Bill Posey
Bill Posey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Dave Weldon |
| Constituency | 15th district (2009–2013) 8th district (2013–present) |
| Member of the Florida Senate | |
| In office November 7, 2000 – November 4, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Patsy Ann Kurth |
| Succeeded by | Thad Altman |
| Constituency | 15th district (2000–2002) 24th district (2002–2008) |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 32nd district | |
| In office November 3, 1992 – November 7, 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Bob Allen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Joseph Posey December 18, 1947 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Katie Ingram (m. 1967) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Brevard Community College (AA) |
William Joseph Posey (born December 18, 1947) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th congressional district, in Congress since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He formerly served in the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives.
Early life, education, and business career[]
Posey was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Beatrice (née Tohl) and Walter J. Posey. His mother's family immigrated from Russia and is of Jewish heritage and his father is a Protestant of primarily English ancestry.[1] Posey moved to Florida in 1956 as his father took a job in engineering with McDonnell Douglas, working on the Delta rocket.[2] In 1969, he graduated from Brevard Community College with an Associate of Arts degree.
He got a job with McDonnell Douglas, and did Apollo Space Program work at Kennedy Space Center till he was laid off.[3] From 1974 to 1976, Bill Posey worked on the Rockledge Planning Commission. In 1976, he was elected as a member of the City Council, and from 1986 to 1992, he was a member of the Brevard County Business and Industrial Development Commission. Posey also founded his own real estate company during the 1970s. He later became director of the state Association of Realtors. While serving in local politics, he also became a researcher on government accountability and transparency.
Florida legislature[]
In 2006, Posey authored Activity Based Total Accountability, which outlines his suggestions for improving American politics.
While serving in the state legislature, Posey was a chief sponsor of a bill designed to modernize the Florida election process, in response to the 2000 presidential election controversy. He also worked to revise insurance policy, so as to aid hurricane victims.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives[]
Elections[]
2008[]
In 2008, Posey ran to replace retiring U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon, who had occupied the 15th District seat since 1995, when the district first voted Republican.
Posey defeated Democratic nominee Stephen Blythe, receiving 53.1% of the vote to Blythe's 42.0%.[5]
2010[]
Posey won re-election against former NASA executive and public administrator Shannon Roberts, receiving 64.7% of the vote to Roberts' 35.3%.[6]
2012[]
Posey won re-election with 58.9% of the vote against Democratic nominee Shannon Roberts and non-partisan candidate Richard Gillmor.[7]
2014[]
Posey won re-election with 65.84% of the vote against Democratic candidate Gabriel Rothblatt.
2016[]
Posey won re-election with 63.11% of the vote against Democratic candidate Corry Westbrook.
2018[]
Posey won re-election with 60.50% of the vote against Democratic candidate Sanjay Patel.
2020[]
Posey won re-election with 61.36% of the vote against Democratic candidate Jim Kennedy.
Committee assignments[]
- Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- United States House Science Subcommittee on Space
- United States House Science Subcommittee on Oversight
Caucus memberships[]
- Liberty Caucus
- Freedom Caucus[8]
- Congressional Arts Caucus[9]
- Congressional Constitution Caucus[10]
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus[11]
- Climate Solutions Caucus[12]
- Republican Study Committee[13]
Political positions[]
H.R. 1503 (2009)[]
Shortly after entering Congress, Posey introduced legislation (H.R. 1503) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require candidates for the presidency "to include with the [campaign] committee's statement of organization a copy of the candidate's birth certificate" plus supporting documentation.[14] Introduced without the Republican leadership being informed,[15] Florida Today commented that the bill "stems from fringe opponents of President Barack Obama who, during the 2008 election campaign, questioned whether Obama was born in Hawaii," but added that Posey's office "does not question Obama's citizenship."[16] He explained his motivation as being to "prevent something like this [controversy] from happening in the future" by requiring "the birth certificate up front and take [the issue] off the table". His initiative was strongly criticized by Florida Democrats, who accused Posey of trying to "fan the rumors on the extreme fringe of the Republican Party" and "pandering to the right wing".[17] Posey stated that there was now "no reason to question" that Obama is a U.S. citizen.[18] The proposed legislation was never voted upon by the 111th Congress.[19]
Environment and energy[]
In 2016, Posey sponsored legislation that reauthorized and reprioritized funding to clean up America's estuaries signed into law by President Obama.[20][21][22]
At a May 2018 hearing in the Science, Space and Technology Committee, Posey mentioned that in the 1970s climate scientists believed the Earth was cooling.[23] At the hearing, Posey also expressed skepticism that humans contributed to climate change, asking whether climate change was occurring because carbon dioxide captured in permafrost was now leaking out.[23] Posey also asked at the hearing whether warming would be beneficial for habitats and to people.[23] Posey said "I don't think anybody disputes that the Earth is getting warmer; I think what's not clear is the exact amount of who caused what, and getting to that is, I think, where we're trying to go with this committee."[23]
Foreign policy[]
In June 2021, Posey was one of forty-nine House Republicans who voted in favor of the repeal of the AUMF against Iraq.[24][25]
