Orrin Hatch

Orrin Hatch
United States Senator from Utah
Incumbent
Assumed office January 4, 1977 Serving with Robert Foster Bennett
Preceded by	Frank Moss
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Elaine Hatch
Alma mater	Brigham Young University
Signature	File:Hatch.gif

Orrin Grant Hatch (born March 22, 1934) is a Republican United States Senator from Utah, serving since 1977.

Hatch is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, where he serves on the subcommittees on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure and Taxation and IRS Oversight. Hatch is also on the Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the ranking Republican, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, as well as the Joint Committee on Taxation. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Until 2004, he chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary (where he famously asked Clarence Thomas during his Senate Supreme Court confirmation, "did you ever say in words or substance something like, 'There is a pubic hair in my Coke?'"), and previously chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Hatch has endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential election.

Early life, marriage, and descendants

Hatch was born to Helen Kamm and Jesse Hatch in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather, Jeremiah Hatch, founded what is now known as Vernal, located in eastern Utah. Hatch married Elaine Hansen of Newton, Utah and they have six children and twenty-two grandchildren. He and his family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Education

Hatch, first in his family to attend college, attended Brigham Young University and, in 1959, received a degree in History. In 1962, he received a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh Law School. As a law student, he worked as a janitor, a construction worker in the Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers Union (putting up walls over various kinds of lath), and a dormitory desk attendant.

Political career

For fourteen years after graduating, Hatch worked as an attorney at law in Pittsburgh and Utah. In 1976 in his first run for public office, he was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Democrat Frank Moss, a three-term incumbent. Among other issues, Hatch criticized Moss's 18-year tenure in the Senate, saying that many Senators, including Moss, had lost touch with their constituents.

In 2000, Hatch made a failed bid for the Republican Presidential nomination, losing to Texas Governor George W. Bush.

Hatch has long expressed interest in serving on the US Supreme Court and he had long been mentioned as a possible nominee after George W. Bush became president. But after the appointments of John Roberts and Samuel Alito, a potential appointment seems to be very unlikely. In the aftermath of the U.S. Attorney firing scandal, Orrin Hatch is mentioned in various news sources as a candidate to succeed Alberto Gonzales as United States Attorney General.

Actions in the Senate

Seated as 100th in seniority in January 1977, Hatch set about making his presence known through advocacy of conservative causes. That year he led the longest filibuster on a legislative issue in Senate history, taking the Labor Law Reform Act to a record six unsuccessful cloture votes (to end debate), killing the bill and earning Hatch a reputation as anti-labor. In the process, Hatch invented the "filibuster by amendment" tactic, proposing and filing more than 2,000 amendments to the bill, discouraging even supporters from supporting an end to the filibuster.

After campaigning as the top surrogate for Ronald Reagan in the presidential campaign in 1980, Hatch was catapulted to the chairmanship of the Labor and Human Resources Committee when the Senate turned Republican on Reagan's coattails. Liberals feared what might happen, since the committee's jurisdiction covered labor, education and health. But while the Republicans held a majority on the committee, that majority included maverick Sen. Lowell Weicker, (R-CT), who would frequently vote with the Democrats. Unable to force legislation, Hatch developed a policy of frequent consultations with Ranking Democrat Edward Kennedy, and the committee became a hotbed of health legislation and reform on other issues. During this period Hatch won cooperation from Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), on "orphan drug" legislation, and with Rep. Al Gore (D-TN), on organ transplant legislation. Hatch continued and expanded the anti-smoking work of Sen. Moss, expanding the warning labels on cigarette packages to four more-specific, rotating warnings. Hatch wrote and passed the Home Health Care Act, authorizing Medicare funds to provide health care to people in their homes rather than at hospitals, saving significantly on individual actions and expanding the reach of federal health care assistance.

Hatch's chief effect in education was persuading President Reagan to appoint fellow Utahn Ted Bell as Secretary of Education. Bell proposed the Excellence in Education Commission whose report started education reform in the 1980s. Secretary of Labor Raymond Donovan was at odds with Hatch through much of Donovan's term, however, due to administration bobbling of FBI information during the confirmation hearings.

