Scott Garrett

For other people named Scott Garrett, see Scott Garrett (disambiguation).
Scott Garrett
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 5th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2003
Preceded by Marge Roukema
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 24th district
In office
January 14, 1992 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by Robert E. Littell
Succeeded by Alison Littell McHose
Personal details
Born (1959-07-09) July 9, 1959
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Mary Ellen Garrett
Children 2
Residence Wantage, New Jersey
Alma mater Montclair State University
Rutgers University, Camden
Religion Christianity

Ernest Scott Garrett (born July 9, 1959) is the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 5th congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of the northern-most and western-most portions of the state. He previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 2003. Garrett chairs the powerful United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises.[1]

Early life, education and career

Garrett earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Montclair State University in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law–Camden in 1984.[2]

Born in Bergen County in the town of Englewood, Garrett spent much of his life living in North Jersey. He is a proponent of preserving open space and protecting the Highlands, the Musconetcong River and the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1991, and was re-elected five times, serving from 1992 to 2003, representing the 24th legislative district, which covered all of Sussex County and several municipalities in Morris and Hunterdon counties.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Garrett unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Congresswoman Marge Roukema in the 1998 and 2000 Republican primaries.[1] In 2002, Roukema retired and Garrett won a contested five-way primary with 46% of the vote over State Assemblyman David C. Russo and State Senator Gerald Cardinale.[3]

In the 2002 general election, Garrett faced Democratic candidate Anne Sumers, an ophthalmologist and former Republican.[4] Garrett beat Sumers with 60% of the vote.[5]

Garrett was reelected in 2004 with 58% of the vote. In 2006, Garrett defeated Republican primary opponent Michael Cino. In the November 2006 general election, Garrett defeated Paul Aronsohn, a former employee of the U.S. State Department during the Clinton Administration, to win a third term. Garrett defeated Democrat Dennis Shulman 56%–42% in the 2008 general election. In 2010, Garrett defeated Tod Theise, receiving 65% of the vote. In 2012, Garrett defeated Democrat Adam Gussen with 55% of the vote.[6]

In 2014, Garrett defeated Democratic nominee Roy Cho with 55% of the vote.[7] Garrett is running for re-election in 2016. He is being challenged by Michael Cino and Peter Vallorosi in the Republican primary election. Josh Gottheimer is the sole Democrat to file for election.[8]

Committee assignments

Legislation

On May 8, 2013, Garrett introduced the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2014 (H.R. 1872; 113th Congress), a bill that would modify the budgetary treatment of federal credit programs.[9] The bill would require that the cost of direct loans or loan guarantees be recognized in the federal budget on a fair-value basis using guidelines set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.[9] The bill would also require the federal budget to reflect the net impact of programs administered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.[9] The changes made by the bill would mean that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were counted on the budget instead of considered separately and would mean that the debt of those two programs would be included in the national debt.[10] These programs themselves would not be changed, but how they are accounted for in the United States federal budget would be. The goal of the bill is to improve the accuracy of how some programs are accounted for in the federal budget.[11]

Tenure

Garrett is a member of the Republican Liberty Caucus.[12] He is a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, which serves as a policy alternative to the Republican Study Committee.[13] Garrett founded and leads the House Constitution Caucus.[14] Garrett holds a lifetime rating of 99.3 from the American Conservative Union.[15]

Foreign policy

In 2007, Garrett led nineteen U.S. lawmakers to introduce a bill in the House of Representatives backing United Nations membership for Taiwan.[16]

Economic policy

In 2006, Garrett supported H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.[17] In 2008, he opposed H.R. 5767, the Payment Systems Protection Act, which was a bill that sought to place a moratorium on enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 while the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve defined "unlawful Internet gambling".

