Jaime Herrera Beutler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Brian Baird
Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 18th district
In office November 2007 – January 2011
Preceded by	Richard Curtis
Succeeded by	Ann Rivers
Personal details
Born	) November 3, 1978 (age 34)[1] Glendale, California[1]
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Daniel Beutler
Residence	Camas, Washington
Religion	Christian[1]
Website	Official website

Jaime Herrera Beutler (pron.: BUT-lər;^[2] born Jaime Lynn Herrera; November 3, 1978) is an American politician, who is currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Washington's 3rd congressional district, serving since January 2011. She is a member of the Republican Party, and is the second youngest female U.S. Representative. She is a former Senior Legislative Aide for U.S. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane) and a former state representative for the 18th Legislative District in Washington State. In November 2012, she was reelected in a landslide over Jon T. Haugen.^[3] She began her second term in January 2013.

Early life, education, and early political career

Jaime Lynn Herrera was born in Glendale, California, and raised in Southwest Washington. She graduated from Prairie High School, where she played basketball and the University of Washington. She earned a B.A. in Communications. She often alludes to growing up in Washington, as shown in a 2012 campaign ad.

Herrera served as an intern in both the Washington State Senate and in Washington, D.C. at the White House Office of Political Affairs. In 2004 she was an intern in the office of Washington State Senator Joe Zarelli, who would later support her campaigns.^[4] She was a Senior Legislative Aide for U.S. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane).

W.A. House of Representatives

Elections

Herrera moved back to the 18th legislative district to run for state representative (map), and was appointed to the Washington House of Representatives in 2007 to replace former Rep. Richard Curtis, who resigned amid a sex scandal. She went on to win the election to retain her seat in 2008 with 60% of the vote, a similar percent as to what she would win in her 2012 US Congressional reelection.^[5]

Tenure

She was elected as Assistant Floor Leader, the youngest member of her party's leadership in the State House. Her first sponsored bill gave tax relief to business owners serving in the military. It was signed into law by Democrat Governor Christine Gregoire on March 27, 2008.^[6]

She opposed Senate Bill 5967, which would require cities, school districts, and private leagues to adopt polices assuring that their community athletic programs to have gender equality. She thought it was unnecessary.^[7]

Committee assignments

• Health Care and Wellness
• Human Services
• Transportation^[8]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2010

Herrera ran for Washington's 3rd congressional district, which was an open seat of retiring Democratic incumbent Brian Baird. Herrera advanced to the general election with 28% of the vote, well ahead of fellow Republican candidates David Hedrick and David Castillo. State Representative Denny Heck, a Democrat, ranked first with 31% of the vote.^[9][10][11]

During her campaign Herrera raised $1,557,220.57 in donations with 62% of contributions coming from individual contributors and 35% coming from political action committees.^[12] The biggest single contributor was the construction and mining contactor Kiewit Corporation, one of the largest contractors in the world.^[12] Herrera pledged to provide solutions in Southwest Washington to help stimulate their economy. She praised the “Pledge to America” released by Congressional Republican leadership, which included ideas such as extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and offering small businesses 20% tax deductions.^[13] She distinguished her plans for economic recovery from Democratic nominee Denny Heck’s asserting that the country is going in the wrong direction, and she would offer a new approach. Herrera stated in a press release that government needs to be reigned in and that “More government spending won't create permanent, private sector jobs; it will jeopardize them…we need government to let entrepreneurs and investors do what they do best and grow businesses. Only then will new jobs be created in Southwest Washington.”^[14] Although she received support from state Republican leaders U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers and former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton, Herrera stresses her independence with statements such as, "Neither political party has all the answers."^[15] The Columbian has called her "a rising star in the Republican Party".^[15]

In the November general election, Herrera defeated Heck 53%-47%. She won the five of the district's six counties.^[16]

2012

Herrera announced her intention to seek re-election in January 2012. She quickly outraised her two opponents, Democrat Jon Haugen, and Independent Norma Jean Stevens. She won the open primary with 61% of the vote.^[3] By the end of the election, she had raised more than $1.5 million, to Haugen's $10,000.^[17] In the November general election, she defeated Haugen 60%-40%.^[18]

Tenure

Hererra speaking on the house floor on November 30, 2012 concerning the Stem Jobs ACT of 2012.

On December 22, 2010, she announced that she has taken her husband's name and will now go by Jaime Herrera Beutler.^[2]

On January 24, 2011, Jaime Herrera Beutler cosponsored a U.S. Constitutional Amendment that would require the federal government to balance its budget every year. The balanced budget amendment would require the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress for approval, but provides an exception in times of national emergencies.^[19]

On March 10, Herrera introduced her first bill as a member of Congress. The "Savings Start With Us" Act would reduce the salaries of Members of Congress, the President and the Vice President of the United States by 10%. In a letter to Congress, Herrera said it was unfair that Congress has voted to remove billions from the budget without cutting their own paychecks, and that this bill would “bring us [Congress] in line with the reductions we're asking the rest of the federal government to absorb.”^[20][21] The bill has been co-sponsored by Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin.

On November 15, 2011, Herrera announced that she would co-sponsor a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing insider trading among members of Congress. The "Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act", originally introduced by her predecessor, Democrat Brian Baird, would prohibit members of Congress from profiting from nonpublic information they obtain through their positions.^[22]

In September 2012, Herrera praised the FAA for delaying restrictions on Vancouver's Pearson Airport that were to go into effect in that month. She had encouraged the FAA to table the decision on September 17, and it was tabled on September 24.^[23] Herrera joined a group of 15 congressman, including fellow Washingtonians Doc Hastings, Dave Reichert, and Jim McDermott, in October 2012, in writing a letter to the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture and Trade asking them to reconsider two new regulations imposed on goods exported to or imported from the United States, as Indonesia has consistently been one of the top five importers of Washington's apples, bringing in $57 million 2010 alone.^[24]

On January 17, 2012, in Congressional Quarterly annual study, CQ found Hererra as being very republican, voting with her party 92% of the time, while she only supports The President 25% of the time.^[25] Herrera's partisan reputation has softened however as her stay in Congress has lengthened.^[26]

Committee assignments

• House Committee on Small Business (112th and the 113th^[27] Congresses)
  • United States House Small Business Subcommittee on Healthcare and Technology
  • United States House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations
• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (112th, but NOT in the 113th^[27] Congress)
  • United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Vice Chair

• Congressional Hispanic Conference
• Republican Study Committee
• Republican Main Street Partnership

Personal life

In August 2008, Herrera Beutler married her husband, Daniel Beutler, who works for SeaPort Airlines.^[2] The couple lives in Camas, Washington.^[8] In May 2013, Herrera Beutler announced they were expecting their first child. She will only be the 9th woman in history to give birth while in office. ^{[28] [29]}

Electoral history

References

External links

• Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler official U.S. House site
• Jaime Herrera official campaign site
• Profile at Washington House Republicans
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Financial information (federal office) at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance (federal office) at LegiStorm.com
• Financial information (state office) at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Voting record at The Washington Post
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs