Bill Posey

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Bill Posey
Bill Posey.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 8th district
15th (2009–2013)
Assumed office
January 3, 2009
Preceded by Dave Weldon
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 24th district
15th (2000–2002)
In office
November 7, 2000 – November 4, 2008
Preceded by Patsy Ann Kurth
Succeeded by Thad Altman
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 32nd district
In office
November 3, 1992 – November 7, 2000
Preceded by Dixie Sansom
Succeeded by Bob Allen
Personal details
Born William Joseph Posey
(1947-12-18) December 18, 1947 (age 70)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Katie Ingram
Education Eastern Florida State College (AA)
University of Central Florida (BS)

William Joseph Posey (born December 18, 1947) is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th congressional district, in Congress since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He formerly served in the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives.

Early life, education, and business career[edit]

Posey was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Beatrice (née Tohl) and Walter J. Posey. His mother's family immigrated from Russia and is of Jewish heritage.[1] Posey moved to Florida in 1956 as his father took a job in engineering with McDonnell Douglas, working on the Delta rocket.[2] In 1969, he graduated from Eastern Florida State College with an Associate of Arts degree. He would later receive his bachelor degree from University of Central Florida.

He got a job with McDonnell Douglas, and did Apollo Space Program work at Kennedy Space Center till he was laid off.[3] From 1974 to 1976, Bill Posey worked on the Rockledge Planning Commission. In 1976, he was elected as a member of the City Council, and from 1986 to 1992, he was a member of the Brevard County Business and Industrial Development Commission. Posey also founded his own real estate company during the 1970s. He later became director of the state Association of Realtors. While serving in local politics, he also became a researcher on government accountability and transparency.

Florida legislature[edit]

In 2006, Posey authored Activity Based Total Accountability, which outlines his suggestions for improving American politics.

While serving in the state legislature, Posey was a chief sponsor of a bill designed to modernize the Florida election process, in response to the 2000 presidential election controversy. He also worked to revise insurance policy, so as to aid hurricane victims.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives[edit]

Elections[edit]

2008
See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2008 § District 15

In 2008, Posey ran to replace retiring U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon, who had occupied the 15th District seat since 1995, when the district first voted Republican.

Posey defeated Democratic nominee Stephen Blythe, receiving 53.1% of the vote to Blythe's 42.0%.[5]

2010
Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2010 § District 15

Posey won re-election against former NASA executive and public administrator Shannon Roberts, receiving 64.7% of the vote to Roberts' 35.3%.[6]

2012
Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 2012 § District 8

Posey won re-election with nearly 60% of the vote against Democratic nominee Shannon Roberts and non-partisan candidate Richard Gillmor.[7]

2014
Main article: United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Florida,_2014 § District_8

Posey won re-election with 65.84% of the vote against Democratic candidate Gabriel Rothblatt.

2016
Main article: United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Florida,_2016 § District_8

Posey won re-election with 63.11% of the vote against Democratic candidate Corry Westbrook.

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions[edit]

Posey has a 81% rating from Heritage Action for America for his conservative voting record, which is 16 points higher than the average Republican voting record.[13]

Environment and energy[edit]

In 2016, Bill Posey sponsored legislation that reauthorized and reprioritized funding to clean up America's estuaries was signed into law by President Obama. [14] [15] [16]

At a May 2018 hearing in the Science, Space and Technology Committee, Posey promoted the falsehood that climate scientists believed that the Earth was cooling in the 1970s.[17] At the hearing, Posey also expressed skepticism that humans contributed to climate change, asking whether climate change was occurring because carbon dioxide captured in permafrost was now leaking out.[17] Posey also asked at the hearing whether warming would be being beneficial for habitats and to people.[17] Posey also stating "I don't think anybody disputes that the Earth is getting warmer; I think what's not clear is the exact amount of who caused what, and getting to that is, I think, where we're trying to go with this committee."[17]

Gun law[edit]

Posey supports legislation that mandates concealed carry permit reciprocity among states.[18] From 2015–2016, Posey accepted $2,000 USD in direct campaign contributions from the NRA's Political Victory Fund;[19] from 2008–2016 Posey accepted $13,500 from NRA political action committees.[20] Posey currently has an "A" rating from the NRA, indicating a record of preserving and expanding gun rights.[21]

Posey was one of the original cosponsors of the Repeal of the Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which repealed Obama-era legislation aimed at preventing the mentally-infirm from legally purchasing firearms.[22] Following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Posey expressed his support for legislation that would ban bump stocks.[23]

Healthcare[edit]

Posey supports repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and calls it a "fiasco" and “was passed under a lot of misrepresentation.”

