Operation Focus
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Council for American Private Education 13017 Wisteria Drive #457 Germantown, MD 20874 301-916-8460 (tel) 301-916-8485 (fax) [email protected] www.capenet.org Focus n Operatio Focus Background Information on Key Members of Congress PRIVATE EDUCATION : Good for Students Good for Families Good for America Voice of America’s Private Schools Operation Focus CAPE and its member organizations are working to encourage the private school community across the country to communicate with key members of Congress about legislative issues of concern to religious and independent schools. The program is called “Operation Focus” because it focuses on specific lawmakers and enlists the help of specific constituents within their states or districts. Lawmakers Operation Focus identifies key legislators who fill leadership posts in the House or Senate, or who serve on the following committees significant for education: • Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (House and Senate) • Education and Labor Committee (House) • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) (Senate) • Ways and Means Committee (House) Constituents Operation Focus seeks to enlist the help of influential persons who can communicate with lawmakers about the legislative priorities of the private school community. Such persons might include education and religious leaders; community and business leaders; contributors to political campaigns; board members, administrators, parents, and teachers in schools within the particular state or Congressional district. About This Document The biographical sketches of lawmakers in this document are intended to provide private school leaders with background information that may be helpful in identifying persons well suited to contact legislators. The sketches should also give the identified contacts valuable information to help them connect with the legislator in question. Sketches are organized by state and, within state, by alphabetical order of the legislator’s last name, with senators listed first. Links to the section for each state are provided as follows: Alabama Indiana Missouri Rhode Island Alaska Iowa Montana Tennessee California Kentucky Nevada Texas Connecticut Louisiana New Hampshire Utah Delaware Maryland New Jersey Virginia Florida Massachusetts New Mexico Washington Georgia Michigan New York Wisconsin Hawaii Minnesota Ohio Wyoming Illinois Mississippi Pennsylvania Operation Focus– Page 2 The following abbreviations are used in this document: C&F – Children and Families ECE&S – Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education HELP – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions LHE – Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Rnk Mem – Ranking Member Additional Resources CAPE has compiled a companion document that identifies the private schools located within the Congressional districts of members of the House who are the focus of Operation Focus. (Lists of private schools in the states of targeted senators are readily available from various sources.) The companion document should be helpful in rallying school communities to contact legislators in support of issues of particular concern to religious and independent schools. CAPE’s Legislative Action Center (LAC) provides complete contact information and additional background data for every member of Congress. The database includes up-to- date addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers for Washington and district offices; names of key staffers, including the legislative assistant for education; and other valuable information. The LAC also allows constituents to contact the legislator via e-mail. Operation Focus– Page 3 Targeted Legislators by State Alabama Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R AL) Key Committees: Appropriations -- Subcommittee on LHE Home: Tuscaloosa AL Education: University of Alabama, 1957, A.B.; University of Alabama School of Law, 1963, LL.B., Phi Alpha Delta Profession: Admitted to AL Bar, 1961; Practicing attorney, Tuscaloosa, AL Other Government Service: Law clerk, Supreme Court of AL, 1961-62; Tuscaloosa, AL Prosecutor, 1963-71; U.S. Magistrate, Northern District of AL, 1966-70; Special Asst. Attorney General of AL, 1968-70. Member, AL Senate, 1971-78 Memberships: AL Law Institute; AL Code Revision Committee, 1971-75; American, AL and Tuscaloosa County Bar Associations; American Judicature Society; Exchange Club; Tuscaloosa County Mental Health Association, past president Family: Married to Annette Nevin; two children Religion: Presbyterian Operation Focus– Page 4 Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R AK) Key Committees: HELP -- Subcommittee on C&F Home: Anchorage AK Education: Willamette University (OR), 1975-77; Georgetown University (DC), 1980, B.A. in economics; Willamette University