Mark Amodei

Mark Amodei
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Nevada's 2nd district
Assumed office
September 13, 2011
Preceded by Dean Heller
Member of the Nevada Senate
from the Capital district
In office
1999–2010
Preceded by Ernie Adler
Succeeded by James Settelmeyer
Member of the Nevada Assembly
from the Capital district
In office
1997–1999
Personal details
Born Mark Eugene Amodei
(1958-06-12) June 12, 1958
Carson City, Nevada, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) divorced; 2 children
Residence Carson City, Nevada
Education McGeorge Law School
Profession Attorney
Religion Christian[1]
Awards Army Achievement Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Military service
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1983–1987
Rank Captain

Mark Eugene Amodei (born June 12, 1958) is an American politician who has been the United States Representative for Nevada's second congressional district since 2011. Amodei, a Republican, previously served in the Nevada Assembly from 1997 to 1999 and in the Nevada Senate, representing the Capital District, from 1999 to 2010. After public office as state Senator, he served as chairman of the Nevada Republican Party until May 2011, when he stepped down in order to pursue the Republican nomination for Congress. Amodei was the Republican candidate for the special election held on September 13, 2011, to replace Dean Heller in Nevada's second congressional district.

Early life, education, and military service

Amodei was born in Carson City, Nevada, the son of Joy LaRhe (née Longero) and Donald Mark Amodei. His father was of half Italian and half Irish descent, and one of his maternal great-grandfathers was Italian.[2] Amodei graduated from Carson High School in 1976, where he was student class president. He attended the University of Nevada before enrolling at University of the Pacific's McGeorge Law School, where he received his J.D. in 1983.

When Amodei entered the U.S. Army, he had not yet passed the bar exam. So, he was assigned to an artillery division. Upon passing the bar, he became an Army JAG Corps officer prosecuting criminal matters, an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant Post Judge Advocate. He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Award. He served with the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps, from 1983 to 1987. Upon receiving an honorable discharge, he returned home to become an attorney with the law firms Allison MacKenzie in Carson City and Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw and Ferrario (now Kaempfer Crowell) in Reno, Nevada. He served as a lawyer with Allison, MacKenzie, et al. from 1987 to 2004 and with Kummer, et al. from 2004 to 2007.

As a lawyer, Congressman Amodei has been a sole practitioner from 2009 to the present. Prior to that, he served as the President of the Nevada Mining Association from 2007 to 2008.

Nevada legislature

Elections

In 1996, he was elected to the Nevada Assembly, representing Carson City, the state capital. In 1998, he ran for the Nevada Senate in the Capital District. He defeated incumbent Democrat State Senator Ernie Adler 52%-48%.[3] In 2002, he won re-election to a second term with 84% of the vote.[4] In 2006, he won re-election to a third term with 78% of the vote.[5]

Tenure

He was named the Outstanding Freshman Legislator in 1997.[6]

He was selected to serve as the President pro tempore of the Nevada State Senate.

2003 tax increase

Amodei was the co-author, with Democratic Senator Terry Care, of a plan in 2003 to increase taxes in Nevada by $1 billion. The plan was offered as an alternative to governor Kenny Guinn's tax plan, which called for over $1 billion in revenue increases.[7] The final plan raised taxes by $873 million.[8]

Collective bargaining

In 2009, Amodei supported a proposal to expand collect bargaining rights for state workers, whom he believed were unfairly treated during the budget process.[9]

Gas tax

In 2009, Amodei sponsored a bill that would have allowed for a gas tax increase in Washoe County; the plan gained public approval in an advisory vote.[10]

Medical liability reform

In 2003, Amodei voted against a tort reform bill that would have changed Nevada's medical liability law.[11] He was the only Republican Senator to vote against the bill.

Committee assignments

He has served on the Legislative Commission, Vice Chair of the Governor's Task Force on Access to Public Health Care, Education Commission of the States, Public Lands committee, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Legislative Oversight committee, Chairman of the Education Technology committee, and was a member of the Nevada Supreme Court's committee on Court Funding.

2010 U.S. Senate election

Amodei ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate against Democrat Harry Reid, the Majority Leader. He dropped out before election day, as State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle won the primary and lost the general election to Reid.

U.S House of Representatives

Amodei being sworn-in by Speaker of the House John Boehner.

Elections

2011

On September 13, 2011, Nevada's second Congressional district elected Amodei to replace Congressman Dean Heller. Heller had been appointed to fill John Ensign's seat the U.S. Senate, following Ensign's resignation from the position. Amodei announced his bid for the congressional seat in May 2011. The next month, he won the Republican nomination by taking 221 out of 323 ballots. In the primary, he defeated State Senator Greg Brower, who received 56 votes, and prominent U.S. Navy Veteran Kirk Lippold, who received 46 votes.[12]

Amodei defeated Democrat Kate Marshall 58%-36%. He won every county in the district, including Washoe and Mineral counties both with 52% of the vote.[13]

2012

Amodei, who has represented Nevada's 2nd congressional district since being elected in a special election in September 2011, ran for re-election against Democrat Samuel Koepnick, an information technology employee for the state of Nevada. Amodei has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association.[14]

Amodei defeated Koepnick 58%-36%. He won every county in the district, including Washoe with 52% of the vote.[15][16]