Hatch also worked to increase conservative influence in Washington by recruiting a top-flight staff that would provide candidates for other key administrative positions. His Labor Committee staff included future National Labor Relations Board members Robert P. Hunter and James M. Stephens, future FDA Commissioner David Aaron Kessler, future Surgeon General Antonia Novello, future Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA)Director David N. Sundwall, and others.

During Hatch's first year in the Senate, 1977, reporter Gordon Eliot White of the Deseret News published the first of what would be a lengthy series of articles detailing government malfeasance in atmospheric testing of nuclear bombs at the Nevada Test Site. Over the next 13 years White's articles detailed how the government determined to proceed with the tests, and with mining and refining, without adequate safeguards for innocent citizens whose health would be damaged. Though Hatch feared an investigation would endanger the nation's nuclear deterrence versus the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China, by 1979 he was pushing for hearings on the issue before the Senate Labor Committee. Hatch prevailed on Committee Chairman Ted Kennedy to hold field hearings in Utah in 1980. At the end of 1980, Hatch was positioned to chair the committee himself.

By 1984 Hatch had held a dozen hearings, passed legislation requiring scientific investigation of the injuries and had enlisted the aid of the National Science Foundation and National Cancer Institute, but still could not muster the votes to get a bill. When a vote was obtained in the Senate in 1985, it failed. Hatch's ferreting discovered a clause to pay at least $100 million to Marshall Islands injured similarly to Utah citizens, and Hatch took the treaty hostage. His hold on consideration of the treaty eventually got agreement from the Reagan administration to agree not to oppose radiation compensation for Utah citizens, but it still took another five years to get the bill through. The Radiation Compensation Act of 1990 provided compensation for citizens injured by radioactive fallout from the tests.

In 1980, Hatch spoke in favor of rolling back provisions of the Fair Housing Act. Acting on his motion in 1988, Congress eventually voted to weaken the ability of plaintiffs to prosecute cases of discriminatory treatment in housing. At the time the 1988 Fair Housing Amendments were being debated, he introduced a bill endorsed by the National Association of Realtors to severely limit who can file anti-discrimination suits and to make the proceedings a private affair.

Hatch caused an overnight controversy on June 17, 2003 by proposing that copyright owners should be able to destroy the computer equipment and information of those suspected of copyright infringement, including file sharing. In the face of criticism, especially from technology and privacy advocates, Hatch withdrew his suggestion days later, after it was discovered that Sen. Hatch's official website was using an unlicensed JavaScript menu from United Kingdom based software developer Milonic Solutions. Milonic founder Andy Woolley stated that "We've had no contact with them. They are in breach of our licensing terms." Shortly after the publication of that story in Wired magazine, the company who runs Hatch's website contacted Milonic to start registration.

One year later, he proposed the controversial INDUCE Act that attempted to make illegal all tools that could be used for copyright infringement. According to many critics, this act would effectively outlaw the Internet and personal computers, giving unprecedented legal leverage to media companies.

Hatch was one of the architects and advocates of the expansion of H-1b visas and has generally been an advocate of looser immigration policy, which upsets most members of his delegation in Utah. He also proposed the somewhat controversial DREAM Act, which would grant state-subsidized higher education to illegal immigrants.

A vocal supporter of stem cell research, Hatch was one of 58 senators who signed a letter directed to President George W. Bush, requesting the relaxing of federal restrictions on stem cell research.

He has also pushed legislation for the Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment, which would amend Article 2, Section I, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution, under this amendment it would allow anyone who has been a US citizen for twenty years to seek both the presidency and vice-presidency.

In 2006 Hatch gave a controversial speech to the Utah Senate, stating that terrorists across the world were "waiting for the Democrats here to take control, let things cool off and then strike again." On April 12, 2007, rumors started circulating suggesting that Orrin Hatch may be named President George W. Bush's third Attorney General, should Alberto Gonzales resign over the U.S. Attorney firing dispute.

Controversy

Sen. Orrin Hatch has called global warming "science fiction" in media interviews. Senator Hatch has also legislated for dietary supplements to be governed outside of the realm of drugs and food additives. Utah, his constutuency, is considered the "Silicon Valley" of the supplement industry. And when the FDA was reviewing the adverse effects of ephedra Hatch defended the supplement industry. Hatch's son was working for a lobbying firm at the time that represented interests in ephedra manufacturing.

2006 re-election campaign

Main article: Utah United States Senate election, 2006

Hatch was heavily favored to win reelection for his 6th term in November 2006. The Utah Republican Party made him their formal candidate on May 13, 2006 by giving him 78% of the delegate vote at the State Convention. In November, he faced Democrat Pete Ashdown, an Internet company executive, Libertarian Dave Starr Seely, Desert Green Julian Hatch, Constitutionalist Scott Bradley, and Personal Choicer Roger Price.

Senator Hatch ignored or refused open requests to participate in a series of debates. Democrat Pete Ashdown asked that all Senate candidates "visit all 29 counties" in Utah during the summer but Hatch opted instead for "a debate or two" and refuses to "do it to a ridiculous extreme." Hatch and Ashdown commenced this series of debates on October 11 at Tuacahn High School near St. George. Several days before the debate, radio hosts Shawn Ledingham and Justin Bowles of nearby Southern Utah University requested an interview with both candidates. The students, representing the university's public service program, the Rant and Raev Show, wished to allow students at the University an opportunity to hear the candidates' platforms. Both candidates agreed, although the interviews were conducted separately.

Hatch prevailed on election night, winning 344,416 votes (62%) to Ashdown's 169,369 (31%).

Musical career

Orrin Hatch sings and plays the piano, violin and organ. Fueled by his interest in poetry, Hatch also has written many songs for other artists. (On the advice of U2 frontman Bono, he has put several of the songs under a pen name, "because it's you, man.") He co-authored "Everything And More," sung by Billy Gilman. Some claim that his position in the file-sharing debate is a conflict of interest, as Sen. Hatch's music is published by companies associated with the RIAA, the record industry lobbying group that has vehemently opposed file-sharing. In addition to his work as a U.S. Senator, he has made over $65,000 as a Christian music recording artist.

Hatch also has a history in arts management. In the early 1970s he was the band manager for a Mormon-themed folk group called the Free Agency. The Free Agency was made up of members of an earlier Mormon group called the Sons of Mosiah, that was formed when guitarist David Zandonatti and vocalist Ron McNeeley relocated to Utah after their San Francisco based psychedelic group Tripsichord music box disbanded in 1971.

Writing

In 2002, Hatch's book Square Peg: Confessions of a Citizen Senator was published by Basic Books, a member of the Perseus Books Group. This book dissertates Hatch's life in the Senate, including the Confirmation Hearings of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. Many consider the book to be the Senator's memoirs.

Release of Dallas Austin

Hatch assisted R&B producer Dallas Austin's release from Dubai following a conviction for drug possession. [1] On May 19, 2006 Austin was arrested for bringing cocaine into the city, but hours after a local court sentenced Austin to four years in prison before deportation, on July 4 Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum pardoned and released him. Hatch has "good relations with the ambassador and other good people in Dubai," said his office in a statement.

Electoral history

• 2006 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Orrin Hatch (R) (inc.), 62%
  • Pete Ashdown (D), 31%

• 2000 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Orrin Hatch (R) (inc.), 66%
  • Scott Howell (D), 31%

• 1994 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Orrin Hatch (R) (inc.), 69%
  • Pat Shea (D), 28%

• 1988 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Orrin Hatch (R) (inc.), 67%
  • Brian Moss (D), 32%

• 1982 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Orrin Hatch (R) (inc.), 58%
  • Ted Wilson (D), 41%

• 1976 Race for U.S. Senate
  • Orrin Hatch (R), 54%
  • Frank Moss (D) (inc.), 45%

See also

• Hatch-Waxman Act
• Internet Community Ports Act
• Pirate Act

External links

• United States Senator Orrin Hatch official Senate site
• Template:Congbio2
• Federal Election Commission — Orrin G Hatch campaign finance reports and data
• New York Times — Orrin G. Hatch News collected news and commentary
• On the Issues — Orrin Hatch issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Orrin G. Hatch campaign contributions
• mormoncentury.org — Why Hatch supported stem cell research
• Template:VoteSmart
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Orrin G. Hatch profile
• Radiation Compensation Act of 1990, in the Congressional Record
• The Music of Orrin Hatch