Orrin Hatch

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U.S. Senator

Orrin Hatch

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R-UT

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Positions
Leadership: No leadership position
Committees: Senate Committee on Finance, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Special Committee on Aging
(subcommittees and past assignments)

Candidates for the UT-Senate Class I Seat:
(Next election: 6 November 2012)

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 UT-Senate Class I Seat)
On the Web
Official website
File:Orrinhatch.jpg
Orrin Hatch currently serves as the Sr. Senator for Utah

Orrin Grant Hatch is the Senior Senator for the state of Utah. He is a Republican and was first elected in 1976. (map)

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 76 - 19/25 not avail.
AFSCME 14 - 1/7 not avail.
Americans for Democratic Action 30 - 6/20 10 - 2/20
Club for Growth not avail. not avail.
Drum Major Institute not avail. not avail.
Family Research Council 88 - 8/9 88 - 8/9
Information Technology Industry Council 80 - 4/5 80 - 4/5
League of Conservation Voters not avail. 18 - 2/11
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People not avail. not avail.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce 91 - 10/11 not avail.


Iraq War

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

For more information see the chart of U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War.

Next Attorney General?

Hatch, "who formerly chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee", is listed among the "Top Contenders"[1] to replace Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales "whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress". Gonzales resigned August 27, 2007,[2] and will leave office on September 17, 2007.[3][4]

Although Hatch "once said he would take the job if offered", his "prospects were a big unknown. There is general affection for him from his Senate colleagues but also questions about his loyalty to the administration because of his gentle treatment of Gonzales. The Utah Republican was the lone member of his party on the Senate Judiciary Committee not to openly deride the embattled attorney general."[1]

Environmental record

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

DC voting rights

On May 1, 2007 Hatch introduced the District of Columbia Fair and Equal Voting Rights Act of 2007 with Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.). The bill passed the House the previous month.

Main article: District of Columbia Fair and Equal Voting Rights Act of 2007

Bio

Background

Hatch was born March 22, 1934 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Hatch attended Brigham Young University and received a degree in History in 1959. In 1962, he received a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Hatch worked as an attorney in Pittsburgh and Utah for fourteen years. In 1976, in his first attempt at public office, he was elected to the U. S. Senate defeating three-term incumbent Sen. Frank Moss (D). He ran on the idea of creating term limits for Senators. He claimed that Senators, including Moss, had lost touch with their constituents.

In 2000 he made a failed bid for the Republican Party U.S.A. Presidential nomination, losing to Texas Governor George W. Bush.

Senate Career

According to Hatch's Senate biography, "he has continually fought an expanding federal bureaucracy and has been at the forefront of the battle against burdensome and costly federal regulations. He has been recognized by the National Taxpayers' Union for his fiscal responsibility and has been dubbed by others 'Mr. Free Enterprise,' 'Guardian of Small Business,' and 'Mr. Constitution.' [1]

Hatch is expected to win reelection for his 6th term in November 2006. His challengers include State House Majority Whip Steve Urquhart (R) and Pete Ashdown (D), who opposes Hatch's stand on technology issues.

Legislation and Issues

  • According to Hatch's Sentate biography,"Among his many achievements and initiatives are the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, the religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Omnibus Property Rights Act, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty act, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, home health care, the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act, the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act, FDA reform, the Orphan Drug Act, the Ryan White AIDS Care legislation, which provides needed services for adults and children afflicted with HIV, the Job Training Partnership Act, designation of the Mormon Trail, the Utah School Trust Lands Exchange Act, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) for the Utah down winders." [2]
  • Fair Housing ActIn 1980, Hatch spoke in favor of rolling back provisions of the Fair Housing Act. Acting on his motion in 1988, Congress eventually voted to weaken the ability of plaintiffs to prosecute cases of discriminatory treatment in housing. At the time the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments were being debated, he introduced a bill endorsed by the National Association of Realtors to severely limit who can file anti-discrimination suits and to make the proceedings a private affair.
  • Played a "key part in enacting the welfare reform bill, known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996." [3]
  • INDUCE Act Hatch caused an overnight controversy June 17, 2003 by proposing that copyright owners should be able to destroy the computer equipment and information of those suspected of copyright infringement, including file sharing. In the face of criticism, especially from technology and privacy advocates, Hatch withdrew his suggestion days later after it was discovered his website was designed with unlicensed software. One year later, he proposed a controversial INDUCE Act that attempted to make illegal all tools that may be used for copyright infringement. According to many critics, this act would effectively outlaw the internet and personal computers, giving unprecedented legal leverage to media companies.
  • Immigration Hatch was one of the architects and advocates of the expansion of H-1b visas and was generally an advocate of looser immigration policy.
  • Stem Cell Research A vocal supporter of stem cell research, Hatch was one of 58 senators who signed a letter directed to President George W. Bush, in hopes of relaxing the federal restrictions on stem cell research.

{{#badges: Tobaccowiki}}

  • Tobacco - According to U.S. Department of Justice Post-Trial Findings of Factin U.S.A. vs. Philip Morris et al, on October 2,1997, Philip Morris Companies sent a letter to Congress in response to a request from a number of senators, for the Philip Morris position on smoking and health issues. On Page 301 of a lengthy deposition given on July 14, 2000 by Ellen Merlo, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Philip Morris, the so-called "Hatch Statement" or "Hatch Agreement" (actually titled "Philip Morris' Statement of Position") was an agreement between Philip Morris and the United States Senate that PM would limit its discussion of health issues surrounding nicotine addiction and whether tobacco causes disease. According to DOJ, however, "In this statement, Philip Morris once again disputed addiction and claimed that cigarettes were addictive only under definitional changes that can be used to 'describe many different kinds of behavior.' Philip Morris also stated that it nonetheless agreed to cease all public debate on the issue."(Post-Trial Findings of Fact, PDF Page 1053)

Flag burning amendment

The "flag burning amendment", also known as the flag desecration amendment, was sponsored by Sen. Hatch in the 109th Congress. The Amendment would alter the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to allow Congress to ban the burning or desecration of American flags.

The most recent proposed flag burning constitutional amendments have used the following text:
"The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."
109th Congress: 2005-2006

The flag burning amendment failed to gain the necessary 2/3 majority in the U.S. Senate on June 27, 2006. The vote was 66-34 in favor, with Democrats voting against by 14-30 and Republicans voting in favor by 52-3.[5] The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Hatch and cosponsored by 59 senators, including all Republicans but Sens. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Lincoln Chafee (R-Conn.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The amendment was cosponsored by Democratic Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Ken Salazar (D-Colo.).[6] See also (Washington Post vote analysis.)

Main article: flag burning amendment

2006 elections

In 2006, Democrats nominated Peter Lynn Ashdown to face Hatch in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) [4] Hatch retained his seat.

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)
OC Tanner Inc$ 72,010
Cerberus Capital Management$ 65,000
Fresenius Medical Care$ 55,500
Ernst & Young$ 53,000
Cancer Treatment Centers of America$ 52,500
Blue Cross/Blue Shield$ 49,000
PricewaterhouseCoopers$ 45,500
Herbalife International$ 42,008
Marriott International$ 41,900
Apollo Advisors$ 39,500
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 Orrin Hatch
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


Committees and Affiliations

Committees

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

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

Boards and other Affiliations

More Background Data

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

Contact

DC Office:
104 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4402
Phone: 202-224-5251
Fax: 202-224-6331
Web Email
Website

District Office - Cedar City:
Post Office Box 99
2390 West Highway 56
Cedar City, UT 84720
Phone: 435-586-8435
Fax: 435-586-2147

District Office - Ogden:
1006 Federal Building
324 25th Street
Ogden, UT 84401
Phone: 801-625-5672
Fax: 801-394-4503

District Office - Provo:
51 South University Avenue, Suite 320
Provo, UT 84606
Phone: 801-375-7881
Fax: 801-374-5005

District Office - Saint George:
Washington County Administrative Building
197 East Tabernacle, Room 2
Saint George, UT 84770
Phone: 435-634-1795
Fax: 435-634-1796

District Office - Salt Lake City:
8402 Federal Building
125 South State Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84138
Phone: 801-524-4380
Fax: 801-524-4379

Articles and resources

Resources

Local blogs and discussion sites

Articles

SourceWatch Resources

This article may include information from Tobacco Documents Online.

Search the Documents Archives of the Tobacco Industry
Legacy Tobacco Documents Library:


Semantic data (Edit data)

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