Mike Capuano
Encyclopedia
Michael Everett "Mike" Capuano (born January 9, 1952) is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. The district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy
and Tip O'Neill
, includes the northern three-fourths of Boston
, as well as Somerville
(where he lives) and Cambridge
. Prior to joining Congress, Capuano served as mayor
and alderman
of Somerville, Massachusetts.
Capuano was born and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, to Irish-American and Italian-American parents. After graduating from Dartmouth College
and Boston College Law School
he worked as an attorney and Somerville alderman. He lost two elections for mayor in 1979 and 1981, at which point he went to work as legal counsel for the Massachusetts General Court
. He ran for a mayor a third time in 1989 and won, serving from 1990 to 1999. While he harbored aspirations to become governor
, he instead launched a failed bid to be Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1994.
He navigated a crowded Democratic primary to replace Joseph Kennedy II as U.S. Representative from Massachusetts in 1998. He won the election and has since been re-elected six times with no Republican opposition. In Congress he is a staunch liberal
and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
. His focuses have included international human rights, transportation, and financial services. Capuano ran in the 2010 special election
to fill the seat in the United States Senate
made vacant by the death of Senator Ted Kennedy
, his predecessor's uncle, but lost the Democratic primary to Martha Coakley
, who in turn lost the general election to Republican Scott Brown
.
neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts
, a densely populated city just north of Boston
. His mother, Rita Marie Capuano (née Garvey), was a former secretary who grew up in the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Allston
, and Brighton. Rita grew up in an Irish American
household; her father, Everett Earl Garvey, was the son of Irish immigrants. In 1942, she married Andrew Capuano, the son of Michael Capuano, an Italian
immigrant from Candita, Avellino, Campania, Italy . Andrew left to serve in World War II
shortly after the marriage. When he returned, he ran for the Somerville Board of Aldermen, and became the first Italian American elected to the board. He served two terms and went on to work for the Massachusetts Department of Corporations and Taxation.
Rita and Andrew had seven children, of whom one died in childbirth and another died of polio at the age of 5. Michael and four siblings, Lisa, Pamela, Andrew Jr., and Ruth, grew up in Somerville. Michael was named after his two grandfathers. He attended Somerville High School
, and graduated in 1969. In 1973, he received an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College
, and in 1977, a law degree from Boston College Law School
. He specialized in tax law.
Capuano served as chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts General Court
's Joint Committee on Taxation from 1978 to 1984. He left the committee in 1984 to join Beacon Hill law firm and lobbying group Joyce & Joyce. In 1985 he returned to the Somerville Board of Aldermen as an at-large member.
He ran for mayor of Somerville a third time in 1989 and won the election. He served as mayor from 1990 to 1999, where he earned a reputation as a hands-on administrator. One of his priorities was to lower the city's population density, the highest of any New England
municipality, by using state grants to demolish several buildings and replace them with playgrounds and parking spaces. He also oversaw a reduction in class size to 19 students.
Capuano ran for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
in the 1994 election
. Capuano was seen as a conservative-leaning party outsider, running against former state representatives
Augusto Grace and William F. Galvin
for the Democratic nomination, and struggled to obtain support among party leaders. During the race he framed himself as an advocate for the poor and urban communities. He criticized state aid formulas which, he argued, left poorer municipalities such as Somerville and Boston with less per-capita revenue than wealthier communities such as Cambridge
and Brookline
. To appear on the Democratic primary ballot required the support of at least 15 percent of delegates in the June state party convention. In what the Boston Globe deemed "an embarrassing defeat", he was pushed out of the race with only 13 percent of delegate votes. When asked why he staged the difficult race to begin with, he responded, "Because I wasn't ready to run for governor."
, who had been an early front-runner. Capuano benefited from strong voter turnout in Somerville (against a low district turnout overall) and an effective television campaign, and won the crowded primary with 23 percent of the vote. As the 8th has long been reckoned as the most Democratic district in New England, Capuano's general election victory was a foregone conclusion. He has since been reelected unopposed five times, most recently in 2010.
Capuano is a member of three congressional committees and three party committees. He has co-founded five congressional caucuses while serving in the House. After the United States general elections, 2006
that created a Democratic majority in the House, he was appointed Chairman of the Speaker's Task Force on Ethics Enforcement by Speaker Nancy Pelosi
, with whom he has a close relationship. Along with being a member of the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee of Financial Services, Capuano also serves on the House Democratic Leadership team as a member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
bills and opposed bills limiting a woman's right to abortion
. He has voted for the Prison Abortion Funding Amendment and the Abortion Funding Amendment, while voting against the Abortion Pain Bill and the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act.
