Clarence William Nelson II (born September 29, 1942) is an American politician from the Democratic Party who served as senior United States Senator from Florida, the chair he first chose in 2000. Nelson served in the Florida House of Representatives 1972-1978. He subsequently served in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991. In January 1986 he became a member of both US Congresses to fly in space, serving as a payload specialist on Columbia's Shuttle Plane.
He retired from Congress in 1990 to run for Florida governor but was unsuccessful. He was appointed as Treasurer, Commissioner of Insurance, and Florida Flame Marshal, who served from 1995 to 2001. In 2000, Nelson was elected to the seat of the US Senate which had been vacated by the backward Republican Senator Connie Mack III. He was re-elected in 2006 with 60% of the vote and in 2012 with 55% of the vote. In the Senate, he is generally regarded as a moderate Democrat. By 2018, he is the only Florida Democratic elected official.
Video Bill Nelson
Initial and personal life
Nelson was born on September 29, 1942, in Miami, Florida, the only child of Nannie Merle (nÃÆ' Â © e Nelson) and Clarence William Nelson. He is of Scottish, Irish, English and Danish descent. His father died of a heart attack when Nelson was 14 and his mother from Lou Gehrig (ALS) disease when he was 24 years old. Nelson grew up in Melbourne, Florida, where he attended Melbourne High School.
He attended Baptist and Episcopal churches but was later baptized by immersion in Baptist churches. He served as International Club President International sponsored by Kiwanis in 1959-60. In 2005, he joined the First Presbyterian Church in Orlando.
Nelson attended the University of Florida, where he became a member of the Florida Blue Key, and the social fraternity of Theta Pi Beta. He was transferred to Yale University, where he was a member of the secret society of Books and Snakes. He received a law degree from the University of Virginia.
In 1965, during the Vietnam War, he joined the US Army Reserve. He served active duties from 1968 to 1970, reached the rank of captain, and he remained in the Army until 1971. Nelson was accepted in Florida bar in 1968, and began practicing law in Melbourne in 1970. In 1971, he worked as a legislative assistant for Governor Reubin Askew.
In 1972, Nelson married Grace Cavert. The couple has two adult children: Charles William "Bill Jr." Nelson and Nan Ellen Nelson. NASA/spaceflight NASA/spaceflight
In 1986, Nelson became the second congressman (and the first member of the House) to travel in space. He went through NASA training with Senator Jake Garn of Utah. He was a Cargo Specialist on the Columbia Shuttle Columbia STS-61-C mission from 12 to 18 January 1986. Columbia landed at Edwards AFB at 5 : 59 PST, on January 18th. The missed mission time is 6 days, 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 51 seconds. This was the last successful Space Shuttle flight before the Challenger accident, which happened just ten days after Columbia returned. Nelson published a book about the space experience in 1988, Mission: A Voyage to the United States Space .
Maps Bill Nelson
early political career
Florida Legislature
In 1972, Nelson was elected to the Florida Representative Council of District 47, representing most of Brevard County and parts of the State of Orange and Seminole. He won re-election in 1974 and 1976.
US. House of Representatives
Nelson was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1978 in District 9 which opens after five months of presidential candidate Louis Frey Jr., choosing to run for governor rather than re-election. In 1980, Nelson was re-elected to the district, which includes all Brevards and parts of Orange County. He was diverted to the 11th District, covering all Brevards and parts of Orange, Indian River and Osceola county, and winning re-election in 1982, 1984, 1986, and 1988. He remained a member of the US House until 1991.
1990 gubernatorial election
In 1990, Nelson failed to win a Democratic nomination for Florida's governor. He lost to former US Senator Lawton Chiles, who later won elections. During the main campaign, Nelson tries to create problems of Chiles health and age, a strategy that backfires to him in a country with a large population of pensioners and citizens.
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United States Senate
Selection
2000 elections
In 2000, Nelson ran for Democrats for the US Senate seat left behind by Republican Senator Retired Connie Mack III. He won the election, defeating US Representative Bill McCollum, who ran for Republican candidate.
