The Congressional Organic Caucus and
the 2006 Federal Elections
Organic Consumers Fund
November 13, 2006
Web Note: Prior to the elections, the OCF conducted a survey to identify state and national candidates who support the organic movement. For an in-depth look at their electoral successes, see “Certified Organic” Candidates Winning 2006 Elections.
Thirty-seven of the forty-eight members of the Congressional Organic Caucus
will return to their US House seats, while a number of new Senators and House of Representatives members with strong pro-organic views will likely join the Caucus in 2007, including the new U.S. Senator from Montana (Democrat), Jon Testor, who is an organic farmer.
The following is a list of House Organic Caucus members who will be returning to Congress:
Co-Chairs:
Rep. Peter Defazio (D-OR) http://www.house.gov/defazio
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) http://www.farr.house.gov
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) http://www.gilchrest.house.gov/
Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) Scored “63% Organic” on the Organic Consumers Fund
Candidate Survey http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/RonKindWI.html
<http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/RonKindWI.html>
Rep. James Walsh (R-NY) http://www.jimwalshforcongress.com/
Members:
Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME 1st) Scored “63% Organic” on the Organic Consumers Fund
Candidate Survey
http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/Rep.TomAllenME.html
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI 2nd) Scored “92% Organic” on the Organic Consumers
Fund Candidate Survey
http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/TammyBaldwinWI.html
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA 31st) http://becerra.house.gov/HoR/CA31/
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR 3rd) http://www.earlblumenauer.com/
Rep. John Boozman (R-AR 3rd) www.boozmanforcongress.com
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA 3rd) http://www.boswell.house.gov/default.asp
Rep. F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (D-FL 2nd) http://www.boydforcongress.com/
Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA 23rd) Scored “96% Organic” on the Organic Consumers
Fund Candidate Survey
http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/LoisCappsCA.html
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX 25th) votedoggett.com
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA 14th) http://eshoo.house.gov/
Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA 5th) http://www.virgilgoode.com/
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA 4th) http://hastings.house.gov/
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY 22nd) Scored “100% Organic” on the Organic
Consumers Fund Candidate Survey
http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/MauriceHincheyNY.html
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ 12th) www.rushholt.com
Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-OR 5th) http://www.hooley.org/
Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA 1st) http://www.house.gov/inslee/
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI 5th) http://www.kildeeforcongress.org/
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH 10th)
http://www.kucinich.us
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA 1st) http://www.ricklarsen.org/
Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA 4th) http://www.tomlatham.com
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA 7th) mcdermottforcongress.com
Rep. George Miller (D-CA 7th) http://www.house.gov/georgemiller/
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO 4th) http://musgraveforcongress.org/
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY 8th) www.jerrynadler.com
Rep. John Olver (D-MA 1st) http://www.house.gov/olver/
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA 9th) http://www.electadamsmith.com/
Rep. Fortney Stark (D-CA 13th) http://www.petestark.com/
Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO 2nd) http://www.markudall.org/
Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM 3rd) http://www.udallforusall.org/
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI 6th) http://www.uptonforallofus.com/
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD 8th) http://www.vanhollenforcongress.com/
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA 30th) http://www.house.gov/waxman/
Seven of the eleven Organic Caucus members
who lost their seats were Republicans, now to be replaced by Democrats
who are likely to be listening closely to the increasing number of their constituents who are organic consumers:
Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH 2nd) lost to Democrat Paul Hodes
http://www.hodesforcongress.com/ who ran on a platform of universal access
to health insurance, sustainable sources of energy, clean air and water,
addressing global warming, and an exit strategy for Iraq.
Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH 1st) lost to Democrat Carol Shea-Porter who scored
96% http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/CarolShea-PorterNH.html on the
Organic Consumers Candidate Survey.
Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT 5th) lost to Democrat Chris Murphy
http://www.murphyforcongress.org <http://www.murphyforcongress.org/> who
proposed cheaper and cleaner alternatives to oil, including renewable fuels,
received a 100% rating from the League of Conservation Voters as a member of
the Connecticut General Assembly, said that the US “must leave Iraq as soon
as possible,” and vowed to expand health coverage and lower health care
costs.
Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY 19th) lost to 100% Organic Democrat John Hall
http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/JohnHallNY.html .
Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA 2nd) lost to 89% Organic Democrat Dave Loebsack
http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/DaveLoebsackIA.html .
Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA 10th) lost to Democrat Chris Carney
http://www.carneyforcongress.com <http://www.carneyforcongress.com/> who
campaigned on his plan to withdraw troops from Iraq (“For every new fully
trained battalion of the Iraqi Security Forces, a battalion of the United
States military should come home.), his support for “the adoption of
renewable sources of energy like hybrid technologies, geothermal energy,
bio-diesel, solar energy, and wind power,” and what he described as “a moral
obligation to ensure all citizens have access to quality healthcare.”
Rep. Robert Simmons (R-CT 2nd) lost his seat to Democrat Joe Courtney
http://www.joecourtney.com <http://www.joecourtney.com/> who supports
“making healthcare more affordable and accessible,” “changing the course in
Iraq,” and using an excess profits tax on Big Oil to produce revenue to
support “energy assistance funding and alternative fuel research.” As a
state legislator, he fought to enforce environmental safeguards and to
implement additional legislation to improve the quality of our environment.
One is a Republican who is retiring:
Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY 24th) retired. Democrat Michael Arcuri
http://www.arcuriforcongress.com <http://www.arcuriforcongress.com/> won his
seat. Arcuri ran on his plans to “bring our troops home in 2007,” provide
“healthcare that assures affordability and quality,” “support the
development of renewable and alternative energy sources to reduce pollution,
lower energy costs, and create new businesses.”
Two are Democrats who gave up their seats to run for higher office:
Rep. Ed Case (D-HI 2nd) gave up his seat in an unsuccessful bid for the
Democratic nomination for US Senate. Democrat Mazie Hirono
http://mazieforcongress.com/ won Case’s vacated seat. She was endorsed by
the Sierra Club and Hawaii’s Coalition of Conservation Voters. She supports
ratifying the Kyoto protocol, “a phased redeployment of U.S. forces that
begins before the end of 2006,” and “single-payer plans” as a “viable
starting point” for “providing real options for the 45 million Americans
currently without health insurance.” She opposes “policies that encourage
businesses to take advantage of underpaid foreign workers and lax
environmental standards while moving jobs out of the United States.”
Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT AL) http://www.bernie.org/
<http://www.bernie.org/> will return to Congress as Vermont’s US Senator. He
campaigned on withdrawing American troops from Iraq “as soon as feasible.”
As a congressman, he earned a 100% pro-environment rating and introduced
legislation that would overhaul energy policies through “conservation,
energy efficiency and sustainable energy.”
100% Organic http://organicconsumersfund.org/responses/PeterWelchVT.html
Democratic candidate, Peter Welch won Senator-Elect Sander’s vacated seat.
The last is a Republican who gave up his seat to run for higher office:
Rep. Mark Green (R-WI 8th) gave up his seat in an unsuccessful bid for
governor. Democrat Steve Kagen won Green’s vacated seat. Congressman-Elect
Kagen’s responses to the Organic Consumers Candidates Survey are pending and
will posted soon at http://organicconsumersfund.org/state/wi.cfm .
It’s not too late to get our elected officials to tell us where they stand
on the issues that matter most to organic consumers before they take office.
Please send them the survey today: http://www.organicconsumersfund.org/
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