Mike Capuano has also supported animal rights and wildlife management bills. Recent bills he has supported include the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, and the Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill. He has not supported the Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill, which decreased the power of the Secretary of the Interior in wildlife management decisions.
Mike Capuano also supports the current economic policies, such as the Trade-in Vouchers for Fuel Efficient Cars, Student Aid Program, and the Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Modifications, a large segment of the yearly budget. Related recent economic bills he supported include the 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010.
Congressman Capuano raised concerns about the health care reform bill's impact on Massachusetts but after working through some of those issues, voted in favor of the legislation.
Finally, Mike Capuano strongly supports labor rights. On labor health issues he has supported the Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards bill. On labor pay issues he has supported the Lilly Ledbetter Pay Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act
, the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation bill, and the Unequal Pay Bill. In February 2011, during a rally at Beacon Hill, Boston in support of the 2011 Wisconsin budget protests, Capuano told the pro-union crowd, "I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more than just sending an email to get you going. Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary". After receiving criticism for "over-the-top and inflammatory rhetoric", Capuano expressed regret for his choice of words.
Capuano is considered to be one of the biggest supporters in Congress for increasing international aid funding. He has become a voice for victims of the crisis in the Sudan and has secured new funding bills aimed at assisting poor African nations.
Mike Capuano's top contributors are the PMA Group, Forest City Enterprises, Telcomm Insight Group, Citigroup Inc, Feeley and Driscoll, and the Federal Realty Investment Trust. The top sectors which contribute to him include the financial market, lawyers and lobbyists, labor groups, and health groups. The top contributing industries to Mike Capuano include Law Firms, Real Estate, Insurance, and Air Transport.
and on September 18, he announced his candidacy. On December 8, 2009, he lost the Democratic primary to Martha Coakley
, the Attorney General of Massachusetts. Capuano secured 28% of the vote to Coakley's 47% amongst a field of four candidates.
from Boston State College
in 1974, later earned her MBA from Babson College
in 1976, and eventually became a certified public accountant. Michael and Barbara Capuano have two children, Joseph and Michael.
He is also the uncle of actors Chris Evans
of the Fantastic Four
and Captain America
film series and Scott Evans
of the soap opera One Life to Live
.
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 1999. 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, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill
Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken liberal Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts in Massachusetts...
, includes the northern three-fourths of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, as well as Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
(where he lives) and Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. Prior to joining Congress, Capuano served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of Somerville, Massachusetts.
Capuano was born and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, to Irish-American and Italian-American parents. After graduating from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
he worked as an attorney and Somerville alderman. He lost two elections for mayor in 1979 and 1981, at which point he went to work as legal counsel for the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
. He ran for a mayor a third time in 1989 and won, serving from 1990 to 1999. While he harbored aspirations to become governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
, he instead launched a failed bid to be Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1994.
He navigated a crowded Democratic primary to replace Joseph Kennedy II as U.S. Representative from Massachusetts in 1998. He won the election and has since been re-elected six times with no Republican opposition. In Congress he is a staunch liberal
Liberalism in the United States
Liberalism in the United States is a broad political philosophy centered on the unalienable rights of the individual. The fundamental liberal ideals of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion for all belief systems, and the separation of church and state, right to due process...
and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
The 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....
. His focuses have included international human rights, transportation, and financial services. Capuano ran in the 2010 special election
United States Senate special election in Massachusetts, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts was a special election held on January 19, 2010, in order to fill the Massachusetts Class I United States Senate seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2013...
to fill the seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
made vacant by the death of Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
, his predecessor's uncle, but lost the Democratic primary to Martha Coakley
Martha Coakley
Martha Mary Coakley is the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007....
, who in turn lost the general election to Republican Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
Early life, education and career
Michael Everett Capuano was born January 9, 1952, in the Spring HillSpring Hill, Somerville, Massachusetts
Spring Hill is the name of a ridge in the central part of the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, and the neighborhood that sits atop it. It runs northwest to southeast, roughly bounded by Somerville Avenue, Elm Street, Willow Avenue, Highland Avenue, and School Street...
neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, a densely populated city just north of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. His mother, Rita Marie Capuano (née Garvey), was a former secretary who grew up in the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Allston
Allston
-People:* Aaron Allston , an American novelist* Johanna Allston , an Australian orienteer* Robert Francis Withers Allston , a Governor of South Carolina...
, and Brighton. Rita grew up in an Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
household; her father, Everett Earl Garvey, was the son of Irish immigrants. In 1942, she married Andrew Capuano, the son of Michael Capuano, an Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
immigrant from Candita, Avellino, Campania, Italy . Andrew left to serve in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
shortly after the marriage. When he returned, he ran for the Somerville Board of Aldermen, and became the first Italian American elected to the board. He served two terms and went on to work for the Massachusetts Department of Corporations and Taxation.