Tenure

Mark Amodei was sworn in on September 15, 2011.[17]

Amodei voted against the bill to end the United States federal government shutdown of 2013. Regarding the vote, Amodei stated: "During two campaigns, I told Nevadans I would give my full attention to such issues as reining in runaway federal spending, debt, and the harmful aspects of the Affordable Care Act. Unlike many in this town, I will not test your memories and hope you have forgotten. I will continue to pursue these necessary goals. Nothing in this legislation changes the real threats to our country’s economy."[18]

Amodei received a 0% rating from Planned Parenthood's 2014 Congressional Scorecard for supporting a nationwide abortion ban after 20 weeks and banning abortion access in the District of Columbia and through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[19]

Legislation

On July 25, 2014, Amodei introduced the Northern Nevada Land Conservation and Economic Development Act (H.R. 5205; 113th Congress), a bill that would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to convey certain federal lands in Nevada to other government entities.[20] The bill is a package of numerous other bills related to land conveyance in Nevada, which make up the bulk of Amodei's legislation.[21]

In total, Amodei has sponsored 45 bills, including:[22]

112th Congress (2011-2012)

113th Congress (2013-2014)

114th Congress (2015-2016)

Committee assignments

114th Congress:

House Committee on Appropriations

In the 112th and 113th Congress, Amodei served on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs:

House Judiciary Committee

House Natural Resources Committee

House Committee on Veterans Affairs

Electoral history

1998 Nevada Senate election in the Capital District[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark E. Amodei 12,348 53%
Democratic Ernie Alder (Incumbent) 10,896 47%
Majority 1,452 6%
Turnout 23,244
Republican gain from Democratic Swing
2002 Nevada Senate election in the Capital District[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark E. Amodei 25,368 82%
Democratic David Schumann 4,962 16%
Republican hold Swing
2006 Nevada Senate election in the Capital District[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mark E. Amodei 27,039 78%
Democratic Ike Yochum 7,761 22%
Republican hold Swing
2011 Nevada 2nd Congressional District (Special Election) [26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark E. Amodei 74,976 58
Democratic Kate Marshall 46,669 36
Independent Helmuth Lehmann 5,354 4
Independent American Timothy Fasano 2,415 2
Total votes 129,414 '
Republican hold
2012 Nevada 2nd Congressional District [27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark E. Amodei (Incumbent) 162,213 57.63
Democratic Samuel Koepnick 103,019 36.25
Independent American Michael L. Haines 11,166 3.97
Independent American Russell Best 6,051 2.15
Total votes 281,449 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

Amodei has two daughters: Erin, a nursing student at Truckee Meadows Community College, and Ryanne, a physician trainer on the DaVinci Robotic Surgical Instrument and former engineer in the U.S. Navy.

References

  1. http://www.congress.org/bio/id/6273
  2. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/amodei.htm
  3. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=42106
  4. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=41291
  5. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=302469
  6. "Mark Amodei". Amodei4nevada.com. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  7. Vogel, Ed (March 13, 2003). "ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL: Room, service tax key to new plan". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  8. Whaley, Sean; Ed Vogel (June 23, 2003). "SPECIAL SESSION: Senate OKs tax package". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  9. Riley, Brendan (June 5, 2009). "Bargaining rights bill vetoed by Gibbons". Associated Press. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  10. Ryan, Cy (September 9, 2009). "State Sen. Amodei enters race against Harry Reid". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  11. "Doctors get boost in Senate". Las Vegas Sun. April 23, 2003. Retrieved June 5, 2011.
  12. Dornan, Geoff (June 18, 2011). "Mark Amodei wins GOP nomination for Heller's seat". Lahontan Valley News. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  13. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=731280
  14. "NRA Political Victory Fund".
  15. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=705009
  16. Politico report on the 2012 election for Nevada
  17. "Mark Amodei sworn in to fill House seat". Las Vegas Sun. September 15, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  18. Nevada's Mark Amodei issues statement on his 'no' vote in US House http://www.rgj.com/article/20131016/NEWS12/131016044/Nevada-s-Mark-Amodei-issues-statement-his-no-vote-U-S-House
  19. "2014 Congressional Score Card". Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  20. "CBO - H.R. 5205". Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  21. Kelly, Erin (15 September 2014). "U.S. House passes Northern Nevada lands package". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  22. "Representative Amodei's Legislation". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  23. "Nevada Secretary of State". Sos.state.nv.us. June 17, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  24. http://sos.state.nv.us/SOSelectionPages/results/2002General/ElectionSummary.aspx
  25. "NVSOS.GOV — Elections Results: 2006 Statewide General�Election Coverage and Reports". Sos.state.nv.us. September 8, 2006. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  26. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2011/by_county/NV_US_House_0913.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS
  27. "Nevada General Election 2012 - U.S. Congress". Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved November 27, 2012.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Dean Heller
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Nevada's 2nd congressional district

2011–present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Nevada Senate
Preceded by
Ernie E. Adler
Member of the Nevada Senate from the Capital district
1999–2010
Succeeded by
James Settelmeyer
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Janice Hahn
D-California
United States Representatives by seniority
296th
Succeeded by
Suzanne Bonamici
D-Oregon


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