Garrett voted to allow oil and gas drilling off the shore of New Jersey.[18] He voted against making "price gouging" by oil companies a crime,[19] and against the Further Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Hurricane Katrina Act of 2005.[20] He was one of four members of the House of Representatives to vote against an extension of unemployment benefits.[21]

Garrett voted against the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 during the United States federal government shutdown of 2013.[22] When opponents criticized Garrett for not signing a letter urging the House to provide prompt aid to victims of Hurricane Sandy, Garrett responded by saying he had signed nine other letters seeking aid and had helped sponsor a final bill authorizing money.[23]

Education

As a state legislator in 2005, he proposed public schools include lessons on intelligent design alongside evolution. Garrett said he would not advocate for a law mandating changes to the state curriculum.[24]

In July 2007, Garrett proposed an amendment to strike earmarked money in a spending bill for native Alaskan and Hawaiian educational programs.[25] Congressman Don Young of Alaska defended the funds on the floor of the House, saying, "You want my money, my money."[25] Young went on to suggest that Republicans had lost their majority in the 2006 election because some Republicans had challenged spending earmarks.[25] While Garrett did not ask for an official reprimand, other conservative Republicans took exception to Young's remarks that the funds in question represented his money. Members of the Republican Study Committee gave Garrett a standing ovation later in the day during the group's weekly meeting.[25]

LGBT issues

Following the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2015, Garrett supported the First Amendment Defense Act, a bill allowing companies to deny service to same-sex weddings due to religious objections.[26]

Also in 2015, Garrett refused to pay GOP campaign arm dues to the National Republican Congressional Committee because he said they were "actively recruiting homosexual candidates and had supported gay candidates in the past."[27] Garrett later clarified his remarks, saying that he is opposed to same-sex marriage due to his faith, but that he does not "have malice" toward any group of people.[28] Regarding his stance opposing gay Republican political candidates, he said that political opponents in the media distorted his views; while he affirmed that it was "everybody's right" to run for office, he reiterated his opposition to funding the campaigns of candidates who support same-sex marriage.[29]

Suffrage

In 2006, Garrett was the only congressman from New Jersey to vote against the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, citing his opposition to requirements to print non-English ballots.[30]

President Obama's birth certificate

In November 2009, after birthers harangued him for several minutes at a protest, he agreed President Barack Obama should produce an original birth certificate to verify his eligibility to be President of the United States.[31]

Personal life

Garrett is married and has two adult daughters.[32] They homeschooled their daughters because there was "no high school offering a Christian education" in their area.[33]

Electoral history

New Jersey's 5th congressional district: Results 2002–2010[34]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2002 Anne Sumers 76,504 38% Scott Garrett 118,881 59% Michael J. Cino Lower Tax Independent 4,466 2%
2004 D. Anne Wolfe 122,259 41% Scott Garrett 171,220 58% Victor Kaplan Libertarian 1,857 1% Thomas Phelan NJ Conservative 1,515 1% *
2006 Paul Aronsohn 89,503 44% Scott Garrett 112,142 55% R. Matthew Fretz An Independent Voice 2,597 1%
2008 Dennis Shulman 123,512 42% Scott Garrett 165,271 56% Ed Fanning Green 4,950 2%
2010 Tod Theise 60,045 33% Scott Garrett 119,478 65% Ed Fanning Green 2,262 1% Mark Quick Independent 1,646 <1%
2012 Adam Gussen 130,102 43% Scott Garrett 167,503 55% Patricia Alessandrini Green 6,770 2%
2014 Roy Cho 81,808 43% Scott Garrett 104,678 55%

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2004, Socialist Party USA candidate Gregory Pason received 574 votes. In 2010, James Radigan received 336 votes.