Rita and Andrew had seven children, of whom one died in childbirth and another died of polio at the age of 5. Michael and four siblings, Lisa, Pamela, Andrew Jr., and Ruth, grew up in Somerville. Michael was named after his two grandfathers. He attended Somerville High School
Somerville High School (Massachusetts)
Somerville High School is a public, 4-year high school in Somerville, Massachusetts. The school offers a wide selection of classes and vocational programs....
, and graduated in 1969. In 1973, he received an A.B. degree from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, and in 1977, a law degree from Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
. He specialized in tax law.
Early political career
In 1976, Capuano was elected to the Somerville Board of Aldermen, representing Ward Five, the seat once held by his father. He served one term, stepping down in 1979 to run for mayor of Somerville. In the 1979 mayoral election he faced Eugene Brune, Paul Haley, and incumbent Thomas August. He lost the nomination to Brune, who defeated August. He ran again in 1981 to challenge Brune, placing second in a three-man runoff election. Capuano promoted his vote against Proposition 2 1/2 and criticized Brune for expanding the mayoral staff in the face of tight city budgets, while Brune touted his prevention of service cuts after Proposition 2 1/2 passed. Capuano lost in the general election with 40 percent of the vote.Capuano served as chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
's Joint Committee on Taxation from 1978 to 1984. He left the committee in 1984 to join Beacon Hill law firm and lobbying group Joyce & Joyce. In 1985 he returned to the Somerville Board of Aldermen as an at-large member.
He ran for mayor of Somerville a third time in 1989 and won the election. He served as mayor from 1990 to 1999, where he earned a reputation as a hands-on administrator. One of his priorities was to lower the city's population density, the highest of any New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
municipality, by using state grants to demolish several buildings and replace them with playgrounds and parking spaces. He also oversaw a reduction in class size to 19 students.
Capuano ran for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...
in the 1994 election
Massachusetts general election, 1994
A Massachusetts general election was held on November 8, 1994 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.The election included:* statewide elections for United States Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor;* district elections for U.S...
. Capuano was seen as a conservative-leaning party outsider, running against former state representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
Augusto Grace and William F. Galvin
William F. Galvin
William Francis Galvin is the 27th and current Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth .-Early life and career:...
for the Democratic nomination, and struggled to obtain support among party leaders. During the race he framed himself as an advocate for the poor and urban communities. He criticized state aid formulas which, he argued, left poorer municipalities such as Somerville and Boston with less per-capita revenue than wealthier communities such as Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
and Brookline
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
. To appear on the Democratic primary ballot required the support of at least 15 percent of delegates in the June state party convention. In what the Boston Globe deemed "an embarrassing defeat", he was pushed out of the race with only 13 percent of delegate votes. When asked why he staged the difficult race to begin with, he responded, "Because I wasn't ready to run for governor."
Congressional career
Capuano was elected to Congress in 1998, succeeding fellow Democrat Joseph Kennedy II. In the Democratic primary, he faced nine opponents, including former Boston mayor and U.S. Ambassador Raymond FlynnRaymond Flynn
Raymond Leo Flynn , also known as Ray Flynn, served as Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1984 until 1993. He was later appointed United States Ambassador to the Holy See by President Bill Clinton.-Early life:...
, who had been an early front-runner. Capuano benefited from strong voter turnout in Somerville (against a low district turnout overall) and an effective television campaign, and won the crowded primary with 23 percent of the vote. As the 8th has long been reckoned as the most Democratic district in New England, Capuano's general election victory was a foregone conclusion. He has since been reelected unopposed five times, most recently in 2010.
Capuano is a member of three congressional committees and three party committees. He has co-founded five congressional caucuses while serving in the House. After the United States general elections, 2006
United States general elections, 2006
The 2006 United States midterm elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. All United States House of Representatives seats and one third of the United States Senate seats were contested in this election, as well as 36 state governorships, many state legislatures, four territorial...
that created a Democratic majority in the House, he was appointed Chairman of the Speaker's Task Force on Ethics Enforcement by Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
, with whom he has a close relationship. Along with being a member of the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Committee of Financial Services, Capuano also serves on the House Democratic Leadership team as a member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
Domestic policy
Mike Capuano has supported most major and minor pro-choicePro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
bills and opposed bills limiting a woman's right to abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. He has voted for the Prison Abortion Funding Amendment and the Abortion Funding Amendment, while voting against the Abortion Pain Bill and the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act.
Mike Capuano has also supported animal rights and wildlife management bills. Recent bills he has supported include the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, and the Horse Slaughter Prohibition Bill. He has not supported the Endangered Species Reauthorization Bill, which decreased the power of the Secretary of the Interior in wildlife management decisions.
