As part of the OpenLeft BushDog campaign, I am profiling the representative of Florida’s second district, Allen Boyd. Rep. Boyd is a 6th-term Democrat and his district covers part of the Florida panhandle, including Panama City and the capital, Tallahassee. This region of Florida is known both for its conservatism and it’s high percentage of military personnel…both active and retired. It hosts Tyndall Air Force Base as well as a major naval installation in Panama City.
Boyd fits the district quite well. He was an infantry officer in Vietnam. He describes his committee assignments in his official bio:
As a member of the Budget Committee, Boyd will be actively involved in every aspect of the nation’s fiscal policy and work to implement budget enforcement tools that are necessary to restore our country’s fiscal house.
In the 106th Congress, Boyd was appointed by his peers to the highly-coveted Appropriations Committee where he works to ensure fairness in funding to North Florida’s priorities. Throughout his tenure in Congress, Boyd has worked to protect Florida’s military community and bring much-needed aid to the agriculture industry. In the 110th Congress, Boyd’s understanding of our national defense and strong commitment to our military were recognized by his appointment to the powerful Subcommittee on Defense of the House Appropriations Committee. This new role will allow Boyd to further work to improve and strengthen North Florida’s military bases. In addition to the Subcommittee on Defense, Boyd will continue to serve on the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Subcommittee and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress.
According to his Wiki, ‘Boyd is working on a soldier’s Bill of Rights for the 21st century.’ Given his personal history, interests, and the district he serves, it is not surprising that he is a leader within the Blue Dog coalition. By Boyd’s own account:
For the past 10 years, Congressman Boyd has been a leader of Congress’ Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 47 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives who advocate fiscal responsibility in the federal budgeting process. The Blue Dogs are centrist legislators working to forge middle of the road, bipartisan answers to the current challenges facing the country. Over the years, the Blue Dog Coalition has been called upon to lead the House to a comprehensive fiscal policy anchored in federal debt reduction for America and tax relief for all citizens. Boyd was instrumental in the successful efforts by Congress to reach the historic 1997 balanced budget agreement, and as the Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration in the 110th Congress, Boyd led the Blue Dog charge for the return to pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules in the House.
In examining his legislative record the thing that stands out the most is his co-sponsorship of HR 440 in the 109th Congress.
H.R.440
Title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide for individual security accounts funded by employee and employer Social Security payroll deductions, to extend the solvency of the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kolbe, Jim [AZ-8] (introduced 2/1/2005) Cosponsors (1)COSPONSORS(1), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)
Rep Boyd, Allen [FL-2] – 2/1/2005
He was the only Democrat in Congress to endorse this bill, which would have privatized Social Security. According to Progressive Punch, Boyd clocks in as the 226th most progressive member of the House. Only Ike Skelton (D-MO), Dan Boren, (D-OK) Collin Peterson (D-MN), Bud Cramer (D-AL), and Gene Taylor (D-MS) do worse. [Incidentally, this group has a lot of power. Skelton chairs Armed Services, Peterson chairs Agriculture, Taylor chairs the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces, and, of course, Boyd sits on Appropriations.]
Let’s look at Boyd’s record on controversial votes. He was one of 81 Democrats to give Bush the Authorization to use military force in Iraq. He was one of 32 Democrats to vote for the Military Commission Act of 2006, which eliminated habeas corpus. He was one of 41 Democrats to vote for the Protect America Act, which legalized illegal warrantless domestic surveillance. He was not one of the 42 Democrats that voted against the original Patriot Act but he was one of the 156 Democrats, 14 Republicans, and 1 Independent that voted against its renewal.
On May 10th, Boyd voted for the emergency supplemental bill with benchmarks that was vetoed by the President. But on May 24th, he was one of 86 Democrats that caved and gave Bush his money with no strings attached.
He has been an unreliable vote on women’s reproductive choice. He has repeatedly voted to prohibit transporting a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion. He has also consistently voted to ban so-called partial birth abortion.
His record on gay rights is abysmal.
In 2006, Boyd ran for re-election unopposed. In 2004, he defeated his opponent by a comfortable 62-38 percent margin, even as Bush crushed Kerry in his district 55-45.
His current stance on the war? In response to protesters in his district:
Boyd last month voted with other House Democrats to withdraw from Iraq by April 1. He was not in Tallahassee on Thursday but issued a statement saying the war “is exhausting our resources and these resources are not just tax dollars, but also American lives.”
“We’re asking our young people to continue to patrol the streets of Baghdad and quell a civil war that has been going on for over 1,400 years,” said Boyd. “We’re asking the American taxpayers to spend $2.5 billion a week. It is clear that our mission going forward needs to be redefined to reflect a long-term commitment to our country’s future.”
I did not find any hint of a primary challenge for Boyd in this cycle. The Wiki 2008 racetracker identifies two Republicans that may vie for the seat.