“I think it needs to be repealed, and we need to start over again,”.[24]

LGBT rights[edit]

Posey has a "0" rating from the Human Rights Campaign regarding his voting record on LGBT-related legislature.[25] He voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would have protected LGBT people from hate crimes, in the wake of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting.[26]

Cannabis[edit]

Posey has a "D" rating from NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes. [27]

Tax reform[edit]

Posey voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[28] Posey has also been a longtime supporter of a balanced budget amendment or (BBA). [29]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Bill Posey ancestry". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved June 11, 2017. 
  2. ^ Takala, Rudy (July 5, 2016). "The red tape keeping private companies from getting us into space". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved July 5, 2016. 
  3. ^ McCutcheon, Michael; Barone, Chuck (2013). 2014 Almanac of American Politics. The University of Chicago Press. 
  4. ^ "Biography - Congressman Bill Posey, Representing the 15th District of Florida". Archived from the original on January 11, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009. 
  5. ^ "November 4, 2008 General Election". Florida Secretary of State. 
  6. ^ "November 2, 2010 General Election". Florida Secretary of State. 
  7. ^ "Posey wins 3rd term in House". Florida TODAY. Retrieved November 7, 2012. 
  8. ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved January 2, 2018. 
  9. ^ "What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who's in it?". Pew research center. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2017. 
  10. ^ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Retrieved March 13, 2018. 
  11. ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Retrieved May 8, 2018. 
  12. ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Retrieved 5 August 2018. 
  13. ^ "Heritage Action Scorecard". Heritage Action for America. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  14. ^ Posey, Bill. "Posey's Bipartisan Plan to Help Estuaries with Critical Needs Heads to the President's Desk". Retrieved 13 June 2018. 
  15. ^ "S.1523 - A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes". US Congress. Retrieved 13 June 2018. 
  16. ^ "Obama signs bill to help Indian River Lagoon". TC Palm. Retrieved 15 June 2018. 
  17. ^ a b c d "Republican lawmaker: Rocks tumbling into ocean causing sea level rise". Science | AAAS. May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018. 
  18. ^ Bycoffe, Aaron (January 30, 2017). "Tracking Bill Posey In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  19. ^ Grinberg, Emanuella (February 21, 2018). "These Florida lawmakers accepted money from the National Rifle Association". CNN. Atlanta. Retrieved February 22, 2018. 
  20. ^ Aaronson, Trevor (February 20, 2018). "Thoughts, Prayers and NRA Dollars: How the Gun Lobby Supports and Opposes Members of Florida's Congressional Delegation". Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. 
  21. ^ Schmitz, Ali (February 24, 2018). "NRA vs. Republicans? Unexpected battle shaping up after Parkland high school shooting". TCPalm. Treasure City, Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2018. 
  22. ^ "In the wake of school shooting, follow the money". SunSentinel. Broward County, Florida. February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018. 
  23. ^ Rangel, Isadora (October 7, 2017). "U.S. Rep. Bill Posey: Outlaw bump stocks". Florida Today. Brevard County, Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2018. 
  24. ^ Berman, Dave. "Posey, Rothblatt take their shots at congressional debate". Florida Today. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  25. ^ Johnson, Chris (October 7, 2016). "Rubio's score plummets to '0' in HRC congressional ratings". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  26. ^ Lopez, German. "Here are the members of Congress who voted against protecting gay people from hate crimes". Vox. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  27. ^ "Florida Scorecard - NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws". NORML. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  28. ^ Almukhtar, Sarah (December 19, 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2017. 
  29. ^ "Taxes and Spending". Bill Posey for Congress. Retrieved 13 June 2018. 

External links[edit]

Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by
Dixie Sansom 		Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 32nd district
1993–2000 		Succeeded by
Bob Allen
Florida Senate
Preceded by
Patsy Ann Kurth 		Member of the Florida Senate
from the 15th district
2001–2003 		Succeeded by
Paula Dockery
Preceded by
Lisa Carlton 		Member of the Florida Senate
from the 24th district
2003–2009 		Succeeded by
Thad Altman
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Dave Weldon 		Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 15th congressional district
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Dennis A. Ross
Preceded by
Daniel Webster 		Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 8th congressional district
2013–present 		Incumbent
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Jared Polis
D-Colorado 		United States Representatives by seniority
177th 		Succeeded by
Phil Roe
R-Tennessee
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