College of Law (OR), 1985, J.D. Advisory Boards: Citizens’ Advisory Board to Joint Committee on Military Bases in AK, 1998 Board of Trustees: Boys and Girls Clubs; Catholic Social Services Memberships: AK and Anchorage, AK Bar Associations; AK Federation of Republican Women; Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth; Anchorage, AK Equal Rights Commission, 1997-98; Anchorage Republican Women's Club; Arctic Power; Council of State Governments, West Executive Committee; Government Hill Elementary PTA, president; Mayor's Task Force on the Homeless, 1990-91; Midnight Sun Republican Women's Club; National Council of State Legislatures; National Order of Women Legislators; YWCA Family: Married to Verne Martell; two children Religion: Roman Catholic Operation Focus– Page 5 California Rep. Susan Davis (D CA-53) Key Committees: Ed-Labor -- Subcommittee on ECE&S Home: San Diego CA Education: University of California, Berkeley, 1965, B.A. in sociology; University of North Carolina, 1968, M.A. in social work Profession: Producer, public television, 1977-83; Exec. Director, Aaron Price Fellowship Program, 1992-94 Awards: Friend of the National Parks Award, Natl. Parks Conservation Association, 2003; Lane Evans Veteran Entrepreneur Public Service Award, The Veterans Corp. (non- profit), 2007; Lifetime Achievement Award, San Diego, CA Domestic Violence Council, 2001; Military Affairs Advisory Council Award, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, 2006 Memberships: CA Elected Women's Association for Education and Research, president, 1997-98; League of Women Voters of San Diego, president Family: Married to Steve Davis; two children Religion: Jewish Rep. Mike Honda (D CA-15) Key Committees: Appropriations -- Subcommittee on LHE Home: San Jose CA Education: San Jose State University (CA), 1969, B.S. in biological sciences, 1970, B.A. in Spanish, 1973, M.A. in education Profession: Peace Corps volunteer, El Salvador, 1965-67; Science teacher, Sunnyvale, CA; Principal, San Jose, CA; Educational researcher, Urban-Rural School Development Program, Stanford University (CA) Other Government Service: Member, San Jose, CA Planning Commission, 1971; San Jose Unified School Board, 1981-90; Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, 1990-96; Member, CA House of Representatives, 1997-2000 Political Highlights: Deputy Chair, Democratic Natl. Committee, 2003-present Awards: High-Tech Legislator of the Year, American Electronics Association, 2000; Human Rights Award, Human Agenda, San Jose, CA, 2004; Outstanding Leadership Award, The Sikh Coalition, 2002; Outstanding New Member Award, Committee for Education Funding, 2002 Memberships: San Jose, CA Gang Task Force Family: Widower; two children Religion: Protestant Rep. Howard P. Buck McKeon (R CA-25) Key Committees: Ed-Labor (Rnk Mem) Home: Santa Clarita CA Education: Brigham Young University (UT), 1985, B.S. Profession: Chair and Founding Director, Valencia Natl. Bank, 1987-92; Co-Owner, Howard and Phil's Western Wear, Inc. Other Government Service: Trustee and President, William S. Hart Union High School Operation Focus– Page 6 District, Santa Clarita, CA, 1979-87; Delegate, White House Conference on Aging, 2004; Santa Clarita, CA Mayor and Council member, 1987-92 Awards: Advocacy of Independent Higher Education Award, Natl. Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, 2002; Newsmaker of the Year, Santa Clarita Press Club, 1996; Robert J. Collier Award, Natl. Aeronautic Association, 2001; Silver Spur Award for Outstanding Community Service, College of the Canyons Foundation, 2000 Board of Directors: Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, Valencia, CA, chair, 1983-87; Canyon County Chamber of Commerce, 1988-92 Memberships: CA Republican Central Committee, 1988-92; Leukemia Society Celebrity Program, honorary chair, 1990; Santa Clarita Valley Small Business Development Center, 1990-92; Boy Scouts of America, District Committee; Red Cross 12/10/07Community Support Campaign, honorary chair, 1992 Family: Married to Patricia Kunz; six children Religion: Mormon Rep. George Miller (D CA-7) Key Committees: Ed-Labor (Chair) Home: Martinez CA Education: Diablo Valley College (CA); San Francisco State College (CA), 1968, B.A. in American problems; University of California at Davis School of Law, 1972, J.D. Profession: Admitted to CA Bar, 1972. Practicing attorney, 1974-75 Other Government Service: Legislative Aide to Sen. George Moscone, Majority Leader, CA Senate, 1969-74 Publications: Giving Children A Chance: The Case for More Effective National Policies, Center for National Policy Press, 1989 Awards: Cleveland Amory Capitol Courage Award, Fund for Animals, 2002; Excellence in Public Service Award, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1984; Farmworker Justice Award, Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc., 2003; North American