Jo Bonner

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Jo Bonner
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Sonny Callahan
Born	November 19, 1959 (1959-11-19) (age 48) Selma, Alabama
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Janée Lambert
Religion	Episcopalian

Josiah Robins (Jo) Bonner, Jr. (b. November 19, 1959), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing Alabama's 1st congressional district.

[edit] Life

Bonner was born in Selma, Alabama, (but was raised in Camden, Alabama) to Imogene Virginia Lyons and Josiah Robins Bonner.^[1] He was educated at the University of Alabama, graduating in 1982. Two years later he started working as campaign press secretary for Congressman Sonny Callahan, a Republican representing Alabama's 1st district. In 1989 Bonner was promoted to Callahan's chief of staff and moved to Mobile. From this position he was positioned to run for the seat after Callahan's retirement just before the June 2002 primary election. During that primary, despite having six opponents, including Tom Young, chief of staff to Senator Richard Shelby, Bonner won by a wide margin.

Bonner has served as a member of the board of directors for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Leadership Mobile, and the Mobile Chapter of the University of Alabama Alumni Association. In 2000, the College of Communications at The University of Alabama honored him as their Outstanding Alumnus in Public Relations. He was a member of Leadership Mobile, Class of 2000, where his classmates elected him co-president.

Bonner is married to the former Janée Lambert of Mobile. They are parents of a daughter, Jennifer Lee, age 12, and a son, Josiah Robins, III, age 10. The Bonners make their home in Mobile and are members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

[edit] Electoral history

2006 General Election

2004 General Election

2002 General Election

[edit] House Record

In the House, Bonner has earned a consistent voting record and has made few waves as a party loyalist. Perhaps most notable dissention was his opposition on on-shore Liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals for Mobile, but went on to propose an off-shore option for the future. He pushed for Rep. Callahan's seat on the House Appropriations Committee but did not carry the support of his colleagues. One notable achievement has been his maintenance of the "Gulf Coast Congressional Report", which started airing in 1973 and bills itself as the longest running televised public service program hosted by a member of Congress.

Prior to being sworn in to the 108th Congress, Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-MO, named Bonner an Assistant Whip. The appointment made Bonner one of a number of freshmen who are now part of weekly leadership meetings with Blunt, the second-ranking member in the Republican Leadership behind only the Majority Leader. December 14 2005 he voted for the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. On June 29 2005 he voted for the increase of funds by $25 million for anti-marijuana print a TV ads. On October 6, 2005 he voted for the Department of Homeland Security.

[edit] Committees and Subcommittees

• House Committee on Agriculture (Ranked 14th of 25)
  • Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry (ranking)
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
• United States House Committee on the Budget (Ranked 7th of 22)
• House Committee on Science (Ranked 16th of 24)
  • Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
  • Technology and Innovation

[edit] Group Ratings (2004)

• National Journal
  • Economic: 13% Liberal, 87% Conservative
  • Social: 24% Liberal, 76% Conservative
  • Foreign: 0% Liberal, 96% Conservative
• Americans for Democratic Action: 0
• American Civil Liberties Union: 0
• Chamber of Commerce of the United States: 100
• Christian Coalition: 100
• League of Conservation Voters: 9
• American Conservative Union: 95
• National Taxpayers Union: 59

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner official U.S. House site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Jo Bonner for U.S. Congress official campaign site