In July 2021, Posey voted against the bipartisan ALLIES Act, which would increase by 8,000 the number of special immigrant visas for Afghan allies of the U.S. military during its invasion of Afghanistan, while also reducing some application requirements that caused long application backlogs; the bill passed in the House 407–16.[26]
Gun law[]
Posey supports legislation that mandates concealed carry permit reciprocity among states.[27]
From 2015 to 2016, Posey accepted US$2,000 in direct campaign contributions from the NRA's Political Victory Fund;[28] from 2008 to 2016 Posey accepted $13,500 from NRA political action committees.[29]
Posey was one of the original cosponsors of the Repeal of the Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which repealed Obama-era legislation aimed at preventing the mentally-infirm from legally purchasing firearms.[30]
Following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Posey expressed his support for legislation that would ban bump stocks.[31]
Healthcare[]
Posey supports repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and calls it a "fiasco" that "was passed under a lot of misrepresentation."[32]
LGBT rights[]
Posey voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal offence to commit a violent crime because of the victim's race, sex, etc., even without any federal nexus, and also added sexuality to the list of such grounds.[33]
Net neutrality[]
Posey was the only Republican representative to vote with the Democratic-controlled House in favor of the Save the Internet Act of 2019, which would overturn the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s repeal of net neutrality and "would restore Obama-era net neutrality protections."[34][35]
Tax reform[]
Posey voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[36]
Texas v. Pennsylvania[]
In December 2020, Posey was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[37] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[38][39][40]
References[]
- ^ "Bill Posey ancestry". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
- ^ Takala, Rudy (July 5, 2016). "The red tape keeping private companies from getting us into space". The Washington Examiner. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- ^ McCutcheon, Michael; Barone, Chuck (2013). 2014 Almanac of American Politics. The University of Chicago Press.
- ^ "Biography - Congressman Bill Posey, Representing the 15th District of Florida". Archived from the original on January 11, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "November 4, 2008 General Election". Florida Secretary of State.
- ^ "November 2, 2010 General Election". Florida Secretary of State.
- ^ "Posey wins 3rd term in House". Florida TODAY. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
- ^ "What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who's in it?". Pew research center. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
- ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
- ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
- ^ Smith, Ben (March 13, 2009). "Birther bill hits Congress". Politico.com. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ Preston, Mark (March 13, 2009). "Republican wants WH candidates to prove citizenship". CNN. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ Kim Eun Kyung (March 14, 2009). "Posey to president hopefuls: Prove it". Florida Today. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ Matthews, Mark (March 13, 2009). "Posey: Future presidential candidates should show their birth certificates; won't say whether he believes Obama is a US citizen". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 19, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
- ^ Matthews, Mark K. (April 9, 2009). "New Rep. Bill Posey gains his footing after rough start". The Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
- ^ "Bill Summary & Status: 111th Congress (2009 - 2010): H.R.1503". Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
- ^ Posey, Bill. "Posey's Bipartisan Plan to Help Estuaries with Critical Needs Heads to the President's Desk". Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ "S.1523 - A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes". US Congress. May 20, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ "Obama signs bill to help Indian River Lagoon". TC Palm. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Republican lawmaker: Rocks tumbling into ocean causing sea level rise". Science | AAAS. May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization".
- ^ https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll172.xml
- ^ Quarshie, Mabinty (August 17, 2021). "These 16 Republicans voted against speeding up visas for Afghans fleeing the Taliban". USA Today. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ Bycoffe, Aaron (January 30, 2017). "Tracking Bill Posey In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Grinberg, Emanuella (February 21, 2018). "These Florida lawmakers accepted money from the National Rifle Association". CNN. Atlanta. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ Aaronson, Trevor (February 20, 2018). "Thoughts, Prayers and NRA Dollars: How the Gun Lobby Supports and Opposes Members of Florida's Congressional Delegation". Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
- ^ "In the wake of school shooting, follow the money". SunSentinel. Broward County, Florida. February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ Rangel, Isadora (October 7, 2017). "U.S. Rep. Bill Posey: Outlaw bump stocks". Florida Today. Brevard County, Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ Berman, Dave. "Posey, Rothblatt take their shots at congressional debate". Florida Today. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Roll call vote 223, via Clerk.House.gov
- ^ Reardon, Marguerite (April 10, 2019). "Democrats' net neutrality bill passes House". CNET. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 167". Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ Almukhtar, Sarah (December 19, 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Liptak, Adam (December 11, 2020). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bill Posey. |
- Congressman Bill Posey official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Bill Posey at Curlie
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
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