Election 2006
After the 2004 election, in which the Republic of George W. Bush was re-elected and Republicans increased their majority in the House and Senate, Nelson was seen as a vulnerable group. He is a Democrat in the circumstances that Bush won, though only by a margin of five percentage points.
Evangelical Christian activist James Dobson stated that Democrats, including Nelson, would be "on target" if they support efforts to block the Bush court's nomination.Object's refusal to support Congressional efforts to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case is seen as a "major political problem" for the Republican opponent to use in mobilizing the Christian conservatives against him.
Katherine Harris, a former Florida Secretary of State and a two-week US representative, defeated three other candidates in the Republican primary 5 September. Harris's role in the 2000 presidential election made him a polarized figure. Many Florida Republicans are eager to reward him for the party loyalty he feels in the Bush-Gore election, while many Florida Democrats are eager to vote against it for the same reason. In May, when the party found itself unable to recruit candidates who could defeat Harris in primary, many Republican activists admitted that the race had disappeared.
Nelson focuses on safe issues, describing himself as a bipartisan-centric problem solver. He gained support from 22 Florida daily newspapers. Harris failed to get support from Jeb Bush, who publicly declared that he could not win; The US Chamber of Commerce, which had supported him in the House campaign, did not support him in this race.
As the election approaches, polls show Harris following Nelson by 26 to 35 points. Nelson transferred about $ 16.5 million in campaign funds to other Democratic candidates, and won the election with 60.4% of votes for Harris 38.2%.
2012 selection
Vice President Joe Biden called Nelson important to President Obama's chances of winning Florida in 2012. In March 2011, Biden reportedly has said that if Nelson loses in 2012, "it means President Obama and Democratic presidential ticket will not win a battlefield country key , well. "Congressman Connie Mack IV, son of Nelson's direct predecessor in the Senate, won the Republican nomination. Nelson eventually defeated Mack with 55.2% of the votes to Mack 42.2%.
Committees assignment
In the 113th United States Congress, Nelson served on the following committee:
- Armed Services Committee
- Subcommittee on Airland
- Subcommittee on Threats and Developing Capabilities
- Subcommittee on Seapower
- Committee on Budget
- Committees of Commerce, Science and Transport
- Flight, Security, and Security Operations Subcommittee
- Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmospheres, Fisheries, and Coast Guards
- Subcommittee on Science and Space (Chair)
- Financial Committee
- Subcommittee on Healthcare
- Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy
- Special Committee for Aging (Chair)
In the 114th United States Congress, Nelson served on the following committees:
- Committees of Commerce, Science and Transport (Rank Members)
- Flight, Security, and Security Operations Subcommittee
- Subcommittee on Communication, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet
- Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Security, Insurance, and Data Security
- Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmospheres, Fisheries, and Coast Guards
- Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness
- Subcommittee on Transport of Surface and Infrastructure of Marine, Security, and Security of Traders
- Armed Services Committee
- Subcommittee on Threats and Growth Ability (Member Rating)
- Subcommittee on Sea Power
- Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
- Financial Committee
- Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness
- Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Supervision
- United States Senate Special Committee Responding
Political position
Bill Nelson is often regarded as a moderate Democrat. He has arranged himself as a centric during his various campaigns. According to rankings by the National Journal, Nelson was given a composite score in 2013 of 21% conservative and 80% liberal. In 2011, he was given a combined score of 64% liberal and 37% conservative. He also has a lifetime conservative rating of nearly 30% of the American Conservative Union. In contrast, America for Democratic Action gives Nelson 90% liberal quotient for 2016.
The only Florida Democrat in a state office in 2017, he was described by Politico in March of that year as "the Senate... institutional centric indicator species." Politico wrote that the Democratic Party "shifts to the left and so does he." One of the operatives stated that "he has a stable left wing record".
In July 2017, Nelson received a 53% approval rating and a 25% rejection rating, with 22% of survey respondents having no opinion on job performance. FiveThirtyEight, which tracks Congressional votes, shows that Nelson has voted with President Donald Trump 42.5% of the time until June 2018.
Interest group ratings
Nelson 100% Score on the Congress of the Family Planning Action Congress Plan. He also scored 100% on NARAL's Congressional Record.
Nelson scored 28.4 lifetime ratings on the US Conservative Union 0 to 100 but 0 out of 100 in 2015. He scored 9 out of 100 on FreedomWorks 2016. He scored 7 out of 100 on the Club for Growth 2015 scorecards and 11 out of 100 at age rank; in 2015-16 the National Tax Limitation Committee gives it a 5% rating. He scored 90% of Americans for Democratic Action in 2015, the last year they made a public rating.
By 2015, Nelson gets 84% ​​rating from the Conservation Voters League. He has received a 19% rating from the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (2016), 5% of Club for Growth (2016), 17% of National Taxpayers Union (2016). In 2015 and 2017 respectively, Nelson received a 0% rating from the Federation for American Immigration Updates and US Numbers, both of which support immigration restrictions.
In 2017, he received 100% ratings from both Planned Parenthood and the American Public Health Association.
Votes Smart problem positions
Vote Smart, a non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information about candidates for public office in the United States, "examines public records of presidential candidates and congresses to determine possible candidate responses on certain key issues." According to Vote Smart's 2016 analysis, Nelson generally supports pro-choice laws, opposes US combat operations in Afghanistan, supports reductions in defense spending to balance the budget, supports income tax increases to balance the budget, supports federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth, providing tax incentives for businesses for job creation purposes, supporting the need for states to adopt federal education standards, opposing reductions in offshore energy production limits, supporting federal regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, supporting restrictions on purchasing and possession of weapons, opposing the lifting of the Affordable Care Act, illegal immigrants present to return to their home country before they qualify for citizenship, and oppose allowing individuals to transfer a portion of their Social Security tax to a personal pension account.
Economy/jobs
- Trade
In 2005, Nelson was one of ten Democrats who voted in favor of the Dominican Republic - the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) on 55-45 parts of the Senate.
- Tax policy
On several occasions, Nelson has chosen to reduce or eliminate the land tax, especially in June 2006, when he was one of the four Democrats who chose to fail (57-41) cloture movement on bills to eliminate taxes.
Nelson voted against the Republican plan to extend Bush's tax cuts for all taxpayers. Instead, Nelson supports an extension of tax deductions for those earning under $ 250,000. Nelson chose Buffett Rule in April 2012. Speaking of his support for Buffett's Rule, Nelson said he chose to raise the minimum tax rate on revenues of more than $ 1 million per year to 30% to reduce the budget deficit and make the tax code fairer. Nelson said, "In short, tax justice for deficit reduction only makes sense."
Nelson voted in 2011 to end Bush-era tax cuts for those earning more than $ 250,000 but chose $ 143 billion in tax cuts, unemployment benefits, and other economic measures. That year, GPS RR Crossroads belonging to Karl Rove run TV ads that attack Nelson for "choosing to increase debt and tax expenditures."
In 2013 Nelson advocated a tax reform, which he defined as "getting rid of special interest tax breaks and corporate subsidies." By stating the required qualities of the reforms, he listed "simplicity, fairness and economic growth".
He and Susan Collins introduced the law in 2015 that would "make it easier for smaller businesses to cut administrative costs by shaping the plans of some 401 (k) -style companies."
- Government expenditure
Nelson opted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, often referred to as an economic stimulus, proposed by President Obama. In August 2011, Nelson selected a bill to raise the $ 400 billion debt ceiling. Nelson said that even though the bill is not perfect, "this kind of jam can not do anything." Nelson voted against Paul Ryan's budget.
- Consumer affairs
In May 2013, Nelson asked the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to investigate why consumers who make short real estate sales decrease their credit score to the same level as those who are foreclosed. Nelson suggested a penalty if the issue was not dealt with in ninety days.
- Flood insurance
Nelson voted in favor of the Biggert-Waters Flood Reform Act of 2012, which requires the National Flood Insurance Program to raise insurance rates for some high risk properties for flooding. By 2014, after protests by Florida property owners facing a steep rise in flood insurance rates, Nelson supports legislation that would provide retroactive refunds for taxpayers who have seen a big increase in their flood insurance rates due to sales or home purchases. The proposal will also limit an average annual premium increase of 15 to 18 percent and allow subsidized insurance rates based on the current flood map.
Terrorism
In September 2014, Nelson said that the United States should immediately reply to ISIS because "the US is the only one who can muster a coalition to stop this group that intends to commit barbaric atrocities."
He supports "Denying Firearms and Explosives for Terrorist Terrorist Act". Introduced in 2013 and again in 2015, it will keep weapons away from suspected terrorist networks.
Standing outside the Orlando Pulse nightclub immediately after the June 2016 massacre there, Nelson called Omar Mateen a "wolf alone," and when asked if it was an act of jihad, he said he could not confirm it.
Shortly thereafter, citing intelligence sources, Nelson did say that there appears to be a "link with Islamic radicalism," perhaps ISIS. Nelson later said on the Senate floor that "terrorists... want to divide people" but that Mateen instead "brings people together." He does not use Islamic words or jihad. After the massacre, Nelson and Barbara Mikulski supported the increase in FBI funding.
A year after the Orlando massacre, Nelson attended a memorial in which he reiterated that "unite Orlando and unite the country." He did not say anything about jihad or newspaper views on homosexuality.
He supports the 2016 Terrorist Counter Terrorism Act.
In August 2017, the Miami Herald urged Nelson to support Lindsey Graham's Taylor Force Act, which would block US subsidies to the Palestinian Authority, which provides financial aid to "Palestinian prisoners, former detainees and families of 'martyrs.'" Nelson voted The bill, which went by very much.
Health care
In March 2010, Nelson selected the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and the Health Care and Reconciliation Education Act of 2010, passed and signed into law by President Obama. He threw a "vote deciding" to pass Obamacare.
Then in 2010, Grover Norquist criticized Nelson's amendment for Obamacare, the Small Business Loan Act, which will lift cuts for oil and natural gas companies. The action, which Norquist charged, would be an "effective tax increase". Instead, Norquist supports a competing amendment proposal by Senator Mike Johanns.
Nelson calls in 2014 for Medicaid expansion.
In 2016, he called the House of Zika Bill "a disaster," complaining that he would need "$ 500 million in health care funding from Puerto Rico" and restrict access to "birth control services needed to help curb the spread of the virus and prevent terrible birth defects. "
In September 2017, Nelson and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Reinsurance Act 2017, an effort "to stabilize the health insurance market." This will give $ 2.25 billion to "reduce the risk for insurance companies by providing funds to insurance companies for high risk registrars" and "helping keep the premiums in check."
In October 2017, Nelson wrote a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requesting the CDC to prioritize Zika's prevention.
Immigration
In January 2017, Nelson wrote a letter to President Trump to protest his immigration order. "Regardless of the constitutionality or legality of this Executive Order," he wrote, "I am deeply concerned that it may be more dangerous than good in our struggle for America's security." "The success of the US in the fight against terrorism, he argues," depends on Muslim cooperation and assistance that rejects radicalism and violence. "Whether or not this Executive Order risks alienating those we rely on in the war on terror.
Space exploration and NASA
In March 2010, Nelson complained that President Obama had made a mistake in canceling NASA's Constellation program. On July 7, 2011, it was reported that Nelson said the Congress "starved" the space funding program for several years, but suggested that the situation turn around and ask the Obama administration to encourage NASA funding.
By 2017 and 2018, Nelson is trying to prevent Jim Bridenstine, a Trump Presidential candidate to head NASA, so as not to be confirmed in the Senate. Bridenstine has no formal qualifications in science or engineering, and rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. Bridenstine finally confirmed.
LGBT Rights
On December 18, 2010, Nelson voted to not ask, not to notify the Revocation Act of 2010, which establishes a legal process for ending policies that prevent gays and lesbians from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces..
On April 4, 2013, Nelson announced that he was no longer opposed same-sex marriage. He wrote, "Civil rights and responsibilities for a person must be related to all.Thus, to discriminate one class and nothing else is wrong to me. Simply put, if God makes homosexual and heterosexual, why should I discriminate them civil marriage "I should not, and I will not."
Foreign policy
- Foreign help
Nelson voted against Senate Bill 3576, which called for a ban on US aid to the Egyptian and Libyan governments "depending on the release to the US government of the aggressors who attacked our embassies and consulates in Egypt and Libya." The bill would also restrict assistance to Pakistan until Dr. Shakil Afridi, a doctor who helped the CIA track Osama bin Laden and who was jailed by the Pakistani government.
- Venezuela
In April 2017, Nelson called for tougher economic sanctions against Venezuela, which he described as "an economic basket case."
- Cuban
He opposed the 2009 spending bill until his concern about certain provisions in the Cuban-related bill was appeased by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who assured him that the terms "would not be a major reversal of US policy for decades isolating communist-run islands."
Pistol control
In 2012, the National Rifle Association gave Nelson an "F" rating for his support of gun control. Nelson is a lawyer for a new weapons control law, including the Assault Weapons Ban and the ban on magazines over ten rounds. In 2013, he endorsed a proposal that requires individuals to buy weapons at gun shows for background checks. He also supports the banning of assault rifles and laws that limit arms magazines to 10 rounds.
In response to the Orlando nightclub shooting of the 2016 nightclub, Nelson expressed regret that the Democratic Feinstein Amendment, which would ban arms sales to individuals on terrorist watch lists, and Republican proposals to update background checks and to create a warning for the law. enforcement when an individual is placed on a terrorist watchlist, has failed to pass the Senate. He stated, "What would I say to the Orlando community trying to unite in healing?" Unfortunately, what I have to say to them is that the NRA wins again. " Both he and Marco Rubio support the bill.
In October 2017, after the mass shootings of Las Vegas, Nelson and Diane Feinstein sponsored a bill to ban stock bumps for assault weapons. "I am a hunter and have owned a weapon all my life," he said. "But these automatic weapons are not for hunting, they are to kill."
Chris Cillizza criticized Nelson's performance in a city hall debate hosted by CNN after the shooting of Stoneman Douglas High School. Cillizza writes that Nelson "seems to see the town hall... as a vehicle to jump-start his campaign against Republican Governor Rick Scott, who is widely expected to fight him, no matter the question posed to him, Nelson found a way to make it all about Scott."
Student loans
In July 2017, Nelson introduced a law to cut student lending rates by 4 percent, but at a conferential Tallahassee meeting, a former student with a $ 115,000 loan complained that 4 percent was still too high. "Why," he asked, "should the students pay higher interest rates than what the big banks pay to borrow money from federal reserves, about 1 percent?"
Environment
Nelson and Mel Martinez sponsored a 2006 bill banning oil drilling off the Gulf Coast of Florida with Mel Martinez. In 2017 he said he wanted the ban to continue until 2027, but it was "strongly opposed by the oil industry." Together with 16 members of the Florida congress from both sides, he urged the Trump administration to keep the eastern Gulf of Mexico off limits for oil and gas drilling. "Drilling in this area," they wrote, "threatens a multibillion-dollar tourism-driven economy and is incompatible with military training and weapons testing going on there."
