Judd Gregg nominated as Secretary of Commerce
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February 3rd, 2009
Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, on Tuesday, was nominated to be Secretary of Commerce by President Obama to help “shore up our financial system and revitalize our economy”.
“Judd is famous … on Capitol Hill for his strict fiscal discipline,” Obama said. “It’s not that enjoys saying ‘no’ … it’s that he shares my deep-seated commitment to guaranteeing that our children inherit a future they can afford.”
Noting he and Judd don’t agree on every issue, Obama said: “But we do agree on the urgent need to get American businesses and families back on their feet. … And we know the only way to solve the great challenges of our time is to put aside stale ideology and petty partisanship, and embrace what works.”
If confirmed, Judd would be the third Republican in the Obama cabinet, joining Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Gregg was nominated after Obama’s first choice, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew from consideration because of a federal investigation into his administration.
“We are … in the middle of a very difficult economic time,” Gregg said. “And you’ve outlined an extraordinarily bold and aggressive, effective and comprehensive plan for how we can get this country moving.”
Saying now wasn’t the time for partisanship, Gregg said, “This is a time to govern and govern well.”
Gregg also thanked New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch “for his courtesy and courage in being willing to make this possible through the agreement that we have relative to my successor in the Senate.”
Lynch indicated he would appoint a Republican to fill Gregg’s seat once it is vacated so as not to change the balance in the Senate.
Biography of Judd Gregg
Judd Gregg was born in Nashua on February 14, 1947, he is the son of Hugh Gregg, who was Governor from 1953 to 1955. Gregg graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1965. He earned a B.A. from Columbia University in 1969, a J.D. in 1972 and an LL.M. in 1975, both from Boston University School of Law. Although the Vietnam War was raging during the years Gregg was in college and law school, and millions of men were drafted, Gregg performed no military service.
The first elective office held by Gregg was a seat on the Executive Council of New Hampshire, a post which he held from 1978 to 1980. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1980, and was reelected in 1982, 1984 and 1986. He declined to run for reelection in 1988, and ran for Governor of New Hampshire instead. He won that election and was reelected in 1990, New Hampshire being one of two states (Vermont is the other) that continues to elect its governors to two-year, rather than four-year, terms. He served in that position until 1993.
In 1992, he decided to run for the United States Senate instead of running for governor again. He successfully defeated Democrat John Rauh, and Gregg has been a United States Senator since 1993. He was reelected to a second term in 1998 after defeating George Condodemetraky, and ran for a third term in the U.S. Senate election, 2004. That year he defeated campaign finance activist Doris “Granny D” Haddock, the then-94-year-old Democratic nominee, by 66% to 34%.
In January 2005, Gregg was elected to chair the U.S. Senate Committee on Budget by the Senate Republican Conference. While chairman of this committee Gregg has been a steadfast supporter of lower spending. Throughout his Senate career he has been highly supportive of lower taxes as well.
Gregg has a moderate record on social issues. In June 2006 he joined six of his fellow Republicans in voting against the Federal Marriage Amendment. In April 2007 he was among the breakaway Republicans to support the<strong> Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. However, his record on the issue of abortion is a solidly pro-life one. Gregg has voted for some gun control measures and against others. He voted against the Brady Bill, but in recent years has voted for trigger control locks on firearms and in favor of the ban on assault weapons.
During the 2004 Presidential Election, Gregg stood in for John Kerry during practice sessions held by George W. Bush in preparation for the 2004 United States Presidential Election Debates. Four years earlier he had played the part of Al Gore for the same purpose.
On October 29, 2007, Gregg endorsed Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States.
Committee Assignments
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Defense
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (Ranking Member)
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Subcommittee on Children and Families
- Subcommittee on Retirement and Aging
- Committee on the Budget (Ranking Member)
On November 14, 2008 Gregg was appointed by United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to serve on the five-member Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. Gregg “stepped aside” on December 1 citing his Senate workload.
“I regret that due to the impending Senate schedule involving the potential of dealing with an extremely large stimulus package, coupled with the ongoing issues of developing fiscal policy relative to the budget and the continuing economic downturn and my responsibility for foreign operations appropriations, it has become difficult to continue service on the TARP oversight board” … “I have advised Senator McConnell I will need to step aside from this effort.”
On February 2, Politico and CNN reported that Senator Gregg accepted President Obama’s offer to be the next United States Secretary of Commerce. If Gregg is confirmed by the Senate, he will have to resign his Senate seat and be replaced with an appointment by Democratic Governor John Lynch. Sources from both parties have confirmed that Gregg’s former chief of staff, Republican Bonnie Newman, will be chosen to replace him. The Washington Post had alleged that Gregg would not accept the appointment unless Gov. Lynch agreed to appoint a Republican to fill his seat until 2010.
Special interest ratings
Republicans for Environmental Protection issued Gregg an “environmental harm demerit” for sponsoring the 2006 S.C. Resolution 83, which according to REP “included only one revenue-raising instruction to Senate appropriations committees, an abuse of the congressional budget process in order to force oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” and “would perpetuate America’s dangerous oil dependence and damage the most scenic, wildlife-rich reserve in the circumpolar north.” The organization also praised Gregg, together with John E. Sununu, for their work to pass the New England Wilderness act, which classified nearly 100,000 acres (400 km²) of New Hampshire and Vermont as wilderness. In 2006, Gregg received a score of 43% from the nonpartisan League of Conservation Voters.
The University of New Hampshire renamed its Environmental Technology Building Gregg Hall, because Gregg used earmarks to secure $266 million of federal funds for research and development projects for the university. The Judd Gregg Meteorology Institute (JGMI), established in 2003, is the center of meteorological and atmospheric research at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH, which offers the only meteorology degree program in the state. The Senator was also instrumental in the establishing of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in 1999.
The libertarian Cato Institute classifies Gregg as a “Free Trader,” voting against trade barriers and trade subsidies 81% and 86% of the time, respectively.
In 2007, Gregg voted for the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007 (H.R. 6) and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1639).
Personal life
Gregg belongs to the Congregationalist Church. He is married to Kathleen MacLellan Gregg; the couple has two daughters, Molly and Sarah, and a son, Joshua.
Gregg won more than $850,000 in 2005 after buying $20 worth of Powerball tickets at a D.C. convenience store. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Watch a video of Gregg supporting the federal bailout of the financial industry:
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