References

  1. 1 2 Green, Joshua (January 14, 2016). "Wall Street’s Straight Man in Washington". Bloomberg. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Full Biography". House.gov. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  3. ↑ Kocieniewski, David. "Forrester to Represent G.O.P. in Race to Unseat Torricelli", The New York Times, June 5, 2002. Accessed March 30, 2008. "In the Republican primary to replace Representative Marge Roukema, who is retiring from her Fifth Congressional District seat, State Assemblyman E. Scott Garrett, defeated State Senator Gerald Cardinale, whom Mrs. Roukema had endorsed. With all precincts reporting, Mr. Garrett had 46 percent, to 25 percent for Mr. Cardinale and 26 percent for Assemblyman David C. Russo."
  4. ↑ Peterson, Iver (September 15, 2002). "Where a Republican Turns Democrat to Take On a Republican". New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002" (PDF). United States House of Representatives. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Scott Garrett". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  7. ↑ "2014 New Jersey House Election Results". Politico. December 17, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  8. ↑ Ma, Myles (February 8, 2016). "Wyckoff Democrat launches campaign against Scott Garrett". NJ.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "H.R. 1872 – CBO" (PDF). United States Congress. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  10. ↑ Kasperowicz, Pete (March 28, 2014). "House to push budget reforms next week". The Hill. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  11. ↑ Kasperowicz, Pete (April 4, 2014). "Next week: Bring out the budget". The Hill. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  12. ↑ "History of the RLC". Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  13. ↑ French, Lauren (January 26, 2015). "9 Republicans launch House Freedom Caucus". Politico. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  14. ↑ Hernandez, Raymond (April 18, 2011). "Still an Ideological Oddity in New Jersey, but a Rising Force in His Party". New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  15. ↑ Salant, Jonathan (August 23, 2015). "Will voters remember N.J. Rep. Scott Garrett's gay comments next fall?". NJ.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  16. ↑ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes legislation introduced by 19 lawmakers, The China Post, November 11, 2007
  17. ↑ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
  18. ↑ House votes to lift drilling ban for offshore natural gas and oil, Star-Ledger, June 30, 2006
  19. ↑ "Garrett hit for vote against gas price-gouging ban", The Record (Bergen County), May 6, 2006.
  20. ↑ Roll Call: Further Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, Hurricane Katrina, 2005, September 8, 2005
  21. ↑ Bush Signs Extension of Federal Unemployment Benefits, KOMO-TV, January 8, 2003
  22. ↑ Garrett's vote for federal government shutdown of 2013, govtrack.us; accessed October 31, 2014.
  23. ↑ Zernike, Kate (October 21, 2014). "Opponent Attacks New Jersey Congressman’s Record on Hurricane Recovery". New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  24. ↑ Carroll, Kathleen (September 30, 2005). "Garrett backs lessons on intelligent design". The Record (Bergen County). Archived from the original on March 15, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2009. ...Garrett is calling on school boards throughout New Jersey to include lessons on intelligent design alongside evolution...
  25. 1 2 3 4 North to Alaska, The Politico dated July 17, 2007.
  26. ↑ Salant, Jonathan D. (July 10, 2015). "2 N.J. lawmakers back denying services to gay couples on religious grounds". NJ.com. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  27. ↑ "GOP lawmaker: No cash for campaign arm because it backs gays". POLITICO. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  28. ↑ Salant, Jonathan D. (January 16, 2016). "N.J. Rep. Scott Garrett: I have no malice toward gays". NJ.com. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  29. ↑ HERB JACKSON. "Rep. Garrett says his stance on gay candidates is being distorted by political opponents". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  30. ↑ Llorente, Elizabeth. "Group rallies against Garrett", The Record (Bergen County), July 21, 2006. Accessed February 10, 2016. "And recently, Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, was the only member of New Jersey's congressional delegation to vote against extending the Voting Rights Act, because he opposed a provision that called for printing ballots in languages other than English."
  31. ↑ Weigel, David (November 18, 2009). "GOP Rep. Garrett: ‘I Agree’ That Obama Should Produce Birth Certificate". The Washington Independent. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  32. ↑ "Scott Garrett - Candidate for the 5th Congressional District - 2014 General". New Jersey Herald. October 14, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  33. ↑ "U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett's conservative beliefs grounded in N.J. upbringing, study of history". NJ.com. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved January 10, 2008.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Marge Roukema		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 5th congressional district
2003–present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Trent Franks		 United States Representatives by seniority
123rd 		Succeeded by
Raúl Grijalva
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