Mike Capuano also supports the current economic policies, such as the Trade-in Vouchers for Fuel Efficient Cars, Student Aid Program, and the Department of Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Modifications, a large segment of the yearly budget. Related recent economic bills he supported include the 2009-2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Authorizations and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Fiscal Year 2009-2010.
Congressman Capuano raised concerns about the health care reform bill's impact on Massachusetts but after working through some of those issues, voted in favor of the legislation.
|
| Party leadership and caucus memberships |
|
Congressional Progressive Caucus The 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.... Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety is a congressional caucus that aims to increase awareness of road safety issues within the House of Representatives. The caucus holds educational briefings to increase knowledge of the pressing matters of road safety, including the effects of... |
Finally, Mike Capuano strongly supports labor rights. On labor health issues he has supported the Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards bill. On labor pay issues he has supported the Lilly Ledbetter Pay Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act
Paycheck Fairness Act
The Paycheck Fairness Act is legislation being considered by the United States Congress to expand the scope of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Fair Labor Standards Act as part of an effort to address male–female income disparity in the United States...
, the Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation bill, and the Unequal Pay Bill. In February 2011, during a rally at Beacon Hill, Boston in support of the 2011 Wisconsin budget protests, Capuano told the pro-union crowd, "I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more than just sending an email to get you going. Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary". After receiving criticism for "over-the-top and inflammatory rhetoric", Capuano expressed regret for his choice of words.
Foreign policy
Mike Capuano supports leaving the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through opposing the Funding for Military Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan bill, the Defense Authorizations Bill, and 2008-2009 Supplemental Appropriations. He does however support foreign aid through the Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis bill, the United States - India Nuclear Agreement, and the China Trade Relations bill.Capuano is considered to be one of the biggest supporters in Congress for increasing international aid funding. He has become a voice for victims of the crisis in the Sudan and has secured new funding bills aimed at assisting poor African nations.
Issues and interest groups
Mike Capuano has taken the Massachusetts Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test, which broadly surveys a wide range of positions on common issues. He has also been given high ratings by a variety of interest groups, such as Planned Parenthood, the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, and Environment America. However, he has been rated poorly from the National Taxpayers Union and the Sportsmen and Animal Owner's Voting Alliance.Mike Capuano's top contributors are the PMA Group, Forest City Enterprises, Telcomm Insight Group, Citigroup Inc, Feeley and Driscoll, and the Federal Realty Investment Trust. The top sectors which contribute to him include the financial market, lawyers and lobbyists, labor groups, and health groups. The top contributing industries to Mike Capuano include Law Firms, Real Estate, Insurance, and Air Transport.
United States Senate campaign, 2010
On September 8, 2009 Capuano collected nomination papers for a run for the seat formerly held by Senator Edward KennedyTed Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
and on September 18, he announced his candidacy. On December 8, 2009, he lost the Democratic primary to Martha Coakley
Martha Coakley
Martha Mary Coakley is the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007....
, the Attorney General of Massachusetts. Capuano secured 28% of the vote to Coakley's 47% amongst a field of four candidates.
Personal life
Capuano married Barbara Teebagy, also of Somerville, in 1974. Barbara, also a Somerville High School graduate, received her B.S.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...
from Boston State College
Boston State College
Boston State College was a public university located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.It was located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston. Boston State College's roots begin with the Girls High School, founded in 1852. In 1872, the Boston Normal School separated from Girls High School and...
in 1974, later earned her MBA from Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
in 1976, and eventually became a certified public accountant. Michael and Barbara Capuano have two children, Joseph and Michael.
He is also the uncle of actors Chris Evans
Chris Evans (actor)
Christopher Robert "Chris" Evans is an American actor. He played Cary Baston on the television series Opposite Sex, and transitioned to a film career, starring in several hits, including Not Another Teen Movie , Fierce People , Fantastic Four, sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and...
of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (film)
Fantastic Four is a 2005 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics comic Fantastic Four. It was directed by Tim Story, and released by 20th Century Fox. It is the second live-action Fantastic Four film to be filmed. The previous attempt, a B-movie produced by Roger Corman only for the...
and Captain America
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
film series and Scott Evans
Scott Evans (actor)
Scott Evans is an American actor, best known for his role as the police officer Oliver Fish on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live. He is the younger brother of actor Chris Evans.-Personal life:...
of the soap opera One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
.
External links
- Congressman Michael E. Capuano, official U.S. House site
- Committees and Caucuses memberships
- Capuano for Senate, official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
CongresspediaCongresspediaCongresspedia was a wiki that ran from April 2006 to March 2009, designed to hold information on the workings of the U.S. Congress. It was fully contained within SourceWatch, a larger wiki meant to document the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. The Congresspedia portion of...