Max Baucus

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U.S. Senator

Max Baucus

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D-MT

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Positions
Leadership: No leadership position
Committees: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Senate Committee on Finance
(subcommittees and past assignments)

Candidates for the MT-Senate Class II Seat:
(Next election: 4 November 2014)

Confirmed: None so far
Considering: None so far
Rumored: None so far
Potential: None so far
Dropped-out: None so far
(more info and editing for the MT-Senate Class II Seat)
On the Web
Official website
File:Maxbaucus.jpg
Max Baucus currently serves as the Sr. Senator for Montana

Max Sieben Baucus, a Democrat, has been a US Senator from Montana since 1979. (map) He posts his daily schedule online, available here.

Contents

Record and controversies

Congressional scorecards

Click through the score to see the records of other members of Congress and full descriptions of the individual votes.

Want to see someone else's scorecard added to the list? You can do it!

Organization 2007 Scorecard
Score - Agree ratio 		2008 Scorecard
Score - Agree ratio
American Civil Liberties Union not avail. not avail.
American Conservative Union 20 - 5/25 not avail.
AFSCME 100 - 7/7 not avail.
Americans for Democratic Action 80 - 16/20 80 - 16/20
Club for Growth not avail. not avail.
Drum Major Institute not avail. not avail.
Family Research Council 11 - 1/9 11 - 1/9
Information Technology Industry Council 100 - 5/5 100 - 5/5
League of Conservation Voters not avail. 100 - 11/11
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People not avail. not avail.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce 55 - 6/11 not avail.


Iraq War

Baucus voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

On January 11, 2007, Sen. Baucus, who voted in 2002 for the resolution authorizing President Bush to invade Iraq, stated his interest for a bill requiring congressional authority for President Bush to raise troop levels in Iraq, saying, "I’m very interested in it [Kennedy's bill]...It raises potential constitutional questions, the degree to which Congress can determine individual troop strength."

Main article: Congressional actions regarding President Bush’s 2007 proposed troop “surge” in Iraq
For more information see the chart of U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War.

Environmental record

For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Oil Record

Max Baucus has voted in favor of big oil companies on 67% of important oil-related bills, according to Oil Change International. These bills include Iraq War funding, climate change studies, clean energy, and oil import reductions.[1] See below for oil money in politics.

Schedule posting

Sen. Baucus posts his daily schedule online, available here.

Abramoff PAC Money

On December 20, 2005 Baucus' office announced that he was returning $18,892 in contributions that his office has found to be connected to indicted former lobbyist Jack Abramoff [1].

2002 Election Ad

The 2002, Montana elections gained a spot on the national radar when Baucus' opponent, Montana state senator Mike Taylor, accused Baucus of having implied that Taylor was a gay hairdresser in a campaign ad. The ad alleged that Taylor had embezzled funds from the cosmetology school he once owned while showing footage from the early '80s of Taylor massaging another man's face while wearing a tight suit with an open shirt. The commercial was featured on Comedy Central's The Daily Show along with interviews with the major third-party candidates for Baucus' seat. Taylor briefly dropped out of the race before returning in a last ditch bid to save face. Baucus won with 63% of the vote.

Fund raising as Committee Chairman

In April 1007, Baucus and House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) created a joint Political Action Committee, after setting new quarterly fund raising records in the first quarter of 2007. [2]

Budget

In early 2007, the House cut the budget for the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program as part of the FY2007 continuing resolution. $3.1 billion, which had previously been approved, was cut, leaving only $2.5 billion for the program. On February 7, Sen. Baucus joined twenty-five Republicans in drafting a letter to Senate leaders arguing that the BRAC cut would obstruct troop movements and hurt local economies in military communities. Baucus was particularly concerned that the lost BRAC funds would have benefitted a transition program for the Montana National Guard.

Main article: Continuing resolution of 2007

Bio

Background

Baucus was born December 11, 1941 in Helena, Montana, and graduated from Helena High School in 1959. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a law degree from Stanford University.

He began law practice in Missoula, Montana, in 1971, and then served as both Executive Director and Committee Coordinator for Montana's 1972 Constitutional Convention. In 1973, Baucus was elected to the Montana State Legislature. He served as a state representative from Missoula until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974. He was re-elected in 1976. Baucus was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978 where he has remained until present.[2]

Senate Career

Baucus is one of the most moderate members of his party, frequently breaking with them on the issues of taxes, the environment, and gun politics.