In 2011, Nelson co-sponsored the RESTORE Act, which redirects money from BP fines to countries affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
On 27 June 2013, Nelson co-sponsored the Law on the Elimination of Hazardous Vomiting Algae and Hypoxia and Control Amendment of 2013 (S. 1254; 113th Congress), a bill that would re-validate and modify the Alga Bloom Prevention and Research Act Harm and Hypoxia 1998 and will authorize the use of $ 20.5 million annually until 2018 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to reduce the harmful effects of algal blooms and hypoxia.
In 2015, after Governor Rick Scott directed Florida officials to stop using the terms "climate change" and "global warming," Nelson introduced amendments to prevent federal agents censoring official communications on climate change. It "falls to the point of order after 51-49 votes, though Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joins Nelson in favor of amendments."
Hurricanes
After Hurricane Maria in 2017, Nelson and Marco Rubio agree that Trump has been too long to send the US military to Puerto Rico to take part in relief efforts. "For a week we were slow in the turn," Nelson said in San Juan. "The most efficient organization in times of disaster is an organization that has been able to have a long supply line in combat, and that is the US military."
After Hurricane Maria led many Puerto Rican people to flee to Florida, Nelson encouraged them to register to vote there, saying that "they have greatly embraced my public ministry." PR Governor RossellÃÆ'³ calls Nelson "champion for Puerto Rico, and a good friend."
Nelson was criticized for sending campaign fundraising emails in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
Supreme Court
Nelson opposes and defies Neil Gorsuch's nomination for the Supreme Court.
Security and supervision
In 2007, Nelson was the only Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee to vote against the amendment to withhold funds for use by the CIA's enhanced interrogation techniques on terrorism suspects. His voting, combined with those of all members of the Republican committee, killed the size.
In January 2018, Nelson decided to ratify the Foreign Intelligence Oversight Act, which allowed the National Security Agency to expand its unsecured spy program on the internet and telephone networks. In 2015, he called for a permanent extension of the law.
Controversy
- The Council on American-Islamic Relations
In November 2011, Ahmed Bedier, an activist associated with CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, donated money to Nelson and hosted a fundraiser for him. Representative Nelson later claimed that he "did not know about Bedier's relationship with CAIR" and that Bedier had exaggerated his proximity to the senator. In November 2011 Marc Caputo of the Miami Herald wrote that the scandal about Bedier threatened the Jewish voice for Nelson, recalling that Bedier had referred to Israel as a "terrorist state." Caputo noted that while "Nelson has tried hard to make himself a pro-Israel", that is not enough for some conservative groups.
- visit Syria
In December 2006, Nelson traveled to Syria to visit President Bashar Assad in Damascus. At the time, the Bush Administration had no policy of contact with Syrian officials because of its "support for Hezbollah and Hamas, which the US considers a terrorist organization". The White House press secretary commented on the trip by saying, "We do not think that members of Congress should go there". The State Department also did not approve of the trip, but provided logistical support to Nelson.
- Earmarks
Nelson was criticized in 2010 for his use of traits. Among the characteristics; $ 2 million for water quality improvement Florida Keys; $ 1.65 million for the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex; $ 1.5 million for the St. Parkway exchange John's Heritage; $ 1.2 million for alternative analysis of Jacksonville commuter trains; and $ 1 million for Fishing Luggage-Fishery Fishing Data Collection. "It seems the Democrats did not learn anything from the 2010 election," said Sandy Adams, R-Oviedo. Lawmakers who are running Suzanne Kosmas and Alan Grayson are also criticized for the traits.
- PMA Groups
On February 17, 2009, David D. Kirkpatrick writes that Nelson is one of three MPs "returning campaign contributions from donors registered as employees of the PMA Group, a Washington lobbying company whose founders are under investigation for purporting to channel money through fake donors ".
Electoral history
References
Further reading
- Biography at the Directory of Congressional Biographies of the United States
- Profile in Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Electoral Commission
- Rules are sponsored in the Library of Congress
- Bill Nelson's official NASA biographical astronaut
External links
- Senator Bill Nelson is the official US Senate site
- Bill Nelson for the Senate
- Bill Nelson on Curlie (based on DMOZ)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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