered the 26th after New York lost three districts as a result of the 1990 census. He defeated Republican Robert Moppert, a county legislator in Broome County
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
(which includes Binghamton), in the November general election by a 50 % - 47% margin.
In 1994, Hinchey faced Moppert again in 1994. That was the midterm election in which the Republicans took control
Republican Revolution
The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the media dubbed Republican Party success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...
took over control of the House from the Democrats. Hinchey won re-election by only 1,200 votes.
Hinchey's district was significantly reconfigured when New York lost two Congressional seats after the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. Hinchey was threatened with dismemberment of his district or with having to run against a popular and well-established Republican incumbent, either Ben Gilman
Benjamin A. Gilman
Benjamin Arthur "Ben" Gilman is a former Republican United States Representative from New York. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, Gilman graduated from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York in 1941 and received a B.S. from the Wharton School Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in...
or Sherwood Boehlert
Sherwood Boehlert
Sherwood "Sherry" Louis Boehlert is a retired American politician from New York. He represented upstate New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 until 2007. Boehlert, a Republican, was considered to be a member of the party's moderate wing. In 2003, Utica Union Station was...
. In the intense political infighting over the redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, however, Hinchey emerged as one of the winners. To protect two younger Republican incumbents, the Republicans agreed to sacrifice the district of the 79-year-old Gilman, who chose to retire. In return, the Democrats accepted a district that threw together two of their incumbents, Louise Slaughter and John LaFalce, prompting the latter's retirement. Hinchey's district was renumbered the 22nd and winds a narrow, contorted path
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
across eight counties in the southern part of the state, from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
through the Catskills and Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
to Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, connecting the most politically liberal parts of the Southern Tier
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...
and Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange and Ulster counties in upstate New York that were a popular vacation spot for New York City Jews from the 1920s through the 1960s.-Name:The name comes from...
regions. This gerrymandered
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
configuration is similar to the former New York's 26th congressional district
New York's 26th congressional district
The 26th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. It includes all of Genesee, Livingston, and Wyoming counties, and parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans counties...
.
Hinchey has run in historically Republican areas throughout his career (his district was held by Republicans from 1915 until McHugh won it for the Democrats in 1975). He is best categorized as a progressive
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
. For example, he was one of the first and most outspoken opponents of the 2003 war in Iraq
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...
, and one of only 11 co-sponsors of the Kucinich Resolution to impeach President 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....
. He has bridged the ideological gap with a reputation for supporting many measures to improve integrity in government, by popular (in New York) advocacy of strong environmental protection, and by diligent constituent services. He is on the powerful Appropriations Committee, a post that helps him deliver federal support on programs important to his district.
On November 2, 2010 Hinchey was elected to his tenth term as Congressman for the New York State 22nd Congressional District, with a 52 percent to 48 percent margin over Republican George Phillips of Binghamton (99 percent of polling stations reporting).
Personal life
On April 22, 2011, Hinchey's office announced that he was being treated for a curable form of colon cancer. A statement released by his office said that Hinchey would have surgery at the Albany Medical Center, receive treatment at the Ulster Radiation Oncology Center in Kingston, N.Y., and also undergo chemotherapy. The statement said that he would continue to work during his treatment.His doctors said that they expect a full recovery.
Maurice Hinchey has three grown children. He and his wife, Allison, live in Hurley, New York.
External links
- U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey official U.S. House site
- Hinchey 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...
- Stephen Colbert Interviews Maurice Hinchey
- "More Media Owners" — article by Hinchey in The NationThe NationThe Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, February 6, 2006 - http://collegedemsny.com/blog/?p=297 Hinchey In Binghamton