Baucus voted in favor of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and was at President Bush's side as he signed it. He has fairly consistently voted against repealing the portions of that bill and more recent tax cut bills that benefit upper income taxpayers.

While Baucus voted in favor of the Brady Bill and the first ban on assualt weapons, he has since switched positions on gun control, opposing most new gun control laws. In 1999 he was the one Democrat to vote against an amendment by Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) that sought to "regulate the sale of firearms at gunshows."

On other issues Baucus is more in tune with the mainstream of his party. He is staunchly pro-choice and regularly receives 100% ratings from NARAL Pro-Choice America and other reproductive rights advocacy groups. He opposes the United States embargo against Cuba and the restrictions on travel there. He was one of only 26 senators to vote against the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005. And despite his mixed record on environmental issues, Baucus has long opposed opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil drilling.

2008 elections

2008 superdelegate

Sdtp-banner.jpg
 This information was gathered by volunteer researchers as part of the Superdelegate Transparency Project on the superdelegates for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. For more info see the Montana superdelegate tracker or visit the STP homepage.

Before Hillary Clinton conceded the race, Max Baucus, as a superdelegate, had not endorsed a candidate for President.


  • Dem Con Watch
  • Obama's campaign gave $9,000 to Baucus.[3]

    • Money in politics

    This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. For specific controversies, see this article's record and controversies section.

    Top Contributors to during the 2006 Election Cycle
    DonorAmount (US Dollars)
    Express Scripts$ 76,218
    Aetna Inc$ 70,750
    Akin, Gump et al$ 53,036
    KKR & Co$ 47,000
    Schering-Plough Corp$ 44,200
    Amgen Inc$ 43,750
    Blue Cross/Blue Shield$ 43,750
    K&L Gates$ 42,900
    Fresenius Medical Care$ 39,050
    UST Inc$ 37,950
    Source: The Center for Responsive Politics' www.OpenSecrets.org site.
    Note: Contributions are not from the organizations themselves, but are rather from
    the organization's PAC, employees or owners. Totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.
    Links to more campaign contribution information for Max Baucus
    from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org site.
    Fundraising profile: 2008 election cycle Career totals
    Top contributors by organization/corporation: 2008 election cycle Career totals
    Top contributors by industry: 2008 election cycle Career totals


    Oil Money in Politics

    Max Baucus has received $87,100 in oil contributions during the 110th congress. $46,500 of those dollars were from industry PACS. [4] In total, Baucus has accepted $195,700 from oil companies since 2000 which makes him one of the top recipients of oil money in the United States Senate. [5]In addition to oil money, Baucus has received $82,900 in coal contributions during the 110th congress. $68,300 of those dollars were from industry PACS. [6] See above for oil and energy voting record.

    Committees and Affiliations

    Committees

    Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

    Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

    More Background Data

    Wikipedia also has an article on Max Baucus. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.

    Contact

    DC Office:
    511 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington, DC 20510-2602
    Phone: 202-224-2651
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106 (from MT)
    TTYD Number: 202-224-1998
    Fax: 202-224-0515
    Web Email
    Website

    District Office - Billings:
    222 North 32nd Street, Suite 100
    Billings, MT 59101-1954
    Phone: 406-657-6790
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    Fax: 406-657-6793

    District Office - Bozeman:
    Federal Building
    32 East Babcock Street, Suite 114
    Bozeman, MT 59715-4737
    Phone: 406-586-6104
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    Fax: 406-586-9177

    District Office - Butte:
    Silver Bow Center
    125 West Granite Street, Suite 100
    Butte, MT 59701-9200
    Phone: 406-782-8700
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    Fax: 406-782-6553

    District Office - Great Falls:
    113 Third Street North
    Great Falls, MT 59401-2525
    Phone: 406-761-1574
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    TTYD Number: 406-452-1117
    Fax: 406-727-3726

    District Office - Helena:
    Empire Block
    30 West 14th Street, Suite 206
    Helena, MT 59601
    Phone: 406-449-5480
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    Fax: 406-449-5484

    District Office - Kalispell:
    75 Claremont, Suite I
    Kalispell, MT 59901-4503
    Phone: 406-756-1150
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    Fax: 406-756-1152

    District Office - Missoula:
    1821 South Avenue West, Suite 203
    Missoula, MT 59801
    Phone: 406-329-3123
    TollFree: 1-800-332-6106
    Fax: 406-728-7610

    Articles and Resources

    Resources

    Articles

    Local blogs and discussion sites

    SourceWatch Resources


    Semantic data (Edit data)

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